Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Monday, November 7, 2016

What People Say About Mocha Uson as Philippine Star Columnist

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"Starting on Tuesday, Nov. 8, The Philippine STAR will welcome Mocha as a columnist, not in the Entertainment Section but in the Op-Ed Section. Her title will be called Hotspot and that sums up what “hot” items you can expect from Mocha every Tuesday." - Philippine Star

Regina Belmonte, the daughter of Philippine Star President Miguel Belmonte expressed her dismay over Mocha Uson's commentary space on their newspaper.

"THE STAR WAS FOUNDED WITH ‘TRUTH SHALL PREVAIL’ UNDER ITS MASTHEAD. TO HAVE MOCHA USON PEDDLING LIES IN IT IS A DISGRACE TO MY LOLA’S MEMORY,” Belmonte said in a separate tweet, referring to Philippine Star founder Betty Go-Belmonte.

“There’s nothing more I can do than to express my displeasure, which I’ve done here and in private. I can’t change anything on my own..." Belmonte said.

While many are arguing about Mocha's commentary space offer, few realized that above and over, this is "business." Philippine star's probable reason why Mocha got a column space was due to her popularity.

Mocha doesn't need the Philippine Star. The Philippine Star needs her.

Let's talk about the "truth," and the "truth" is Philippine Star columnists, writers, reporters and editors have, at one time or another, been equally guilty of defying the motto, "truth shall prevail." Unless she's been hiding in a hole deep and far enough to shield her from reality, she should not be in denial of the crap so many of that newspaper's staff and columnists have been spewing out over the years. But when we talk about violating the truth, we should also talk about sins of omission, because these are just as damaging. And when I speak of BS artists, I'm not just talking about hard news people but fluffy, social-climbing and mundane types. In a way, they're even worse.

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The biggest business delegation of Sweden in Asia paid a courtesy visit to Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade earlier today and expressed their support for the aggressive infrastructure and transportation plan of the administration.

Led by His Excellency Ambassador of Sweden to the Philippines Harald Fries and the Swedish Minister for Enterprise and Innovation Mikael Damberg, the Swedish delegation got insights into the long-term transportation roadmap of the DOTr. The delegation signified interest on the many transportation-related projects such as the development of a Bus Rapid Transit system using high-quality and high-capacity buses, promotion of electric cars, and cleaner fuel alternatives.

The expression of support from the Swedish delegation is not only a welcome development following the launch of big-ticket transportation projects, but also demonstrates a strong business climate that goes beyond the country’s strengthened partnerships with China and Japan.

Representatives of automotive manufacturers Volvo and Scania were also present in the meeting.

Sweden will also open its embassy in the Philippines tomorrow, November 7, 2016.

DPC and PLDT Launch 31st Visual Arts Competition

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The much-awaited painting competition for young artists is back!

The 31st edition of the DPC-PLDT Visual Arts Competition (VAC 31) takes off on November 8, 2016 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Manuel Conde. The launch, followed by a VAC 31 roadshow in north and south Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao, celebrates the rich creative talent of fine arts students across the country.

Organized by Directories Philippines Corporation (DPC) and Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), the competition is open to student artists, aged 18-24, who are currently enrolled in accredited Philippine tertiary schools with a fine arts program.

This year, VAC 31 challenges fine arts students to interpret the theme “Habang May Buhay, May Pag-asa” in oil or acrylic. Essentially, their task is to create paintings that depict how Filipinos value life and how Pinoys remain cheerful and hopeful despite the adversities they face everyday.

Each participating fine arts school or department selects a maximum of five official entries to the competition. Direct student entries will not be accepted. Official entries must be delivered to the DPC Main Office, 2322 Don Chino Roces Avenue Extension, Makati City between February 20 and March 3, 2017 from 10 am to 5 pm.

The top three winners will have their works featured on the covers of 2017-18 telephone directories of DPC (Yellow Pages) and PLDT (White Pages) in key cities in Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.

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Mastercard and Uber team up to take you to the Grammys. Mastercard brings you a once-in-a-lifetime Priceless moment – a chance to win tickets to personally experience the glitz and glamour of the 59th GRAMMY Awards!

The leading global payments and technology company teams up with worldwide transportation service Uber to deliver this thrilling experience for cardholders. Each ride gets you a chance to win a trip for two (2) to watch the Grammys, and strut your stuff on the red carpet. For an entry to the raffle promotion, use your Mastercard on your next Uber trip, enter the code 'GRAMMYS' in the promotions tab of your Uber app and take a ride before December 24, 2016.

You might just be the lucky winner to get that coveted 4 day-3 night Grammys Priceless Moments Collection package. Start booking and looking forward to getting up close and personal with your favorite celebrities at the biggest annual music awards show in the world.

Sec. Tugade to DOTr Officials and Employees: Do Not Accept Gifts!

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Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade, once again, reiterated to all officials and employees of the department to not accept gifts of any kind from any other individual or organization such as vendors, suppliers, customers, employees, potential employees, and potential vendors or suppliers, to avoid conflict of interest, and to uphold the department’s high standard of ethics in public service.

“Bawal mag-solicit o tumanggap ng regalo. Kusa niyong layuan ang lahat ng klaseng regalo kahit pa ito ay kusang ibinigay sa inyo (ngayong Pasko),” Tugade said at the department’s flag raising ceremony on Monday, November 7.

He further warned that he will be “unforgiving” to all officials or employees who will receive or solicit gifts. This is one way to demonstrate the department’s commitment to treating all people and organizations, with whom it come into contact or conduct business with, impartially.

“I have a way of knowing it. Bawal tumanggap ng regalo sa opisina, sa parking lot, o sa bahay ninyo (mula sa mga government contractors),” the secretary further said.

In line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-corruption directive among government offices, this policy is also in conformity with the following laws enacted to guide the conduct of public officials and employees: Republic Act (RA) No. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act), Presidential Decree (PD) No. 46, s. 1972 (Making it Punishable to Receive, and for Private Persons to Give Gifts on Any Occasion, Including Christmas), and RA No. 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees).

That Maine “Kiss” is a Winner, Gets BDO the Asian Banker’s Best Social Media Initiative Award

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BDO Unibank has won the Best Social Media Initiative award in the recently concluded Asian Banker Country Awards for its “Project Kiss” campaign that featured one of its celebrity endorsers -- phenomenal star Maine Mendoza.

The campaign, anchored on the message "Abot ang Pangarap ‘pag BDO ang Kausap", was a social media megahit, with the video reaching more than 5.6 million Facebook users since its launch in March this year.

“BDO effectively took advantage of the social media to advertise and market its products. One of the bank’s most engaging initiatives was the Project Kiss campaign to promote its savings account, which has reached more than 5.6 million people in Facebook,” The Asian Banker said. “The bank also implemented a social media e-learning program to provide its employees with adequate knowledge on existing social media policies and effective ways to properly engage and handle customers.”

The Bank also received the Best Deposit Initiative in the Philippines and Best Mobile Payment Initiative citations during the Country Awards, which was held in conjunction with the Philippine International Banking Convention.

“BDO’s Peso Savings Account significantly contributed to the Bank’s retail deposit growth of 23% in the first half of 2016. Extending banking hours and offering weekend banking have helped to boost the bank’s deposits,” The Asian Banker added. “BDO opened new branches in malls to reach more customers.”

Wazzup Pilipinas!

We’re so excited to share a brand new set from our collaboration with DC Comics. Gear up and tune in with the Ekonic JUSTICE LEAGUE Headphones.

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Emerge from the shadows and fight bad vibes with the city’s dramatic sounds while you tune in with your Ekonic JUSTICE LEAGUE Headphones! With great sound quality and a sleek design, you’ll harness the power of a good soundtrack all throughout the day. Create your ultimate DC universe playlist and unleash the superhero you were born to be.

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Coming soon in Themyscira and Central City.

SPECS:
Speaker size 40MM 
Sensitivity: 105dB±3dB(1KHz,10mW) 
Frequency response: 20Hz 20KHz 
Impedance: 32 Ohm 
Cord length: 1.5M 
Mic Sensitivity: -54db ±3db 
Plug: ø3.5mm 4P stereo 
Rated input power: 25mW 
Maximum input power: 50mW

SRP: 1165

Wazzup Pilipinas!

POINTS AND DIMES: Only once has a player led the NBA in scoring and assists in the same season: Nate “Tiny” Archibald in 1972-73. It’s incredibly early, of course, but it’s realistic to think that former teammates James Harden of Houston and Russell Westbrook of Oklahoma City could accomplish the feat. Both are known first as scorers, but Harden and Westbrook deserve credit for their continued improvement as playmakers. Harden has shifted to point guard for the Rockets as he looks to raise his assist average for the seventh straight season. Westbrook is a triple-double threat every time he takes the court.

AGAINST THE GRAIN: At a time when NBA teams are launching three-pointers at a record rate, Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan is doing things his way. DeRozan opened the season with four 30-point games that included a total of one three-pointer. That’s in keeping with his career pattern, which is unusual for a two-guard. DeRozan has emerged as one of the game’s top scorers by attacking the rim relentlessly and thriving in the mid-range. The savvy DeRozan knows how to get to his spots and draw fouls. He’s also the face of the Raptors, who drafted him in 2009, re-signed him last summer and have seen him become an active presence in the community.

DENNIS DAZZLES: This is shaping up to be a breakout season for Atlanta’s Dennis Schröder. The first German guard to make a big impact in the NBA, the four-year veteran is starting for the first time in his career after the Hawks traded Jeff Teague. Schröder is a late bloomer who didn’t fully commit to basketball until he was 16, when his father died and he viewed the game as a way to provide for his family. (Skateboarding was his first love.) One of the NBA’s quickest players, Schröder has watched a lot of film on Tony Parker for pointers on how to use his speed and finish around the basket against bigger players.

WELCOME BACK: Sergio Rodriguez’s first NBA stint didn’t quite go as planned, with the 2006 first-round pick heading home to Spain after four seasons with the Trail Blazers, Kings and Knicks. Rodriguez spent the next six years honing his craft with Real Madrid and the Spanish National Team. He signed with the 76ers over the summer and is off to a solid start as an immediate starter and veteran presence for the NBA’s youngest team, averaging 12 points and nearly 8 assists. Given his age (30) and comfort level overseas, it’s unusual that Rodriguez decided to give the NBA another shot.

STUDENT OF THE GAME: Quin Snyder’s basketball résumé speaks for itself. He played at Duke before joining Coach K’s staff. He served as an assistant in the NBA and with CSKA Moscow (under current Spurs assistant Ettore Messina) and a head coach in college and the NBA D-League before becoming coach of the Jazz, a potential breakout team in 2016-17. Snyder has another version of his résumé, one that shows him graduating with degrees in philosophy and political science. He also earned a law degree and an MBA from Duke. With many career options, both after college and during a mid-2000s coaching break, Snyder kept picking hoops. It’s interesting to consider what lessons from academia shaped him and his coaching.

PASCAL’S PRINCIPLE: Pascal Siakam’s journey from Cameroon to a spot in Toronto’s starting lineup as a rookie has taken a few twists and turns. None bigger than the first turn, when at the behest of his family, which included three older brothers with NBA aspirations, he reluctantly agreed to give basketball a try. A positive experience at a Basketball without Borders Camp in South Africa in 2012 led to his relocating to the U.S. and becoming a standout at New Mexico State. After thriving at the NBA Combine, Siakam was selected by Toronto with the 27th pick in 2016, fulfilling the dream his late father had of having one of his sons reach the NBA. The forward, 22, has made an immediate impact with his energy and athleticism.

Upcoming Games

· Nov. 8: Pelicans @ Kings, 10:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV: Anthony Davis vs. DeMarcus Cousins

· Nov. 9: Nets @ Knicks, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN: Jeremy Lin leads his new team into MSG.

· Nov. 10: Bulls @ Heat, 8 p.m. ET, TNT: Dwyane Wade returns to Miami for the first time.

Body Shots 2016 Candidates in Swimsuit

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Body Shots is a premiere modelling competition in the Philippines brought to you by the Fashion Designers Association of the Philippines (FDAP) and produced by Creative Saints. They will hold the grand coronation on November 30, 2016 in Manila, Philippines. Online voting started on November 5, 2016.

Ms. Digna Rosales, FDAP President, and Actor-producer-director Carlo Maceda, sealed an agreement to be partners in mounting this year’s search: Body Shots @ 30

Body Shots 2016's advocacy this year is: Earth Matters!

"While there are almost 900 confirmed exoplanets in the universe (exoplanets are planets outside of our solar system that share similarities to Earth), scientists believe the nearest one is at least 6.4 light years away from Earth. That’s 37,623,203,463,989 miles away! It would take the Helios 2 probe (which is the fastest man-made spacecraft travelling at 150,000 mph) 250,821,356.5 years to go that far. This means that if we don’t care about our environment here on Earth and continue to destroy it, we have nowhere else to go."

Below are photos of the lady candidates in their swimsuit taken during the media launch held at Eurotel North EDSA Quezon City a few days ago. Let us know who your bets are.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Men should admit that most of us come to motoring events not only because of the vehicles and their accessories, but also because of the lovely lady models that makes the rides a lot more attractive to look at.

Yeah, who wouldn't want to have cars as alluring as the models posing beside them? And of course, who wouldn't want to have the ladies ride with them as a big bonus?

Who wouldn't be enticed with those vibrant smiles and giggles complemented by those skimpy outfits? Lol!

Sadly, most of us would have to settle with a photo ops with the gorgeous gals of motoring, unless perhaps if you would purchase and drive one of the cool cars, babes blessed with bountiful bosoms and behinds - plus angelically innocent or seductively naughty (depending on your taste) faces, would take a second gander at you. Seriously, most car show models are Class A or top of the line. You're definitely an impotent alien if you won't admit to have lusted for them.

Attending car shows like the Manila Auto Salon, is probably an onanistic way of spending time, but we do love it because no only do we get updated with the latest information about our favorite car or motorcycle brands, we get to be up close and personal also with these stunning babes as if they're our BFFs or close acquaintances. Actually, the often we visit these car shows, the models would literally become our friends, at least on Facebook or any other social media accounts where we post their photos in an album containing their different poses.

I also love the thought of contributing to their popularity and giving them exposure to get discovered into mainstream TV or even movies. True enough, most of them are the creme of the crop when it comes to beauty, and they would surely go a long way if they have the brains and talent to go with those adorable looks.

Below are some of my favorite models, in no particular order since I do not want to rate them since this is not a beauty pageant, from the Manila Auto Salon 2016 held on November 3 to 6 at the SMX Convention Center: