Ovation Productions Announces Cast of ‘Sister Act’ – The Broadway Musical Smash Hit Set to Open June 27

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Ovation Productions proudly announces its new theater offering to all musical theater fans with “Sister Act,” a hilarious, feel-good musical straight from Broadway, New York as it plays beginning June 27 – July 9 at the Theatre at Solaire.

Based on the mega-hit film from the 1990s, SISTER ACT will be performed in Manila for the first time on a limited two-week run and promises the audience to groove to the original score with music by 8-time Oscar Academy, Grammy and Golden Globe Award-winning composer Alan Menken (Disney’s Alladin, Beauty and the Beast, Newsies, The Little Mermaid, Enchanted, Little Shop of Horrors), with its vast inspiration of musical styles from Motown, soul and funk to great big disco anthems.

Produced by Whoopi Goldberg, TROIKA Entertainment and Sister Act On Tour, LLC, SISTER ACT received five 2011 Tony® Award nominations including BEST MUSICAL, BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (Alan Menken (music)/Glenn Slater (lyrics), and BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL (Cheri & Bill Steinkellner and Douglas Carter Beane).

SISTER ACT tells the story of a wannabe disco diva Deloris Van Cartier whose life takes a surprising turn when she witnesses a murder, and is put into protective custody in the one place the police are sure she won’t be found – a convent! Disguised as a nun, she finds herself at odds with both the rigid lifestyle and an uptight Mother Superior. Using her fabulous disco vibe and killer voice to inspire the choir, Deloris breathes new life into the church, but in doing so, blows her cover. Deloris helps her fellow sisters find their voices as she unexpectedly rediscovers her own. A sparkling tribute to the universal power of friendship, SISTER ACT is reason to rejoice!

“ To hear people laugh and cheer the way they do at SISTER ACT — a show people think they know but are pleasantly surprised to discover is not what they are expecting — is a magical experience for a producer,” says Producer Whoopi Goldberg, who also played the lead role of Deloris in the 1992 Hollywood blockbuster. 

.ASEAN Told: PHL On Track With Cheap, Secure Energy Initiatives

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Duterte Administration is working doubly hard to provide Filipinos affordable, reliable, secure and environmentally friendly power, the Department of Energy (DOE) reported to the ASEAN member nations.

The DOE issued the update when it hosted the 16th Annual Meeting of the Regional Energy Policy and Planning–Sub-Sector Network (REPP-SSN) recently at the Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City.

The event served as the Third Sub-Sector Network meeting by the DOE in line with the country’s hosting of the last ASEAN Forum.

The other two conferences were the Civilian Nuclear Energy (CNE) held last 19 April and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EE&C) held last 5 May.

DOE Undersecretary Jesus Posadas in the meeting said that the DOE under Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi has taken decisive steps in line with the Duterte Administration’s energy objectives and directions for the years 2016 to 2030.

Designated in the DOE as the Senior Official on Energy, Posadas said the thrust is to “ensure energy supply security, improve access to adequate and affordable energy products and services and working towards a low carbon future.”

The Philippines emphasized to the other ASEAN Member Countries the need for regional energy cooperation.

“We will improve the reliability, availability and resiliency of energy infrastructures and facilities, promote technology innovation through research, development, demonstration, deployment and encourage investments in infrastructure development,” said Posadas.

“The DOE will facilitate the build-up of an appropriate portfolio of installed and dependable energy capacities, anchored on a technology-neutral policy, especially for the power sector, for base load, mid-merit and peaking requirements to support our growing economy,” he added.

The 16th REPP-SSN meeting primarily tackled program updates in the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) which are the ASEAN Power Grid, Trans-ASEAN Gas Pipeline, Coal and Clean Coal Technology, Energy Efficiency and Conservation, Renewable Energy, Regional Energy Policy and Planning and Civilian Nuclear Energy.

Those in attendance were updated on the status of energy-related engagements of ASEAN with various dialogue partners and international organizations.

The meeting output which includes refinements to current APAEC program areas and the REPP-SSN’s work program will be presented during the Senior Officials on Energy Meeting (SOME) in July 2017.

Currently chaired by Singapore, the REPP-SSN serves as the venue for monitoring the deliverables under the APAEC. It is also a place for countries to offer suggestions to address energy challenges for the region.

Moreover, the APAEC is the blueprint for better cooperation towards enhancing energy security, accessibility, affordability and sustainability under the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) framework.

DOE Overseeing Full Restoration of Power in Marawi City

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Department of Energy (DOE) in coordination with the various generation, transmission and electricity distribution players in Mindanao, is trying to bring back power in some critical parts of Marawi City still affected by the ongoing fighting in the area.

The DOE’s Inter-Agency Task Force on Securing Energy Facilities (IATFSEF) reported that, as of 12:00 noon Wednesday, Marawi City remains 45% energized with power restored in some major establishments last June 10.

Among the establishments and areas where power has already been restored are the Provincial Capitol, Amai Pakpak Medical Center, Brigade-Campo Ranao-AFP Camp, Barangay Saber and part of Barangay Matampay.

With proper coordination with the AFP and PNP forcers, technical line personnel are en route to restore power in other vital installations in the affected areas.

On the distribution side, the Lanao del Sur Electric Cooperative, Inc. (LASURECO) said that the current power supply for Lanao del Sur is zero percent in the 1st district covering 15 municipalities, and 100% in the 2nd District with 16 municipalities.

For the Mindanao generation facilities, the National Power Corp. reported that the Agus-Pulangi Hydroelectric Complexes are in normal operation, according to a report by the DOE’s IATSEF.

Water elevation at Lake Lanao as of 8:00 a.m. stood at 701.210 meters above sea level, while water release is at 160 meters per second, the Task Force said.

The Marawi Lake Regulating Dam (MLRD) gates opening has been maintained at 1.60 in view of the fact that changes entail hazards from sniper fire.

Based on the current report, thr transmission system is operating under normal conditions.