Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Animate Your Life with Saving Sally at the MMFF 2016

Wazzup Pilipinas!

"MMFF... Maraming Magandang Filipino Films!" - Saving Sally

The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) council for this year could should be praised for no longer continuing to accepting poorly conceptualized movies with no substantial or significant story lines and only capitalizes on the popularity of its lead stars.

The acceptance of only quality films would make the movie choices on Christmas Day of December 25 a lot more interesting to watch since it would not cater to the upper level crowd that usually snubs the MMFF due to crap movie choices.

Being low-budgeted does not necessarily mean poor quality films. It only means it was a lot more challenging for the people involved to finish the movie project. It is quite admirable that these individuals have managed to come up with a promising piece even though they do not have the luxury of resources or financial funding.

I would be equally surprised that I would be included among the MMFF choices for the public to watch on a highly celebrated occasion when most people are joyously out there on the streets with their families dining out them watching their choice of movie.

One of the movies included among the 8 MMFF 2016 entries is Saving Sally, a familiar coming-of-age story told with super-stylized visuals. The project blends live action, 2D animation and an abundance of warm, fuzzy feelings to create a totally unique and loveable little film. The movie is from Director Avid Liongoren and Writer Charlene Sawit-Esguerra, with actors TJ Trinidad, Enzo Marcos and Rhian Ramos.

We recently had a bloggers conference (blogcon) with some of the Saving Sally peeps, specifically with actor TJ Trinidad, it's Director and it's writer. The blogcon was held at the Tomato Kick restaurant located in Sct. Madrinan corner Tomas Morato in Quezon City.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Beko Philippines recently held an event for bloggers to inform us of their newest promos, namely the "Witness The Victory 2.0" and "Kick Your Way to Barcelona," which gives everyone a lot of chance to fly to Barcelona.

At an event held at Contis Greenbelt 2 branch in Makati, selected bloggers where given an overview of the promos and mechanics by Plug and Play 360 representatives.

When I entered the room, one of them seemed to be wearing an official uniform of the FC Barcelona team so I thought he was a player but later on I realized he was just wearing it to put in the vibe at the event. There was also a tarp infront showing some of the FC Barcelona team members wearing the newer version of their uniform. You can tell from the video we made that I tried to make a joke about it but failed because I couldn't stop laughing already.

"Witness The Victory 2.0" is open to all buyers of Beko appliances who purchased at SM Appliance Store from November 15, 2016 to January 31, 2017. Buyers can claim raffle tickets whose number will be based on the amount of purchase. Below Php 20K will be equivalent to 1 ticket, below 40K will be 2 tickets, below 60K is 3 tickets, and 6)k and up is 4 tickets.

Two lucky winners will win a trip for two (includes round-trip flights, accommodations with breakfast, city tour and tickets to the game) to Barcelona, Spain and watch FC Barcelona play in the Spanish La Liga match on April 2017.

Wow, that's just a few months away from now since it's already the end of 2016.

There are also 60 other special prizes composed of jerseys, gym bags and soccer balls, so it means a lot of chances of winning at least one of the prizes at stake.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

What other things can you give your partner this Christmas aside from love and security? Aside from all the material things you can think of, you can give them all your time and attention. It may have seen such a long time since you last cuddled in bed without hurrying so it’s just rightful to give them more of yourself this holiday. Why not spice things up and make love using Robust Extreme?

Robust Extreme provides a different level of intimate long-lasting endurance. With Spiral Algae, Corn Extract, Medlar Extract, Ginseng Extract, Epimedium Extract, Cistanche Salsa Extract and Hawthorne Berry—all these natural ingredients will keep you going for longer hours, giving extreme pleasure and satisfaction!

Show your love and affection by being fun, surprising, creative and exciting when it comes to lovemaking to your partner with Robust Extreme!

Robust Extreme is high content 100% Pure extract of Spiral Algae, Corn, Medlar, Ginseng , Epimedium, Cistanche Salsa and Hawthorne Berry of that is made more effective than powdered ingredients. It is a product of extensive research and development that guarantees top quality and excellent promising health results which makes it absolutely different from other supplements.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The CONSLA (Confederation of Non-Stock Savings and Loan Associations) party-list, one of the 115 party-list groups accredited by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to participate in the May 2016 elections, recently filed with the Supreme Court in Manila on Wednesday, December 14, 2016, a Petition-in-Intervention to the case filed by Atty. Eduardo V. Bringas', Bishop Reuben M. Abante's, and Moses C. Rivera's petition for mandamus to compel the COMELEC to order an independent and thorough investigation of the discrepancies between the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Council for Responsible Voting's (PPCRV) results which were obtained from the Transparency Server and the COMELEC's canvassing to clarify what happened in the aftermath of the May 9, 2016 National Elections.

On May 10, 2016 at 11:00 a.m., PPCRV's own Twitter account, @PPCRV_2016, showed that CONSLA was 14th overall with 523,753 votes. An hour after, or at 12:00 noon, CONSLA maintained its 14th position, with its votes increasing to 555,896 votes.

Surprisingly, however, COMELEC's own canvassing results eventually showed CONSLA failing to obtain even half of the votes twitted by PPCRV through its Twitter account, as CONSLA only garnered a total of 213, 814 votes.

CONSLA's missing votes could be a case of outright negligence on the part of COMELEC and PPCRV, or could have been a deliberate effort to rob CONSLA of its seat in the 17th Congress.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

As we welcome the holiday season, we also welcome overeating “good” food and binge drinking sugary and alcoholic beverages. Though it is okay to cheat a little, the holiday season doesn’t provide a free pass for you to eat and drink everything you want without affecting your health. Whatever you drink or eat, whenever it is and whatever occasion it is, your body will take in the consequences. Some of us may not think about it, but it definitely would affect your body in the long run. Avoid this from happening especially during the holiday season, get yourself a supplement that protects the liver’s health, get LiverMarin!

ATC LiverMarin is specifically made to aid our liver with its Silymarin and Sodium Ascorbate compounds. Here are the benefits of Silymarin and Sodium Ascorbate:

· Silymarin – Is an anti-fibrotic which helps avoid tissue scarring. It also blocks the toxins away from our body, away from our liver.

- It regenerates liver cells damaged by alcohol or drugs.
- It protects us against industrial poisons.
- It is a good antioxidant

· Sodium ascorbate – Has general immune boosting properties. It helps prevent the body from getting diseases.

- Has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties which aids in protecting the body from harmful diseases.
- Is essential for the body to be able to synthesize collagen, which is an essential component of connective tissues.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Takeda Healthcare Philippines, Inc. (Takeda Philippines) has been certified as a Top Employer for its outstanding employee offerings. The recognition comes from Top Employers Philippines and Top Employers Asia Pacific 2017 through independent research conducted by the Top Employers Institute.

The annual international research undertaken by the Institute recognizes leading employers around the world: those that provide excellent employee conditions, nurture and develop talent throughout all levels of the organization, and which strive to continuously optimize employment practices. Takeda Philippines is one of the select companies to achieve the exclusive Top Employers Asia Pacific 2017 certification. Takeda has also been similarly certified in a number of other countries in the region.

“This is a significant milestone for Takeda in the Philippines,” said Gabriel Georgy, President and General Manager of Takeda Philippines. “We have focused on investing in our staff, providing an environment that encourages learning and also put in place initiatives that will help our people develop and flourish in their careers. For an organization that has been operational for less than two years, this is something that we should be very proud of. Takeda is also delighted to be part of the exclusive and internationally renowned community of Top Employers in Asia Pacific.”

The Top Employers Institute globally certifies excellence in the conditions that employers create for their people. It recently announced the overall results of this year’s research into the employee conditions of significant employers in the region. Crucial to the Top Employers process is that participating companies must meet the required high standards in the research in order to achieve the certification. In addition, organizations that achieve certification in at least four countries within the region are awarded the special Top Employers Asia Pacific 2017 recognition.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Global property portal Lamudi Philippines lists down some exciting real estate projects slated to be completed in 2017

As Philippine real estate continues to flourish, developers all over the country are giving their best to provide the most unique real estate projects that match the evolving needs of Filipino homebuyers. For 2017, another batch of fresh and exciting properties will once again change the Philippine real estate landscape.

In Metro Manila, a couple of exciting developments will open this 2017. Taguig alone will welcome a vibrant mix of residential properties from top real estate companies. Megaworld, the real estate arm of business mogul Andrew Tan, will welcome the first residents of its Venice Luxury Residences and The Viceroy, both of which are in the developer’s mixed-use McKinley Hill township in Fort Bonifacio.

Venice Luxury Residences is a three-tower Italian-inspired high-rise condo development. Sitting right next to the Venetian Grand Canal Mall, it offers executive studios and one-, two-, and three-bedroom units, ranging in size from 39 to 120 sqm. The Viceroy, on the other hand, is a much more affordable option offering studios and one-bedroom apartments, and is geared towards young professionals. Also in McKinley Hill, this four-tower condo high-rise is expected to be turned over in the fourth quarter of 2017.

Avida Land, a subsidiary of property giant Ayala Land, will complete and turn over this 2017 its newest residential offering, the Avida Towers Verte at the corner of 9th Avenue and 34th Street in Bonifacio Global City (BGC). A variation of the Spanish word, “to see” Avida Towers Verte is carefully designed to maximize the optimum views of the greens and wide spaces of the northern section of BGC. Avida Towers Verte is slated for turnover in December 2017.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Winning has been closely associated with Filipino fighter Rene Catalan (1-2) in international Wushu tournaments as he has brought home numerous gold medals for the Philippines.

However, having his hand raised as the winner in mixed martial arts (MMA) has been elusive since he transitioned to the world’s fastest-growing sport in 2013.

Like capturing the gold medal at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, one unforgettable moment in his illustrious fighting career was when Catalan finally claimed his first victory as an MMA competitor last September.

With an incredible work rate and accurate striking, Catalan dominated Chinese combatant Zhang You Liang to win the three-round strawweight encounter via unanimous decision at ONE: UNBREAKABLE WARRIORS.

After his remarkable conquest of Zhang in September, Catalan moves onto his next assignment as he faces ONE Strawweight Indonesian Tournament Champion Adrian Matheis (3-1) at ONE: QUEST FOR POWER in Jakarta, Indonesia on 14 January.

The 38-year-old Filipino Wushu veteran sees his marquee match-up against Matheis as an opportunity to extend his success inside the ONE Championship cage.

“This is my chance to establish my first winning streak in ONE Championship. It’s not impossible. That’s why I am exerting a tremendous amount of effort in training. I want to keep on winning,” Catalan said.

According to Catalan, he is inspired to win against his Indonesian foe because this gives him another opportunity to give honor to the Philippines.

“I am inspired to win the fight because I am representing the Philippines. It is always an honor to fight for my country. My goal in this fight is to win and bring pride to my nation,” he stated.

Although both men possess superb striking pedigrees, Catalan believes that he still has the upper hand in the stand-up department.

“I still believe that my striking is better than his stand-up game. I am very comfortable in that aspect. If he wants to strike with me, it will be my pleasure,” he pointed out.

With the aim to be a more versatile fighter than his cage counterpart, Catalan revealed that he worked extensively on his ground game in training camp.

“For this fight, I added more emphasis to my ground game. Even though I am coming off a win, I shouldn’t be complacent. I trained with the best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners in the country to hone my grappling skills,” he bared.

Catalan hopes that if he secures a decisive win over Matheis, it will grant him a date with Yoshitaka Naito for the ONE Strawweight World Championship belt.

“Every fighter dreams to become a world champion. I really hope that ONE Championship will give me an opportunity to fight for the title in the future. This fight might be the door to a world title fight. Let us all hope for the best,” he said.

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

Latest from DOTr: Nose in, Nose out Policy

Wazzup Pilipinas!

In anticipation of heavy traffic this Christmas, the Inter-Agency Council on Traffic strictly implemented the Nose in, Nose Out Policy on EDSA starting December 15.

Below are the pertinent info on the policy and implementation.

STRICT IMPLEMENTATION OF NOSE IN, NOSE OUT POLICY FOR PROVINCIAL BUSES

Enforced on December 15, Thursday to ease traffic in EDSA

Nose in, nose out is a long existing regulation reiterated thru MMDA Resolution 16-06, series of 2016, covering the whole of EDSA

Nose in, nose out means buses should enter or exit their terminals front end first, instead of backing up or maneuvering on EDSA and causing bottlenecks. Buses may only maneuver within the terminal. The rationale is that buses take longer when they enter or exit terminal using the rear, thus obstructing traffic flow.

In line with the nose in, nose out policy, the Resolution also prohibits provincial buses from plying EDSA Timog Ave. up to EDSA P. Tuazon southbound from 6am-10am. This is being implemented initially in Cubao area only because it was identified as a major choke point.

Consistent with the goal to not cause traffic in EDSA, the policy also prohibits private and public vehicles from loading and unloading in front of the bus terminals

Violators will be issued a Uniform Ordinance Violation Receipt for obstruction and disregarding traffic sign with corresponding penalty or fine

GM Tim Orbos' suggestion to bus companies:

(1) Improve ticket-selling system

(2) Designate loading/unloading area within the terminal or along a street outside EDSA

(3) Hire more porters and conductors

Initial assessment on traffic impact will be done after a week

NEC Technology Knows Where You Are Looking

Wazzup Pilipinas!

It's Real-time detection of a person’s line-of-sight!

NEC Corporation today announced the development of a “remote gaze detection technology” that enables real-time detection of the direction an individual is looking, even when using existing cameras from remote locations.

Conventional technologies estimate an individual’s line-of-sight using specialized devices equipped with infrared lights and advanced cameras that detect light as it is reflected from an individual’s eye.

This new technology, developed as part of NEC’s cutting-edge portfolio of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, NEC the WISE (*1), uses face feature point detection technology, the core of NEC's world leading face recognition technology (*2), to accurately identify characteristics in and around the eye, such as the pupil and the corners of the eye, from images taken with common cameras, including web, surveillance, tablet and smartphone cameras, without the need for specialized equipment. These images and technology enable highly accurate detection of an individual’s line-of-sight, with a measurement error of less than 5 degrees from the left, right, top and bottom.

Moreover, this remote gaze detection technology’s advanced response to low resolution images and changes in brightness enable it to detect an individual’s line-of-sight, even when they are separated from the camera by 10 meters, making it well suited for automatically detecting products that draw the attention of shoppers at retail stores.