PHLPost Releases “Noche Buena Stamps” to Celebrate Christmas

Wazzup Pilipinas!

A typical Filipino get-together done after attending Misa De Gallo known as “Noche Buena” is now on postage stamps.

In preparation of the Christmas season, the Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) released its se-tenant strip of four stamps for PASKO 2018 featuring the traditional Filipino feast.

Christmas is one of the grandest holidays in the Philippines where Filipinos celebrate the world’s longest Christmas season with Christmas carols heard as early as of September which lasts until the 3rd Sunday of January of the following year.

The stamp features the “Noche Buena”, the Spanish word for “Christmas Eve”. It consists of a traditional dinner with Lechon (roasted suckling pig) as the center piece being observed since 15th century.

Traditionally, Filipino dinner consists of variety of dishes like lechon, pancit, hamon, queso de bola, puto bumbong, bibingka, fruit salad, suman, and many more comes at midnight after the family hears the late evening mass called “Misa de Gallo”.

The official observance of the Simbang Gabi is on December 16.

PHLPost has printed 50,000 copies of the four (4) designed se-tenant strip of Noche Buena stamp sold for 12 pesos each. The Christmas stamp was designed by PHLPost in-house graphic designer Rodine Teodoro.

The stamps and official first day covers are now available at the Philatelic Counter, Central Post Office, Liwasang Bonifacio 1000, Manila and area post offices nationwide. For inquiries, please call 527-01-32.

Smart Wins Big at World Communication Awards in London

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Smart School-in-a-Bag, the mobile learning program for underserved education communities of Smart Communications (Smart), was honored alongside the global telecom industry’s top innovators at the recently concluded World Communication Award (WCA).

In ceremonies held in London by international publication Total Telecom, the Smart School-in-a-bag program won the Social Contribution Award. Other nominees under the said category included health and emergency preparedness projects such as Operation Healthy Heart by Viettel, EcoCash by Mahindra Comviva, Dronecell by Turkcell, and Building Dominica Back Better by Digicel.

A portable digital classroom, each School-in-a-bag consists of a backpack that teachers can carry while travelling different kinds of terrain and weather conditions. Its contents generally include a solar panel for charging devices, an LED television for showing educational videos, a laptop, student tablets, a smartphone for the teacher, a portable hotspot, and educational apps aligned with the curriculum of the Department of Education.

Funded by Smart and partner donors, the packages are designed to facilitate learning primarily in remote, off-grid areas in the Philippines. Program support and evaluation, as well as teachers’ trainings, are also provided.

Leveraging digital and mobile

With over 30,000 students and more than 1,000 teachers reached to-date, School-in-a-Bag recipients have reported better attendance and heightened interest in lessons.

WCA judges described School-in-a-Bag as “an intelligent and well-targeted combination of technology, content and human feelings." "It is a great initiative by Smart that leverages on digital and mobile to strengthen and speed up education, which is key for our societies," a judge noted.

More innovations

For 20 years, the World Communication Awards have recognized innovation and excellence for global telecoms. It continues to be one of the most esteemed achievements in the industry, with new categories presented every year as more innovations are discovered. 

For 2018, categories reflect the latest trends of 5G, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) and Internet of Things (IoT).

Organizations and individuals who wish to learn more about School-in-a-Bag may send an email toLearnSmart@smart.com.ph or follow Smart Communities on Facebook.

Consider these 3 factors to choose a perfect POS System

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Whether you are an experienced merchant or are going to set-up a retail business, having the right POS system can prove critical to the success of your business. Registering for a merchant account and having a point of sale can make your business process less challenging and hassle free.

A great POS system like clover merchant facility can greatly simplify business operations. However, the real task lies in selecting the proper and ideal POS system. Follow these 3 factors to choose an ideal system one that could prove best for your business


Price –

When considering buying a POS for the business, it is important that you consider your budget and buy accordingly. Not quite long ago, buying a POS system used to be an expensive affair; however, with evolving technology there are numerous options available at the disposal of small and big businesses alike.

While the options are more, there are ones that are mediocre and does not provide the functionality similar to the ones that are available at better price. So, it is important that you address your requirement and invest in a POS system that could provide you with desired level of functionality within your budget.


What features do you need?

POS systems can be utilized in different businesses, from retails stores and restaurants to cafes and gyms. As a retail shop owner, the features that you may require with your clover pos system may not be the ones that other merchants would require.

So, when at the time of investing in Point of Sale system for your business, it gets crucial that you choose a device that has the exact features as required by your business. In this regard, you can simply make a list of features that you would require in your POS and use that list to shop for an ideal point of sale device for your business.


Usability –

When it comes down to making a choice for an ideal point of sale device, usability is a factor that you should consider. This generally means that the machine should be easy to use and should require less training for its operation. The system that you chose should be easy to operate for you as well as for your employees.

During the normal course of business, the staff would process sales, payments as well s put quotes and therefore the system should provide hassle free functionality without getting back to manual for learning how to operate the machine.

Benilde Films Lead UFF5 Winners

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Capstone projects from the Digital Filmmaking program of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde recently dominated the fifth Urduja Film Festival open competition at Sison Auditorium in Lingayen, Pangasinan.

Film alumnus Michael Joshua Pagaduan’s “Kaming Mga Nakakulong” paved the way for Benilde by bagging Best Film and Best Actor for lead star Matt Daclan. The short film tells the story of a man (Daclan) who struggles to face the reality of the present as he goes on a journey to find peace by reconciling with the horrors of his past. Fellow thespians Lui Manansala and Jill Palencia-Ibuyan provided support to Daclan.

“Kaming Mga Nakakulong” previously got the Best Student Short Film at the Guild of Educators, Mentors, and Students (GEMS) Hiyas ng Sining awards, Best Film and Best Director at the 2017 CineMapúa student film festival, and Outstanding Performance by an Actor for Daclan in the Maningning category of CineSB7: The Main Installment.

Meanwhile, “Delta” directed by Benilde alumni James Fuentes Garcia and Luigi Macalintal won Best Cinematography for director of photography Geo Cahoy, Best Supporting Actor for Jemuel Satumba and Best Supporting Actress for Chin Jongko.

In “Delta,” Satumba plays Marco who brings his younger brother, Lucas, to the river for a weekend without their parents to celebrate his birthday. As they bond together, Marco shares with Lucas his plan to explore the end of the river. Out of curiosity, Lucas heads out to the river alone.

Tim Rone Villanueva’s “Santa Nena!” received another Best Actor trophy for Ross Pesigan and Best Actress for Elora Españo while Kim Timan’s “Caramel Child” nabbed Best Actress for Sue Prado and Best Young Actress for Angelica Ulip.

Also winning UFF trophies are actors Tracy Quila for “Binihag” by Regina Aceron and CJ Villa; Anna Luna for “Saglit” by Dev Angeo and Tin Medenilla; Dylan Ray Talon for “Ang Mga Turo ng Gabi” (The Lessons of the Night) by Christian Rae Villanueva; Bobby Tamayo for “Benny’s Confession” by Anderson Co; Veronica Reyes for “Tayo” by Ron Dulatre and Elaiza Rivera; and Anton Collantes for “Theo” by Summer Castro.

Timan, Aceron, Villa, Angeo, Medenilla, Co, Dulatre, Rivera, Castro, and the two Villanuevas are also graduates of the Benilde film program.

German Int'l Film Fest celebrates PH Cinema Centennial

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Exground Film Festival will feature the Philippines as its Country of Focus this year as part of the celebration of its One Hundred Years this November.

Exground Filmfest is among Europe's most important film festivals for international independent productions. It is an important meeting place for journalists, specialized visitors, and guests from the film business. With focus on this year on Philippine Cinema, the Film Development Council of the Philippines through its International Film Festival Assistance Program (IFFAP) is in partnership with Exground to support the Philippine delegation and conduct activities.

"We are grateful for the spotlight given by Exground to Philippine Cinema this year so we may showcase the best of our independent films that reflect the complex and diverse culture of our country especially to our European audience. Taking the Festival's vision further of providing a unique platform for arthouse and independent films, the Festival features this year’s slate from Philippine Cinema that is made up of eleven (11) full feature and ten (10) short films," said FDCP Chairperson Liza Diño. "These films are one form or another, encourage socio-political discourse in order to widen widen one’s perspective of the country’s past and current cultural and political climate. They are grounded on the context of not just raising awareness but inspiring action for positive change," she added.

 

FOCUS PHILIPPINES

Mikhail Red’s NEOMANILA is the opening film under the program FOCUS PHILIPPINES which will also feature a wide range of films that present different stories on socio-political discourse. The programme brings together works by internationally celebrated filmmakers such as Lav Diaz, Khavn De La Cruz and Jet Leyco with lesser-known gems from up-and-coming directorial talents, all conveniently shown with English and German subtitles.

The classics to the most recent films will be featured including Himala by Ishmael Bernal, Matangtubig (Town in a Lake) by Jet Leyco, Balangiga: The Howling Wilderness by Khavn dela Cruz, Madilim ang Gabi (Dark is the Night) by Adolfo Alix Jr., Ang Paglalakbay ng Mag Bituin Sa Gabing Madilim (The Journey of Stars Into the Dark Night) by Arnel Mardoquio, Ang Panahon ng Halimaw (Season of the Devil) by Lav Diaz, Himpapawid (Manila Skies) by Raymond Red, Yield by Toshihiko Uriu and Victor Tagaro and the recent hit, Buybust by Erik Matti.

EXGROUND YOUTH

The award-winning film Respeto by Treb Monteras will compete at the Exground’s festival program for young people – EXGROUND YOUTH

Also competing under the INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM COMPETITION is Manong ng Pa-aling (Man of Pa-aling) by E del Mundo



PHILIPPINE SHORT FILM PROGRAM
A number of short films will be featured under the Philippine Short Film Program. This includes Ang Magpakailanman (Eternity) by Raymond Red, Babylon by Keith Deligero, Gikan sa Ngitngit nga Kinailadman (From the Dark Depths) by Kiri Dalena, Manila Death Squad by Dean Colin Marcial and Maria by JP Habac

SHORTS IN FRONT OF FEATURES

The Shorts in Front of Features will showcase Anino (Shadows) by Raymond Red, Palugid (Margins) by Paolo Villaluna and Juan Tamad Goes to the Moon (1898) by Khavn dela Cruz.

PHILIPPINE EVENTS IN THE FESTIVAL

To further introduce the Filipino filmmaking and how these stories were cultivated over a hundred years, FDCP in cooperation with the organizers of the Exground Film Festival will have the following events that will feature Filipino movers and filmmakers:

History Panel: 100 Years of Philippine CinemaSpeakers: Ed Lejano, Edward Cabagnot, Raymond Red
NOV 20 TUE 20:00 Murnau Filmtheater, Wiesbaden

Human Rights PanelSpeakers: Raffy Lerma, Kiri Dalena, Rosa Castillo
NOV 24 SAT 16:00 Foyer Murnau-Filmtheater

Philippine Cinema NightNOV 21 WED 20:00, The Nassauischer Kunstverein Wiesbaden


The Exground Film Festival 31 will run from November 15 to 25, 2018 at Wiesbaden, Germany.

Michelin Tires Now Available at Mitsubishi Motors After-Sales Service

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Michelin tires and Mitsubishi Motors Philippines have joined hands to make after sales service at Mitsubishi service centers much more convenient for customers. 

Mitsubishi has begun to offer a range of Michelin tires at Alpine Motors, its Carmona Mitsubishi dealership and service center in Cavite. The offering seeks to provide car owners the convenience of finding major car products like tires at the dealership, apart from car accessories and after sales services, both major and minor. Other Mitsubishi dealers are expected to follow suit.

Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) in a statement said it is continuously looking for ways to innovate the products and services that it offers its customers.

 “We want to be a one-stop-shop for all our customers’ vehicle requirements so we decided to open our doors to partnering with only the best brands in the tire industry to supply our after market requirements since cars and tires go hand in hand,” the MMPC said.

Martin D. Gonzales, President and General Manager of Alpine Motors says his Mitsubishi dealership “wants to answer all their customers’ vehicle needs as much as possible. During after sales service, some customers want to change their tires. We don’t want them to go elsewhere just to find them. We want them to know they can find whatever they need right here because we’re looking after their needs. We want to make life easier for them by making sure they have everything they need for their vehicles in one place – from aircon cleaning to wheel alignment and balancing to change oil to repair to a paint job, and now tires.”

Michael Nunag, Michelin Chief Representative in the Philippines says that the partnership can only benefit both parties. “We at Michelin always look after the safety of the motorists which is also the MMPC’s priority. We are very pleased to be partnering with a company that shares our values and we look forward to having a long partnership with them.”

For now Michelin Primacy SUV 265/65R17 and 265/60R18; Michelin Energy XM2 175/65R14 and 185/55R15 and BF Goodrich Advantage T/A Drive 165/65R14 are now available at the Alpine Motors dealership in Carmona. More tire sizes will be added to the lineup soon.


SIZES:

265/65R17 Michelin Primacy SUV
265/60R18 Michelin Primacy SUV
175/65R14 Michelin Energy XM 2
185/55R15 Michelin Energy XM 2
165/65R14 BFGoodrich Advantage T/A Drive

PHLPost Brings Stamp Collecting to Next Generations via Forum

Wazzup Pilipinas!

In celebration of National Stamp Collecting Month (NSCM) this 2018, the Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) will be conducting a Philatelic Forum entitled “Bridging Generations” which will be held at the GSIS Museum in Pasay City tomorrow, November 17.

The NSCM is an annual event observed every month of November to celebrate Philately in the country. It aims to create, maintain, and increase postal awareness and interest through various activities that would inspire and encourage Filipinos across all ages to venture into the hobby of stamp collecting and mailing.

This forum specifically arranged for philatelists, deltiologists, mail enthusiasts, and other interested parties aims to discuss and inform the collectors and experts on how to bring, sustain, and improve Philately in this era.

Major topics lined-up to tackle in this forum are: Landscaping: Thai Post – Philately in the International Landscape, Adapting: ABS-CBN Media – Digital Media’s Effect on the Postal Service, Modernizing: PHLPost – Current Trends and new strategies in philately and mails, Preserving: Postal Museum – Significance of preserving philately and the new approach to stamp collecting.

An open forum will also be conducted after the discussions.

Registration and stamp selling will start at 8:30 while the forum proper will start at 9am and will end at 12 noon.

To reserve your slot, just register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pilipinas-philately-forum-philately-bridging-generations-tickets-49640729759

For further questions or concerns, or to RSVP, please feel free to contact Diane Ang at 524-8771 or email her at datang.phlpost@gmail.com .

LoveYourself Expands with Three New HIV Testing Sites

Wazzup Pilipinas!

LoveYourself’s newest community is named after the iconic Welcome Rotonda as the gateway to Quezon City from Manila. In photo are the volunteers of LoveYourself together with its partner AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF). Aside from AHF, Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. and MACARE Laboratories are the major partners of LoveYourself on this new clinic.

MANDALUYONG CITY – The LoveYourself, Inc., the leading community-led HIV services provider, will be opening its three new HIV testing centers – two in the National Capital Region (NCR) and one in Cebu City.

“This move aims to address the growing numbers of HIV infection among the youth and at risk populations,” LoveYourself founder and executive director Ronivin G. Pagtakhan said. In the past 10 years, the proportion of HIV diagnosis in 15-24 age group nearly tripled from 13% in 2008 to 29% in 2018 based on the latest Department of Health data. 

Pagtakhan emphasized that it is important to instill into the minds of the youth - like the university students – of the ways to prevent HIV, and by having regular test as a medical routine.

First of the new community centers is the LoveYourself Welcome, which will be opening on 17 November (Saturday). It is located at 858 Blumentritt Road cor. Remedios St., Sampaloc, Manila near the iconic Welcome Rotonda. The clinic is open from Tuesdays to Saturdays from 2:00 p.m.- 11:00 p.m.

With LoveYourself Welcome located near the University Belt, it aims to provide a convenient access to HIV screening and other related services for students, youngsters and other demographics in the area. 

The second NCR community center is the Lily by LoveYourself located at the #98 Pineda Building Manalac Ave., Sitio De Asis, Barangay San Martin De Porres Paranaque City, which is just across the Waltermart in Upper Bicutan. 

Aside from HIV testing, Lily by LoveYourself, in partnership with Decent Image of South Signal Association (DIOSSA), will also offer hormone replacement therapy and counseling from Wednesdays to Sundays between 12:00 nn-9:00 p.m.

Moreover, LoveYourself White House in Cebu will be operating soon to cater to Cebuanos who seek HIV-related services. This is the first LoveYourself community center outside Metro Manila.

Existing community center of LoveYourself are LoveYourself Anglo (Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong City), LoveYourself Uni (Taft Ave., Pasay City), and Victoria by LoveYourself (Park Ave., Manila).

These community centers are supported by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) and Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. as well as MACARE Laboratories.

LoveYourself is an organization mostly made up of volunteers who take multi-layered action on the HIV epidemic by promoting self-worth and the so-called TSC concept, which means “timely testing and treatment, safe and satisfying sex, and correct and consistent use of condom” as ways to protect one’s self from doing risky behaviors.

OTHER PHOTO:

SERVICE COFFEE: Mark De Castro, a LoveYourself Volunteer, makes a coffee for the visiting clients for their HIV testing and other sexual health concerns. LoveYourself Welcome is inspired by a café that imbibes a safe space for all its stakeholders. The organization envisioned that clients will have the time to relax while waiting for their test results.

Ateneo Electronics and Computer Engineering Society (AECES)'s Spark Summit: Reigniting Passions Through Technology and Innovation

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Ateneo Electronics and Computer Engineering Society (AECES) is the sole and premier organization for engineering that is home to many science and engineering majors of the Ateneo de Manila University. Throughout the years, AECES has been a family of individuals who share a passion for science and engineering. It envisions itself as a community of innovators whose primary goal is to integrate the field of innovation and technology with excellence, purpose, and service.

Last year, the AECES set off a new flagship project called "Spark Summit: Hobbyist Fair 2017" as an avenue for hobbyists to showcase their passions to the Loyola Schools (LS) community. This year, AECES makes a comeback with their revamped and remastered flagship project appropriately entitled "Spark Summit: Tech Fair 2018", giving it more of an innovation and technology vibe that AECES wants the LS community to experience and get exposed to. AECES also wants to promote awareness on the wonders of science and engineering and the call for multi-disciplinary collaboration.

Spark Summit is a three-day event that invites Ateneo students to showcase their science projects and innovation skills, to share their knowledge and design process, and to inspire the community to pursue innovation and careers in developing these kinds of technology.

Spark Summit provides an avenue for tech enthusiasts to demonstrate their innovation and technology to the entire LS community. Hoping to help inspire members of the Atenean community through showcasing engineering-related inventions and revealing the possibilities or creativity that can be found in inventing, Spark Summit is looking to achieve such an aspiring and inspiring objective by holding a competition during this three-day event. This is done by gathering participants to form teams who then present their own innovative ideas first to the organizers, and then to the world. Winners are awarded, and everyone is then recognized for their contributions to advancements of the scientific community in the Ateneo. Also found throughout the entirety of the fair, interactive booths may be visited, while talks by experts of different fields may attended. These are to help expose the LS community to the potential and current state of technology in the Philippines.

We invite all to watch sparks get set and currents get directed, and to realize that the potential of science, engineering, innovation, and technolgy in the Philippines is just starting to get amplified. So, what are you waiting for? Visit Spark Summit: Tech Fair 2018 and explore the creativity of inventing, happening on November 14-16, 2018 at Ateneo de Manila University’s Red Brick Road.
 For any concerns or inquiries, send us an email at aeces.sparksummit@gmail.com or visit our official Facebook page: Ateneo Electronics and Computer Engineering Society.

SYNERGY: Electrical and Electronics Engineering Summit 2018

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Sparks will fly as connections converge this coming November 13-16, 2018. See you in the Synergy 2018 Day Events: Techno Talk, Revolutionary Robotics, Dynamic Diacourse, Opportunity Outlook, and Corporate Connection. “

For the event poster, please use the caption: 

“The UP Engineering Radio Guild in media partnership with Wazzup Pilipinas presents SYNERGY: Electrical and Electronics Engineering Summit 2018 this November 13-16, 2018 at the University of the Philippines Diliman.

SYNERGY: Electrical and Electronics Engineering Summit is a four-day gathering for students of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Communications Engineering, Computer Engineering) and other degree programs related to it.

To know more about the event visit https://www.facebook.com/SynergyPH