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Wazzup Pilipinas!

We've all heard about Time magazine’s recent award to the Philippines as the selfie capital of the world. That recognition is probably the ultimate testament to how Filipinos love sharing their selfies. But not all people are confident in taking selfies because they do not find themselves photogenic enough, or worst if their face is ridden with disturbing iamges of acne that totally ruins their self-esteem.

Selfies are the ultimate ways of self-expression on social media, and Proactiv recognizes the importance of confidence to people as they share their photos with faces free or less troubled by acne or pimples.

A lot of people have resorted to using various filters and photo editing apps for their “selfies” as
they want to hide their acne from their friends and the public. A little photo shop here and there, and
viola they can already post their perfect selfies.

Three Dancers of Ballet Philippines All Set to Compete in International Ballet Competitions

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Ballet Philippines, the country’s premier classical and contemporary dance company proudly announces the participation of three company members to compete in two prestigious international ballet competitions in USA and Bulgaria.

Victor Maguad and Jemima Sanielle Reyes will represent the Philippines in the USA International Ballet Competition to be held in Jackson, Mississippi from June 14 – 29, 2014.

Monica Amanda Gana will represent the Philippines in the 26th International Ballet Competition - Varna 2014 to be held at the Open theater Varna in Bulgaria from July 15 - 30, 2014.

Victor Gamosa Ursabia, director of the Ballet Philippines Dance School is coaching the three dancers and will be accompanying them to both competitions abroad.

Jemima Sanielle Reyes started dancing at the age of 3 at the Lilibeth C. Trinidad Dance and Exercise Center in Cabanatuan City. She graduated from the Philippine High School for the Arts, Majoring in Ballet, in 2011. She joined the company as an apprentice at the age of 16 and was promoted to junior company member a year after. She performed the principal role of Princess Aurora in Sleeping Beauty for the CCP Dance School. For the company she has essayed significant roles such as Princess Florine in Sleeping Beauty, Prinsesa in Crisostomo Ibarra, and Gintong Usa in Alice Reyes' Rama Hari. Jemima was a finalist at the National Music Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA) in 2009, she placed 8th at the first Asian Grand Prix International Ballet Competition in 2011 in Hong Kong, and she was a semi-finalist at the 2012 Rudolf Nureyev International Ballet Competition in Budapest, Hungary.

Every Summer Has a Story Worth Sharing

Wazzup Pilipinas!

"Every summer has a story."

Summer vacation is probably the happiest time for a student like me. This is where we wake up late, sleep late, have a relaxation, go to the beach and do whatever we want. But as my quotation said, every summer has a story. We expect that we can do all we want, party all night and always having fun. But for my summer 2014, my expectations all went down. Summer 2014 was my not-so-good summer time that I’d ever had. It was a tragic and a bit happy at the same time.

On my summer vacation, my sister and I spent our vacation in Bulacan. We stayed there for a week with our cousins. It was fun staying there because we missed each other and we did things that we liked to do. We talked about what happened in our school what’s new about us. During holy week, my family and I did the “Visita Iglesia.” We went in seven churches and I could say that I enjoyed it and I had time for God.

My summer was tragic and sad because I lost a special person in my life, my mom. She is the most important person for me. I felt so down and I don’t know what will happen to me now that my mom is not here on my side. I was sad because I will graduate this year and she’s not here to congratulate me and to accompany me on stage to get my diploma.

Mega Job Fair at StarMall EDSA-Shaw

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The school season is back and this means more requirements for financial stability especially for the parents, and those that support kids to school, because of the additional need to spend for school supplies books,uniforms, and projects.

This would always bring thoughts in our mind to personally reflect if we are in the right job to provide for all our needs. There might be a better job for us out there that we could really call our dream job where we can grow old and retire from afterwards.

Magnus Eventus, Inc., will soon be having another Mega Job Fair at Starmall EDSA-Shaw on June 19 and 20, 2014. This job fair is dedicated to give opportunities to aspiring newly graduates and existing professionals to boost their career towards greener pastures.

Who knows? Maybe your dream job is just waiting somewhere in one of the booths of the many companies who will be joining the search for the perfect applicant to join them in a position at their company.

Magnus Eventus Inc., Mega Job Fair also provides free resume printing to all applicants to help those who are financially short in budget. They can just bring a soft-copy of their resume or curriculum vitae and print it there at one of their stations.

DUP’s Ang Nawalang Kapatid Stages Benefit Shows on July 4-6, 11-13

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Coming off a hugely successful and critically acclaimed extended run, Dulaang UP’s Ang Nawalang Kapatid stages benefit shows on July 4-6, 11-13 (Friday to Sunday only) in celebration of UP Department of Speech Communication and Theatre Arts’ 55th Anniversary. Proceeds are for the improvement of UP Diliman’s famed theaters - Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero Theater and Teatro Hermogenes Ylagan - bastions of DUP plays.

If you missed or would like to relive the Filipino retelling of one of the world’s oldest and longest epic poems, The Mahabharata, this is your chance to watch the production praised by critics for its direction, text, music, and choreography. Critics laud the production as “an astonishing theatrical experience”, “an elegant and regal Filipino adaptation”, and Dexter Santos’s direction as “breathless and daring”.

The story revolves around the battling royal families of the Pandavas and Kauravas, and the moral dilemma Karna, the lost brother, finds himself in. To whom does he owe his loyalty? To his family or to the state which made him a prince?

Queen of all Queens

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Filipinos love fiestas. They are celebrated all year round and all over the country during summer especially in the month of May. One of the most awaited fiesta in May is the Santacruzan which is also considered as the "Queen of all Filipino Festivals." During this summer I was asked to joined the Santacruzan, I immediately agreed because it looks like it would be fun and I think it would be a chance for me to give my thanks and appreciation to Mama Mary for all the blessings she gave to me and my family.

The Santacuzan was held at Santolan, Pasig. We were supposed to be there at 5:00 in the evening to attend a mass in the Santolan Church but it took hours for the makeup artist to finish my hair and make up. That's why we arrived at 7:00 in the evening.

After I arrived at the church, the parade started. I was a bit embarrassed because I was the reason why the parade started late. This is my first Santacruzan that's why I am a bit nervous but it was soon overpowered by the feeling of excitement and happiness. My escort was my former classmate in nursery and he is also my neighbor. The parade was super fun and I can hear praises from the people around us.

Felicity and Sunsets

Wazzup Pilipinas!

A solitary soul has diverse appreciation. If you're going to look into different eyes, what are the things you’ll stare at?

Last summer, I fell in love with sunsets. Especially when the sky is tainted with colors just enough to keep me staring at it. I think of it as beauty ensconced in smoke and noises. Luckily, I had a lot of chances to see this lovely scene in different ways and I think, they were the highlights of my summer.

First was when I had my photo shoot in the University of the Philippines, Diliman. Just for fun. We started capturing moments and whatnots late in the morning and went home at sunset. We intentionally went home at the golden hour to experience looking at buildings light up as the dark approached. It was a really enchanting scene.

The same thing happened at my second photo shoot at Evergreen, just here in Pasig. The only difference was that there were only a few buildings but nature was revealing. It was also a lovely sight to see.

TeleTech: The Preferred Choice for a Promising Career in the BPO Industry

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Ready to start an awesome career? A world of opportunity awaits you when you apply at TeleTech. You'll enjoy helping others and working with the latest technological devices. It is also home to a diverse mix of cultures and nationalities of TSRs! Experience TeleTech's unique value propositions - an environment conducive to friendships, a work location close to home, and a culture that brings out the best in people.

I first heard of TeleTech when the call center company put up a team in the Philippine Basketball League, the predecessor of the PBA D-League, when I was still a college freshman. The formation of the team was timely because it came at a time that BPO's were on the rise. In fact, I tried to apply at Teletech, only that my time does not fit its time. Finally, I got a chance to check out one of Teletech's offices in Mandaluyong City.

Teletech actually began in 1982 by Ken Tuchman at a garage. Eventually, it grew to a multinational company that put up offices in the Philippines beginning in 2001. The first TeleTech Philippines office was at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. The Taguig office eventually moved to the Makati Eco Plaza in Makati in 2009. The Mandaluyong office/training center was built in 2011 at the Robinson's Cybergate Plaza just beside Forum Robinson's. The following year, it became the TeleTech Global Network Operations Center.

Power Mac Center’s Sync Sessions Kicks Off with Taken By Cars at TriNoma

Wazzup Pilipinas!

​​Power Mac Center is taking live band performances to a whole new level as it brings together cool musical acts in the Philippines to perform using only Mac and iOS devices. The most reliable Apple partner in the Philippines is orchestrating a series of live performances featuring celebrated musical acts in different genres in a one-of-a-kind music fete aptly called Sync Sessions.

Kicking off the Sync Sessions is Taken by Cars on June 7, 6:00 pm at Power Mac Center TriNoma.
​​Taken by Cars is an electro-rock quintet whose infectious and dance-friendly brand of intelligent indie rock allowed them to become the first Filipino band to play at the SXSW Music Festival in Austin, Texas. Several musical acts are scheduled to perform at Sync Sessions to be held in other Power Mac Center locations within Metro Manila.

“Power Mac Center constantly pushes the envelope by engaging its valued clientele in a variety of groundbreaking activities that leverage on innovation and create unique experiences for them,” said Power Mac Center Marketing Director Joey Alvarez.“ Sync Sessions endeavors to showcase how Mac and iOS devices can support musical pursuits by inviting brilliant artists perform at our stores and give music aficionados the ultimate fan experience.”

Philippine Top Choice Awards for Excellence 2014: Moved to Camelot Hotel on August 23

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Got an e-mail that the formal acceptance of award for Wazzup Pilipinas as the Top Filipino Community Blog Site from the Philippine Top Choice Awards for Excellence 2014 will be rescheduled on August 23, 2014 due to the unavailability of the guest speaker and the many requests from the other winners to have time to prepare their marketing and advertising materials for the event.

What got me excited was the change of venue to Camelot Hotel - that hotel in Quezon City that was made to look like King Arthur's castle. Accredited by the Department of Tourism, Camelot Hotel is the country's only theme hotel that provides first-class accommodation at an affordable price. Conveniently located at #35 Mother Ignacia Street, Diliman Quezon City.

Yey! I really wanted to visit that place, go to the highest part of the castle that is accessible, and shout "I'm the KING of the world!!!"

But, wait...wasn't that for a cruise ship?

Belgian and Filipino Dance Collaboration “Coke” Showing at the PETA Theater Center

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Belgian dance company Kobalt Works, in cooperation with the PETA Theater Center and the Goethe Institut Manila, present COKE, a contemporary dance performance at the PETA PHINMA Theater this June 13-14, 7:00PM.

Arco Renz, the artistic director and principal choreographer of Kobalt Works collaborated with an ensemble composed of PETA Senior Teacher Artists Ian Segarra, Mean Espinosa and Carlon Matobato, dancers Lyg Carillo, Rafflesia Bravo and award-winning pole dancer Eisa Jocson to create the said performance. Guest artists from the famed dance group Sexbomb Dancers were also invited to give input to the movement vocabulary depicted in COKE.

COKE is about entertainment as survival and survival as entertainment. As described on the Goerthe Intsitut website: “The name COKE refers to the relationship between entertainment, pleasure, consumption and danger.”

Market Tour of Manila: Discovering the Best Buys and Bargains Plus a Lot More (Part 2 of 2)

Wazzup Pilipinas!

To continue with our Market tour of Manila organized by Smokey Tours, your pambansang blog once again brings you more stories about our recent adventure along old downtown Manila. Last time we explored the many vendors selling different wares around Quiapo, the Muslim community, some of their prime products, and their majestic Golden Mosque, and also a glimpse of the Bahay Nakpil. Now, we bring you this time to more iconic places that are also very popular sights in Manila.

The commemorative monument located at Plaza Lacson was our next stop. The plaza, originally named Plaza de Goiti after Spanish conquistador Martin de Goiti who led the conquest of the kingdoms of pre-colonial Manila, is a tribute to the "self-styled Don Quixote" and arguably the greatest mayor of the City of Manila, Arsenio H. Lacson. The monument was made by renowned sculptor Eduardo Castrillo. Manila has erected other monuments of their former mayor in other parts of Manila like the Freedom Triangle plaza grounds near Manila city hall and along Roxas Boulevard. Both were sculpted by Julie Lluch, along with other heroes like Andres Bonifacio and Emilio Jacinto.

Lacson, who earned the moniker “Arsenic” for also being a hard-hitting radio commentator, was elected mayor of Manila in 1951 and was considered by many to be the finest mayor the city ever had. The man died of a heart attack while in office in 1962 at the age of 49.

Gerry's Grill Belly Warmers: Perfect for the Rainy Season

Wazzup Pilipinas!

It's already the month of June and with it comes the rainy season again. We're already beginning to witness several instances of rain every now and then, and it won't be long before the entire nation experiences a cold wet season.

To help warm us up, Gerry’s Grill introduces the perfect-belly warmers for the coming rainy season - soup comforts - that can even warm the soul. While a few of its variety contains a lot less calories than the main dish, they aren’t any less nutritious or filling. Enjoyed solo, this hearty Pinoy fare is the perfect prelude to Gerry’s other tasty offers. Served hot and fresh, this menu item is tempting thus impossible to dismiss.

Choose from among Gerry’s Grill Soup selections: Nido Soup, Nilagang Bulalo, Sinigang na Baboy, Molo, Sinigang na Bangus Belly, at Sinigang na Isda (Catch of the Day).

Foodies can never go wrong with this homegrown chain. Gerry’s Grill is a "must-to-go" restaurant that topped lonelyplanet.com’s “Restaurants in the Philippines” list in 2013, as well as the year prior to it.

Colorum Buses to Be Slapped with P 1M Fine

Wazzup Pilipinas!

In line with their aggressive push to rid the streets of ‘colorum’ or unauthorized public utility vehicle (PUV) operations, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) are issuing Joint Administrative Order (JAO) No. 2014-01 or the revised schedule of fines and penalties for violation of laws, rules, and regulations governing land transportation tomorrow, 4 June 2014. It will take effect on June 19, or 15 days after tomorrow’s publication in 2 newspapers of general circulation.

“Safety is always our priority. Recent accidents have highlighted the need for harsher penalties to deter illegal PUV practices and to better protect the public. The most significant change we are imposing is the P 1 Million fine on colorum bus operators for the first offense, to show that we really mean business in putting an end to their inimical activities which put people’s lives at risk,” said DOTC Secretary Jun Abaya.

The fine for other first-time colorum offenders are: (1) Trucks – P 200,000; (2) Jeepney – P 50,000; (3) Vans – P 200,000; (4) Sedans – P 120,000; (5) Motorcycles – P 6,000.

Apart from these fines, the colorum vehicles will also be impounded for a minimum period of three (3) months. The entire certificate of public convenience (CPC) to which the colorum vehicle belongs will be revoked, as well as their vehicle registrations. They will also be blacklisted from being used as PUVs in the future.

Epson Supports Android KitKat Native Printing for Easy Mobile Printing Anywhere Anytime

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Epson, one of our favorite technology brands that's committed to driving simple wireless printing anywhere and anytime, recently announced its support for Android Printing, the native printing platform introduced in Android KitKat (version 4.4). Android Printing allows mobile users to effortlessly print documents, photos, web pages, and emails - without the need for a dedicated printing app.


There's over 100 new and legacy Epson-Connect enabled printers and all-in-ones that now offer built-in printing support for the latest AndroidTM smartphones and tablets from manufacturers including Google, HTC, and Samsung.

Android Printing enables Android device users to print seamlessly without the need for a specific printing app. Users can discover available printers, change paper sizes, choose specific pages to print, and print almost any kind of document, image, or file.

Following a download of the free Epson Print Enabler, users can easily print emails, photos, web content or important business documents to any compatible Epson printer model, as well as access and support a current range of print-enabled Google Play apps, including Chrome, Drive, Gallery, Gmail, Photos and Quickoffice

WD to Demonstrate First PCI Express Hard Drives at Computex 2014

Wazzup Pilipinas!

WD, a Western Digital company, and world leader in storage solutions, will be demonstrating the first PCI Express hard drives at Computex Taipei, June 3-7, 2014. Enabled with key technology partners, WD’s prototype introduces the new SATA Express interface, a form of PCI Express technology, which is offered on recently launched Intel series-9 chipset motherboard platforms. The SATA Express interface provides a roadmap for faster speeds, lower power consumption and increased flexibility for future OEM designs.

The road to the world’s first demonstration of SATA Express has been in development for almost 3 years. In 2011, SATA-IO, the group responsible for charting the future of SATA, announced that it was developing a new specification that would fundamentally change the core technology behind SATA by melding it with the more advanced PCI Express computer interface. In 2013, the SATA Express specification was announced; and just one year later, WD and selected partners have realized a prototype of what is expected to be the next generation of storage technology.

By moving to PCI Express, the industry marries the world’s most popular storage bus with the world’s most popular computer bus. This union provides a solid growth path to innovate new capability, while preserving the ability to plug legacy SATA drives into new SATA Express based computers. In another innovation, SATA Express allows cable connections with lower costs, by removing the PCI Express Sync line via SRIS (Separate RefClock with Independent SSC), which lowers the overall cable cost.

Market Tour of Manila: Discovering the Best Buys and Bargains Plus a Lot More (Part 1 of 2)

Wazzup Pilipinas!

A fellow travel and foodie blogger once told me that whenever you visit a certain place, may it be a city or a province, especially outside the country, you have to take a peek at its local market place and see what they are mostly selling. It will give you a good overview of what the people are like in many factors based on what they trade or sell.

That may be quite accurate as we would somehow know what's in popular demand in that particular place. We would get a good idea of what they patronize and would likely use, eat, drink, wear, etc. It's usually the center of most transactions "where forces of demand and supply operate, and where buyers and sellers interact (directly or through intermediaries) to trade goods, services, or contracts or instruments, for money or barter."

You would know how superstitious, religious, health-conscious, budget-conscious, and even how conservative or liberal most of the residents are just by touring their local market place. Somehow, the market place allows you to get a glimpse of its people, and for some, opens a window to what they will soon be like in the near future, unless struck by another mania or fad, a surprising unpredictable turn-of-events, or a disaster so threatening, it alters the normal progression of things.

Kiddo-Preneur Summer Bazaar 2014: Rearing Children to Become the Next Business Tycoon

Wazzup Pilipinas!Our parents would often tell us to study hard so we can get a good job after college, but are we really working our butts off just to work for somebody else? Is that how far our college degrees will take us? It might be worst if we land on a job that does not have any relation to our courses.

Working for a company is fine as a stepping stone, but nowadays, it's more rewarding to also be your own boss by setting up your own business and become something better than just an employee: an entrepreneur.


But setting up a business is not really something you can easily read from a book and learn instantly. You need to be extremely patient, persistent, optimistic, and have many other important attributes and qualities to become an entrepreneur. You also kinda have to feel it out and do it for yourself to experience how it really is. But why wait until you graduate from the academic world when it's more ideal to start as young as possible. If it's too late for us, then let's offer the opportunity to our kids who have the most benefit to gain if they learn about entrepreneurship as early as today.

The advocacy of the Kiddo-preneur Summer Bazaar, now on its 5th year, is centered on the idea of teaching kids the value of money. Kids see us spending all the time to buy food, clothes and other basic necessities and luxuries but we don't involve them in the process of making money. This is why a lot of Filipinos even at an older age still depend on their parents for financial stability.

BUM Univarsitee: Back to School Chic Fashion

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Going back to school doesn’t have to be a stressful tale or a sad story of summer’s ending. It doesn’t have to be boring either.

Make going back to school an exciting one! Dress up and express yourself with BUM Univarsitee.

BUM’s back-to-school campaign “BUM Univarsitee” encourages students and the young bloods to rise above the norm and express themselves with school-proper yet colorful and stylish fashion. School time doesn’t have to be dull and dreary so when it’s time to meet up with school friends, gear up by wearing items from the BUM Univarsitee collection.

The BUM Univarsitee collection takes inspiration from the concept of school chic fashion—a style influence that is preppy with a twist. It’s all about being school-compliant without alienating one’s individuality—a delectable combination of grunge, rebel chic, and punk. BUM incorporates the fashion trend it’s known for—color in a garment.

The campaign is about being comfortable in school, and even after-school, wearing what you like and being non-conformist in a surrounding that somehow encourages uniformity.

ToyCon PH 2014: The Epic Launch at Resorts World Manila

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The biggest pop sulture and toy event in the Philippines will soon be held at the Megatrade Halls of SM Megamall in Mandaluyong. But before that epic event, there was an equally epic pre-event activity to proudly introduce the main event this June 20 to 22, 2014.

The 13th Philippine Toycon 2014 Epic Launch and press con was held this Saturday, May 31, 2014 at the Newport Mall of Resorts World Manila. This was the time when most toys and cosplay fans, collectors and enthusiasts gather again at the famed Resorts World to witness an introuction to an event filled with toys, cosplays and other thrills.

The most recognizable and crowd-drawing images and cosplay characters in the gathering were the Batman family of characters led by Batman himself, along with Nightwing, Robin, and the Batgirls. These cast of characters is what makes the Batman phenomenal as we all know that these are ordinary human beings with no special powers except for fighting skills and a plethora of cool gadgets and awesome vehicles.

Master Game Face Community Night: "2nd Place Ain't So Bad" Basketball Trivia Quiz Night

Wazzup Pilipinas!


Master Philippines under Unilever, together with MRM/McCann as the organizing group, invited selected basketball communities to a Master Game Face exclusive launch this May 31, 2014 6:30pm at Skinny Mike’s Sports Bar located at 32nd St. corner Justice Drive, Bonifacio Global City. 

After a hearty meal, where my favorite was the pizza and pasta dishes, MRM/McCann started the night with some videos referring to the Master Game Face Challenge, and the introduction of a representative from Master Philippines who shared with us more details about the campaign. His colleague further ignited the flaming interests with more facts about the game app og which Master Philippines is promoting on Facebook.

Since Skinny Mike's is well-known for quiz nights, it was expected that the main activity of the night will be to challenge our brain cells for some hard-hitting questions. Attendees were asked to form ourselves into a minimum of three, and a maximum of five, and come up with a team name to join a challenging quiz night filled with a lot of basketball trivia.

Erika Padilla on FHM Philippines June 2014 Cover

Wazzup Pilipinas!

#Selfie #Pinay #FingerUpYourAss

I've read that Raissa Robles has very little but strong words to say about the latest FHM Philippines cover this June 2014. The rant was specifically aimed, not on the mickey mouse ears headband, but towards the tattooed words "Pinay" on her.

"Whose bright idea was it to tattoo the word “Pinay” on Erika Padilla’s thigh?

If this is a real tattoo on Erika’s thigh, then I will say nothing more about it. That is her right to free expression.

But if that’s a tattoo you placed there simply for the photo shoot, then you are all jerks for stereotyping us Pinays with Erika’s photo.

I mean, don’t you see? She has floppy breasts. And if she wants to flaunt them in all their floppy splendor, then that’s her choice. But don’t make her represent half the Philippine population.

I know you want to be hip and all that, being the local version of the British magazine FHM.

If that’s an artificial tattoo, that’s a really tacky and thoughtless thing you did. We are not all as vacuous as THAT.

And “Pinay” does not mean sex object." -Raissa Robles