President Duterte, DOTr Inaugurate New World-Class Terminal in Mactan

Wazzup Pilipinas!

“This is the the most beautiful airport in the country today.”

This was the reaction of President Rodrigo Duterte as he led the inauguration of the new terminal at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) today. 

“Alam ko ang kapasidad ni Art [Tugade]. Bilyonaryo ito. He is a very good planner. He is the valedictorian of our class, kaya alam ko talaga kapasidad nito. Art has my respect and I congratulate him, and his partner [GMR Megawide], for making this project,” President Duterte added.

Department of Transportation Secretary Tugade was likewise pleased with the project, which is part of the “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program of the administration.

“Napakaganda ng terminal na ito. Ganito ang mga tinataguyod nating proyekto para sa publiko. Gusto natin world-class, at gusto natin mabilis ang trabaho,” said Tugade.

When the Duterte administration took over in mid-2016, the terminal was at 16% completion rate. GMR-Megawide was also originally given a one-year extension to finish the project following an 11-month delay due to land issues. However, Secretary Tugade’s directive was to fast-track construction, and the terminal was delivered in three years, instead of four.

Starting 01 July 2018, the new terminal building will start commercial operations and cater to international flights, while the existing Terminal 1 (T1) building will handle domestic flights.

As the premiere gateway to the Visayas and Southern Philippines, the MCIA is the second largest airport and one of the busiest airports in the Philippines. With a total of 25 international destinations, 30 domestic destinations, and with 26 partner airline carriers, the MCIA has become a viable choice connecting Cebu to the rest of the Philippines and to the rest of the world.

The inauguration was also witnessed by key cabinet members, members of Congress, local government officials, executives from the private partner GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC), and airline executives.

Philippine Intercollegiate Debating Championship

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Philippine Intercollegiate Debating Championship (PIDC) is back on its 17th year, daring over 200 young debaters and adjudicators to #TakeTheLead in critical thinking through quality discourse. There will also be a forum featuring 24th Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno and Senator Paulo Benigno “Bam” Aquino III to enrich this one-of-a-kind experience! #PIDC2018!

For the social media accounts: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialpidc/

Twittter: https://twitter.com/pidconline?lang=en

BDO Private Bank Opens 8th Customer Lounge

Wazzup Pilipinas!

BDO Private Bank has opened the doors to its eighth lounge, another warm and welcoming venue for valued clients to explore opportunities for enhancing and preserving their wealth. 

Located at the 47th floor of the BDO Corporate Center Ortigas, the new lounge is the Bank’s sixth lounge in Metro Manila. The other two are in Cebu and Davao. 

In photo: Directors Johnip G. Cua and Violeta O. LuYm (second and third from left) graced the ribbon-cutting, joining Juan Sabino P. Lizares (Head of the Wealth Advisory & Trust Group, leftmost), and from right, Stella L. Cabalatungan (Head of the Relationship Management Group), Cheryll B. Gavino (Head of the Ortigas Lounge), and Albert S. Yeo (President of BDO Private Bank).

Horizon Land Launches Final Phase of Florida Sun Estates

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Horizon Land, a subsidiary of prime real estate developer, Federal Land, Inc. recently launched the final phase of Florida Sun Estates, a master-planned integrated community in General Trias Cavite, featuring a mix of clustered house and lots, low-rise residential buildings, as well as a commercial complex.

Considered as the sunshine state of Cavite, Florida Sun Estates is inspired by the scenic coastal state of Florida USA, known as the land of endless summer, where fun and communing with nature is a way of life. 

A similar sunny and tropical vibe is nurtured in Florida Sun Estates, more so in the new Orlando phase, a 29,788 sqm development comprised of 161 house and lots, plus resort-inspired amenities and open spaces. Florida Sun Estates offers three type of housing units – the 131 sqm 2-storey single detached unit, Madison; the 126 sqm 2-storey single attached unit, Lauren, and the  86 sqm Bungalow unit, Holly.

This charming Southern community harmonizes rural and urban living, offering residents a peaceful neighborhood that is close to educational and medical facilities as well as commercial, economic and industrial hubs.  Within Florida Sun Estates lies The Plaza, a commercial complex that houses shops, restaurants, recreational spaces, including a transport terminal. 

With all these conveniences, Florida Sun Estates is an ideal community for families who prefer a less-stressful environment and more laid-back lifestyle.  To know more about Florida Sun Estates, visit https://federalland.ph/properties/florida-sun-estates/.

BGC Revs Up Father’s Day with ‘Wheels, Tech, & Grills’

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Bonifacio Global City pulled out all the stops to give dads a super-charged Father’s Day Weekend with “Wheels, Tech, and Grills.”

Returning to Bonifacio High Street for the third time on June 16 and 17, the event will showcase what dads love – handsome cars, cool gadgets, great grub, and more! Bonifacio High Street is the place to treat the #1 man in the house to a well-deserved break!

“BGC teamed up with different groups this year -- ranging from auto, tech, retail, and food to bring a bigger and brighter Father’s Day celebration. Whatever dad’s personality is, he’ll definitely find something interesting to explore at the whole stretch of Bonifacio High Street together with the whole family. It’s our treat for all the dads out there!” says Sean Luarca, Marketing and Community Relations Manager of BGC.

Part of Bonifacio High Street will transform into a car haven of the newest and hottest lineup of automobiles from renowned makers like Bentley, Mercedes Benz, and Harley Davidson, plus rare classics from global car brands. Dads can rub elbows with other car enthusiasts, join a car club, or take part in a die-cast car swap meet led by Diecast PH.

Tech-savvy dads will enjoy exploring a wide collection of gadgets ─ from the latest PCs and laptops to virtual reality/augmented reality gears and cameras. They can also take part in Bosch’s workshop on using the newest power tools at the DIY corner. Dads can try out some of the most popular video games from Sony Play Station and other gaming devices, courtesy of DataBlitz and Summit Media.

Style-conscious dads can score great finds in a new offering this year dubbed as “Market Meet Up.” Check out accessories, and other fancy items from Urban Traveler, Gouache Bags, Pacaro Leather, and many more! Visit a lineup of food pop-ups for yummy grub and cold bottles of beer, as well.

It’s also the time for dads to catch up with their squad-- play a game of hoops or join the quiz night courtesy of Top Gear Philippines. Before the day ends, relax and enjoy the music of top

local acts Franco and True Faith (June 16) as well as Quest, Rouge Band, Johnoy Danao, and Leanne and Naara (June 17) in a free live concert from 7pm onwards at the Bonifacio High Street Amphitheater.

Gear up and bring the whole family to BGC on Father’s Day Weekend! “Wheels, Tech, and Grills” is open to the public for free from 11am to 11pm. To know more, visit BGC’s official Facebook pages at www.facebook.com/bonifacioglobalcityph and www.facebook.com/BoniHighStreet/.

New World-class Terminal at Mactan-Cebu International Airport Ready for Inauguration

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Envisioned as the world’s friendliest resort airport, the Mactan-Cebu International Airport’s (MCIA) Terminal 2 (T2) building is set to be inaugurated today, 07 June 2018.

The inauguration will be led by President Rodrigo Duterte, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade, key cabinet members, senators, congressmen, and executives from the private partner, GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC).

Construction of the new terminal building officially started in June 2015, with the aim of reducing airport congestion and increasing the airport’s annual passenger capacity from 4.5 million passengers per year to 12.2 million. 

“It was our job to make sure that construction will be completed by June 2018 as stated in the contract, and that’s what we did, and that’s why we are here. No delays, no corruption,” said Secretary Tugade.

The new terminal was designed in collaboration with world-class Cebuano and Filipino artists, as well as international design and architectural firms, with the aim to provide a welcoming ambiance that is distinctly Filipino.

With a floor area of 65,000 square meters, twice more than the 27,000 minimum floor area in the concession agreement, the new terminal is designed to increase the airport’s total handling capacity. 

Part of the “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program, the MCIA Terminal 2 will start commercial operations on July 1. The new terminal will cater to international flights, while the existing Terminal 1 will handle domestic flights.

The MCIA is the second largest airport and one of the busiest airports in the Philippines. As the premiere gateway to the Visayas and Southern Philippines, it is currently handling an estimated of 5.9 million passengers per year, which is beyond its capacity of 4.5 million passengers per year.

Top CSR Leaders Share Insights on Transformational Change in Building A Shared Future For Inclusive Growth at The International CSR Summit 2018

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Themed “Building A Shared Future”, The International CSR Summit 2018 was organized by Enterprise Asia, Asia's leading association for Responsible Entrepreneurship to help prepare businesses to build and secure a “Shared Future” by combating urgent issues threatening people and planet. At the summit, world reknowned thought leaders and CSR practitioners came together to define an agenda that catalyses inclusive growth and drives multi-collaborations to address the challenges of our time. 

When small sustainable impacts are no longer enough, leaders must deliver real and powerful impact and solutions to meet Sustainable Development Goals, identify the areas and impacts of the business that needs transformational change.

“Organizations have a powerful role to play in all these, we must develop new models for collaboration and collectively tackle complex sustainability challenges of our times. It is time to step up and take responsibility for sustainability, to create a sustainable future for society as whole” says Dato’ William Ng, President of Enterprise Asia.

Speakers of the summit include Dr. Eugene Chien, former Minister of Environment and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan, Republic of China, and Advisor to Enterprise Asia; Cheryl Maley, President and Managing Director of Novartis Philippines; Laetitia Lienart, Vice President of  Corporate Citizenship APAC of Credit Suisse; Jun de Dios, President Director of Akzo Nobel, Titon Mitra from UNDP, Dr. Niven Huang, Regional Leader of KPMG Sustainability Services Asia Pacific; Maricel Aguilar from UN WOMEN Philippines and Leo M. Herrera-Lim, Chairman, ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR); to name a few.

Cheryl Maley, President and Managing Director of Novartis told the audience that comprehensive transformational change is needed for long-term sustainable impact, and Laetitia Lienart, VP Corporate Citizenship from Credit Suisse presented on turning competitors into collaborators while Leo Herrera-Lim spoke on human rights and inclusiveness in businesses.

ICS 2018 Manila was made possible through the support of its Title Sponsor Universal Harvester, Inc. truly embodying what CSR events and programs stand for. Universal Harvester safeguards the interest and welfare of the farmers by offering the best quality fertilizers at the most reasonable cost, and to help to assist farmers in keeping abreast with the latest technology for maximum yield.

Benilde Alumni Get FAMAS Nods

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Two short films made by graduates of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Digital Filmmaking program (BenildeFilm) are nominated in the 66th FAMAS Gabi ng Parangal to be held on June 10, Sunday, at the Theatre at Solaire.

This is the first time that the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences is honoring the year’s best works in the short film and documentary categories.

Carl Chavez‘s Sorry for the Inconvenience and Carlo Fajarda‘s Suerte will vie for the “historic” Best Short Film award along with fellow nominees Aliens Ata by Glenn Barit, Babylon by Keith Deligero, Dory by Beverly Ramos, Engkwento by Ryan Machado, Gikan sa Ngitngit Nga Kinailadman by Kiri Dalena, Hilom by P. R. Patindol, Link by Mike Esteves and Si Astri Maka Si Tambulah by Xeph Suarez.

In Sorry for the Inconvenience, a timid teenager named Joshua (Ronwaldo Martin) comes home one night after beaten up by the school’s bully. With revenge on his mind, the teenager decides to take matters into his own hands. When things don’t go as planned, he is left with no choice but to seek help from his policeman father (Simon Ibarra). Cherry Malvar and Luis Ruiz also provide support.

The film bagged the Best Short Film award at the Cinema One Originals 2017 last November. It also competed at the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival last August.

On the other hand, Suerte follows two amateur filmmakers (played by Fajarda himself and the film’s director of photography and editor Phillipe Quintos) shooting a documentary about the drug trade. While they go along with their subjects, brothers Betong (Karl Medina) and Roel (Dan Medrana), their dangerous obsession with their project forces them to cross the line between observer and creator.

Fajarda’s thesis film competed in the Wide Angle category of the Busan International Film Festival and in the Southeast Asian short film competition of the 28th Singapore International Film Festival last year.

Meanwhile, Nawruz Bernardo Paguidopon‘s God Bliss Our Home, Jewel Maranan‘s Sa Palad ng Dantaong Kulang and Victor Delotavo Tagaro‘s Yield also made FAMAS history as the award-giving body’s first-ever nominees for Best Documentary Film.

Cinemalaya winner Respeto leads all films this year with 15 nominations, followed by QCinema Best Film Balanginga, Howling Wilderness with 11 and Metro Manila Film Festival Best Picture Ang Larawan, Philippine entry to the Oscars Birdshot and the documentary Yield, with six nods each. Love You to the Stars and Back, Changing Partners, Nervous Translation and Historiographika Errata have five nominations each.

FAMAS is undergoing a major facelift this year. An independent jury, which is headed by award-winning writer Ricardo “Ricky” Lee and composed of film practitioners, critics and educators as members, selected the nominees and will vote for the winners.

Piolo Pascual, Kim Chiu and Robi Domingo will host this year’s awards night with Megavision’s Madonna Sanchez serving as the program’s executive producer.

DOE to Donate E-trikes to 4 NCR Cities

Wazzup Pilipinas!

THEY'RE BETTER: Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi (far right) talks about the features of the e-trike with (from left) Pateros Mayor Miguel “Ike” Ponce III, Valenzuela Mayor Rexlon T. Gatchalian, Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi, and Las Piñas Mayor Imelda Aguilar. The four mayors signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Energy Chief on 1 June 2018 as recipients of the electric vehicles under the DOE’s E-Trike Program.

Department of Energy (DOE), thru Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi, will donate e-trike units to the cities of Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Pateros and Valenzuela. A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was signed by the DOE Secretary with the City Mayors at the DOE headquarters on Friday (June 1). 

“The DOE E-Trike is a project that encourages the transition from oil to cleaner sources of energy,” Cusi said.

“The 900 units to be given to the four cities will benefit many communities, in terms of livelihood and the services that it can provide to the people,” Cusi emphasized.

The DOE will provide Las Piñas 100 e-trike units, Muntinlupa,  150 units; Pateros, 400 units; 

and Valenzuela, 250 units. 

Under the MOA, the LGUs must comply with the documentary requirements,  among other prerequisites, such as their proposal for the utilization of the e-trikes in their LGUs.

In January, the DOE donated e-trike units to the Marawi LGU as part of the national government’s rebuilding efforts in the city after the siege.

The first 10 of the 200 units will arrive in Cagayan De Oro on Sunday, while the Philippine Navy is scheduling the rest for shipment.

In line with the E-Power Mo campaign, the DOE promotes the revolutionary concept of modernizing the transport sector by providing an efficient, safe, ergonomic and environment-friendly alternative mode of transport for  local and foreign tourists via the Market Transformation Through the Introduction of Energy Efficient Vehicles (E-trike) Project.

The DOE aims to facilitate transport sector modernization through the use of energy-efficient and alternative technology vehicles to complement the government’s objective of sustainable and inclusive growth. 

OTHER PHOTO

GREEN TRIKE: Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi (center) led the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Agreement with four LGUs in Metro Manila for the donation of e-trikes. Las Piñas, Valenzuela, Muntinlupa, and Pateros will be using the e-trikes as an alternative public transportation for the people and a means of livelihood for tricycle drivers. (From left): Asec Redentor Delola, Dir. Angelina Manga, Asec. Leonido Pulido III, Asec. Caron Aicitel Lascano, Senior Undersecretary Jesus Posadas, Usec. Donato Marcos, Las Pinas Mayor Imelda Aguilar, Valenzuela Mayor Rexlon Gatchalian, Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi and Pateros Mayor Miguel “Ike” Ponce III.

DOE Eyes to Establish Strategic Oil Reserve

Wazzup Pilipinas!

In its effort to shield consumers from volatile international oil prices and ensure supply security, the Department of Energy (DOE) is pushing its efforts to engage the country's downstream oil industry within this month.

Earlier, DOE has announced that it has directed its attached agency, PNOC-EC (Philippine National Oil Company-Exploration Corporation), to engage in the selling of petroleum products sourced from non-OPEC members to independent petroleum dealers and to vulnerable sectors, such as public utility transport groups.

Cusi, who is the ex-officio Chairman of the PNOC-EC, said the move was meant to enhance competition among existing oil industry players and stabilize domestic oil prices.

“We are looking at other countries. Russia is just an option. PNOC-EC expects to receive the first shipment by end of June,” Cusi said.  

According to Cusi, PNOC-EC is looking at the different areas for the reserve’s storage and among the areas being considered are Subic, Phividec Complex and Quezon.

At present, oil companies are required to maintain a Minimum lnventory Requirement (MlR) of in-country stocks equivalent to 30 days of crude and products for refiners, 15 days of products for importers/bulk suppliers and seven days of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) stocks for LPG players.

Meanwhile, aside from ensuring the country’s supply, the DOE will also come out with a policy on unbundling petroleum product prices.

“We need to unbundle the prices. It has to happen,” the Energy Chief stressed, adding that this will provide the consumers more information about the petroleum products that they buy.

The DOE is currently conducting consultations with the stakeholders on the mechanism for unbundling.

International geopolitical developments, which include US sanctions on Iran, the drop in OPEC production levels and the political changes unfolding in Venezuela have resulted in the recent uptrend in oil prices for the past weeks.

With the volatility of oil prices, the DOE is encouraging consumers to be smart and judicious in the use of petroleum products, such as driving efficiently and managing trips properly to save on fuel costs, among others.