LINKED's U 2.0: Be the Best Version of Yourself Seminar

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Last February 18, LINKED Training and Events, Inc, partnered with Uber Pilipinas, conducted a seminar called "U 2.0: Be the Best Version of Yourself" in Batis, Manila Ocean Park, Luneta Manila. This wasn't just your typical motivational talk; It also centered around building confidence and a personal branding in order to reach your dreams! There were about 100 students and faculty who attended, mostly from different PUP campuses.

U 2.0 aims to help students and professionals maximize their full potential through saying YES and finding your passion as students and young adults take on a new path: Their career.

What I loved about the whole seminar was that the speakers shared their true stories and experiences with making changes and getting out of their comfort zones to find passion with what they do. It's very inspiring, especially for those who are too afraid to move out of their shells in fear of losing stability in their life.

Engr. Angela Cathleen K. Go and Engr. Jacqueline Maye S. Lim both come form the same university and company, taking on the same route of leaving their comfort zones and doing what they think is right for themselves. Despite not knowing what the future holds, they did it out of passion and their happiness. Needless to say, they are now in great positions, living life to the fullest. Like what they say, "If you aren't scared, you aren't growing."

We then had our lunch and an intermission number, with games sponsored by Faber Castell, Tupperware, and Collegio. It was very fun watching students and faculty members alike play "Bring Me!" or have dance-offs!

After the break, Dr. Marissa B. Ferrer talked about work-life balance and how to differentiate what is urgent and what can be done in time. We also learned about priorities and how to balance your career and personal life, most especially family.

Dr. Dave D. Centeno then talked about personal branding and how you should find your passion and what you want people to see you as in order to create a unique name for yourself. Through knowing your specialty and owning it, you'll be able to get your brand into the world and become successful.

Through U 2.0, I learned about how we should always move forward with our careers, deciding where to go for the sake of what we feel is right for US, rather than just the financial stability. To prioritize ourselves and family is much more important. So long as we create the personal branding and stay passionate with what we do, we will head on to success.

Contributed by Issa Villapando

Rafael Halili Announced as Grand Winner of Beko Philippines' Kick Your Way to Barcelona Challenge

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Rafael Halili literally kicked his way to Barcelona with Beko Philippines' promo designed to thank their Facebook followers with the launch of their new Facebook fan page!

Followers of their Facebook social media page were able to join the Kick Your Way to Barcelona grand kick-off challenge which initiated with a qualifying round a few weeks ago where official and wild card finalists emerged to compete for the final round of which Rafael emerge as the victorious participant to get to travel to Barcelona, Spain for an all-expense-paid tour and to watch the FC Barcelona game in person.

The lucky Rafael was able to shoot 8 balls into the circular hole shaped as a washing machine window. There was another person who got 8 balls in but 2 of his shots were disqualified for going beyond the allowed distance allocated for the ball position.

Rafael was with his girlfriend during the final rounds and thus we witnessed the joy of both individuals. We even jokingly asked if Rafael will be bringing her girlfriend along to Barcelona. But who knows, maybe he will since this is a rare opportunity to get the chance to visit a great country.

The winners for the grand Witness the Victory 2.0 were also raffled off to reveal two persons who will be joining Rafael in Barcelona. The difference is the winners of the raffle get to bring along a plus one each. So this means 5 Filipinos will be going to Barcelona soon.

The Witness the Victory 2.0 is the second run of raffle for the buyers of Beko appliances.

Lamudi to Recognize Outstanding Filipino Brokers

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Lamudi Philippines will choose among more than 400 licensed real estate brokers its very first awardees at the Lamudi Brokers Awards Night slated to happen on March 30, 2017.

Spearheaded by Lamudi Philippines, the event will award and recognize the hard work and skill of dedicated real estate brokers across the country. This first-of-its-kind, nationwide awards body will look at the performance of hundreds licensed professional brokers subscribed at the Lamudi platform and honor their contributions to the local real estate scene.

“Being a real estate broker is a crucial profession. They assist aspiring homeowners and investors in the biggest purchase anyone could make in their lifetime. They are also stewards of real estate gems just waiting to be discovered by its future owners,” said Bhavna Suresh Chathambeth, CEO of Lamudi Philippines and MyProperty.ph, two of the top real estate websites in the country today.

“Real estate selling is a lucrative business, especially that the sector is continually booming. This is the reason why many talents are now in the property industry. Thus, we are very happy and excited to highlight their distinguished works in the field,” Ms. Suresh added.

Developers and other real estate–related industries can take advantage of this exclusive gathering of top-notch brokers and brokerage firms. More than recognizing the skills of these real estate movers, the affair will also be a great opportunity for real estate professionals to recruit, network, and build businesses with their peers.

Parties interested to partner with Lamudi Philippines in awarding the best brokers are encouraged to participate. They may contact events@lamudi.com.ph and avail of the early bird promo where they can get 30% discount on all booths if they book before March 6, 2017.

Sparks Run 2.0: A Night Run for All Kinds of Love

Wazzup Pilipinas!

From the pioneers of the country’s first-ever flickering lights night run comes the most awaited student-organized night run in the metro this 2017—Sparks Run 2.0: A Night Run for All Kinds of Love.

Attended by over a thousand runners and concertgoers, Sparks Run 2014 is finally making a huge comeback after a three-year hiatus!

This coming 5th day of March in the University of the Philippines Diliman Academic Oval and College of Science Grounds, be one of the one thousand runners to celebrate the beauty and iridescence of various manifestations of love through strategically-positioned installations along the track—pass through a Hydro Sprinkler; run under a cloud of Chroma Powder; dash through a track of Foam and Bubble suds; and get soaked from a Luminescent Water Pistol Fight.

Post-run, sing your heart and lungs out to a spectacular line-up of live performances by both renowned and up-and-coming local artists absolutely for free as you enjoy good food with great company from a multitude of concessionaires for both bites and beverages.

Be part of this historic event by registering now! Access the online registration form at: http://bit.ly/sparksrun2, or register in UP Diliman at UP Circle of Entrepreneurs’ (UPCE) Tambayan located on the 4th floor, Room 407-B of Virata School of Business, formerly known as College of Business Administration. Deadline of registration AND payment is on March 3, 2017.

Top 10 Travel Insurance Claims That Travellers Make

Wazzup Pilipinas!
Getting a travel insurance will be no good if you don’t know how to get travel insurance claims when needed. However, not all people who travel have the right tips for making a travel insurance claim. So what kind of claims are the most common for travellers? If you frequently travel—be it for business, pleasure or both—then knowing these top 10 reasons for travel claims would be a must-read for you.


1. Cancelled flights

Cancelled flights take the top spot for the most common reason why people ask for a travel claim. Why do flights get cancelled anyway? A really bad weather bordering on dangerous is a good reason. A security threat is another. Also, mechanical problems can happen that might force the airline to cancel the flight.

2. Medical emergencies

One of the most important reasons why travellers are encouraged to get a travel insurance is due to medical emergencies. You may not plan to get sick or hurt yourself but accidents happen. Some food may not go well with your stomach and the water can make you sick, too. Next to cancelled flights, travel insurance claims that are medical-related are the most common among travellers.

3. Lost or stolen credit card

Another case for claiming on travel insurance is when you lose your credit card. Just like with IDs and money, a lost credit card should be reported to the authorities. The issuing bank should also be notified to freeze the account.

4. Lost or stolen money

Losing your precious money while travelling is a total nightmare—but it happens especially in places where theft is a common hazard. Most people get travel insurance claims on stolen money. However, take note that insurance companies can only cover a certain amount of money lost.

5. Lost or stolen personal items

Money is not just the only thing that is prone to being stolen when travelling. Personal and valuable items such as jewellery, cameras, and even smartphones can become lost or stolen, even inside a hotel room. Some insurance companies provide a cover benefit for lost items while others do not. The travel insurance claim process for lost items usually requires a police report or some more proof that when an item is really stolen. 

6. Lost luggage

Another common reason for travel insurance claims is the lost of items or luggage. Most of the time, some people get the wrong luggage upon checkout. Others misplace their bags especially if they carry more than one bag when travelling.

7. Lost passport or ID

One of the worst horrors of travelling is losing your IDs or passport. Most of the time, lost or stolen documents should be reported to the police. As for the insurance company, the insured have to file a travel claim for the loss passport or ID. The travel insurance claim process for this would require the report complete with a date and details of the lost documents. Having a photocopy or a softcopy of your IDs or passport whenever you travel will also help to expedite the replacement process in case you lost yours.

8. Missed flight

If cancelled flights are under the jurisdiction of the airline, missed flights happen when you can’t get around the traffic and came in late before boarding time. Usually, travel insurance companies offer a cover for this for the fare adjustment and the rescheduling of the next available flight. Of course, the travel insurance claims may vary from provider to provider.

9. Property damage
There are also cases when travel insurance claims are made for items that are damaged while travelling. For example, checked in baggage with fragile contents that turned out damaged on the checked out can be filed for a travel claim. Also, some insurance company provide a cover benefit for property damage in case of an accident.

10. Rental car breakdown

Some people who need the convenience of a car when travelling usually go for a rental. But just in case the rental car breaks down, you can make a travel claim on it. But while this belongs to the top travel insurance claims, tire blowouts are not as frequent as other incidents on this list.

Some more tips for making a travel insurance claim: make sure that you carry your travel insurance document with you at all times. Beware of policies and exemptions that apply to your travel insurance. Also, make sure to report any incident of theft or damage to support your claim and expedite your travel insurance claim process.

Get more tips on travel insurance claims with GoBear Philippines and use the service to find and compare travel insurance that best suits your needs.

The following article is a contribution of GoBear — Asia’s first and only unbiased metasearch engine or comparison website for travel insurance, personal loans, credit cards and car insurance. Compare with GoBear and apply online today.

PETA’s Care Divas Shinier the Second Time Around

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Philippine Educational Theater Association’s (PETA) hit original Filipino musical Care Divas returns, kicking off its 50th Anniversary with a whopping 50 shows from Feb 3 to March 19 at the PETA Theater Center.

Hilarious and heartwarming, Care Divas is gut-wrenching and bittersweet story about five gay overseas Filipino workers based in Israel who work as caregivers in the morning and transform into glamorous drag queens at night.

First premiered in 2011, the musical dominated the PHILSTAGE Gawad Buhay! Awards bagging seven trophies including Outstanding Ensemble Performance, Outstanding Musical Production, Outstanding Original Libretto (Liza Magtoto and Vincent de Jesus) and Outstanding Musical Direction (Vincent de Jesus).

“Care Divas is not a story of epic proportions,” shares director Maribel Legarda. “It is a story of migration and how the dark, dirty, and dangerous work that will be encountered by majority of OFWs can, in the hands of resilient and loving people, be turned into a life filled with camaraderie, adventure and passion for life.”

It is a story that spans roughly a year and focuses on small seemingly insignificant community of OFWs that find a way to survive and thrive through friendships and an opportunity of personal expression through their creative performances," she adds.

YFC High School Based Homecoming 2017: Jesus - in Him Alone

Wazup Pilipinas!

The school year is about to end and to cultivate this school year with a grand and cool hype, CFC Youth for Christ Metro Manila – High School Based Program gives you the annual High School Based Homecoming 2017 entitled “Jesus: in Him Alone”. The event will take place on February 25, 2017 at the St. Mary’s Academy of Caloocan City, from 8:00AM to 5:00PM with a registration fee of 50 Pesos.

This aims to gather all YFC high school students all over Metro Manila, who are privileged to be in their respective schools, and who are blessed to serve the people they encounter, in one thanksgiving school year ender party. It also enables the youth to build new relationships with other students of different high schools, and to bring back the flavor of old friendships. Come and join us in a party like no other where everyone can dance and have fun with their peers. However, what makes it unique is the fact that Christ is also made known to the students throughout the whole event.

Invite all your YFC friends and schoolmates. Let’s continue to bring God’s high to the schools and celebrate His greatness in our lives and feel at home.

YFC High School Based Homecoming 2017 is made possible with the help of our:

Major Sponsors: Papemelroti, Frappe La Rue and Uber
Online Media Partners: WheninManila.com, ClickTheCity.com, WazzupPilipinas.com
Official Radio Partners: Magic 89.9 and Monster Rx 93.1

Hontiveros Pushes for Mental Health Education and Services in Schools

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros urged school administrators and student leaders to integrate mental health promotion and services in their schools to respond to the mental health needs of students.

In a forum organized by the Youth Coalition for Mental Health at the University of Santo Tomas (UST), Hontiveros said that students spend a lot of time in their respective schools. However, she said that most schools are ill equipped to handle the mental health needs of their students.

Hontiveros, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, filed Senate Bill No. 1190 or the Philippine Mental Health Act. The proposed measure aims to integrate mental health services and programs in the public health system, including in the schools, to institutionalize campus-based interventions and awareness campaigns for mental health. She said that the Philippines is one of the few countries in the world without a comprehensive mental health law.

"Our schools should not only be institutions of learning but also places to nurture sound mental health," Hontiveros said.


Suicide

Citing government data, Hontiveros said that there are 7 Filipinos who commit suicide each day. Meanwhile, 1 in 5 young people have thought about suicide and took steps towards it. The senator also said that the number of suicide cases in the country has steadily risen over a period of 20 years from 1992 to 2012.

"Many Filipinos, especially our young ones are suffering from the silent burden of impaired mental health. This is clearly the result of the country's lack of a mental health policy to address this serious health concern. We cannot allow this to continue," Hontiveros said.



Mental health and social media

Hontiveros urged the youth to tap the power of social media and start the discussion on mental health so that it will not be discussed in "hushed voices".

"If social media can help shape social movements and create positive change, it can surely help us raise awareness on mental health and fight the stigma surrounding mental illness," she said, citing the We Are Social Singapore's data that there are 47 million active Facebook accounts in the Philippines.

"It's time we give voice to people with mental health needs who are silently suffering in the dark due to the lack of mental health law. We need to reach out to them and tell them that they are not alone, that they should not suffer silently in the dark," Hontiveros concluded.

Washington D. C. Politics Take Bizarre Turn in Sci-Fi Dramedy Braindead this February on AXN

Wazzup Pilipinas!

BrainDead, a satirical sci-fi comedy thriller that pokes fun on partisan politics, airs on AXN this February.

In the alternate reality of Washington D. C. politics, documentary filmmaker Laurel Healy (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) starts work as a congressional staffer for her brother, Democratic Senator Luke Healy (Danny Pino), to help him out at his senate office. There, she stumbles upon an alien conspiracy where space bugs are eating the brains and taking control of members of Congress and Capitol Hill staffers.

Laurel then becomes an unlikely heroine as she teams up with Gareth Ritter (Aaron Tveit), a staffer for Republican Senator Red Wheatus (Tony Shalhoub), Gustav Triplett (Johnny Ray Gill), an eccentric genius who discovers the cause of all the strange happenings, and Rochelle Daudier (Nikki M. James), a medical doctor who helps them unravel the bugs mystery.

Together, they embark on a mission to find out how to stop the space invaders from further infecting people and ultimately taking over the world.

BrainDead airs every Thursday at 10:40pm, first & exclusive on AXN.







AXN is available on Sky Cable Channel 49, Destiny Cable Channel 61, Cignal Channel 121, Dream Satellite TV Channel 20, G Sat Channel 51, and Cablelink Channel 38. AXN HD is available on Sky Cable Channel 247.

Howie Mandel Hosts Exciting New Game Show Take It All this February on Sony Channel

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Host and executive producer Howie Mandel provides a modern twist to the popular holiday tradition of exchanging gifts in the exciting new game show Take It All on Sony Channel this February.

In the show, each contestant selects and opens a package from an assortment of wrapped gifts containing hundreds of thousands of dollars in prizes, such as luxury cars, exotic trips, jewelry, and more. The next player then has to decide if he should steal the prize that’s already been opened or go for a mystery prize, hoping it could be worth more. At the end of each round, the contestant with the least valuable prize is eliminated.

In the final round, things get even more interesting when the two remaining contestants find out if chance favors any of them as they are faced with the toughest decisions they will ever make. Feel the pressure as contestants think about whether to keep what they have or steal what they don’t.

Find out who goes home with what and who goes home asking why as contestants ponder on life-changing choices that could cost them nothing, something, or everything!

Take It All airs weeknights at 7pm.

Sony Channel is available on Sky Cable Channel 35, Destiny Cable Channel 62, Cignal Channel 120, and Cablelink Channel 39.

DOE, PEZA To Facilitate Development of Regional Ecozones

Wazzup Pilipinas!

In a bid to attract more investments into the country, the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the accelerated development of regional economic zones or ecozones with the assurance of a reliable and reasonably-priced supply of electricity.

According to Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi, “the MOU is an initiative consistent with the long-term economic vision of President Rodrigo Duterte known as ‘Ambisyon 2040’ and complements his 10-point socio-economic agenda.”

“Energy policies will be developed to facilitate the reduction of the cost of doing business in the country, including the ecozones," he added.

“Energy efficiency programs, like the adoption of the Energy Management Systems (ISO 50001), will be given importance to help the locator companies to be more efficient in their use of energy resources. This will result in lower power costs to sustain the companies’ competitiveness, while also encouraging the establishment of more energy efficient ecozones in the country,” Cusi said.

Cusi also underscored the importance of policies that would streamline the permitting processes for energy projects, to ensure stable and reliable supply of energy to drive the economic activities in the ecozones.

The MOU was signed by DOE Undersecretary Benito L. Ranque representing Secretary Cusi and PEZA Director General Charito B. Plaza on 2 February 2017 in Davao City.

“With the MOU in place, the country can expect the flow of critical investment which in the long-run creates more job opportunities and spur rural development,” Cusi said.

Malampaya Shutdown Safely Completed

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Following collaborative efforts of stakeholders, Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi announced today (17 Feb.) that the Malampaya scheduled maintenance shutdown has been completed safely and ahead of schedule.

“The measures undertaken helped avert any power outage as a result of the Malampaya shutdown," said Cusi.

"Throughout the Malampaya downtime, the power supply reserve was maintained at normal levels. We are grateful for having hurdled the critical period that could have resulted in the issuance of grid alerts," he added.

The Malampaya consortium reported Thursday that natural gas supply is readily available for use by its natgas plant customers. Comprising the consortium are Shell Philippines Exploration B.V., Chevron Malampaya LLC and PNOC Exploration Corporation.

"The consortium also reported that all maintenance activities were done taking into account the safety of all personnel,” Cusi said.

The DOE said the Malampaya Gas to Power Project supplies natural gas to five natural gas power plants located in Batangas, namely Sta. Rita (1,000 MW), San Lorenzo (500 MW), Ilijan (1,200 MW), Avion (97 MW), and San Gabriel (414 MW).

Meanwhile, Cusi emphasized that the public should continue to adopt energy efficiency and conservation practices, as these have greatly contributed in cushioning the impact of the shutdown on power supply.

"The DOE will aggressively pursue demand-side management in consonance with the thrust of legislators in yesterday's Joint Congressional Power Committee hearing to move towards the same direction," Cusi said.

NEC to Provide Cyber-Attack Defense Training for Six ASEAN Countries

Wazzup Pilipinas!

NEC Corporation announced that it received an order from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to provided cyber-attack defense for officials from governmental institutions responsible for cyber security in six members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) (Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines and Vietnam). The first round of the training is scheduled from February 20 to March 3, 2017.

Damage due to cyber-attacks has recently been spreading globally. Given the increasingly serious damage attributable to such targeted attacks on governmental organizations and critical infrastructure, there is a growing necessity to take measures to improve cyber security capabilities.

This defense training, which will take place in Japan over a three year period, aims to improve incident response, including the early discovery and detection of damage, as well as the implementation of countermeasures to targeted cyber-attacks on ASEAN countries. Training sessions feature lectures on the latest threats and security measures, as well as drills similar to the Cyber Defense Exercise with Recurrence (CYDER), which are practical cyber-attack defense drills that have been conducted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications in Japan since 2013.

These drills will be carried out in environments that simulate targeted attacks on governmental organizations. This provides opportunities for learning how to address cyber-attacks through actual experience with a series of incident-handling processes, such as the discovery and reporting of incidents, the identification, isolation, and analysis of problematic areas, and the confirmation of damage. In addition, opportunities will be provided to tour leading-edge cyber security-related facilities in Japan according to the tour programs of the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) and the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST).

“JICA is proud to be contributing to this collaboration between Japan and ASEAN countries in the reinforcement of cyber security,” said Mr. Juichiro Sasaki, Director General, JICA Tokyo International Center. “We look forward to sharing the latest technology and security information through state-of-the-art practices implemented in this ‘Knowledge Co-Creation Program’ in Japan.”

“The improvement of cyber security plays an important role in NEC’s provision of ‘Solutions for Society,’” said Mr. Kazuhiko Shiraishi, General Manager, National Security Solutions Division, NEC Corporation. “Going forward, we will continue these efforts by providing drills, products and services for cyber defense to a large number of organizations, including governmental institutions and critical infrastructure providers, both in Japan and internationally.”

Grilla Filipino Cuisine Is Now at SM MOA by the Bay

Wazzup Pilipinas!

I’m very adventurous when it comes to my dining preferences. Therefore, I am open to all kinds of dishes - may it be from the many popular restaurants at the malls or food parks with meals inspired from the different regions of the Philippines or from different countries, down to the neighborhood “carinderias” or “turo-turo” with the only exemption being the street foods that are exposed to pollution like dust and smoke.

But when I’m hungry, you won’t find me experimenting on a new kind of dish. I would always find myself eating Filipino comfort foods because I have proven so many times that they will satisfy my cravings for a satisfying meal.

But don’t get me wrong, I love Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and all kinds of foreign dishes, but there is something in Pinoy foods that makes it all fulfilling at every bite. This makes our very own Filipino food the best choice to fill me up at times when I need to grab a quick bite. Nothing come close to our very own.

The same experience was felt at our dining experience at Grilla Filipino Cuisine. It’s not my first time to dine at the said restaurant since I had the opportunity to dine already at a couple of their other branches. The newest branch, located at SM MOA by the Bay, is the third Grilla branch I have visited for a bloggers food tasting event, and once again, they never failed to impress me.

The event was meant to introduce their new dishes, or combination of dishes, as they were also offering combo meals that are great for sharing among the family, colleagues, “barkada” or with fellow bloggers that are foodies by nature.

Catcallers' Days Are Numbered

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros spent the Valentine’s day by filing a bill that seeks to protect women and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) community from harassment in the streets and other public spaces. The proposed measure was filed in response to the growing number of gender-based harassment in public spaces such as the case of a female student from the University of Santo Tomas (UST) who was allegedly groped in a public utility vehicle by a fellow student. The school was accused of victim-shaming after it allegedly sided with the perpetrator.

Hontiveros’ Senate Bill No. 1326 otherwise known as the “Safe Streets and Public Spaces Act of 2017” seeks to penalize gender-based street and public spaces harassment such as catcalling, wolf-whistling, cursing, leering, groping, persistent request for name and contact details and the use of words tending to ridicule on the basis of actual or perceived sex, gender expression, or sexual orientation and identity including sexist, homophobic and transphobic slurs.

According to Hontiveros, the bill seeks to complement the existing Anti-Sexual Harassment Law. “I filed the bill 23 years since the passage of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Law which is limited to the workplace and to superior-subordinate relationships”, she said. Hontiveros explained that there are still no clear-cut laws that address gender-based street harassment, citing the lack of gender lens for homophobic, transphobic and gender-based unjust vexation in the Revised Penal Code.

The senator also said that the bill responds to women’s insecurity in public spaces. Citing government data, Hontiveros said that in Quezon City alone, 3 in 5 women have experienced street harassment. Meanwhile, the Social Weather Station (SWS) reported that 88% of women aged 18-24 years or almost 9 out of 10 experienced different forms of sexual harassment in the streets. The same SWS report rated men feeling more secure in their neighborhoods than women.