How Much Rent Should You Expect From Metro Manila’s Most Exclusive Subdivisions?

Wazzup Pilipinas!

If you are looking to rent a house in one of Makati’s exclusive subdivisions or gated communities, expect to pay more—in fact, way more Unless you go to a company who delivers services such as Live in Guardians.

Crunching data from its 80,000-plus property listings, global property website Lamudi Philippines (www.lamudi.com.ph) ranked Metro Manila’s most exclusive enclaves based on the average rent of listed houses.

Leading the pack is the very exclusive Forbes Park—known as the home of business tycoons, ambassadors, and boxing icons—where the average rent stands at Php402,459. As of this writing, there are more than 60 houses for rent in the community, while the average number of bedrooms is 4.3. At 1,637 sqm, Forbes Park also boasts the largest average residential lot size anywhere in Metro Manila.

Coming in second is nearby Dasmariñas Village, where average monthly rents stand at Php276,340, followed by Urdaneta Village at Php269,984, and Bel-Air at Php182,240. The average number of bedrooms of rental houses in these three villages is 4.11, 3.8, and 3.6, respectively.

The posh Ayala Alabang in Muntinlupa City is fifth, where monthly rents average Php174,121. Rental houses in this village are also relatively bigger, with average number of bedrooms of 4.15.

New AMD A-Series Desktop Processors: Smart Choice for Everyday Computing

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AMD, the company whose technology helps power the Microsoft Xbox One and the Sony PlayStation 4, recently introduced the newest addition to its A-Series line of desktop processors. The A8-7670K APU provides a superb experience for Microsoft Windows 10, mainstream workloads, and eSports online gaming.

The A8-7670K is an affordable APU that combines the energy efficient processing power of an AMD CPU with the pixel pushing power of AMD Radeon graphics (GPU) in one convenient package. Users can easily multitask modern workloads and stream video in Windows 10 or mow down their enemies in popular eSports online gaming titles such as Counter Strike: Global Offensive. Powered by 10 compute cores (4 CPU + 6 GPU) , the A8-7670K APU provides the processing and graphics capability budget conscious mainstream users need today.

“AMD takes great strides to deliver innovative technology that provides the performance and convenience customers need today and tomorrow. The AMD A8-7670K APU is no exception. Our newest APU provides a smooth user experience and is engineered for Windows 10 and eSports online gaming,” said Kevin Lensing, Sr. Director, Client Business Unit at AMD.

“The new addition of the AMD A8-7670K APU allows us to deliver more options for discerning mainstream PC buyers,” said Zack Shutt, Vice President at Xidax. “AMD’s latest driver and feature support allow incredible new entry points for impressive gaming technologies such as FreeSync and Virtual Super Resolution.”

Discovery Channel Features the Badjaos, The Last Free-Diving Nomads, Among The Cultures

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To be featured on Discovery Channel’s The Great Human Odyssey is Anthropologist Dr. Niobe Thompson's journeys around the world to reveal the mysteries of our survival.

How did humans overcome near extinction in an African super-drought and find a place to rebuild? How did we master the Arctic and cross the oceans to populate every corner of the planet? When and how did the Homo sapiens emerge as the world's only global species?

Unlock the mysteries of our very existence as anthropologist Dr. Niobe Thompson reveals groundbreaking scientific research and traces the footsteps of our human ancestors across five continents – including the tip of the Philippine archipelago, Tawi-Tawi – on THE GREAT HUMAN ODYSSEY, premiering August 2, airing Sundays at 8 p.m.

Throughout the three-part series, Dr. Thompson provides a never-before-seen glimpse into our species’ past through expeditions to some of the world’s most remote cultures. With the Philippines being the only area left with an intact freediving culture, the crew of The Great Human Odyssey was motivated to visit the Badjao - the master hunters of the sea floor and the world’s last traditional divers.

What Can Chris Brown Do With His One Million Dollars?

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Grammy Award-winning entertainer Chris Brown is again in the news, and again perhaps not in a way he wants.

Philippine immigration officials have barred the singer-songwriter from leaving the country due to a fraud complaint filed by the influential Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) sect. In the complaint, the INC claims that Brown and his Canadian promoter, John Michael Pio Roda, swindled the sect when it failed to show up for a New Year’s Eve concert in 2014. The INC maintains that Brown and his promoter have been paid in full ($1,006,250, to be exact) for the concert.

Now that all is clear about how much (allegedly) Brown pocketed from a concert he didn’t show up for, Lamudi Philippines has put together a list of luxury properties he can spend his money on while stuck in the Philippines. After all, a million bucks can go a long, long way here.

YouthHack Manila: Back with the 2015 Startup Challenge - Think. Create. Innovate.

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YouthHack Manila was started one year ago with the goal of helping students learn more about startups, technology and entrepreneurship. YouthHack held its first startup challenge last July 12-13, 2014 at the Gates Professional Schools where over 100 high school students got the opportunity to hear from experienced entrepreneurs, go through ideation, prototyping and pitching workshops and pitch their idea to a panel of judges.

YouthHack Founder David Ongchoco shared, “Through our events and programs, we hope to empower students to build their skills, take risks and turn their ideas into reality. It’s my dream that hopefully, the next Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs or Bill Gates success story will come from YouthHack.”

Since starting out with a two-day event last year, YouthHack has expanded its programs to include a Code Weekend and a Fellowship Program that pairs talented high school and university students with fast-growing startups. The first-ever YouthHack Code Weekend was held last July 11 and 12, 2015 in Microsoft Philippines where participants spent over 36 hours building a working prototype of their ideas. YouthHack has also held events and programs in Philadelphia and Singapore.

This July, YouthHack Manila in partnership with Katalyst.ph will be holding the YouthHack Manila Startup Challenge on July 25 and 26 in Xavier School. More than 250 students, including both high school and university students, will gather for an opportunity to learn more about startups and entrepreneurship.

Epson Unveils First-Ever Value-Priced Business Projectors

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Epson, the world’s number one projector maker, is redefining the market for business projectors with its first value-priced WUXGA projectors that deliver superb high-resolution images beyond Full HD video and other graphics-intensive content.

Supporting a Widescreen Ultra Extended Array (WUXGA) resolution of 1,920x1,200 pixels that goes beyond Full HD, the EB-U32 and EB-U04 promise eye-popping images, distortion-free video, plus enhanced color and white brightness of over 3,000 lumens.

The two new projectors are part of value-priced projectors that delivers industry-leading features that many businesses around the world depend on for high quality color projections.

Unlike other 1-chip projectors, Epson projectors are not susceptible to the “rainbow effect” – a limitation of the 1-chip technology that occurs while projecting darker moving images.

That is because all Epson projectors are powered by Epson’s proprietary 3LCD technology that produces vibrant color projections and smooth projections of movies without color breakup. They also deliver up to 3 times higher color brightness and up to 3 times wider color gamut than 1-chip projectors.

Fortinet Brings High Performance Advanced Protection with Two New Appliances

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Fortinet, the global leader in high-performance cybersecurity solutions, announced the launch of the FortiGate 400D and the FortiGate 900D next-generation firewalls (NGFWs). These new appliances further bolster Fortinet’s broad portfolio of integrated security solutions while delivering five times greater NGFW performance than competing products. With the introduction of these two solutions, Fortinet has again made high-performance, cutting-edge cybersecurity more accessible for mid-market and enterprise organizations.

Organizations of all sizes are being targeted by cyber criminals and must defend their critical infrastructures and proprietary data from advanced, highly focused threats more than ever before. Yet, increased bandwidth requirements and network utilization complicate the process, particularly as organizations increase in size and scope. What they need are industry-leading solutions that provide the security effectiveness and features to protect from advanced threats, while delivering the performance and connectivity to future-proof their infrastructures.

Fortinet’s new FortiGate 400D and 900D NGFWs were engineered to deliver high-performance security and specifically tailored to meet the grueling demands of mid-sized and enterprise organizations today and into the future. Leveraging Fortinet’s legendary FortiASIC-accelerated performance, both Appliances utilize Fortinet’s proprietary Network Processor 6 (NP6), providing the FortiGate 400D with throughput performance of 16 Gbps and propelling the FortiGate 900D to speeds of 52 Gbps.

Palami Asks Fans to Take Advantage of Azkals Home Games

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The Philippine national football team is scheduled to play only three more games in the country in the ongoing qualifiers for the 2018 FIFA World Cup as the rest of its matches will be held outside the Philippines.

“Let’s take advantage of the hometown matches by watching the Azkals play in person. The Azkals will be playing for the country’s honor. The fans’ support will count a lot,” Team Manager Dan Stephen Palami said.

The next Azkals game is scheduled on September 8 against a tough Uzbekistan squad at the spanking Philippine Sports Stadium in Bocaue, Bulacan. Kickoff time is at 8 p.m.

Palami said playing before a home crowd will be motivating for the Azkals, especially if the players see the all-out support of fans turning up in droves for the games.

“We are fortunate to see our Azkals playing more home games, unlike in the 2011 qualifiers where they had only two home games,” he said. 

Epson Marks 5th Anniversary of Ink Tank System Printers In Southeast Asia With Powerful New Range

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2015 marks a significant milestone in the printing industry: it is the fifth anniversary of the world’s first branded ink tank system printers since they first launched in Southeast Asia. Introduced in 2010 by Epson, the L-Series ink tank system printers have successfully helped businesses and home users enjoy unsurpassed lowest printing costs while the range progressively added and upgraded models with increasing performance and features. To date, over two million Epson ink tank system printers have been sold in Southeast Asia alone.

To celebrate the fifth anniversary and success of the L-Series in Southeast Asia, Epson has refreshed the entire range with six powerful models that bring significant performance improvements to the series. In addition to improved ISO print speeds, the new range includes the L655 flagship model which is the first ink tank system printer with Epson’s advanced PrecisionCore business printing technology, allowing it to achieve high ISO print speeds.

“The Epson L-Series was specially designed for Southeast Asia, and its great success over these past five years affirms its popularity among the over two million customers in the region who have bought it since its launch,” says Epson Southeast Asia’s Managing Director, Toshimitsu Tanaka. “We will continue to improve the L-Series while committing to provide the world’s lowest printing costs it has become famous for,” he concludes.

Building a Business Aligned Security Strategy for Our Organization

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"I am looking at these security solutions because they protect these assets that drives 3 million dollars of revenue for our organization. Can you please approve this." is a much better statement to hear from the IT manager than just saying "Please approve this firewall that we need to buy." The CEO or CFO would know that we are thinking about the business. Remapping your proposal using business lingo is a more effective way to convince management to approve your plans.

The same way that Fortinet does not hard sell their products. They try to understand the situation of the organization so they could pinpoint the actual weakness in the security infrastructure to provide the better solution to their needs or requirements. It's not about quickly offering an equipment that they can buy to address the issues but to understand first the problem like the challenges and specific points that needs protection. There really is a need to see the big picture before a recommendation should be given.

It's basically educating the clients on what are the possible things to do or maximize on their existing infrastructure rather than letting them figure it out on their own and adjust on the product's capabilities and limitations. This allows the clients to get the most appropriate solution from Fortinet.

At an intimate media discussion, experts from Fortinet led by Alvin Rodrigues, Fortinet Marketing Development Director for Southeast Asia and Hong Kong.

Also present during the discussions where Jeff Castillo, Managing Country Director of Fortinet, Nap Castillo, Regional Pre-Sales Consultant of Fortinet and Rachelle Alcantara, Channel Account Manager of Fortinet.

The event was held at Café 1771 located at Greenbelt 5 in Makati city and attended by select members of the media. A presentation was held while food was being served to everyone. We enjoyed a delightful feast from Café 1771 while questions were being thrown to the Fortinet guys.

The National ICT Summit 2015: The Internet is "Ugnayan Para sa Kaunlaran" Day 1

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The 2nd Day of the National ICT Summit started with the presentation of the recap of Day 1 by Virgilio Gaje, the Public Relations Officer of the CIO Forum. 

The National ICT Summit 2015 or NICT Summit 2015 had Senator Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aquino IV during the ribbon cutting ceremonies and the keynote message. The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Mario Montejo was also there to provide a keynote message. DOST-ICTO Undersecretary and Executive Director Louis Napoleon Casambre delivered the welcome remarks. Joining them are Denis Villorente, President of the CIO Forum; Clarito Magsino, President of CIOF Forum; and George Kintanar, Chairman of the CIOF Foundation.

Joe Pasqua, Executive Vice President of MarkLogic then discussed The Turning Point of Data. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary Adrian Cristobal followed with a talk entitled Competitiveness Activities Towards AEC.

Former Deputy Commissioner and now author Carolina Colborn told us the story of how she went out of the country to find her dreams, and how the Internet helped her achieved it. She is now happily married to a foreigner and has written books about her adventure.

US-Based Tech Entrepreneurs Hold Meetup for Geeks on a Beach Int’l Tech Confab

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Tech entrepreneurs, designers, and startups based in San Francisco, USA met up last July 2, 2015 at the San Francisco Airport Marriot Waterfront Hotel Lounge to talk about the Geeks on a Beach (GOAB) international tech startup confab this August 21-22. 

STAC Silicon Valley and Global Filipino Network organized the said meetup with TechTalks.ph and GOAB lead organizer Tina Amper, who is now concluding her rounds in the United States to whip up support for the upcoming big event. 

Now in its third year, GOAB was first conducted on the beaches of Boracay Island, Philippines in September 2013 where more than 300 participants attended. It is set to return to Boracay this August after holding the event at Moevenpick Beach Resort Hotel Cebu last year. 

Unlike other international conferences, GOAB is unique for the beach fun vibe yet productive atmosphere that offers participants opportunities to network, learn about the latest on tech and entrepreneurship, and secure business deals. 

GOAB holds the distinction of being the leading national tech startup conference in the Philippines with last year’s event gathering over 400 participants and global speakers like Dave McClure of 500Startups and Maria Ressa of Rappler.com, among many others. 

Pinoy Entrepreneur Summit- Getting INto Business: From Passion to Action

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LDF Events Management will held its first ever Pinoy Entrepreneur Summit: Getting INto Business - From Passion to Action on October 14, 2015 (Wednesday) 10:00 AM- 5:00 PM at Megatrade Conference Center, 5/F Bdg. B, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City.

Pinoy Entrepreneur Summit: Getting INto Business - From Passion to Action is a fun and dynamic gathering of the youth, aspiring entrepreneurs and young professionals who want to get inspired in transforming their ideas and passion into real businesses. This is an ideal space to discover new innovation and trends especially for young entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs who want to improve their business strategies and practices. Participants and visitors will be able to form collaborative partnerships that will help them turn their breakthrough moments into reality.

With a well-balanced line up of topics and speakers, this summit will certainly help individuals to mold and bring out their entrepreneurial skills and spirit. Come to the event, hear and learn from our top entrepreneurs and experts like Earl Martin Valencia-IdeaSpace Foundation, Gian Scottie Javelona-Orange Apps Inc., Janette Toral-Digital Filipino.com, Homer Nievera-NegoSentro, Ifore Yu-Chicken Charlie, Mark Rivera-Minka The Toothbrush Movement and Karen Bordador-Sister Secrets, who will talk about various topics such as Social Entrepreneurship, Ecopreneurship, Technopreneurship, Fashion Entrepreneurship and Foodpreneurship.

Don’t miss this opportunity to participate in a unique summit like no other, bringing the culture of the youth and 101’s in business together in one place!

Stop the Bully, Sink the Chinese Pirates of the West Philippine Sea

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Mala-piratang pagkilos ng China sa West Philippine Sea, itigil na!

Kumbinsido si dating Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Rafael M. Alunan III na makasasama sa tunay na layunin ng China para magpatuloy ang kanilang kaunlaran kung paiigtingin pa ang agresibong pagkamkam sa ating mga teritoryo sa West Philippine Sea. 

Ayon kay Alunan, Lead Convenor ng West Philippine Sea Coalition, mababalewala ang lahat ng nakamit na kaunlaran ng mga Chinese kung magpapatuloy sila sa pambu-bully sa ating bansa. “Dapat lamang na lumingon ang China at balikan ang kanilang mapayapang paraan ng pag-unlad. Pero masyadong naghahanap ang China ng kaguluhan sanhi ng kanilang agresibong pagkilos sa West Philippine Sea at nakasasama pa ito para sa pangdaigdigang kapayapaan,” paliwanag ni Alunan na nangunguna sa pagtutol sa maling pagkilos ng China sa karagatang higit na malapit sa Pilipinas. 

Iginiit pa ni Alunan na mataas pa rin ang kanyang pagtitiwala na wala tayong nilabag na anumang alituntunin, bagkus naniniwala pa rin ang ating bansa sa mapayapang pakikipag-usap at pagsasampa ng petisyon sa International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS). “Wala naman akong bahid ng pagdududa na napanatili nating mga Pilipino ang mataas na moralidad hinggil sa aksiyon ng China.

Envision Innovation Today: Epson Solidifies Leadership On Printers And Projectors

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Epson Philippines Corporation (EPC) unveiled its latest series of printers and projectors, in the company’s bid to further solidify its status as the leading brand in Printers and Projectors.

According to FutureSource Consulting, the leading research and forecasting company for consumer electronics, entertainment, and education, Epson Philippines has captured 31% market leadership and has joined many Epson companies worldwide that contributed to the brand’s unprecedented 14 consecutive years of global leadership in the projector category.

Epson also led the local market for printers with an incredible growth of 11.3% in 2014. The latest annual IDC report has placed Epson printers on top with 35.9% market share.

“Envision Innovation Today”, held at the Grand Ballroom of City of Dreams, served as a fete for customers and partners. During the event, Epson launched its latest projectors and printers that will further advance Epson's position as an industry game-changer.

“As the Filipino’s brand of choice in both the projector and printer categories, we are pleased to share that innovations in technology have allowed Epson to once again improve on these products lines -- offering more durable and even more reliable products for our customers,” said EPC Head for Marketing Division Ed Bonoan. 

George Tapan Holds “Abot-Tanaw” Photo Exhibit Using Epson Printing Technologies

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As one of the original Epson PRO, an eminent group of photographers and graphic artists in the Philippines, distinguished Filipino photographer George Tapan has been a long-time Epson user, and considers Epson as part of his family.

Thus, he now showcases the diversity of Filipino tribes in his latest exhibit displaying photos printed using Epson printers. The exhibit entitled “Abot-Tanaw ni George Tapan” is being held at the National Museum of Anthropology located at the Old Finance Building along Finance Road, Ermita, Manila. The exhibit was unveiled last June 19, and will run Tuesdays to Sundays from 10 AM to 5 PM until August 16.

“For this exhibit, I used Epson scanners and printers, because in my eye, Epson produces the nearest natural color. The right color, archival ink, and the variety of paper or media to choose from is why I chose Epson as a partner for exhibits, including this one. For the “Abot-Tanaw” exhibit at the National Museum, I used Epson’s archival paper that produces no glare, to help me showcase the beauty of the subjects and photographs without using an encasing glass.”

“Abot-Tanaw ni George Tapan” features the diverse culture of the Philippines as shown by the different indigenous tribes around the country. The subject matter is close to his heart, as showing recognition to these indigenous tribes is part of his personal advocacy. “We should never forget the indigenous people; we should show them respect and give them dignity. Without them, there is no us,” he elaborated. 

ICT 4 Biz: E-Commerce Championed for PWDs

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We believe everyone is in equal footing when it comes to online work. This is because the job requires a lot of creativity and logical thinking which we can do at the comforts of our own homes rather than out there among the hustle and bustle of the corporate world. I envy those who get to avoid the traffic congestion or the long queue at every public transportation spot including the MRT or LRT train stations.

The work at home professionals don't suffer as we do who would normally sweat it out amidst a huge crowd and exposed to all the dust and pollution, including the dangers of getting robbed or swindled in the dangerous streets of Manila. I've had my share of pickpockets and other modus operandi just to rob me of my hard-earned money.

The ICT 4 Biz: Connecting Your Business with the Right People, held last June 17, 2015 at the Sequioa Hotel located in Quezon City, was particularly aimed to provide decent online employment opportunities for all. This was part of the ICT Expo 2015 with a theme of ICT For All: No Juan Left Behind series of events celebrating June as the ICT Month. 

What was very interesting about the event was it highlighted Persons With Disabilities (PWDs). We are now looking into e-commerce as a viable source of work opportunities for our PWDs. Since the skills required are more about online expertise rather than having all limbs functional, it makes sense that we should be tapping them who really deserves both our attention and admiration.

Noel Cruz and His Awesome Life-Like Celebrity Dolls

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"Noel Cruz is one of the most versatile & distinguished repaint artists in the doll community. He is most recognized for his character & celebrity based dolls due to their uncanny resemblance to the people they portray.

His repaints as well as his portraits are done with intricate detail to the point of being naturally lifelike in essence.

Noel attempts to raise the bar and bring a fresh take to the common mass produced doll with every face he paints. Noel's specialty is with one of a kind repaints. The beauty of repaints is that almost no two are exactly alike just as no two artists are alike."

3 stars & a sun! I'm holding up our flag high, proudly waving it, because no one.. noooo one does this amazing creativity, but a Pinoy!

Yes! Noel Cruz is a proud Filipino! Another gifted talent whose intricate repaints on dolls are totally world-class! It makes us real proud we are Filipinos. He may be based in California, but he is still our kababayan!

Noel's paint-overs are really awesome. The dolls totally look like the actual celebs. It's like he paints life into them. Awesome work indeed! So very talented that I would want more than one for my collection. This gentleman has a true gift. This kind of talent always leaves me completely gobsmacked!

Multilingual Call Center Expands to the Philippines' Safest City, Davao

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Aiming for an even wider reach and a more dynamic presence in the multilingual offshoring industry, Open Access BPO has announced that it will be bringing its services to Davao City, dubbed as the safest city in the Philippines.

The multilingual call center will be launching its new office on August 11th in Davao, which is seen by industry experts as the nation’s next outsourcing hub. This will be the firm’s second office in the country, with the first one previously established in the central business district of Makati, which also ranks high among Philippines’ safest cities.

“The reasons for expansion are threefold. One is that the cost of doing business in Davao is a lot less, about 20 to 30 percent less than in Manila, savings which we can pass onto our clients. The second reason is for redundancy purposes. Having two different locations for customer support creates an extra blanket of security. Another reason for going to Davao is that it’s the safest city in the country,” company CEO Benjamin Davidowitz remarked.

Upon its launch in Davao, Open Access BPO looks to employ approximately 180 professionals who will be delivering English voice and non-voice customer support to company clients. The new office will be located at G/F Filandia IT Center, Quirino Avenue corner Jacinto Ext. St., 11-B Poblacion District, Davao City 8000. Filandia IT Center is one of the eight IT parks in the city accredited by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority. 

Rural Impact Sourcing Workshop: Promoting Online Jobs in the Countryside

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The Information and Communications Technology Office (ICTO) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) was created through Executive Order (EO) 47 which transferred the former Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) from the Office of the President to the DOST. The ICTO is tasked to be the lead implementing agency of Government in all most of its ICT related efforts such as industry development, policy formulation, ICT infrastructure development, R&D, ICT capacity building for the public sector and administration of the E-Governance Fund.

The ICTO’s primary thrusts for 2011 – 2016 are in the areas of ICT Industry Development, E-Government, ICT Policy Development, ICT Infrastructure and Cybersecurity. Much of these directions are in line with the Philippine Digital Strategy, the Philippine Government’s masterplan on how to actively use information and communications technology in promoting economic andsocial growth, and in promoting efficiency in the delivery of public service. The Office is currently headed by Executive Director Louis Napoleon C. Casambre.

As one of its programs in the fourth outcome in the National Science and Technology Week, the e-Innovation Group of the DOST-ICT Office will be holding a Rural Impact Sourcing Workshop on Tuesday, July 28, 2015 from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM at the SMX Convention Center Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City during the 2015 National Science and Technology Week .

Rural Impact Sourcing is a type of outsourcing that focuses on giving sustainable jobs in socio-economically disadvantaged areas where there are high populations but scarce employment opportunities due to lack of investors. This initiative is in line with the current Philippine Development Plan’s focus on inclusive growth through promoting online outsourcing jobs in rural areas.

DOST - ICTO Lifts Free Wi-Fi Speed Cap

 

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Undersecretary Louis Napoleon C. Casambre announced the removal of the speed cap of 256 kbps on the Free Wi-Fi service offered by the Free Wi-Fi Internet Access in Public Places Project during the first interdivision press conference hosted by the DOST – ICT Office held July 16, 2015.

Pre-empting questions regarding the matter, Casambre underlined the need to increase the maximum limit, allowing more Filipinos to access the internet through the Free Wi-Fi service. With slow internet service a major concern of internet users in the country, the lifting of the speed cap is welcome news.

To manage the estimated 117,000 users who will access the Free Wi-Fi service, the Fair Usage Policy, which limits the daily usage by data cap, will be put into place. “We have to put in a fair usage policy because this is a public service. We have to ensure that it is accessible to as many people as possible.” Casambre stated.

Power Mac Center Introduces Expanded SM Megamall Store

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Power Mac Center recently unveiled a newly transformed SM Megamall store, revealing a more dynamic presence of its first ever retail location in the Philippines. The landmark store’s makeover is seen to accelerate the growth of the country’s most reliable Apple partner and continue its efforts to bring innovative products and services that support and enhance a complete Apple experience.

With its major transformation, Power Mac Center SM Megamall now occupies the largest retail space within the company’s retail network to accommodate a full assortment of Apple products and premium third-party accessories, as well as in-store product demonstration gallery.

Said Power Mac Center Marketing Director Joey Alvarez, “We couldn’t be more delighted to present the new look and feel of Power Mac Center SM Megamall. The additional space allows our first store to further its offerings and provide a more immersive and enjoyable shopping ambiance for Apple enthusiasts.”

Located at the fourth level Cyberzone, Power Mac Center SM Megamall was successfully re-launched at the recently held Dare to Transform event that gathered company executives, trade partners and brand ambassadors to commemorate the store’s makeover. Guests enjoyed special performances and exclusive offers as part of the celebration.

PBEX 2015: The Biggest Business Expo and Learning Events

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It seems many are really encouraged to go into business even after immediately graduating from college. There are so many young and bright minds out there that are inspired to put into action their own ideas instead of just working as an employee for a firm or organization.

The proliferation of many business ventures from restaurants to online apps, and a lot more, is probably a sign of a good economy, or the people just realized that the best way to score bigger bucks is to be the boss of their own business. Startups has increased in number and their ages are incredibly young in their 20s. Some of them can't even wait to finish college as they setup their first online business thru the power of the Internet and the virility of social media initiatives.

Wazzup Pilipinas was a media partner for the 6th Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs' Expo held last July 17 to 19, 2015 at the Megatrade Halls 2 and 3 of SM Megamall. That's three days of expo from over 200 brands, both big and small, and undoubtedly very fulfilling afternoons of learning from talks conducted by many experienced business and entrepreneurship personalities. 

The first day was graced by Assistant Secretary Blessila Lantayona from the Regional Operations Group of the Department of Trade and Industry who led the ribbon cutting ceremonies where a dragon dance was also included. She was joined by Michelle Ballesteros, CEO of Ex-Link Events as well as other notable VIPs. The guest of honors roam around the different booth at the expo before proceeding to the conference area. 

Join Heritage Advocates at Hudyat: The State of Philippine Heritage Address

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As that popular quote commonly attributed to Jose Rizal goes, “Ang hindi lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makakarating sa pinaroroonan.” 

Hence, the Philippines’ modern heritage conservation movement goes back to its roots. On 2 PM of July 26, 2015, everyone is invited to troop to the former Jai-Alai Building site for Hudyat: The State of Philippine Heritage Address. Organized to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Jai Alai’s demolition, the event primarily consists of the following activities:

· The Jericho Walk. Harkening back to the biblical story, the walk will be an educational tour to several of Manila’s underappreciated heritage sites—and raise awareness about threats that they face. It will cover the following destinations around the area: 

o Casino Español (Instituto Cervantes)
o San Vicente Church
o Adamson University Main Building
o Former Meralco Headquarters
o Philippine Arts and Trade Center (Technological University of the Philippines grounds)
o Normal Hall, Philippine Normal University
o Santa Isabel College Chapel

Mikey Bustos Is Proud of His Brown Body

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It is so funny that Filipinos are really obsessed in getting white like Caucasians. I still remember when everything that has glutathione was highly in demand and up until now when skin whitening lotions and the likes are still very popular beauty product essentials for women, and even men, who want to achieve celebrity-like status.

This is mainly because in a country where the color of the skin is one of the main factors on how people are judged or perceived, we are normally categorized to belong in a class of higher standard if we are of the whiter variety.

Yeah, in the Philippines, when your complexion is white, you get to be regarded as somebody affluent, and considered to be among the beautiful, fit to land a job in sales or showbiz. Even other industries prefer their employees with pleasing personalities. However, it is so sad that they would perceive skin color as the basis for beauty.

Damn it! We are Filipinos that are supposed to be "Moreno" in skin color. We are originally brown in color as per our ancestors. I have no quarrel with the mixed race since we have become global and got intimately close with our foreign brothers (thus Fil-Ams were born). But we should not see their white skin color as the top ranking complexion, and looking down on the "brown" race as inferior.

Afterthoughts from My Slingshot MNL Experience

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The startup community is saying that even if it's impossible, it should happen. Give them a chance to build their dream, and with the current efforts being done now, it would hopefully give them a better glimpse of the future. A future when they would soon join the ranks of legendary companies who were once startups just a few years ago, but now are big names earning big bucks out from their world-changing ideas.

Now that excellence in the academic field is no longer the main factor to consider when forecasting the future, many are realizing it is the right time to grab the opportunity. The present is filled with bright minds and passionate hearts who may one day become among the millionaires brought about by their creative ideas, especially those who develop revolutionary apps that dramatically changes our lifestyle into a more convenient and fast-paced activity.

Investors should now look into those startups engaging more with mobile and online solutions that rethink real world problems and develops applications with business-aligned opportunities. But they should also start the sparks in different places to eventually create multiple fires everywhere. I hope to hear many success stories soon especially after the Slingshot MNL event, the official startup event of APEC Philippines 2015, held last July 6 and 7, 2015 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Manila.

Startups could also start small by beginning to solve the problems within their neighborhood. Raise your first round smartly. Don't necessarily look for investors, but look for customers so eventually it would be the investors who would find you. Though we all know that startups are emotional rollercoasters, the founders should continue to be patient and hope that soon that majority of the private sector will kick in and fund their ideas. Hopefully the government has their own way to support our startup community.

Lazada Advocates Effortless Online Shopping to Consumers Across Southeast Asia

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Lazada, Southeast Asia’s leading online shopping and selling destination, kicks off its Effortless Shopping campaign(http://www.lazada.com.ph/effortless-shopping/) in the Philippines from 21-26 July highlighting the benefits of effortless online shopping to Filipino consumers.

“We are committed to providing an effortless online shopping experience to approximately 550 million consumers in the Southeast Asian region. While our customer satisfaction survey reveals that respondents are satisfied with their online shopping experience, there is an untapped opportunity to reach out to non-online shoppers by highlighting the benefits of online shopping and thus changing their perceptions,” said Inanc Balci, CEO of Lazada Philippines.

As an e-Commerce leader in the Philippines, Lazada provides consumers with an effortless shopping experience with its user-friendly sites and mobile apps accessible at their fingertips anytime, any day. It offers a wide selection of international, local and exclusive products; and multiple secure payment options including cash-on-delivery.

Consumers can shop with peace of mind on Lazada as all items purchased are covered by Lazada's Buyer Protection Program. This provides a guarantee that products are genuine, new and not defective; and for customers to return the items within seven days for a full refund, otherwise. Consumers can also shop with assurance knowing that they can reach out to Lazada’s customer service seven days a week by phone and email. 

Discovery Commissions Sabah Quake Special

 

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Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific (DNAP) announces the commission of SABAH QUAKE, a one-hour special that returns to ground zero to examine the events and aftermath of the 5.9 magnitude earthquake that shook Sabah, Malaysia. With unparalleled access to Mount Kinabalu since the tragedy, the programme also evaluates the likelihood of future earthquakes in the region. 

Charmaine Kwan, Vice President of Programming – DNAP, said, “Discovery continues to deliver topical content about events that have gripped the region. SABAH QUAKE attempts to piece together the latest findings on the tragedy and aims to provide insight into the science of the disaster. At the core of the special, are touching human stories of bravery and human resilience - a fitting tribute to those whose lives were lost, and the ones they have left behind.”

At 7:15 a.m. on 5 June, 2015, the Earth’s tectonic plates violently shifted, causing a huge earthquake that rocked Mount Kinabalu – Malaysia’s tallest peak and a tourist destination famed for its hiking trails and stunning view. The quake stranded hundreds of climbers, and left 18 people – including hikers and mountain guides – dead. While the human tragedy made the headlines, there is also a chilling air of uncertainty unfolding in the international seismic community. Urgent questions are now being asked concerning how an earthquake of this magnitude could have happened in a largely “earthquake free” part of the world. And with once dormant fault lines under Malaysia now displaying signs of renewed activity, what are the possible implications for the surrounding regions?

Businessman Manny Ayala Optimistic About PH Startup Ecosystem, Lauds Geek on a Beach

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Businessman and Investor Manny Ayala is optimistic about the prospects of the growth of the Philippine ecosystem of tech startups or innovation-driven enterprises.

“It is very heartening to see so many talented people with great ideas pursuing their dreams. It seems like I come across a new startup every few days,” said Ayala.

He said that entrepreneurs should seriously think about redefining success not only as a matter of personal financial outcomes but rather in terms of the positive impact one makes on fellow entrepreneurs in the ecosystem.

“What we have found across the growing, studying, a number of tech ecosystems, is that it only takes a handful of ‘pay it forward’ entrepreneurs who mentor and invest in other entrepreneurs to get an ecosystem to become big and robust,” he said.

Ayala is Rappler Board Chairman, Hatchd Digital Chairperson, and Managing Director of Endeavor Philippines, non-profit organization dedicated towards empowering entrepreneurs.

In spite of his hectic schedule, Ayala made time to grace last year’s Geeks on a Beach (GOAB) tech startup confab held at Moevenpick Hotel, Mactan Island, Cebu.

It's A Power Packed July Over at Ekotek

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It’s a power packed July as Ekotek brings you the best deals on all your favorite Ekopacks all month long. Plug and charge wherever you go with these stylishly sleek and portable Ekopacks. You’ll never have to worry about running out of juice ever again. Oh, and to make things more exciting, we even threw in a quad core phone bundle to the mix!

Power up at any of our kiosks. We’ve got branches in SM Mega, SM Fairview, SM North, SM Las Piñas, SM Muntinlupa, Victory Mall Antipolo, Victory Mall Pasay and now SM City Pampanga.

No time to go malling? No problem, you can still power up by clicking here:http://j.mp/ekoteklazada.

Hurry, promo period is only until August 10, 2015. That’s right folks. We’re keeping you powered up all the way til August so you can keep on keeping on.

*Price List:
Ekopack Slim 4000 with Rogue 2 and 8GB MicroSD: P2999
Ekopack 3000mAh with Ekoplay: P1448

Ekopack 3000mAh: P552
Ekopack 6000mAh: P764
Ekopack Slim 4000mAh: P799
Ekopack 9600mAh: P1249
Ekopack 11000mAh: P1402
Ekopack 13000mAh: P1654


*Online Prices are subject to change

Michelin Right2Race 2015 Winners Off to Malaysia for Michelin Pilot Sport Experience

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Winners from the Philippines of the MICHELIN Right2Race 2015 online game are all set for their MICHELIN PILOT SPORT EXPERIENCE2015 at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. Filipino top scorers Llewelyn Manio, Karl James Wilhelm, and Sherwin Rada (second, fourth and sixth from right) join the rest of the Right2Race winners from participating countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, Singapore, Indonesiafor a unique, once in a lifetime whole dayexperience, as their prize.

The winners get to know real racing cars like the Formula 4, Citroen DS3 R1, Renault Clio IV, the Lamborghini 2014 GT3 and the legendary Formula Le Mans, and find out why Michelin tires are the key winning ingredients of the top racers in world-class motorsports.

Sending off the winners are MICHELIN Philippines’ Erlaine Castellano, Marketing Intelligence / Pricing Manager; Caroline del Rosario,Marketing/Communications Manager;and Beth Potenciano, Administration Officer.

Also in photo are the famous MICHELIN Man, and Ivan Isada (R), R2R 2014 Champion who also went on to become overall champion in the MPSE and was rewarded with a trip to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France last June.

1st Property Expo Cebu Successfully Opened

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MEDIACOM Solutions Inc. in partnership with LAMUDI Philippines opened its gates to thousands of Cebuanos in their first ever venture in a 2-day regional expo “PROPERTY EXPO CEBU (PEC) 2015” at the Cebu Trade Hall, SM City Cebu.

The “Queen City of the South” has attracted big and small-scale investors in the property industry and so has widely opened doors of opportunities leading to the upturn of demand in the real estate sector in the city. Developers have expanded and built more residential and commercial properties in the recent years and the industry is flourishing in Cebu. An increase of foreign retirees and a bullish BPO sectors has contributed to the double-digit growth of the property sector in the recent 3 years. According to the latest study of Colliers International, it show that Cebu is the 2nd preferred tourist destination in the Philippines with over 1.2M foreign tourists and 1.5M domestic travels as of 2013. 

The expo opening was attended by VIPs from the real estate sector from Cebu and Manila. “The close proximity of beach, city living and mountain scenery, makes Cebu a preferred destination for real estate investors” says David Abrenilla, Founder and General Manager of Property Expo Cebu.

PEC 2015 was kicked off also by the first ever “Property Summit Cebu” the day before, July 17 at the Radisson Blu Cebu headlined by local and international speakers and was attended by brokers, developers and other industry professionals. 

PUP College of Communication Presents Break Out: Unchain Your Limits

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Take a break from the early wave of paper works, assignments, projects and reports because the hunt is on! Get ready this coming July 31st for the PUP Manila College of Communication’s Break Out. These jail-themed tricky, challenging & fun activities unleash the tactic and elusive side of communication students while bonding with colleagues.

With its customized escape rooms, exciting challenges, and breath-taking obstacles, breaking out has never been this full-packed with twists, mysteries and surprises. Be the newest detective of the century. Break out with us at the COC grounds and unchain your limits for an all-out experience.

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