NEC launches Center of Excellence for Analytics Platform & Solutions in India

Wazzup Pilipinas!

NEC Corporation (NEC; TSE: 6701) and NEC Technologies India Private Limited (NTI) announced the launch of a “Center of Excellence for Analytics Platform & Solutions” (COE-APS) for promoting solutions and services of NEC’s Big Data & Analytics Platform, “Data Platform for Hadoop (DPH)”. The COE-APS will simplify digital transformation and act as a one stop shop for both customers and partners in the Telecom, Retail, Banking, Financial Services, Insurance and Manufacturing sectors, as well as Government organizations. NEC aims to achieve revenue of more than $100M USD within 3 years of the COE-APS’ establishment, which is being set-up with an overall investment of $10M USD over the same period.

The COE-APS will initially focus on markets that include Japan, India, Singapore, Philippines and Hong Kong, then gradually expand services throughout APAC and other regions. In order to support these growing operations, NEC plans to organize a team of 100 professionals within the first few years, as the Global Big Data & Analytics market is expected to reach $210B USD by 2020 (*1). Hadoop alone is expected to reach $50.2B USD by 2020 (*2). With the industry already facing a shortage in talent, specifically in Hadoop and analytics areas, the establishment of the COE-APS will help NEC to leverage India’s strong talent base.

In recent years, the exponential growth in data processing is straining the capabilities of conventional databases and data warehouse solutions. With the advent of Big Data & Analytics solutions, customers can be reassured that data is comprehensively and reliably analyzed, thereby enabling them to make well-informed decisions at the right time.

Moreover, the COE-APS will leverage the computational power and scalability of NEC’s specialized Hardware for Big Data & Analytics in order to flexibly handle the ever increasing demand for storage and computation by Hadoop.

The DPH features open source Hadoop from Hortonworks, as well as an analytics and Business Intelligence layer, making it a first-of-its-kind (*3) solution-in-a-box that frees customers from the burden of searching for the individual building blocks of big data analytics, and enables them to generate value from the enormous pools of data.

NEC has an accomplished record of contributing to national projects in India, including the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) and the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), which is aligned with the Government’s “Digital India” initiative. For the DMIC, NEC established a Logistics Data Bank (LDB) that tracks almost 70% of containers in India (*4). In terms of the UIDAI, NEC provides a large-scale biometrics identification system which registered more than 1 billion people since its deployment.

“The key to success for organizations today is to make fast and informed decisions by extracting insights out of the huge volumes of data that are available to them. The new Center of Excellence is an important step towards utilizing big data analytics and NEC’s Data Platform for Hadoop to provide benefits for government bodies and enterprises in India and across the world,” said Tomoyasu Nishimura, Senior Vice President, NEC Corporation. “Going forward, we aim to continue driving digital transformation for industries of all sizes and markets.”

Tanada, Catholic Bishops and Student Leaders to File Petition Urging SC to Compel Congress to Hold Joint Session on Duterte's Martial Law

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Former Senator Wigberto "Bobby" Tanada, Bishop Broderick Pabillo of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila, Bishop Pablo David of the Caloocan Diocese, Mother Adelaida Ygrubay of the Order of St. Benedict and student council leaders from different universities will file a petition for Certiorari and Mandamus before the Supreme Court on Wednesday, June 7, 2017, Wednesday 11:30 am, to compel the legislature to do its constitutional duty to hold a joint session on President Duterte's Martial law in Mindanao.

Tanada, who was a member of the "Magnificent 12" that voted no to a new lease for the US bases in the country, said in their petition that a plain reading of the 1987 constitution leads to the "indutable conclusion that a joint session of Congress to review a declaration of Martial law by the President is mandatory."

The petitioners also said that failure to convene a joint session deprives the public of transparent proceedings within which to be informed of the factual bases of the declaration of Martial law.

It was reported that there were erronenous information in the President's report submitted to Congress regarding his Martial law declaration in Mindanao. Due to the non-holding of a joint session, there is no way of scrutinizing the said inconsistencies and errors. They now cast a dark cloud of doubt over the legitimacy and proportionality of Martial law as a response to the Marawi conflict.

The filing of the petition is initiated by the Gathering for Civil Liberties (GCL), a multi-tendency, multi-form and multi-sectoral loose formation organized by different personalities, human rights crusaders, sectoral leaders and social activists to provide safe and informal spaces to consolidate voices, perspectives and initiatives to promote democratic values and vigilance amid threats of creeping authoritarianism.

Photo opportunities and interviews will be made available.

Transpo Officials Assure the Public: “Proper Security Protocols are in Place on Major Transportation Facilities”

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Representatives from the different security services of major public transportation system providers in the country have assured the safety and security of citizens in transportation hubs, in light with the recent security breach in an entertainment center in Pasay City.

At the “Tapatan sa Aristocrat” on Monday morning, transportation officials from the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA), Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT3), Philippine National Railways (PNR), the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and the Office of Transport Security (OTS) assured the public that proper security protocols are in place in all major air, land and sea facilities and gateways across the country.

“Sa atin, pag mayroon tayong nakukuhang delikadong information, vina-validate namin yan… Yun pong sinasabi mong threats, yung threats lagi pong nariyan yan. Omnipresent yan. Hindi tayo pwedeng magrelax. So if you noticed, even the President, alerto siya,” says Undersecretary Art Evangelista of the Office of Transport Security.

Evangelista adds that airports observe meticulous security procedures before passengers are allowed to enter the aircraft. There are even independent screening protocols laid out by airline companies before their planes depart.

“If you noticed sa airport, nago-observe kami ng three-tier defense system. Meron kaming checkpoint bago mag-terminal. Meron kaming screening point bago ka pumasok sa terminal. At doon sa final [post], may screening point pa roon. Hindi pa satisfied ang airline, mayroon rin silang sariling screening point bago ka pumasok ng eroplano. Ganun katindi ang screening sa airport,” Undersecretary Evangelista explains.

Similarly, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has been observing stringent measures of identifying potential threats on all ports. They have likewise stationed K-9 dogs to detect explosive devices and narcotics in every vessel.

 “Sa port security, meron po tayong tinatawag na layering katulad po din sa airport. Meron po tayong frisking. Meron po tayong X-ray machines at saka ibang sistema upang malaman po natin kung may threat o wala. At higit po sa lahat, lingid po sa kaalaman ng karamihan, ang Philippine Coast Guard ang may pinakamaraming inventory ng K-9 na aso sa Pilipinas,” explains Commodore Joel Garcia of the Philippine Coast Guard

The PCG also conducts constant periodic review of its security protocol to ensure that port monitoring is ensured.

For its part, the LRTA said that its management is beefing up with the procurement of emergency response equipment that are necessary for rescue and other untoward incidents.

“In-activate namin and we are lining up trainings and quick-response teams. Because as we all know, marami sa ikinamatay ng mga tao sa Resorts World ay due to suffocation. And the LRTA Administrator also ordered the procurement of breathing apparatus and rescue equipment na bini-bid na po natin yan. Siguro in a few weeks e ide-deliver na,” says Mr. Dominic Cabigting, Admin Department head of LRTA.

La Estrella: A Night of Music and Flamenco Media Preview

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Portkey Events recently embarked on a project that aims to reintroduce and enrich the Spanish culture here in the Philippines through a show entitled La Estrella, A Night of Music and Flamenco. We attended the media presentation held on May 20, 2017 at 3 pm at the Power Mac Center Spotlight theater located at Circuit Makati.

La Estrella is a love triangle story between childhood friends which will be communicated through Spanish classical songs with Arman Ferrer (Philstage Gawad Buhay Awardee for Best Male Featured in a Musical in 2015; last seen on Disney in Concert, Tale as Old as Time with ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra, November 2016), Spanish pop songs with David Ezra (Aliw Awards Best New Male Artist in 2015 and Aliw Awards Best Actor Nominee for 2016; son of Asia's Diva, Dulce) and different forms and style of Flamenco dance with Katsie Llave (practiced flamenco in Escuela Amor De Dios: Centro de Arte Flamenco y Danza Espanola in Madrid under legendary teachers Antonio Maya, Alfonso Losa, Miguel Canas, Immaculada Ortega, La Truco and Nino de los Reyes).

Following its success at the Insular Life Building in October 2016, Portkey Events would like to continue to run this show and gain a wider audience.

Set in the south of Spain, La Estrella follows the story of Carina (Katsie Llave), and her childhood best friends –Alejandro (David Ezra) the shy but sweet village boy, and Ricardo (Arman Ferrer) the headstrong but charming aristocrat, as they journey through life, and discover love in its purest and most steadfast form.

First of its kind, this Flamenco/Classical/Musical Theater showcase directed by Katreen Dela Cruz explores the profound simplicity of life through dance and music: the challenges of growing up, the complexity of friendship, and the pain, strength, and hope in love.

Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Daet, Camarines Norte, selects NEC’s Unified Communications Solutions

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NEC Philippines, Inc., a leading communication solutions provider for small, medium and large enterprises in both the private and public sectors, announced today that NEC’s SL1000 Unified Communications Solution has been successfully deployed at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital to allow a more responsive workforce and deliver service quality.

Located in Daet, Camarines Norte, approximately 360 kilometers south of Metro Manila, the 100-bed capacity Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital serves the entire Bicol Region. In cooperation with its sister company, the Our Lady of Lourdes College Foundation, the hospital coordinates the annual Emilia Palencia Medical Mission to provide free medical and dental care to local residents.

“We at NEC Philippines are happy that our powerful range of Unified Communications Solutions were chosen by Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital. We understand that a robust and reliable communication system is extremely important in the healthcare industry, connecting clinicians and staff to obtain the right information. We are privileged and excited with this first installation in Daet, Camarines Norte and we hope that its collaborative and intuitive functions will help increase productivity within any business organization,” said Elizabeth Pangan, President of NEC Philippines.

The SL1000 is an intelligent cost-effective telecommunication system that packs affordability, efficiency, IP-telephony and ecology all into one, and is equipped with the capabilities to adapt to functions for immediate or emerging business needs of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), small offices and home offices (SOHOs).

The NEC SL1000 Unified Communications Solution system was installed by Clari-trade Multi Distribution Inc.’s Authorized Reseller, Fortle Telecoms.


Cover photo caption: 

Pictured from left to right (sitting): Fortunato Mercado (Managing Director, Fortle Telecoms; Dr. Raul G. Palencia (Hospital Administrator and one of the owners of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital)

Left to right (standing): Charlene Tan (Operations Manager, Clari-trade Multi Distribution Inc.); Rell Perez (Channels Officer, NEC Philippines)

Lisa Soberano as the New Darna: Excited for Her Portrayal of the Iconic Super-heroine of the Philippines

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Maja Salvador, Jessy Mendiola, Megan Young, Nadine Lustre, Lisa Soberano, and even Pia Wurtzbach were among those that were rumored among the choices for the role of the new Darna.

But finally it has been announced that the role is given to Lisa Soberano, who inspite of being most connected as an English-speaking teen actress, she managed to get away with the role of a poor girl at the La Presa community in the Forevermore teleserye.

After successful portrayals of Angel Locsin and Marianne Rivera, it is but fitting that the chosen actress to play the role of the new Darna comes equal if not better than the two, and especially the earlier actresses who had worn the ala- Wonder Woman costume. Though we all know that Darna may just be the Filipino version of Wonder Woman, the Darna superhero is still among our iconic images in Philippine pop culture. The character deserves higher quality of portrayal from the most suited and fitting actress of this generation.

Why not, Lisa Soberano definitely has the face and the body, including a voluptuous bosom that would look good in a Darna outfit. The question now is what would the outfit look like. Would the production team come up with a modern look for Darna, or would they still go for the traditional sexy and alluring look complete with head gear and bracelets?

Ever since the announcement, netizens have also released several artworks or renditions of Lisa Soberano donning the Darna outfit.

Below are just some of the noteworthy images as compiled from the Internet coming from social media pages like Facebook.

Where Do Filipino Millennials Want To Live?

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Leading property portal Lamudi looks at the real estate preferences of Filipino millennials—one of the biggest market segments in the world today

Considered as decision-makers with a considerable purchasing power, millennials have been the target of most businesses and industries of today. Referring to those born between the early 1980s to the early 2000s, millennials are deemed as the digital natives. This generation is widely connected socially and virtually through multiple devices, and they gave new meaning to multitasking and real-time communication. In this age bracket, everyone loves to work hard but they also play harder. They tag themselves as travelers and entrepreneurs that overflow with ideas and online breakthroughs.

As one-third of the Philippine population is made up of millennials aged 20 to 31 years old who can move and shake the economy, developments and cities are now remaking themselves according to the wants of this age group. Due to their importance in the movement of the economy in general and real estate in particular, leading property portal Lamudi wants to answer the great question: Where do millennials want to live?

Using its data to study the online behavior of millennials who use the real estate platform, Lamudi reveals the preferences of this age group with regards to real estate. As more and more new developments are now taking into consideration the needs and wants of this generation, it is just important to find out what exactly should developers do to get the big yes of the millennials.

What to Expect from this Year’s Showcase of Affordable Homes

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Determined to help Filipinos attain homeownership, leading property portal Lamudi brings together the best affordable housing options under one roof

Basking on the success of last year’s Lamudi Housing Fair, leading property portal Lamudi is topping its feat by holding a bigger and better housing fair, this time focusing on the affordable market segment.

“This slice of the market needs most attention not only from the government but from private players as well. That’s why we at Lamudi wants to jump-start the work by organizing the very first affordable-focused housing event,” shared Bhavna Suresh Chathambeth, CEO of Lamudi and its sister website MyProperty.ph.

“As we envision the Lamudi brand to be Filipinos’ one-stop shop for everything real estate, we are continuously exploring ways on how to best serve homebuyers, most especially the affordable sector. Apart from assisting the industry through our technology and reliable real estate data and information, we are also conducting events that bridge homeownership to even more Filipinos,” Ms. Suresh added.

For this edition, Lamudi promises that the grand showcase of affordable homes will not be complete without these 10 must-see, must-hear, and must-get at the Lamudi Affordable Housing Fair on July 15 and 16 at the Glorietta 3 Activity Center in Makati City.

LRT Line 1 Soon to Offer its Passengers More Trips, Extended Hours and Shorter Waiting Time

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The Department of Transportation (DOTr) today announced that passengers of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT Line 1) will soon experience enhanced services with the adoption of a new timetable.

“The 20-kilometer railway system from Baclaran in Paranaque to Roosevelt in Quezon City is set to implement a new timetable to increase the number of weekday trips, extend operating hours and shorten waiting periods for its clients,” says DOTr Undersecretary for Rails Cesar Chavez.

The new weekday schedule is expected to increase the number of trips of LRT Line 1 from the current 512 to 554 daily trips, which is equivalent to an 8% increase. However, the existing schedule for weekends and holidays will still be in effect.

The Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC), concessionaire of LRT Line 1, will start morning operations from Baclaran to Roosevelt station at 4:30 a.m., as opposed to the existing schedule of 5:00 a.m. For the evening operations, the last trip northbound, from Baclaran to Roosevelt, will be extended up to 10:00 p.m., while the last trip southbound will leave the Roosevelt station at 10:15 p.m.

LRT-1 will likewise increase its speed limit for the LRT-1 north extension (Monumento to Roosevelt stations) from 40 kph to 60 kph.

“Passengers will experience shorter waiting periods once the change is put in effect,” Usec. Chavez said.

Since it took over, the LRMC has restored middle cars for the LRT Generation 1 trains from 77 light rail vehicles (LRVs) to 103 LRVs. It further disclosed that the rail line has reached an average daily ridership of 443,000 for the first quarter of 2017, or a 6% year-on-year increase.

Balik Tanaw Pasig River Tour and Cultural Heritage Experience Returns for Its 2nd Year

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In celebration of the 118th Celebration of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence, PIA-NCR, in partnership with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (PRRC), and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), conducted a river tour entitled BALIK TANAW 2016: A Pasig River Tour and Cultural Heritage Experience on June 8, 2016 (Wednesday), 8:30 AM.

Historians and tour guides were onboard again during the tour. Aside from this, various art activities such as kundiman and spoken word performances were the major highlights of the event onboard.

Reaching Manila, everyone was also toured around some heritage areas including Escolta, the old building of a TV network, plus other sites worth reminiscing and preserving. The last leg of the tour was also sort of a museum on its second floor but the ground level were being used to showcase Filipino entrepreneurs in a tiangge style market place.

For its second year, almost the same group, together with the Intramuros Administration, will be conducting a Pasig River Tour and Cultural Heritage Experience entitled ISANG BANGKA TAYO: BALIKTANAW 2017 on June 9, 2017 (Friday), 8:30 AM at the Guadalupe Ferry Station in Makati City.

The activity aims to create a community that is well-informed on the rich history of various cities in Metro Manila traversed by the Ilog Pasig, increase the level of awareness on the importance and rehabilitation of rivers and its tributaries (esteros), and to introduce the ASEAN Vision 2025 which aims for a sustainable ASEAN region by Conservation and Sustainable Management of Biodiversity.