2014 ~ Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Monday, December 29, 2014

MMFF 2014: List of Winners and Blockbusters

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We've heard how Vice Ganda's The Amazing Praybeyt Benjamin movie got the highest grossing film recognition followed by Kris Aquino's Feng Shui 2. Both movies actually starred an Aquino since Bimby Aquino-Yap, son of Kris Aquino and James Yap, was co-starring in The Amazing Praybeyt Benjamin. While, Coco Martin, also a very popular actor, co-starred in Feng Shui 2.

It looks like the magic of Vic Sotto and Ryzza Mae tandem, even though Marian Rivera was co-starring, did not make it to the top of the blockbuster hits...but you'll never really know since the entire show dates are not over yet.

It is also a fact that Dingdong Dantes, Marian Rivera's real-life sweetheart, is starring in another MMFF 2014 movie entry namely Kubot: The Aswang Chronicles 2, a part two of the first dubbed as Tiktik, which features state of the art computer animation as part of their special effects. The movie has Isabelle Daza and Julie Anne San Jose as co-stars and also features comedians like Jun Sabayton.

The usual three-segment movie Shake Rattle & Roll series, now on its 15th, is still demanding attention during the MMFF 2014 tradition with a star-studded cast since it has three different short movies in one production.

Derek Ramsay and Jennylyn Mercado were announced as Best Actor and Best Actress respectively from their English Only, Please movie. Derek was quoted as saying “I thought I won’t make it. I just prepared a speech..." Hhhmmm.....

Also seemingly having an entry every MMFF 2014 is Jeorge Estregan's action movie entitled MM .357: To Serve and Protect (Muslim Magnum) movie co-starring the sexy and luscious Sam Pinto.

But we send our congratulations to the Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo movie for winning the Best Picture award in the recent 40th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2014 awarding ceremonies. The movie is truly deserving since it is the only one among the 8 competing movies in the MMFF 2014 that dared to present a real meaningful movie filled with very informative and educational content.

AirAsia Flight QZ8501 Missing, Search and Rescue Operations Ongoing

Wazzup Pilipinas!We got news of something unfortunate that happened earlier this Sunday at exactly 6:25 in the morning of December 28, 2014 to another plane from a different airline. A colleague has shared that a plane, with 155 passengers and 7 crew on board, flying from Surabaya, Indonesia to Singapore, AirAsia Flight QZ8501 has gone missing and the search is now on.

They said the air traffic control of Indonesia lost contact with the plane at around 8: 24 am of Singapore time. An Indonesian Transport Ministry official, Hadi Mustofa, mentioned that the plane had asked for an unusual route before it lost contact.

Both the AirAsia airline and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore has already released an official statement regarding the incident. They have announced that search and rescue operations are already ongoing and will release further information as soon as available.

We are hopeful that this incident will be resolve as soon as possible because it is heart-breaking if we will again hear of airline mishaps just like what happened to the flights of Malaysia Airlines. The disappearance is the third air incident this year involving Malaysia, where budget carrier AirAsia is based. Remember Malaysia Airline flights 370 that vanished without a trace? It was carrying 239 people from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. How about Malaysia Airlines flight 17? All 298 passengers and crew aboard were killed when the it was shot down over rebel-held eastern Ukraine.

Below are the official statements of AirAsia and Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore.

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Artistang Artlets, the official theater guild of the Faculty of Arts and Letters of the University of Santo Tomas, on its 34th season is proud to bring you its 2nd Theatre Literacy Program this coming January.

Artistang Artlets brings you X.O.X.O, a play that introduces us to a world wherein one’s right decisions, thinking, and actions will determine whether he or she will win the game that affects people the most – the game of love. Are you willing to gamble everything for the sake of love? Will it be worth it? Ready? Set, Gamble.

X.O.X.O is a twin bill production, featuring the 29th Gawad Ustetika 1st and 3rd place holders for Dulang May Isang Yugto category entitled “Baraha” written by Kris Joven Medalla and “Ang Kasalanan sa Kasalan” written by Danielle Joyce Factora, respectively. X.O.X.O will be directed by Jennie Ver Gabon and will be produced by Hazel May Sartorio.

Laugh Out Loud with LOL Musical Comedy Show at Mabuhay Restop

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Mabuhay Restop brings you another hilarious show anchored on their satirical way of bringing humor based on Filipino idiosyncrasies. Those little quirks or funny behaviors that somewhat makes us all strange, unusual or unique to many are what highlights the show filled with ludicrous scenes.

We would sometimes see our life as amusing or laughable through obvious absurdity, incongruity, exaggeration, or eccentricity. It is admirable to be able to laugh despite the diversity all around us. What the majority considers absurd or irrational could very well be taken as a likely candidate for a comical scene for many to appreciate.

We may not all be able to relate to all the comedy skits because of culture differences, and how we were all raised or brought up in society, but the general thoughts in this theater gag show entitled as LOL is filled with a showcase of diverse characters are there to tickle us into a frenzy of laughter.

From making fun of beauty pageants, TV game shows, to paying tribute to the iconic Yoyoy Villame, everyone in the audience was treated to a fun night immersed in Pinoy trivia, seemingly outrageous for some, now brought into the lighter side.

The show, written and directed by Nestor U. Torre, features Rito Asilo, Andy Bais, Melinda Torre, Nadja Matining and Francis Rae Quilantang.

An Interview with Paul Rosolie of Discovery Channel's Eaten Alive

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Catch naturalist, author and award-winning wildlife filmmaker Paul Rosolie attempt a groundbreaking feat by tuning in to ‘EATEN ALIVE?’ premiering in Southeast Asia on Sunday, December 28 at 9:00 p.m. on Discovery Channel.

Question: Could you talk a little bit about the snake-proof suit and how that was built to protect you?

Paul Rosolie: So they – we needed something that would be structurally strong enough to protect my body and the crush of the anaconda, so we made a carbon fiber suit. We brought in experts to do this, and we tested the suit with trucks. We used winches to actually bring the suit up to 300 psi, and when it didn’t break at 300 we took it farther – we said we’ll take it to failure – we’ll break the suit. We couldn’t break the suit, so we figured I’d be safe. We used shark armor on my arms to make sure that no teeth got through. We used a chemical layer to make sure that if I did get inside the snake, I’d be protected from the stomach acids, and we had communication, breathing. I swallowed a pill to transmit my temperature and heart rate out to the doctors. So the suit was incredibly high-tech. And I made some suggestions that would make it appealing to the anaconda, and then the engineers used their expertise to make it so that I would be safe.

Question: How did you come up with the idea of being eaten alive by a snake?

Paul Rosolie: Somebody asked me if it’s possible for a human to be eaten by a snake, and I told them that people have been eaten by snakes. It’s not been documented officially, but it has – in my experience in the Amazon – it has happened. So, very much joking, I said that I should make some sort of a suit that would protect me from the crush and I should get eaten and get spit out. I was joking. And then it turned into a, you know, once we talked about it, and realized how much it would excite people and how much, how, you know, the visibility of it – it started becoming a more enticing option and then we started pursuing it, seeing if it could be done, and then started putting together, you know, we used the opportunity of that, used the partnership with Discovery to start this study, to start raising money, and doing all this stuff to protect the habitat.

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Passengers of SilkAir, Singapore Airlines’ regional wing, can now fly to Denpasar, Bali as the carrier launched its flights to the destination on 12 December 2014. Next year, passengers will also have to opportunity to fly to Cairns, Australia as SilkAir begins it flights to the destination on 30 May 2015.

Together with Singapore Airlines’ four daily flights to Bali’s capital, both airlines will offer a total of five round-trip services a day, subject to regulatory approval. For the route to Cairns, SilkAir plans to operate three times weekly on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, through circular routings with Darwin. The inaugural flight and subsequent Saturday flights will depart Singapore for Cairns non-stop and then return to Singapore via Darwin. The Monday and Thursday flights will fly to Cairns via Darwin and then return to Singapore non-stop.

Passengers coming from Manila can choose from four daily flights to Singapore via Singapore Airlines to connect conveniently to Denpasar, while passengers coming from Cebu, Davao or Kalibo can fly to Singapore via SilkAir. Passengers connecting through Singapore can also take advantage of the Singapore Stopover Package, which is inclusive of overnight hotel accommodation with roundtrip airport transfers for as low as USD35. Those traveling beyond Singapore are also entitled to a SGD20 Changi Dollar Voucher that may be used at the different outlets in Changi International Airport.

PUP Advertising Students Presents AVC: Art Versus Copy

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Watch the live fight as the masters of advertising industry takes their side on AVC: Art Versus Copy.

On January 8, watch out as the fourth year advertising students of Polytechnic University of the Philippines brings you the AVC: Art Versus Copy, part of the AD Burst: The 13th Annual Student Ad Congress at PUP Bulwagang Balagtas, Sta. Mesa Manila,starting from 1PM-6PM.

Get ready for the blow by blow action as the pioneers and masters of advertising industry shares their thoughts and opinions that tackle all about art and copy. On the actual seminar, two teams are about to give their side, as Team Art and Team Copy respectively. Team Art is headed by Mr. Ali Silao (Creative Director at TBWA), Mr. Eugene Demata (Executive Creative Director at DM9JaymeSyfu) and John Ed Devera (Art Director at TBWA). While in Team Copy, Mr. Third Domingo (CEO at IdeasXMachina), Mr. Angelo Suarez (from DM9JaymeSyfu) and Tony Sarmiento (Creative Director at Havas Media Ortega) are on the lead to defend their team. Workshop and activities are also included in the seminar,in which every guests and students, especially the advertising majors would surely enjoy.

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Christmas is around the corner and what is more related to this holiday if not food. Just lots and lots of it. foodpanda , a mobile and online food ordering marketplace, estimated and matched the sum of food that is actually eaten in just one meal.

foodpanda together with its affiliated brands hellofood and Delivery Club, is active in 38 countries on five continents. The company enables restaurants to become visible in the online and mobile world and provides them with a constantly evolving online technology. For consumers, foodpanda/hellofood offer the convenience to order food online and the widest gastronomic range, from which they can choose their favorite meal on the web or via the app.

In the 13th Century, the medieval occasion ran for 12 days, with lavish feasts every day. Today, an excessive American Christmas meal for just one day means food compositions that equal a 6,000 calories consumption for the average person. This is equivalent to eating 117 biscuits, or 42 bananas, or 23 and a half hamburgers- to name a few.

Now let's look into the American Christmas meals consumed by X-Men’s Wolverine, Andy Murray, Tour de France cyclists and Arctic explorers.

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This Sunday, December 28 at 9:00 p.m. on Discovery Channel, gear up for a unique television experience that will allow you to see into the inner workings of Giant Green Anacondas. In this special, naturalist, author, and award-winning wildlife filmmaker Paul Rosolie gets into a custom-built suit that he and his team constructed to protect him and the anaconda as he persists through the creature’s constriction and potential ingestion. Witness Paul attempt the groundbreaking feat aimed at investigating the eating habits of the mythical Giant Green Anaconda in EATEN ALIVE.

EATEN ALIVE features snake researcher and conservationist Paul Rosolie who has dedicated his career to studying the Giant Green Anaconda, the largest and most powerful snake in the world and the top predator in the Amazon. An author (“Mother of God: An Extraordinary Journey into the Uncharted Tributaries of the Western Amazon”), Paul has specialized in the western Amazon for more than a decade and his efforts have helped bring awareness to the Peruvian Rainforest, the natural habitat of the Giant Green Anaconda.

This past summer, over a 60-day period, crews documented Paul’s expedition to an enchanted and hidden realm deep within the Amazonian jungle, an area the locals call the “floating forest.” It is in the floating forest that Paul believes the largest anacondas in the world live and breed, and one of the only locations to truly study these elusive and majestic snakes in the wild.

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It is almost Christmas: nearly all presents have been bought, except for one. Not being tech-savvy yourself, but trying to find a gift for someone who is, can be very challenging. What do we buy for the tech-savvy homeowner in our life?

For those wanting to put something truly innovative under the Christmas tree, global property portal Lamudi has compiled a list of the top 8 tech gifts for the home.

1. The Striimlight Led Light Bulb and Bluetooth speaker combines LED lights with bluetooth music streaming. This is a cool feature to add to any room. The built-in bluetooth connectivity can communicate with any bluetooth-enabled device like laptops, tablets, or smartphones. No wires are needed as the light bulb can be easily placed into any lamp.

2. Everyone knows this problem: you are in a hurry but can’t find your keys. You already tried gadgets like key finders but you always lose these too. One thing you never lose track of is your smartphone. The best way to overcome this problem? CalypsoKey, an inconspicuous iPhone case, turns your phone into a contactless key. The built-in dual-band RFID antenna in your iPhone case identifies you and gives permission for the door to be opened.

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The award-winning Yahoo Weather App has been made even better with its latest Android update. Users can now see weather conditions - fog, rain, heat, snow, lightning, and frost - animated through leveraging bleeding-edge graphics technology typically only seen in video games.

Yahoo announced the latest Android update by taking the award-winning experience on the Yahoo Weather App even further.

They are excited to take our weather experience to the next level, as they make it even more delightful. We can watch gently falling snowflakes or sky-splitting lightning flash across our screen as Yahoo Weather breathes life into your daily forecast.

In September, they brought a few of these animated effects to iOS8, and today they’re adding frost and lightning to the mix. So, instead of just reading about the icy cold, we’ll actually see the frost creep onto our screen.

Wazzup Pilipinas Radio Guesting at "Family Business" of Radyo Uno DZME 1530 AM

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When they said business should be taken seriously, it doesn't really mean we have to forget having a good time while working hard on our goals towards rewarding careers and greater earning opportunities. We should be enjoying every minute at work or at our own business especially when we finally reap the rewards of our efforts. It should continue every single moment of our lives to make work a healthier environment for all us.

We believe that when we make business more enjoyable, and seemingly just like a hobby that we enjoy doing everyday, we can achieve and produce more quality results. Imagine working 8 hours or more at a place where everyone is in a harmonious relationship with each other, minus all the social and "political" issues and grievances. Now, that's a workplace where everyone will look forward to going everyday, and may even become the reason to stay longer to work overtime on our daily tasks while enjoying the more intimate bonding time with colleagues like they were pat of our family. The end result are more productive teams and high quality outputs for the companies or businesses.

These personal thoughts are our reasons why it was also overwhelming to witness a radio show where humor and family interests are incorporated in their business discussions. We're talking about "the funniest business show on Philippine radio" that should be at everyone schedule every late Sunday afternoon - "Family Business."

If you want to listen to a radio show where you will laugh out loud while learning a lot from business owners and entrepreneurs, may it be in the fields of the arts like indie films and showbizness, or moments with our remarkable leaders representing our senior citizens, then you should mark every Sunday from 5:00 to 6:30 pm as the time to listen to Radyo Uno DZME 1530 AM.

Mr. Fast Foo: Truly Fast and Af-Foo-rdable Feasts

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It's been several years ago since I last stepped into the University Mall located along Taft Avenue just beside the De La Salle University main campus. It was way back my college days since I've been there, and I was really surprised how it has changed for the better. The establishment has noticeably improved in facilities and there are are now better choices of food outlets.

Since we all know that majority of the customers in the area will probably be students from the different colleges and universities nearby, it is but right to make the food affordable for the students' meager allowances. Even though the nearest schools cater to the more affluent students, it is still the best choice to go to where you'll find great tasting food while saving a lot on your budget.

I now see more popular restaurant brands and with the addition of the Mr. Fast Foo restaurant on its 2nd floor, there are now more reasons why you need to drop by this place as your preferred dining destination.

The meals at Mr. Fast Foo are not only affordable, they are served to you fast - as fast as 3 minutes - under normal circumstances except of course during peak hours of the day. But that's already something to appreciate since majority of the restaurants would take more time to prepare our food. For busy individuals like us who value our precious time, the less time spent on queue waiting for our food, gives us more quality time to spend on more important things.

Visit Davao Fun Sale and a Lot More Reasons to Visit Davao This 2015

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It's more fun in the Philippines! All 7,107 islands should be explored!

As much as we desire to discover new places beyond our country, we should prioritize touring our own Philippines. You would be surprised that there are a lot of scenic and culturally-rich areas you've never been to. Our country is teeming with spectacular natural resources that it is baffling why we are still trying to catch up with the rest of the world.

Another great place to visit is Davao. I've been there for so many times in the past since I was a former ICT Officer of a United Nations organization in the Philippines and we had an office in Davao. I was in charge of ICT or Information and Communications Technology so I was very much in demand during the first few months since we were still setting up our ICT infrastructure.

However, the last time I was there was way back 2008 when I left the organization and setup my own business. It would be fun to be back in Davao soon as I know there must be a lot of changes or development already.

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Stress has always been known as one of the many reasons why we often encounter problems with our health and physical conditions. We would feel more problematic when we are suffering from too much stress causing our bodies to react unfavorably. Thus, a lot of negative effects would be very visible including acne problems.

Nobody would argue that one of the most stressful time of the year is the Christmas season. It’s the time of year when we usually experience a lot of good stress like the excitement brought about by Christmas shopping and family reunions. But we can also experience bad stress such as Christmas rush traffic and year-end business activities. Regardless if good or bad, stress may aggravate acne.

The increased levels of stress stimulate the body's production of various hormones and trigger different changes in the skin. Sometimes it causes the skin oils to become more viscous making you more acne prone. Stress also reduces your body’s natural immune defense and your skin doesn’t fight off bacteria build-up as well. When these happen, we become more prone to breakouts.

Acne begins when oil collects at the base of the hair follicle and becomes trapped by dead skin cells. Bacteria flourish, form a plug and swell beneath the skin. Stress can make acne worse, causing more anxiety, and creating a vicious cycle.

But do we really know how we can be stress-free?

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"To be the preferred brand in beauty and wellness in key areas in the Asia-Pacific Region within the next 5 years" is the vision of Nisce Skin 'n Face - a chain of beauty, dermatology, slimming and wellness centers with currently 18 branches nationwide, the latest of which is their newest branch in La Union.

Nisce Skin 'n Face aims to become the leader in making people look and feel their best by delivering the best beauty and wellness services and products at very affordable prices.

The company has a team of estheticians, dermatologists and therapists whose duty is to provide men and women first-rate and effective yet affordable non-invasive skin care and aesthetic treatments, dermatological services, and SPA services.

Nisce Skin 'n Face also carries exclusive skincare products for the face and body. Nisce Skin 'n Face signature treatments include the IPL (Intense Pulse Light) Total Skin Rejuvenation, Silk Peel, Diamond Peel, LHE photofacial, Nisce non-surgical Contour, Duolift Detox Whitening and Anti-Aging Facial, Premium Facials, and relaxing SPA services for men and women.

Top Trends, Happenings and Events: Yahoo Philippines Unveils 2014 Year in Review

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Did you know that Vice President Jejomar Binay was the Philippines’ ‘top newsmaker of the year’.... and that the Gilas Pilipinas' participation in the FIBA leads the ‘top Philippine sports stories’... and stories about the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 plus tops ‘most in-demand gadgets’ list?

More of these top and in demand topics was recently announced by Yahoo Philippines in their 2014 Year in Review (YIR), an annual recap of the top trends, happenings and events, which grabbed the attention of Yahoo users in the Philippines. YIR is based on what users searched for through the year, and an editorial selection of what was most read, recommended and shared on Yahoo in 2014.

Yahoo YIR offers insights into what captured the user’s interests across categories like Philippines’ Top 10 Newsmakers, Top Sports Stories, and Global Obsessions, among others.

A perfectly coned-shaped volcano, a TV host’s bedroom shenanigans and a smartphone were among the top searches by Yahoo Philippines users in 2014. However, the strongest typhoon to hit the country this year topped the most searched list. The intensity and path of Typhoon Ruby brought back nightmarish memories brought by Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) last year. The popular animated movie Frozen, an international beauty pageant and the death of a transgender woman also made it to the list of top searches on Yahoo Philippines in 2014.

A Look at Philippine Real Estate’s 2014 Performance

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With China’s property market cooling after years of rapid growth, and Singapore’s and Hong Kong’s housing markets expected to decline steadily, 2014 has seen real estate in the emerging markets come into focus. The Philippines, in particular, performed (and is performing) well. Although GDP growth slowed slightly, the country’s economy continues to outperform most of its neighbors.

“The Philippine property sector’s 2014 performance is marked by exuberance in certain segments traditionally overlooked,” said Lamudi Philippines managing director Jacqueline van den Ende. “For example, Metro Manila’s commercial real estate sector was and continues to be buoyant, bolstered by a healthy demand from traditional office takers and the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry.”

As the year draws to a close, global real estate portal Lamudi looks back at an eventful 12 months for the Philippines’ property sector.

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International property platform Lamudi has relaunched with a complete revamp of its website to offer a more intuitive design that streamlines the online house-hunting process for users globally.

The new website introduces a responsive design, with the site adapting to match the user’s particular device and screen size. The platform’s appearance has been improved to display properties for sale and rent in an easier-to-read format with larger photos. Dedicated sections for real estate agencies and new space for advertisements have also been introduced.

Lamudi is a global real estate portal focusing exclusively on the emerging markets. The website is currently available in 28 countries in these regions. The new design has been rolled out for all countries in Asia, the Middle East and Africa, with Latin America to be relaunched in early 2015. To ensure the website remains highly relevant for each of its local markets, Lamudi has introduced different variations of the website, including a customised search field for each country.

Lamudi’s Global Co-Founder, Kian Moini, said: “This redesign puts the user at the center of our product. The responsive design is very important because we know an increasing number of our users access Lamudi on a mobile device in addition to a desktop PC. The new design is tailored to our customers’ needs, making it easier than ever before to find the perfect property online and to contact real estate agents via phone, SMS or email.

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Man’s greatest survival tool in dire situations is the strength, comradeship and skill of the people he is with – so long as he can stand them. In each episode of Discovery Channel’s latest original series TETHERED, two people from opposite backgrounds and philosophies must embark on an epic journey across treacherous terrains on a mission to escape the wild. But in the harsh wilderness, the best way to force two polar opposites to work together is to physically lock them at the waist by a steel cable. Stripped of nearly every modern convenience, they will be forced to pool their ingenuity and work together – whether they like it or not! TETHERED premieres every Tuesday on Discovery Channel at 8:00 p.m., starting December 30.

The men and woman of TETHERED have varying degrees of survival experience – from none to some! A rich real estate mogul is paired with an environmentalist dedicated to a non-materialistic lifestyle; a shaman with a biology professor; a free-spirited yoga expert with a hard-headed military man. They might not all have the necessary survival expertise, but the common thread that links them is the eagerness for a life-changing experience that will either see them forge lifelong friendships or arch enemies in the process!

Dropped at a meeting point with just either a four-foot (over 1.2 metres) or six-foot (almost 2 metres) steel cable that binds them together, a basic map and a limited survival kit, each contrasting pair has 10 to 12 days to overcome their differences and work hand-in-hand to escape the wild. From swimming across shark-infested waters, trekking through bear-infested woods, dodging alligators and hanging over dangerous waterfalls in addition to fighting hypothermia and dehydration, each duo may have to learn the hard way that the best way to survive is to stick together.

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To give thanks and their sincerest gratitude and appreciation to the bloggers who have helped Friendly Alliances and Media Expressions (FAME), Inc. FAME is a subsidiary of Trianoin International Group of Companies owned by cardiologist Dr. Rafael Castillo, with the advocacy of spreading the word on health medicine through its magazines. It later expanded when it ventured into commercial publications and promoting both Philippine and International tourism.

The company organized a year-end thanksgiving party entitled "Holiday Delight: A Year-End Bloggers Party" last December 17 at Green Sun, one of the newest events venue in Makati. It is a “New Arts” Center that caters to the fresh works and performances of young Filipino creatives in the field of arts, design, music, and culinary.

The venue is located at 2285 Chino Roces Avenue Extension in Makati city. Just a very short ride from the Magallanes MRT station. You can even walk from the MRT station if the weather is fine.

The event, themed as a White Christmas Party, capped off FAME's social media programs this year and gathered various bloggers from different industries for a cocktail dinner and socialization party amongst several consumer brands and stakeholders like booths from Goldilocks Bakeshop and Foodshop, Australian Harvest Oats, Trianon, LRI Therapharma and Tupperware.

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EarthCam is the global leader in delivering webcam content, technology and services. Founded in 1996, EarthCam provides live streaming video and time-lapse construction cameras for corporate, tourism and government clients in major cities around the world.

EarthCam's all-weather webcams, innovative software and mobile applications enable users to showcase unique views, increase exposure and generate positive public relations. EarthCam launched EarthCamTV, a 24-hour “TV channel” devoted to live views of scenic destinations around the world.

The Webby Award winning company hosts many highly trafficked tourism cams, with views of popular locations and landmarks such as Mount Rushmore, Statue of Liberty, Times Square, Las Vegas Strip, Bourbon Street, Eiffel Tower, Andy Warhol’s gravesite, Hollywood Boulevard, Miami Beach, Atlantis the Palm Dubai, Petra in Jordan and Abbey Road Crossing in London.

EarthCam revealed its “25 Most Interesting Webcams of 2014!” For unforgettable experiences, travel to www.earthcam.com/top25 and… Blast off 268 miles into space, defy gravity with an indoor skydiving webcam, enjoy a sunset over the Bernese Alps in Austria, and spend the day in Dillie the house deer’s bedroom.

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If you are careful of what you put in your body, you should also give importance to what goes onto your skin. Many women would spend a little more just to be assured that what they put onto their skin is something pure, genuine and of highest quality that's free from many harmful ingredients.

Did you know that goat's milk has more benefits than you can imagine? Go ahead and try these products blended with goat's milk as the primary ingredient. Give in and treat yourself to dessert for the skin.

The Cream Factory, a US brand that offers premium and natural products, believes in the goodness goat's milk, that is why their products are made by and for people who are passionate about goat's milk for bath and body products. The Cream Factory products contains 100% Active Botanical extracts to provide multiple benefits for your skin, and leave it feeling velvety-smooth and fresh, even into the night.

While there are many small brands of goat's milk bath and body products, there are very dew imported, quality options available in the market. Real Netherlands goat's milk is prized for its purity and quality.

Jack Daniel's Holiday Barrel Tree Lighting at Fuente Circle Eastwood

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The Christmas tree has been a long-time tradition being practiced in many countries worldwide including the Philippines. Through the years, there have been so many different versions and style of the Christmas tree, as well as the manner they are decorated. Usually topped with a star at its very peak, and tree is also colorfully lighted all over to provide more beauty and attract more attention. This symbol of the holiday season is also bound to every man’s independent spirit and belief in what this season is about.

No matter what tradition, the community and togetherness are always in the heart this time of the year. Just like the Jack Daniel’s Holiday Barrel Tree which is a Lynchburg Tennessee holiday tradition that through the years has spread to the United Kingdom and Canada.

The holidays just keep getting better now that the Jack Daniel's Holiday Barrel Tree comes to Manila. The 30 feet and 7 barrel-layered composed of 82 pieces of barrels had a ceremonial lighting last December 16, 2014 at the Fuente Circle in Eastwood Libis Quezon City.

Mr. Anthony Ramirez, Brown Forman Corporation Philippine Market Manager initiated the lighting of the first and only Jack Daniel’s Barrel Tree in Asia, along with Mr. Gabriel Fajardo, Jack Daniel’s Philippine Brand Manager. Another tree will also be setup at The Fort Plaza in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) on Saturday, December 20, 2014 thus offering more wonder and amazement for the Filipino people especially to the ones near the two locations.

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Where do you start when you have so much to say?

The city of Malolos from the province of Bulacan has so many rich historical and cultural discoveries that it is a huge enigma why not so many people are aware that it is in this city where the first democracy in the continents of Asia and Africa was founded, specifically at the Barasoain Church. This is where the first Philippine Republic was proclaimed.

At the press conference that we attended at Bahay na Tisa restaurant during the media launch of Vamos a Malolos held last December 15, Mayor Christian Natividad passionately shared his sentiments that after more than a century, of us proclaiming the very first Republic of the Philippines, it seems we have all forgotten about the real significance of that moment, and we are now just contented that every January 23 we are just going to raise the flag of the Philippines, while the President, Vice President, House Speaker, Senate President, Supreme Court justices, and other honorable guests from the government, will all be coming to Malolos to attend a short program, and that's it. Nothing more.

Everyone goes back home until the same event next year when we would be doing the same thing all over again. Is that how it should really be?

If we don't look at back at our past, how would we be able to understand ourselves? If we are not going to look back at the important events that took place a long time ago, where do we intend to go? Which direction are we heading?

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Singapore Airlines passengers flying from Manila to Singapore will have the option to fly in even greater comfort and luxury as Singapore Airlines launches its First Class cabin on its Manila to Singapore route starting January 12, 2015. Singapore Airlines will be the only airline offering the First Class product on this sector.

Singapore Airlines offers four daily flights on the Boeing 777-200 and the Airbus A330-300 aircraft at present, but by next year, travelers from Manila will get to experience flying on the airline’s B777-300ER fleet which features the First Class product. Operating the SQ910 and SQ917 daily service, the B777-300ER will provide eight first class seats, 42 business class seats, and 228 economy seats.

In First Class, each passenger is provided with a vanity corner complete with a mirror, a table that can be adjusted for height to suit individual preferences, and a 35-inch seat that can be converted to the largest fully flat bed in the sky.

First Class passengers are treated to the airline’s world gourmet cuisine created by its International Culinary Panel of world-renowned chefs accompanied by a tantalizing selection of wine and beverages specially designed to delight the discerning palate.

Taking Care of Your Skin During the Holidays

Wazzup Pilipinas!

With the holidays fast-approaching come the different how-to-dos on surviving this merry yet frenzied season. These range from managing work and play, recovering from a dreadful hangover, getting back into shape, but nothing focuses on how the stress of the season actually affects your skin.

Imagine having parties lined on your social calendar for the week, but then you suddenly wake up with flared-up skin one morning. What a nightmare! Due to excessive celebrations, sleepless nights, exposure to harsh elements and the holiday stress, it’s the time of the year where puffy eyes, tired-looking skin and breakouts appear more than usual. What do you do when your skin gets the holiday blues?

Cleanse and moisturize. Make sure you cleanse and prep your face properly before hitting the sack. The all-time, no-no rule of sleeping with your makeup on still tops the list. And if the colder weather begins to dry out your skin, double up the potency of your current moisturizer by switching to a richer version. After all, nothing says happy holidays more than having healthy skin in time for all the celebrations!

Exfoliate weekly. Partying all night means you tend to reapply make up more frequently than usual. Through gentle exfoliation, you can clear the impurities in your pores plus scrub off dead skin cells that may lead to breakouts.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Seiko Epson Corporation recently announced that it had shipped its 100 millionth high-temperature polysilicon ("HTPS") TFT liquid crystal panel for 3LCD projectors, enough for more than 33.3 million projector units.

Epson began developing HTPS, the core devices at the heart of 3LCD projectors, in the 1980s and introduced its first 3LCD projector in 1989. Since then, shipments of Epson HTPS panels have grown in tandem with the projector market, reaching 50 million in 2008, and now, 25 years since the launch of the first 3LCD projector, achieving 100 million.

Applications for projectors have now expanded, for example, for business presentations in offices, for home theaters, for education, and for commerce. By continuing to develop products that fulfill the demands of these markets, Epson has maintained its position as the world's No.1* supplier of 3LCD projectors for 13 successive years.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Congratulations to Indaks 24/7 (Team Hashtag) for winning the grand prize for the Healthway Medical "Dance for Health 2: Take the Lead" dance competition.

They were actually my bet as well from the very first time I saw them, not only from their exceptional dance moves but also based from their excellent branding using the popular hashtag symbol, their cool and edgy dance outfits, their outstanding choice of dance beats, and their overall presence on and off the stage.

Ms. Eleonor Bengco-Tan, President of Healthway Medical, was there for a short message to welcome the participants and attendees of the Dance for Health yearly dance competition sponsored by Healthway Medical to promote dancing as an avenue of maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle.

Ms. Carmi De Leon, Vice President for Sales and Marketing of Healthway Medical, said that they only hire employees that can dance. I also believe that dancing should be a part of our lifestyle. We should make dancing a habit if we want to reach our full potential. She also gave a sample of her belly-dancing steps during the introduction of judges.

My Luck As a Blogger Keeps Getting Better

Wazuup Pilipinas!

My producer/partner requested me to email my personal profile and some of my photos so UNTV can make me a promotional profile for the TV shows I will be involved in. He then forwarded it to UNTV with the following message:

"Below is an initial profile and photos of one of our partner/producer/host/blogger of our incoming TV shows to promote our merchants & etc..."

That statement calls for a celebration. I believe I deserve a feast fit for a King ... or a Blogger ... that's soon to be a ... "Partner/Producer/Host of TV shows" (not my words).

"Sana di ako magkalat sa taping or shoot. Lol! Sobrang kabado ako. Baka ma-mental block lang ako when infront of the camera. Nakakahiya kapag ganoon ang mangyayari. Sino ba gagawa ng script? Ano ba dapat isusuot ko?. Magpapa-make-up rin ba ako? Kailangan ko na bang magpapayat..o mas nakakatuwa ang mataba sa TV?...Hahaha .. Kaloka talaga!"

I am so grateful that my luck keeps getting better everyday, and I owe it all to the people who believed and supported Wazzup Pilipinas. This is one of the nicest early Christmas present I got this year. My enthusiasm is at its peak right now, and hoping for more good fortune soon.

Let's Take It Offline: A Much Needed Break from the Online World

Wazzup Pilipinas!

A PR approached me yesterday and shared his deep concern of what some bloggers are doing. He said a lot are doing rants against each other, backstabbing, spreading rumors, cursing, etc. He emphasized that these are the reasons why some organizations are still hesitant to invite or partner with bloggers because of the ill behavior some bloggers are showing towards each other in the blogging community. Lack of respect and courtesy. Iisa ang mundong ginagalawan natin pero tayo-tayo rin ang nagsisiraan. Ipinapakita natin sa public ang isang parte ng ating komunidad na hindi kaaya-aya at lubhang makakasira sa ating lahat.

Let me reiterate. He did not mention any wrongdoing of individual bloggers but what bloggers as a whole are doing against each other - spreading negativity about the blogging community specifically through online and social media rants. May pinariringgan, may pinatatamaan at walang humpay na pagrereklamo. Ang impression tuloy ng iba ay tayo ay nagiging sobrang antipatiko, kunsintidor, mayabang, materialistiko, walang utang na loob, makapal ang mukha, inggitero, at kung ano-ano pang malalaswang kaugalian na dapat sana ay maiiwasan kung hindi tayo mismo ang nagkakalat.

Mas nakakairita ang mga taong lalo pang pinaiigting ang galit ng threadstarter. OK lang magbigay ng simpatiya pero kapag ikaw ay kumampi, naniwala ng agad-agad, at ang mas masahol ay nagalit rin sa taong pinatatamaan ng iyong kaibigan, ay higit ka pang nagdulot ng mas matinding yurak para lalong maging magulo ang inyong mundo. Bakit kamo? Dahil imbes na iilan lang ang nag-aaway ay dumagdag ka pa.

This does not apply only to the blogging community but for every group or organization.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

National Geographic Explorer extended its program to the young minds by bringing the world inside the classroom. The organization developed a holistic and integrative environmental education program to further encourage learners and educators to engage in purposive learning. The aim of this organization is not just to inform the public about the what's, the how's and why's of things, but also to inspire them to move and do something about the world around them. Informative, entertaining and interactive activities were developed as well to motivate young learners to explore within the safety of the classroom.

The E3 Pedagogy in Learning: Interactive Approaches Improving Classroom Instructions and Methodologies for Millenial Learners was held at the 3rd Flr. Auditorium, Kaban ng Hiyas Building City of Mandaluyong. The event shared tips and techniques to K12 teachers to become innovative leaders to the students in order to make them life-long learners. They give both prestige and a remarkable experience to the educators of this country.

The honorable Mayor Benjamin Abalos was there to give the Welcome Remarks. Ms. Arlene Padua Martinez, President and Managing Director of National Geographic Explorer Philippines gave the Opening and Closing Remarks, while Ms. Jeanne Danielle Martinez, Program Manager of National Geographic Explorer Philippines, launched the program.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Aside from the Gabriela experience that we talked about from our previous blog article, there are a lot of things to do in and around Nurture Wellness Village of Tagaytay. Our one and half hour ride from Metro Manila was all worth the travel time as the beauty and healing properties of the place was extremely rewarding.

Our visit at the enchanting and strikingly soothing place formerly called Nurture Spa, allowed us to experience a more profound self-discovery. It made us look more intimately on our personal totality. There are only a few spots near Manila where you can find a vast array of relaxing eco-friendly amenities located within nature itself.

The esteemed health and wellness destination can be found at Pulong Sagingan at Barangay Maitim II West Tagaytay City and was built by Dr. Mike Turvill, a british national who holds a PhD in Chemistry, and his wife Cathy Turvill, a certified Worksite Wellness Specialist, Health and Wellness Coach and internationally licensed therapist.

Nurture Wellness Village has been widely known for its amazing and high quality spa and wellness services highlighted by their skillful therapists trained by internationally certified trainers and the Amu'in massage oils made from pure therapeutic essential oils formulated by Dr. Mike himself, plus the "ulogs" guest accommodations that are authentic Ifugao heritage huts originally sourced from Banaue built by Igorot natives.

Energizer Playground: World's First Battery-Operated Playground

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The most difficult toys to manage are those that are battery-operated since we ought to maintain its functionality by keeping it with power.We should always have batteries in storage so we are ready in times we would need them most especially when our kids suddenly demand to play with his or her battery-operated toys.

We have to accept the fact that not all batteries are made equal. There are only a few that we can say that puts real value on your money, a battery that you can say was worth every penny. If you want a brand that can really satisfy your need for dependable and lost-lasting batteries, you have to choose Energizer.

Energizer, from the makers of the World’s Longest Lasting AA and AAA batteries, recently brought holiday cheers to Filipino kids through the World’s First Energizer-Powered Playground. Your friendly neighborhood pambansang blogger ng Pilipinas was invited to witness an amazing array of playgrounds dominated by battery-powered toys.

From flying helicopters to high-speed race cars up to several cute toys that light up and move around in all directions, children enjoyed a showcase of colorful playmates.

The activity ran during mall hours from 11am to 10pm at the Trinoma Activity Center last Saturday, December 13, 2014. The event supported the Brand’s new campaign on Max Alkaline which is Power Seal Technology, Protects Your Devices from Damaging Leaks. Guaranteed.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The theater never ceases to amaze me. There is nothing better than actually seeing the actors perform live and impromptu. It becomes more meaningful when you see the emotions, both gestures and facial expressions, matching fluently with the words spoken.

The best part is seeing some mistakes that are quickly resolved by quick thinking of the actors that are smart and witty. They are the most talented of the rest. No take twos, only unique presentations done in the spur of the moment powered by their memories of the script, learnings from experience, and their innate creativity.

DALANGHITA PRODUCTIONS proudly announces its first production "KAILAN AT BAKIT" - a trilogy of one-act plays set from Dec. 12 - 14, 2014 at the PETA Studio, 3/F Peta Theater Center.

I was thrilled to receive an invitation for a media preview last December 12. I get to again see and appreciate the power of the theater to naturally touch the emotions in a more intimate setting.

What can I say about the three plays? They were "freakish." It's the most perfect word to describe them. They were all freakishly good.

"KAILAN AT BAKIT" shall feature the following productions:

Wazzup Pilipinas!

We are thankful for the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) for inviting Wazzup Pilipinas to A Marvelous BPI Christmas Bash held last December 11, 2014 (Thursday), 11am at the Compass, InterContinental Hotel Manila.

The Media Appreciation Party was supposed to be scheduled last December 9, 2014 but they had to postpone due to the expected landfall of Typhoon Ruby in Metro Manila. They apologized for the inconvenience because they said our safety is of utmost importance and concern for them. For that we are forever grateful as well since not only are they extending us their thanks for a year of partnership, they valued our safety too.

The afternoon was filled with entertainment from a band who performed several song numbers, individual and group games, amazing raffle prizes, a buffet meal where they served "lechon" or roasted pig among the other dishes, and a "sugar rush" section where they offered several sweets aside from the dessert at the buffet table.

The event was a superhero-themed celebration intended to thank the media friends of BPI for a year of support. maybe for them we are their heroes so they are now letting us become superheroes even just for this day.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Napapanahon na ating pag-usapan ang tungkol sa mga rumors, issues at scandals sa blogging community dahil sa mga kumakalat na blogs at trending na usapan sa social media na maaaring makasira sa pagkatao ng ilang individual. Ang timeline ko ay puno ng usapin tungkol sa mga nakataang mga pangyayari na involved ang ilang bloggers at ang karumal-dumal nilang karanasan.

Hindi yata umuubra ang pananahimik. Silence may be interpreted as acceptance of our fate. One the other hand, it may mean being guilty because we offer no words to reason out. Kapag naman nagbigay ka ng paliwanag ay binibigyan ng ibang kahulugan o nang-uungkat ng ibang issues na wala namang kinalaman sa pinag-uusapan.

Ang sabi nga nila, pag mahina ang defense, gamitan ng offense. Maglabas ng sangkatutak na issues na ikasisira nila, tutal mahina ang latest issue so gawa tayo ng listahan ng mga ginawa nila, halungkatin ang nakaraan, exaggerate it, maglagay ng kulang-kulang na impormasyon, haluan ng fiction, tambakan ng katatawanan, kalimutan ang katotohanan, at ipagkalat sa lahat ng taong easily gullible.

Kung isusulat nating lahat ng nalalaman nating baho about other people who say bad things about us ay ilang buwan siguro tayo nakatutok sa computer sa dami ng instances.

Hay, naku! Masalimuot ang mundo ng isang blogger. Marami raw pakitang-tao, marami raw sipsip, at maraming gagawin ang lahat dahil sa matinding pangangailangan. Marami rin ang sadyang nananahimik at walang pakialam dahil ayaw madamay o mabigyan ng kulay. Marami ang nais pumagitna lamang pero ang issue ay papabayaan.

Wally+ for Android: Now Available for Download Via the Android App Stores

Wazzup Pilipinas!

This Christmas season, Pinoys don't have to worry about monitoring their income and expenses as they do their holiday shopping and preparations. With Wally+ for Android, managing finances got easier anytime, anywhere.

Wally, the world’s leading lifestyle app for insights into how your money behaves, recently announced the release of Wally+ for Android. Over 5000 people from the global community helped by beta testing Wally+ to obtain early access.

Wally has been lauded by users and critics alike for using machine learning to adapt to user behavior, giving them real-time insights into their spending patterns, and using a design driven approach.

The team behind Wally is launching the completely redesigned Wally+, exclusively for Android users. Built by millennials to address the issues facing their generation, Wally+ gives people around the world unprecedented perspective into their finances. It centralizes users’ financial lives, allowing them to manage multiple accounts, tag friends in expenses, and understand how they stand financially compared to similar people.

Wally+ is available on Android in 18 languages, just time to get in control of your holiday expenses.

Wally first launched in 2013 on the iPhone where it maintained a global average 4.7 out of 5 stars on the Apple App Store, reached the #1 finance app in 22 countries, and reached the top 10 in 52 countries (with India, China and the US as the top 3 markets). Wally users have lauded the app for its “ease of use”, “beautiful and intuitive design”, and being “fun, simple and convenient” and real-time insights into their financial life.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

It's official! Everything is almost set. We can't wait to begin to level up to our next big step towards the world of tri-media.Your self-declared friendly neighborhood National blog of the Philippines, the Pambansang Blog ng Pilipinas, proudly announces another partnership towards greater heights.

From a mere online media or blog, to contributing to magazines like Smile and Breakfast, being featured in a newspaper like Philippine Star, being interviewed at radio stations like Radyo Agila DZEC 1062 AM, Ka-Tropa Radio DWDD 1134 AM, guesting on TV stations like Philippines Uncut of Buddy Cunanan at Global News Network (GNN) and PTV4 News, and a special arrangement with Vigattin Radio of Radyo Inquirer DZIQ 990 AM, we finally were given a break to try hosting for TV show segments incorporated into the regular shows of UNTV, your public service channel.

Aside from the many partnerships with many events, colleges and universities, brands, advocacy programs and other organizations, the awards we received because of Wazzup Pilipinas, starting from the very first recognition as Top Emerging Influential Blog of 2013, and then being conferred with a series of awards as the Most Outstanding Filipino Community Blog, Best Filipino Community Blog, Top Filipino Community Blog, even a personal award for our founder Ross Flores Del Rosario as Influential Social Media Evangelist of 2014, and now the latest of which is for 2014 Outstanding Customer Service for Online Community Blog Site, Wazzup Pilipinas has definitely reached an all time high with the announcement of TV show collaborations.

Yes! You heard it right! We're going to be on TV!

Wazzup Pilipinas!
The Marvel site describes Iron Man as ".... the story of Tony Stark, a billionaire industrialist and genius inventor who is kidnapped and forced to build a devastating weapon. Instead, using his intelligence and ingenuity, Tony builds a high-tech suit of armor and escapes captivity. When he uncovers a nefarious plot with global implications, he dons his powerful armor and vows to protect the world as Iron Man."

Now that's actually the plot of the 2008 movie starring Robert Downey Jr. who plays billionaire industrialist, philanthropist and genius inventor Anthony "Tony" Stark, president of Stark Enterprises who's primary clients was the military. I'm not really sure if the comic books is similar since I've read somewhere that involves a villain named Mandarin and another captive friend named Wellington Yinsen. We all know Hollywood tends to do glorified changes to make the story more of a blockbuster.

The Captain America movie also gave us a glimpse of his father, Walter Stark, as the one who invented the invincible "Shield" that also acts like a boomerang since it would always swing back to Cap's hand. Thus, ingenuity, and creativity (for those cool designs), really runs in the family.

For Yexel Sebastian, who is obviously a fan of Iron man, the world of Iron Man is probably a fascinating one to be in. Thus he recreated the extremely cool Iron Man room in his Amazing Stories of Yexel's Museum situated at the 2nd floor of the Manila Ocean Park. But the suits were recreated using cheaper materials that he patiently carved out of styrofoam and treated with a tedious process that can also be learned at the museum.

All I Want for Christmas is the Freedom to Rant Without Fear

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Sometimes we just need to fight for what we believe is right no matter how insignificant or less important it is. We should be following a principle guided by moral values that we should strictly adhere to even if it means sacrificing our personal interests.

It is very rare in this world to see people concerned about the small and trivial things which could very well eventually lead to bigger problems if ignored or taken for granted.

Sa maliliit na mga bagay nagsisimula ang mga malalaking kalokohan kapag pinabayaan o ipinasa-Diyos na lamang. Tandaan, "Nasa tao ang gawa, nasa Diyos ang awa." Dapat rin po tayong kumilos because we owe it to ourselves, and to the other people who may have encountered the same situations, to seek the truth and demand for justice.

Huwag hintaying lumala ang mga bagay-bagay bago tutukan ng pansin. Nasa huli ang pagsisisi. Huwag nating hahayaang ipagpatuloy ang tila karumal-dumal na mga gawain ng mga nilalang na halang ang kaluluwa.

Dapat ba na kumanta na lang tayo ng "Let It Go" at hayaan na lang na humupa ang ating galit?

Pero teka, di ba dapat rin nating tandaan na ang lahat ng bagay ay nareresolba kapag may tunay na hangaring maisaayos ang nasirang pagsasama o mapagkasundo ang magkabilang panig na nagtutunggali?

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"Like any good deed, gender equality should start at home" says Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secretary Jun Abaya in his first statements of the closing remarks speech he gave at the Gender and Transportation Summit, a milestone in the history of the transportation sector, held at the Philippine International Convention Center last November 17 and 18, 2014.

Secretary Abaya was grateful for the representatives from the private sector who took time out to participate in the gender equality and transportation activity. This is the first time that the transportation sector would join hands and put into writing the various commitments to advance gender equality of each of the transport sub-sectors - the road, railways, civil aviation and maritime.

He also recognized the efforts of Director Quiogue and Assistant Secretary Lantin for their valuable contributions in the preparation, coordination and setting up of the activities involved in the Gender and Transportation Summit.

Below are statements grabbed from his speech done on the second day and con concluding hours of the summit before the signing of MOUs took place. Some of the statements were re-arranged in order to give a clearer presentation of facts. We also removed some of his other statements that we feel are no longer necessary.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

It's the time of the year again to recognize outstanding companies and individuals who have excelled in their respective businesses and careers. It is but proper to give recognition to a year of hard work and perseverance especially to those who went through some desperate times before they finally reached their success. An award is an acknowledgement for all the efforts exerted, a reminder to keep the perseverance, and an encouragement to always do our best.

Everyone reveled in happiness as each one of the awardees of the National Costumers' Choice Annual Awards for 2014 received their respective awards conferring to them the recognition for their most outstanding contribution or achievement. The awarding ceremonies was held last December 4, 2014 at the Hotel Richmonde Eastwood in Quezon City.

The awards celebration is a joint undertaking of the National Customers' Choice Awards Annual Council, Philippine Events Specialist and Marketing Services Co. Ltd., Consumer Eye Marketing and Research, and the ShopBest Magazine.

A huge gathering of Small and Medium-sized Entrepreneurs (SME) were seen in attendance at this awarding ceremonies that's now definitely bigger and better. There were lots of familiar brands present that were all eager and anticipating the moment they would go up on stage and received their much-awaited award.

More Choices for Hungry Pandas: The foodpanda Mantra

Wazzup Pilipinas!

foodpanda, the leading global online food delivery marketplace is at it again, acquiring more and more partner establishments to cater the hungry Filipinos! Launched last June 2014 in the country, foodpanda has grown its restaurant database impressively, satisfying the craving of the Pinoy hungry pangs, whichever cuisine it may be.

“Ultimately, it all boils down to who offer variety, who provides choices. For a hungry customer, a craving for a specific cuisine will lead him to looking for what restaurant will be able to satisfy that. It’s not every day that a customer will have a Balkan dish craving, or a sudden urge to finish a plateful of ribs and fries. And on days like that, foodpanda comes into play—to solve that typical foodie problem”, Mauro Cocchieri, foodpanda CEO, said.

To those who’s up for a savory and saucy trip to Asia, you don’t need to pack your bags and fly miles away from home! All you need is your smart phone, internet connection, and the foodpanda app, or you can also opt to visit the website, foodpanda.ph! Want some pad thai? Then choose Som’s Noodle House.

Or if you want curry and biryani combo, Queens Taj Mahal perfectly fits the bill! Sushi, maki, and ramen’s your craving of the day? Kitaro Sushi, TAT Japanese Restaurant and Manila Maki are just some of the restaurants you can take your pick from.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

FoodPanda and WeChat are inviting you to join the Christmas Charity Challenge!

Just add FoodPanda's official account on WeChat, send them a hold-to-talk message saying "ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS (INSERT YOUR FAVORITE FOOD HERE)"!

Once they receive 1,000 messages, they will feed 100 families supported by Habitat for Humanity! Now that's sharing made more social! :)

This challenge was announced during the night party held at Prive luxury clubin Bonifacio Global City (BGC) where everyone got to spend the night on sushi and cocktail drinks. Every blogger invited can bring along a +3 to party with them. Thus the club was jampacked with people.

We were allowed to get in at around past 10 pm, had some drinks and sushi, mingled with friends and new acquaintances, and waited for the program which started at around 11:30 pm.

Two individuals started dancing to the tune of "We Chat Pa More" in front with the FoodPanda mascot signifying the start of the program. I already saw the panda mascot at the restroom when I took a pee and requested a photo ops before I went back to my seat.

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Aide Australasia (AA), an assistance immigration diversity employment organization that aims to help Filipino and other professionals within the Southeast Asian region achieve their dream to work and live in Australia, recently launched a new website at www.aideaustralasia.com.

Information on the organization’s services which include professional development and education, registration assistance, relocation services and migration assistance, among others can be found on the new website. AA is in partnership with Registered Training Organization (RTO) to help Filipino professionals meet the qualifications required by the industry or educational institution that they aim to be part of.

Filipino-Australian Ms. Joie Lacson, a registered nurse with 26 years of experience in the Australian workforce, leads Aide Australasia which is the first organization to offer a full-service delivery program and the support of knowledgeable and experienced experts in helping other professionals achieve their Australian dream. With core values that include integrity and accountability, the people behind Aide Australasia are committed to work with Filipino professionals every step of the way to ensure that their paperwork is completed accurately and efficiently.