Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2016: The Sidney Perez Sio Collection

Wazzup Pilipinas!

"Running a successful fashion house requires 90% business accumulate and 10% artistic ability. Most Fashion houses start – ups are manage by the designers themselves who, whilst strong on the design font, may have only a very rudimentary understanding of the business of fashion, as a result, although thousands of talented fashion designers graduated every year, most new fashion designers start – ups fail." - Sidney Perez Sio
Another fashion designer who showed off his fabulous creations at the Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2016 held at the Discovery Primea is Sidney Perez Sio who wowed the crowd with his playful designs.

The experience of competing on an International level boosted his confidence, which pushed him to try out his luck in the mainstream of American fashion in New York. His four-year stint in the United States proved to be most fulfilling, Highlights of which include employment with the prestigious Milo’s Events and Promotion Agency in Manhattan. It took no less than an enticing offer from renowned designer Inno Sotto to work as fashion Stylist & production designer, for Sidney to pack his bags and return to the motherland.

"I like the playfulness of Sidney Perez Sio's design. It is something that I would see in Vogue Nippon. It is sweet and very on-the-street. The homage to the Filipino aesthetic was also there." - Jernih Agapito

Congratulations to Sidney for his masterpieces. His designs are superbly done as he can express himself to the maximum. He has that “Now or Never Attitude” for he just do it and is a result oriented person who considers himself very productive.

Below are some of his designs worn by top models during the Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2016.

MSFT Incentives Businesses to Bring Affordable Internet to Scale

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Microsoft announced it has awarded seed grants and resources to 12 small businesses, in 11 countries, to help scale their solutions to increase affordable internet access in communities in underserved markets.

In the Philippines, the grant received by Wi-Fi Interactive Network Philippines will enable them to further their mission of using TV White Space to reach areas where Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) is not available all across the country’s more than seven thousand islands.

Peggy Johnson, EVP of business development at Microsoft, shared more about Microsoft’s approach to partner with local entrepreneurs in tackling last-mile connectivity challenges in the article below:
At Microsoft, we believe that technology can empower everyone to achieve more. And for much of the world, it already has. You’re probably reading this on a laptop, tablet or smartphone, each connecting you to the incredible benefits of the Internet.

But for 4 billion people – more than half the world’s population – the benefits of digital technology remain out of reach.

To these communities, technology represents opportunity. The Internet can connect an expectant mother with her doctor, even if they’re hundreds of miles away. With a basic mobile phone, a rural smallholder farmer can access financial services like microloans and online banking. And with a simple Wi-Fi connection, any child can take online courses from the world’s best schools.

17% of Private HEIs Nationwide Cleared to Increase Tuition

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In its 471st Joint Management Committee and Commission En Banc meeting, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) approved the applications of 304 of 1,659 private higher education institutions (HEIs) for increase of tuition and other school fees for Academic Year (AY) 2016-2017.

Of the 304 HEIs, 280 or 17% of private HEIs nationwide will increase tuition. Two hundred fifty-two (252) or 15% of private HEIs will increase other school fees this year.

Across the private HEIs with approved increases in either tuition or other school fees, the average increase in tuition is 5.10% or the equivalent of PhP43.39 per unit, while increase in other school fees is 5.41% or PhP115.58.

Considering the total population of private HEIs, the average increase in tuition or other school fees is less than 1%. These increases vary depending on the HEI and the region.

In regions with the highest number of HEIs, the average per unit increase in tuition is PhP68.44 or 5% for NCR, PhP23.39 or 3.2% for Region IV-A, and PhP33.41 or 6.14% for Region III. For other school fees, the increases are PhP57.52 or 5.14% for NCR, PhP138.36 or 3.22% for Region IV-A and PhP487.71 or 5.28% for Region III.

LeadSurf Joins Globe Telecom’s Project 1 Phone e-Waste Recycling Program

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LeadSurf Executive Eddie Chou (left) and Globe Director for Citizenship Fernando Esguerra (right) drop the first batch of donated defective mobile phones in the Globe recycling bin. Together with them are LeadSurf Application Operations Asst. Manager Allen Lim and Globe SVP for Corporate Communications Yoly Crisanto.

LeadSurf Data Marketing, Inc. joins Globe Telecom’s call for responsible electronic waste disposal by donating defective mobile phones, computers, and other office equipment to Project 1 Phone (P1P), the biggest and most ambitious e-waste recycling program in the country.

LeadSurf, a client of Globe MyBusiness, provides technical and customer support services, marketing of software products and services across South East Asia region including hub offices in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Greater China and the Philippines.

“We are proud to partner with Globe Telecom for the Project 1 Phone campaign which connects to our primary goal of including environmental sustainability in our business practices. With Project 1 Phone, we can now express our commitment to create wonderful and relevant solutions to the environment by reducing our e-waste within the premises of the company,” said Leadsurf Executive Eddie Chou.

Importance of Traveling In Education

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Education subjects which offer theoretical knowledge to students cannot be complete without having a first hand experience of physical visits of a place at least to get new ideas for research paper. Education and traveling are inseparable from each other. The goal of this article is to show how important traveling is to any educational system that wants to equip students with proper world knowledge.

With breakthroughs in science, locomotives and transport systems have improved and have made traveling easier. Looking at the past experience, a person had to fraught with danger to reach a destination. Nowadays, traveling from one part of the world to another has been fast and safe. Traveling has been incorporated as part of education. Educational tours are key in opening up the minds of students and converts theory to practical knowledge. A student who reads a book about a certain geographical place and never visits the place has insufficient knowledge if compared to a student who reads and visits the place. For example, visiting places like Kashmir valley, Kutch, Kalipong and Kanyakumari will offer best climate, architecture, history, culture, religion and fauna to students.


The figure above is the beautiful Kashmir valley - a geographical attraction site Photo from http://www.yogeshsarkar.com/photos/displayimage.php?pid=622

Some places have been given a negative connotation as being risky and dangerous. This remains false because of smooth communication that is provided by travel bureau. The information empowers the traveler or travelers to make wise decisions and this removes the superstitions that are awarded to certain geographical places. The bureau offers good and affordable prices for traveling groups. Schools in urban areas have the ability to have education trips because of funding, but this is not the same with students from the village.

In conclusion, traveling to various destinations, offers a variety of knowledge to students. Students learn directly and they are able to do a comparative analysis of what they read and see in the real situation. Educational tours open the minds of students.

Globe Fires Up PH 1st 700 MHz Cell Site; Generates Speeds Ranging 60-100 Mbps

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Photo above shows the 700MHz antenna, 2.5 meters in height, mounted on a Globe cell site in Diliman, Quezon City.

Globe Telecom fired up over the weekend the country’s first cell site that utilized the 700 megahertz spectrum, generating speeds that ranged between 60-100 Mbps. The company expects to deliver performance improvements as it completes ongoing optimization.

The move came less than a week after Globe acquired half of San Miguel Corp.’s telecommunication assets that included the 700 MHz frequency.

According to Joel Agustin, Globe Senior Vice President for Program Governance, Network Technical Group, the first 700 MHz cell site, located near Hardin ng Bougainvillea in UP Diliman, Quezon City, benefits customers within a radius of 2.2 kilometers from the cell tower. So far, there are almost a hundred customers in the area using devices compatible with the LTE 700 MHz band experiencing the value of the technology. Officials of the National Telecommunications Commission, led by Deputy Commissioner Edgardo Cabarios inspected the site last Monday, June 6.

Agustin said the company plans to roll out initially about 200 sites using this particular frequency. “The intention is that the first batch of the 200 sites we plan to roll out will be in areas where connectivity matters most to our customers as well as in locations with high convergence of users like here in the National Capital Region,” he said. Globe plans to activate all 200 sites progressively, which means that more and more customers will get to experience the benefits of the 700 MHz moving forward. Users of phones that are not compatible with LTE are also expected to benefit from the deployment of 700 MHz cell sites as this will lead to decongestion of users on other frequencies.

CSR Expo Conference:Co-creating the Future Through CSR

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The League of Corporate Foundations (LCF) is a network of over 80 of the largest operating and grant-making corporate foundations and corporations in the Philippines. The League has continued to be at the forefront of promoting and enhancing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practice among its members and the larger business community since its formation in 1991.

This year, the LCF is celebrating its 20th year of advocating for the strategic practice of Corporate Social Responsibilty (CSR). While we celebrate the milestones of LCF as a network of corporte foundations and corporations doing good CSR, we will also take stock of where we are, the impact we have made, and plan for the future direction of CSR in the context of sustaining multi-sectoral partnerships for sustainable development.

The LFC has crossed another milestone in the history of its company. This year, LCF is celebrating its 20th anniversary as a premier organization that promotes and implements strategic and sustainable social development programs in the country. 

Since it started operations in 1996, LCF has made a valuable contribution to the business and society being one of the 6 largest networks of NGO in the Philippines that organized the Philippine Council for NGO Certification (PCNC). 

3 Life Lessons on Adapting to Change

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We always hear things like “times are changing” or “change is the only constant thing in this world” or – especially with the recently-concluded National Elections – “change is coming.” In this day and age, change even comes in different forms with different names: innovation, integration, downsizing, modernization, strategic shift, restructuring, re-engineering, rethinking…

Call it what you want, but one thing is certain. Change is part of our lives. You can deny it, you can fight it, you can resist it, but it will always come. The people and organizations that succeed are those that EMBRACE change, and RESPOND to these changes in a positive way.

I have always considered myself a go-with-the-flow type of person. I do set goals and make plans, but part of the plan is to always leave room for unexpected situations – whether it be a cancelled flight, a surprise meeting or an impromptu speaking engagement. I welcome change in my life because I understand that the only way a person can grow and progress is through change.

As they say, experience is the best teacher. So allow me to share with you 3 of the most important lessons I learned about adapting to change.

Pochology travels the world

Lesson #1: You get what you TOLERATE

People love to complain. It seems to have become a national pastime. Do you know people who always find a reason to complain? Whether it’s their job, the government, their relationships, the money in their wallet, the cab driver, the burnt french fry… there seems to be something wrong everywhere they look.

If something hurts, why do you tolerate it?

Take an inventory of the different aspects of your life – your body, your finances, your career, your relationships, your emotional well-being. Do you like what you see? I hate to break it to you, but the quality of your life – good or bad – tells you what you have been tolerating all this time.

My choice not to tolerate certain things in my life is what enabled me to accomplish great things through my advocacies. If I tolerated the selfish culture within the voice acting industry, I wouldn’t have established my school, the Philippine Center for Voice Acting. If I tolerated the lack of opportunities for the youth to express themselves, I wouldn’t have founded Voice of the Youth Network. If I tolerated the absence of training on taking care of the voice, Voice Care Philippines would not be existing today.

Bottom line, you cannot improve the quality of your life with the mindset and behavior that brought you there in the first place. So why tolerate the average, the mediocre, the “okay” things in life, if you know you deserve something better?

Pochology with the Presidentiables 2016

Lesson #2: Change begins TODAY

Not tomorrow, not next week, not “starting next month or next year.” The problem with thinking about doing something in the future is that your mind thinks it’s okay not to do anything RIGHT NOW. Remember that song from the classic musical “Annie”? Tomorrow is always a day away!

You see, it’s not only when shopping that we can give in to our impulse. When was the last time you thought of doing something – create a blog, exercise, make a follow-up call to a client, quit smoking – and actually did it right at that moment?

If you want to improve the quality of your life, you need to get into the habit of taking immediate action. This is the reason why I leave room for unexpected situations in my life. Many times, it is through those surprise meetings that I am able to launch new ideas and create partnerships that would help me do great things.


Lesson #3: AVAILABILITY is the best ability

What if I tell you that I have arranged for you an all-expense paid, month-long vacation to Hawaii? All you need is to be at the airport at exactly 8am tomorrow. Will you be there?

Of course you would WANT to go, but then you’d have plenty of things to consider before you can get on that plane. “I have a report due at the end of the week.” “I need to let my boss know that I’ll be gone for a month!” “What about the kids? I need to do their laundry, do some grocery shopping…” “I haven’t gotten a US Visa!”

Most people get into panic mode with even a slight change in their schedule, because they have built their life around a routine they find difficult to get out of. Personally, I designed my life in such a way that my routine is not having a routine at all! That way, I can make myself available for the opportunities that come… even if that means getting a call at 5am inviting me to deliver a talk in 3 hours!

With all the things that I do as an entrepreneur, as a freelancer, and as a volunteer, I meet a lot of people who would want to be part of what I do, saying they would “really, really, really” like to do what I do. Then when I ask them to volunteer on my radio program or write an article on my website, most of them would not follow through. This made one thing clear to me – the people who are committed and dedicated to creating change are those who make themselves available for what they are committed to do. Your talent, skills, sense of humor, good looks and so-called dedication are useless if you’re not available to take the opportunity to prove them.

As I mentioned earlier, change is and will always be part of your life. So instead of fighting it, be open and learn to adapt. Who knows, it could be the breakthrough change that could change your life for the better.

Contributed By: Pocholo “The VoiceMaster” Gonzales

Anthology: Stories About Architecture

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Architecture has always been the most definitive and visible reflection of a society and its development. As the Philippines continues to grow as a nation and prepares to become a major part of the global community, it is imperative that we strive to discover and explore the architecture that forms a crucial part of the identity of the Filipino people. We must continue to find ways with which this exploration and evolution can be made relevant not just to our own society but also as a vital contribution to the richness of humanity and its cultural growth. 

Anthology is a three-day architecture festival that features various platforms in support of an architecture that matters. The open festival is free to the public and shall feature exhibited works from a wide sample of practices in the country, as well as workshops and presentations that help us in our understanding of architecture and our built environment. The festival focuses on three core themes that are relevant to the architects and designers of our time - critical thinking, cultural growth, and social impact. A series of panel discussions between architects from private practice, government, and property developers will be invited to share their thoughts and views on architecture and its various forms and evolution. 

We would like to invite you to be part of exciting range of activities. Please take a look at the schedule of events lined up for the festival below. We look forward to seeing you all at Plaza de Roma this coming June 17-19 for this first Anthology Festival.

Impeccable Taste And Flavor At Gumbo On Fathers’ Day

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Your dad deserves Gumbo’s impeccable taste and flavors on his special day! Consequently, Gumbo has made available new and exciting dishes your dad and the whole family will surely love! These new flavors available for a limited time only in their menu includes: Grilled Salmon with Dill Sauce (seasoned Norwegian salmon grilled to perfection and served with mashed potato, cucumber slices and baby rocket on bed of dill sauce), Steak with Corn Relish (juicy and tender striploin steak, seasoned and grilled to your liking, sliced and topped with corn relish, served with baby rocket in Italian vinaigrette and a choice of lagniappe), Creamy Seafood Enchiladas (tortilla rolled with a combination of shrimps, calamari and crabmeat, topped with creamy and cheese sauce and then baked to perfection). A token of appreciation will also be given to all dads on Fathers’ Day!

Likewise enjoy other sumptuous treats at Gumbo such as Cajun Blackened Salmon, Barbecued Shrimps, Family Feast, Baked Artichoke Formagio, Cream Dory with Mango Salsa, Seafood Jambalaya, Seafood Gumbo, Fish & Chips, Ultimate Seafood Feast, Halibut Pesto, delightful pizzas and pasta and must-try desserts!

Gumbo restaurants are located at the 2nd level, Entertainment Mall, SM Mall of Asia; 2nd level, The Block, SM City North Edsa; 3rd level, Robinsons Place Manila Midtown; 2nd level, Atrium Bldg., SM Megamall; Gateway Mall Araneta Center; and Robinsons Magnolia. For reservations and inquiries, please call 5560238, 4420106, 5671820 and 6353015.

Daddy-Licious Treats At Burgoo

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This Fathers’ Day, Burgoo offers new and delicious treats at all its outlets located at T. Morato in Quezon City; Powerplant Mall in Rockwell Makati; The Podium in Ortigas; Gateway Mall in Araneta Center Cubao; Robinsons Galleria in Ortigas; SM City The Block in North EDSA; Mall of Asia in Pasay; SM City Marikina: SM Southmall in Alabang, The District in Cavite, The Terraces Mall in Fairview, Vista Mall in Taguig and the newly-opened Solenad 3 in Sta Rosa Laguna.

Your dad and the whole family will surely like these new and delicious dishes such as: Wild Wild Wings (chicken wings coated with four different flavors such as picante, sour cream, Oklahoma and buffalo chili sauce and then served with bleu cheese dressing), Lamb Ragu Bucatini (tender lamb strips and bacon with onions, cooked in red wine and tomato sauce; tossed in bucatini pasta and served with garlic bread), and Sicilian Pizza (a gourmet thin crusted pizza, topped with pomodoro sauce, mozzarella cheese, roasted mushrooms, anchovies and slices of tomatoes, baked to perfection with julienne basil). A surprise treat also awaits all dads on his special day!

From appetizers, salads to pasta, pizza and main entrees, Burgoo has also made available quality and sumptuous dishes for your dining pleasure like Mozzarella Sticks, Fried Calamari, Gambas al Ajillo, Seafood Caesar Supreme, Shrimp Pomelo Salad, Frutte de Mare and Garden Fresh Pizza, Seafood Jambalaya Pasta, Seafood Linguini, Linguini with Clams, Shrimp Arrabiatta, Tomato Basil Spaghetti, Shrimps and Chips, Seafood Jambalaya,, Spinach Grilled Salmon, and Friday Fish Fry. For sweet endings, highly recommended are Raspberry Cheesecake, American Fruit Salad, Brownie ala Mode, etc.

For reservations and inquiries, please call 9277424, 8381815, 6875254, 7263578, 9136112, 5560091, 6336256 or 4420115.

Decoding Dirty Duterte and His Devious Detractors

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Eighty-five million intelligent and responsible Filipino voters did not vote for Rodrigo Duterte because they saw through him what kind of a man he is. Unfortunately, they were the silent majority who were either too lazy to get up on their feet and vote, or the ones who never registered at allbecaus ethey already gave up on society.

The 16 million who were duped in believing Duterte would bring change to the country were the ones who were actively following his exploits against other presidential candidates, and got personally hooked with his "bad boy" personality because they hated the guts of the current administration bets who made them suffer from all the everyday traffic congestion, LRT/MRT inconveniences and unending struggle against corrupt government practices.

Acting like a thug is like walk in the park for the former Mayor of Davao city. He portrayed the least becoming so he got what he wanted: the love for an underdog by the masses who had enough of the elite and their lavish lifestyles.

However, Duterte has got to get used to the new reality that he's now one of the world leaders. It requires a lot more than just looking tough. It warrants you to be globally appealing and acceptable since common sense dictates to be always polite and never domineering.

Decode. Dissect. Analyze. Do we really need to do these after every speech or statement of Duterte? His supporters would bash every one who speaks negatively about the man, and would sometimes be filled with a lot of curses and hate speech. There have been several cases where friends "unfriend" each other in social media because of differing political views. In any case, defending Duterte from so called devious detractors has been a very aggressive stance of die-hard supporters.

Pride Night 2016: An Art & Dance Show Collaboration for LGBT & HIV Causes

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Celebrating freedom through mindful artistry, LoveYourself, Inc. taps modern day Filipino visual artists to showcase their craftsmanship at Pride Night 2016 at Pineapple Lab in Makati City in support of the cause to erase the stigma about HIV & AIDS, and uplift the morale of the LGBTQI community.

Opening with free entrance on the eve of Philippine Independence Day (11 June), the Pride Night 2016 features the artworks of Jun-jun Sta. Ana, Leeroy New, Niccolo Cosme, Mars Bugaoan, Derick Vinculado, Tokwa Peñaflorida, Joshua Galvez, Erka Inciong and other community artists some of them are LoveYourself Volunteers. The exhibit will run until end of the month to further promote relevant information on equality, safety sex practices, and sexual health.

Showcasing his never-before-seen pieces, Cosme said "I am very excited to connect and share my ideas and aspirations during the Pride Night, and to hear different stories as well. Let's exchange energies."

Meanwhile, when asked about what to look forward to on his masterpieces, Vinculado said "They can expect my art to be playful and open to interpretation, innocent and surreal."

It has to be noted that 20% of the proceeds from the sale of the artworks will be used to fund LoveYourself's worthwhile activities to strengthen the cause on HIV awareness and testing. Interested visitors/prospective buyers must only register at go.loveyourself.ph/PrideNight to reserve a slot.

Miss Global Philippines 2016 Candidates in Long Gown

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These are the candidates of Miss Global Philippines 2016 wearing their very intricately designed long gowns on June 5, 2016 during the Coronation Night held at the Newport Performing Arts Theater of Resort World Manila in Pasay city.

I'm hoping they were all conceptualized by Filipino designers. We should encourage our very own designers to be globally competitive while making sure they use materials sourced from the Philippines.

We know that there is superb quality in many materials that can be found in the country and the sources would increase if many of our fellow Filipinos will patronize our very own raw materials. This will also prompt foreign designers to also look into getting their materials from the Philippines.

Congratulations again to the winners namely:

Miss Global Philippines 2016 CJ Hirro
1st Runner Up - Perlyn Ocampo
2nd Runner Up - Janelle Olafson
3rd Runner Up - Sammie Anne Legaspi
4th Runner Up - Christine Horstmann 

Do our country proud by being a great example of the true beauty of the Filipina - shining with greatness and confidence both inside and out, no matter what she wears.

Partner Photographers: Collin Sarthou Yap and Edmund Chua

‪#‎AllianceSendOff3‬ Fundraising Dance Concert

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ALLIANCE PH with Vivo Philippines proudly presents ‪#‎ALLIANCESENDOFF3‬

#AllianceSendOff3 is a fundraising dance concert as an official delegate of the Philippines for the World of Dance 2016 Finals in Pasadena, California and 2016 World Hip Hop Dance Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada, both in the United States of America.

This will be on July 17, 2016 at the Henry Lee Irwin Theater, Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) at 6:00 PM.

Tickets are available for only PHP 300

Please contact Kitkat Morato at 0917 890 2791 for ticket inquiries or just message any Alliance member for orders!

Go ALL IN with the Alliance once again as they send one of our country's very own delegates to the international stage this July and August of 2016!