American Idol Set to Return to Asia, First on Sony Channel

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Global Music Sensations Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan Take the Judges’ Hot Seats

American Idol, the iconic, genre-defining music reality series, returns to Asia at its new home on Sony Channel on Monday, March 12. Featuring superstar judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan, the season will take viewers on a mesmerizing musical journey to discover America’s next singing sensation. Emmy award-winning host and producer Ryan Seacrest will return as the host of the renowned series.

“American Idol is a series that truly revolutionized the TV landscape and pioneered the music competition genre. The sizzling new series makes its home on Sony Channel for the first time and is sure to captivate audiences across the region with its breadth of talent, musical variety and witty banter, courtesy of the three dynamic judges,” said Virginia Lim, Senior Vice President and Head of Content, Production and Marketing, Sony Pictures Television Networks Asia.

The nationwide search for the next superstar kicked off in August 2017, as the American Idol Bus travelled across the U.S.A covering 23 cities. Auditioning was made easier than ever as hopefuls also had the opportunity to submit audition videos online, as well as via select social platforms using an official tag #TheNextIdol, cultivating over 300,000 posts. Also, for the first time in American Idol history, hopefuls could audition through a live stream platform.

American Idol premieres on Sony Channel within 12-hours of its U.S. telecast on Monday, March 12 at 6:00pm. American Idol airs every Monday and Tuesday at 6.00pm, with same night encore at 9.45pm.

American Idol is produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment, a division of CORE Media Group. Executive producers include FremantleMedia North America’s Trish Kinane and Jennifer Mullin, along with co-executive Megan Wolflick.

Sony Channel is available on Cablelink Channel 39, Cignal Channel 120, Destiny Cable, Channel 35, G Sat Channel 48, and SKYCable Channel 35.

FamilyMart Gives You the Chance to Have a Fun-Filled Summer Getaway

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Summer is coming and it’s time for you to go on vacation mode. After working for so many hours, you deserve that break to relax and recharge. That’s why your go-to for daily essentials FamilyMart is giving you the chance to win awesome getaway packages where you get to bring along your barkada or family!

As the popular Japanese convenience store celebrates its 5th anniversary in the Philippines, FamilyMart is bringing you the 5x the Summer Fun Raffle Promo.

Get a chance to go on that dream #SQUADGOALS vacay, because the grand prize is a trip for four to Bali, Indonesia, which includes a 3-day, 2-night hotel stay and roundtrip airfare. One other lucky winner will receive the second prize of a trip for four to the beautiful island of Siargao.

Bali, Indonesia

Siargao

Siargao

Summer is also a great time to spend a chill #STAYCATION with the #FAMBAM. There will be one winner each of either a staycation package at Hotel H20 Manila with 4 passes to Manila Ocean Park, a luxurious stay at Nobu Hotel City of Dreams Manila plus 4 passes to DreamWorks entertainment playground DreamPlay, or a relaxing weekend at 5-star hotel resort Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila.

Hotel H2O

Nobu Hotel

Sofitel

Sofitel

Joining the raffle promo is easy. All you have to do is register for free via mobile by typing PFM Summer along with your name, complete address, email and send to 292-908. You’ll then receive a unique bCODE which you’ll scan at the counter every time you make a purchase. Registration is for one time only.

Get one entry for every purchase worth P80 in a single receipt. You can also double your chances of winning by purchasing major sponsor products to earn 4 bonus entries or minor sponsor products to get an additional 2 bonus entries. 

Don’t just daydream about alarm-clock free mornings or sunbathing at the beach, make it happen! Head on over to FamilyMart for your daily favorites and you might just win one memorable summer getaway.

Promo runs from March 15 to May 31. Per DTI-FTEB Permit No. 3663. Series of 2018.

For updates, exciting products, and awesome deals, like and follow FamilyMart Philippines on Facebook, @familymartph on Instagram, and @FamilyMartPH on Twitter. 

For store locations or more information on FamilyMart Philippines, log on to www.familymart.com.ph.

FamilyMart is the 2nd largest convenience store chain in the world with over 18,000 stores across Asia. In the Philippines, FamilyMart has branches in Makati, Fort Bonifacio, Quezon City, Mandaluyong, Pasig, Pasay, Alabang and Laguna.

Briones Underscores Importance of ICT in Teaching, Governance

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones underscored the importance of integrating Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in both teaching and governance for the delivery of quality, accessible, relevant, and liberating basic education for Filipino learners.

The Education chief noted this during the recently concluded National DepEd ICT Summit held from February 27 to 28 at The Blue Leaf Filipinas in Parañaque City, which was attended by around 700 ICT practitioners, leaders, policy-makers, achievers in ICT education, and other stakeholders nationwide.

Briones shared that through ICT, teachers may devise various teaching methods that will instill creativity and critical thinking in learners. She further conveyed her hopes for the time to come that schoolchildren will no longer be burdened to carry books in their backpacks because of ICT innovations.

“Ngayon napakarami nang technologies, napakarami nang gadgets, which make us do so many things and achieve so many goals and projects all at the same time… Kayang-kaya na nating mag-multi-task,” Briones stated.

Moreover, she highlighted how ICT can help fast-track the processes in the Department, “DepEd is a mammoth institution and with thousands of teaching and non-teaching personnel, technology may serve as an essential tool not just in teaching, but also in governance.”

“We’re going to overhaul the information system of the entire Department—the financial management system, accounting system, budget system, and all other processes,” Briones added.

Capacity building
To achieve these aspirations, the Secretary mentioned that teachers and non-teaching personnel handling concerns in ICT must undergo trainings, especially those who finished their education when technology was not as advanced as it is today.

“Malaking bagay ‘yung capacity building ngteachers and personnel. Kasi isipin ninyo, ‘yung Secretary, hindi masyadong marunong saICT eh… So even I, myself, have to upgrade my skills and knowledge in ICT,” Briones said.

Best projects
In the same Summit, the Department, through its ICT Service (ICTS), recognized and awarded innovations in utilizing ICT to effectively deliver teaching and learning, as well as provide efficient governance and operations, directly to learners, teachers, and other education stakeholders.

“We will also recognize best projects to reward those who innovate… Because after all, education is not just about memorizing facts, it's also about being creative, about finding solutions to problems, and it's about dealing, accepting, living and adjusting with change,” the Secretary pointed out.

The winners for the Best ICT Innovations for Teaching and Learning are Regions VII, XII (CARAGA), and IV-A (CALABARZON), while the winners for the Best ICT Innovations for Governance are Regions III, X, and VI.

Ways forward
Furthermore, Undersecretary for Administration Alain Del Pascua and ICTS Director Abram Abanil led the forum with all the Summit participants to gather insights and comments which will be used in the advancement of various ICT projects and programs.

“I don’t think we can survive without ICT. We will surely go back to the dark ages if we ignore ICT... We have to remember that ICT is primarily a tool which helps us in making decisions, in understanding the world that we live in, and in finding solutions,” Briones said.

“At the end of the day, it is still us—the users of technology—who are responsible for making things happen,” she concluded.

Reinventing Filipino Time

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Filipino time means being minutes to hours late compared to the standardtime. It's like having our own clock, albeit aware that the right time is the World Standard Time. In our defense, not all Filipinos are usually late. (Promise!)"

We'll be doing video interviews with executive peeps later tonight after office hours. This will be as promotional material for an upcoming big event happening soon at SMX MOA where Wazzup Pilipinas is a proud partner.

We're just hoping it doesn't rain or it will be traffic to the extreme. Of course, we don't want to be late since "Filipino Time" should be early or on time, and not 1 or 2 hours after :)

People are getting used to arriving late because events, meetings, gatherings, etc., rarely start on time. Something organizers should think about.

Reward or acknowledge the efforts of early birds so more people will emulate punctuality. Please don't encourage latecomers. You are unknowingly endorsing a negative trait among Filipinos, and showing a bad impression among foreigners.

Bad trip talaga when an events starts late because some or most attendees have not yet arrived.

When we were working for the United Nations, we always start on time because our boss was American. Everyone is already seated in the conference or meeting room at least 15 minutes before the scheduled meeting.

Imagine the culture difference witnessing our fellow Filipinos with a mindset "It won't start on time coz not everyone will be there on time" or "It's OK for me to be late because I won't be penalized anyway"

What's wrong with us? The only events we witnessed that started on time are those that were organized by foreigners, but when Filipinos are involved, you'll be sure they will go pass the scheduled start of event - 1 or 2 hours or even more. Then the actual event would be happening for only 30 minutes. Lol!

There are a lot of time and opportunities wasted just because we let late-comers, especially the ones with VIP feels, to get away with such irritable acts.

Once again, reward the early birds who know time is valuable. Make the late-comers realize they should change their ways.

For a better Philippines, let's always be early or on time!

Credits to the image owner.

Journo Shares Expertise in NSPC Facebook Twitter Google+ Share

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Following the success of the 2018 National Schools Press Conference (NSPC) held in Dumaguete City from February 19 to 23, the Department of Education (DepEd), through the Bureau of Curriculum Development (BCD), extended its gratitude to all who have contributed to the “Olympics of campus journalism.”

These include broadcast practitioners and journalists such as Steve Dailisan of GMA News and Public Affairs who authored and shared the comprehensive guidelines for TV script writing and broadcasting, which is one of the group contests for secondary level, as stipulated in DepEd Memorandum No. 200, s. 2017 and DepEd Memorandum No. 216, s. 2016.

The guidelines consist of a detailed depiction and simulation of actual television newscasts, which include the pre-production (news gathering), production proper (script writing, video editing, and broadcast presentation), and post-production (editing of taped as live newscast combined with reporters’ audio-visual (AV), remote AV package, and additional video requirements) processes.

Dailisan, likewise, shared a sample news story lineup, and provided the criteria for judging the best newscast including script writing, broadcast presentation, technical application, and overall impact.

A journalist who won in the New York Festival in 2014 and Japan Prize in 2013, Dailisan also helped DepEd in the same category in the 2017 NSPC held in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur.

Education Chief Adjusts 2016 A&E Test Cut-Off Score; Raises Examinees’ Hope in Life, Faith in ALS

Wazzup Pilipinas!

In the interest of fairness for out-of-school youth and adult (OSYA) learners whose hopes and dreams for better opportunities are anchored on the Alternative Learning System (ALS) program, Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones adjusted the passing score of the 2016 Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Test conducted last November 2017 from 75% to the generally accepted passing score of 60%.

The decision was made by the Education chief, in consultation with concerned officers and personnel of the Department, following a thorough evaluation of factors that contributed to the dismal result of the test, such as change in language of assessment, difference in design between the previous and the present tests, and length of time between intervention and conduct of test.

With the change in passing score, the passing rate jumped to 46.8% from 16.49% of the 15,845 elementary level examinees and to 62.08% from 15.58% of the 168,167 junior high school level examinees. 

The Division Testing Committee (DTC) of School Division Offices are, therefore, instructed to accommodate the November 2017 A&E takers who still did not reach the adjusted passing score as walk-in examinees on March 4 (Luzon) and 11 (Visayas and Mindanao) despite non-presentation of required documents (e.g. Certificate of Rating or COR). 

The same adjusted cut-off score shall be implemented, but only to the aforementioned tests.

DTCs shall prepare and facilitate the registration of these walk-in examinees at the testing center from 6:30 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. prior to the pre-test activities. Only the examinees who took the A&E Test last November 2017 but did not make it to the adjusted passing score and the learners who earlier registered for the March 2018 test are qualified to take the exam. 

Photocopying of answer sheets is allowed only for the March A&E Test administration to ensure that all qualified examinees will be able to take the test.

Moving forward, the Secretary has instructed concerned officers and personnel to conduct a comprehensive review of the A&E examination standards, including its alignment to the existing learning resources and instruction delivery. She also ordered the suspension of the provision in DepEd Order No. 55, series 2016 that sets 75% as the passing score until further notice.

ALS, as the administration’s flagship program, has the full commitment of the Secretary. True to the learners’ byword, “Sa ALS may pag-asa,” the Department continues to expand and intensify ALS projects and partnerships so that more OSYAs may be provided with options, either through skills training or higher education, to improve their lives and to contribute to nation-building.

Questions and concerns about the A&E Test may be addressed to the Bureau of Education Assessment (BEA) at (02) 631-2591 or (02) 631-2589, or at nelia.benito@deped.gov.ph.

The Globe Philippine Pro Gaming League 2018 Grand Finals

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Philippines' biggest multi-platform league this year reaches its climax

The Globe Philippine Pro Gaming League 2018 Grand Finals is heading to Glorietta 2 Activity Center on March 24-25, 2018 from 11:00AM to 10:00PM. MET continues its tradition of organizing the country’s biggest leagues as the grand finals of the Globe PPGL 2018 gathers the absolute best competitive gamers in the Philippines.

The Globe PPGL 2018 is dedicated to the hundreds of Filipino esports hopefuls that dream of making it to grandest of stages. The Pro Gaming League serves as the bridge for amateurs to reach the professional level and compete with top players to achieve their dreams of becoming full-fledged esports athletes.

The Dota 2 teams will be fighting for lion’s share of the 500,000 PHP prize pool while the Arena of Valor grand finals will be for the 200,000 PHP prize pool. The eight Tekken 7 finalists will be battling it out for the 100,000 PHP prize pool.

A total of three champions will be crowned after the 2-day event for Dota 2 (PC), Arena of Valor (Mobile), and Tekken 7 (Console). Budding esports professionals that hail from barangays all across the Philippines will gather at Glorietta 2 for a weekend full of exciting esports action.

Come celebrate the true Filipino spirit of esports in the grand final of the biggest Philippine tournament of 2018. Catch all of your favorite esports talents!

The event in Glorietta will also feature giveaways for all the lucky fans supporting the local teams, and a press conference area where bloggers and media personnel can get a chance to talk to the players and the teams. The event will also feature a Globe Booth on-site with activities, giveaways, and other Globe services.

MET continues its commitment to Filipino gamers by delivering a true Filipino League along with Globe Telecom, Mobile Esports Arena, and PlayBook Esports. Join as us we culminate the first season of the biggest league of the year at the Glorietta 2 Activity Center on March 24-25, 2018 from 11:00AM to 10:00PM. See you there!

Reviving Small Boat Sailing with Simple Boxy Boats

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Sailing has become so affordable and user-friendly it is drawing more Filipinos to join a growing international interest in taking up the hobby and sport that is virtually a perfect fit for the country’s archipelagic environment.

International and local collaboration of companies and individuals involved in sailing and boatbuilding, including Hyde Sails International a British company that makes sails for sailboats whose main factory is in Cebu, Duckworks Boatbuilder’s Supply of the U.S, Broadwater Marine of Australia., local boatbuilding materials suppliers such as Zamboply Marine plywood, Pioneer Epoxy and Polymer Products, Inc. has brought about the popularity of the Oz Goose sailboat, designed by Batangas-based Australian designer Michael Storer,  has broken down the myth that sailing is only for the rich.

This collaboration was brought about by the Philippine Home Boatbuilders Yacht Club or PHBYC, a group of boating enthusiasts that promote affordable boating and sailing through do-it-yourself wooden boats. 

So far, over  40 Oz Goose sailboats have been built in the three island groups of the Philippines from scratch using boat plans, built to order from authorized builders, and most of the produced during Family Boatbuilding Weekends (FBW), the signature event of PHBYC, wherein families or groups assemble an Oz Goose from a prefabricated kit.

The boxy looking boat is easy to build and sails well with 3 persons, but is best sailed with one or two people onboard, making it a great platform to learn how to sail. Its shape gives it a lot of stability and is empty of water when righted from a capsize, (To find out more when the next FBW would be, feel free to follow PHBYC’s facebook group page and the Open Goose Sailing Boat Group).

Long time sailing enthusiast, Peter Capotosto, Commodore of the Taal Lake Yacht Club said, “The cost to build 10 Oz Geese, is the same as the cost of bringing in two Olympic class sailboats (Laser dinghy) and surprisingly it performs just as well especially for new sailors. Without a doubt the Oz Goose has more bang for the buck.” Mr. Capotosto said.

The unique coming together of international and local boating experts and suppliers leading to the rising popularity of the Oz Goose class in the Philippines is unprecedented, And could be the hope for the future of Dinghy sailing here, According to Mr. Capotosto; “We organize monthly races at TLYC and the increased participation of old an new sailors in the Oz Goose class has increased exponentially after we had an FBW there last month” Mr. Capotosto added.

Sailing clubs around the world are trying to emulate what PHBYC has done to revive interest in small boat sailing. According to boat designer Michael Storer:  “We still have a long way to go to get mainstream interest in small boat sailing in the Philippines, but PHBYC is making progress, schools have expressed their interest having sailing as a varsity sport and our maritime academies that produce sailors that know little about sailing are beginning to appreciate how small boat sailing and boatbuilding can significantly add to the seamanship knowhow of their cadets.”

The Oz Goose is made from 5 or 6mm marine grade plywood, and lumber, assembled with epoxy. While the sails that move the boat can be made by the builder from materials like polytarp or tyvek, professionally made dacron sails can also be purchased locally from dealers such as Las Pinas based Monsoon Marine.


Please check Wazzup Pilipinas Facebook fan page for more photos.

Safety on the Water
Anyone can learn how to sail, and PHBYC has always been an advocate of safety on the water by wearing a personal flotation device (PFD) being responsible and respectful to the environment and advising people when to expect you back when going on extended boating trips.

About PHBYC
The Philippine Home Boatbuilders Yacht Club (PHBYC) is a local community sailors, boaters and amateur and professional boatbuilders that help people get into boating and sailing economically through boatbuilding. Plans for building all kinds of boats are available online and the materials to build them are readily available locally. Established in 2006 PHBYC helps its members by giving advice on sourcing materials and boatbuilding techniques, all they ask in return is for people to pay forward what they’ve learned to help grow the fleet of homebuilt boats.

Contributed By: Roy Espiritu /PHBYC

Conquer Big Days with Berocca!

Wazzup Pilipinas!

A fast-paced lifestyle is often filled with physically exhausting and mentally-draining activities. For spirited men and women, Big Days can mean the challenges they go through every single day – the rush hour traffic in the morning, beating deadlines and targets at work, while having enough energy to go to the gym or go out with friends after!  And a great way to conquer big days is with BEROCCA everyday!

Celebrities Kim Chiu and Paulo Avelino, like many of us today, also lead very active lifestyles.  For them, every day is a Big Day, each with their varied commitments aside from very demanding production schedules for TV shows and movies.  Kim also does Muay Thai and trains for triathlons, as well as helps out with their family business, and still goes out for occasional trips abroad with family and friends.  Paulo on the other hand has a passion for riding motorbikes, works out to maintain his physique, all while making sure to have time for date nights.  The two have enough energy to keep a healthy balance of work and “me” time with the help of Berocca.

That’s because the Vitamin B-complex in Berocca helps release the energy from the food we eat, and we need to replenish especially when doing physical challenges or even when under emotional stress.  Berocca’s combination is unique because aside from Vitamin B-complex, it also has vitamin C plus calcium, magnesium and zinc that is clinically proven to give increased physical energy and mental sharpness to help you conquer Big Days.
And now, for only P22.50 SRP, the new Berocca singles pack can help give you the extra energy and mental alertness that can beat deadlines and juggle schedules.  Grab it now in all major drugstores nationwide!

Once you’ve tried it, share your experience on how you Conquer Big Days to get a chance to win an exciting day with celebrity endorsers Kim Chiu and Paulo Avelino as they go about conquering their Big Day, and also appear with them in Umagang Kay Ganda in May. Three (3) weekly winners will also be selected, based on who visualized “Big Days” in a great way, and will win a “barkada” adventure package, starting April 1, 2018.

To join, simply make a public social media post (Facebook, Instagram) from March 1 to April 20, 2018, on how you Conquer Big Days and include the hashtags #BeroccaPH and #ConquerBigDays.  Winners will be notified via private message to their social media account.  They will have 48 hours to respond.  In case there is no response from the winner within 48 hours, the Berocca Team will choose another winner.

So be bold enough and share how you #ConquerBigDays with #BeroccaPH online to win these exciting prizes!

Conquer Big Days with Berocca!

For more information, find Berocca on Facebook (www.facebook.com/BeroccaPh) and on Instagram (@BeroccaPh).
Check out and share the Berocca experience with the hashtags #BeroccaPH and #ConquerBigDays.

Multivitamins and Minerals is the generic name of Berocca Performance.
Per DOH-FDA-CDRR Permit No. 052 s. 2018

Education Chief Highlights Need to Contemporize Culture, Arts with Sci-Tech

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones recently emphasized the importance of contemporizing culture and the arts with science and technology to further advance the educational system in the country.

The Education chief noted this during the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Philippine World Heritage Sites Mobile Exhibition last February 26 at the Bulwagan ng Karunungan, DepEd Central Office in Pasig City.

“If we only concentrate in catching up with science and technology, but forget about our history, culture and the arts, then where will we get our soul? Our soul as Filipinos come from those and these make us distinct and different from other ASEAN member-countries, even as we have strong similarities,” Briones said.

She further mentioned that the arts and design, and sports tracks under the K to 12 curriculum are equally important as the mainstream academic and technical-vocational-livelihood tracks.

“We have to make them aware that it pays to be a writer, a dancer, a designer; it pays to be in ‘art.’ And it also even pays to be a boxer,” she added.

Mobile exhibitions
Briones conveyed her gratitude to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCAA), which provided the Department with four mobile exhibits to be used in promoting awareness on ASEAN and the Philippine World Heritage Sites.

“We look forward to showing and sharing these exhibits to different regions, especially to places where these exhibits will be most informative and will bring greater awareness. But we should not limit ourselves only to the urban centers but in many other schools, which we are not even aware of and in areas where there are continuous challenges to our identity,” Briones stated.

“We see these exhibits as one of the windows of the world for ASEAN through fascinating in diverse cultures to our friends in Asia, who share many similarities to our own culture and at the same time offer many, cultural places that are uniquely their own,” DepEd-International Cooperation Office (ICO) Director Margarita Consolacion Ballesteros said.

The mobile exhibition panels include: Southeast Asian Art and Culture (ideas, forms, and societies); Foodlore and Flavors (inside Southeast Asian Kitchen); Celebrating the Source (water festivities of Southeast Asia); and Living Landscapes and Cultural Landmarks (World Heritage Sites in the Philippines).

The exhibit is open for viewing to all DepEd employees, students, and the general public at the Bulwagan ng Karunugan, DepEd-CO until March 9, Friday, and will be toured to the 17 DepEd Regional Offices, and selected Division Offices and schools within the year. During the exhibit tour, 53,265 ASEAN Primers, given by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), will be distributed to students. Moreover, 150,000 printed copies of the ASEAN Charter, given by the DFA as well and translated in Filipino, Cebuano, and Ilokano, will be distributed.

“The Philippines can be proud of the diversity and wealth of our culture molded through the centuries by the many influences that have touched our lives, which gave us a nation with unique culture identity,” Ballesteros concluded.