Arbol de Fuego: Cherie Gil Leads Cast of Filipino Adaptation of Anton Chekhov's Cherry Orchard

Wazzup Pilipinas!

"It's serendipitous!" says Cherie Gil proudly as she lands a role in a play entitled 'Arbol de Fuego' that would honorably cap the 47th season of the iconic theater company we all know as the Philippine Educational Theater Association  or PETA. 

Arbol de Fuego is a Filipino adaptation of Anton Chekhov's Cherry Orchard. This is a re-imagining of the classic play having a somber yet with underlying sarcasm and humor that's now conveniently situated in a Philippine setting during the late 70s when Marcos made Roberto Benedicto his sugar czar- the beginning of the downfall of the Negros Occidental sugar industry and the gilded lifestyles of the Negrense sugar barons.

Last January 8, members of the media, including yours truly, the friendly neighborhood Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas, were invited to witness a dramatic reading of some portions of the play at the PETA Theater Center so we could meet the cast, director and writer, plus get glimpses of what to expect.

All of the cast have expressed that they have not even fully understood the characters they were portraying as they have only recently began rehearsing their lines and sink deeper into their roles. Nevertheless the preview was already promising that got us more excited to watch out for the media preview day.

MMDA Enforcers Wearing Adult Diapers: Practical or Dehumanizing?

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Whoever thought of the idea of forcing MMDA enforcers to wear adult diapers should try it himself at once, stay in the post under the sun and be ready to get strange looks from citizens all grinning with the thought.

They should have not divulge this stupid idea to the public since the MMDA Officers would surely feel a bit shameful standing at their post. Where's the dignity in this? Why can't there be a change of guard? There's so many policemen doing nothing at the police stations so why can't they be assigned to do shifting instead?

The wearers will likely need to buy trousers or pants a size bigger. A condom catheter with a urine bag strapped to the leg would be a better option. They will still have to leave their post to change the diaper anyway. But I do agree it will lessen their absence from their post. But who in his right mind would want to endure something to emotionally stressful especially if it will be done by the individual for the very first time. Hahaha, I would be laughing if they underwent training for getting used to peeing in the adult diaper!

I bet the MMDA found implementing several portable toilets all over very expensive so they decided to humiliate their people instead. MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino defends that the adult diapers are "1. used by the Beijing police during d 2008 beijing olympics , 2. used by all NASA ausronauts during all space shuttle launches and reentry into earth atmosphere and 3.used by Buckingham Palace guards." But hey, you don't hear them announcing these facts all over the news.  

Feast of the Black Nazarene: A Devotion Passed on to Generations

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Viva, Nuestro Senor Nazareno!

Today, January 9, 2015 is the Feast of the Black Nazarene. I'm always amaze how Filipinos would do anything for their belief. Happy Feast Day, Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno. Thank you for all the blessings, the miracles and the faith that abounds for all the believers.

There's 3,500 police officers assigned to secure the Nazareno procession or traslacion. I'm just not sure if it already includes the MMDA enforcers who were reported to be wearing adult diapers to keep them on guard at their post and avoid having them leave to look for a restroom or toilet. "Paano na kung natatae?" Lol!

How about you, do you think its a practical thing to do or would only put their personnel into disgrace and shame? Is it a violation of their human rights? Imagine having to do their duty while aware that they're "wet" in their pants. So when you're talking to an enforcer, wondering why it seems "kinikilig siya", now you know.

How come there was a long delay before the procession even started. The organizers from the church only realized to make use of the police to make the crowd move away from the path of the procession after a few hours of waiting. The church leaders couldn't make the people move out of the way so their men could connect the rope to pull the "karosa" or carriage holding the Nazareno. The people wouldn't cooperate since everyone wants to keep their location advantage. Kahit sinabihan na ng pari "Yung mga uusog ay pagpapalain, pero yung ayaw ay kakabagin" ay wala pa ring nangyari. Honestly, the behavior of some people at the Nazareno doesn’t bode well for the Papal visit.

The Nazareno image is one of two statues sculpted from pure ivory and were burnt aboard a ship during the Manila galleon expedition from Mexico leaving the other destroyed. The descriptive name of the sculpture is then taken it being "Black" resulting from the incident that happened. "Ang estatwa ng Nazareno ay larawan ng pagpapakumbaba, pagsunod, at pag-ibig."

K to 12: A Big Leap or a Major Downfall

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Though not yet underway, The Senior High School (SHS) program is assumed to be the highlight of the K to 12 program. It is greater just an additional two years to our previous education system. It is also more than what everyone, particularly the government and the millions of students in the Philippines, has to spend in line with its birth. What is the SHS program anyway?

We all know that Filipino citizens of today are in their own specified fields such as law, culinary, engineering, journalism, medicine, and so on. Before this; however, they all went through experiences to lead them to where they are today. All of them studied the curriculum and took their respective programs and other prerequisites beforehand, and so shall each person who wants to be like them eventually.

In addition, it is not a surprise to see various students visualizing themselves to be professionals in whichever fields they opt to serve in the near future. Because of this, the didactic program we all know as K to 12 is aiming for the improvement of the quality of education our nation currently offers –especially in the domains students discover themselves to be good at or interested in–to hopefully maximize their ability.

Department of Education Secretary Armin Luistro assured that all cities and municipalities across the country will have a SHS program. He added that all municipalities, no matter how small, shall align to the development of the program. Schools located in different parts of the country were selected to offer four main tracks — Academic, Technical-Vocational, Sports, and Arts and Design.

Peek Into the Future: The Kroma Tower and the Ayala Makati North Gateway CBDs

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I am very pleased to share with you an advance primer on Ayala Land¹s Newest Commercial District at the heart of Makati, The Ayala North Gateway as well as The Kroma Tower, the most highly sought after and only new residential development of Ayala Land nearest to this new commercial hubs.

In a city that excites and ignites, your home is, like you, second to none.

Kroma Tower - Alveo Land's newest and hottest mixed-use high-rise development in the Makati Central Business District (MCBD). Located along the energetic Dela Rosa Street, Kroma Tower pumps up urban lifestyles with proximity and access to the city's power core, space-efficient units, and sleek amenities, including a rooftop enterprise lounge with killer views.

Everyone wants your connections - to Makati Central Business District. Right within the MCBD north cultural district in Legazpi Village, and along the vigorous street of Dela Rosa, it is walking distance from key establishments such as Greenbelt, Glorietta, Makati Medical Center and DLSUGraduate School of Business.  

Increasing Internet Penetration Changing the Way Asia Does Real Estate

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Real estate industries across Asia are moving online, with a new report revealing that online property search is on the rise across the region.

The findings are contained in a new report from global property website Lamudi into real estate in 16 emerging countries. The report, Real Estate in the Emerging Markets, covers six countries in Asia: the Philippines, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Myanmar and Sri Lanka.

The report, which is available in an easy-to-read web format, is based on a series of online surveys of house-hunters and real estate agents in each country. Extensive onsite data from Lamudi’s global network of websites was also used in the research.

The trend towards online property search is particularly pronounced in Indonesia, where 96 percent of agents surveyed by Lamudi said the Internet was now frequently used during the house-hunting process. Similarly, 90 percent of agents in the Philippines say the web is a commonly used tool among those looking for a new home. This is mainly due to the fact that the number of internet users in the Philippines grew by 531% in the last five years.

ADB Youth Initiative: Youth4ASIA Solution Search for the Environment (Call for Nominations/Applications)

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The ADB Youth Initiative is reaching out to share with you an opportunity for your friends, partners and network in the development sector - particularly those led, organised or focused on youth - to participate in the Youth4Asia call of the ADB’s NGO Centre for the Greater Mekong Subregion (Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Laos, and Myanmar).

This is a particularly interesting opportunity for initiatives in the subregion to scale up with the help of ADB’s partners, to achieve bigger and longer-lasting impact in their communities. In particular, the call invites entries from those working in environmental management, biodiversity conservation, poverty reduction and social entrepreneurship, and climate change mitigation.

The call closes on 15 JAN and chosen projects will be flown to Myanmar for the recognition ceremonies at the end of January. Several benefits await the chosen initiatives: i.e., mentoring support and assistance to scale up including trainings and coaching, access to the networks of partners of the ADB and AsianNGO, and exposure in international expos and events.

Woven Universes: Math, Method, Meaning, and Magic in Philippine Indigenous Textiles

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Philippine indigenous textiles are not just objects of beauty and inspiration. Their threads, colors, motifs, and patterns reveal stories about the weaver’s culture and the surprisingly methodical work that goes into these fabrics. They showcase intricate ornamentation, meticulous patterns, and mythical stories linked to the world of magic and spirits. With careful study and analysis, textiles unveil a complex, mythic, and minute universe.

Currently on view at Yuchengco Museum is Woven Universes: Math, Method, Meaning, and Magic in Philippine Indigenous Textiles, an exhibit of close to 40 fabrics and clothing from the collection of Floy Quintos. On exhibit until February 2015, Woven Universes highlights the traits inherent to the creation and usage of the textiles woven by various indigenous peoples from all over the Philippines.

From owes (blankets) from Abra province to pis (scarves) from the Sulu archipelago, each piece of fabric has been specially analyzed and annotated by scholars and academics from different fields: Art Studies professor Dr. Norma Respicio of the University of the Philippines Diliman, Mathematics professor Dr. Ma. Louise Antonette De Las Peñas of Ateneo de Manila University, Mathematics professor Dr. Agnes Garciano of Ateneo de Manila University, Mathematics professor Dr. Debbie Marie Versoza of Ateneo de Manila University, and Social Anthropology assistant professor Dr. Analyn Salvador – Amores of University of the Philippines Baguio.

Tour De Tayabas 2015: The Philippines' Most Competitive Cycling Challenge

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Your friendly neighborhood Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas is excited to be part of the 2nd edition of Tour De Tayabas - anticipated to be one of the most exciting and competitive cycling challenges in the Philippines this 2015.

This three-day competition at the Quezon Province is happening on May 29 to 31 and is also sure to boost the tourism and economy of the region.

The event has 3 stages and 4 categories and will be highly attended by executives, company heads, business owners, high profile cyclists, cycling enthusiasts and their followers!

An event as prestigious as this will surely give an enormous exposure to any brand or product that would like to become partners or sponsors. The media such as TV, radio, print and online will definitely be covering this event.

Take the challenge and conquer this race!

Graceland Estates & Country Club is the proud home of Tour de Tayabas 2015.
Wazzup Pilipinas is a proud online media partner!

Learn more about this exciting even soon here at WazzupPilipinas.com

#CavEAT: Cavinti Eco-Adventure Tour on January 10 to 11

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Your friendly neighborhood Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas is excited to share that I will be joining the #CavEAT: Cavinti Eco-Adventure Tour on January 10-11, 2015.

#CavEAT: Cavinti Eco-Adventure Tour is a Tourism Advocacy Campaign organized for the Municipality of Cavinti, Laguna to help promote and raise online awareness for the upcoming Cavinti Water Sports Olympics: 1st International Competition the municipality is organizing on February 8-14, 2015.

The tour includes interesting activities and places that tourists could enjoy when they visit the municipality, showcasing the beautiful wonders of man-made and natural landscapes that the visitors could explore and enjoy. Since I love nature so much, I'm betting I would be taking lots of photos of the sights, and definitely take some videos as well. This adventure will be so nice to add as a travel feature in my blog.

Highlights of the tour will be the alternative route going to the Cavinti Falls, formerly known as Pagsanjan Falls, by way of trekking and rappelling down to the falls passing through the thick and forested El Pueblo del Salvador Eco-Park.

Infinity Nado: Unboxing the World's First Digital Fighting Top

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After attending the Infinity Nado Philippine launch a few days ago, my kids were all so eager to play already with the top that I brought home after luckily winning it in a raffle conducted at the event.

I wanted to do a video unboxing first before I let them play with it so I asked them if its possible to give it to them on the weekend after I am able to find time to do. They agreed, but just after a day, they seem to have changed their mind and were asking me about it again.

So I challenged them that I will let them have it after they do the video unboxing themselves. Surprisingly, they quickly grabbed my camera, the tripod, and worked on the video on their own after I helped them set the camera up at their room.

Hezron Kyle, my 15 year old kid did all the talking and unboxing while Hansel Kyro, the younger one, acted as director who couldn't help but silently laugh at his big brother while the video camera was rolling.

So here goes my kids' video unboxing of the Infinity Nado Furious - an attack top. Watch how they discuss the parts and assemble it. Please watch it and comment please.

Prodigious: The UST ChES Grand Acquaintance Night 2015

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Are you ready?

Prepare. It's BIG!

PRODIGIOUS! The UST ChES Grand Acquaintance Night 2015.

See you on January 14, Wednesday, from 6:30PM - 12:00MN at Le Pavillon, Metrobank Ave., Pasay City!

Registration starts at 6:00PM.

ATTIRE: Smart Casual

Wear any SOLID COLOR attire (no pattern and minimal print) found in rubik's cube.

Early bird ticket price: P380.00
Regular ticket price: P430.00

Early bird ticket selling is until Friday only. Avail now!

01.14.2015

Coca-Cola: Look Out for the Signs of Happiness

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As a company, Coca-Cola has been committed to supporting women micro-entrepreneurs in the country. Through their 5by20 program, they aim to empower five million Filipinas by 2020 by providing them the means and skills to sustain a small business of their own. Now they want to take it further ​to the grassroots by making people realize the role of women entrepreneurs in their communities – and how they actually bring happiness to the whole neighborhood.

The campaign aims to empower female sari-sari store owners and highlight their role as the pillars of the Coca-Cola business. This reminded me of the times when I would drink my soft drinks through a straw placed inside a plastic. I often frequent the neighborhood sari-sari stores to buy almost anything from gums to crackers. Not to be left out in almost every transaction is the "panulak" that is usually the "gulaman" or soft-drinks - the two most affordable drinks even before the iced tea became a popular alternative.

We all know it is alright to indulge on soft-drinks once in a while just to please the craving for a carbonated drink. What is notable is the fact that the campaigns the Coca-Cola company leads are truly admirable and with an authentic Pinoy-touch that's both inspiring and sometimes nostalgic for many. They bring out the sincere and deep emotions that is necessary to engage customers through their advertisements, corporate social responsibility programs and campaign initiatives.

AMD Brings the Future of Computing to Life at 2015 International CES

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AMD and its technology partners are ready to wow attendees of the 2015 International CES with a wide range of new products and technology demonstrations that showcase AMD’s view of the future of computing, and reinforce the company’s surround computing leadership. The company will showcase an array of innovations powered by the latest AMD Accelerated Processing Unit (APU), Radeon Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) technologies, and embedded designs that push the boundaries of modern computing.

“AMD is contributing to the excitement of CES 2015 with new graphics and computing technology that powers breakthrough consumer and commercial computing experiences of today and tomorrow,” said John Byrne, senior vice president and general manager, Computing and Graphics business group, AMD.

“This year, we continue to see inspiring developments in virtual reality, Ultra high Definition 4K resolution computing and beyond, computing form factor and intuitive user interface innovation. AMD is thrilled to power the best of these with new generations of our smart, innovative, and efficient technology.” he adds.

WD Demonstrates World’s Fastest 4 TB Hybrid Drive at Storage Visions 2015

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WD, a Western Digital company and world leader in storage solutions, demonstrated the world’s fastest 4 TB hybrid drive at the SATA-IO booth (#205) at Storage Visions 2015 last January 4 and 5 in Las Vegas, NV. WD’s prototype drive utilized the SATA Express PCI-e interface, 4 TB 3.5-inch hybrid hard drive, and up to 128 GB solid state drive to deliver compelling performance and GB-per-dollar solutions for desktop and gaming applications.

The two WD SATA Express interface demonstrations at Storage Visions 2015 included commercially available motherboards from WD partners ASRock and Gigabyte. These systems demonstrated cabled SATA Express PCI-e interconnect flexibility and configuration options for single-volume caching and RAID.

Heavy desktop usage scenarios will benefit from larger cache sizes (64 GB will be demonstrated) by enabling retention of key hot data across multiple applications, which improves overall performance. In WD’s labs, WD’s SATA Express 4 TB drive with 64 GB cache achieved a PCMark8 benchmark score of 4459, demonstrating near-SSD performance at an optimized GB-per-dollar value.

“WD is committed to working with the industry to push the boundaries of what you might expect from a traditional hard drive,” said Matt Rutledge, senior vice president, Storage Technology, WD. “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.”

Pink Panda: Perfect Pica-Pica Pleasures

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I rarely write about buffet or pica-pica food served during  media events but after recently attending one at this restaurant called Pink Panda South East Asian Diner, I really have to make an exception.

We were served with delightful pica-pica food that were totally sumptuous, that I found myself askin for more from the waitress to the point of calling their attention even from afar.

It was an afternoon event so snacks were expected but I was surprised that they made it a pica-pica style of serving where servers carry around trays of pica-pica food that you can grab from them while you're seated.

I was not really hungry that time since I just had lunch earlier, but after tasting the food especially their Chicken Sate, all I could say was "Wow! I have to eat more of these!"

Later, a few minutes after the event ended, a good looking guy walked into the restaurant and proceeded directly to the counter area to talk with some of the crew. From there I realized he must be one of the owners for he looks too charming to be one of the crew.

My hunch was right, for he was celebrity Erwan Heussaff, most widely known as the brother of actress Solenn Heussaff.

Epson Acquires K-Sun Corp To Expand Presence In Industrial Solutions Market

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Seiko Epson Corporation recently announced it had acquired Somerset, Wisconsin-based K-Sun Corporation, a supplier of award-winning portable and desktop electronic label printers. The acquisition of K-Sun, with its more than three decades of experience in the industrial identifications solutions market, will provide Epson with broader access to labeling customers and influencers as well as expand the company's presence in the industrial labeling market.

After supplying K-Sun with label printers on an OEM basis for two decades, Epson believes that acquiring its partner will enable it to better serve industrial customers with the ever expanding line of Epson label printing solutions - from the desktop to the industrial press. Junichi Watanabe, director, and chief operating officer of Epson's Visual Products Operations Division, commented, "We are delighted to take our partnership with K-Sun to the next stage. The acquisition will not only give us access to K-Sun's expertise in industrial label printing, but will help boost the Epson brand and increase exposure of Epson's label printers in this important strategic market."

Michael Kasun, founder and president of K-Sun, said: "K-Sun has enjoyed a strategic partnership with Epson since 1994. Now as a member of Epson's prestigious group of companies, we are very excited for our future and the new products and supplies that we can offer our customers and the expanded opportunities for our employees."

Nihongo Fiesta 2015: 42nd Nihongo Speech Contest

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The Japan Foundation, Manila (JFM) in pursuit of its objective of promoting cultural exchange through Japanese Language Education in the Philippines, announces the Nihongo Speech Contest to be held on Saturday, 28 February (TIU Theater, Mile Long Compound, Amorsolo cor. Dela Rosa Sts., Makati City). The speech contest, now in its 42nd year, is one of the major events of the 9th Nihongo Fiesta which will feature the Nihongo Quiz Bee, and a lot more activities on Japanese culture.

The Nihongo Speech Contest is an ideal platform for Filipino students and professionals to demonstrate their linguistic skills through articulating an original composition written by themselves on a theme of their choice. It continues to attract high caliber contestants from the country’s numerous language institutes, colleges/universities and other organizations offering Japanese language courses.

The Champion and the Outstanding Performance Awardee will both take part in an all-expense-paid week-long study tour in Japan; all qualified contestants will receive consolation prizes.

The deadline for submission to the Japan Foundation, Manila (JFM) of the duly accomplished application form with a written copy and a recording of the speech (time limit – within 5 minutes) will be on Wednesday – 14 January 2015 for Davao/Mindanao applicants; and, Wednesday – 21 January 2015 for NCR / Luzon applicants.

LTO Launches Brand-New PUV Plates; LTFRB Inspects First-Ever E-Jeepney Route

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Numbering the days of colorum operations with new yellow license plates and pushing a paradigm shift to sustainable public utility vehicles (PUVs): these programs mark the beginning of the Department of Transportation and Communications’ (DOTC) program for 2015 to aggressively push for the modernization of the country’s public land transport services.

DOTC Secretary Jun Abaya today joins the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in issuing the brand-new, security feature-packed yellow license plates to PUVs for the first time; as well as the Land Transportation Franchising & Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in inspecting the first-ever proposed route for electric jeepney (e-jeep) services in Quezon City.

“Safety and sustainability – these are key concepts in our modernization programs. Today is a milestone in the promotion of road safety through the use of new yellow license plates, and in the shift to sustainable, environmentally-friendly public transportation through electric-powered PUVs,” said Abaya.

Buffalo Wild Wings Now in the Philippines

Wazzup Pilipinas!
Food lovers and local sports fans rejoiced to the news of the Philippine opening of Buffalo Wild Wings at its very first branch at Capitol Commons, known to serve classic American food specifically NY-style chicken wings served with 18 signature sauces and seasonings ranging from Sweet BBQ to Blazin', spiced up with its wide selection of draft and imported/local bottled beers plus the exciting sports viewing atmosphere that will surely keep you hanging out until the restaurant's closing time.

The restaurant also offer other shareable dishes like burgers, sandwiches, wraps,  and other delectable and mouth-watering dishes to keep your appetite in full blast while engaged in watching your favorite game. They regularly update their boldly-flavored menu including a variety of limited-time special offerings to keep things always fresh and interesting. That's more reasons to keep you coming back for more Buffalo Wild Wings dishes.

Founded by Jim Disbrow and Scott Lowery back in 1982 shortly after the two friends moved to Ohio from Buffalo. The two were driven by their craving for New York's popular food bar which was nowhere to be found in Ohio so they opened up their own wing joint near the Ohio State University campus. Three decades later, the modest wing joint has grown into an influential brand with over 1,040 locations in the  United States, Canada, Mexico and now in the Philippines.

The SOPA 2015 Awards for Editorial Excellence Launches Call For Entries

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Entering its 17th year, The Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA), an organization dedicated to best practices in professional publishing, announced the call for entries for the "SOPA 2015 Awards for Editorial Excellence". The premier publishing awards represent the most outstanding journalistic accolade in Asia. Deadline for entries is February 26, 2015.

The SOPA Awards for Editorial Excellence were established in 1999 as a tribute to editorial excellence in both traditional and new media, and were designed to encourage editorial vitality throughout the region. The awards cover a broad range of categories reflecting Asia’s diverse geo-political environment and vibrant editorial scene.

New judging criteria for the award category "Journalist of the Year" will be adopted, in which entries from Group A, B and C will be combined for judging resulting in only one winner. Journalist of the Year is designed to honor the journalist who has best demonstrated excellence in editorial achievement. Last year winner's honor went to Mr. Todd Pitman of Associated Press.

The SOPA Awards highlight editorial excellence in both traditional and new media, and are designed to honor and encourage editorial vitality and innovation throughout the region, and welcome entries from English and Chinese-language publications for Asian journalism. The awards cover a broad range of categories reflecting Asia's diverse geo-political environment and vibrant editorial scene.

SMART and Aquabest Seal Partnership Agreement

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Smart and Aquabest have signed an agreement for Smart to provide communications solutions to Aquabest franchisees. Signing the agreement are (L to R) Paul Tan Aquabest AVP -  Operations, Carson Tan Aquabest President/CEO, Ian Glen Asuzano Senior Manager Corporate Sales Acquisition, and Arwin Malimban Account Manager for SMART Retail Sales-NCR.

Airborne Technologies Tough Rock Power Bank: Definitely Tough and Highly Recommended

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Our 3 days and two nights weekend getaway at Infinity Resort in Puerto Galera had actually had a side project to test out a new product that recently launched in the market. Aside from enjoying the accommodation, food, pool, beach, and other attractions in and around the resort, we did some test on the Airborne Technologies Tough Rock Power Bank.

This water-proof, shock-proof, and dust-proof device is not like any other power bank I've seen and used. At first look, you'll be somewhat curious, or intimidated, by its distinctively unique and eye-catching appearance and will prompt you to take a closer look and feel.

True enough, it feels tough as a rock, and even as heavy enough to damage or hurt anything you throw this device at. The design is also impressive as it never fails to attract the attention of anybody who sees it.

I've brought it several times at many occassions and whenever I bring it out to recharge my almost zero and dying battery-powered gadget, the people around me will approach me and ask me about it. They'll be surprised to know its a power bank, and would be asking several questions already.

#MNLShapingDavos: Get Ready to Hack the Sangguniang Kabataan

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On January 15, young people will gather to interact with fellow youth and key government personalities about the merits and shortcomings of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK). Don't waste the opportunity to compete in creating game-changing apps for a better youth government. Will you be a part of ‪#‎HackTheSK‬?


#MNLShapingDavos is a two-day hackathon from January 15-16 that aims to address the challenges in creating a more transparent and accountable SK. We will also host Interactive Panels on the morning of the 15th (open to non-participants of the hackathon) with key personalities from the government like Senator Bam Aquino, the development sector like Transparency International-PH, and the media. The hackathon will give its participants the opportunity to compete in creating game-changing apps for a better SK.

This is part of the international project #ShapingDavos where 40 cities worldwide will discuss 10 topics related to the theme of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting on Jan. 20-24. It will provide local stakeholders and the general public with unprecedented live access to the communities and issues that are driving the global agenda.

There are two (2) ways you can participate:

1/ Join or create a team that will come up with a web or mobile app to solve the challenges in the SK (more details below); or

2/ Sign up as an individual during the Interactive Panel. Invite your friends, groups, and organizations to join.

Register through http://tinyurl.com/MNLShapingDavos before January 15. For detailed information about the hackathon rules and mechanics, please read below.

Time Stands Still is Red Turnip Theater's Second Season Finale

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Red Turnip Theater's founders have recently organized a press conference last January 6, 2015 to launch their season finale play entitled 'Time Stands Still,' another heralded play from Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Donald Marguilles.

At the Pink Panda South East Asian Diner located at the Y2 Residences Hotel that's just beside A. Venue Mall in Makati Avenue, the amazing team of Ana Abad Santos, Toper Fabregas, Ren Zamora, Jenny Jamora and Cris Villonco were excited to share their new production featuring Nonie Buencamino, Nor Domingo, Giannina Ocampo and Ana Abad Santos.

We've seen the success of their previous productions namely 'Rabbit Hole' from this season, as well as 'Closer' and 'Cock' from the first season, so we are so curious of what they have in store for us for their newest play to open this coming January 30, 2015 until March 8, 2015 at Whitespace in Pasong Tamo, Makati.

'Time Stands Still' was a hit when it premiered on Broadway in 2009 and was brought back for a second run the very same year. It also garnered two Tony nominations for Best Play and Best Performance by a Leading Actress for Laura Linney.

Mr. Quickie's Donate a Shoe Drive Program Flow and Participating Schools

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Here are Mr. Quickie's Donate a Shoe Drive program flow and list of participating schools targeted in the project.

Mr. Quickie Corporation, the pioneer and the largest shoes and bags repair and key duplication chain in the Philippines are extending its effort to repair lives.

Driven by their mission to be an organization that cultivates a culture of Total Quality Management, achieving the highest standard of quality in their services, they will reach out to kids nationwide and be able to:

• Spread learning through exposures to various fun-filled learning activities such as proper grooming
• Give joy to kids by giving a brighter step to their future thru shoe donation
• Engage in positive solutions for a sustainable future

The “DONATE A SHOE PROGRAM” is the flagship of Mr. Quickie’s Corporate Social Responsibility program wherein they give joy to kids by giving a brighter step to their future thru shoe donation. The program started last 2012 in partnership with SC Johnsons and partner schools in a quest to bring back the concept of “proper grooming” to kids, as the organizers seek assistance from schools to collect shoes for donation and at the same time teach students to share and care for their fellow students.

Metascreen: To Guard Against ‘Sudden Death’ of Babies

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A new-born baby is a precious gift given to every parent especially if its a first-born. We are all delighted to see the product of our love for each other when two individuals expressed their love for each other. It is thus shocking to find out that an estimated 7,000 babies die each year without warning.[i]  If nearly one baby every hour each day dies abruptly, then this is a terrible trauma for every parent out there.

The possible causes of death remain unknown even after undergoing autopsy which leaves many parents clueless. Many are unaware that there is what is called Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) - the unexplained death of babies usually occurring during sleep and striking under unexpected circumstances.

Studies have shown that babies with physical conditions including brain abnormalities, low birth weight and respiratory infection have higher risk of dying an unexplained death.

Still some studies indicated that an infant’s sleeping position may also be a cause. Babies sleeping on their stomach side are more prone as they may suffer more difficulty in breathing. Those sleeping on soft surfaces and with their parents are also at risk. [ii]

Even a healthy one-year old baby may be a victim of the condition which is often simply attributed to physical and environmental factors.

Modern Shanghai: A Festive Noodle Dining Experience for the Family

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Since we Pinoys are heavily influenced by Chinese food that can be found almost everywhere, it can be considered as among the more familiar comfort food of even the Filipinos all over the country. So whenever we want to be sure we will get contented with our meals at a time when we are really hungry, we would always go to where all the things we love for a hearty lunch or a sumptuous dinner can be found.

Chinese food never fails to please as most of us practically grew up dining on dishes with Chinese origin. Thus, our dining experience at Modern Shanghai was intentional as we want to be satisfied with our choices. Their Glorietta 2 branch was shared with the Bulgogi Brothers brand but we were not really in the mood for Korean or Shabu-shabu meals that day.

What we got was plenty of noodles to share among the family that day. It was actually pure coincidence everyone ordered for a noodle-based dish so we are called this day a Festive Noodle Dining Experience for the Family. But we were really there to celebrate in advance the birthday of one of our kids who's natal day is on January 6.

So from crispy to soupy, we delighted ourselves with some culinary masterpieces at Modern Shanghai that are truly heavenly gastronomical treats.

The Papal Visit: When Everything Stood Still in the Philippines

Wazzup Pilipinas!

With the coming visit of Pope Francis to the Philippines, I'm sure time will again stand still for many as almost everyone will opt to drop everything their doing just to get a glimpse of the next best thing closest in both mind and spirit to the Lord above.

Certain airlines have already announce several flight cancellations reaching more than a hundred for both arrival and departure dates of the Pope so it is advised not to schedule a flight during those Papal Visit dates. But who really wants to leave the Philippines during these exciting times when the man of God touches Philippine soil.

I'm sure there will also be a lot of traffic rerouting plans all over especially on the roads the pope will pass through. Our public utility vehicle drivers and passengers would be needing some necessary patience as some roads will be blocked to give way to more convenience for the Pope's entourage.

With the recent fare increase in the MRT trains, the public is also having double-thoughts if they will choose to continue to ride the fastest means of traveling in the Metro or opt for a more affordable fare using the buses but sacrifice being late due to the unrelenting traffic congestion no matter what time of the day it is.

The Mind Museum: An Awesome Family Bonding Experience with Science and Technology

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Now, with the holidays behind us, we’re very much ready to kick off 2015 with a big bang that's hopefully louder than all the explosive fireworks and boombastic sound-tripping and ear-popping karaoke sessions that happened before, during and after the 2015 New Year celebrations.

I know I was able to start my year right with a TV appearance in one of the top TV stations in the country and won at a raffle during the launch of the world's first digital fighting top at my very first blogging event for the year.

But I think my best accomplishment to start the year was an educational Science and Technology exploration at The Mind Museum with my family. There is nothing better than quality time with family and I am glad I was able to spend the first days of 2015 with some bonding opportunities with my wife and three kids before they finally return to their studies in school.

A whole day spent attending Sunday mass, food-tripping at three restaurants, a bit of shopping for new clothes for the year, and lining up at the barbershop to trim our hair, we also got to experience an afternoon at an amazing venue specially designed to enhance the creativity and imagination of every child.

Infinity Nado Now in the Philippines: The Quest for the Ultimate Fighting Top Begins

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Your friendly neighborhood Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas was invited to attend the Philippine launch of the newest toy craze to soon conquer the country - the Infinity Nado!

Popular toy-maker Auldey helps us take gaming to a whole new level as we spin our way to greatness with these amazing precision fighting tops featuring latest battle technologies and designed using advanced physics that revolutionizes and increases game play and competition.

The Infinity Nado is a mechanical spinning top toy that is turnable and can adjust its gravity center rapidly. This high-tech toy is based from the action packed anime or cartoon currently being aired in TV5 during weekdays at 10 am, but will soon be at an earlier time slot at 9:30 am starting January 10, 2015. The anime series of the same title focuses on battle, justice, & friendship featuring the adventures of Jin and his mates as they enter the center of the Gyro-type tower to stop its rotation and overcome the evil forces to save the world.

The top has the first chip integrated system in the world - RFID (Radio Frequency Identification). This amazing toy is destined to be the next big thing in the Philippines, probably even bigger than Beyblade since this is the next generation of advance toy tops to invade the country.

Ross Del Rosario of Wazzup Pilipinas on ABS-CBN's Rated K

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Thanks to a blogger friend for taking a photo of my "short but sweet" appearance at one of the top prime-time television shows of ABS-CBN last Sunday, January 4, 2015.

Yes! Your friendly neighborhood Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas, Ross Del Rosario, of WazzupPilipinas.com was interviewed by Rated K about Food Trends for 2015.

A former classmate of mine from high school commented that it was "Short but meaningful..all words swak talaga." Wow! Thanks for the compliments! I asked her if "mas healthier" was also correct, and she said "Lahat tama depende yun sa opinion mo..he he he..Congrats!"

My kids were all laughing at that particular statement because they were saying I was being redundant. According to them it should be "mas healthy" or just plain "healthier" instead. Hahaha! My kids are really grammar Nazis! :)

My family and I just got home from a whole day of bonding time (or call it "food tripping") with the family starting with attending Sunday mass at the Sta. Clara De Montefalco church near our residence in Pasig, a festive lunch of noodles at Modern Shanghai Glorietta 2 (a restaurant belonging to the Bistro Group of Restaurants), bought a new shirt at Gap Glorietta, an afternoon of learning Science and Technology at The Mind Museum of Bonifacio Global City (BGC), testing our creativity with Do-It-Yourself pancake snacks at Slappy Cakes SM Aura and a delightful hot and crispy chicken dinner at KFC SM Aura. The day ended with all the boys (including me) lining up at the neighborhood barbershop since it's the first day of school tomorrow (January 5, 2015).

DLSU Englicom Presents Jacko Wacko Music Festival: Into the Waves

Wazzup Pilipinas!

"From the organization that brought to you the first ever college music festival from DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY, get ready for the sequel of the grandest one yet as DLSU ENGLICOM presents JACKO WACKO MUSIC FESTIVAL: INTO THE WAVES.

Happening on February 7, 2015, Saturday! 4pm onwards, at the SM MALL OF ASIA OPEN GROUNDS BLOCK 22!

Water, foam and music! Your favorites, all in one!

Together with Styles Entertainment, Pioneer DJ and many many more!

Featuring:
Up Dharma Down
Ace Ramos
Marc Marasigan
Katsy Lee
Jess Milner
Lucio Pua
AND MANY MORE!

Everybody unite as we ‪#‎RaveWithTheWAVES‬ and get down to the beats of the best ever DJs and artists in the country!

Come on board and ‪#‎LetsSailTogether‬ with the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation as the proceeds of the event will go to the chosen beneficiary; because ‪#‎HopeSails‬ within us.

So be ready this 2015! See you there!"

Brotzeit German Bier Bar & Restaurant: Where You Can Say Frohe Feiertage Everyday

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Frohes Neues Jahr is German for Happy New Year. Since we are now featuring a German restaurant in our blog today, I will try to insert a few German language in this blog post! Joke! All I know is "Ein frohes Weihnachtsfest und alles gute im neuen Jahr!", which means "We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year!" or maybe say "Frohe Feiertage" which is grammatically correct but some would say "Frohes Fest!" instead. Regardless, it's a lot safer if I stick with English in greeting everyone a wonderful new year ahead this 2015.

A friend of mine called me up one night and invited me to join him in dining at one of the German restaurants in the Metro, specifically the one located at EDSA Shangri-La Mall. I was actually in the middle of an event that night but since I was so eager in trying out that restaurant, I accepted his invitation. I quickly asked my correspondent (who was fortunately also there covering the event) if she could cover the even on her own. I believe I was meant to taste the German specialty dishes that night because she immediately agreed without any hesitation.

So your friendly-neighborhood Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas quickly took off from the event happening in Makati somewhere at the Magallanes area and hurriedly took the MRT ride to reach the Shaw Boulevard station. Just a short walk from the station and I was already there at the Brotzeit German Bier Bar & Restaurant.

New Year’s Resolutions For Your Home

Wazzup Pilipinas!

New Year’s Eve is a time to make resolutions for the upcoming 12 months, not only for yourself, but for your home.

Each one of us wants to attain some goals and are hopeful we could accomplish all of them within the year. We all try our best effort to reach our dreams and aspirations towards a better and more luxurious and comfortable life, whether it involves our career, family, or anything else we planned for our future, and eagerly intend to fulfill them as soon as possible, and definitely within our lifetime.

I've been making a list every year, and is always focused on making sure I am able to scratch off majority of what's listed. Though there are times I get distracted due to some failures or disappointing moments, I immediately try to bounce back and courageously continue what I have started.

As 2015 has now started, now is also the time to ask what property goals you would like to accomplish in 2015.

Global real estate marketplace Lamudi has compiled a list of five simple suggestions for revamping your home for the New Year.

Watami Japanese Casual Restaurant: A Gastronomically Explosive Feast for the Family

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Your friendly neighborhood Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas, together with my wife and kids, had a pre-Christmas meal at one of the fab Japanese restaurants in the Metro located inside one of the popular malls in Mandaluyong city, or is it Pasig city?

Well, we really don't know since we don't care much of the city boundaries as long as we know the landmark establishment housing the restaurant. When we take a taxi, we don't really tell the driver to take us to the address of a location but normally we just name the mall or the building we plan to go to. Since EDSA Shangri-La Mall is one of the widely known malls, except for some confusion from the hotel nearby, or the other hotel located in Makati, as long as you say EDSA, the taxi driver will surely get you there easily without any need to mention the exact address.

Watami Japanese Casual Restaurant in the Philippines belongs to the Bistro Group of Restaurants alongside other brands like Italliani's, Bulgogi Brothers, T.G.I.Fridays, Village Tavern and so on. The restaurant also has other branches located in Makati and Mall of Asia but the one at EDSA Shangri-La Mall is probably the newest since I don't see it yet on their Facebook page.

The family decided to try out the restaurant during our pre-Christmas bonding time after we had a family portrait taken at one of the photo studios at the nearby SM Megamall. Why did we transferred from one mall to the next when SM Megamall also has a lot of new restaurants? I guess we just wanted a change of scenery since we've been going to the same mall ever since it was built because it was the nearest and most convenient mall to go from our Pasig city residence aside from Robinson's Galleria.

Top Food Trends for 2015

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Since it's the beginning of another year for us, I might as well re-post what I have learned about the possible upcoming food trends for 2015 and beyond which I learned from a famous chef from one of the events that I attended last year.

The chef says food trends are like fashion trends because they come and go and speak of the times. When not in current style, food appears dated, unappealing and not so fresh. A good example is the cronuts which are like the loom bands that turned out to be more like a fad, and the food trucks that never caught on in the country because of licensing issues.

Globalism with socialism is now in the rise. There is now the demand for global flavors but with local ingredients and a mix source of herbs and spices.

Comfort food is still king, but they are now elevated by adding new ingredients, like mac and cheese with lobsters, and burgers with artisinal cheese.

There is also the interest for food with a conscience emphasizing on the keywords: sustainable, local, organic, farm-raised, free-range, pro-biotic, artisinal, heirloom, fair trade, and grass-fed.



Less in now more. Minimalism is in, the purity of ingredients and dishes with very few but tasty ingredients so that the quality and flavor of each will shine through.

There is also the Nose-to-Tail dishes where restaurants use the whole animal including the offal, intestines, liver, tripe and cheaper, tougher cuts of meat that are braised for a long time.