Bayanihan To Restore Typhoon-Affected Energy Facilities

Wazzup Pilipinas!

With the magnitude of the devastation, the Department of Energy (DOE) through its attached agencies has called on power industry participants to help in the restoration of damaged energy facilities in the aftermath of supertyphoon Lawin.

“Bayanihan is what is necessary in this time of need. We are calling several unaffected industry participants like MERALCO and the Aboitiz Group to help in the restoration efforts of the affected distribution utilities such as CAGELCO and ISELCO,” Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said.

“We are exhausting all available resources and help we can avail to speed up the re-energization in Northern Luzon, especially in badly hit areas like Cagayan Valley, Kalinga and Apayao”, Cusi added.

For the distribution side, the National Electrification Administration (NEA) and several electric cooperatives (ECs) have responded to the DOE’s call to activate Task Force Kapatid (TFK).

As reported by NEA, the TFK has three teams with more than 60 personnel from NEA, 19 ECs in Regions III and IV and 7 Private Investor-Owned Utilities namely:

Life Hacks for a Worry-Free Undas 2016

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Whether you’re scheduled to pay your respects to your dearly departed loved-ones or you’re planning to go for that much-awaited and well-deserved long-weekend trip, there are several ways to keep your Undas 2016 experience much safer, more convenient, and worry-free.

Bring out the techie in you to make this happen. For long travels to the beach or your home province, use traffic navigation apps like Waze to check for traffic-free routes. Or keep your chat apps running for quick coordination with family and friends — especially if someone is getting lost!

Stay safe and stress-free this Undas long weekend and enjoy a solemn and/or restful time with family and friends — all you need to do is be Smart about it!

TLC Festival 2016 Brings the World to the Philippines

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Are you ready? Southeast Asia’s leading travel and lifestyle channel is bringing back the much-anticipated TLC Festival to the Philippines on Saturday, November 5! Attended by thousands of Filipino fans in 2015, this year’s TLC Festival boasts an exciting Global Village, where TLC will bring the world to you.

From 11am onwards, festival-goers can globetrot across the world with us at Bonifacio High Street, and enjoy good food, great entertainment and an even more dazzling celebrity line-up! Rub shoulders with your favourite TLC personalities – bubbly travel host Janet Hsieh from Fun Taiwan, the charming Dan Churchill and Hayden Quinn from Surfing The Menu: Next Generation and America’s all-time favourite baker… ‘Cake Boss’ Buddy Valastro!

Learn new gourmet and craft skills at the TLC Kitchen, and Japan’s Origami Workshops and Japanese Calligraphy studio. Art jam at the TLC Gallery, sing your hearts out at Japan’s Karaoke Booth and indulge in our very own Filipino food fair and Larong Pinoy. Step right into New York’s Times Square, soak in its hustle and bustle, and grab a bite from the USA Food Trucks. Don’t miss the entertainment on the main stage by Filipino band Apartel of rock icon Ely Buendia, as well as cooking demos, talent appearances and stage games led by comedian and host, Eri Neeman.

Always wanted to show off your baking skills? Here’s your chance! Get up close with Buddy Valastro­­­­ and have a shot at impressing him with your masterpiece at the cupcake decorating workshop. It’s his very first time in the Philippines, and Buddy can’t wait to meet his Filipino fans. The Cake Boss might just be making surprise visits to the TLC Bakeshop, so do drop by and try the yummy treats on sale! Episodes of the latest season of Cake Boss will premiere on November 9, Wednesday, 8:05 p.m. on TLC.

Coming back to the Philippines for the second time will be Fun Taiwan’s bubbly host Janet Hsieh, who will share her latest travel escapades from Fun Taiwan Adventures, airing every Saturday at 10:50pm till November 5. What’s more - look out for surfer chefs Dan Churchill and Hayden Quinn of Surfing the Menu: Next Generation as they prepare beach-perfect meals in an Australian beach barbecue cook-off! Catch new episodes of Surfing the Menu: Next Generation returns on November 7, Monday, at 9:00 p.m.

Admission is free, and we have an exciting line-up of activities for everyone in the family and barkada. What’s more, the first 100 participants who show up at each of the three registration booths on the event day will stand a chance to win a TLC Gift Bag, whilst stocks last.

 See you there, rain or shine, and remember to hashtag #TLCfest16 online!

For updates on the TLC Festival, visit www.tlcfestival.com. 

Longest Urban Park in Metro Manila Opens in BGC

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Imagine waking up to a beautiful sunny day, perfect for a run. You take a quick shower, put on your running clothes, tie your shoelaces, and head out. You make your way to the BGC Greenway Park. It’s still early, it’s peaceful. Great, no distractions. You breathe in the fresh air and feast your eyes on the lush greenery lining the length of the park with the beautiful BGC cityscape as a backdrop. You look over to the other side and see a group huddled in laughter at the Manila Golf Club. Ahh, this is the life.

So you begin stretching, and slowly work up your pace. One step, then another, until you lose yourself in the moment. Then you slow down, take a deep breath, and stop. That was a good run. You haven’t had anything like it in a while.


That is the BGC Greenway experience.

Metro Manila has become an urban jungle. The once green and healthy city is now too crowded and chaotic as open spaces have taken a backseat to make room for skyscrapers and condominiums.

Urbanites are finding it difficult to pursue a sound and healthy lifestyle when the air they breathe in is a mixture of hazardous, exhaust gas from various modes of transport; plus there’s always the danger of encountering accidents on the road due to oncoming vehicles.

This is one of the scenarios that Bonifacio Global City wants to address. Being a safe, and walkable city, BGC’s master planner and developer, Fort Bonifacio Development Corporation (FBDC), collaborated with its very own community to bring us BGC Greenway Park, a 1.6-kilometer stretch of landscaped expanse that is poised to be the longest urban park in the Metro—its length close to New York City’s The High Line.

BGC Greenway Park lies at the western part of the city. From one end, it connects McKinley Parkway to different offices and residential buildings such as the Bellagio, Bonifacio Ridge, and all the way to the Net Plaza. 

Stroll, lounge, and workout

BGC Greenway Park provides BGCitizens a quiet respite from the hustle and bustle of daily living. In here, one can peacefully enjoy a midday stroll just to drown out the noise -- either at home or at work.

At the same time, the patches of green spaces dotted along the urban park serve as perfect lounging areas for families and friends to spend time with one another -- for hearty conversations on laidback days or a place to go for a picnic.

BGCitizens living an active lifestyle will find BGC Greenway Park as a safe place to run/jog, bike, or walk the dog.

It’s also a place to hold outdoor events such as Sunday markets, film screenings, and other social functions.

FBDC is set to transfer the management and maintenance duties of the park to the Bonifacio Global City Estate Association, as part of the latter’s mandate to keep the BGC community a safe and suitable place for residents, workers, and visitors alike.

Knowing the plight of urban city dwellers, FBDC hopes that the BGC Greenway Park can serve as a haven for BGCitizens where they can stop and relax from the worries of living in the city.

BGC Greenway Park is open to the public daily from 6am to 10pm. For more information, contact Bonifacio Global City’s Community Manager, Armie Candado through 0917 5591749 or emailing info@bgc.com.ph.

Photo caption: Officials of the Fort Bonifacio Development Corporation present a certificate of turnover to the Bonifacio Estate Services Corporation for the maintenance of the BGC Greenway Park. Witnessing the event are members and guests of the BGC community. In photo from L-R: Lourdes Reyes (Chief Finance Officer, Fort Bonifacio Development Corp.); Meean Dy (Group Head, Strategic Landbank Management, Ayala Land Inc.); Manny Blas (Head of Commercial Operations, Fort Bonifacio Development Corp.); Hon. Edwin Eron (City Councilor, Taguig City); Rodney Medrano (General Manager, Bonifacio Estate Services Corp.); Karla Kangleon & Jan Llamado (BGCitizens); Benedict Camara (Director & Founder, National Bicycle Organization)

Youth Empowerment Seminar: First NLP Training System for Youth Leaders

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Are you your school’s Rockstar? Secret Weapon? Or are you a People’s Champion? There are different ways to lead and it all starts from igniting your individual brilliance.

A lot of times though, young people hesitate to step up and lead. Not because their ideas are not brilliant, but because there is a preconceived notion of what a leader should be like. A leader is stereotyped to be vocal, extroverted, and popular and sometimes this stops the child from even trying. On the other hand, there’s always a step up for extroverted leaders to hulk up their leadership potential.

In the Youth Empowerment Seminar, we celebrate how each and everyone has a unique advantage that makes him or her a fascinating leader—somebody who is compelling, interesting, and confident. This advantage (whether it's innovation, passion, mystique, power, alert, trust, or prestige) naturally comes out and this is precisely how you best contribute, influence, and lead.

The Youth Empowerment Seminar (YES) by World Stage International Network is a fun 2-day leadership workshop for students aged 7-18 who already have a leadership position in school and outside, and those aspiring to be in the future. This is on Nov. 26-27, 2016 at 9am-5pm at the World Stage Center at 3rd Floor Mirax Bldg, 2270 Chino Roces Ext., Makati City.

Below are some photos from last year's YES event:

Participants will get to:

•    Nail their brilliance using their natural strengths as leverage!

•    Find out why they shouldn’t be focusing on their weaknesses and how they can energize their differences instead!

•    Lead their team to success using specific Language Cues that drive their team’s behavior

•    Build their confidence so that they are saying Yes to school (and even life!) challenges

•    Learn the mechanics of public speaking and how they can move their communication from left brain (analytical) to right brain (emotional) so that they are nailing their message well

•    Enjoy the adventure of speakership which will help them recite better and have a crisper pitch and presentation

With a mix of leadership and communication tools of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) and Fascinate Advantage concepts from the USA as the program backbone, this is like an MBA for the youth, preparing them to achieve more in school and in life. Here’s the awesome news—it’s going to be a workshop loaded with activities and games that the kids will laugh, joke, and enjoy while learning. Far, far, far, from a classroom setting the kids are used to.

Do not miss this chance to unleash the leadership potential in your child!

Youth Empowerment Seminar on Nov. 26-27 is by World Stage International Network, an NLP Center for Leadership Excellence. 

For reservations, call Inna at (02) 275-2090, or email inna@worldstageinternational.com.ph. Like our Facebook page: Facebook.com/ WorldStageInternational/ and Visit http://worldstageinternational.com.ph/our-services/ youth-empowerment-seminar/ for more information.

The Amazing Race Asia Season 5 Update: The Stress of the Race gets to Rona

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Last episode’s first team, Yvonne and Chloe kicked off leg three with good news – they are heading back to their homeland in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia! But first, teams need to travel from Bandung to Jakarta’s Senayan City Mall to purchase their air tickets. At Garuda Indonesia’s office, the teams realize that the earliest flight to KL is the next day at 8.35am.

Right when they land, the teams make a quick dash out. While the other teams are directed to get an airport taxi, Eric asks around for a metered taxi, giving Eric & Rona an advantage. At Menara Great Eastern Building in Kuala Lumpur, teams face their first Roadblock challenge. One of them must rappel down the side of a 300 foot skyscraper to retrieve a flag. Teams that miss the flag or drop it, must attempt the challenge again.

Eric & Rona, Tom & Anita are the first two teams to rappel down while it’s just starting to rain. As Louisa &Treasuri are getting ready, the teams received a lightning warning and they have to head back indoors to wait for the storm to pass. Eric & Rona, Tom & Anita head to KL Sentral Station where they have to take the earliest train to Penang. They are disappointed to find out that the next available train is at 5.50pm, almost 3 hours away, which will give the other teams a chance to catch up.

Once the rain let up, Louisa &Treasuri, Parul & Maggie and Yvonne & Chloe speed down the building easily and they quickly make their way to the train station. Unfortunately, JK & Mike, Alex & Will and Vicky & Rach did not find the flags and they have to retry the challenge again.

DOTr Rolls Out Oplan Ligtas Biyahe: Undas 2016

Wazzup Pilipinas!

In preparation for the influx of passengers during All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has activated Oplan Ligtas Biyahe: Undas 2016 to ensure the safety and reliability of various modes of transportation.

The DOTr has directed all its attached agencies to be on heightened alert status to guarantee the security and safety of passengers traveling during the Undas period. Attached agencies are expected to make sure that public concerns hotlines are operational and properly manned.

Road Safety and Public Assistance

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will conduct an inspection of buses as part of ensuring its road worthiness and safety of the passengers. Help Desks shall also be placed in terminals to ensure that queries and concerns of commuters will be swiftly and efficiently attended to.

Further, LTFRB shall issue special permits to bus operators valid from October 29 - November 3, as more buses will be needed to transport those who will be traveling to their respective provinces.

Similarly, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) will enhance its public assistance programs by prioritizing tasks in line with guiding motorists.

Meanwhile, the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) will deploy additional personnel at toll plazas where traffic build-up is expected.

For its part, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) has created a Management Team which consists of airport managers to personally oversee the operation during the peak days.  Passengers can also ask for assistance and information to Help Desks manned by MIAA Operations group, airport police and medical team.

The Philippine National Railways (PNR) will maintain the present number of train trips in the Metro Manila South Commuter and Bicol Commuter Services. There will be 36 daily from Tutuban – Alabang/Mamatid and four (4) in Naga – Sipocot. One-stop help desks will be set-up in terminals and stations and quick response teams will be activated.

Nationwide Inspection of Passenger Ships

Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) will monitor all domestic passenger ships prior to scheduled departures to ensure that applicable MARINA rules and regulations are complied, particularly the “No Overloading of Passengers and Cargoes” Policy.

i-ACT Deployment and Lifting of Number Coding

The Inter-Agency Council on Traffic (i-ACT) will deploy around 2,900 personnel to man the roads of the metropolis, i-ACT will likewise lift the Number Coding Scheme in Metro Manila from October 31 to November 1. However, in order to further assist commuters going to and from their provinces, Number Coding shall be lifted ONLY for provincial buses on November 2&3, 2016.

Short+Sweet Festival of 10-Minute Plays Now on its 2nd Week

Wazzup Pilipinas!

It's the second week of Short + Sweet (S+S) Theatre Festival Manila 2016 so i'm excited to watch another batch of these promising short and sweet plays. There's those lengthy plays that are so absorbing when seen in full, but it takes a lot of effort to be able to engage the audience with a play that's only 10-minute long. 

The challenge is to be able to effectively cram it all in within those few minutes of performance. That's not an easy thing to do, but on the other end, it may also be an awesome way to deliver a clever or intriguing thought or idea without getting the audience bored.

Short + Sweet (S+S) Theatre Festival Manila 2016 marks its third season this year featuring 30 short plays, 30 directors and nearly 100 actors.

Directors and actors are composed mostly of Filipino talents. The plays will be performed over the last two weekends of October and the first weekend of November at the Power Mac Center Spotlight at Circuit in Makati.

Short+Sweet Theatre, which originated in Sydney, Australia is a festival of ten minute plays and theatre pieces known as a far-reaching brand of short form theatre in the world. Each year, the festival showcases hundreds of bite-sized dramatic treats.

"We handpick over 400 ten minute plays, selected from thousands of scripts submitted, and present them in our Festivals. We utilise the talents of established and upcoming actors, directors, writers, and technical crew, to create some of the best short work theatre across the planet." S+S stated on its release.

Schedule of remaining performances are as follows:
Week 2 : Oct 28, 2016 (Friday) 8PM Oct 29, 2016 (Saturday) 7PM Oct 30, 2016 (Sunday) 7PM

Wildcard Shows: Oct 29 & 30 (Sat & Sun) 3.30PM

Finale : Nov 4, 2016 (Friday) 8PM Nov 5, 2016 (Saturday) 7PM

If you are interested to watch the shows, please confirm your attendance to Ms. Vaish- 09188770011.

Wazzup Pilipinas is a proud media partner.

Videos of Sandra Cam on Fugitive Drug Lord Kerwin Espinosa

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Here are most of the video coverage we had of the Pandesal Forum at Kamuning Bakery Cafe featuring Sandra Cam. This was taken on the morning of October 25, 2016 where Sandra Cam revealed that she was the one who informed President Rodrigo Duterte and the PNP about the whereabouts of fugitive drug lord Kerwin Espinosa who was hiding at Abu Dhabi. This was after her staff tipped her off during her birthday on October 8. A birthday gift? Lol!

To protect the identity of her staff working at Abu Dhabi, Sandra Cam decided to come out in the open so the attention would be focused on her instead. She has security escorts provided by President Duterte so she will have a better way of protecting herself. But then again, she said she has been through two other previous administrations already so she is not really too much concerned of her life as long as she can help expose the anomalies happening within the government.

She also said that she truly admires the current presidency since it was only President Duterte who had the balls to go against the massive drug problem in the country. Even when Reuters recently reported that after interviewing top Anti-Drug Officers and examining PNP records that show the drug incident figures were exaggerated, she insists that they are merely rumors designed to discredit the President's War on Drugs.

There's actually a lot more stories to share but I will let the videos speak for themselves so you could all come up with your own interpretations.

The forum was moderated by Kamuning Bakey Cafe owner and Philippine Star columnist Wilson Lee Flores.

Enjoy!

Kylie Versoza Wins Miss International 2016

Wazzup Pilipinas!

We would like to congratulate Kylie Fausto Verzosa - the new Miss International for 2016.

At the coronation night held on October 27, 2016 at around 2 pm (Philippines time) in Tokyo, Japan, I was expecting already that she will be included in the top 15 finalists composed of (in order of announcement) Nicaragua, Indonesia, Mexico, Finland, USA, Japan, El Salvador, Canada, Dominican Republic, Argentina, Philippines, Australia, Russia, Thailand, Poland.

She was actually most people's favorite bet for the Binibining Pilipinas 2016 title and we knew she would soon make a name as an international beauty queen going beyond the local scene here in the Philippines.

But I believe she made it real easy for the judges to choose her as the grand winner because of her answer to the Q&A:

"Three things come to mind when I think of Miss International – Culture, education and international understanding. These three works together to make the brand of the Miss International beauty pageant relevant to the global community and to our time.

If I become Miss International 2016, I will devote myself to cultural understanding and international understanding because I believe that it is with developing in each of us sensitivity to other cultures that weexpand our horizons, tolerate difference, and appreciate diversity.

All these enable us to achieve international understanding. And I believe I’m prepared to take on this responsibility.

Domo arigatou gozaimasu."

Though there were others who also answered brilliantly, I believe the Filipina beauty stood out among the other candidates. They may be all beautiful, but Kylie truly deserves the highest spot in this beauty pageant.

Congratulations, Kylie! You deserve it!