2015-10-18 ~ Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Saturday, October 24, 2015

Business Involvement Week 2015: Creating Greater Legacy and Building Business Beyond Boundaries

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The College Student Council of the College of Business in partnership with the college’s five academic organizations ( HRMS, JFINEX, JPIA, PJMA & TMS) will conduct the first “BUSINESS INVOLVEMENT WEEK 2015” on the 27th to 30th day of October.

This event will serve as the major event of the council for this semester. This is a period of time of the academic year in which we showcase the College of Business and Management. Our theme for this years’ celebration is “Creating greater legacy, Building business beyond boundaries and Molding the Lasallian experience”.

Our aim is that one day we’ll be working in the corporate world. We’d like to remind the whole college that as Lasallians, we want to leave a legacy which is to inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more.

The purpose of the Business Involvement Month is to unite and connect all of the organizations under the College. Our hope is that the business students will begin to feel the real sense of belongingness and encourage interaction after experiencing the “Business Involvement Week 2015”.

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The rise of millennial travelers, Filipinos’ increasing spending power, and aggressive expansion of commercial property developers in cities outside Metro Manila—these are just some of the key trends discussed during the Asia Pacific Real Estate Investment Summit Thursday. Lamudi Philippines (www.lamudi.com.ph) managing director Jacqueline van den Ende moderated the discussion on these key trends.

Retail

According to Lourdes Alano, vice-president for leasing at Robinsons Land Corp., key trends in retail include expansion outside Metro Manila due to rising land values within the capital, the rise of community malls, expansion of convenience store chains driven in part by the 24-hour BPO economy, and the increasing competition due to new retail channels such as podium retail-space in mixed-used condo developments and online channels.

Hospitality

Al Legaspi, chief operating officer of Ayala Land Hotels and Resorts, said that the 10 million foreign visitors target is a bit of a stretch, given that the country has so far only managed to attract half of that number. However, despite this domestic and foreign tourism is growing. Cebu, for example, experiences plenty of demand in hotel rooms, according to Legapsi, where occupancy rates in Ayala’s hotels in the city reaching 80 percent.

DOE Welcomes Zenaida Monsada As Its First Woman Secretary

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The Department of Energy welcomes its first woman Secretary as President Benigno S. Aquino III sworn in the newly appointed Zenaida Y. Monsada on 23 October 2015 at Malacanan Palace.

Prior to her appointment, Secretary Monsada served as the DOE’s Officer-in-Charge (OIC) since July 2015 and is tasked to make key decisions and set priorities as well as execute operational management of the Department. Alongside the OIC task, she was also the Undersecretary for four frontline Bureaus of the DOE, namely: the Electric Power Industry Management Bureau, Energy Resources Development Bureau, Oil Industry Management Bureau, and the Renewable Energy Management Bureau.

Among her 13 predecessors, Sec. Monsada is also the first DOE head who rose from the ranks. As part of the DOE, she is a member of various inter-agency/international committees and working groups representing the DOE such as the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (Phil.), Tripartite Council for Biofuels, Technical Committee on Petroleum Products and Additives (Chair), Harmonization of Vehicle Standards and Regulations, and the Partnership for Clean Air/Clean Air Asia Initiative, to name a few.

Sec. Monsada led the creation of the DOE’s national petroleum testing laboratory and the acquisition/operation of the mobile testing facility. She also facilitated the institutionalization of the multi-sectoral advocacy campaign on the downstream oil industry, and was part of the “Benchmarking of Biodiesel Fuel Standardization in East Asia” of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia.

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Get to experience first hand the Apple Watch because the long wait is over. You get to finally hold and wear the different models as you choose among the many varieties which one you will be bringing home to enjoy along with your iPhone.

Apple Watch has finally arrived at Power Mac Center, the premier Apple partner in the Philippines. There were several months of anticipation following its worldwide launch in March and the Philippines only got to have it available to the public on October 23, 2015 at Power Mac Center’s flagship store in Greenbelt 3.

According to the Power Mac Center CEO, Lawrence Sison, the Trinoma branch is also offering them, except for the Apple Watch Edition, simultaneously with the launch at Greenbelt 3. Greenbelt offers all three: Apple Watch Apple Watch Sport and Apple Watch Edition.

I happened to be the very first to try them out when it opened to the media and guest during its launch. Celebrity Marc Nelson was first to sign up to try the Apple Watch but I came in second. Fortunately, the watches I requested came first before Marc's so I am proud to say that I was the very first to actually experience wearing the Apple Watch, all three kinds. I took photos and videos so I can boast that I have proof of my statements. Lol!

The cover photo above is (L-R) Anthony George Constantino, Power Mac Center Campaigns Manager, Power Mac Center brand ambassador Champ Lui Pio, and Power Center CEO Lawrence Sison. Champ was the third person to buy an Apple Watch from the store, though technically he may be the second since the first one bought an Apple Watch Sport. Meanwhile, I am still waiting for Santa Claus to grant my wish this Christmas since I have been "nice" and not "naughty" all throughout the year.

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With less than a week into the 2015 Family Enterprise Excellence Conference (FEEC), organizer Premier Family Business Consulting (PFBC) is calling on all interested to book their tickets to the event which will be held at the Radisson Blu Hotel on October 26.

According to PFBC Executive Director and Chief Operations Officer Neil Montesclaros, it’s all systems go for the 2015 FEEC with all major preparations now ready. They are now just waiting for the remaining unreserved seats to be taken.

Montesclaros encouraged family enterprises, practitioners, and stakeholders to take part in the event and avail of one day of insightful discussions and workshops that help family businesses thrive amidst the changing business landscape.

Now in its third year, the 2015 FEEC will feature international family enterprise expert and consultant Dr. Dennis Jaffe of the US-based Family Firm Institute and prominent inspirational speaker Francis Kong as the main resource persons.

PFBC Founder Jon Ramos said some of the inevitable family business challenges that will be tackled in the 2015 FEEC include the issues of business longevity, succession, the management of family dynamics, and the preservation of family wealth.

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PHIL EVENTS SPECIALISTS In Cooperation with Vxi3 and HOUSE ARREST presents Crux CARNAGE No Mercy No Worries Halloween Costume Party at PRIME UPSCALE CLUB Tomas Morato St. Quezon City October 29, 2015, 7pm onwards

Like a stealthy vampire or a sneaky zombie, Halloween has snuck up on us again.

So join us : #CruxCarnage2k15

as the city celebrates Halloween!

MUSIC BY:

-V3IX-

• DJ Martin Valdez

• DJ Strobetastic

• DJ Russel Dass

-HOUSE ARREST-

• DJ Olly Ellis

• DJ Jaaron Banzon

*** Catch DJ MARC MARASIGAN and DJ ARYAN MAGAT!!!

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As part of its agency-wide reform program, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) is set to implement revised rules governing the issuance of driver’s licenses in the coming days, with the publication of five Administrative Orders (AOs) next week.

“The revised rules will serve two purposes: first, they will better ensure the fitness and capability of license card holders to drive on our streets; and second, they will streamline the application process and make it more convenient for the public,” said Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secretary Jun Abaya.

The AOs will take effect 15 days after publication, or within the first half of November. They will cover all four (4) types of licenses issued by the LTO, namely: (1) professional driver’s licenses or PDLs; (2) non-professional driver’s licenses or NPDLs; (3) student’s permits or SPs; and (4) conductor’s licenses or CLs.

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The National Civil Engineering Summit (NCES) 2015 recently ended as a huge success. Once again, the UP Association of Civil Engineering Students (UP ACES) proved its unparalleled dedication in hosting the largest gathering of civil engineers in the country. Since its inception in 2006, the NCES has served as the biggest platform for exchanging ideas and discussions in the civil engineering field. On the organization’s 61st year, UP ACES took things to an even higher level by introducing brand-new events: Profiles and the CE Job Fair.

During the first day of the National Civil Engineering Summit, an event titled “Jumpstart” is launched at the UP College of Engineering. It started the NCES right by creating a perfect atmosphere of giving back to the college. Together with the ribbon cutting and the opening mass, UP ACES hosted its annual “Grand Pakain”, where everyone from the College of Engineering was invited to the Civil Engineering Lobby for a lunch buffet.

The ribbon cutting and opening of the CE Exhibit was held at the Engineering Lobby. The CE Exhibit promoted awareness and appreciation of the civil engineering profession by presenting its different fields and roles in the society.

September 5 heralded as the date of the first major event of this year’s Summit — InCEthink: Bridge Building Competition. More than 40 teams comprised of high school students competed in constructing the strongest and most economical bridge using barbeque sticks, applying not just their engineering knowledge, but also their creativity and teamwork. The competition ended with Miriam College High School emerging as the victor. Bethel Christian School of Fairview Inc. and Malayan High School of Science garnered second and third place, respectively.

Color Dash Goes to Davao City this November

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Color dash ﬁrst two years were successfully held in Metro Manila. It gathered thousands of fun, exciting, active individuals of any age to participate in this one day event. Kids, adults, pets were in great spirit as the fun run happens. This themed run is 5 kilometres long and for every kilometre a dash of color is splashed to your Color Dash shirt. At the end of the run, everything turns colourful.

Great news for the Davaoenos! On it’s third year, Color Dash decides to hold its fun run in Davao City this November 22, 2015 and is inviting everyone to join this fun ﬁlled event. Registration site is in Abreeza Ayala mall and will run from Nov 3-19.

If you do not feel like going to the mall, you can also register online through www.sportshub.com.ph and claim your running kit during the event or for delivery to your house, ofﬁce, or school. Sportshub, an online store for sporting goods and Mulatto, a proud-Davao-born outdoor apparel collaborated to make this event happen.

The clock is ticking and Color Dash can’t wait to surprise everyone with their fun tactics. Invite your family and friends to join this wonderful event.

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Viber, the country’s leading mobile messaging app known for its stickers that ooze with personality, is launching an exciting second run of its global sticker design initiative Sticky Fingers. This time around, Sticky Fingers focuses on having creatives from all over bring their favourite cities to life with the My City, My Vibe theme.

Stickers are a core part of Viber’s service and millions of people use them every day to convey an emotion, a reaction, or simply to share good vibes with their friends and families. In fact, Viber’s 600 million users sent more than 22 billion stickers last year. With this, Sticky Fingers 2 becomes a great opportunity for Filipino artists to showcase their design talent, represent their cities, each unique vibe they carry, and share it with the rest of the world.

20 finalists will be selected by Viber and its panel of judges, each to receive $1,000. From those top entries, 5 artists will be chosen to get the opportunity to work with the Viber design studio to develop their character into sticker packs, and a revenue share for every sticker sold of their design. Aside from these, the final five will of course receive exposure across Viber’s social media channels.

The competition is now open with Filipino creatives being able to send their entries up until November 18. As the 20 finalists will be picked based on the quality of their submissions, and not by their country of origin, the more entries the Philippines produces means higher chances for Pinoys to make it as finalists.

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AMD today announced new AMD Embedded R-Series SOC processors that establish performance leadership across a targeted range of embedded application market requirements for digital signage, retail signage, medical imaging, electronic gaming, media storage and communications and networking. Designed for demanding embedded needs, the processors incorporate the newest AMD 64-bit x86 CPU core (“Excavator”), plus third-generation Graphics Core Next GPU architecture, and state-of-the-art power management for reduced energy consumption. Combined, these AMD innovations and technologies provide industry-leading graphics performance and key embedded features for next-generation designs.

The single-chip system-on-chip (SOC) architecture enables simplified, small form factor board and system designs from AMD customers and a number of third party development platform providers, while providing astounding graphics and multimedia performance, including capability for hardware-accelerated decode of 4K video playback. With a robust suite of peripheral support and interface options, high-end AMD Radeon™ graphics, designed for the industry’s first Heterogeneous Systems Architecture (HSA) 1.0 certification, and support for the latest DDR4 memory, the new AMD R-Series SOC addresses the needs of a wide range of markets and customers.

“AMD continues its push into x86 embedded platforms and that’s paying off with an increasing number of customers and applications,” said Jim McGregor, principal analyst, TIRIAS Research. “There is a need for immersive graphics, high-quality visualization, and parallel computing in an increasing number of embedded applications. Across these fronts, the AMD Embedded R-Series SOC is a very compelling solution.”

“With so much momentum around immersive experiences, especially for visual and parallel computing, the embedded industry needs a high-performance, low-power and efficient architecture with superior graphics and compute capabilities,” said Scott Aylor, corporate vice president and general manager, AMD Embedded Solutions. “Our new AMD Embedded R-Series SOC is a strong match for these needs in a variety of industries including digital signage, retail signage, medical imaging, electronic gaming machines, media storage, and communications and networking. The platform offers a strong value proposition for this next generation of high-performance, low-power embedded designs.”

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Western Digital Corporation and SanDisk Corporation today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Western Digital will acquire all of the outstanding shares of SanDisk for a combination of cash and stock. The offer values SanDisk common stock at US$86.50 per share or a total equity value of approximately US$19 billion, using a five-day volume weighted average price ending on October 20, 2015 of US$79.60 per share of Western Digital common stock. If the previously announced investment in Western Digital by Unisplendour Corporation Limited closes prior to this acquisition, Western Digital will pay US$85.10 per share in cash and 0.0176 shares of Western Digital common stock per share of SanDisk common stock; and if the Unisplendour transaction has not closed or has been terminated, US$67.50 in cash and 0.2387 shares of Western Digital common stock per share of SanDisk common stock. The transaction has been approved by the boards of directors of both companies.

The combination is the next step in the transformation of Western Digital into a storage solutions company with global scale, extensive product and technology assets, and deep expertise in non-volatile memory (NVM). With this transaction, Western Digital will double its addressable market and expand its participation in higher-growth segments. SanDisk brings a 27-year history of innovation and expertise in NVM, systems solutions and manufacturing. The combination also enables Western Digital to vertically integrate into NAND, securing long-term access to solid state technology at lower cost.

The proposed combination creates significant value for both SanDisk and Western Digital shareholders. Western Digital brings a successful track record of M&A with a number of acquisitions over the last several years helping to fuel innovation, create value and strongly position the company to capture higher-growth opportunities. In addition, Western Digital's operational excellence, coupled with the recently announced decision by China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) allowing Western Digital to integrate substantial portions of its WD and HGST businesses, is expected to generate additional cost synergies.

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We hear, but do we actually listen?

For its 3rd production in this year’s season line-up, The Artist Playground proudly presents “AUDIRE” starring veteran stage actress Angelina Kanapi under the direction of Jeffrey Camañag.

AUDIRE (Audire /aʊˈdiːre/: a Latin word which means 'listen carefully') is a one woman act based on sound exploration where sound is used as the kernel that creates the performance experience.

AUDIRE is an experimental performance that showcases the process of artistic creations, inventions and discoveries. A process wherein the images of the sounds of the surroundings interact with the images of the artist’s inner sounds and thoughts that produce series of mental, emotional and physical images used to build a blueprint that breathes life to movements, situations, events and characters. It is basically an improvisation.

The actor’s life experiences and memories serve as the source of images that interacts with the sound to create vivid experiences that the actor shares with the audience. It is like a concert but instead of sharing images through music and lyrics, the actor gives you scenes, moments, happenings and even monologues depending on what the sound inspires the actor to share.

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The Department of Transportation and Communications’ (DOTC) and the Manila International Airport Authority’s (MIAA) efforts to erase the infrastructure backlog at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) have started to pay off, as the country’s premiere gateway is no longer listed among the world’s worst airports, according to online travel site Guide to Sleeping in Airports (www.sleepinginairports.net).

“While we are pleased to hear that international travelers no longer rate NAIA among the world’s worst, there is obviously still a lot for us to do. Having fully opened Terminal 3 and substantially refurbishing Terminal 1 after decades of neglect, our next focus is decongesting the runway,” said DOTC Secretary Jun Abaya.

Erasing NAIA’s Infrastructure Backlog

It took around 2 years from 2011 to 2013 to unravel the legal complications which prevented Terminal 3 from fully operating, but its resolution paved the way for the transfer of 3.5 million annual passengers from the run-down, overcapacity Terminal 1 to the more modern Terminal 3 building in 2014.

With Terminal 1 restored to its design capacity of 4.5 million yearly passengers, major rehabilitation was undertaken beginning in 2014, most notably through structural retrofitting which ensured the continued safety and integrity of the facility, and the improvement of the mechanical, electrical, and fire protection systems.

Architectural works were also performed, considerably reimaging the airport with a sleeker look and better services. The improvements include:

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With Allphones Shopping Money, customers get to customize and bundle their devices with their choice of gadgets that lets them enjoy their digital lifestyle

This year’s Masskara Festival is set to become another wonderful experience once again as the country’s number 1 mobile brand Globe Telecom and multi-brand mobile retail chain Allphones partner to give customers the best smartphone and postpaid plan deals to share their Masskara experiences.

For the best range of gadget and devices, Allphones has become the go-to store for value-for-money seekers. Alongside its partnership withGlobe, Allphones maximizes the combination of retail and telco services by offering flexiblepostpaid plan deals.

With its commitment to offer the best value postpaid plan, Allphones recently introduced the Allphones Shopping Money and is bringing the exclusive offer to the Masskara Festival. Allphones Shopping Money offers new postpaid customers P8,500 worth of shopping money for Plan 999 and P4,000 shopping money for Plan 599.

Usingthe shopping money, customers can easily mix and match mobile devices with an assortment of digital connectors like speakers, headphones, or powerbanks, giving them the flexibility to customize gadget and accessory bundles versus pre-set offers. One can even spend the whole shopping money to get more than one smartphone. Plan 599 with 1.5 GB of data lets one stay connected with 2,000 Facebook posts and 300 tweets. Plan 999 with 3 GB on the other hand allows more time online with 25 hours of music streaming and up to 1,000 instagram posts. Both come with unlimited calls and texts to Globe and TM, free access to Facebook and Viber and rich content such as Spotify, HOOQ or NBA.

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Proactiv, the skin care product choice among Hollywood’s elite, has been endorsed by many celebrities especially in Hollywood but there has never been a Filipino who directly endorses it as a brand ambassador from the Philippines.

Now, that has changed because Proactiv finally found the perfect Filipina who embodies the brand. Young, charming and most importantly, a loyal user of Proactiv, actress and comedienne Alex Gonzaga is the first Proactiv Filipino endorser.

“The Proactiv 3-Step System has been an important part of my daily skin care routine for years! It is effective and easy to use. I am so thrilled to be the first Filipina face of Proactiv and tell everyone all about my experience using it,” the 27-year old TV host shares. “Its mild formulation gently exfoliates my skin, removes excess oil and delivers powerful acne-fighting medicine.”

We were there to witness the official launch of Alex Gonzaga as celebrity endorser held at the Buddha Bar Manila in Makati just a few weeks ago. The ever charming and spunky Alex was so proud to be among the many endorsers of the brand.

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Women of all ages, sizes, and gender identities… Come out, come all!

Spectrum MNL is back with another serving of what promises to be an awesome themed party that provides a safe space for women – lesbians, bisexuals, queers, pansexuals, asexuals, transgenders, and more – to celebrate their lives and their loves at Queerspotting: Pride Carnivale on October 24 at the Circulo Verde Guest House in Calle Industria.

Following its previous themed events which provided a venue for women to express themselves freely and encouraged them to break free from stereotypes without the threat of prejudice, Queerspotting: Pride Carnivale offers a unique experience that aims to celebrate diversity and empower women of all ages and gender identities through a festive themed party that promises to bring you the whole carnival experience complete with tricks and treats.

Get your costumes ready and come in your fanciest or scariest attire. Best dressed cirqueers (Queer of the Night and Best in Costume) are getting special trophies, free tattoos from Kulture of Ink, P5,000 worth of services from SandreaLee Salon(for Queer of the Night), gift certificates from SOGO Hotel, and a lot more products from our partners and sponsors.

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The wait is over.

Drop everything.
Be ready.
Glow under the rays of the UV light.
Together, let's travel the unseen
And reveal the unraveled.

As UST ChES presents:

UNSEEN: Revealing the Unraveled, The UST ChES Grand Acquaintance Night!

Happening this OCTOBER 29, THURSDAY, at the Elements at Centris, Eton Centris, EDSA Corner Quezon Avenue from 5PM-11PM

Ticket Prices:
For ChES Members:
PHP 400 for single purchase
PHP 380 per head for BUNDLES of FIVE

For Non-ChES Members:
PHP 450 for single purchase

U-Hop Offers Mass Transport Ride Sharing Solution to Ease Traffic Problems

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They say the best way to prove that we are visiting a first world country is when you see their rich and affluent citizens riding the public mass transports. Only when we have made our mass transport solutions attractive for even the class As, it is the only time we can claim we have eased our traffic or transport problem, and got rid of infuriated passengers going mad and miserable by the seemingly unending traffic congestions all throughout the day and night of our every waking life.

At a media presentation organized on October 21 at Anabel's Restaurant in Tomas Morato, a new transport network company (TNC) aims to provide a better solution to challenge the already in-placed jurassic transport systems of other companies. We don't exactly know what she is after, but it was long gone now.

Internationally famous Urban Planner Felino "Jun" Palafox was invited to be their speaker at the launch. Above photo shows Jun receiving a trophy for his talk. Jun fully supports the goals of U-Hop and believes that this is one of the best ways to really ease our traffic and transport problems. He discussed his thoughts, ideas and many projects related to urban planning. Check out our video of him soon which I'm going to embed in this blog article as soon as I've uploaded them on YouTube.

It looks like Uber and Grab Car might be saying goodbye to the Philippines real soon because U-Hop is now here to start their operations next week starting with B2B arrangements, then as soon as another board of director from that transport agency of the government signs, they'll be offering to anybody who wants more convenient, comfortable, practical and affordable means of transportation that would directly pick you up from home, school, work, etc and vice versa.

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In support of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, Globe Telecom transmitted text messages warning customers of potential danger coming from Typhoon Lando. Only customers in areas affected by the typhoon were given the message.

The move is also in compliance with the Free Mobile Disaster Alerts Act or Republic Act 10639, which requires all telecommunication service providers to send free mobile alerts before disasters such as typhoon happen.

“As mandated by law, Globe is privileged to be a conduit of useful information beneficial in ensuring the safety and security of people. We hope that through dissemination of timely and relevant alerts, Globe is able to assist and contribute to the government’s objective of minimizing casualties,” Globe Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications Yoly Crisanto said.

The mobile alerts include critical information that affected communities can use to prepare for and respond to disasters. The disaster alerts sent by Globe through SMS messaging were directed to customers in Aurora, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Viscaya, Ifugao, Northern Quezon, Polilio Island.

Crisanto said that Globe is also closely coordinating with NDRRMC for the immediate restoration of telecommunication services in areas affected by Typhoon Lando. Outages were caused mainly by power outages while strong winds brought by the typhoon also caused transmission issues. Outages were monitored in the provinces of Aurora, Benguet, Ifugao, Isabela, Kalinga, La Union, Mountain Province, Nueva Ecija, Quirino, Tarlac and Zambales.

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Halloween is fast approaching. For those who want to take their ghost-hunting experience to a different level this year, a trip to a mountain might be just what they need, as the Philippines is known to have supernatural elements lurking (and sometimes interacting with their visitors) in the depths of their land and mysterious forests.

As the saying goes, “Take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints,” but locals say hikers who lived to tell their hair-raising experiences may not have followed this rule and had done something to offend those who dwell in these mountains. Though there are also hikers who insisted that they had prayed, asked permission, and were very respectful of the place and still experienced something out of the ordinary.

For those who’d rather see to believe, or are simply looking to have a good time, MyProperty.ph lists down five mountains in the country that are tied to various tales of mystery and horror.

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Department of Energy (DOE) Undersecretary Loreta G. Ayson was awarded in the recently held ASEAN Energy Awards 2015 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for her valuable contributions in forwarding energy cooperation as Senior Official on Energy (SOE) leader of the Philippines.

Usec. Ayson was awarded a trophy for Excellence in Energy Management along with eight other ASEAN leaders from different countries during the Awards Night last October 7 as part of the Joint Gala Dinner of the 33rd ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting and the ASEAN Energy Business Forum 2015.

The ASEAN Energy Awards, which started in 2000, is Southeast Asia’s prestigious annual awards program that recognizes outstanding work for excellence, creativity, practicality and dedication to a cause in the field of energy.

Usec. Ayson has been with the DOE since 1979 and has served in various capacities until she was appointed as Undersecretary in 2008. She has handled the DOE’s programs on energy efficiency and conservation, alternative fuels, energy research testing and laboratory, information technology management, as well as administration, legal and finance, including the supervision of the DOE Field Offices. She also served as Chairperson of the Policy Advisory Board of the Philippine Efficient Lighting Market Transformation Project and the Project Director of the Philippine Energy Efficiency Project (PEEP). Currently, she handles the Energy Policy and Planning Bureau and the Gender and Development (GAD) Focal Point System.

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The rise of millennial travelers, Filipinos’ increasing spending power, and aggressive expansion of commercial property developers in cities outside Metro Manila -- these are just some of the key trends that will discussed during the upcoming 4th Asia Pacific Real Estate Investment Summit (APREIS), to be held at Solaire Resort & Casino on October 22.

Moderating the discussion on these emerging trends on Philippine real estate is Jacqueline van den Ende, managing director of global property website Lamudi Philippines (www.lamudi.com.ph).

The discussion’s panelists include key people from different sector of the real estate industry. They include Al Legaspi, chief operating officer of Ayala Land Hotels and Resorts, who will share insights on the opportunities and challenges facing the country’s hospitality sector; Henry Co of First Philippine Industrial Park who will discuss industrial real estate; Lars Wittig of Regus Philippines and Michael McCullough KMC MAG Group, who will both tackle office real estate; Joseph Ramil Lombos, chief financial officer of DMCI Homes, to discuss the residential sector; and Lourdes Alano of Robinsons Land and Shaun Kwan of Trakomatic, to share their insights on the key trends in retail.

Among the burning issues to be tackled on during the discussion is how the Philippines can compete with established its Southeast Asian neighbors in terms of attracting foreign visitors, how the country can sustain buoyant consumption to maintain retail boom, and the opportunities for investors in the office sector.

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The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) welcomes the passage of the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) through Republic Act No. 106871 which was signed on October 15 by President Benigno S. Aquino III. The Commission hails it as a Landmark Social Legislation of the Administration benefiting Filipino youth.

Designed to unify all modalities of publicly-funded Student Financial Assistance Programs (StuFAPs)—Scholarships, Grants-in-Aid and Student Loans—for Tertiary Education, the UniFAST rationalizes the allocation, utilization and client-targeting of government resources and improves access to quality higher and technical education for those who need it. It shall also serve as the ultimate national human resource development mechanism and strategy that will direct beneficiaries to priority courses needed for economic growth and development. Further, it insulates any StuFAPs modality from political labeling or partisan affiliation.

The idea of a harmonized financial assistance program emerged more than five years ago as a proposal of the NEDA-Social Development Committee, but the real work took place in 2013 after a comprehensive study was conducted by the Philippine Institute of Development Studies. CHED’s current Higher Education Reform Agenda, which deemed UniFAST a priority strategy for access, gave the necessary impetus. The Commission provided continuous technical assistance to both the Lower and Upper Houses of Congress in the formulation and eventual enactment of the Law.

The UniFAST will be governed by a Board composed of the heads of CHED, DOST and TESDA as co-chairs, with the head of DepEd and representatives from DOLE, NEDA and NYC as members. The Board, with the support of a technical secretariat, will ensure program sustainability and safeguard student welfare. It will see to it that standard-setting, client- targeting, fund allocation and prioritization are based on supply/demand situations, prices and inflationary factors, the government human resources development plan and current trends in internationally-shared human resources.

Issued this 21st day of October 2015 at the Higher Education Center Building, C.P. Garcia Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City.

(signed)
Patricia B. Licuanan, Ph.D.
Chairperson

IPR Week to Focus on Cross Border Challenges, Cooperation

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Amid the rise of cross border issues in intellectual property (IP), the program line-up for this year’s IP Week Celebration, to run from 26 to 30 October, puts focus on the regional and international challenges and cooperation relating to IP protection, enforcement and adjudication.

To open this year’s IP Week celebration is the 5th Philippine Anti-Counterfeiting and Piracy Summit on 26 October at the Marriot Hotel in Pasay City. With the theme “Building Cooperation Across Borders,” the Summit is organized by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) and the National Committee on IP Rights (NCIPR), the multi-agency taskforce on IP enforcement.

To supplement the presentations and discussions on the latest issues and developments in the Philippine IP enforcement, the organizers have invited foreign speakers to discuss the pressing issues in global IP enforcement and share their respective country experience on the topic. They are Mr. Hideyuki Morooka of the Japan Patent Office; Mr. Nam Ngo Thien, IPR Attaché for South-East Asia of the Embassy of France in Singapore; Mr. Louis Bonnier and Atty. Jean-Pierre Maeder of the Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy (BASCAP); Mr. Cha Tae-won of the Korean Copyright Commission; Mr. Etienne Sanz de Acedo of the International Trademark Association; Mr. Man F. Tse of the National Intellectual Property Rights Center, USA; Mr. Ignacio de Medrano Caballero of the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market; and Mr. Maysa Razavi of the International Trademark Association.

The Summit will also feature the awarding of this year’s IP Champions, a recognition given to the partner individuals and institutions in IP enforcement of the NCIPR and the oath-taking of the newest batch of the Young IP Advocates, an annual IP workshop for students from selected secondary schools.

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We were invited to attend the annual gala night of Jewelmer, a Filipino jeweler brand whose pieces are sold in mainstream stores worldwide, and supplies golden pearls to many international designer brands.

The Jewelmer brand name, put together by Filipino scion Manuel Cojuangco and French pilot and pearl entrepreneur Jacques Branellec, was coined from the English word "jewel" and French word "mer" which means "sea" in English. It is a partnership made several years ago that could be called a divine providence of which eventually resulted to another widely-recognized brand every Filipino should be proud of.

The annual gala was held at the Manila Peninsula Hotel on October 20, 2015 dubbed as "A Journey to the Extraordinary" where the company flaunted new priced pieces of their jewelry collection and new video presentations featuring how Jewelmer came to be.

The celebration was hosted by the adorably stunning Issa Litton, who introduced the two main men behind the brand. Both Cojuangco and Branellec gave their respective messages to the delight of the elite crowd.

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The Department of Energy (DOE), as part of its mandate to ensure sufficiency and reliability of the nationwide electric power supply, is enjoining all stakeholders to render support and assistance in safeguarding power facilities from any obstructions that would affect the continuous supply of electricity to all households and establishments.

“We appeal particularly to the local government units and land owners to cooperate with the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), the Concessionaire of the national transmission lines, in resolving the transmission issues on right of way and easements,” DOE OIC-Secretary Zenaida Y. Monsada said.

The NGCP reported that landowners in various areas refused to allow their crew members to enter their premises to clear fallen trees and vegetation that pose a threat to the safe and reliable operation of the power lines. NGCP also reported their difficulty in seeking permission to cut trees under transmission lines that eventually cause trippings of lines.

The recent occurrence is a sustained tripping of the Agus 2-Kibawe Line 1 which is caused by a fallen tree cutting the NGCP line conductors. This, as NGCP reported, may result to the isolation of the Agus Units 1 and 2 that are connected to the affected lines.

“To prevent unwarranted power supply disruptions and avoid power-related incidents to occur, Distribution Utilities and NGCP should be given right to access or traverse designated area of the real property to ensure that potential hazards are proactively managed before they encroached on the power lines,” OIC-Sec. Monsada emphasized.

adobo Magazine Presents 2015 adobo Festival of Ideas

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Celebrating the power of creativity, adobo magazine, the word on creativity, presents the 2015 adobo Festival of Ideas to be held at Resorts World Manila's Newport Performing Arts Theater on Saturday, November 7, 2015. The whole-day affair will be filled with a series of collaborative talks featuring luminaries from the advertising and marketing industry.

This year, the Festival explores the theme "Driving the Creative Economy" which takes a look at our industry as a living system that thrives on the exchange of ideas and innovation. How do we nurture healthy symbiotic relationships as we network in real life and online? How do we replenish our creative currency and prevent bankruptcy or burnout? How do freelancers and fully-employed creatives benefit idea-wise (and financially) in a free or mixed creative economy? What is the currency exchange when cross-collaborating? How do we realize the ROI when investing creatively? These issues and more will be addressed when the adobo Festival of Ideas unfolds before its audience.

Targeted towards students and young professionals in communications, marketing, production, design, and multimedia arts, the adobo Festival of Ideas is an opportunity to learn from the industry's movers and shakers as they talk about their field of specialty. The speaker lineup include tandems like Kenneth Cobonpue, internationally acclaimed industrial designer and Manny Ayala, Managing Director of Endeavor Philippines, Ed Mapa Jr., Chief Executive Officer of TBWA\Digital Arts Network and Margot Torres, Deputy Managing Director & EVP of McDonald’s Philippines, Lou Dela Peña, Chief Executive Officer of Publicis Singapore and Paolo Mercado, SVP Communications and Marketing Services of Nestle Philippines, Ramon Jimenez, Jr, Secretary of Department of Tourism and David Guerrero, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of BBDO Guerrero, and Mike Constantino, Managing Director of Brand New Media and Budjette Tan, Deputy Executive Creative Director of McCann Worldgroup Philippines. Solo speakers include: Eric Cruz, Executive Creative Director of AKQA Shanghai, Dan Matutina, designer and illustrator, and Leeroy New, artist, sculptor, and designer.

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Artistang Artlets, the Official Theater Guild of the Faculty of Arts and Letters of the University of Santo Tomas, has been in active service to the Thomasian community for the past 35 years. As part of the guild’s thrust to promote theater as an alternative educational tool for the people inside and outside the university, we will be staging our Major Production for this academic year 2015 – 2016.

“Prima Facie” written by John Michael Peῆa is a play to be directed by Jennie Ver Gabon and produced by Shaira Joyce Javier to be staged this October 27, 28, and 29, 2015. Time slots will be 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, and 7pm at the Benavides Auditorium, UST High School Building, University of Santo Tomas.

“Minsan, hindi tunay ang inyong nakikita.”

Inihahandog ng Artistang Artlets, ang opisyal na samahang pang-teatro ng Pakultad ng Sining at Panitik ng Unibersidad ng Santo Tomas, ang “Prima Facie” sa panulat ni John Michael Peña.

Walang sikreto ang hindi nabubunyag.

Ang dulang ito ay tungkol sa isang kandidatong tatakbo sana sa pagka-pangulo ngunit sa isang iglap, siya ay binawian ng buhay.Walang nakakaalam kung paano at ano ang ikinamatay niya maliban sa mga taong nakasama niya nang hapunan bago ang pagkamatay niya.

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The Department of Energy (DOE) assures of adequate supply of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and fuels nationwide. In reports submitted to the DOE, LPG suppliers and oil companies relayed minimal damage sustained by facilities and adequate supply in areas hit by typhoon Lando (International name: Kuppo) over the weekend. However, oil companies stated that gas stations in flooded areas will have to clear debris and check their pumps prior to the resumption of their operations.

“Supply remains sufficient for petroleum products. However, gas stations in areas without power may still be suspended inasmuch as electricity is needed for gasoline pumps to function,” DOE OIC- Secretary Zenaida Y. Monsada said.

The DOE is coordinating with electric cooperatives to prioritize the restoration of power to gas stations to ensure continuity of works in the affected areas. “We are closely coordinating with the oil industry for the stable supply of petroleum products and resumption of retail activities to restore normalcy in businesses and households as quickly as possible,” OIC-Sec. Monsada added.

For updates on energy supply and power restorations, please visit the DOE social media accounts: Facebook:/doe.gov.ph; and Twitter: @doe_ph.

China’s Ministry Of Commerce Decides on Enabling Integration Of Substantial Portions Of HGST And WD Subsidiaries

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Western Digital Corporation announced a decision from China's Ministry of Commerce ("MOFCOM"), which enables the company to integrate substantial portions of its HGST and WD subsidiaries under Western Digital Corporation ("Western Digital"). As a unified entity, Western Digital's extensive technology capability, deepened patent and product portfolios, and talented global team will further drive its ability to innovate and lead in the changing data storage industry.

The agency's decision is the result of an ongoing dialogue regarding the "hold separate" restriction associated with Western Digital's acquisition of HGST in March 2012. As part of the agreement with MOFCOM, and in order to leverage the rich storage industry heritage of each long-standing brand, Western Digital will continue to offer both HGST and WD product brands in the market and maintain separate sales teams for two years from the date of the decision.

"The decision announced today positions us for continued growth and long-term value creation," said Steve Milligan, chief executive officer of Western Digital. "HGST and WD are an exceptional combination, and together, we will set the pace for innovation in this dynamic and evolving industry."

Integration activities will begin immediately and are expected to continue over the next 24 months. Western Digital expects the integration of corporate and other key functions, including research and development, heads and media operations, engineering and manufacturing, will result in significant opportunities for growth, synergies and cost savings consistent with the levels previously outlined by the company.

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In 2014, they produced the first episode of an independent web series entitled Q.C., created by Carlo Pacolor Garcia.

Set during the early 2000s, Q.C. is about a gang of misfits who’s always getting themselves into trouble. Until one day, they come across Sito, a rather pensive young man who doesn't seem to know what to do with his life. Fascinated by the group's anarchic streak and outlandish bravado, he tags along their merry and oftentimes destructive bouts of misadventures – only to find out that what enthralled him in the first place, the jolt he’s been searching for, is the very thing what will confound and ultimately break him.

They are holding a series of screenings in different bars, cafes, & spaces in Quezon City starting at UP Diliman Videotheque on October 30 at 5PM & 7PM. The first episode, Krus Na Ligas, will be screened during these events.

Their series of screenings aim to promote not only Q.C., but also the the Philippine independent film, music, and arts industry. It is a celebration of all the independent artists who struggle to be able to create and share works of art without compromising the creativity and honesty of their content.

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As the country’s leader in providing innovative digital services, Globe Telecom is supporting the Mondato Summit, an exclusive thought leadership forum on mobile finance and commerce.

On October 20th and 21st, the Mondato Summit Asia will be held at the Makati Shangri-la where leading experts and their peers come together in an intimate setting to undertake substantive dialogue to uncover actionable insights and advance common objectives. The event will gather decision-makers and influencers focused on the mobile finance & commerce (MFC) ecosystem in Emerging Asia. This is the first Mondato Summit Asia to be held in the Philippines. Last year, the forum was held in Singapore.

“Globe believes that innovation can be applied across a range of various platforms not only in technology but also in mobile finance and commerce. In supporting the Mondato Summit, we hope to bring in the innovative spirit of stakeholders in mobile finance and commerce. To help our nation move forward, there is a need to promote greater social inclusion and faster adoption to ICT to support our ability to transform society,” said John Rubio, President & CEO of Globe Fintech Innovations Inc.

Mondato Summit is expected to deliver indispensable knowledge, practical solutions, stimulating engagement, and invaluable contacts in a quest to help stakeholders navigate the fast growing, but highly fluid and complex, MFC space. The Summit format is designed to encourage interaction and create opportunities for department heads from banks, telcos, retailers, investors, development finance institutions/donors, policy makers/regulators, innovative start‐ups, media and others, to discuss real problems in the MFC space, and propose actionable, collaborative solutions.

Power Mac Center Inspires Tech-Savvy Bicol Youth

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Power Mac Center, the premier Apple partner in the Philippines, recently supported the 2nd Bicol Youth Technology Expo (BYTE) held recently at the Pili Capitol Convention Center in Camarines Sur. The expo was organized by the Information and Communication Technology Center (ICTC) of the Ateneo de Naga University.

As the main presenter, Power Mac Center partnered with ICTC to bring the technology of Apple Education Ecosystem to the Bicol academe in its efforts to share with and empower the teachers, students, and enthusiasts with the latest digital literacy skills through the use of Apple products.

Representatives from Power Mac Center’s Education Business Group acquainted the 750 people in attendance with the workings of iTunes University, iBooks Author, iCloud, and iOS App Development, as well as the production of digital creative content. Teachers also learned how they can access an extensive selection of references from educators worldwide to make students excited about learning. Since the dawn of the digital age, it has become increasingly important for teachers to keep pace with their students in terms of technology to grab and retain their attention.

“We’re very thankful to ICTC for inviting Power Mac Center to give these seminars,” Joey Alvarez, Power Mac Center’s Marketing Director said. “You see, Apple products are more than just gadgets -- they are tools that fuel creativity and provide endless possibilities for everyone, especially the youth. And it has always been our mission to support the academe in cultivating a love for learning.”

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As the world hails the International Day of Poverty Eradication and the recent adoption of 17 new global goals during the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Summit in New York City, social enterprises call to the Philippine government to put poverty at zero rates by fast-tracking the passage of the Poverty Reduction through Social Entrepreneurship (PRESENT) Bill.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a set of universal agenda critical in ending poverty, fighting inequality and protecting the environment across nations, adding that the integration of goals hinge on people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnership will set a world where ‘No one is left behind’.

The SDGs succeeded the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and is consisted of 17 goals and 169 targets serving as blueprint for 193 UN member states to work for in the next 15 years, from 2015 to 2030. First of the goals is poverty eradication with other important goals on gender equality, climate change, decent employment, inequality, and justice which were absent in the MDGs.

In the 2014 country report of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), achievement in poverty reduction is dismal from the country’s target for MDGS. Poverty incidence declined from 34.4% to 25.2% from 1991 to 2012 despite the MDG target of 17.2% by 2015. The rate of poverty reduction has also been slow for the period of 2006 to 2012 with an over-all reduction of only 1.4% in six (6) years time.

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The Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) was the proud host of the recently-concluded ASEAN Plus Three (China, Japan, and Korea) Tourism Youth Summit 2015 with the theme: “Building the Future through Culture, Identity, and Community” held on 28 September to 03 October 2015 at the South Palms Resort in Panglao, Bohol and at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Cebu City.

The program is one of the components of the ASEAN Plus Three Tourism Cooperation Work Plan 2013 – 2017 adopted during the 12th Meeting of ASEAN, China, Japan, and ROK Tourism Ministers last January 2013 in Vientiane, Lao PDR. The Philippines and Thailand were selected as the lead country coordinators to organize the summit which Thailand convened for two consecutive years.

With the goal of informing the youth about the ASEAN initiatives and the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) as agreed by the tourism ministers in January 2015, the summit provided a venue for cultural exchange, immersion, and appreciation. It also raised the level of awareness among the ASEAN youth on issues pertaining to cultural preservation, environmental protection, and socio-economic growth. The activity likewise established a strong foundation for the ASEAN youth in the tourism industry and highlighted the equality of men and women in the tourism industry.

Presentations were made on the travel and tourism industry situation in their respective countries. Group workshops ensued on three main topics: 1) Promote ASEAN as a single destination, 2) Enhance human resource development and quality tourism, 3) Ensure sustainable and inclusive tourism.

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Coffee, chocolate and ice cream lovers and connoisseurs have a huge reason to celebrate

The most prestigious coffee, chocolate and ice cream trade show in the country will happen before the year ends.

The Coffee, Chocolate and Ice Cream Expo will be held on November 18 to 20, 2015 at the SMX Convention Center Aura, 3rd Level SM Aura Premier, Taguig City.

At long last, a trade show exclusively for the coffee, chocolate and ice cream industry has been mounted by NEO CCM ENT EVENTS CORP.

Most of the recent trade show events in the metropolis have featured a good mix of food and beverages.

This specialized expo comes at a time when increased focus on these industries has become a necessity due to the larger demand for coffee, chocolate and ice cream products.

The Coffee , Chocolate and Ice Cream Exposition is a trade show that accords primary focus on these three main products and brings to fore the most effective platform to showcase the finest local and international coffee, chocolate and ice cream products, bar and café equipment and technologies all under one roof.

Learn About Plane Crashes and Super Systems on Discovery Science this October

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This October, Discovery Science examines how some of mankind’s best inventions work - and malfunction.

In the new season of Why Planes Crash, pilots and passengers relive the rare and horrifying occasions in which malice, human error or technical faults turn routine flights into nightmares! The search takes viewers inside some of the most terrifying situations imaginable with the aid of shocking archive footage and dramatic animated reconstructions. What brought troubles to these planes?

The answers are on the way as Why Planes Crash airs Thursdays, 9:50 pm.

The most complex systems help make our world a better and more livable place. In a new season on Discovery Science, Super Systems returns and pulls back the curtain on some of the incredible people and machines that keep the planet ticking.

Curious on what made the list? Catch the new season of Super Systems as it premieres on October 20, Tuesday, 8.10pm.

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Ready your costumes as we take flight to the Biggest Halloween Event ever yet!

STRIX INC presents ASSEMBLAGE: The Court Of The Owls (Halloween Dance Costume Event)
to be held on October 30, 2015 at the World Trade Center at 7PM onwards!

Headliners:
Thomas Newson
Ftampa
Tom Swoon
International Support acts:
Zoo Theory
No Class

Local DJs:
FUNK AVY
Everyday People
Sai Dy
together with MC AOH!

-OPEN BAR FROM 7PM - 9PM
-We WILL BE GIVING CASH PRIZE FOR THE BEST IN COSTUME!

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It is widely acknowledged that social enterprises play an important role in addressing social, economic and environmental challenges, in fostering inclusive growth and in increasing social inclusion because they aim to pursue the general interest benefit communities. Social enterprises contribute to local community development by creating opportunities in urban and rural depressed areas where there is little prospect for wealth creation as well as provide support for vulnerable individuals who may have otherwise had no chance for employment.

Supporting social enterprise creation and development may allow public policies to meet employment and other social and economic challenges in a more efficient and effective way than if they rely on the public or private sectors alone, therefore improving the spending of public money.

This conference aims to look at how public policy can support social enterprises through – the promotion of social entrepreneurship, building of legal, regulatory and fiscal frameworks, provision of sustainable finance and the offer of business development services and support structures.

The Social Enterprise and Policy: Enabling Inclusive Economies will be held at the Escaler Hall, Ateneo de Manila University on October 19 - 20 2015

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IEshikawa is an annual event composed of seminars, workshops and competitions which furthers the calibre of Industrial Engineering in the Philippines. It is an avenue for students to constitute innovations for the betterment of our society and to grasp the essence of the profession in the advancement of our country’s numerous industries.

It is organized by the UP Circle of Industrial Engineering Majors (UP CIEM) which is a duly recognized academic organization under the Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research of the College of Engineering, University of the Philippines Diliman.

During the 8th instalment of IEshikawa, Boy Abunda saw the marvel of our cause and became one of our prime speakers. IEshikawa 9 assembled students from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. It can only get better so join us as we make it grander.

Day	Day 1: Explicate	Day 3: Exemplify
Date and Time	3:30 to 8:35 pm on November 20, 2015	7 am to 5:30 pm on November 21, 2015
Contact	http://tinyurl.com/IEshikawaXRegistrationDay2	http://tinyurl.com/IEshikawaXRegistrationDay3
Venue:	Melchor Hall, College of Engineering, University of the Philippines Diliman	1. Henry Lee Irwin Theater, Ateneo De Manila University 2. University of the Philippines Diliman

DLSU HackerCup 2015: Launching Great Apps From Today's Ideas

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The De La Salle University Center for Complexity and Emerging Technologies (DLSU ComET), in partnership with the DLSU College of Computer Studies and 8Layer Technologies Inc., will be hosting the DLSU HackerCup 2015 on November 21-22, 2015 at the Henry Sy Sr. Hall, DLSU - Manila. This event is an annual student hackathon where teams of 3-5 members are to challenge themselves on a 24-hour competition of turning caffeine, food, energy drinks, and oxygen into software or hardware hacks that could help the modern day Filipino.

This year, DLSU HackerCup opens its doors to all currently enrolled undergraduate students in the Philippines. This will be the first time that DLSU HackerCup becomes an intercollegiate programming competition where students from different schools can team up and put their skills to the test and code for the benefit of the country.

Participants who wish to join must register online from October 12, 2015 to November 3, 2015. Due to limited slots, the teams will be screened by the event organizers based on their application. The final list of participants will be released on November 6, 2015.

For more information, refer to the official DLSU HackerCup 2015 website, www.hackercup.co

Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DLSUHackerCup2015
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/dlsuhackercup

DOST- ICT Office and GISB Inks MOU for Improved Farm Production Through e-Agriculture Solutions

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The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Office of the Department of Science and Technology and Social ICT Solutions provider, Grameen Intel Social Business Ltd. (GISB) recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to partner in the development of e-Agriculture Solutions to provide a set of mobile and computer-based agriculture applications that will help small farmers improve their livelihood by addressing key farming needs from cultivation to harvest.

This partnership is in line with the Tech4ED project of the DOST ICT Office that promotes the development of an eFilipino towards an inclusive and integrated society through Information and communication.

In this digital era, technology has contributed greatly to the growth and development of society including the agricultural sector. Both organizations have the same goal of harnessing ICT for the improvement of various farming and agricultural strategies, the MOU signing happened on 23 September 2015, during the Digital Strategies for Development Summit (DSDS) at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City.

Grameen Intel Social Business Ltd. (GISB) is a Social ICT Business that focuses on applying technology to help the world’s impoverished population. It is a joint venture of Grameen Trust and Intel Corporation established in 2007 by Intel chairman Mr. Craig and Nobel Peace Laureate Muhammad Yunus.