Diverse Stories, One Journey at WORLD BAZAAR FESTIVAL 2017

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Leading the pack in heralding the holiday season in the country, Worldbex Services International – the country’s leading events and expositions organizer – is more than thrilled to present the return of this year’s World Bazaar Festival, the longest annual charity bazaar in the Philippines. Now on its 17th run, the much-anticipated installment of WBF is happening on December 3 to 22 at the World Trade Center Manila.

Nearly two decades since its first show, WBF continues to play a key role in bringing magic and wonder into the lives of Filipino families with its never-before-seen holiday presentations and world-class bazaar events. This time around, WBF takes inspiration from the different stories of success, that have molded its reputation as the biggest and most-awaited holiday bazaar in the country, to come up with this year’s theme of “Diverse Stories, One Journey”.

From small businesses that have grown into thriving ventures through WBF, how Woobie has come to be a symbol of Christmas joy and charity, to the countless Filipino families who have made WBF a part of their holiday traditions, all these stories have all shaped WBF into what it is today – a quintessential part of Filipino Christmas. As such, at the heart of this year’s WBF would be its goal of cultivating far more joyous, memorable, and meaningful stories for everyone.

LCUP’s Year-End Triple Treat—Culinary Awards, Degustation Dinner, Venue Launch

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Malolos Vice Mayor Gatchalian Continues to Honor the City’s Gastronomic Heritage Artists

La Consolacion University Philippine’s Chef Jeremy C Malcampo marks another milestone in LCUP’s academic history with their year-ender Seven-Course Molecular Gastronomy Dinner—a triple treat of culinary awards, degustation dinner, and venue launch—themed “SATORI from the Kensho Zen Tradition.”

Indeed, Chef Malcampo’s concurrent roles as Director for Culinary Arts, General Manager for Café Barcelo Food Services, and Vice Dean for the College of International Tourism and Hospitality Management cannot be discounted.

He set up the Culinary Arts Program for LCUP after “we got him from La Consolacion College Manila,” confides Sister President Imelda A Mora, OSA, PhD. “LCUP is now recognized in Bulacan as a leading culinary school.”

Malolos—A City of Gastronomic Heritage. Through the tireless support of Malolos City’s Vice Mayor Hon Gilbert “Bebong” T Gatchalian, an engineer and staunch cultural advocate, LCUP levels up its presence in the province of Bulacan not only as an academic hub that specializes in hospitality and culinary arts but also as a provincial center for the Gastronomic Arts.

As Vice Mayor Gatchalian promised—“to continue to seek out, recognize, support, and preserve Maloleño heritage by awarding recognition to its heritage artists”— during the first graduation degustation dinner earlier this year, LCUP honors Adobo Magazine alongside three icons of the city’s rich culinary heritage: a second-time awardee and two first-timers who are institutions of popular Malolos cooking.

Joining Nanay Mercy D J Antonio, for heir to the 1820 Maloleño classic “Empanada de Kaliskis,” to receive the prestigious Chef’s Culinary Award are Ms Divina P Iso of “Valenzuela Bahay Pawid LTB (Lugaw Tokwa Baboy)” and Mr Gregorio S Dela Cruz of “Gorio and Mimi Special Kakanin.”

Bahay Pawid is a third-generation lugawan that is also known for its lumpia and kutsinta. “Our family started as a rice dealer, but when the business went down we turned to the lugawan business,” shares Miss Iso. “To promote our lugaw, we dared customers to try our lugaw and pay only if they are satisfied—if not, they get their bowl for free!”

Vice Mayor Gatchalian, who lauded the awardees by citing their place in the city’s history and heritage as leading proponents who helped shape the Maloleño palate and popular food consciousness, recalls being greeted by the store’s mynah bird and feasting on Mang Fil’s lugaw and tokwa—along with a horde of students from Regina Imaculada and Don Bosco—and craving for Tatay Gorio’s bibingka.

“Cooking is an intangible heritage that forms a big part of our identity—of what we are as Maloleños,” he avers.

Cultural promotion and heritage preservation are two valuable responsibilities that all of us should take to task; not only because these two are upheld by the Constitution, but also because through these two “we build nationalism, nurture patriotism, and promote human liberation and development.”

LCUP—A Center for Gastronomic Arts. While guests marvel at the tidbits of Malolos culinary history and heritage during the awarding ceremonies hosted by CITHM Dean Rossette C Tanwangco, this semester’s batch of graduating Culinary Arts students treated family, friends, and guests to a cornucopia of unique concoctions that make up their Japanese philosophy-inspired multicourse taster’s feast.

PH, NZ Sign Amendment on Geothermal Energy Cooperation

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Philippines and New Zealand signed an amendment on their arrangement on geothermal energy cooperation.

Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi and New Zealand Ambassador to the Philippines David Strachan signed the amendment on Tuesday (November 14, 2017) at the New World Hotel in the presence of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern as witness.

The signing of the amendment extended the arrangement signed on October 2012 until October 2020.

The amendment aims to further strengthen and enhance the cooperation between the two countries on geothermal energy cooperation through government-level collaboration and the facilitation of private sector activities.

The amendment also provides for the continuous exchange of experiences and technical assistance in the field of geothermal energy exploration, development and utilization through capacity building and share of information, knowledge and current trends on geothermal energy.

The signing ceremony is part of the ASEAN Summit hosted by the Philippines.

Squad Goals for World AIDS Day

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Dubbed as #LoveSquad, LoveYourself encourages interested groups and individuals, who are seeking life-saving medical intervention like HIV screening, to register at go.loveyourself.ph/lovesquad.

LoveYourself Executive Director Ronivin G. Pagtakhan said “We are getting more aggressive in our strategies to reach the untapped populations for HIV screening, education and other interventions.”

Pagtakhan pointed out, “The incidences of HIV infection already reached 30 individuals per day according to latest DOH data, and that is something we want to see reversing the soonest.”

“This HIV screening day will serve both groups and individuals, and we promise, as always, to ensure utmost confidentiality and promptness of procedure to best protect and serve our clients,” Pagtakhan underlined.

#LoveSquad is completely anonymous because only a code and contact information are given. It eliminates the filling out of lengthy identification forms leading to reduced screening period and increased efficiency.

Relatively, #LoveSquad will be using 3rd generation rapid test kits that only a small pinprick and drop of blood will be needed. Thus, the waiting time of the results will only take 15-20 minutes from the time of pricking.

Over the course of the HIV screening, #LoveSquad counselors will also provide information on safer sex practices to lower the risk of contracting the virus, and an explanation on the test results.

Groups and individuals who will sign up at go.loveyourself.ph/lovesquad will just need to arrive on the said testing venue between 10:00 a.m. -7:00 p.m. to avail of the free, anonymous, and fast community-based HIV screening.

The #LoveSquad is also LoveYourself’s contribution to the commemoration of World AIDS Day, apart from its major participation in holding the first Love Gala -the Asia’s Premier and Awards event which entails the pioneer Ripple Awards for outstanding HIV and AIDS movers in the Philippines and Asia.

#LoveSquad is supported by DOH- Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc., Blued, Victoria Court, and Save the Children.

For more details on LoveYourself’s services, individuals may visit the group’s official website at www.loveyourself.ph or follow and like its social media channels: Facebook- @loveyourself.ph, Twitter- @loveyourselfph, and Instagram- @loveyourself.ph.

DOTr Update on Maria Isabel Lopez

A summon has already been issued by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to Ms. Lopez yesterday, 12 November 2017, for committing the following violations:

1. Disregarding traffic signs

2. Violation of the Anti Distracted Driving Act

3. Reckless driving

LTO Chief Edgar Galvante says that proper investigation procedures will be observed, and that LTO shall ensure that their decision will be anchored on the truth, and adherence to the rule of law.

No Plans by RM De Leon

Archivo 1984

Pasillo 18

2241 La Fuerza Compound 1

Chino Roces, Makati City

Archivo 1984 proudly presents "No Plans", a solo exhibition by RM De Leon featuring his new paintings which runs until 28 November 2017. The exhibition takes a direction of randomness from which no specific visual agenda or narrative is imposed. Here, discontinued or unseen permutations archived through the years are repurposed, only stopping when the composition has achieved a sense of formal elegance. The outputs have resulted in vibrantly humorous paintings, which embody an unexpected order amidst the offbeat. All this manifests a playful irony, as seen in found images reworked with blotted lines, and repetitious stamp-like figures.

De Leon’s practice has often tackled established formal standards of painting and image-making. He explores the possibilities of crossbreeding painterly acts and graphic design sensibilities. Pop culture images, the cartoonish and kitsch, and even the banal are processed with a seemingly personalized Warholian approach. De Leon presented just that in his first solo exhibition at Archivo 1984: “Dust Drawings and Other Works” (2015), which showcased a survey of several early period pieces. These were produced under the mentorship of Roberto Chabet in the 1980s, combined with recent works based on rudimentary images he has collected overtime. In his practice, De Leom has mastered the cancellation of the obvious; the result is an amalgamation of images that straddle the boundaries between representation and abstraction; painting and graphic design. He creates works that seemingly embody the contemporary nature and obscurity of the overwhelming bombardment of fleeting images in today’s technological armageddon.

RM De Leon finished a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts, Major in Painting at the University of the Philippines in 1984.  With an artistic practice that spans almost three decades, his work has been exhibited in numerous solo exhibition and group shows both in the Philippines and abroad. An accomplished artist, De Leon was one of the recipients of the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Thirteen Artists Awards in 1990. He was the first Filipino awardee of the Vermont Studio Center, Studio Arts Program for Painting. He is currently an art professor at the De La Salle-College of St. Benilde.

ASEAN CSOs March Against Human Rights Abuses and Inequitable Development

Heads of State are demanded to put social dimension to regional integration   

On the first day of the 31st ASEAN Summit Heads of State, hundreds of representatives of civil society and social movements across Southeast Asia participating in the parallel ASEAN Civil Society Conference/ASEAN Peoples’ Forum marched to the People Power Monument today to protest the human rights atrocities, breakdown of the rule of law and unjust and inequitable economic policies in the region. They pushed for transformative changes in the ASEAN and demanded for a social dimension in the ASEAN economic integration.

Srey Sotheavy, Executive Director of the Alliance for Conflict Transformation Organization in Cambodia pointed out the need to review the non-interference policy of the ASEAN, which she says “has served as an excuse for ASEAN governments to remain silent on human rights violations of authoritarian governments.”

“The ASEAN virtually condone these brutal acts as they hide behind the shield of ‘non-interference,” said Jelen Paclarin, Chair of the ACSC/APF Regional Steering Committee.

Paclarin saw the “crucial need to reform ASEAN's decision-making processes” as she noted that “the non-interference policy blocks ASEAN to seriously address issues on the ground."

“ASEAN must respond to and act on the various human rights violations in the region,” said Sunsanee Sutthisunsanee of Pro-Rights Foundation in Thailand. She also stressed that the ASEAN must engage more with the people and civil society.  

“When it comes to decision-making, ASEAN should consult with the people and civil society before adopting a treaty or an instrument because this impacts on the people.” She emphasized the need for the “participation of peoples in the monitoring of the implementation of the ASEAN blueprint.”

Meanwhile, Soe Min Than of Singapore, who is among the organizers and host of next year’s ACSC/APF in Singapore said they “envision a region where all stakeholders can openly engage and work on the issue of human rights and social concerns to allow greater collaboration, better and more sustainable solutions.”

He said the ASEAN member states’ current emphasis on the ASEAN Economic Community “does not include issues which affect marginalized communities and groups to ensure that they are not left behind.” According to him, the ASEAN ‘”should ensure that policies are grounded in regular consultation with all stakeholders to push towards greater economic prosperity.”

Jane Aileen of  Indonesia Legal Aid Foundproation (YLBHI) hopes to see an ASEAN that “embraces everyone without any discrimination,  preserves the culture and local languages, protects  the environment  and empowers people.”

Yasinta Lujina of Timor Leste hopes her country becomes a member of ASEAN. She said she envisions “an ASEAN that respects human rights, human dignity and the contribution of peoples organizations and their indispensable participation.” She further said that the “ASEAN should be a region that is safe for everyone.”

The march rally concludes the four-day ASEAN Civil Society Conference/ASEAN Peoples Forum that brought together people’s organizations, social movements and NGOs of youth,  children, women, workers, older people, indigenous groups, persons with disabilities, LGBTIQ and other sectors, including academics from the ten (10) ASEAN countries plus East Timor. The delegates substantially discussed issues on human rights and access to justice, corporate greed and power, labor mobility and mixed migration, decent work,transformative social protection and life of dignity for all, peace and human security.

The delegates vowed to forge stronger alliances, continuously engage the ASEAN and push for alternative regionalism and practices.

Award-Winning Agencies Mount Campaign for Love Gala

Creative experts from the advertising industry come together to produce a video campaign for the Love Gala, Asia's premier charity and awards event to be held this Dec. 01, World AIDS Day.

The video campaign, dubbed as Celebrate Love (http://bit.ly/CelebrateLoveFB), is a collaborative project of Black Maria Productions and Dentsu JaymeSyfu. It is a call for love and solidarity, with a fresh take on the old adage: "Love is all you need."

The one-and-a-half-minute video, directed by Black Maria Productions' Michael Manalastas, celebrates love in all shapes and forms, and features dedicated advocates and passionate influencers doing their part in ending HIV and AIDS in the country.

According to the June 2017 HIV/AIDS and ART Registry of the Philippines (HARP) report, there are now an average of 30 new cases of HIV infections per day in the country. Males who have sex with males (MSM) and the youth from ages 15 to 24 are the most vulnerable segments of the population.

Manalastas shared, “I feel proud to have contributed to the Love Gala campaign, as the cause of HIV awareness and education is close to my heart.”







“Shooting the teaser required us to work with both seasoned professionals and enthusiastic but totally inexperienced volunteers. What was great about all this was that everyone, no matter the level of experience, came together to achieve one singular goal,” said Manalastas about filming the advocacy video.

He added, “I'm looking forward to seeing how love is celebrated by everyone within our community and without. I know that the Love Gala will touch many people's lives in the same way it touched mine.”

For her part, Gabbie Santiago, Group Account Director at Dentsu JaymeSyfu said, “Seeing as HIV and AIDS can affect everyone regardless of age, gender, or social class, it was important for us to send a message that is inclusive.”

“We decided to go back to the basics by thinking of the many ways we express love as human beings. Our relationships, our passions, our tastes, our desires, our quirks—they all shape who we are. These are also the kinds of things that inspire us to do more and reach out,” Santiago pointed out.

According to Santiago, it is already a huge milestone that people with various interests and political views, in different fields and social circles, have come together for an important cause like the rise of HIV in the Philippines and inspire the public to sign up for an HIV test or to advocate safe sex practices.

The Faces of Love can be viewed online on the Love Gala’s official Youtube channel (http://bit.ly/CelebrateLoveVid).

The Love Gala organization believes that “as we continue the fight against the HIV pandemic in the Philippines, the video reminds us that love can be our greatest weapon.”

ACSC/ASEAN Peoples’ Forum Criticize ASEAN’s Exclusivist Character, Shrinking Civic Space; Calls for Alternative Regionalism

The ASEAN Civil Society Conference/ ASEAN People’s Forum 2017 pinpointed today ASEAN’s characteristic exclusion of marginalized peoples and underprivileged sectors since the regional organisation’s inception 50 years ago and called for an alternative regionalism that puts utmost premium to peoples’ rights and concerns in development programs and regional integration.

Jelen Paclarin, Chair of the ACSC/APF Regional Steering Committee, deplored the shrinking civic space given to civil society and peoples’ organizations in ASEAN processes and mechanisms.

“Since the start of this year, the ACSC/APF has been persistently seeking dialogues, interactions and engagements with ASEAN leaders in order to bring to their attention key issues faced by the peoples of Southeast Asia and develop alternatives that address social injustices. However, these have virtually fallen on deaf ears as ASEAN Heads of States and Ministers give least priority to our proposals and initiatives. They do not even give time to meet and discuss with us,” she said.

Paclarin explained that among the reasons they organized a Town Hall meeting entitled “Addressing Shrinking Civic Space in Southeast Asia” in the ACSC/APF activities today was precisely to raise the issue of limited CSO participation in the ASEAN. A town hall meeting is designed to be a venue for civil society, parliamentarians and government representatives to learn from one another on key democracy and human rights issues in the region.

“We organized our own gathering expecting that ASEAN leaders would come upon our invitation and fully listen to peoples’ voices and concerns. Unfortunately, ASEAN leaders chose to grant only token representation by sending ASEAN representatives to our meeting, who are not in positions of significant influence although they may be committed in engaging the people.”

The ACSC/APF further said that over the past 50 years, “the ASEAN and its member-states have generally ignored the plight and demands of farmers, fisherfolk, workers, women, indigenous groups, youth and children, persons with disabilities, and LGBTIQ.”

The ASEAN civil society network said these sectors have historically been excluded in the ASEAN’s development targets as governments pursue pro-trade liberalization policies that are damaging to peoples’ livelihoods and jobs and further worsen inequalities.

"While we persist in our engagements with ASEAN, we are also building and developing an alternative Southeast Asian regional integration based on alternative practices on the ground among communities and social movements,” said Dr. Ed Tadem, co-convenor of the ACSC/APF Philippine National Organizing Committee. “We also want to ensure a social dimension to the ASEAN, create a Social ASEAN that fulfils the rights of people and guarantees social protection, decent work and essential services, especially healthcare, for all.”

“This framework challenges the neo-liberal model of development and links local practices in the ASEAN’s economic, political, and socio-cultural dimensions along the principles of cooperation, solidarity, mutual benefit, the commons, and joint development," he added.

Paclarin further pointed out that “under the existing ASEAN integration, many remain vulnerable to greater risks, particularly women migrant workers who are mostly in low-skilled sectors and in the informal economy.”

Paclarin said the ASEAN integration has failed to recognize the social cost of migration, particularly the impact on families and children left behind. She stressed the urgent need for the ASEAN to adopt the instrument on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of All Migrant Workers immediately to protect the workers and their families.

On the second day of the ASCS/APF at the UP Diliman campus, over 1000 delegates gathered to discuss in plenary and workshop groups critical issues concerning the ASEAN, such as pursuing a social dimension in regional integration towards a life of dignity for all, impact of corporate greed and power, human rights and access to justice, and labor mobility and mixed migration.

The conference will continue until November 14 as participating people’s organizations, social movements and NGOs, and academics from the ten (10) ASEAN countries plus East Timor substantially tackle issues and firm up unities in their continued engagements with the ASEAN.

Etihad Airways Marks Opening of Louvre Abu Dhabi with Spectacular A380 Fly-By

‘From Abu Dhabi to the World’ - Airline celebrates capital’s new architectural wonder

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – Hundreds of visitors from around the world, attending yesterday’s official public opening celebrations of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, were treated to a low-level fly-by of the Jean Nouvel designed museum by one of Etihad Airways’ flagship Airbus A380 aircraft.

Sporting the airline’s ‘Facets of Abu Dhabi’ livery, the aircraft chosen for the display now also features Louvre Abu Dhabi’s official logo on each of its four engines, to promote the opening of the institution.

Etihad Airways also took the opportunity to capture a series of spectacular images from the fly-by, and commissioned a short video directed by up-and-coming Emirati director, Ahmed Abdulqader, shot from the flight deck of the aircraft and from within Louvre Abu Dhabi, to celebrate the historic occasion. Two specially equipped helicopters were also positioned above the capital to capture air-to-air filming of the aircraft as it flew over the museum, located in the UAE capital’s Saadiyat Cultural District.

Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways Chief Executive Officer, said: “Echoing the sentiments from the signing of our landmark partnership agreement with Louvre Abu Dhabi last month, Etihad Airways is today honoured to play its part in the inauguration of this hugely important universal institution.

“Abu Dhabi can now proudly take its place among the world’s foremost cultural destinations, and we, as the UAE’s national airline, are poised to play our part in bringing millions of guests to our home to experience this modern wonder of art and humanity first-hand.”

The Etihad Airways Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 fleets feature multi award-winning interiors influenced by Abu Dhabi’s architecture and landscape. These include ceiling designs and light projections in the boarding zones, Lobby Lounge, First Class and The Residence cabins of the A380s, and stylised sconce lighting in the Business Studios of both aircraft types - all inspired by Louvre Abu Dhabi’s spectacular dome and its ‘Rain of Light’ effect, mimicking the way sunlight streams through the fronds of palm trees in a desert oasis.

Etihad Airways is the Louvre Abu Dhabi’s official airline partner, having signed the first exclusive platinum partnership in October.

As a Platinum partner, Etihad Airways will work closely with Louvre Abu Dhabi on areas of brand partnership, marketing, social media, public and media relations, events and exhibitions, cultural exchanges, cargo support, inflight programming, and travel trade support. Etihad Airways’ destination management company, Hala, will collaborate with the museum on bespoke tour packages in Abu Dhabi.

To coincide with the opening of Louvre Abu Dhabi, Etihad Holidays, the airline’s holiday division, is launching a set of all-inclusive destination packages which showcase the many varied attractions of Abu Dhabi and which feature the museum prominently.


COVER PHOTO: An Etihad Airways Airbus A380 conducts a low-level fly-by of the new Louvre Abu Dhabi