2015-12-27 ~ Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Saturday, January 2, 2016

Wallowing in the Wow at Slappy Cakes!

Wazzup Pilipinas!

I received the email message below yesterday (January 1). What a great way to start the year.

"Hi Ross,

In behalf of __________, I would like to express our gratitude for your excellent write up of our restaurant. The positive exposure you gave us on social media provided us with a nice introduction. Customer response has dramatically increased since then and we hope to maintain this upward momentum with quality food and great service at reasonable prices.

As 2015 ends, We wish you a Happy New Year and we would like to give you Gift Certificates. These can be availed at _____________ Quezon City. You may call ___________ for time of pick up or reservation.

Here's my mobile for any concerns __________.

Best,
________________"

It reminded me that there are yet so many Gift Certificates we have in our possession that still needs to be claimed. Actually, many of the GCs have already expired already due to so many months of being unused. What I don't like about them is the fact that they have expiration dates. It is not so convenient on my part to visit the establishments just to claim the GCs so they are usually remain in storage until I have the opportunity to have an event within the area where the establishments are located.

Thus, I agreed to my wife when she asked if we wanted to go out and eat. The reason was because it was going to be our son's birthday on January 6. We couldn't celebrate it during school time because all of us will be very busy even on weekends. My kids would often complain of too much homework and projects at school that their weekends are never free. The weekends are also wash days for my wife so everyone is just too occupied in chores.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Some people never learn. They keep on doing what goes against pure logic. They are only after the thrill of the moment. They wallow in the wow where they can be pictured as all powerful and privileged.

Owning a gun does not give us the right to use it whenever we want to. It should be for a specific purpose and that is not to brag about our ownership.

It is not a toy similar to the firecrackers we use to celebrate the holidays. Remember that those bullets you shoot up into the air will eventually fall down back into the earth and hit whatever is in their way.

An object or a person - it doesn't matter. What matters is it is still a senseless act that needs to be extremely reprimanded.

The person who fires a gun to entertain himself and others is not fit to be among us. They should rot in jail together with our politicians and government officials who are only in power because they want to gain a self-entitlement.

Read more by clicking here.

Ride The Coolest Cab In Town And Win Cash Prizes

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Watch as lucky passengers in the city unwittingly ride the coolest cab in town and become instant game contestants. Cash Cab Philippines premiered last December 22 and continues to bring unexpected excitement to commuters.

Somewhere in the hustle and bustle of grueling city traffic, an unassuming white taxi roams the streets to pick a random passenger. But instead of heading straight to the intended destination, the trip suddenly turns into a one of a kind ride as he is asked a series of general trivia. Correct answers mean instant cash, while getting them wrong gets you thrown out back in the street!

Originally launched in the United States, this show has also invaded the roads of Vietnam, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Thailand, Taiwan, Sweden, Spain, Slovakia, Serbia, Poland, Netherlands, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Jamaica, Italy, Malaysia, Lithuania, Indonesia, India, Hungary, Greece, Egypt, Germany, Denmark, France, Czech Republic, Colombia, Chile, China, Austria, Canada, Brazil, Belgium, Australia and the Arab World.

Hosted by local celebrity Ryan Agoncillo, Cash Cab Philippines airs new episodes starting January 7, 2016.

Cash Cab Philippines’ new episodes air starting January 7, Thursday at 9.15pm on AXN.

AXN is seen on SkyCableCh 49, Cable Link C 38, Cignal TV Ch 61, Destiny Cable Ch 61, Dream Ch 20, and GSAT Ch 51

Get The Chance To Watch NBA Stars Live With Globe Telecom’s Fly Away Raffle Promo

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Globe Telecom, the official wireless and broadband services partner of the NBA in the Philippines, is making the Filipino fans’ dream to catch their favorite NBA superstars in action come true with the NBA Fly Away raffle promo.

By subscribing to NBA LEAGUE PASS PREMIUM through Globe, customers get instant access to live and on-demand NBA games on their phones, tablets, and PCs anytime, anywhere while also qualifying for the online raffle for a chance to travel to the United States and win tickets to regular season games or special events like the NBA Playoffs, The Finals or the NBA Draft.

With NBA LEAGUE PASS PREMIUM, fans can enjoy more content with access to the Video Vault—a collection of archived NBA videos and TV shows including Hardwood Classics games, NBA Inside Stuff and Shaqtin’ A Fool among others—and experience features such as HD video, multi-game viewing modes, home and away game commentary, and integrated game stats module.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

"On the first taping day, October 6, director Cathy Garcia Molina led the prayer before we started our work. The prayerful director said that the soap is meant to “entertain” and “teach values” to its viewers. I recoil when I remember how her behavior toward bit players and those who work behind the camera so brazenly contradicted her pious pronouncements. Her hypocrisy was disconcerting to watch. She was servile to Luz Fernandez, courteous to Joe Gruta, solicitous to Liza Soberano, and friendly to Joey Marquez and Irma Adlawan. Liza committed a lot of mistakes in delivering simple lines, but the director shielded her from criticism. She never uttered anything that could embarrass the young actress. This sensitiveness to the feelings of others however, was selective; it was only for stars and veteran actors.

The “Romantic Comedy Queen” director instructs talents by shouting, insulting, and spitting all sorts of curses. She is a character straight out of the Noli. She is subservient to the wealthy and the powerful like Capitan Tiago, despotic like Padre Damaso and despicably pretentious like Padre Salvi and Doña Victorina. In a rehearsal take on the morning of the first day, she shouted at my girlfriend three times: “Sarah! Sarah! Sarah! Ikaw! Anong pangalan mo?!” There was a delay in her reaction because her character’s name was Celia, not Sarah. But a queen like Cathy cannot admit her mistake. I experienced the same treatment before sundown. My girlfriend and I both remember that Cathy said “putang ina” to her once on that day. " - Alvin Campomanes

That was a portion of the letter dated October 22, 2014 sent by Alvin Campomanes, a professor and historian who incidentally became an impromptu bit player for Forevermore together with her girlfriend, Rossellyn Domingo. It was sent to Socorro Vidanes of ABS-CBN as a complaint against the indignities that bit player talents like them have suffered under the direction of Cathy Garcia Molina, known as the director of A Second Chance and the One More Chance movies starred by John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo. She also directed Walang Forever, a Metro Manila Film Festival 2015 entry starred by Jericho Rosales and Jennilyn Mercado, and the soap opera known as Forevermore starred by Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil.

Great Grand Nephew of Dr. Jose Rizal Called for Demolition of Torre De Manila

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"The real value of the monument of Dr. Jose Rizal, considered as the Philippines' National Hero, is determined not by the beautiful pictures we make from it, but how we really remember Rizal, share, and apply his vision for the betterment of our nation."

Armed with placards, Isaac Reyes, a great grand nephew of Dr. Jose Rizal, called for the demolition of the 48-storey building for ruining the sightline of the national hero's monument at Rizal Park.

Isaac honored his word and returned the following day after the ceremony held at Luneta the previous day to commemorate the death of the national hero during Rizal Day on December 30 - the day of Rizal's execution at Bagumbayan, now known as Rizal Park, in 1896.

The first time I saw him was during a news report where he was interviewed and encouraged others to join him in his objective to make people remember how crudely distracting the great photobomber Torre De Manila building is.

Known as the Pambansang Photobomber ng Pilipinas, Torre De Manila is a condominium project of DM Consunji Inc. (DMCI), one of the big developers in the country. It is under heavy criticism for defacing the view of the Rizal monument. What was normally a proud postcard moment for most pictures taken at the sight have been ruined by the disturbing presence of the one-tower condominium development at the background.

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Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang of China was strongly dissatisfied by what the group of young Filipinos protesters had done at the so called Zhongye Dao Island in the South China Sea and reiterated that China has indisputable sovereignty over the Spratly islands. It urged the Philippines to withdraw its personnel and facilities from the illegally-occupied Chinese island, and never do anything that may harm regional peace and stability as well as China-Philippines relations.

“About 50 protesters, most of them students, reached Pagasa island in theSpratly archipelago on Saturday in a stand against what they say is Beijing's creeping invasion of the Philippine exclusive economic zone, said Eugenio Bito-onon, the island's mayor.

The protesters, led by a former naval commander, proudly displayed their banner containing the words "Kalayaan Atin Ito" (Kalayaan - meaning 'Freedom', the name of the island chain in the Spratlys which the Philippines controls - This Is Ours). The students wanted to highlight the growing Chinese encroachment on the islands. Government and military officials had tried to prevent the group from sailing to the disputed waters, citing security and safety reasons after a storm in the South China Sea earlier.

"Our peaceful and legal patriotic voyage will never be dependent on what china will do. Our objective is to bring to the attention of the world the invasion and militarization done by China inside our EEZ and ECS at the Kalayaan Island Group Municipality. If the world will see what we are seeing, surely China will lose all legal battle at the ITLOS and will face world sanctions if it defies the result of the arbitration."

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Congratulations to Leren Mae Bautista for winning the Miss Tourism Queen of the Year International 2015 on December 31,2015 at the Putrajaya Marriot Hotel, Grand Ballroom in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The Philippines has totally proven its supreme reign at beauty pageant competitions when it once again bagged another award before the year 2015 ended. Fresh from our win of Miss Universe courtesy of the lovely Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, we again revel in delight hearing about another win of our fellow Filipino.

The candidate from Laguna, Philippines was already another favorite even before the top 12 finalists were announced. Belarus, Bolivia, China, Uganda, Malaysia, Portugal, Lithuania, Iceland, Dominican Republic, Mongolia, India and the Philippines made it to the list.

The Miss Tourism Queen of the Year International (formerly known as Queen of the Year International) is unique beauty pageant that showcases the gems of the respective participating nation. The first ever Miss Tourism Queen of the Year International was staged in Kuala Lumpur, the City of Lights in 1993.

Like a diamond, the pageant unfolds the brilliance and magnificence of its distinctiveness and grace of a perfect woman. Miss Tourism Queen of the Year International is an international world class event that honours the exceptional women of today, women who gracefully uphold the epitome of beauty, poise, good moral character and personality.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

While others were counting down to end 2015, thousands of Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) members gathered in the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan to break three Guinness World records.

The organizers of the INC New Year festivities on January 1 claimed around 100,000 in attendance to welcome 2016 to break the former record of Norway for having the largest fireworks display when the clock struck 12. The fireworks display lasted for almost an hour and was composed of about 700,000 pieces.

The organizers of the event, led by lawyer Glicerio Santos IV, chief operating officer of the Maligaya Development Corp. who is also the INC chief legal counsel, said the fireworks display is part of an annual two-day New Year’s Eve event that will feature concerts by internationally acclaimed artists Arnel Pineda and apl.de.ap as well as various local talents.

“Aside from wanting to win new distinctions for our country, we also want to provide an alternative to celebrating the new year other than the usual personal use of firecrackers and the indiscriminate firing of guns, both of which often lead to serious injuries—and in some cases, tragic accidental deaths,” the lawyer said.

Find the Panda: Our Fascination with these Puzzles

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Remember Where's Waldo, well illustrator Gergely Dudás, who goes by the pen name Dudolf, posted this drawing to his Facebook page, challenging readers to spot a panda in an army of snowmen.

People went nuts trying to look for the black and white mammal in a mostly black and white illustration. Many thought it would be easier but I guess the difficulty was varying to many people.

People even took the great Panda search to Twitter when they were frustrated they couldn't find it. While some who were able to find the Panda wanted to brag about their accomplishment. After all, it was fun to boast how many seconds or minutes it took them to find the elusive Panda.

Then a new challenge arise and the search this time was to look for a cat among a sea of owls.

But I think people wanted more of the panda so soon there was a Find the Panda among a sea of heavy metal artists. Then, due to the popularity of the new Star Wars movie, it was inevitable that a Find the Panda Star Wars version would come out with an objective to Find the Panda among a sea of storm troopers. Lol!

Inspired by the Find the Panda puzzles, Tracy Lynn Heightchew decided to up the game and posted this old photo of a Junior Achievers Conference in Bloomington, 1978, which she promises to have a panda somewhere.

Have you also seen the parking lot full of a bunch of ‘80s-era hatchbacks (and some Volvo 240s) with one Fiat Panda hidden in the mix.

Have you also seen the Find the Panda among Find the Poop Emoji in a sea of cupcakes?

The above photo shows a person hidden among the panda stuff toys. Can you find him?

Wazzup Pilipinas!

“My advice to the criminals, the drug lords, and the corrupt is to include turning over a new leaf in their New Year’s resolutions. The moment we have Duterte as president, this will be the last happy Christmas you will celebrate,” - Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano

My emotions was divided when I saw his advertisement on TV where he greets criminals a Merry Christmas and then say it might be the last time they will enjoy the season if they will continue with their ways. I wanted to laugh out loud but was equally afraid that he might just get away with it. With how the Filipinos think, the reality of him being voted as President might just come true.

Crime is the no. 1 problem a common Filipino is facing now. Economy already started to grow and will further grow once crime is seriously addressed.

Duterte has spent almost 40 years in government service. He was first elected as mayor at age 43. We all know what he is known for.

If elected, presidential aspirant Rodrigo Duterte and vice presidential aspirant Allan Peter Cayetano said they will increase government security forces while implementing inclusive economic growth programs in Mindanao. They said they would implement an aggressive national anti-crime campaign, starting in identified hot spots. They said they will stamp out criminality, illegal drug trafficking and corruption in their first year in office.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Kung may paputok na ‪"‎Goodbye Philippines‬, "Goodbye Colombia" at kung ano-ano pang "Goodbye," may ‪"Goodbye Feelings‬" na din.

Sobrang lakas itong pumutok sa una pero pag natapos parang wala lang nangyari! Ito na ang pinakamabentang paputok ngayong Bagong Taon para sa mga hindi maka-move on.

Para ito sa mga lovers na nagbreak na at nagmamahal ng pasekreto. ‪#‎GoodByeFeelings‬ paputok, Pero bago ito paputukin kailangan isabay mo ang sakit at hinanakit mo para sa taong ito, Para kasabay ng pagsabog nito ang pagtatapos ng feelings mo sa kanya.

"Paalam sa lahat ng sakit na nararamdaman ko. Sa mga umaga na hiniling kong sana matapos na agad ang araw na ito. Sa mga gabing hindi ako pinatulog ng libong karayom na sabay sabay tumutusok sa puso ko.

Paalam na sa mga luhang iniyak ko. Mga luha na nag-uunahan sa pagpatak mula sa mata ko. Sa mga basang unan at panyo. Sa mga panahong tanging hikbi lang ang maririnig mula sa kwarto ko.

Paalam na sa mga bagay na gumugulo sa utak ko. Sa mga bagay na nagpapabigat sa damdamin ko. Sa mga tanong na walang kasagutan at sa mga sagot na kahit kailan dimo malalaman.

Paalam na sa mga oras na nasayang ko sa maraming bagay, pati narin sa maling tao. Sa panahon na nagtiwala ako sa mga panahong naging mahina ako sa mga pagkakataong puso ko lang ang pinaiiral ko. Nadismaya lang ako.

Paalam na sa dating ako. Dating ako na laging inuuna ang iba sa dating ako na bigay lang bigay hangga't wala ng matira para sa sarili ko. Sa dating ako na patuloy na nagmamahal kahit walang pagmamahal ang nilalaan sa kanya,

PAALAM NA SA DATING AKO NA HINDI NA MULING BABALIK PA!" - Trina Mae Cuevas Edesa

Wazzup Pilipinas!

"At pag hindi ho nangyari ito, nandyan ho si Secretary Abaya na nangangasiwa ng proyektong ito, dalawa na kaming MAGPAPASAGASA SA TREN KAPAG DI PA NATAPOS ITO BY 2015" - PNoy

President Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III better live up to his promise. Stand up on his "Daang Matuwid" with the "MRT" ready to run him and the DOTC Secretary Emilo Aguinaldo "Jun" Abaya over.

Kahit na matuloy ang pagpapasagasa ni PNoy at Abaya sa tren dahil hindi nakumpleto ang proyektong LRT-1 extension mula Baclara-Bacoor ngayong 2015, magpapatupad pa rin ng dagdag 5% fare increase ang LRT-1 oras na matapos ang Cavite extension project.

OK lang sana ipatupad iayn kung they will also honor their word of getting run over by a train. Spokesperson says we should not take literally the President's vow and that it was only a joke. Were all his previous words a joke?

Huwag kang magbibiro PNoy sa mga Pilipinong sawang-sawa na sa pangako! Matuloy man o hindi ang pagpapasagasa nyo ni Abaya, dapat kang managot sa mga pagkukulang, kapabayaan at kawalang malasakit mo sa sambayanan!

Below are just some of the many posters created by netizens mocking the event that should happen today.

"Aw, Mr. President. It isn't about getting run over by a train. It's about failing in your promise to have the LRT 1 Cavite line done by 2015. Or was that the joke?

You know my kid takes that train. And you haven't even addressed its maintenance problems yet. Or if you have, you've not succeeded in getting it done. So I try not to think about how long it takes for my son to stand in line waiting for his ride. Or I shudder when he takes the bus because otherwise he will be late for class. A bus, quite possibly driven by someone who hasn't had enough sleep to take the wheel.

I wish you know what it's like to have to do this, but I feel you have little sympathy for the likes of us working stiffs, much less for my kids. Otherwise you wouldn't be so cavalier about how you have failed us and how you refuse to prosecute the people who have led us to this. How you continue to fail to hold anyone accountable for this terrible burden you've imposed on us. And yes you have imposed this on us.

So instead of apologizing for your abject FAILURE, you focus on the part where you say you were kidding about being run over. Geez, sir, we know it's a joke. Because damn it, we don't have enough trains to spare for running you and Abaya over." - Trixie Cruz-Angeles

Pautakan 2016: The 23rd Province-wide Interscholastic Academic Competition in Palawan

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Get ready to cohere and conquer as UP Palaweños brings you Pautakan 2016: The 23rd Province-wide Interscholastic Academic Competition in Palawan.

To be held on January 9, 2016 at the Puerto Princesa City Coliseum, the competition involves four different contests, namely, the Online Essay Writing Contest, On-the-Spot Poster Making, Online Photography Contest, and the main event, the Quiz Bee. Only participants coming from Palawan-based schools may join the abovementioned activities. Cash prizes, trophies, medals, and different freebies await the winners of each event.

One of the biggest and most established of its kind in Palawan, the UP Palaweños Pautakan is an annual event which aims to bring the best out of the Palaweño youth in a wide range of fields, including science, general information, visual and literary arts, and others. The theme for this year’s Pautakan is “coalesce”, which means to merge. In the context of a competition, this means to work as a team. This year’s Pautakan highlights the idea that success is best achieved, not when one is divorced from others, but when individuals join together for a common goal.

Just Some of Life's Unsolved Mysteries

Wazzup Pilipinas!

1. Why tobaccos and cigarettes are still being sold when they are obviously harmful to our health.
2. Why softdrink companies continue to exist when there are healthier alternatives out there.
3. Why people still buy firecrackers when they offer nothing but a few minutes of eye candy and more possibly a lifetime of missing fingers.
4. Why fastfood restaurants continue to flourish while home-cooked meals are in the verge of disappearing.
5. Why we continue to throw away our trash carelessly in the streets when we all know they will just contribute to flooding, pollution, sanitation and health problems, etc.
6. Why we keep on voting for the wrong people (those who are involved in political dynasties, prevention of Freedom of Information bill, etc.)
7. Why there are still gasoline-powered cars when electric and solar-powered vehicles are better.
8. Why basic services like electricity, telecommunication and water utility companies are monopolized by a few companies.
9. Why plastic bags (considered non-biodegradable thus harming the environment) are being banned and replaced by paper bags and boxes that are made from trees which are part of the environment.
10. Why we believe in celebrity endorsements that are obviously fake (skin-whiteners for ladies that are already white-skinned, chefs promoting instant food or seasonings, basketball players promoting products that are supposed to enhance height, etc.)
11. Why food supplements are popular when their natural equivalents can be found at many supermarkets.

12. Why we keep asking why when we already know the answer to our questions.

Are We Ready to Throw Away Our Hoverboards?

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The hottest trend this holiday season comes with a major health warning after several reported injuries. They are literally hot nowadays!

Amazon has recalled hoverboards over fire safety fears due to several news of units exploding or catching fire. There was also an advisory to their buyers to throw away certain hoverboards, and they also rolled out some safety standards.

Many have also been taking hard falls resulting to injuries like fractured bones. Mike Tyson was among those that fell off their hoverboards. To stay safe on hoverboards, it is not enough to just wear a helmet, elbow pads, and knee pads. You might as well wear a butt pad.

Some countries have also banned the use and selling of the gadget. They are banned from use in many public roads and pavements. Russell Crowe wasn't happy with an Australian airline that wouldn't let his children take their hoverboards on a flight. The actor was apparently unaware of the safety concerns linked to the devices when his sons wanted to take them on a holiday. Crowe took to Twitter to air his grievances with Virgin Australia Airlines.

China's makeshift hoverboard industry is also imploding after Amazon's safety crackdown. There are several places that have stop selling these new fad because some parts are obviously cheap and faulty and could really cause spontaneous combustion (bursting into flames).

Globe Telecom Collaborates with Asiasoft on Gaming Services

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Globe Telecom and its fully-owned subsidiary G-Xchange, Inc. (GXI) has entered into a strategic partnership with leading regional online entertainment provider Asiasoft Corporation Public Company Limited on gaming services provisioning.

The collaboration is part of the Memorandum of Understanding with Asiasoft which Globe and GXI signed together with other members of the Singtel Group such as Singapore Telecommunications Limited (Singtel – Singapore), Advanced Info Service Public Company Limited (AIS – Thailand), and PT Telekomunikasi Selular (Telkomsel – Indonesia).

“GCash aims to further establish its position as the preferred payment option in the mobile and digital space. Thus, we are excited to explore marketing collaborations with Asiasoft to grow gaming-related transactions and bring GCash at the forefront of eCommerce. At the same time, we want to enhance existing Globe customer payment services and provide them with a full digital lifestyle experience,” said Xavier Marzan, President and CEO of GXI.

The partnership allows GCash, the mobile wallet of GXI, to be used as a payment method at PLAYPARK game portal and mobile app checkouts via PlayMall, Asiasoft’s single wallet platform, thereby, giving GCash customers an option to buy “Cash items”, “lives”, “coins”, or “gems” without the need for a credit card.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The all-in-one promo pack gives customers access to select chat apps without data subscription or WiFi connection together with up to 60 minutes of IDD calls to the US and Canada*

This holiday season, Globe Telecom is making local and international communication easier and more affordable as it offers ChatPlus, an all-in-one promo pack that allows customers to enjoy access to top messaging apps and IDD calls, effectively bridging the gap between Globe customers in the Philippines and their loved ones overseas.

Without the need for a data subscription or a WiFi connection, Globe prepaid and postpaid customers will be able to use popular chat apps Facebook Messenger, Viber, WhatsApp, Google Messenger, Kakao Talk, WeChat, and LINE, as well as IDD call minutes to enable international calls from the Philippines to US Mainland and Canada. ChatPlus comes in two variants: ChatPlus 25 which is valid for 1 day with access to the chat apps and 15 IDD minutes and ChatPlus 299 which is valid for 30 days with access to the chat apps and 60 IDD minutes.

“The Holidays is definitely a perfect time to reconnect, and this is most especially true for Filipinos whose loved ones are based abroad. With ChatPlus, Globe customers get access to an affordable all-in-one package that will allow them to use their favorite chat apps without the need for Wi-Fi or a data promo as well as international call minutes to reach out to friends and family members in the US or Canada. Globe is happy to enable affordable, seamless, and worry-free connectivity for those much-cherished Christmas greetings and messages this time of the year,” says Coco Domingo, Globe Vice President for the Roaming and International Business.

To subscribe, just dial *143#, choose Roaming & International, and select IDD with Chat.

Know more about Globe and the rest of its international offers by visiting http://www.globe.com.ph/international. To learn more about ChatPlus and subscribe in time for Christmas, visit www.globe.com.ph/help/international/idd-with-chat-chatplus.

*Usage of the IDD minutes does not include the following territories in the USA: Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Thanos and the Infinity Stones

Wazzup Pilipinas!

So, for a while now Ive been going over in my head this thing about the infinity stones being found in certain items and those items starting letters spelling THANOS. T-Tesseract, H-?, A-Aether, N-?, O-Orb, S-Sceptre.

I've been really interested in this concept/theory because its a nice little teaser easter egg. But, it got me thinking. What could H & N be? So I assumed it would be mystical or magical.

My mind shot to Thor, then to Mjolnir, but of course that doesnt start with H or N. Where as, Hammer does. I thought encased within Mjolnir was the Soul gem. This makes sense because for the user to lift the hammer they must be worthy, the hammer may do so by checking your soul. A power the soul gem would probably have. It also occurrd to me that when Thor created Vision there was no real difference between Ultron and Vision (except the rest of Jarvis, but I didnt believe that could cause the two AI beings to be so different). So I say Thor creating Vision with Mjolnir gave Vision a soul, this also means Vision's soul is the purest since he was created from the Soul gem and thus granting hik the ability to lift Mjolnir because he has that pureness, worthiness and connection to the gem within Mjolnir. Another possible power the soul gem has. It also makes sense for Odin to have hidden it within the hammer because it can only be lifted by those who are worthy, it isnt really an obvious Infinity Stone hiding spot and its gotta be difficult to crack.

Then I read that the soul gem is associated with Dr Strange, but I reconciled because Marvel have been differing a fair bit from the comics when it comes to their movies.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Sing to the tune of "Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?" from the Disney movie "Frozen"

Do you want to build a Death Star?
And go after some rebels?
I know they blew the Death Star up
For two movies
Third time is the charm
Well now I feel so lonely
here with Snoke
And Phasma hasn't spoke

Do you want to build a Death Star?
It doesn't have to be a Death Star.

Do you wanna build a death star,
And kill the whole Senate,
We've got this planet here,
We can build something,
And blow them all awayyyyy

You used to be Ben Solo,
But now you're not.
Just who are the Knights of Ren?

Do you wanna build a death star?
or a fleet of star destroyers?
I think some war prep is well overdue
Snoke is begging to
kill the senate once and for all
(just wait for now sir!)
he's getting really anxious
if I can't deliver
I think I am going to dieeee
(choke choke choke choke)

(orchestral)

Do you wanna build a death staaaaar?
Cmon lets be real baaad
I know your feelings are unsure, about the world, and your scruffy nerf herding daaaaad
We gotta be best buddied, cause snoke said so, lets do it before he gets maaaaaaad....

Do you wanna build a death staaaar?
(Its doesnt have to be a death staaaar)

-Sith tantrum noises-

Okay byeeeeee.....

Do you wanna build a Death Star?
Starkiller base will be okay.
I know that you just killed your dad, and you got really mad, when you got beat by Rey!
I know we're not best buddies,
We'll kill the lot,
Republicans can all die!-
Do you wanna build a deathstar?
Well it's not technically a deathstar...

"Go away hux!"

Ok byeeee....

Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange

Wazzup Pilipinas!

First look at..... Erm.... Benedict Cumberbatch in an up market fancy dress outfit as Doctor Strange? This totally validates every male cosplayer growing a goatee for a Doctor Strange costume!

People are making assumptions about a film that is yet to be made on one photo? I'm not saying it doesn't looks amazing, but that still doesn't mean that end result will be just as dazzling. There is a lot more to this film than Ben striking a pose.

Loving the mix of science and spirit here...much needed in society today. He's using Sacred geometry too. He's doing an Impact Palm in this picture.

That's gotta be the green Infinity Stone right there! And at a guess I'd say Soul Stone. I wonder if that will be considered the Eye of Agamoto or will he get the real one that pretty much is a real eye ball. It would make sense if it was the soul gem (actually the one he gets in the Illuminati comics), but then where's the Eye of Agamotto? I'd bet that's the Eye.

Maybe the Eye of Agamotto and the Soul Stone are the same thing in the MCU. The same way that the Tesseract was the Space Stone even though it was just a cosmic cube in the comics. The eye is a artifact of much importance for him to be taken away as a gem, but that would actually explain Stephen's presence in Infinity, as he would be willing to defeat Thanos in order to recover the Eye.

Zoomanity Group Gives Back Through Gift-Giving

Wazzup Pilipinas!

"Christmas is for children" quotes Robert L. Yupangco, CEO of Zoomanity Group, one of the leading them companies in the theme park industry. With this in mind, the company took the opportunity to give back the happiness and blessings to less fortunate children this season of sharing and thanksgiving.

Aside from promoting their advocacy which is called the 4 E's (Education, Environmental Conservation, Exhibit and Entertainment), the company believes that it is part of their corporate social responsibility to those kids who need happiness the most. Through one charitable activity called "Christmas Gift Giving". Zoomanity group chose sets of orphan kids from different foundations, annually to experience a whole day of fun, love and care in their parks.

On the said event, over 600 kids gets the chance to have free entrance to all Zoomanity parks like Zoocobia and Zoobic Safari and enjoy one exciting day to interact with their favorite animals. Different gifts were given away plus there were exciting shows held for them. The Zoomanity team along with the media partners helped distributing gifts and food for these children.

Help them spread and continue this wonderful activity in Zoomanity Parks where the happiness begins. For more infomrtaion, please call 899-9595 loc. 344/899-9824; 847-0413, email zoomanityg@gmail.com orinfo@zoomanity.com.ph. Come visit our website at www.zoomanity.com.ph

Contributed by Cheryl Lynne Azarraga

MMFF 2015:Official Statement of MMFF Executive Committee About DQ and Ticket Swapping Issues

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Below are the official statements of the Metro Manila Film Festival Executive Committee regarding the Honor Thy Father disqualification from the Best Picture category, and the ticket swapping issue between My Bebe Love and Beauty and the Bestie.

Honor Thy Father disqualification

"This is to clarify the misconceptions relating to the disqualification of Honor Thy Father (HTF) of Reality Entertainment Productions from the MMFF Best Picture Category of the MMFF 2015.

Following the pullout of the 8th entry Ang Hapis at Himagsik ni Hermano Puli from the Festival, MMFF wrote to the producers of HTF dated October 21, 2015 informing them that they were the next-in-rank film for the Festival and requesting for a Producer’s Certification.

On October 22, 2015, the producer of the Film wrote the Executive Committee of MMFF that it has complied with all existing MMFF rules and regulations without mentioning its participation in another film festival. Having certified its compliance to all MMFF rules, it was officially included as an entry in the Film Festival on October 23, 2015.

Unknown to MMFF, HTF was slated to have an exhibition and was actually shown at the Cinema One Film Festival held on November 8, 2015. This was only officially revealed to the MMFF through their letter dated November 5, 2015, received on November 6, 2015, only two days before the showing, not giving the MMFF enough time to deliberate on the matter.

After a thorough, lengthy, and careful deliberation, the MMFF decided to impose the lightest sanction of disqualifying HTF from the selection as festival awardee for only the Best Picture category. MMFF could have imposed stiffer sanctions to the film, such as disqualification from all the awards or total disqualification from the Festival altogether.

Lest it be forgotten, being included in the MMFF also comes with responsibilities. An official entry is expected to uphold and observe the Rules of the Festival."

Ticket swapping issue between My Bebe Love and Beauty and the Bestie

"The Metro Manila Film Festival, after looking into the ticket swapping issue, strongly denies the existence of such and is enjoining all the stakeholders of the Festival to be responsible in expressing their sentiments especially on Social Media. The objective of the MMFF is to promote the local film industry and this baseless issue will only sideline the true intent and purpose of the Festival. Let’s continue supporting all the entries of the MMFF 2015."

MMFF 2015 Awards Night Winners

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Here are the winners of the recently concluded Metro Manila Film Festival 2015 Awards Night

Best Actress: Jennylyn Mercado (Walang Forever)
Best Actor: Jericho Rosales (Walang Forever)
Best Picture: Walang Forever
2nd Best Picture: Buy Now, Die Later
3rd Best Picture: My Bebe Love: #KiligPaMore
2015 Gat Puno J. Villegas Cultural Award: My Bebe Love: #KiligPaMore
Best Supporting Actress: Maine Mendoza (My Bebe Love)
Best Supporting Actor: Tirso Cruz III (Honor Thy Father)
Best Director: Erik Matti (Honor Thy Father)
Best Screenplay: Paul Sta. Ana (Walang Forever)
Best Story: Dan Villegas and Antoinette Jadaone (Walang Forever)

The 1st Day Top Grosser is My Bebe Love: #KiligPaMore

No comment necessary. As what most people would say: If you can't say anything nice, then keep your mouth shut.

Sunday, December 27, 2015

MMFF 2015: Honor Thy Father Best Picture DQ Scandal

Wazzup Pilipinas!

There was disturbing news lately that went viral on social media. And we're not talking about the tiket swapping issue between the Aldub movie "My Bebe Love" and Vice Ganda's "Beauty and the Bestie," this was about the disqualification issue about the only sane movie from the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2015.

Apparently, it was disqualified from the Best Picture category due to its participation in an earlier showing of the film, specifically at the Cinema One Originals Film Festival.

The MMFF Executive Committee says that it violated an ordinance in the MMFF 2015.

The letter of Atty Emerson Carlos, Chairman of the MMFF, says there was a non-disclosure of their participation as the opening film of the Cinema One Originals Film Festival and thus the MMFF Executive Committee has disqualified Honor Thy Father from the Best Picture category.

However, Stacy Bascon, the Associate Producer of Honor Thy Father (Conman) from Reality entertainment, and Ronald Arguelles, Festival Director of the Cinema One Originals Festival, both sent a letter indicating that their film's participation as the opening movie had no ticket sales and was strictly by invitation only.

Below is a repost of the letter of Dondon Monteverde demanding an answer and an investigation. Plus other scans of the letters and emails sent to the MMFF organizers which will clearly shed a ight to this disappointing issue.