Say it with Red Ribbon's “Team Kilig” and “Team Hugot” Valentine Mamon

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Love is one of the hardest emotions to express. That is why, oftentimes, it is hard to either show or say it. But, what if you can do both ways for your loved ones this Valentines?

This February, Red Ribbon, one of the most loved bakeshop chains in the Philippines, joins its customers in celebrating Valentine’s Day with its new limited edition “Team Kilig” and “Team Hugot” Valentine Mamons that are guaranteed to make this Love Month more memorable.

The Red Ribbon Valentine Mamons are made with moist white chiffon Mamon topped with Valentine-themed designs. It comes in two variants, the “Team Kilig” and “Team Hugot.”

The “Team Kilig” Mamons are for those who want to give their special someone with Valentine messages that will surely make them feel the warmth of love. On the other hand, the “Team Hugot” Mamons, which are decorated with witty “hugot” lines, are perfect for those who choose to happily celebrate the occasion even without a special someone.

“We know how important Valentine's Day is to our loyal customers whether they are single or not. These two new Valentine Mamons are our way of making the day for them more memorable and sweeter,” said Ned Bandojo, Head of Marketing of Red Ribbon. Both Team Kilig and Team Hugot Valentine Mamons are topped with unique designs and are packaged in a Valentine’s Day gift box of threes. It is available in all Red Ribbon stores nationwide for P100 per box only.

As one of the fastest growing bakeshop chains in the country, Red Ribbon is dedicated to making every celebration more special by offering new, exciting, and delicious lineup of cakes, breads, and pastries. To know more about Red Ribbon’s many delights, visitwww.redribbonbakeshop.com.ph.

#MayNanaloNa: Issay Gallano Receives Gown Worn by Miss Bulgaria at #MissUniverse Preliminary Competition

Wazzup Pilipinas!

"Remember the announcement made by Miss Bulgaria Violina Ancheva about the Sherri Hill dress that she'd give to one lucky Filipino in time for prom season?

Well, someone already won. #MayNanaloNa and she is the daughter (Zhyra Nicole Cifra) of single mom Issay Gallano! In her Facebook post, Gallano was able to take selfies with Ancheva when they met at the Conrad Hotel in Pasay. Gallano thanked Ancheva for having a beautiful heart." - The Philippine Pageantry

"Dear friends, I would like to give as a present my Miss Universe Gown [...] to one of you that really want it and need it," Ancheva wrote in a post on her official Facebook page. "I want to give the dress to a girl in need that can't buy a dress for her prom the next month. Please write to me a personal message for details." - says Violina Ancheva of Bulgaria.

She wanted to give away the outfit that she wore in the preliminary rounds of the 65 edition of the Miss Universe because she wanted to share the joy she felt when using it. 'I wanted you to its next owner feel beautiful and happy,' says the Miss Universe candidate.

The 15-year-old daughter of Gallano, a single mother of two, received the surprise of her life. "Thank you so much Miss Bulgaria. You have a beautiful heart. We wish you all the best. God bless you and your family" says Issa on her Facebook account when she proudly posted the photo of her daughter wearing the gown.

Gallano's daughter is attending her prom in a few weeks, but her mother - the only breadwinner - couldn't afford to buy a ball gown.

Feb-Ibig Month: Kapalaran ng mga Inechos, Chinurva at Kineme this Valentine's Day

Wazzup Pilipinas!

"I will never let you fall, I'll be there for you forever!" 

For those still healing from wounds inflicted by the ones they trusted the most, Valentine's Day can really suck.
Kawawa naman ang mga nakaranas ma-echos, ma-churva, o ma-keme ng mga nakaraang araw. Araw-gabi na lang toxic kapag walang special someone! Walang pampatanggal ng stress mula sa trabaho o traffic kapag walang kaniig. Puro na lang kunsumisyon kapag walang ka-relasyon.

This Feb-ibig month of February, tunay na manalig sa tapat na pag-ibig at magmahal ng walang "bakit." Kahit pa man tayo ay nakaranas ng napakasakit na relasyong hindi nagtagal, nanininwala kami na may darating pang muli na magpapatibok ng ating puso at tayo ay mamahalin ng walang pag-aalinlangan.

Ramdam mo na ba ang kilig vibes na ihahatid ng bago mong kakilala? Lubos-lubusin mo lang ang pananampalataya at sabay-sabay tayong manalig mga naging sawi sa pagmamahal, itodo na ang taimtim na pagdarasal sa Poong Maykapal.

Love is in the air! Keep telling that to ourselves! Sooner or later, all that faith will soon be a reality!

No more heart aches for me! Believe in the month of February!

Lord puwede bang himiling? Pusuan sana ni crush ang aking post sa Facebook, Twitter o Instagram! Pampalubag na rin po ang seen-zoned, at least napansin niya. Malay mo nahihiya lang siyang mag-Like.

Kahit re-tweet or reshare ay masaya na rin ako. I cannot be so choosy naman kasi, but always willing and ready for a selfie, kahit na groupfie! Kahit walang filter pa dahil always glowing naman ako kapag siya ang aking kasama. Sige na nga, kahit ka-text mate na lang po.

Puwede bang humirit? Kahit makatabi ko na lang sa jeep! O makasabay make tusok-tusok sa nagtitinda ng fish ball o squid ball o kahit sa paghitit na lang ng sigarilyo tuwing break time. Lol!

Ayan, naririnig ko na ang musika, malapit na akong uminit kasama ang isang kaniig sa malamig na klima ng gabi. February is really the month of love. Abangan ninyo ang pagrampa ko ngayong Feb-ibig kasama ang aking bagong ka-heart!

"Kapag tumibok ang puso, wala ka ng magagawa kundi makinig dito."

We heart you, everybody!

Security and Privacy is Now a Must for Your Company

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Do you know how Office 365 E5 gives you peace of mind in the age of leaks and hacks?

Regardless of the size of your business or the number of your employees, (or even if it is just you), you just can’t get work done without Word or email. Nowadays, it is no longer just about being productive. It is also about securing the important information in your documents and sending that confidential information to the right person.

Yes, it has to be more than just productivity. You need to be conscious of security, especially with potential security threats and unauthorized access to your confidential information. While using Word or Excel are not collaboration tools and not designed to store personal data, important and confidential information may be transmitted through emails or sharing of documents.

Especially with the Data Privacy Act of the Philippines (RA No. 10173) in place which requires that all personal data be encrypted whether at rest or in transit, extra security measures must be in place if your business stores personal data in your documents.

This is where Microsoft Office 365 E5 enables all businesses for security and privacy. Many Office 365 plans also include the desktop version of the latest Office applications, which users can install across multiple computers and devices. The fully installed applications include: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher, and Access. And you can install them across multiple devices, including PCs, Macs, Android tablets, Android phones, iPad, and iPhone. When you have an active Office 365 subscription that includes the desktop version of Office, you always have the most up-to-date version of the applications.

Brazilian Fighter Alex Silva Motivated to Get World Title Crack

Wazzup Pilipinas!

In the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA), every fighter dreams of becoming a world champion because it signifies that they have reached the pinnacle of success.

Competitors invest blood, sweat, and tears to achieve the ultimate career-defining moment of having a gold-plated strap wrapped around their waists and hearing the announcer declare their names as champions.

Like any other professional MMA competitor, Brazilian fighter Alex “Little Rock” Silva has the same desire of becoming a world champion in the sport.

According to the 34-year-old submission specialist, winning an MMA world title is what keeps him focused and motivated to continue the intensive work at the gym.

“My goal is to be champion. I know where I am right now and where I will be in the future. That’s why I am taking it one fight at a time and continuing the hard work in training. I will just be focusing on reaching my goal regardless whom I face inside the cage,” he said.

Widely recognized as one of the best strawweight combatants in ONE Championship today, Silva is riding high on a three-fight winning streak.

Roy Doliguez Determined to Return to Winning Form

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Filipino fighter Roy Doliguez sees his upcoming three-round encounter with Alex Silva as an opportunity to bring back the glimmer of his professional mixed martial arts (MMA) career.

Both highly-decorated combatants are set to collide on the undercard of ONE: THRONE OF TIGERS, which takes place at the 10,000-seater Stadium Negara in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 10 February.

Doliguez was once considered as one of the brightest strawweight MMA competitors in the Asian region, but his billing lost its luster due to a string of setbacks.

When Doliguez made his ONE Championship debut against Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke for the inaugural ONE Strawweight World Championship belt in May 2015, he yielded to the highly-touted Thai combatant via fifth-round technical decision.

Doliguez tried to bounce back from his loss to Sor Amnuaysirichoke by squaring off with Riku Shibuya in January 2016, but he dropped a three-round unanimous decision to the Japanese stalwart.

Coming off a year-long hiatus, Doliguez is eager to put himself back on the winning track as he set to have his ONE Championship cage return on 10 February.

“I haven’t won a bout in ONE Championship. This is my chance to get that win. If I want to fight for the title again, I have to win first. I am determined to win this fight,” he said.

Liza Soberano Renews Contract as Celebrity Endorser for Mega Tuna

Wazzup PIlipinas!

Liza Soberano renews contract as celebrity endorser. Mega Global Corporation, a leading distributor of canned goods and ready-to-eat viand, recently renewed its partnership with teen superstar Liza Soberano as Mega Tuna’s celebrity endorser. The contract signing was held during the company’s sales conference at the Prime Hotel in Quezon City. 

"She embodies what our brand is all about. With her natural beauty, she is always dedicated to giving her best in everything she does, may it be her career, her advocacies, or her family," said Marvin Tiu Lim, vice president for sales and marketing of Mega Global.

 "The public can expect more surprises from us this year as we bring new and exciting products for the benefit of the public. We are looking forward to a productive partnership with Ms. Soberano."

Photo caption (L-R) Ogie Diaz, Talent Manager, Liza Soberano, Michelle Tiu-Lim Chan, VP for Finance of Mega Global Corp. and Marvin Tui Lim, VP for Sales and Marketing, Mega Global Corp.   

DOE Urges Government Agencies' Energy Efficiency and Conservation Initiatives

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi today said government is taking the lead and serving as a role model to private companies in achieving energy security.

“Under our Government Energy Management Program (GEMP), the Department of Energy has required 140 government entities to submit their electricity consumption from 2015 to 2016 to assess usage,” Cusi said.

“We are closely monitoring their energy consumption so that we can provide strategies to help them become more energy- efficient in their daily operations,” he pointed out.

As part of GEMP, the DOE has enlisted government agencies with available power generating units that can be enrolled for the Interruptible Load Program (ILP) to augment power supply capacity in times of Red Alert Status or when power supply reserves are thin.

"The ILP seeks to convince big load customers of Distribution Utilities and Electric Cooperatives to register so they can run their stand-by generation sets in times of energy supply deficiency to prevent power outages," Cusi explained.

“Based on our GEMP survey, about 100 government buildings have operational gensets and these total to 85 megawatts of power supply capacity,” Cusi said.

Hontiveros Pushes for Better Infant Care in First 1,000 Days

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros today called for better infant care during the first 1,000 days of life.

Speaking before a forum at the Senate organized by the Philippine Legislators Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD), Hontiveros said that stronger legislation is needed to help address the country’s challenges in malnutrition and child hunger.

“This is the real and silent war that the government must embark on – the war against malnutrition. This is the real war that must be won,” Hontiveros said.

Hontiveros, who is the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, said that under-nutrition remains the underlying killer of children as it makes them vulnerable to bout of infections, low birth weights and wasting.

The senator also said that malnutrition undermines economic development. Citing a 2013 report from the Save the Children International, she said that the country’s economy lost at least P328 billion or the equal of 3 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) due to the impact of childhood stunting on workforce productivity and education.

As a response, Hontiveros penned Senate Bill No. 1145, also known as “The Healthy Bulilit Law.” She said that her bill mandates the Department of Health (DOH) and the National Nutrition Council (NNC) to increase nutrition support for all children in the first 1,000 days.

“We are fortunate that we don’t struggle with an inverted population pyramid. But malnutrition and child hunger remain significant challenges. Government must do its part and redouble its efforts to secure a bright future for our nation’s children,” the Senator said.

Aguirre Says Korean Slay Is Indirect Attempt to Destroy Duterte

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"Yeah, like a bunch of cops were sitting around thinking "We've got to find a way to stopDuterte," and one said "I know! Let's kidnap and kill a Korean businessman. That oughtta do him in!" - Tony Ahn

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II says the killing is “only an isolated incident” that was being used to tarnish the reputation of the country and in turn undermine public support for President Rodrigo Duterte.

"Mayroong nagsasabi na ostensibly ang binibira rito ay ating Chief PNP ngunit ang latay nito ay sa ating Pangulong Duterte. Hindi magawang siraan ang pangulo dahil napakalaki ng suporta niya, kaya ang ginagawa ay sirain ang PNP," Aguirre said.

To conclude on something that has not been fully investigated yet is a dangerous behavior for a Justice Secretary.

Aguirre gained wide public attention in 2012 during the impeachment trial of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona when he was cited for contempt after he was caught covering his ears while being lectured by the late Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago. Now he is allegedly involved in the Chinese gambling tycoon Jack Lam's P50-million bribery scandal involving two Bureau of Immigration (BI) commissioners, namely Al Argosino and Michael Robles. There is also the mention of the names of Charles Calima and Jaime Morente, plus also a retired police general Wally Sombero. Lam is involved in operating illegal online gaming operations without any franchise and permit from PAGCOR.

UPLB Chemical Kinetics Society Proudly Presents 16th Regional Chemistry Olympiad

Wazzup Pilipinas!

For 24 years, the UPLB Chemical Kinetics Society (CHEMOKINESIS), a duly recognized academic organization in the University of the Philippines Los Baños, has been promoting academic excellence and unparalleled service through its various activities.

This February 4, 2017, in cooperation with the Kapisanang Kimika ng Pilipinas-Southern Tagalog Chapter (KKP-ST) and the UPLB Institute of Chemistry, the organization will hold its 16th Regional Chemistry Olympiad (RCO). It is comprised of the following events: Philippine National Chemistry Olympiad (PNCO) Regional Eliminations; Regional Feature Writing Contest, and; Regional CHEM-in-hue.

With the theme “Aquatic Chemistry: Bathing knowledge and drenching strategies to safer and smarter water usage”, the PNCO Regional Eliminations will serve as a venue in selecting the top three (3) high school chemistry wizards who will represent Region IV in the Philippine National Chemistry Olympiad. This event has a quiz proper and laboratory component.

Concurrently, the organization will also be holding its 7th Regional Feature-Writing Contest and 14th Regional Chem-in-Hue, a poster-making contest. Both competitions aim to showcase the skill and artistry of students in presenting Chemistry through literary writing and arts. All activities will be held at Physical Sciences Building, UPLB, College, Laguna.

The Most Significant Change: Netizens Share Their Own Answers to #MissUniverse Question

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Everyone had their say about Maxine Medina's performance on Miss Universe.Some even had the audacity to laugh on her answer.

The question for Maxine was "What is the most significant change you've seen in the world in the last 10 years?" of which "change" was roughly translated in Tagalog as "pangyayari" by her interpreter.
Maxine's answer: The last 10 years of being here in the world is that I saw all the people bringing (being) in one event like this in Miss Universe, and it's something big to us that we are one, as one nation, we are all together.

"Ano ang pinakamakabuluhang naganap na PANGYAYARI (event?) ang nakita mo sa mundo sa loob ng sampung taon?" and so she answered it on the point... What can you say about it? Was it perhaps the interpreter's mistake?

"She did her best yes. But its already given that winners are not taken from a home or host country. Usually host countries are given the consolation for being part of the top 10 only. That's according to Ms. Gloria Diaz on Ms. U's rules." - Luz Prado-Morales

"With or without an interpreter, she would probably have the same answer. Let's not blame the interpreter. Maxine knows how to speak in English. She clearly knows what "change" means." - Abbie Broqueza

"Lesson here is to speak or express yourself in a language you are comfortable in, particularly when the pressure is high. It's perfectly okay to accept the fact that your English is not so good rather than to force it and mess up." - Bern Wong

"The reality for some is that, "the most significant change I've seen in the world in the last 10 years is when the Filipinos were degrading their country's candidate instead of supporting her." - Aira Mika Jubilea

Some are saying that "people are getting worst by judging and bashing people without knowing what it feels like being under pressure. Instead of supporting their own, they're bashing as if they are perfect. That's all I can say. And goodluck to all the smart people bashing our miss Universe Philippines Maxine Medina. I'm looking forward for the next miss Universe and hope I'll see all your faces on the pageant next year. To all those people bashing her, try to put your feet in her shoes." - Mitchelle Cernio

Many netizens also shared their own answers to the controversial #MissUniverse question to Maxine Medina thinking they could offer better options.

Below are a few more of their answers taken from social media network Facebook:

#Interpreter: The Guy Taken for Granted from the Recent #MissUniverse

Wazzup Pilipinas!

"I admire Maxine Medina for acknowledging her weakness. Asking for an interpreter is a bold move. Brave one!"

Everyone is talking about the "Interpreter" that allegedly made a crucial mistake in the "interpretation" or "translation" of the question from English to Tagalog. Many are saying Miss Philippines Maxine Medina was not able to give a substantial answer because of the mistake in translating "significant change" to "makabuluhang pangyayari" since it should have been "makabuluhang pagbabago." Netizens have mentioned that Maxine could have mentioned the developments in technology, the Internet or social media, or maybe like climate change or just about everything else that is more significant other than the "pangyayari" or "event" like the majestic gathering of Filipinos in watching the Miss Universe beauty pageant.

One of the trending topics in social media is now all about this guy who could have costed Maxine her chance to win the Miss Universe title. But we are forgetting that even with the mistake, Maxine did hear the original question asked in English. She does understand the language. Her only problem is how to correctly say it in English, mainly because she was under a lot of pressure.

But who knows? She could have really answered based from the Tagalog translation of which she did base it on the "pangyayari" word. When you're up there on stage knowing your every word is being observed by millions of people, you would also feel nervous, and make errors in judgement. It may not be a very well-thought out answer, but she did tried her best to come out with an answer from the heart. Though she could have fully utilized the interpreter to rephrase her thoughts better, we would still never know that since the interpreter could have made it worst for her. Remember that the interpreter did make a mistake with a particular word, he could have made further mistakes if he did "interpret" her answer. Also, Filipinos would know if he did fuck up because  we would understand Maxine's Tagalog answer too. That could have been another interesting alternate story.

On the positive side, the Heussaff siblings (Solenn and Erwan) both tweeted that even France's interpreter also made a mistake in his interpretation but according to them Miss France's answer was even better when translated correctly.

At least many acknowledged the "interpreter" and not the "entrepreneur" - a joke that you would only understand if you look at the very bottom of this blog post.

Because of this situation, many netizens couldn't help but make fun of the #interpreter by tweeting their own humorous statements focused on the interpreter. Below are just some of the quite funny tweets from social media:

Valentino Rossi and Maverick Viñales Grace Opening of Yamaha Grand Prix 8

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Two international racers recently joined Yamaha Motor Philippines' first big event for the year 2017 - the Yamaha Grand Prix 8.

Yamaha MotoGP rider, Valentino "The Doctor" Rossi, together with the newest rider, Maverick Viñales, graced the opening of the 8th Yamaha Grand Prix held on January 28, 2017 at the parking grounds turned motorcycle racetrack of Robinson's Novaliches.

But before they went to the racetrack to officially open the event, a press conference was first held in their honor at the Robinson's Novaliches Trade Hall where members of the media were already anticipating their arrival. However, some of the members of the media already went to the airport earlier to witness the two racers' arrival in Manila, and for some photo and video opportunities. At the press conference, the questions submitted in advance to Yamaha Motor Philippines were then personally asked by media outfits to Rossi and Vinales, as they were called one at a time by host Rico Robles.

This is the second time Valentino Rossi has visited the Philippines, and sadly his second visit to our country will be short since they have to leave immediately for another engagement in another country the following day. Meanwhile, it's Vinales' first time in the country. Too bad they do not have the luxury of time to at least explore some areas of the Philippines, especially our numerous beautiful beaches all over the country.

Lenovo Introduces New Legion Line of PCs Designed for Immersive Gaming Experience

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Gamers have special requirements when it comes to their choice of computers or PCs, may it be desktops or laptops, thus they seek the best hardware specifications having the most reasonable prices to build their ultimate gaming gear.

For those in the search for their dream PCs, Lenovo recently held a two-day gaming event on January 28 and 29, 2017 at the Cyberzone area of SM City North EDSA Annex where attendees had the opportunity to try out the all-new line up of PCs that Lenovo calls collectively as "Legion."

Laptops such as the Lenovo Legion Y520, the Ideapad Y910, and desktops like the IdeaCentre Y710 Cube were available for anyone who wanted to experience the Legion by Lenovo gaming experience.

Appropriate enough, they chose the highly popular and challenging League of Legends online game which is a favorite in the gaming community. You'll see many gamers, especially the hard-core ones, flocking Internet Cafes or Gaming Shops that aer still proliferating the metro even though there are already many powerful laptops and Internet connections that are available at home.

For gamers, the fun is actually more on personally bonding with friends while they battle it out for supremacy among themselves. Since League of Legends is a team effort game, you can see how groups of five support each other to make up for their weaknesses and take advantage of their strengths.