2016-03-27 ~ Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Friday, April 1, 2016

New Shows on TLC to Captivate You this April

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And on TLC this April,discover a culinary paradise unlike anything else on the planet as Heston Blumenthal invites you to his haven in Inside Heston’s World. Through his pioneered innovative ways of viewing food, Heston’s restaurants and creative projects have reached whole new levels of cookery excellence – but he’s about to face his biggest challenge yet. The Fat Duck, his flagship restaurant, is migrating and Heston is picking up his entire restaurant, staff, and facilities and moving it 10,000 miles to Melbourne, Australia. There he shall attempt not only to open, but to successfully run his whole food operation in a foreign country for seven months – a feat no 3 Michelin-starred restaurant has yet attempted. Watch Heston expand his world as the series premiers this April 26 at 10 PM on TLC.

UK farmer and food lover Jimmy Doherty takes you on an epic adventure across Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory in search of the country’s best cuisines on Jimmy’s Australian Food Adventure. Watch as he embarks on enthralling adventures beyond the kitchen -- from crocodile wrangling in the tropical wetlands of the Northern Territory, to mud-crabbing in The Kimberley region of Western Australia, and to turning bee keeper for a day on Kangaroo Island in South Australia. Join Jimmy along with Australia’s top chefs, brewers, vintners and farmers as he tries brand new food innovations such as lemonade fruit and a pearl meat sensation. This all-new series premieres on April 5 at 9 PM on TLC.

TropicalSwells to Hold SurfCamp from Subic to Baler

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I'm not new to surfing as it has been introduced to me a couple of years ago when we covered an event in La Union, the surfing Capital of the North, with no less than Luke Landrigan as the surfing instructor, then it was followed with visits in Leyte for a media thanksgiving, then a few more opportunities at several other places.

Still, even though I was clearly stoked, I wanted to capture more of the action in both photo and video instead of actually experiencing it myself. I don't know why but I was more interested in showing the experience to my readers rather than have the time of my life spending the whole afternoon or weekend surfing out in the open seas.

Thus, I never really learned to master the activity, not because I was afraid to get hit on the head by the surf board and drown helplessly. It was because I was more concerned in sharing and immortalizing the stories. That is why even though I'm not an expert photo or videographer, I want o always have time documenting the experience.

For me, every travel opportunity, whether nearby or out-of-town, is a blessing. Thus, I always appreciate invitations that will take me into places I've never been before, or revisit a familiar place to find out what's new.

TropicalSwells, a Philippine surf school that offers a fun and safe surf experience for beginners, avid enthusiasts and all interested members of your family, invited members of the media, including bloggers, to a day of learning the basics of surfing.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Happy (Belated) Easter!

For our Christian brothers and sisters, Easter is the day we celebrate the resurrection of Christ. Oh, and for some, it’s the day of playing with the Easter bunny and hunting for some Easter eggs!

For me, Easter is a reminder that it is possible for you and me to “rise from the dead”!

In the dictionary, resurrect is synonymous with the words revive, relaunch, regenerate. If you think about it, isn’t that something you can and should do in your own life?

What dreams, plans, personal projects have you put in the back burner for a long time? What talents, skills and interests have you set aside because you’ve been caught up in a daily routine of working for money? What past mistakes and disappointments stopped you from getting back up to try again?

We’ve all been there. Each one of us has been rejected, criticized and put to shame. We’ve been hurt, and told we’re not good enough, sadly, by the people we love and trust. We’ve all, in one way or another, FAILED.

I believe that failures are small successes that ultimately lead us to our destination, the realization of our vision. Failure is not a dead end, but a detour to something better that perhaps you are unable to see because you’re focused on what’s right in front of you. Failure is the path that is hidden from plain sight because everyone else is too scared to walk in it. Failure is not a signal to give up, but to push ONE MORE TIME.

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Due to insistent public demand, we are bringing Doggie Fun Fair: Manila’s Biggest Dog Festival, back for YEAR 3 on MAY 15, 2016 at the GREENFIELD CENTRAL PARK.

The best part about bringing together dog lovers nationwide is that we get to share in our mutual love for our fur babies while learning about RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP. We hope that everyone can make it to our event this year as we will be focusing our theme on the ABUSED & ABANDONED DOGS and will also be recognizing the SERVICE / WORKING DOGS in the Philippines.

With more activities, surprises, raffle prizes than before, DFF3 will surely keep you and your families entertained throughout the day!

Thank you and we hope to unite all people to be the voices for those who cannot speak!

Tips to Break into Freelance Travel Writing

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According to essaykitchen.com, the freelance writing industry is a very beneficial career given the case that it is very rewarding for some people. The case to ague is that many people come across websites with essays that have very ideal content. However, these people do not realize that it takes more than juts developing some particular content on a given subject. Thus, there is need to mention that for a given person to effectively venture into the freelance writing industry, there have to adhere to certain advice or line of reasoning given that it could turn out to be very challenging.

A good piece of advice is that when venturing intothe travel writing industry, one has to accept the facts that they have to start small. This statement means that one has to effectively build rapport with their writer colleagues or editors while in their foist years of writing. Next, there is need to establish the audience or the reader group that one is assigned. This means that by knowing the type of audience, one is able to effectively use their skills and develop content that while entice the audience.

The other important factor of consideration is that the writer should build their identity on the online platform. This means that they have to perfect their art of writing to the extent that it entices their writer who ends up identifying with the writer. On the same note, there is need to also venture into different subjects and articles. For example, one would write about fashion today, venture into politics tomorrow and still find the need to comment on the weather or a given catastrophic occurrence. In this view, the reader population gets attached to the writer easily. More importantly, there is need to learn to develop quality content and attach a fee for the services.

Photo Credits:

http://magictravelblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/An-office-with-a-beautiful-view-in-Bangkok.jpg

http://www.travelingfreelancer.com/

http://www.technicalcommunicationcenter.com/2012/09/26/that-very-first-technical-writing-job/

Kiss Your #FirstJobProblems Goodbye

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There is almost always something that we need to catch up one in this fast-paced world, especially for first-time professionals. But that doesn’t mean one has to be left behind with the latest in social media, e-mails, music, and even videos.

Luckily, there’s no need to worry about limiting your online activities — especially now that Sun is unveiling the improved Best Value Non-Stop Surf 450 Add-on for its practical subscribers. When you add Non-Stop Surf 450 on top of your Sun Postpaid plan, you get non-stop surfing online, 1GB of music streaming in SPINNR and 1GB of streaming videos and music and other heavy online usage.

With the add-on’s non-stop surf, subscribers can check and send e-mails, search on Google, and even surf their social media accounts non-stop. 1GB of SPINNR streaming on the other hand translates to 400 four-minute songs while 1GB of heavy surfing allocation means ten 30-minute television shows on iFlix or 75 four-minute videos on Youtube.

This means practical Sun Postpaid subscribers can boost their online activities and enjoy non-stop access to work-related apps such as e-mail and social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, among many others. On top of that, they can also inject more fun and entertainment with access to music and video streaming apps. This way, Sun Postpaid users can easily and enjoyably kiss their #FirstJobProblems goodbye.

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Yup! Those are my freaking shoes that you see, and at the background is a movie screen showing that Lamudi Philippines and Megaworld Makati has partnered to give its media friends a Batman v Superman movie screening treat.

Why are my shoes up in the air? It's because I am seating in a very comfy chair of Newport Cinema 1 at Resorts World Manila where they have first class seats and serve you pop corn and drinks right where you at. Even though it's not my first time to see the movie, I went anyway because I would like to support the brands, and hoping to catch my favorites scenes of the movie as well.

The dialogues or quotable quotes coming from either Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman or even Lex Luthor would never grow old. I've used it already a few times in some of my writings and it keeps reverberating in my ears not because I'm a fan of the characters but because they offer a few meanings that I could easily relate to.

As expected, the cinema was jam-packed even though most of the people there have seen the movie already even before its regular March 26 screening. Many companies have been sponsoring special block screening of the movie featuring a slugfest between two of DC's iconic superheroes: The Caped Crusader versus the Man of Steel, of which I would like to call them The Dark Knight against the Boy Scout in Blue.

The two brands have collaborated to offer a better experience for its customers, as you can read from their official press release below.

Jacqueline Van Den Ende Managing Director Lamudi PH and Eugene Em Lozano VP Megaworld Makati CBD gave a few words to express their interest in targeting Millennials through the help of media, mostly online influentials, to spread the information about their respective companies.

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Last March 21, 2016, we attended the Zero Carbon Resorts for Sustainable Tourism Best Practice Sharing Session at Hotel Jen in Manila. I find the program as very useful for every businesses even at our very home sweet home. They offer practical applications on saving energy of all forms friendly to the environment as well as offer big savings in conserving energy.

In any aspects like water, electricity even recycling of resources. Ralph Gutierrez of Victoria Court HRD talks about its 250k annual electricity savings using LED.

Just by replacing incandescent bulbs with fluorescent or LED, is not actually a cost for you get savings in the long run if you would do a detailed computation.

As well as 250k savings using the faucet technology on water bills. He also talked about an advocacy of isanglitrongliwanag.com that uses 1 liter of empty softdrink bottle with water-based solution inside as a light bulb replacement unitizing the sun as its energy source. This benefits lots of homeowners mostly in both the rural and urban squatters areas. This could also become ideal in office and in every home.

I learned that when you use the auto turn and off technology it saves a lot in hotel and resorts industry. They also stated that covering the air con (putting roof) installation saves of up to 10% of electricity. New World Hotel also talks about its research on guest needs. That they turn on-off the elevators on a certain time period. And change the temperature from 22 to 24 degrees Celsius. As they read the body language of guest if they were setting or dancing.

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Two of the nation’s top Filipino mixed martial artists are returning to the ONE Championship cage at ONE: GLOBAL RIVALS which takes place April 15 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, Philippines. Both Eric “The Natural” Kelly (12-2) and Team Lakay’s Honorio “The Rock” Banario (8-6) are coming off stinging defeats and are looking to get back in the winner’s circle.

The two Baguio City fighters were in Manila Thursday, March 31, to meet with media at a press luncheon held at Dad's Kamayan buffet restaurant along EDSA.

Kelly, 33, and Banario, 26, both spent their previous bouts on the wrong end of Guillotine chokes, figuring in losses to the same man in Malaysia’s Ev Ting. Yet both are ready to get right back in and show the world that there’s still a lot of fight left in the tank.

Kelly will be facing the extremely dangerous Timofey Nastyukhin (9-2) of Russia. Kelly was once on the cusp of a featherweight title shot, but after lackluster performances against Hiroshige Tanaka and Ting, the opportunity passed him by. Now, he’s looking for redemption and another crack at ONE Championship gold.

“The goal of every fighter is to become champion, but for now my focus is on [Timofey] Nastyukhin,” said Kelly, who is preparing himself in various gyms in the high altitudes of Baguio City.

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For over a century, Stanley Black & Decker has built a legacy by producing some of the most well-known hand tools and storage products in the world. It is this rich history of innovation that made Stanley a trusted brand across industries.

As it launches a new line of power tools, Stanley—a world-leading provider of tools and storage, commercial electronic security and engineered fastening systems—traces back to its ergonomically designed yellow power tools which were first launched in 2014. These tools target tradesman users, exceeding their expectations through quality that outstands performance.

According to Anthony Allarey, Commercial Director of Black & Decker Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., the company conducted extensive research to develop the new power tools that the world knows today.

“Each Stanley power tool was designed to ensure users get durable products that last and perform. Aside from durability and performance, our tools have great ergonomic designs that help users be comfortable while doing their job,” Allarey said.

He added, “Our tools are of world-class quality but are still affordable for the tradesman market. Stanley has a wide range of power tools that can perform different applications at all job sites.”

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Reacting to former Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) General Manager Al Vitangcol's recent statements regarding his exit from government, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) confirms that Vitangcol was relieved of his duties after his undeclared conflict-of-interest in the rail system's maintenance contract was exposed.

The DOTC officials had no knowledge that Vitangcol's uncle by affinity was the incorporator of PH Trams until this fact was revealed in media. It was this apparent act of dishonesty that served as basis for his being relieved of his duties as General Manager, since all trust and confidence in him was lost.

Vitangcol even admitted under oath at a committee hearing of the House of Representatives shortly after his departure in 2014 that he was indeed relieved of his duties. He also admitted to having received the official notice of his sacking on the same day that his conflict-of-interest was exposed.

Vitangcol, who had been appointed to head MRT-3 in 2012, is now facing charges filed with the Sandiganbayan by the Ombudsman.

The Ombudsman investigated the procurement process conducted by the DOTC, and found no irregularity in the agency's actions. The DOTC has always stated that it strictly complies with procurement laws, and that it is committed to ensuring a level playing field, so that no under-the-table deals or favoritism may influence the award of its projects.

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In celebration of the International Day of Transgender Visibility, transgender leaders from different communities all over the Philippine are uniting to form a national network of transgender groups and individuals called LakanBini Advocates Pilipinas.

The network is being launched today March 31, 2016 at the Madrid Function Room of the Berjaya Makati Hotel. The network, which derives its name from the words “Lakan” (nobleman) and “Binibini” (lady), aims to become a nationwide community of transgender leaders and advocates that serves as a voice for transled advocacies on equality and access to health, well-being, and human rights services. It is composed of 16 organizations from Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, and Zamboanga Peninsula.

“I came from a city where a Comprehensive LGBT Code has just been passed into ordinance and what I would like to see is that equal access to services and protection against discrimination is not only enjoyed in selected cities but also all over the country,” says Salma Cortes, LakanBini Chairperson. Marie Isabelle Eguia, LakanBini Secretary, added “we would like to see transgender people from the provinces having the recognition and acceptance as those from Manila (and other cities).”

With the main message “Kasali ang mga ‘trans’ sa pagbabago,” Lakanbini is led by the network’s eight (8) Trustees from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao who belong to different organizations and represent transgender men, transgender women and transgender youth.

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Transfast, a US-based money remittance company, is set to open its Philippine branch through a partnership with Global Access. Customers will now be able to make transfers to about 10 countries from the Philippines in a safe, convenient and affordable way!

The Transfast Philippines Outward Remittance Service and Global Access Partnership Launch was held on Mach 31, 2016 at Marco Polo hotel in Ortigas. Attending the partnership launch are Transfast representatives Mr. Samir Vidhate and Mr. Jon Velasquez. Global Access was represented by Mr. Jerry M. Navarrete and Ms. Dina M. Simbulan. Mr. Manny B. Villar, owner of Global Access, is not be a signatory but joined the group for the photo ops.

Transfast has a growing network of over 200,000 points of payment. With Transfast, the process of sending and receiving money is more convenient and efficient than ever. You can send money at any time of day from your own home – always with the excellent value of our unique high exchange rates. Your loved ones can choose from our many convenient options for receiving funds, whether they opt for a transfer right into their bank account or a cash remittance.

In 1988, Transfast set out to provide a safe, convenient and affordable way for people to send money to family, friends – even themselves. Through their ever-growing network of over 200,000 points of payment, and their commitment to safety and security around the world.

They understand the importance of every transfer and are committed to getting your money where it needs to go as quickly as possible. Security is their absolute priority. In the brief time it takes to process your transfer they ensure that your personal and financial information is never compromised.
Here's a safe, convenient and affordable way to send money!

For more information about Transfast, please visit https://transfast.com/about-us

2016 Elections: Top 5 Presidential Candidates' Platform Guide

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On May 9, 2016, we are set to determine the next President of the country. With the pace and pressure surrounding the election, are you ready? Have you chosen your candidate?

We had our share of storms, heat waves, hurricanes and earthquakes. But nothing compares to the Philippine election season. During this time of the year, every streets of the country and television stations becomes a battlefield loaded with different landmines and crossfires, with black propagandas and false advertising being a typical scenario. And with a few weeks away left, things are in full swing and candidates are coming with guns blazing. From campaign posters to melodramatic TV advertisements, how do we make certain of their intentions for the country?

We have five major contenders vying for the highest position in the government, namely Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senator Grace Poe, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, and former-DILG Secretary Mar Roxas. All have promising credentials and political background but are they up for the challenge?

Continuing the incumbent government, fighting corruption, improving the education system, constructing several infrastructures,and upgrading mass transportation to alleviate traffic congestion are among the policies of the Top 5 candidates. But of course they have their own agendas and tricks up their sleeves to set them apart from the rest.

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Seasoned actors of Philippine theatre, film, and television come together for Dulaang Unibersidad ng Pilipinas’s fourth offering this 40th theatre season, The Dressing Room: That Which Flows Away Ultimately Becomes Nostalgia and its Filipino translation, Ang Dressing Room: Kung Saan Lubusang Pangungulila ang Dulot ng Agos ng Panahon.

Frances Makil-Ignacio, Ces Quesada, Missy Maramara, Roeder Camañag, Andoy Ranay, Gwyn Guanzon, and Ian Ignacio topbill the 1977 post-war Japanese play by Shimizu Kunio, translation adapted by Chiori Miyagawa from an original translation by John Gillespie. Alexander Cortez’ direction features an all-female cast for English version and an all-male cast for the Filipino version translated by Palanca Hall of Famer, Nicolas Pichay.

The play within a play tells the stories, frustrations, memoirs and aspirations of four actresses preparing backstage (gakuya, in Japanese) and waiting for their cue to enter onstage. All actresses express their desire to perform the lead role and their obsessive coveting for it ignites a comic yet dramatic narrative about shared memories and their relationship with each other. The Dressing Room… is a tender and humorous drama about actors, the theatre, aging, surviving and moving on.

The artistic team is composed of Dexter M. Santos (choreography), Ohm David (set design), Meliton Roxas Jr. (lighting design), Faust Peneyra (costume), Jethro Joaquin (sound design), Jean Edfhel Pascual & JC Bautista (dramaturgs-in-training), Patricia Balboa (video design) Stephen Viñas (assistant choreography), Garett Picardal (lights apprentice), Jojit Lorenzo (photography), Gwyn Guanzon (art direction for pictorials), Riza Romero (make-up designer for pictorials), and Pow Santillan (poster design).

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Ready to end March the SLOSH way? Worry not 'cause the UPLB Economics Society's back to give you the #WettestWildestBrightest SLOSH ever. SLOSH: Illuminance is an annual benefit party and it's on March 31, 2016 (Thursday) at Spring Memories Resort, Solemar del Pansol, Calamba. Our chosen beneficiary is Puypuy Elementary School, Brgy Puypuy, Bay, Laguna.

Prepare to dance all night with beats from DJ Callum David and the duo, Everyday People. SLOSH: Illuminance’s official liquor partner is Bacardi Philippines. Co-presented by John Robert Powers, ZALORA, El Burrito Los Banos. In cooperation with SM Accessories and Hawk Bag. Special Thanks to Lil Orbits Los Banos, Pizza Pop, Big D’s and Yelo Ni Dok.

VIP – PhP349 | Minor Sponsor – PhP299 | Gold – PhP269 | Regular – PhP220 | Door Price – PhP250

For tickets and details, you can like our FB page, facebook.com/uplbslosh or follow our Twitter account @sloshuplb. Party with the organization that brought you the first pool party from UPLB as we get #BrighterThanEver.

Teatro Tomasino Reimagines Bob Ong’s Novel

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For its 38th season, Teatro Tomasino presents its second major production of the year — a stage adaptation of a popular novel of Bob Ong. The stage play runs from April 20-22, 2016, with shows at 10 A.M., 1 P.M., 4 P.M., and 7 P.M., at the Albertus Magnus Auditorium, University of Santo Tomas.

Retitled as “Ang Favorite Book ni Jude,” the play conveys a socio-political and quasi-religious message through exploring the life of the protagonist Jude as he struggles to find redemption of faith in his experience of the afterlife. The stage play is directed by Ron Biñas and adapted for the stage by Eljay Castro Deldoc. Likewise, the production showcases professional designers, namely: Io Balanon for set and props, D Cortezano for lighting, and Philstage Gawad Buhay 2014 awardee Carlo V. Pagunaling for costume and makeup.

Teatro Tomasino is the official university-wide student theater organization of the University of Santo Tomas. For ticket queries, contact Jenny at 09062369492 or visit Teatro Tomasino's Facebook page.

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The National Basketball Association (NBA) and CloudFone, the flagship mobile phone and tablet brand of Cellprime Group, one of the Philippines’ top technology companies, announced today a new multiyear marketing partnership.

CloudFone will engage consumers by providing access to NBA content on its mobile devices, interactive digital campaigns and NBA-themed phone accessories. Additionally, CloudFone will be integrated into the NBA’s marquee events in the Philippines, including the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Philippines presented by Alaska, the league’s global youth basketball participation program, as well other initiatives such as NBA FIT and NBA 3X Philippines.

“CloudFone is venturing into lifestyle pillars such as sports, music, and entertainment, and partnering with the world’s biggest brands to deliver content and experiences that enhance the lifestyle of our consumers,” said CloudFone Chief Executive Officer Eric Yu. “Globally, the NBA is the pinnacle of sports lifestyle and a brand that our consumers relate to, admire, and trust. Together with the NBA, CloudFone will elevate the way Filipinos enjoy basketball by allowing fans to always stay connected to the game through our affordable mobile devices.”

“We are constantly striving to find new ways for Filipino fans to connect with our game, and CloudFone shares our commitment to innovation,” said NBA Philippines Managing Director Carlo Singson. “Through this new partnership, CloudFone will provide fans access to NBA content on its consumer-friendly, world-class devices.”

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In every disaster that hits the Philippines, strength and resiliency emanate as prevailing Filipino traits. But where do they get their strength of character when life’s greatest challenges come their way?

That strength of character came as a result of years of nurture, which started from their very own homes.

BEAR BRAND PMD leveraged its efforts to nourish Filipino families to good health when it first kicked off its Laki sa Gatas (LSG) campaign, which has since benefited almost four million children, three million parents and 168,000 teachers since 2006. Through the LSG, BEAR BRAND PMD raised awareness on micronutrient deficiency, which is one of the major public health concerns in the Philippines.

On its 10th year, BEAR BRAND PMD relaunches its long-running nutrition education advocacy from Laki Sa Gatas to Laki Sa Tibay as proof of the brand’s commitment to continue strengthening the TIBAY of Filipino children, towards achieving their ambitions. For BEAR BRAND, TIBAY is facing life’s challenges by having strength of body, mind and will, achieved through a healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition, with everyday milk drinking at the center. Through the launch of LAKI SA TIBAY in 2016, BEAR BRAND PMD aims to reach more public schools per year to engage more teachers, parents and school-children on the role that TIBAY plays for them to achieve their ambitions.

With the Laki sa Tibay in place, BEAR BRAND PMD will be highlighting the vital role played by a healthy lifestyle, with everyday milk drinking at its core. This ensures that every Filipino child has the right Tibay ng Katawan, Kalooban at Isipan in overcoming life’s biggest challenges.

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Forty bright and beautiful candidates vying for titles at this year’s Binibining Pilipinas 2016 pageant were presented to the media, the partners, and guests at Novotel Manila Araneta Center on Tuesday, March 29.

Stunning everyone in their swimsuits, the candidates charmed the illustrious guests with their confidence and stage presence. The ladies also let their personalities show at the photo call by the hotel’s pool side.

This year’s exciting roster consists of local pageant winners, graduates from top schools, artists, sports and fashion enthusiasts, and working professionals who excel in their respective fields. Representing various provinces in the country, the Top 40 candidates bested hundreds of aspirants that went through rigorous screenings in January.

It’s going to be a tough competition this year following the stellar successes of the reigning beauty queens. The historic win of Pia Wurtzbach at the Miss Universe 2015 pageant became a shining moment of glory for our country. The winning streak also continued with Anne Colis winning the Miss Globe 2015 title; as well as the impressive showing of Parul Shah, Miss Grand International 2015 3rd Runner-up; Christy McGarry, Miss Intercontinental 2015 1st Runner-up; Rogelie Catacutan, Miss Supranational 2015 semifinalist; and Janicel Lubina who made it into the Top 10 of the Miss International pageant, and was awarded Best Dresser.

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Congratulations to my son. He just finished Grade 10 which is 4th year high school if not for the K-to-12 program. I will always want the best for him and that includes giving him only what is good for both mind, body and soul. As a parent, I will keep him away from what I believe can be harmful for him.

With so many scientific breakthroughs and discoveries in many fields, it is a wonder why there still exists the destructive products around us which include artificial or processed food products like softdrinks. We all know what's healthy for us, yet we often turn to the cheaper products that would only put us into more danger, and subject us to more expensive hospital and medical expenses because of the degradation in health, leading to sickness, that it will eventually cause.

I have been advocating against these softdrink products since we all know they are health hazards regardless of the quantity consumed. There is noting beneficial about the products and they have been proven so many times, for so many years, that they could not assure the cleanliness of their softdrinks especially the bottled ones. If large foreign objects like candy wrappers can penetrate their system, what more of the minute particles that go undetected by the naked eye.

We should be panicking since this problem has been around for years, yet these big corporations are just paying off the complainants with bribes, and giving generous gifts to influential people, just so they can keep running their business. Why has the issues keep dying down? That would be one of the biggest enigmatic questions.

What is the government, specifically the FDA, DOH and DTI doing with all these complaints? Why are these softdrinks in our school canteens which makes them a threatening alternative to the better fruit juices? It's alright if we spend a little ore as long as we are assured our children will not become sick.

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The Department of Energy (DOE) together with Task Force Member Agencies is in full force to ensure reliable, stable, and secure during the critical summer period and May local and national elections.

“We have two operational task forces –the Power Task Force Election and the Inter-Agency Task Force on Securing Energy Facilities–in which various national agencies and power stakeholders are conducting preparatory works, maintenance, and monitoring among other tasks just to provide power supply come election period,” said Energy Secretary Zenaida Y. Monsada. This follows as the government recognizes that the provision of electricity is crucial in striving for clean and unquestionable elections, especially that it is automated.

Upon the deputization of Commission on Elections on the DOE, National Electrification Administration, National Power Corporation, National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) and the local electric cooperatives, the Power Task Force Election was created for the delivery of adequate, stable and reliable power supply before, during and after the national and local elections on May 9, 2016 by ensuring availability and operation of power plants and electricity market, carrying out strategic preventive maintenance of all power facilities, and providing enough technical manpower for emergency response and security of vital power infrastructures, among others.

Likewise, it has to be recalled that President Benigno S. Aquino III has created in February the Inter-Agency Task Force on Securing Energy Facilities (IATFSEF) to address the bombing incidents involving the transmission facilities that apparently escalated late last year, and the right-of-way issues faced by NGCP.

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In pursuit of its mandate of providing a comprehensive energy plan, the Department of Energy (DOE) strongly supports the increased use of renewable energy (RE) in the country under a level playing field and transparent implementation of incentives, such as the Feed-In-Tariff (FIT) Program, which are key indicators for this.

Under the FIT System, qualified developers of emerging RE sources are offered on a fixed rate per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of their exported electricity to the distribution or transmission network. This scheme excludes the energy utilized from RE plants eligible for own use.

Energy Secretary Zenaida Y. Monsada said that “the government prioritizes energy security, and RE is one of the major contributors to increase the power supply especially that we are also moving towards clean energy technology.”

The DOE highlights that FIT subscriptions for RE resources has significantly increased to 806.82 MW from 646.65 MW installations since the start of 2016. The following are the FIT subscriptions to date: biomass has 11 power plants with a total capacity of 94.25 MW; hydro has four (4) accounting for 26.60 MW; wind has six (6) accounting for 393.90 MW.

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Five years after its successful network modernization program that saw mobile data exploding in the Philippines, Globe Telecom embarks on another nationwide infrastructure program that would enhance the country's Internet experience within homes and across businesses.

Globe announced that the bulk of the $750 million capex this year would be allotted to deploy fiber optic cables in 20,000 barangays all over the country to provide faster and more reliable Internet access in about 2 million homes nationwide. The infrastructure build is expected to take 5 years and will extend network coverage to more areas that currently have no connection or spotty service.

“Data access is currently one of the most important drivers of economic competitiveness and growth. For the Philippines to fully take advantage of new digital opportunities, we need to create an Internet superhighway and provide ultra-fast internet connection that will enable growth in every corner of our country. We want to make use of technological innovations to make Internet service experience at par with other countries in the world,” Globe President & CEO Ernest Cu said. He emphasized that elsewhere in the world, new digital trends such as cloud computing, mobile web services and e-commerce are already radically changing the digital landscape.

In line with its vision of ushering in a digital nation, the network build will also increase the capacity of its network for both mobile and wirelines using different technologies including 3G, LTE and even Wi-Fi. It will likewise replace the old copper wires that have been used for wireline connections in the past.

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ONE Welterweight World Champion Ben “Funky” Askren would like nothing more than to return to the cage and do what he does best and that’s to get in, dominate, and get out. The 31-year old former NCAA Division I wrestler from Arizona has been out of competition for nearly a year, but the good news is, he’s about a month away from climbing back in.

Askren (14-0) will face Russia’s Nikolay Aleksakhin (17-3) in a five round welterweight bout for Askren’s title. The bout will headline ONE Championship’s first event in Manila this year, called ONE: GLOBAL RIVALS.

Last April 2015, Askren battled hulkish Brazilian foe Luis “Sapo” Santos to a No Contest ruling after Santos deemed himself unable to continue after an inadvertent eye poke. A highly-anticipated rematch was scheduled months later in Singapore, only to have Santos miss weight and the bout cancelled at the eleventh hour.

In the first bout, Santos used his indomitable size and strength to throw Askren around like a ragdoll, manhandling him like never before seen in his career. Inevitably however, Santos began to fade and it started to look like Askren was about to take over -- and then the bout was cut short and the rest was history.

Since then, Santos has moved on for the time being, as he defeated Portuguese fighter Rafael Silva just last month in Jakarta, leaving Askren to deal with Aleksakhin.

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Three decades have passed since the longest running musical comedy variety show in the country started. As a new decade unfolds, you are bound to witness the rebirth of the show everyone has come to love.

On the 31st installment of Live Ang Istoryang Dinebelop ng Samaskom, more popularly known as Live A.I.D.S., the show’s brand of comedy has adjusted to the constantly evolving interests of the new generation― the millennials.

“The show wants to give the audience sort of an idea of how Live AIDS is going to be in the next years so now it is very timely especially this year that the subject of millenials are gaining interest and popularity,” Live A.I.D.S. 31 director VJ Santos said.

Officially dubbed as “Live A.I.D.S. HA-LOL-AN”, the show will take on the 2016 presidential elections as its main thrust, employing the satirical humor it is best known for. But this year, it has taken on a fresher and hipper angle that is fitting for the millennial generation. The audience can expect hot items from 2015 and 2016.

“Now, as a millennial as well, I want to show to the audience what kind of comedy the younger generation now appreciates and would want to see because now, at the dawn of social media, everything is going digital, so comedy should also follow that track of progress,” director Santos said.

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ZEN Rooms (powered by Rocket Internet) confirms its #1 position in the South East Asia budget hotel sector by announcing the opening of operations in 4 new countries: Thailand, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Philippines.

In line with its slogan Sleep Well, Pay Less!, ZEN Rooms has assisted thousands of travellers on short and long stays in Indonesia, who looked for quality rooms and concerned with personal safety. Travellers exploring Jakarta, Bandung, Bali, Bogor and Yogyakarta choose ZEN Rooms as the preferred choice and double rooms start from as low as US$10.

Through its strict quality vetting of each room on the network and ongoing curation, ZEN Rooms ensures guests always experience the same quality service on what matters most: Free WIFI, clean rooms, comfortable double beds, air-conditioner and in-room shower.

“Following hundreds of excellent reviews posted online by our guests, customer satisfaction at ZEN Rooms has fortunately been very clear. This geographic expansion is a logical next step for us.” says co-founder Nathan Boublil.

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Harte Hanks, a U.S-based leader in customer relationships, experiences and interaction-led marketing, helped Samsung grab attention and build engagement when it launched its Galaxy Note 4 in 2014.

Harte Hanks is well-known for creating many brand success stories for their clients that include Hewlett Packard Software EMEA, Microsoft UK Enterprise, Sony, and Samsung, will be opening a BPO-call center at the Mall of Asia Complex, in Pasay City on April 21.

Now, the Samsung campaign has been awarded Direct Marketing News’ 2016 Marketing & Tech Innovation Award in the Mobile Marketing category.

The campaign, directed at an under-30 audience, focused on using social media to turn someone’s bad day into a good day. The campaign dubbed #NoteMyDay, helped turnaround bad days for those young people who tagged social media with #NotMyDay.

“Research tells us, millennials use social channels to share everything, even the bad things,” says Alan Kittle, creative director at Harte Hanks. “But we'd never seen a brand take direct action and find ways to make the bad days better, even though turnaround stories are popular. Using smartphone features to create happy endings felt so unusually emotional.”

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While wandering in Baguio city, a friend recommended going to Tsokolateria Café. I'm glad I followed her tip because I was not disappointed of this new discovery. Let me tell you why.

First, the place, located in Igorot Stairs, Upper Session Road, Baguio City, is so nice. It was very accessible to get there because Baguio is very well known for fair and courteous taxi drivers. It is just a short walk away from the SM Baguio mall.

Inside, you'll see that their interior is simple yet relaxing, as it is an outdoor café embracing the cold breeze of Baguio.

Secondly, from the name itself, it is a haven for chocolate lovers. Like who can’t get away with CHOCOLATES?! They showcase artisan chocolates. Definitely all in their menu are made by hands. Their HOT CHOCOLATE BATIROL IS DEFINITELY A WINNER!

Third, their craft is not only bounded by chocolates; they also offer different kind of dishes for lunch and snacks but all of them are of the same rate of deliciousness.

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With a good phone, there is no need to buy a camera.

In an economy where smartphone ownership and internet usage continue to grow, the number of traditional camera users is seen to decline, according to a Flickr review. In fact, the report added that popular smartphone devices like iPhone took the sweet spots in the most used camera category, leaving traditional cameras in seven other seats of the top 20 list.

This trend is evident in the number of gadgets being shipped in 2014, where more than 1.3 billion smartphones were shipped globally in contrast to the sharp decline of digital camera shipments. It was revealed that only 65 million cameras were shipped in the same year, less than half of the count in 2010.

With the increasing penetration of smartphones and their more and more powerful photography performance, traditional cameras have been marginalized. For consumers, smartphones not only have easy-to-use camera features that are enough for everyday use; this also makes photo-sharing easier and faster.

To meet the demands of these always-on-the-go consumers, many smartphone manufacturers ventured into improving their devices that integrate powerful photography features. This gave rise to ‘mobigraphy’ or mobile photography, the new art of capturing images and editing them—all in one place.

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Telecommunications company Globe Telecom announces the highly-successful pilot run of the Digital Thumbprint Program (DTP), the award-winning brainchild of Optus and Singtel first deployed in Australia. It was designed to increase high school students’ knowledge of digital citizenship and cyber safety by taking a critical look at their online behavior and helping them develop insights into the influences of the online world and the choices they are making.

“By empowering a generation of students with digital savvy and leadership skills, Globe is giving them a way to understand the individual impact of their decisions and actions as well as enhances their view of how technology can be used to create a #WonderfulPH,” said Fernando Esguerra, Director of Globe Corporate Social Responsibility.

He added: “The youth is greatly represented in the online community. Thus, to prepare them for the immense benefits that a digital nation brings, we want them to learn how to discern proper online behavior, be aware of technology’s impact on their social activities, and develop skills on how to use technology to help them achieve life goals.”

An assessment conducted by global consulting firm Karrikins Group of Australia showed that DTP had a very high impact among students of the two pilot schools ---- Dasmarinas East National High School in Dasmarinas, Cavite and Sico 1.0 National High School in San Juan, Batangas --- particularly on the topic of privacy and security settings on social media platforms.

NAITAS Travel and Trade Show (NTTS) 2016 on April 8 to 10

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The heat is on, summer has come. And so "NAITAS Travel and Trade Show (NTTS) 2016" blisters with more and more exhibitors and stakeholders confirming their active involvement. Slated on April 8, 9 and 10, 2016 at the SM Mall of Asia SMX Convention Center, NTTS 2016 promises once more to be the Philippines' liveliest travel, tourism and trade fair promoting outbound and inbound destinations and allied products and services.

For more information, you may call the Event Secretariat at (632) 254.9873 and (63)977.1744352.

The MICHELIN Pilot Sport EV Showcases its Versatility Around Race Circuits, Too!

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The Mexico City ePrix saw the MICHELIN Pilot Spot EV rise successfully to the very different challenge of competing around a permanent circuit, instead of at a temporary city-centre facility, as has been the case since the inaugural Formula E race in Beijing, in September 2014. Previous venues have ranged from street tracks to public parks (as in London) and airfield runways (Berlin), but Mexico City chose the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez and in the infield of a baseball stadium to stage its round of the FIA Formula E Championship.

Although the competition’s all-electric cars and their Michelin tyres have been tested previously at conventional tracks like Donington, England, and Issoire, France, purpose built circuits are very different to street circuits, notably in terms of the grip they provide, as well as the abrasiveness and dirtiness of the surface. [...] “This was effectively unknown territory for us because we needed to take account changes in grip in places, as well as changes in the type of asphalt,” added Serge Grisin. “We were confident, though, thanks on the one hand to Michelin Motorsport’s experience of circuit racing and, on the other, because of the versatility the MICHELIN Pilot Sport EV has shown in the Formula E Championship to date. It performed impeccably in Mexico City and the way it evolved matched our predictions. Today, I think we can say that whatever the weather or surface type, the MICHELIN Pilot Sport EV is a match for all types of conditions, with no detriment to either wear or performance.”

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Ekotek is turning up the heat with their Super Summer Sale! They've got amazing deals especially for you! Get up to 40% off your favorite Ekogadgets.

This summer, the 64-bit Quad Core LTE Ekophone Sage 2 can be yours for only P3799! Apple fans can get their hands on the Apple Certified Firmlink Charge and Sync cables for only P399! So what are you waiting for? Get your fans and shades out, 'cause this sale is hot and coming at you from all our kiosks and branches!

Grab'em while they're hot, and don't forget to follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and IG: @ekotekgadgets.

*Online prices are subject to change
**We’re available in SM Megamall, SM North EDSA, SM Las Piñas, SM City Pampanga, SM City Clark, SM Valenzuela, and SM Manila

Discounts and Freebies for Gratuates at Burgoo

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All 2016 graduates can avail twenty percent (20 %) discounts plus exciting freebies at all Burgoo outlets located at T. Morato in Quezon City; Powerplant Mall in Rockwell Makati; The Podium in Ortigas; Gateway Mall in Araneta Center Cubao; Robinsons Galleria in Ortigas; SM City The Block in North EDSA; Mall of Asia in Pasay; SM City Marikina: SM Southmall in Alabang, The District in Cavite, The Terraces Mall in Fairview, Starmall Prima in Taguig and the newly-opened Solenad 3 in Sta Rosa Laguna.

From appetizers, salads to pasta, pizza and main entrees, Burgoo has made available quality and sumptuous dishes for your dining pleasure which includes: Mozzarella Sticks, Fried Calamari, Gambas al Ajillo, Seafood Caesar Supreme, Shrimp Pomelo Salad, Frutte de Mare and Garden Fresh Pizza, Seafood Jambalaya Pasta, Seafood Linguini, Linguini with Clams, Shrimp Arrabiatta, Tomato Basil Spaghetti, Shrimps and Chips, Seafood Jambalaya,, Spinach Grilled Salmon, and Friday Fish Fry. For sweet endings, highly recommended are Raspberry Cheesecake, American Fruit Salad, Brownie ala Mode, etc.

For reservations and inquiries, please call 9277424, 8381815, 6875254, 7263578, 9136112, 5560091, 6336256 or 4420115.

Gumbo Salutes Graduates!

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Gumbo salutes all graduates of 2015 by giving them twenty percent (20%) discounts on their bill. Just dine in at any Gumbo restaurants and present any proof of graduation to get this discount plus a surprise gift! Enjoy these sumptuous treats at Gumbo such as Cajun Blackened Salmon, Barbecued Shrimps, Family Feast, Baked Artichoke Formagio, Cream Dory with Mango Salsa, Seafood Jambalaya, Seafood Gubo, Fish & Chips, Ultimate Seafood Feast, Halibut Pesto, delightful pizzas and pasta and must-try desserts!

Gumbo restaurants are located at the 2nd level, Entertainment Mall, SM Mall of Asia; 2nd level, The Block, SM City North Edsa; 3rd level, Robinsons Place Manila Midtown; 2nd level, Atrium Bldg., SM Megamall; Gateway Mall Araneta Center; and Robinsons Magnolia. For reservations and inquiries, please call 5560238, 4420106, 5671820 and 6353015.

There Could Be a Happy Place for Everyone

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Over a decade ago, there were 4.5 million cases reported on this silent illness called depression. Due to its social stigma, no one really wants to step up front and get diagnosed with it. As a result, not enough study or monitoring is being done in the Philippines for the moment.

It is estimated that for every 90 depressives, only one-third is expected to seek help, one third will suffer silently while the other one-third will bear the symptoms not knowing there's something wrong.

"Depression can hit anyone but not everyone knows what to do or where to go for assistance. Some are afraid to talk about it for fear of being labeled as insane or crazy. They need someone who can understand their situation, give advice and support, and bring light to their journey of suffering and pain with positive self-discovery and well-being,” said Jean Goulbourn, president of Natasha Goulbourn Foundation (NGF), a non-profit organization which helps people be aware of how one can prevent, recognize or treat this illness.

With this in mind, NGF and Globe Telecom earlier entered into a partnership for the NGF HOPELINE, a portal which makes it possible for people in need to quickly connect on a person-to-person basis with qualified, trained and certified responders who assist callers through established protocols. It also directs the callers where to undergo diagnosis, treatment and therapy.

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Unleash your potential and get ready as the Mu Sigma Phi kicks off Scholarship Week 2016!

For over eight decades, the Mu Sigma Phi Fraternity and Sorority of the UP College of Medicine, the first Medical Fraternity and Sorority in Asia, have upheld the pillars of Brotherhood, Sisterhood, Leadership, Scholarship, and Service. The Scholarship Week 2016 is a testament to its continued commitment to the promotion of exemplary scholastic performance. This week’s highlights include:

25th Brainstorm: Inter-Medical University Quiz Show

Celebrating its Silver Anniversary, Brainstorm is the flagship event hosted by the Mu Sigma Phi Fraternity and Sorority during the Scholarship Week. As a mark of our continuing commitment to the promotion of camaraderie within the medical profession, Brainstorm is regularly attended by the best minds from the Philippines' most prestigious medical institutions such as Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health, De La Salle Health Sciences Institute, Our Lady of Fatima University, University of Perpetual Help, University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, and University of the Philippines College of Medicine

Evidence-Based Medicine and Beyond: Basic Epidemiology Workshop for Medical Students

The Mu Sigma Phi Scholarship Summit is a whole-day event, which features lectures and return-demos on Evidence-Based Medicine, a course solely taught on the UP College of Medicine. In partnership with the Department of Clinical Epidemiology, the summit aims to disseminate to other universities the importance of this medical tool especially to our future clinicians. This is a testament of our continuing commitment to the promotion of excellence in medical education.

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Order your Galaxy S7 or S7 edge from Globe Platinum and get the latest in wearable technology

The launch of the latest Samsung Galaxy models, S7 and S7 edge showed today’s digital generation how a smartphone can truly be part of life’s everyday adventures. Complementing the new phones is the introduction of the latest device that will open up a whole new world of entertainment - Samsung Gear VR.

Allowing one to experience a new dimension of mobile entertainment, Samsung Gear VR lets Globe Platinum customers see more inspiring moments as it comes FREE with the Platinum Lifestyle Plans.

A Globe Platinum exclusive offer, by visiting www.globe.com.ph/platinum-S7, customers can pre-order their new Samsung Galaxy S7 or S7 edge on any of the Platinum Lifestyle Plans starting at Plan 3799 to get their free Samsung Gear VR. Redefining what a phone can do, the Gear VR changes content is enjoyed and experiences are shared. It boasts a super AMOLED display, wide field of view, precise head-tracking and low latency. Carrying a more comfortable design, it is now 19% lighter, with a larger touchpad for easy and accurate control.

With a growing library of Gear VR-compatible content, one can also live through their favorite movies or play the coolest games, as it all comes to life in 360° of detail.

“The Samsung Gear VR lets our Platinum customers discover a whole new way to fully enjoy their digital lifestyle. It not only compliments their new Samsung Galaxy S7 or S7 edge, but it also allows them to maximize the rich mobile data and premium content they have on their Platinum Lifestyle Plans. With the Gear VR, they will be able to watch movies or play games like never before. We are also happy to be the first in the Philippines to release and hand-deliver the new Samsung Galaxy S7 and Gear VR starting last March 14 to some of our Platinum customers personally by their Platinum Relationship Managers.” says Globe Platinum Brand Head, Kaisie del Carmen.

Experience the Circuit Party Phenomenon at Jungle Circuit Party Laboracay from April 29 to May 1

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We invite you to experience the circuit party phenomenon in the Philippines! Unleash The Animal Within for 3 massive events in our world famous party beach, Boracay!

First up, Jungle Circuit Party Neon! A black light & paint party on April 29, Friday at the beachfront of Wave Bar & Lounge, station 2!

For our 2nd night it's The Lost Paradise!! On April 30, Saturday at the beachfront of Wave Bar & Lounge, station 2!

For our 3 rd night, we will make it Rain as Hydro Manila take the stage and everyone WET and Wild On May 1, Sunday at the beachfront of Wave Bar & Lounge, station 2!

Music by your 10 Top Filipino DJs and 3 International Filipino LGBT DJs plus 2 of the most sought after international circuit party DJ from Malaysia and Thailand!

Tickets are available at all SM cinemas nationwide. Search for "junglecircuitparty" on Facebook and Instagram.

For inquiries and reservation kindly contact 0917 861 5747 or krisnuevoevents@gmail.com

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It was a tiring but blessed day. We do a Visita Iglesia every year and always during Good Friday. This time it was very special since all seven churches we visited had special and significant meanings in our lives that will forever be a part of our "unforgettable" memories.

Yes, there are memories that are slowly fading away that they are almost forgotten, but there are still those that remain strongly immortalized into our minds because they also have an intimate place in our hearts. I believe that when both mind and heart are in unison, everything else follows and become a lifelong rhythm or melody that will forever be reverberating in our ears like soothing or vibrant music.

Our first visit was of course starting with the main church of Pasig, formally known as the Immaculate Concepcion Cathedral located at Plaza Rizal of Barangay Malinao. It was not only because we live in Pasig, but this is also the church where I was christened. I was born in Pasig and my parents first lived in this city before we transferred to Pateros where my parents built a house. I was very young when we left Pasig, and I was destined to return and live here with my wife and kids again. This is where my eldest child was christened too, but that happened when we were still living in Pateros where my eldest was also born.

I've included the Pasig church which we already visited from a previous Visita Iglesia way back 2014 so you can just refer to the article we wrote about it. We often visit this church aside from the Santa Clara de Montefalco Parish located at C. Raymundo Avenue Barangay Caniogan and the San Antonio Abad Parish located at Stella Maris Avenue Barangay Maybunga which are nearer our home.

This is Part 1 of 7 since we visited 7 churches from different locations starting with Pasig and ending in Paranaque where we visited the National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help of more popularly known as the Baclaran church.