Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Saturday, August 6, 2016

Manila Makes History This August With First-Ever History Con

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Join your favourite HISTORY stars at the first-of-its-kind event with interactive experiences, on-ground activities and exhibits

Date: 25 – 28 August 2016
Location: World Trade Center Manila
Website: HistoryAsia.com/HistoryCon
Official event hashtag #HistoryCon

FB: https://www.facebook.com/historyasia
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/HistoryAsia
IG: http://www.instagram.com/HistoryAsia

Video links:
https://www.facebook.com/HISTORYasia/videos/10154400218013754/
https://www.facebook.com/HISTORYasia/videos/10154435645273754/

Talent Line-Up

ANCIENT ALIEN: Giorgio A.Tsoukalos
STORAGE WARS: Brandi Passante & Jarrod Schulz
GANGLAND UNDERCOVER: Damon Runyan & Ian Matthews
CELEBRITY CAR WARS: Bobby Tonelli, Joey Mead King, KC Montero, Marc Nelson, Gaby Dela Merced
PHOTO FACE OFF: Justin Mott

1) HISTORY Con Opening Ceremony & Press Conference: 25 August, Thursday
2) HISTORY Con Closing Ceremony: 28 August, Sunday

Events On-Ground

HISTORY’s Digital Host Talent Search

Can you out-crazy the craziest of hosts? You could be HISTORY’s next digital star! Submit a video of yourself reviewing one of our shows on @HistoryAsia’s Facebook page with the hashtag, #HistoryConAuditions. Come join us at the live finals on Sunday, 28 Aug at HISTORY Con!

Cosplay Contests

Come dressed at your favourite characters from HISTORY’s hit shows, from Pawn Stars to Vikings or rock your leather ensemble and strut in your best biker get-up. Register with us at the entrance for your chance to enter and you could win attractive prizes. May the best cosplayer win!

HISTORY Bee

Think you know your history? Local middle school and universities in Metro Manila have been invited to take part in the HISTORY Bee Inter-school Competition, a quiz based competition where the winning school will be crowned HISTORY Bee School Champion in Manila.

World Record Week III

HISTORY attempts to break the 3 world records at HISTORY Con

· The longest TV-watching marathon - currently set at 94 hours
· The most number of Quarter Pounders consumed in 1 minute
· The largest serving of Garlic Mushrooms

3D Experiences

Take an immersive experience into the Solar System with Titans of Space and into the wild jungles of HISTORY’s hit-series, ALONE.

Special historical exhibits

· Philippine Presidential Limousine displays
· WWII Reenactments

Tournaments & Demos

· Weaponry & Blade demonstrations
· Boxing Matches
· Wrestling Demonstrations

Public Interest Groups Weigh in on Telco Deal

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Public interest groups weigh in on telco deal and calls on new government regulator to review impact on consumers.

The biggest telecommunications acquisition in the country draws deep concern as consumer welfare and public interest groups demand transparency after the telecom duopoly sought shelter in the courts from review by the country’s independent anti-trust body.

In a forum organized by the Foundation for Media Alternatives (FMA) and the Philippine chapter of Internet Society (ISOC PH), and hosted by the Ateneo School of Government (AsoG), groups said the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) should both take a closer look at the acquisition of assets involving the 700Mhz frequency band.

ASoG Dean Ron Mendoza said there needs to be evidence-based discussions between the public and private sector to improve the competition environment in the country citing the merger as an important first-test case for the Competition Law of the country. The independent anti-trust body is currently reviewing the P69-billion sale of Vega Telecoms, San Miguel Corporation’s telecom business, to Globe Telecom and PLDT Inc.

The two firms have brought the matter before the Court of Appeals. The appellate court’s 6 th division earlier denied Globe's petition to stop the PCC review. “We want a more competitive telecom industry so that Filipinos enjoy innovative and fast and reliable internet services at affordable prices and high network quality.” said Grace Mirandilla-Santos, an independent researcher specializing in telecommunications.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The final day of the ACSC/APF 2016 examined the progress and efficacy of ASEAN and its mechanisms in achieving a people-centered community.

H.E. Mr. Xanana Gusmao, Minister of Strategic Investment in Timor-Leste, engaging participants in an open dialogue, commented on the historical importance of ASEAN as a people’s movement, stating: “When Timor-Leste was suffering and the rest of the world had forsaken it, international civil society, ASEAN civil society, stood with us.”

Minister Gusmao also discussed the ongoing need for civil society to monitor and restrain the actions of the state, keeping the state accountable. To this end, he said, “We must celebrate the success of ASEAN…but we must have a growing sense of solidarity and plan of action for the future.”

Minister Gusmao concluded his address with a request for solidarity from ASEAN civil society, once again, in checking the actions of government. “I ask of you one last thing. The Timorlese have a final struggle to achieve our sovereignty. Determining our maritime boundaries is a matter of sovereignty. It is the final step in our struggle. We fought for sovereignty over our land, and now we are fighting for sovereignty over our seas.”

Wazzup Pilipinas!
Sports entertainment brand World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) returns to the Philippines for their only Southeast Asia event this 2016!

This is happening on September 9, 2016 at the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena in Pasay City. The door opens at 8 pm. Get to see all the action up close, or depending on which seats you can afford. It will surely be different when we watch it LIVE instead of from a TV or from a computer!

Who could best represent the WWE franchise but their biggest fighter. He was one of the hulking giants of the wrestling community, and you can't imagine the memories that was brought back after his appearance in Manila. It actually gave me goosebumps when I've heard of his upcoming visit but unfortunately I was scheduled somewhere else during his scheduled appearance and meet-up with media.

‪Dubbed as the World's Largest Athlete, specifically of Wrestling, Paul Donald Wright Jr. aka "The ‪Big Show"‬ visited Manila last July 26, 2016 at the SM MOA Music Hall for a press conference and meet and greet with fans. Hosting was Eric "Eruption" Tai who said the event was "electrifying and ecstatic."

The venue that night was jam-packed with fans, especially the Gen X generation, who can't help but reminisce their childhood watching him and his WWE colleagues fight it out on the ring. The fights were controversially seen as highly rigged and fake, but still it never stopped fans from watching the awesome spectacle as huge guys fought like crazy. It was entertainment to the max if you want adrenaline-pumping action, but would seem so violent for the faint of heart.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Australian National University (ANU) and De La Salle University (DLSU) in the Philippines signed an agreement on 2 August 2016 at DLSU Campus, Manila, Philippines, to establish a new joint program of graduate studies in economics at both universities.

The partnership was made possible through the Australian Government’s Institutional Partnerships Program in the Philippines. In the photo above are Professor Veronica Taylor (Dean of ANU College of Asia and the Pacific), Dr Gerardo Janairo (DLSU Chancellor), Mr Mat Kimberley (Deputy Head of Mission, Australian Embassy).

Under the new agreement, one year of graduate studies will be undertaken at DLSU and another year at ANU. Students who successfully complete the first year of studies will receive a Diploma in Development Economics from DLSU and will be granted entry into the ANU Crawford School to continue their graduate studies. Those who successfully complete studies at the Australian university will be awarded a Master of Environmental and Resource Economics (MERE) or a Master of International and Development Economics (MIDEC).

Mr Mat Kimberley, Australia’s Deputy Head of Mission to the Philippines was pleased to attend the signing, stating that “This is a wonderful development and one that we would like to see more of. Education plays a vital role in Australia-Philippine relations dating back to the 1950s when Filipino scholars were in the first cohort of the Colombo Plan. Since then, more than 3,000 young Filipinos have studied in Australia as part of the Australia Awards Program and each year 10,000 Filipinos study and train in Australia. Today, we are also sending Australia’s best and the brightest to study and train in the Philippines under the New Colombo Plan.”

Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is also working with ANU to deliver The Philippines Update 2016 Conference on 2 - 3 September 2016. This conference will provide a forum to link Australian and Filipino officials and researchers’ together to support research on inclusive growth, trade and governance in the Philippines and to look at how development gains under the previous administration can continue under the Duterte administration. The Philippines Update 2016 conference is being presented as part of the 70th anniversary celebration of Philippine-Australia relations.

For updates on Australia-Philippines’ #First70Years, visit www.philippines.embassy.gov.au, like us on Facebook and follow us on @Ausembph.

The Problem of Encroachment: Shrinking Civic Spaces and Territorial Disputes in ASEAN

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Among the foremost concerns of civil society being prioritised at this year’s ASEAN People’s Forum is the issue of encroachment. This encroachment is being seen throughout the region, both in the form of shrinking civic spaces, as well as physical encroachment on land and maritime rights.

During yesterday’s sessions, representatives of organisations from Timor-Leste, Indonesia, and Vietnam respectively discussed the issues faced by their communities with regard to resource exploitation by Australia, encroachment on the rights of traditional fisherman via government regulations, and China’s strong-arming of ASEAN countries in the South China Sea.

“A good response to this issue is to build more people-to-people solidarity, especially between and among peoples of the contending or claiming countries, such as Australia, Timor-Leste, the Philippines, China, and the like,” stated Mr. Augusto (Gus) Miclat Jr., Executive Director of the Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID), based in the Phillipines.

Mr. Mark Batac, also representing IID as well as the Global Partnership for Prevention of Armed Conflict, heeded that we must further remember that, “Fighting encroachment is not a competition between the people of China and the people of ASEAN, or the people of TimorLeste and the people of Australia. While we celebrate our sovereignty as peoples, we should also be weary not to flame any conflicts between our peoples. We as the people’s movement in civil society must build bridges, not boundaries.”

Encroachment in the form of shrinking civil space also continues to plague ASEAN civil society. Mr. Andrew Khoo of the Malaysian Bar Council discussed how governments across ASEAN use means such as national security, censorship, and regulation to justify its encroachment on the rights of citizens.

Ms. Chalida Tajaroensuk of People’s Empowerment Foundation, Thailand, illustrated how these tools of oppression are used in Thailand, stating, “The justification behind the 2014 military coup was to ‘keep peace and order,’ and now Article 44 of the current version of the Constitution is being used under this guise to concentrate power with the government. They use Article 44 to justify the violation of rights, from land-grabbing to dragging human rights defenders into military court.”

Similarly, Mr. Victor Mambor of the Independent Alliance of Journalists (AJI Papua) discussed the repression that is taking place through silencing in West Papua, with police ‘categorising victims as terrorists and separatists, and arresting or killing them on these grounds.’ Mr. Mambor also shed light on the government’s tactic of preventing international media or NGOs from entering the country, further silencing any discussion of problematic issues.

Once again, greater solidarity among ASEAN civil societies to unite with a common voice against oppression, regardless of which country the offense is taking place in, was emphasised as a way forward. This further underscores the importance of the ACSC/APF forum in bringing representatives of ASEAN civil society together for open dialogue to discuss strategies and solutions in a safe space.

Timor-Leste Leads ASEAN Call for Increased Collaboration Between Civil Society and Government

Wazzup Pilipinas!

With the official opening of the ASEAN Civil Society Conference / ASEAN Peoples' Forum (ACSC/APF) 2016, there has been a resounding call for greater solidarity among ASEAN civil society, as well as for heightened collaboration between civil society and government.

These themes have been embodied both in the consensus to hold the ACSC/APF 2016 in Timor-Leste, as well as by the presence of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Timor-Leste, H.E. dr. Mr. Rui Maria Araujo, at the opening ceremony. This was unprecedented—as it is the first time the head-of-state of an ASEAN nation has participated and engaged in an open dialogue with citizens—and must serve as an example to the ASEAN governments.

In his address to ACSC/APF 2016 participants this morning at the Dili Convention Center, Prime Minister Araujo illustrated the potential of a collaborative relationship between government and civil society using the example of Timor-Leste. Prime Minister Araujo stated, “The relationship between government and civil society in Timor-Leste is constructed upon the genuine conviction that civil society is an important partner during the process of nation-building in countries like ours where almost everything—from policy development, to implementation, to monitoring of results—have to be built from scratch, and have important implications in the day-to-day lives of people who struggled during 500 years of foreign domination.”

Prime Minister Araujo reminded the audience of the critical role that civil society has historically played in Timor-Leste, saying, “Our nationhood was shaped and our sovereignty restored through civil society activism, so the government did not have any doubt about the continued vital role of civil society in shaping the destiny of our nation.” The Prime Minister also drew attention to the fact that, “Despite the close relationship between the government and civil society organisations, the government has not expected civil society to stop criticising the government,” maintaining Timor-Leste as an open society.

“We want to lead by example,” said Prime Minister Araujo, referencing Timor-Leste’s track record of ratifying international human rights conventions. “This means implementing our commitments in these conventions.”

Prime Minister Araujo’s sentiments around increased collaboration were shared by the ASEAN Parliamentarians who participated in Tuesday’s Town Hall, as well as by President Taur Matan Ruak,

whose address was delivered by a representative during the welcome cocktail reception hosted at the President’s Palace on Tuesday night. The dialogue with ASEAN Parliamentarians highlighted the need for increased education among members of government on the treaties and underlying obligations of the human rights conventions to which their countries have acceded, and the Parliamentarians called on civil society, as the on-theground experts, to continue to guide government’s agenda and priorities.

President Taur Matan Ruak’s words also underscored the need for a less adversarial and more collaborative relationship between government and civil society, stating ‘we should not be afraid to be in the same room together,’ and attributing some successful measures Timor-Leste has taken towards recognising human rights to the initiatives of civil society.

Members of ASEAN civil society are cautiously optimistic about the collaboration with government, emphasising that this collaboration only makes sense if it is substantive and addresses the most painful issues of the region, such as the shrinking space for civil society and persecution of dissenting voices.

The ACSC/APF 2016 Conference is taking place on 02-05 August 2016, at the Dili Convention Center in Timor-Leste. The full programme of the ACSC/APF 2016 can be viewed at aseanpeople.org.

beep Card, Now Accepted in Select Froehlich Tours P2P Buses

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AF Payments, Inc. announced that starting August 8, Monday, commuters can use their beep card to pay for rides in select routes of Froehlich Tours, one of the premium point-to-point (P2P) bus systems in the metro. This covers the routes Trinoma to Glorietta 5 and vice-versa, and SM North EDSA to SM Megamall and vice-versa.

The standard fare for the Trinoma-Glorietta 5 route is P55. For the SM North-Megamall route, the standard fare is P40.

“This is the first time that we’re implementing the beep™ system for a premium P2P bus line. We hope that commuters enjoy the convenience using beep™ card and the comfort of Froehlich Tours’ modern bus fleet,” said Peter Maher, president and CEO of AF Payments, Inc. Froehlich Tours offers commuters a reliable mode of transportation, allowing shorter travel time as buses leave on schedule and travel from the terminal to the drop-off point without stops.

“This partnership with beep™ card is significant for us because it is true to our mantra of connecting the city. We’re positive that this will further improve the commuting experience of Froehlich bus riders,” said Chris Bauer, Froelich Tours Inc., CEO.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

This August, Roll On the Floor Laughing when you laugh out loud as Sony Channel brings you three of today’s outrageous comedies on primetime television.

Your Sundays will never be the same again when you enjoy your weekends in roaring laughter as Sony Channel tickles your funny bones with series that start your week on a happy note, beginning with the premiere of the brand new comedy Truth Be Told, and the second seasons of Playing House and Odd Mom Out.

ODD MOM OUT: Mom in Manhattan

In Season 2, writer Jill Weber (Jill Kargman) copes with the daily tasks of living with her wealthy in-laws in Manhattan’s Upper East Side, one of the most prestigious neighborhoods in town. She returns to her fashion magazine job but encounters her old nemesis – her former boss. As Jill revives her career, her husband Andy (Andy Buckley) takes time off to take care of their kids, realizing it was harder than he thought. Couple Brooke (Abby Elliott) and Lex (Sean Kleier) deal with the aftermath of his affair. Jill’s best friend Vanessa (K.K. Click) and mother-in-law Candice (Joanna Cassidy) return to hilariously reprise their respective roles.

Jill Kargman serve as both creator and executive producer of the show. Other producers are Ken Druckerman, Tim Piper, Daniel Rosenberg, Banks Tarver, Tony Hernandez, Julie Rottenberg, and Elisa Zuritsky.

Odd Mom Out Season 2 airs every Sunday at 8:00 pm.

TRUTH BE TOLD: New Kind of Coosome Foursome

Two couples take on center stage as this lightweight comedy follows the story of Mitch
(Mark-Paul Gosselaar), a college ethics professor, his wife, Tracy (Vanessa Lachey), and their best neighbor buddies Russell (Tone Bell) and Angie (Bresha Webb). These couples are more than just your average partners; they are able to talk about their thoughts and feelings whether in private or amongst friends. Their personalities have that extraordinary chemistry that makes them the perfect conversationalists who can discuss anything under the sun- from sexuality to race to relationships.

Truth Be Told is created by DJ Nash and is directed by Pamela Fryman, director of CBS Network’s How I Met Your Mother.

Truth to be told airs every Sunday at 8:30pm.

PLAYING HOUSE S2: Adventures in Baby-Raising

Playing House returns for season 2 this August. Follow this season as best friends Emma Crawford (Jessica St. Clair) and Maggie Caruso (Lennon Parham) face life’s challenges together. In between them is Maggie’s adorable baby daughter Charlotte whom they care for tenderly. Emma’s boyfriend Mark adds more color to the adventures of the two best friends by sharing in their daily affairs. Will they be able to handle all the perks and challenges of their extraordinary living situation?

Keegan-Michael Key plays the role of Mark, Emma’s boyfriend. Real life best friends Jessica St. Clair and Lennon Parham serve as the show’s creators and executive producers. Playing House Season 2 is produced by Universal Cable Productions.

Playing House Season 2 premieres on August 14, Sunday at 7:00pm.

Sony Channel is seen on SKYCable Channel 35, Cignal Digital TV Channel 60,

Global Destiny Cable Channel 62, and Cable Link Channel 39.

Pop Culture Explosion at AsiaPOP Comicon Manila 2016

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Pop culture lovers of all shapes, sizes, and fandoms are definitely in for an unusual treat at AsiaPOP Comicon Manila 2016 (APCC Manila 2016) as it brings in even more special guests for the biggest pop culture convention in the country!

Slated on August 26 to 28 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, APCC Manila confirmed another roster of talents in different pop fandoms, from music, beauty to comics, to grace this epic event.

J-Rock and anime music lovers rejoice, as renowned singer Hiroshi Kitadani is here to rock your favorite anime series’ worlds in APCC Manila 2016!

Kitadani is a singer and member of anison (anime music) supergroup JAM Project. He first entered the anime music scene when his solo debut single We Are! was used as the opening theme for runaway hit series One Piece, which led to performances for other series such as Yu-Gi-Oh! GX.

Kitadani joined JAM Project in 2002, and has been a regular performing member ever since, taking part in songs such as THE HERO!! ~ Ikareru Kobushi ni Honō o Tsukero~, the opening theme for cult favorite One Punch Man, as well as soundtracks from other action-packed titles such as Shin Getter Robo vs Neo Getter Robo, Shin Mazinger Impact Z!, Super Robot Wars Original Generation: Divine Wars, Transformers: Animated, and many more.