More Flights to Qatar: PH-Qatar Sign New Air Services Agreement

Wazzup Pilipinas!

An air service agreement increasing the number of flights between Manila and Doha, Qatar has been signed.

Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur P. Tugade announced yesterday that Philippines and Qatar have agreed to sign a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on air services, amending a 2015 agreement, to pave way for more flights. The MOU was signed by DOTr Undersecretary for Aviation Capt. Manuel Antonio Tamayo and Abdullah Al Subaey of Qatar.

The new MOU increased the traffic rights between Manila and Doha, from the current 14 flights per week to 18 flights per week for the designated airlines of each country.

Qatar Airways currently operates 14 flights per week to Manila and seven flights per week to Clark, while Philippine Airlines currently operates four flights between Manila and Doha.

The new MOU will increase the flights of Qatar Airways to Manila by four additional flights. This is considered a landmark agreement because it also includes as a condition for Qatar Airways to have flights from Davao within 1 year from commencement of the four additional flights to Manila.

The target for commencement of operation of the four additional flights to Manila is October 2017, at the beginning of the winter schedule.

The expansion of traffic rights is seen to enhance connectivity, facilitate trade, investment, services, and people to people exchange between the two countries.

More importantly, the inclusion of Davao in the route structure of Qatar Airways will provide the much needed linkage for Davao to the major markets of the world. Qatar is directly connected to 161 international destinations. This connectivity will support Davao's emergence as a major economic and commercial hub of the Philippines.

Microgenesis Business System Awarded Sophos Partner of the Year for ASEAN at 2017 APJ Partner Conference

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Microgenesis Business System has won the award for Sophos Partner of the Year for ASEAN at the 2017 APJ Sophos Discover Partner Conference in Bangkok, Thailand. The conference, held at the Marriott Marquis Queens Park 30 May - 2 June, is designed to celebrate the successes of Sophos partners throughout the APJ and to help them take advantage of the latest business opportunities within the fast-moving IT security marketplace.

Microgenesis Business System won the award for their outstanding performance in the past year and their commitment and dedication to selling Sophos.

Joergen Jakobsen, Regional Vice President & Managing Director, Asia Pacific & Japan, Sophos said, “It is always a great pleasure to be able to meet our partners face to face at these events as they play a crucial role in our success as a business. It’s a fantastic opportunity to gather feedback, to hear our partners’ validation of our strategy across the endpoint and network and to see it helping to make their businesses a success. I am delighted Microgenesis Business System has won the award for Sophos Partner of the Year for ASEAN. They have had a fantastic year and it’s very well deserved.”

“We are honoured to be named Partner of the Year and believe this award is testament to our commitment to Sophos for the past 15 years. With the support and dedication from Sophos, we have been able to integrate our market insights with Sophos’s expertise and product suite, to deliver our promise of making IT easy for businesses. We are motivated by the constant developments at Sophos which aims to address evolving security concerns of customers, and look forward to working closely together to lend greater value to enterprises in Philippines,” said Jeffrey Choa, Executive Director, Microgenesis Business System.

The APJ conference in Bangkok is the last of Sophos’ three annual partner conferences this year. It saw Sophos CEO Kris Hagerman and the executive leadership team deliver keynote sessions on Sophos strategy, its partner commitments and the broader future of the IT security industry, in front of more than 650 people attending the Sophos sales and partner event. Partners also attended a packed agenda of breakout sessions delivered by key business, product, technical and sales experts.

First Philippine Paralympics Summit to Rally Support for Para Athletes

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Alay PARA Atleta Program launched; preparations underway for ASEAN PARA Games, Asian Para Games and Paralympic Games

The Philippine Paralympic Committee (PPC) and the Philippine Sports Association for the Differently Abled (PHILSPADA) will hold the first Philippine Para Sports Summit that will focus on the Parlympic movement in the country on June 9, 2017 at the Microtel, Technohub in Quezon City.

PPC, the National Paralympic Committee of the Philippines and PHILSPADA are the organizations spearheading the activities and operational requirements of elite athletes with a disability (orthopedic disability, cerebral palsy, visual impairment and mental disabilities).

With the theme “Transcending Barriers Through Sports”, the one-day gathering of sports officials, athletes, coaches and trainers, sports doctors, marketing experts and policy makers who are the key players in the industry will look into the state of Paralympic Sports in the Philippines to identify local and international goals to enable Filipino para athletes to achieve sporting excellence to excite and inspire the world.

Another goal of the convention is to find ways to develop para sports as a tool for changing the lives of Filipinos with disabilities while contributing to the development of an inclusive society. One hundred participants are expected to attend from various sports organizations including national sports associations, non-government organizations, private corporations and the government sector.

The past decade saw the rise of Filipino Para athletes in the global arena such as Josephine Medina, the para table tennis player who gave the country its second Paralympics Bronze medal in the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games, sixteen years after powerlifter, Adeline Dumapong-Ancheta, got the first ever Bronze medal in the Sydney Paralympic Games in year 2000 and Ernie Gawilan, the legless swimming sensation discovered from Davao City, who is a consistent Gold medalist in the ASEAN Para Games ever since becoming a member of the national team. There has also been an increase in number of para athletes and their participation in local, regional and international competitions. Support and recognition from government and private partners, have also improved over the years.

The summit hopes to provide PPC-PHILSPADA with additional muscle and momentum as it strengthens itself to capably enact its comprehensive Mid-Term National Para Sports Development Program. The program will open up more opportunities for para-athletes from grassroots to the elite level of competitions.

With sights set on the 9th ASEAN Para Games in Malaysia this September 2017, the Asian Para Games in Indonesia in 2018, the 10th ASEAN Para Games in Manila and the Tokyo Paralympic Games in 2020, the para sports summit envisions key partnerships with government and private sector to further inspire and equip para-athletes who are only too eager to compete and do their part for the country’s glory.

Key speakers in the summit are: Chairman William I. Ramirez of the Philippine Sports Commission; Mr. Peping Cojuangco, President of the Philippine Olympic Committee; Michael Barredo, President of PPC-PHILSPADA; noted sports medicine expert Dr. Raul Canlas; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation expert, Dr. Raul Cembrano; Sec. General and former Olympic swimmer Gerardo “Ral” Rosario; para-coaches Joel Deriada of Athletics and Vernon Perea of Wheelchair Basketball; as well as para-athletes Gawilan, Medina and Dumapong-Ancheta.

An interesting sidelight of the event will be a Wheelchair Dance Sport exhibition while the high point of the summit will be the launch of the “Alay Para Atleta” program, a nationwide campaign that will enable the general public to participate in the Paralympic Movement via a P50 annual contribution through mobile phone access.

World Class Philippines Awards: Recognizing Top Filipino Brands and Achievers for 2017

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Awards and recognition keeps us well motivated because of the thought that we are doing something right and it should then be sustained so we could accomplish greater achievements. It is also equally flattering to be sit down and converse with fellow awardees who are mostly like-minded individuals who aim for the best for themselves and their companies.

Thus, even though I failed to personally be there because of a community outreach program cum travel event that I joined all the way at Bontoc, Mountain Province, I would like to extend my special thanks to the World Class Philippines council for another recognition given to Wazzup Pilipinas. We are indeed honored to be among the awardees amidst several entrepreneurs and companies that all excel and provide world-class products and services.

With so many events that day, I couldn't get a correspondent to attend and cover the awarding that night of May 27 at the Ascott Hotel in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig city. But I thought it was the best opportunity to send my mother and brother instead so they could somehow see what I have accomplished so far. I know they are proud of me for winning the award I got for my Wazzup Pilipinas community blog which excels in the field of Multimedia Promotions and Opinion Blogging.

As proud as the other awardees in the awards night venue, my brother received the award in my behalf while my mother looks on. During that time I believe I was at barangay Mainit in Bontoc, Mountain Province still recuperating from my sore body after climbing Mount. Kopapei barangay Maligcong. But we were enjoying an equally sumptuous dinner prepared by our host house for the night coordinated with Virgie Lakey Chagyowen Kilito, the daughter of the house owner who was also one of our models together with his husband and granddaughter during a photo-shoot wearing some traditional clothes of the Igorots.

A Hero Among Us at Bontoc, Mountain Province

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Before we continue posting our Bontoc, Mountain Province exploration photo and vlog series, we would like to give special mention to Wesley, our road trip driver, who took extra effort to keep us safe (and satiated) on our way back home. He even made sure we got on the bus after we got left behind due to a misunderstanding on the departure time. On our jeepney, we literally chased the bus that left an hour ago.

The several days of rain caused many landslides along the road including that road travel was delayed due to an accident involving a van that got covered under one of the landslides. I just hope the victims survived after the rescue that took a long time to finish.

Our bus, along with many other vehicles, was stranded along the road due to the landslides.We waited for several hours in the bus hoping everything gets cleared up. The long hours of waiting got us worried because we did not have that much water and food with us. We were also afraid that the continuous rain may create more landslides that may put us in danger. Our bus driver even tried to stay away from the landslide prone area. The fact that it was night time and raining non-stop aggravated the situation.

However, we were surprised that Wesley came back for us at our bus, and offered to take us to a nearby resort where food and shelter awaits. We even invited others in the bus to join us so they could at least eat and freshen up.

What Wesley did was very admirable. Not too many people will brave through the unlit roads and cold and rainy weather just to come back for us.

Our travel cum community outreach with Meaningful Travels PH led by Ann Marie "Naknak" Cunanan could very well be the "travel-with-a-purpose" opportunity that many of us should be looking for. From the name itself, Meaningful Travels PH could definitely make your travels more meaningful and bring out the hero in you.

The least we suspected to rise above the heroes in our midst is our driver who stood out as a hero in our eyes. We never really thought he would exert that extra effort. I guess seeing how we also took effort in distributing the school supplies at far-flung areas of Bontoc, Mountain Province, the goodness in his heart came out and decided to do good himself....or he is truly good from the very start.

We salute Wesley for his heroism.

Resorts World Manila Tragedy Leaves Several Dead and Injured

Wazzup Pilipinas!

"This is a sad day for Resorts World Manila. At approximately 12 midnight on June 2, 2017, a lone gunman barged into Resorts World Manila firing shots and setting gaming tables on fire. The Company’s security, together with police authorities, launched a hot pursuit and at around 7 a.m. this morning, the gunman was found dead. He had taken his own life by setting himself on fire followed by a self-inflicted gunshot wound."

Apparently, the death of 35 people (38 reported as of this moment) at Resorts World Manila was because of panic and confusion, and not from the hands of the still unknown man believed to be a foreigner who is one of the casino's frequent customer (based from eyewitness accounts).

Several statements reveal that some people jump from three levels high, while other suffocated from the smoke after some casino tables were set ablaze.

There seems to be a lack of dependable security at this casino. Security should have been trained enough to prevent the entry of the lone gunman in the first place. ...and should have been able to secure the place and escort the customers to safety, even before the perpetrator got to do so much damage or caused fear among the customers.

I am appalled by this incident especially when you learn that many died for what it seems like a senseless crime....or are there more stories behind this that are yet to unfold?

I've been to the place countless times and I could say I am lucky I was not there when the incident happened, but my prayers goes to the victims who will forever be unable to tell their side of the story.

The foreign looking gunman had a baby armalite. He set fire some gambling tables and took a backpack full of gambling chips with him. However, it was reported that he burned himself inside one of the rooms, and not killed by police contrary to Bato's claim he was killed by cops.

The Southern Police District says the suspect was charred to death by his own hands when It is with deep sadness that in addition to the 54 injured, there are 38 reported casualties from this tragic incident. Majority were from customers, while the rest are employees of the casino. The husband of actress Azenith Briones was one of the 38 people found dead.

Resorts World Manila chief operating officer Stephen Reilly gave a statement after a reported gunfire.

OFFICIAL STATEMENT

As of 3:00 pm., June 2, 2017

It is with deep regrets that we confirm that there were 35 casualties in this tragic incident, of which 13 are employees and 22 are guests. The identities of two employees and four guests are still being validated as of this time.

We are doing our very best to inform the families of the victims. We are extending all forms of assistance to the affected next of kin. We are one in mourning with the families of those affected by this tragedy.

This is also a very difficult time for all of us here in Resorts World Manila. We consider our guests, patrons and our employees as our family.

My colleague, Gina Alvarez, will read the names of the confirmed fatalities:

EMPLOYEES

1 Hazel Yangco Veronica
2 Jellah Ramos
3 Melvin Herrera
4 Arvi Gavino
5 BJ Pagsibigan
6 Rojie S Uy Veronica
7 Jessica Alindogan
8 Merylle Gwen Ala
9 Lea Grace Mozo
10 Loudette Santos
11 Kay Nuguerra

And 2 are still being identified

GUESTS
1 Caccam Katherine Cervantes
2 P Ling Hung Lee
3 Pacita Guillermo Comquilla
4 Pomenciano Vargas Jr.
5 Susan Abulencia
6 Lai Wei Chung
7 Jaime Gaboy Jr.
8 Ariel Abrogar Veronica
9 Lai Yu Cheeh Veronica
10 Cliff Reyneira
11 Rolando Pena Sison Rizal
12 Eluterio Reyes
13 Antonina Yuzon Allanigue
14 Sheila Malicse
15 Carmelita Taylo Delacruz Rizal
16 Mielle Oliveros
17 Pamela Silvestre
18 Elizabeth Gonzales Veronica
And 4 are still being identified

Testimonies of responding members of Resorts World Manila’s security team confirm that they were able to shoot and wound the gunman that attacked Resorts World Manila in the early hours of June 02, 2017. Severe blood loss from the gunshot wound significantly slowed the assailant down and resulted to his holing up in a room where he took his own life.

We would like to extend our gratitude to our security team, particularly Mr. Bernard Cajigas, who also sustained a gunshot wound, and Mr. Petronio Kinol, Jr. We also commend the Philippine National Police and the Bureau of Fire Protection for their courage and efforts to contain the incident.

Finally, we would like to take this opportunity to refute claims circulating online that there were two assailants involved in the incident. We reiterate that there was only one gunman involved in this senseless attack.
On behalf of the victims’ families and loved ones, we request everyone to refrain from spreading hurtful speculation and false information.

"Offering our prayers and deepest sympathies to the families of the victims of the Resorts World Manila attack. May our Lord bless them and provide them with strength and comfort in this time of grief. Let us remain calm, stay informed, and always be mindful of our safety and those of our loved ones. God bless our people and nation." - Pia Cayetano

8 Ways You Can Write Conclusion For Your Essay

Wazzup Pilipinas!

What is a conclusion? Except for restating a thesis and summarizing the vital points of your writing, a conclusion is intended to make a good final impression that will stay with your reader after they have finished reading your essay. Moreover, a well-written conclusion is your last chance to underline the importance of your writing and to close the discussion with a definitive statement. No wonder, this part of the essay is a significant one and, therefore, should be approached with the utmost seriousness. However, to write a strong conclusion is not that easy, at least until you learn several simple ways to do it right. Here they are:

1. “So what” strategy

A really good conclusion has to provide the reader with the clear answer to the “So what” question. Just like any other academic paper, your essay should be meaningful, and your writing should make sense, so ensure your last paragraph does provide the answer to this question.

2. Restated thesis

Almost any essay needs a restated thesis to be included in the first sentence of the concluding part. However, it does not mean that you should copy your statement from the introductory paragraph. Instead, you need to reintroduce it using a different language.

3. Sense of completeness

A well-written conclusion should tie all your ideas and points together and present them in a cohesive manner. In other words, make sure the last paragraph of your essay conveys a sense of completeness and wholeness.

4. Transition to another topic

One of the great ways to conclude an essay is to provide a smooth transition to another topic, no less important than the discussed one. Such an approach will emphasize the importance of your work and will leave your reader thinking in a new direction.

5. A call to action

What do you want your readers to do after they have finished your essay? Provide a solution to the discussed problem or call to action. Show your readers how they can use the information from your essay and what they should do with it.

6. Power of conciseness

The concluding paragraph should consist of only 5-6 sentences or even less, so don’t include any new ideas and irrelevant or unnecessary information in it. Keep it short and concise.

7. Personal commentary

Some essays, especially those with a certain personal connection, can be concluded with the author’s commentary. Therefore, if your assignment requirements allow you to apply such an approach, end your essay with a relevant anecdote from your life, your personal position, convictions, etc.

8. Apology

Don’t apology for your thoughts and ideas. Even if you think that your conclusion is not something that other people will like or understand, you need to resist the urge to apologize. After all, it’s your point of view, and it has the right to exist.

No matter what method of writing conclusions you choose, make sure it is relevant to your type of essay. If you have any doubts, you can always ask essayamerica.com to show you the right direction. Hope, this will help you get the better grade!

Pinoy Musical Caredivas Launches Photo Contest to Our OFW Heroes

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) in partnership with Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) shall present the special run of CAREDIVAS – AN ORIGINAL PINOY MUSICAL to pay tribute to all overseas Filipino workers as the present-day heroes of our country with performances beginning June 24 until July 30, 2017 at The PETA Theater Center.

CAREDIVAS is a disarmingly funny and candid musical drama about five transgender Overseas Filipino Workers in Israel who work as care givers in the morning and transform into glamorous drag queen performers at night. While desperate to make ends meet, they also struggle to search for acceptance in a foreign land.

CAREDIVAS was produced and premiered in 2011. The musical dominated the 2011 Philstage Gawad Buhay! Awards, bagging seven trophies including Outstanding Musical Direction, Outstanding Musical Production and Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Musical.

To encourage our OFW heroes to get the chance to watch CAREDIVAS, PETA has launched “ANONG KWENTONG OFW MO? PHOTO CONTEST.” Open to all OFWs and their families and friends, the mechanics are as follows:

1. Go to PETA Facebook page and ‘Like’ facebook.com/petatheater.

2. Post your personal OFW photo and story. Tag the PETA page by using the hashtags: #KwentongOFW #CareDivas

3. Make sure that the post is made ‘PUBLIC’.

4. The top five (5) entries with the most number of likes will win five (5) complimentary tickets to watch CAREDIVAS Pinoy musical plus special gift packs!

5. Winners will be announced on PETA’s Facebook page on June 24.

Renaissance Art Gallery Celebrates “XIV” Years With Group Show on June 8 - 20

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Renaissance Art Gallery, a leading purveyor of non-representational art in the country, celebrates its fourteenth anniversary with a show titled “XIV.” Founded in 2003 by Noli and Agnes Romero, the gallery has spearheaded the discovery and support of young abstractionists, giving them the opportunity of being launched in their own first solo exhibition. On occasion, however, Renaissance Art Gallery has also exhibited classic and conservative contemporary masterworks.

Curated by noted art critic, writer and visual artist Cid Reyes, the participating artists in “XIV” are: Allain Hablo, Sio Montera, Josef Laureano, Pao de Guzaman, Arley Carig, Jay Ragma, Art Bermido, Aner Sebastian, Resty Tica, Rick Hernandez, and Sam Penaso.

A man of many talents, Allain Hablo is, first and foremost, a thinking artist. Sio Montera’s works are distinguished by an ambitiousness of scale and a mania for surprising materials. In a transitional stage, Josef Laureano’s works are more audacious in the gestural character of Abstract Expressionism. Emerging abstractionist Pao de Guzman comes from a studied representational idiom. Arley Carig advances into the evanescent depths of space. Jay Ragma generates visual excitement with throbbing retinal sensations. Art Bermido manipulates space with neither beginning nor end. Aner Sebastian transports the viewer into a once remembered, favorite spot of nature. Resty Tica pursues an abstraction of subtlety and tranquility. Rick Hernandez is an acolyte of geometry, unbuirdened by objects and ornaments. Award-winner Sam Penaso explores the three-dimensional field with his so-called “scraptures.”

The show runs from June 8-20, 2017. Reception cocktails will be held on June 14.

Renaissance Art Gallery is at the 4/L, The Artwalk, Bldg. A, SM Megamall, EDSA corner Julia Vargas Avenue, Mandaluyong City. For inquiries, call mobile: 0917-7625692. Email: renaissanceart.ph@gmail.com.

DOTr and LRTA Breaks Ground for LRT2 East Extension Project- Package 2

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Travel time from Recto to Masinag will soon be reduced to 40 minutes compared to the usual travel of up to 3 hours in the same route by bus or jeepneys.

On May 30, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) headed by Secretary Arthur P. Tugade and Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) Administrator Gen. Reynaldo I. Berroya led the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Masinag and Emerald stations of the LRT-2 East Extension Project. The ceremony was held at the center island of the proposed Masinag station at Brgy. Mayamot, Antipolo City, infront of SM Masinag.

“It will be a timely addition to have both new stations in the LRT Line 2 as we acknowledge the need for greater accessibility of passengers coming from the eastern side of Metro Manila, extending to key areas of Antipolo and its nearby cities,” DOTr Secretary Arthur P. Tugade stressed.

“This increased capacity of 80,000 daily ridership of the rail line will not only provide a means to decongest our roads, but more importantly offer better riding options to our daily commuters. As we improve the public’s general mobility, we also unburden them from traffic worries,” Sec. Tugade added.

The additional two stations are designed to accommodate an additional 80,000 passengers daily during its first 5 years of operation, which will add to the current LRT 2 average daily ridership of 240,000.

Representatives from the provincial government of Rizal and cities of Antipolo, Pasig and Marikina also attended the event.

According to LRTA Administrator Berroya, the LRT2 East Extension Project is a proof that the government takes solving traffic woes seriously.

“The completion of the LRT Line 2 East Extension Project is part of the fulfillment of the government’s promise to ease traffic congestion by extending the service of the LRT Line 2 System to the eastern part of Metro Manila,” he said.

The LRT-2 East Extension Project involves the construction of a 4.0 kilometer extension of the existing LRT-2 System from Santolan, Pasig City to Masinag in Antipolo. Rizal. Two (2) additional stations will be built namely the Emerald station which will be located infront of Robinsons Metro East and Sta. Lucia in Cainta, Rizal and Masinag station which will be located before the Masinag Junction in Antipolo City.

The D.M Consunji Inc (DMCI) bagged the contract for the 2 stations which is set to start construction works on 6 June 2017 and targets completion in August 2018.

Secretary Tugade also asked for the public’s understanding as the construction phase of the project would affect the traffic flow in the area. A Traffic Management Plan (TMP) was released by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) detailing the list of alternative routes motorists may use to avoid the construction site. This can be found on the official social media accounts of DOTr, LRTA and its other partner agencies.

The LRT- 2 East Extension Project is set to be operational in the first quarter of 2019.