One: Kings & Conquerors Set for 5 August in Macao

Wazzup Pilipinas! The largest sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has announced its second blockbuster event in Macao, China. ONE: KINGS & CONQUERORS will once again light up the glamorous Cotai Arena of The Venetian Macao with a showcase of authentic martial arts action. In the main event, ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano Fernandes of Brazil will take on top contender Andrew Leone of the United States.

Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “ONE Championship is thrilled to announce another amazing extravaganza at the world-class Cotai Arena in Macao. Our last show did extremely well to showcase our unique brand of world-class martial arts action, and we are excited to do it all over again this August. We have an amazing card planned for fans all across the world, including a blockbuster championship showdown between tremendous competitors in Bibiano Fernandes and Andrew Leone. The interesting clash of styles should provide fans a solid matchup.”

37-year-old Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes of Brazil is the reigning ONE Bantamweight World Champion, and widely considered one of the best bantamweights in the world. He made his promotional debut back in 2012 and captured the title in 2013, and has since then remained unbeaten inside the ONE Championship cage, showcasing tremendous striking and grappling ability. A winner of his last 12 bouts, including three submissions and two knockouts, Fernandes is set to defend his title against Andrew Leone.

Andrew Leone of Cortland, New York, is a 27-year-old martial artist who trains alongside some of the most talented combat sports athletes in Asia at the renowned Bali MMA gym in Bali, Indonesia. With a standout record of eight wins and only two losses, Leone is coming off three solid victories over top caliber opponents, earning him a shot at the ONE Bantamweight World Championship. In his next bout, Leone will challenge Bibiano Fernandes for the world title.

27-year-old Timofey Nastyukhin is a professional martial artist from Russia competing in ONE Championship’s stacked lightweight division. He owns a 10-3 record, with all of his wins coming by spectacular finish. With four submissions and six knockouts on his resume, Nastyukhin is considered one of the finest offensive forces in the promotion. He announced his arrival on Asia’s biggest stage with an emphatic flying knee knockout victory over Eduard Folayang in 2014, and also owns stoppage wins over top talents Rob Lisita and Yusuke Kawanago. This time, Nastyukhin is set to face Koji Ando.

Koji “The Commander” Ando is one of Japan’s fiercest competitors, having been a professional martial artist since 2008. The Japanese combatant is never in a boring bout, and always remains a threat no matter the opponent. With an array of diverse striking skills coupled with solid submission grappling credentials, Ando is ready to claim victory once again inside the ONE Championship cage. This time, he battles Timofey Nastyukhin.

Shannon “OneShin” Wiratchai of Thailand is a staple in exciting and memorable battles inside the ONE Championship cage. A mainstay of Bangkok Fight Lab, he trains in various martial arts disciplines at home in Bangkok, including Muay Thai, boxing, wrestling, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. An offensive innovator, Wiratchai likes to be creative with his striking, employing a myriad of unpredictable off-angle elbows and kicks. Wiratchai seeks to continue his winning ways in ONE Championship as he takes on the veteran Rob Lisita.

34-year-old “Ruthless” Rob Lisita of Campbelltown, Australia, is known as a relentless offensive force, armed with powerful striking combinations intended to score highlight-reel knockouts. He is 14-9 as a professional martial arts athlete, and has proven to be a fixture in big bouts owing to his fan-friendly style. A veteran competitor who has faced the best in his division and beyond, Lisita looks to continue fulfilling his goal of competing against the promotion’s top contenders. His next assignment is fierce striker Shannon Wiratchai.

21-year-old Joshua Pacio of Baguio City is a professional martial arts athlete with a 9-1 record. He is one of the Philippines’ most talented strawweights. A member of the famed Team Lakay MMA gym, Pacio is a wushu specialist with a solid grappling repertoire. All but one of his career victories have come by spectacular finish, including five wins by submission and three wins by knockout. A former ONE Strawweight World Championship title challenger, Pacio is looking to bring himself back to title contention with another victory. A tough task is ahead of Pacio, however, as he is slated to lock horns with Hayato Suzuki.

30-year-old Hayato Suzuki of Saitama, Japan, is a professional martial arts athlete with an unblemished 16-0-2 record. Spending the majority of his career competing in his native Japan, Suzuki is known as a well-rounded warrior who has the ability to stop his foes with his heavy hands and technical grappling skills. Out of 16 wins, Suzuki has finished 11 of his opponents, including six by submission and five by knockout. He is set to make his ONE Championship debut against rising star Joshua Pacio.

35-year-old standout Eric “The Natural” Kelly of Baguio City is widely considered one of the best homegrown martial arts athletes to come out of the Philippines. The wushu practitioner combines solid striking techniques with high-level grappling skills, which has resulted in nine impressive submissions and one knockout out of 12 total victories. Kelly’s most impressive showing to date came via a hard-fought submission win over Rob Lisita in 2014, a performance which earned him a US$50,000 ONE Warrior Bonus. In his next bout, Kelly will face tough striker Kotetsu Boku.

Kotetsu “No Face” Boku, although originally from South Korea, is a Japanese martial arts legend and the former ONE Lightweight World Champion. With more than 30 professional bouts on his resume, Boku has the experience of a seasoned veteran and has seen it all inside the cage. Always a crowd pleaser, Boku utilizes his dynamic boxing background with world-class grappling to subdue his opponents. He’ll now get the chance to put on a show once again opposite Eric Kelly.

Unbeaten 28-year-old “Rock Man” Chen Lei of Changsha, China is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner and the Shanghai Open BJJ Champion. His ability to grapple has led Chen to five straight victories as a professional martial artist. In his last bout, Chen made his ONE Championship debut a successful one, defeating Jeremy Meciaz by first-round technical knockout. Chen now moves on to his next contest, a tough assignment against Saiful Merican.

Saiful “The Vampire” Merican of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, is an explosive bantamweight striker who starts bouts fast, always looking to end matters early. He has had great success inside the ONE Championship cage with his fan-friendly and aggressive style. In his last bout, Merican stopped Burn Soriano, winning by TKO at the end of the first round. This time, Merican takes on the surging Chen Lei.

28-year-old Herbert “The Blaze” Burns of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is one of the most talented featherweights in ONE Championship. The grappling specialist has a penchant for locking in bout-ending submissions, and is a legitimate threat to any opponent on the mat. With his strong background in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Burns is widely considered as one of the top contenders in the division. He squares off against Russian combatant Magomed Idrisov next.

Professional martial arts athlete Magomed Idrisov is a newcomer in ONE Championship, competing previously for local Russian promotion M-1 Global. He owns a 7-1 record comprising of four wins by decision and three by knockout. Since dropping his first bout as a professional, Idrisov has gone on to win six straight contests, which includes capturing the M-1 Global featherweight title. He will now look to take his talents to the global stage of Asian martial arts. Idrisov will take on tough grappler Herbert Burns in his promotional debut.

Rika “Tinydoll” Ishige is a 28-year-old female atomweight from Bangkok, Thailand. She is of mixed Japanese and Thai heritage, beginning her martial arts training at age nine with aikido and taekwondo. Heavily influenced by her late father who trained in judo, Ishige went on to hone her skills as a martial artist, and turned pro earlier this year. In her last bout, Ishige defeated Nita Dea, impressing fans with her solid grappling skills. She is currently on a two-bout winning streak in ONE Championship. Next up, Ishige takes on the Philippines’ Jomary Torres.

Jomary Torres is a female atomweight contender from the Philippines with a 1-0 professional martial arts record. In her last bout, Torres dominated opponent Krisna Lindaga to win by unanimous decision after three rounds. Torres is set to make her ONE Championship debut against Thai competitor Rika Ishige.

Leandro Ataides of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is a 30-year-old martial arts veteran who owns a professional record of nine wins and three losses, with only two of Ataides’ victories reaching the final bell. In his last bout, Ataides scored a much-needed win, stopping Mohamed Ali with a highlight-reel flying knee that was named ONE’s Knockout of the Year 2016. Despite mixed results so far in his career, the hard-charging Ataides remains a force to be reckoned with at middleweight and will look to excite the crowd by defeating his next opponent, Michal Pasternak.

Middleweight contender Michal Pasternak of Pinczow, Poland, is a tall and lanky martial artist with a 12-2 professional record. A well-rounded competitor, more than half of Pasternak’s victories have come either by knockout or by submission. In May of 2016, Pasternak challenged Brazilian jiu-jitsu legend Roger Gracie for the inaugural ONE Light Heavyweight World Championship, falling short of victory. Now, Pasternak takes on Leandro Ataides.

Malaysian warrior Marc Marcellinus makes his return to the ONE Championship cage and to professional competition after taking a short break. He is a solid competitor with solid all-around skills and a knack for striking. Marcellinus is set to go shot for shot with Vietnam’s Tran Quang Loc, who is making his professional debut.

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

Ticket information for ONE: KINGS & CONQUERORS is available at www.onefc.com

Fulfill Your Dreams, Join the Brown&Proud Movement

Wazzup Pilipinas!

"It's not the color of your skin, But the color of your heart"

When you hear those words you will think that it's about fighting racial discrimination. But we were introduced into a "movement" that seeks to empower Filipinos, or whoever seeks to wield a financial sword that's ready to swing and slash all hesitations to become wealthy and successful.

This could be done by getting rewarding incentives that would surely motivate anyone looking to earn big bucks while at the same time promoting a proudly Filipino brand.

The founders of MyPhone has launched what they call as the Brown&Proud Movement which uses the familiar Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) method incorporated on their business plan for their new products they have branded as "Brown."

#BrownAndProud is a new Generation Multi-Level Marketing with Security and Integrity through it's 70 years old business legacy and 21 years public listed company, Solid Group Inc. They've set up a Dream Portal where people could log in and experience a combination of Live Video, E-Magazine, Mobile Commerce and Financial Technology.

Panasonic Philippines Launches New Sleek, Sexy and Colorful OLED 4K HD TV

Wazzup Pilipinas!

There's a new sleek, sexy and colorful queen of the living room - the Panasonic OLED TV - designed to show images "true to the film-maker's vision" just  as testified by Panasonic's new brand ambassador, Mr. Zach Sycip, director and cinematographer.

Zach took the Cinematography Specialization Course at Mowelfund Film Institute and with works that include films like Northern Lights, Everyday I Love You, and Can't Help Falling In Love.  He also has a lot of TV commercials featuring top consumers brands under his belt.

The TV is indeed the crown jewel of any family room because that is where families come together and chill after a long day. Even if the source of most videos are now coming from online sources watched on Smart TVs coming from livestreaming or video channels, as not too many are are still watching the traditional TV shows coming from broadcast networks. Usually it's either cable, digital TV or anything from the Internet where viewers nowadays have a multitude of options to watch on their high-end flat screen LED TVs.

Now that Panasonic has introduced the new OLED TV, they have leveled up the viewing experience of every home. Their kick-ass TV is something great to have while we bond with our family, or friends, colleagues, neighbors and even long lost acquaintances.

Present at the launch were Mr. Nobuhide Saito, Director of AV Merchandising of Panasonic Appliances Marketing in Asia Pacific; Mr. Shinichi Hayashi, President of Panasonic Philippines; Mr. Masaru Toyota, Vice President for Sales and Marketing Division; Mr. Satashi Kono, Group Director of Consumer Sales and Marketing Division; and Ms. Rain Zapanta, TV Product Manager.

Burlesque PH Performs at Stella Artois Draught Masters PH 2017 Competition

Wazzup Pilipinas!

According to theri Facebook page, "Burlesque PH is the Philippines' premiere brand for burlesque performances, education, and merchandise dedicated to building awareness and development of the art of tease. They are a group of sophisticated and whimsical individuals who see and interpret beauty through theatrical and empowering striptease."

Indeed, it was a tease-full night as they performed hot and sizzling numbers to entertain the audience who thought they were only to witness bartenders show off their skills in the art of serving the Belgian beer we all know as Stella Artois.

Burlesque Madame Colette La Coquette opened up the first performance with her eloquent words to welcome the audience and give out some reminders for moments when the performers would seem to give away their clothing. 

Yup! Their clothing will be one-by-one taken off to seemingly heat up the event as if the competition among bartenders were not hot enough as they battle it out for the ultimate chance to be sent to Bangkok, Thailand for the international competition.

I could swear that the audience were all in attention to the performance of the lovely ladies up to the second performance involving a vertical pole where both acrobatics and sensuality emerged as the most prominent acts.

I am most impressed with the performance of Manila's Bad Girl Joyen Santos as she stripped away her clothes revealing an almost naked top with her nipples covered only with little glittery somethings. While her companion who performed on the vertical pole had everyone at awe with her sensually acrobatic prowess.

Below are the two performances done during the Stella Artois Draught Masters PH 2017 Competition:

Videos from the Stella Artois Draught Masters Ph 2017 Competition

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Congratulations to the top 3 bartenders who rose to the top (L-R) Jason Laurio of Pablo's Bistro, Shiela Roa Poderanan of Draft Gastropub Ortigas and Michael Angelo Mallari of Draft Gastropub Greenbelt. They are to compete at the Asian Draught Masters in Bangkok, Thailand this coming July.

16 bartenders (and servers), including two female, from different outlets and establishments competed for the top 3 spots at Stella Artois Draught Masters Philippines 2017 competition. But even before the top three were selected, a top seven was first chosen to do another show for the judges, and included a question and answer portion (similar to how beauty pageants work) but is called a "passion" test to determine how passionate and knowledgeable the contestants are.

I was able to interview the two previous Draught Masters for the Philippines including the winner from the International competition. Unfortunately, the third one has moved on to different field. 

Among the four contestants that I was able to interview before the event started, one of them was among the top three, and that is Shiela Roa Poderanan, one of the two ladies who admitted that she was not really a bartender, but is grateful to her boss for trusting her to compete at the said competition.

Likewise, I was also able to interview all the winners after the event, and at the same time give my congratulations for a job well done.

Awarding was led by Mr. Joris Janssen - Marketing Director, AB Inbev Asia and Mr. Raj Sadhwani - President/CEO of Booze Online Inc. Chester Cabrera of Booze Online Inc., was also there as one of the judges and also gave the last messages before the event finally ended.

French-Filipina singer Vanessa Monot sang jazz and blues to entertain the crowd, while Burleque Ph heat up the venue with their sizzling performances.

More videos from the Stella Artois Draught Masters PH 2107 Competition can be found at the official Wazzup Pilipinas YouTube channel at http://www.YouTube.com/user/wazzuppilipinas

More photos can also be found at our official Wazzup Pilipinas Facebook fan page at http://www.Facebook.com/wazzuppilipinas


Congratulations again to all the winners. Make our country proud once again by bringing home another win!!!

9 Steps to Belgian Beer Bliss by Stella Artois

Wazzup Pilipinas!
 

Every sip of an ice-cold Belgian beer is an experience delivered from many years of brewing expertise. And for Stella Artois, each drop of beer must be poured with precision and perfection to offer an exquisite taste connoisseurs deserve. This is done through the brand’s nine-step pouring ritual that has stood the test of time.  

Born from the passion for delivering a full-bodied, authentic flavor of Belgian beer, the nine-step pouring ritual follows strict standards in beer pouring. To ensure that this ritual is preserved and will endure through time, Stella Artois hosted its 2^nd Draught Masters Philippines Competition last June 22, 2017 at Fairmont Hotel, Makati City. Here, bartenders from various restaurants, bars, and hotels showcased their expertise in the nine-step pouring ritual. The top three performers will represent the country as finalists in the regional finals in Bangkok, Thailand.

“Our nine-step ritual is a dance between the Chalice and the Draught Master. It is observed properly to serve a pleasantly bitter beer flavor we’ve always loved,” says Chester Cabrera, Head of Marketing, Booze Online, Inc. “With the second installment of Draught Masters Philippines, Stella Artois would like to share the brand’s over 600 years of brewing expertise by keeping our time-honored, nine-step pouring ritual alive.”

Manila-Clark Railway Project to Cut Down Travel Time to 55 Minutes

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The PNR North or Manila-Clark Railway Project, a 106-kilometer line connecting Manila to Central Luzon will tremendously cut down travel time by as much as 70 percent.

With this railway project, you can travel from Tutuban, Manila to Clark, Pampanga in under an hour or 55 minutes, a significant reduction from the current 2-3 hours travel time. The rail line will have a total of 17 stations, five of which were marked in a station marking event early today. The stations will run from Tutuban passing through Marilao and Malolos and all the way to the Clark International Airport and the proposed New Clark City in Tarlac.

This will be the first time that a commuter rail project will be extended to Central Luzon. This project is expected to decongest Metro Manila and spur development in the peripheries of Metro Manila.

“We hope to finish the term of President Duterte with at least 1,000 kilometers of railway system all over the country,” said Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade.

The PNR North railway project is one of the 61 infrastructure projects under the Build Build Build program of the Duterte administration. It will begin construction later this year and targeted for completion in 2021. It is designed to accommodate 350,000 passengers daily on its opening year.

Other rail projects include PNR South (Manila – Los Baños – Bicol) and Mindanao Railway. MRT-7, LRT-2 East Extension, and LRT-1 Cavite Extension projects are all undergoing construction.

Davao Aguilas FC Hosts Another Packed Football Match Vs. Ilocos United FC, Ends With a Score of 0-0

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Davao Aguilas Football Club (DAFC), heavily supported by San Miguel Corporation, hosted another packed football match in its home turf. Its match vs. Ilocos United Football Club (IUFC) was its third home game, and all three (3) games have generated an attendance of at least twelve thousand (12,000) football spectators.

Celebrities and sports personalities such as Asec. Mocha Uson, the Mocha Girls, the Malditas Philippine Women’s National Football Team were all seen in the crowd wearing Davao Aguilas shirts.

Malditas players Cam Rodriguez and Nona Amoncio both said in a Fox Sports Asia interview, “We’re both here, along with the team to support Davao Aguilas FC.”

The match ended with a score of 0-0.

Its next match will be on June 28, at 4 p.m. against Global Cebu FC. The match will be held also at Davao del Norte Sports Complex.



Tickets are available at the stadium. For more information, please visit www.facebook.com/DAFCofficial.  

El Masfino Hotel & Resort: Your Exclusive Getaway in San Rafael, Bulacan

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Some Bulakenyos are probably still unaware that there's a luxury hotel and resort that exists within their province. In our case, it's the first time we've heard of the place, and we were surprised that it took them a long time before they went full blast on promoting the place. This place is just too good to be kept hidden from people who deserve the best option for their weekend getaway.

Though they've said they've been featured on some television programs, most of us, especially the Millennials, nowadays no longer watch television unless they have a livestreaming component where their shows could also be viewed online. My children are always online since it's easy for them to jump from one story to the next without being burdened by interruptions of lengthy commercials or ads. In my case, I only watch the morning and evening news, thus, it is not surprising that we are still unaware of the existence of El Masfino Hotel and Resort. 

Now that they've considered tapping bloggers or online influencers, I'm sure that there will be more and more people coming in to check out the resort. Online gave way for such terms as "viral" and "trending" so it is without any doubt that people will soon flock the resort as more people will now consider making El Masfino Hotel and Resort part of their travel itinerary.

More than a dozen of us were invited to experience El Masfino Hotel and Resort on a Friday and Saturday (June 23 and 24), yet an overnight at the place was still not enough for us as there are just too many ways to spend your entire day, and night, that will surely make you scream out that "time really flies so fast when you're having fun!."

DOTr to Mark Five Stations of Manila-Clark Railway Project

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) will lead tomorrow the Station Marking of five (5) stations of the Manila-Clark Railway Project, the line that will connect Manila to Central Luzon.

The 106-km railway project that will run from Tutuban, Manila to Clark, Pampanga is among the high-impact projects of President Rodrigo Duterte under the government's 'Build Build Build' infrastructure program. Five of the 17 stations will be marked in a ceremony: Marilao and Meycauayan in Bulacan, Valenzuela, Caloocan, and Tutuban in Metro Manila.

"Itong malaking proyektong ito, dati ay usap-usapan lang. Ngunit sa administrasyong Duterte, gagawin natin itong katotohanan," DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade said. “For the first time, a rail project will connect Manila to Central Luzon and it will be completed under the Duterte administration.”

With this rail project, the 2-hour travel time from Manila to Clark will be cut down to just 55 minutes. The rail system stands to benefit 350,000 passengers daily on its first year of operations.

Apart from the marked stations, the 12 other stations are: Solis, Bocaue, Balagtas, Guiguinto, Malolos, Calumpit, Apalit, San Fernando, Angeles, Clark, Clark International Airport, and the proposed New Clark City in Pampanga.

Philippine National Railways (PNR) General Manager Junn Magno said the project is seen to decongest Metro Manila and spread economic gains throughout the country.

“This project will ease traffic congestion and help thousands of commuters coming from Bulacan and Pampanga who travel daily to their workplaces or schools in Metro Manila,” Magno said.

According to the DOTr, the project will start construction in the last quarter of 2017 and will be completed by the last quarter of 2021. The project costs PHP 255-Billion and will be funded through Official Development Assistance (ODA) from Japan. The whole line will have 13 train sets with eight cars or coaches per train set. Each train can reach a maximum speed of 120 km per hour.

Heads of infrastructure agencies, economic managers, and concerned local government chiefs were present at the station marking event.