Lamudi Philippines to Hold Affordable Housing Fair for 2017

Wazzup Pilipinas!

With the wide acceptance of social media and other online platforms like blogs and online sites, as the new medium for communication, whether sending or receiving news, information or even word-of-mouth recommendations, reviews, feedback and even gossip, the world has definitely changed.

Back then when jobseekers, buyers and sellers, used to search through several newspapers and magazines, or watch TV and listen to the radio, people nowadays rely heavily on online content to feed their minds and influence their choices and decisions.

This goes the same for real estate seekers who would like to buy their first property a a home or business establishment, or add to their collection of business ventures as investment.

Online sites like Lamudi has undoubtedly revolutionize the way we do things. ..and now that online has reached a momentous and epic achievement when it comes to paving the way towards convenient dissemination of information, many have embraced the fact that online is the NOW and the FUTURE.

Lamudi has probably made it possible for properties and real estate to be sold at more affordable rates, thus the online real estate platform has continued to hold Affordable Housing Fair where various kinds of properties are showcased for the benefit of buyers interested to find affordable housing and/or lot opportunities.

At a press conference held on Monday, July 10, 2017 at Conti's Bakeshop, Greenbelt 2., Lamudi Philippines formally announced to members of the media their Lamudi Affordable Housing Fair for 2017.

Miss Tourism Philippines 2017 Reveals Special Awards at Swimsuit Competition

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Wearing the red, yellow and white-colored swimwear creations of Rikki Molina, Filipino fashion designer, Ichthus Beach Resort of Magsingal, Ilocos Sur, got a lot hotter even during the night time as lovely ladies came up on stage to further give the audience another beautiful sight to behold aside from the earlier sunset at the said beach.

All of the 29 hopeful candidates looked strikingly appealing in their swimwear, and their pretty faces even got highlighted by the fabulous hair and make-up done by Maquillage Professionnel (MP) School of Make Up Artistry.

The candidates are all vying for the top spot of Miss Tourism Philippines 2017 beauty queen title-holder, but we are proud to say that all of them are well-deserving to be part of the selected candidates, for each one has their unique and special attributes that make them all worthy of the crown.

Since the organizers would prefer to announce the winner of the Swimsuit competition at the grand coronation night, they awarded special awards instead after the said competition. 

The Miss Tourism Philippines 2017 Special Awards went to:

Miss Ichthus - Noveleta, Cavite
Miss Body Beautiful - Manila
Miss Catwalk - Palawan
Miss Eye of the Night - Filipino Community of Southern Australia

Miss Ichthus went to Jyn Almario,Miss Noveleta, Cavite; Miss Body Beautiful was awarded to Justiene Ortega, Miss Manila; the Miss Catwalk award went to Sharla Santillan, Miss Palawan; and the Miss Eye of the Night was conferred to Filipino Community of Melbourne, Australia, Marian Angelu Perez Alcantara.

One Championship Announces One: Quest for Greatness for Kuala Lumpur on August 18

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The largest sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship (ONE), has just announced another blockbuster evening of authentic martial arts action. ONE: QUEST FOR GREATNESS is set to return to the iconic Stadium Negara on 18 August for another spectacular showcase of Asia’s top martial arts talent. In the main event, undefeated ONE Featherweight World Champion Marat “Cobra” Gafurov of Russia puts his world title on the line against top contender Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen of Australia.

Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “It is always an exciting time in Kuala Lumpur whenever our world-class athletes climb atop Asia’s biggest and grandest martial arts stage. Our warriors are eager to put on a show for fans in Kuala Lumpur, and it is our honor to have them perform in this marvelous city. Marat Gafurov and Martin Nguyen are two of the promotion’s finest featherweights. They have met before, with Gafurov taking victory via submission in their first encounter. This time, however, a better-prepared and refocused Nguyen vows to finally bring the title back to Sydney.”

Marat “Cobra” Gafurov of Dagestan, Russia, is the reigning ONE Featherweight World Champion. An undefeated martial artist with 15 wins and no losses, Gafurov is a high-level grappler with 11 of his wins coming by impressive submission over top-caliber opponents. Rarely challenged and always dominant, Gafurov captured the featherweight title in 2015 with a gutsy victory over former champion Narantungalag Jadambaa in an epic battle. In his last bout, Gafurov defeated Jadambaa once again in a rematch a year later to cement his claim as the undisputed ONE Featherweight World Champion. He will defend his title next against Australia’s Martin Nguyen.

28-yea old Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen of Sydney, Australia, is a former featherweight title challenger with a 8-1 professional record. His only loss came at the hands of reigning ONE Featherweight World Champion Marat Gafurov, when he stepped up to accept their first showdown on just a few days’ notice. None of Nguyen’s victories have gone to a decision, giving him five solid knockout wins as well as three victories by submission. In his last bout, Nguyen defeated Japanese veteran warrior Kazunori Yokota via first-round knockout. Nguyen’s all-around skill set allows him to compete at the highest level as a professional. In a highly-anticipated rematch, Nguyen once again receives a shot at the ONE Featherweight World Championship when he takes on Marat Gafurov for the second time.

DOE-DPWH To Relocate Power Distribution Lines

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The Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) signed today (10 July) a circular to guide electric cooperatives on a unified mechanism concerning relocation of their power facilities affected by government construction.

The DOE-DPWH Joint Circular prescribes uniform guidelines and procedures for the proper payment of compensation and/or recovery of cost in the event of the need to relocate the distribution/subtransmission lines of electric cooperatives.

At the signing of the Joint Circular along with DPWH Undersecretary Karen Jimeno, representing DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said: “We have to address situations where the facilities of electric cooperatives need to be relocated due to government projects, such as road-widening, bridge construction, among others, and provide a unified mechanism for reasonable compensation to them for every affected facility.”

“This joint initiative is in cognizance of the need to provide continuous, adequate and reliable electricity services to consumers while government projects are underway," Cusi pointed out.

Based on the Circular, the government agency implementing a public works project shall coordinate during with the National Electrification Administration (NEA) and Electric Cooperatives to address all right-of-way concerns related to the affected facility, including claims for compensation and determination of relocation sites.

It also provides an appropriate formula in the determination of proper compensation to the electric cooperative for the cost of the removal of affected facility.

“With this Joint Circular, we will be able to accelerate and expand access to electricity services by our people,” the Energy Chief concluded.

Cover Photo Caption: DOE Secretary Alfonso Cusi and DPWH Undersecretary Karen Jimeno, representing DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, signed this morning, 10 July 2017, in the DOE Conference Room the DOE-DPWH Joint Circular on the payments and compensation to electric cooperatives whose facilities are affected by government projects.

E-Power Mo! To Bring DOE Closer to Consumers

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Recognizing the public’s vital role in the energy chain, the Department of Energy (DOE), in partnership with the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) and Philippine Information Agency (PIA) will launch the “E-Power Mo!” on 12 July 2017 Wednesday at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City.

Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said that there is a "need to send across the message of the energy sector to the entire energy chain, from the industry players down to the general public.”

The conference for energy consumers and stakeholders, “E-Power Mo!” aims to provide essential information on the fast-evolving developments in the energy sector, proper energy utilization and energy resiliency.

E-Power Mo will also launch President Rodrigo Duterte’s energy roadmap and policies designed to empower the consumers specifically to:

1. Develop and utilize the energy resources available to Filipinos for wealth creation and global competition (E-POWER MO!);
2. Undertake safety and savings measures through energy efficiency (E-SAFETY MO!);
3. Secure the delivery of quality, reliable and affordable energy services (E-SECURE MO!); and,
4. Empower consumers through a wide range of options in utilizing conventional, renewable and alternative energy sources. (E-DISKARTE MO!).

The DOE will aggressively implement this strategic energy information, education and communication campaign so that ordinary Filipinos would be encouraged to use energy responsibly and would be partners in advancing the country's economic growth.

Lenovo Recruits Gamers and Fans to be Part of a New and Exclusive Gaming Community: Gamers Legion

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Join the Legion!

Lenovo, the world’s leading PC manufacturer, today launched a call for all fans in the Philippines to join Gamers Legion, a new, exclusive and one-of-a-kind community in Asia aimed at taking the modern PC gaming experience to the next level.

As a member of Gamers Legion, participants from the Philippines will not only play a pivotal role in Lenovo’s future product development, but will also be the first to know about Legion’s newest offers and events.

Interested fans and gamers simply need to visit the dedicated Legion microsite at http://www.legionlenovo.com/ph in order to fill out a short online questionnaire about their gaming habits, preferences and views. Lenovo will then select 30 gamers in the Philippines to join the exclusive community of 270 people across Asia that will make up Gamers Legion.

What’s more, Lenovo Philippines will also be raffling off 30 tickets to Garena’s Rampage 2017. Everyone who submitted their applications via the microsite gets a chance to win.

The Gamers Legion recruitment phase begins today and only lasts until July 20, 2017. All successful applicants will be notified on July 24 via email. All fans and gamers are also encouraged to visit the Facebook Page of Lenovo Philippines at https://www.facebook.com/lenovophilippines to follow the latest updates of the Gamers Legion. 

The kick-off follows Lenovo’s highly anticipated launch of its Legion sub-brand in the Philippines early this year. Legion offers both casual and professional gamers cutting-edge products that are inspired by, and co-created with, gamers based on their needs.

In the Philippines, Lenovo marked the launch of Legion through the introduction of the Legion Y520, IdeaPad Y910, and IdeaCentre Y710 Cube, stylish, powerful and portable plug-and-play devices with DIY flexibility that offer the most immersive experiences.

“As PC gaming becomes more popular in the Philippines, our research shows that gamers are becoming increasingly discerning when it comes to expectations around performance, flexibility and immersive experiences,” said Michael Ngan, Lenovo Philippines Country General Manager. “Lenovo is committed to working more closely with gamers to create best-in-class experiences in eSports and gaming PC. With this in mind, we are proud to have launched Gamers Legion, our one-of-a-kind community that ensures we are giving a voice and platform to our highly passionate customers, that continues our tradition of co-creating products that meet their continuously evolving needs.”

“This campaign is but one in a series of initiatives that support our ambition of being the world’s leading gaming brand, bar none.”

Pricing and Availability:

· Prices for the Lenovo Legion Y520 Notebooks start from just P49,995.
· Prices for the Lenovo IdeaCentre Y710 and Y720 start from just P81,990 and P90,990, respectively.
· Lenovo Y27G curved gaming monitor retails at P29,999.

Cusi: Round the Clock Work in Place to Restore Power in Quake-hit Areas

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Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi thanked on Saturday the men and women who are working on 24-hour shifts to bring back electricity within three to five days in the quake-affected areas in the Visayas, especially in Leyte.

Cusi today conducted an aerial and ground inspection of the various power plants, including geothermal facilities, that sustained damage from the magnitude 6.5 quake that recently hit the region.

A combination of bypass and build-back-better strategies are being implemented by the engineers, with Cusi expressing hope that power will be fully restored within seven days.

"I commend the dedicated Warays and the other personnel who are working 24/7 to fast track the delivery of safe and reliable electricity services to around 3 million consumers," said Cusi.

"The Yolanda experience taught us a lot and I have seen that we have improved on our restoration practices," he said, adding "but there is always room for improvement.”

"I am hopeful that we can see a tremendous improvement in the delivery of energy services within three to seven days."

DOE Invites Koreans to Invest in PH Energy Projects

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Department of Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella promoted Philippine energy investment opportunities during the Korea-Asia Energy Cooperation Seminar convention at the Plaza Hotel in Seoul, Republic of Korea on 7 July 2017.

The Philippines' Department of Energy (DOE) under Secretary Alfonso Cusi today announced to Asian energy sector players and government officials that the Philippines will require 43,765 megawatts (MW) of additional electricity capacity by 2040.

Represented by Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella, he told the Korea-Asia Energy Cooperation that the required additional capacity represents a three-fold increase in the Philippines' demand for energy.

Fuentebella also expounded on the energy policies and thrusts of the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte during the convening of the seminar at the Plaza Hotel in Seoul.

The DOE official briefed the audience of promising investment prospects in the Philippine energy sector.

"To address this need, the Philippines would need 70% base load power plants, 20% medium range power plants and 10% peak load power plants."

Fuentebella cited the demand for new power plants in areas identified by the DOE in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Major energy projects were also highlighted in the presentation, such as the Integrated LNG Terminal and Visayas-Mindanao Interconnection Project along with their corresponding costs and projected timelines for completion.

To highlight the Philippines as an attractive destination for energy investors, Fuentebella announced that President Duterte recently signed Executive Order No. 30 giving priority status to energy projects.

Under E.O. 30, an Energy Investment Coordinating Council was created to streamline regulatory procedures affecting energy projects of national significance.

The EO also reduced to 30 days the processing time for applications for energy-related undertakings and projects.

In the open forum, the DOE official said the Philippine government is open to looking at micro-grids to augment the energy supply given the country's archipelagic location.

He said the DOE would soon release guidelines pertaining to the Green Energy Option.

Following the seminar, several Korean companies expressed interest in exploring energy investment opportunities in the Philippines.

Fuentebella provided a comprehensive overview of the Philippines’ primary energy mix, energy demand and supply outlooks from ‎2016-2040 as well as strategic directions

Power In Quake-hit Visayas To Be Restored ASAP - DOE

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We will bring back power as fast and as safely as is humanly possible to areas in the Visayas affected by a strong quake that rocked the region.

This was the consensus reached by the energy family under the Department of Energy (DOE), as well as their private sector partners, during an emergency meeting called by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi at the DOE headquarters today.

Cusi assured the public that the DOE and all of its attached instrumentalities and commercial partners are on top of the situation. "We are all working round the clock and all hands are on deck," said Cusi.

According to the Energy Development Corp. (EDC) and Green Core Geothermal, they are providing generator sets in coordination with the local officials of Municipality of Kananga and Ormoc City to critical facilities like municipal halls, hospitals and water districts.

EDC and Green Core said, impact assessment measures are being undertaken at their geothermal power plants.

Based on the technical assessment of the companies, the marshalling stations or the central switching station of Leyte power plants will be restored within 3-5 days to enable importation of power supply from Cebu to the provinces of Leyte, Samar and Bohol.

For transmission, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) is undergoing further assessment of their transmission facilities in determining the specific timeline on the restoration of the damaged facilities.

As of 2:30 p.m., the 138kilovolt (kV) Ormoc-Tongonan T/L near the affected Tongonan Geothermal Power Plant with a power supply capacity of about 35 megawatts (MW) is ready to be energized.

On the distribution side, electric cooperatives (ECs) in Samar and Leyte provinces have no power but most of their facilities sustained no damage. Currently, the ECs are awaiting the powering up of the transmission facilities.

The entire province of Bohol remains without power.

To augment the power supply in the affected provinces, the government, through the DOE, is working with alternative power suppliers, such as Trans Asia and Salcon Power to deploy Power Barges 101, 102, and 103 and the unutilized 16 MW diesel-fired power plants.

To fast track the restoration further, the National Electrification Administration prepared the mechanism for a “quick response fund” to be allocated to ECs with damaged facilities.

The DOE coordinated with the concerned agencies to determine the timelines and other significant details in the deployment of the power barges and dispatching of the diesel power plant.

To supervise these complex yet integrated tasks, Sec. Cusi created a Project Management Team for the earthquake affected areas.

"We are on top of the situation and we will deliver the much-needed energy services immediately," Cusi concluded.

The DOE Central Office and Visayas Field Office (VFO) are open to accommodate inquiries and support from the public through the hotline number ‎‎479-2900 loc. 329 for consumer concerns and ‎‎(032) 253-7222; ‎‎253-2150 for the VFO concerns.

Explore International Flights for as Low as USD 600 with Ethiopian Airlines’ Exciting Airfare Deals

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Travelers are in for a special treat as Ethiopian Airlines offers its best value deals yet. Families can bring their entire brood on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure to Europe, Brazil, Africa, and the United States for as low as USD 600-700 each for roundtrip economy, and only USD 2,500 for two round trip tickets on “Cloud Nine”, its renowned business class cabins, from Manila to over 20 international destinations via its hub, Addis Ababa.

Recently awarded the Best Airline in Africa in 2017’s SKYTRAX World Airline Awards, and the 2017 Outstanding Food Service by African Carrier Award, Ethiopian celebrates its 2nd anniversary in the Philippines with this seat sale offering that passengers surely won’t want to miss.

All passengers flying Ethiopian Airlines get to experience exceptional African hospitality en route to famous international destinations around the globe through its world-class amenities including an in-flight entertainment system where travelers get to choose from a wide range of movies, TV shows, music albums, and radio shows among others.

The carrier also boasts of an exceptionally curated in-flight cuisine featuring fresh and varied meals of the highest quality, its unique Ethiopian cuisine and International fare, as well as a complete range of beverages including its excellent red and white wine selection.

On top of this, Ethiopian Airlines passengers on economy are entitled to a total of 44kg baggage allowance, while passengers flying on “Cloud Nine,” its Business Class service, are entitled to a total of 64-66kg.

Sale Period is until 15 July 2017. Travel is valid from 7 July 2017 until 31 December 2017.

For more information, please contact Ethiopian Airlines Reservations Office (632)848.9878/79, (632)522.2095, and (632)522.4869.