Dulaang UP Proudly Presents "Faust"

Wazzup Pilipinas!

“Man errs, till he has ceased to strive” so sighs God in the prologue to Wolfgang von Goethe’s romantic tragic masterpiece FAUST. Driven by a boundless desire for knowledge, Faust struggles to fathom “what holds the world together in its innermost self.” Directors and theatre audiences around the world have been asking similar questions in their relentless pursuit to comprehend this masterwork.

On its 41st Theater Season, Dulaang UP brings you Rody Vera’s adaptation of FAUST. The play opens in heaven where the devil, Mephisto, wagers with God that he can corrupt his most virtuous servant FAUST. What follows in the play is a series of events that questions our preconceived notions of justice, rationality, and morality.

Neil Sese and Jack Yabut alternate in the title role of Faust while Paolo O’Hara and Mailes Kanapi as Mephisto − a cultivated, witty and cynical servant from hell who is an embodiment of a complex doctrine of philosophical nihilism and negation as some scholars point out. Karen Gaerlan plays the innocent and pious Gretchen who is transformed into a tragic heroine as the play develops.

FAUST is directed by José Estrella with an artistic team led by Sir Anril Tiatco, Jem Javier, and Bryan Viray (Dramaturgy), Barbie Tan-Tiongco (Lights), Carlo Pagunaling (Costume), Ed Lacson (Set), JM Cabling (Choreography), and Jon Lazam (Sounds).

Miss Universe 2016 Candidates Join Tree Planting, Strawberry Picking and Other Activities at Baguio Country Club

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The Miss Universe 2016 candidates had plenty of activities at the Baguio Country Club (BCC) while they were in Baguio city. Aside from the tour of the place, they were given the opportunity to experience strawberry picking and tree planting. They also graced The Crown Invitational Golf Tournament with their presence, plus a Gala Dinner at the Cordilerra Convention Hall to honor and reward with tokens coming from the Tourism department of the country. They were treated to an evening of culinary adventure and cultural performances.

These 28 lovely ladies (out of the total 86 official candidates), of which one of them could be the next Miss Universe for 2016, were joined by reigning Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach and known personalities from Baguio City and nearby provinces. Wurtzbach was inducted as an honorary member of Cordillera Women by Regional Director Ma. Venus Tan of the Department of Tourism in the Cordillera Administrative Region. Of course, Luis "Chavit" Singson is always there for the photo ops.

To continue with the ancillary events for the 65th Miss Universe beauty pageant, some of the candidates will head to Davao City for the Mindanao Tapestry Presentation and to Batangas for the sunset photo shoot.

Miss Universe 2016 Candidates and Pia Wurtzbach at Mini Panagbenga of Baguio City

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Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach and 28 Miss Universe candidates went to Baguio City as part of their tour of the country. In their honor, and for the residents' appreciation, a mini Baguio Flower Festival parade, or what we all popularly know as Panagbenga, was done part of their visit in the Summer Capital. Panagbenga is usually celebrated annually in the city every February but this is an opportunity for the Baguio officials to let the candidates experience even a little what it feels like to be part of their grandest parade.

Wurtzbach and candidates were welcomed by Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan, and Hotel and Restaurant Association of Baguio (HRAB) president and Baguio Country Club (BCC) general manager Anthony de Leon in a simple rite followed by a silent drill exhibition by the Philippine Military Academy (PMA).

Baguio City is one of the few places in the country that will be visited by selected contestants of the Miss Universe Pageant.  Thus, City Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan even issued an administrative order (AO) suspending classes in all levels on January 18, 2017 to pave way for the conduct of the street dancing and mini float parade for the visiting beauty contestants of the Miss Universe.

Roads in the city were closed early morning to prepare for the mini version of the flower festival with four floats and eight street dancing contingents ready for the exhibition performance for the international visitors. A contingent of 5,000 composed of schools, groups and officials paraded with the candidates along the stretch of Upper Session road until the Baguio Country Club to the delight of the waiting crowd.

10 Philippine Cities to Watch in 2017

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There is more to the Philippines than the typically well-known Metro Manila cities, and in 2017, it will be more evident in the continued development of these cities to watch, compiled by Lamudi Philippines

With sustained progress in the real estate industry backed by an overall economy that various financial institutions predict to grow between 6 to almost 7 percent in 2017, many places in the Philippines are becoming increasingly ideal to live and/or invest in.

Whichever reason to move: a fresh start, exploring new career and business opportunities, or a growing a family, ten of these places in the country, compiled by global real estate website Lamudi Philippines, stand out, and are worth your consideration for this year, and even beyond.

Globe Ready to Provide Support for Establishment of Comprehensive Credit Information System

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In compliance with a government mandate, Globe Telecom said it is ready to provide Credit Information Corp. (CIC), a state-run agency, with credit information of its customers starting February this year.

“As mandated by law, Globe is ready to comply with the directive to provide basic credit data. We are confident that establishment of a credit information system in the country will further enhance development of the local financial sector that, in turn, will further boost economic growth,” Globe General Counsel Froilan Castelo said.

Republic Act 9510, also known as Credit Information System Act, which was enacted into law in 2008, provides for the creation of the CIC. CIC is tasked primarily to collect and disseminate relevant credit information that will directly address the need for reliable credit information concerning the credit standing and track record of borrowers, thus potentially improving chances of loan approvals and enabling lenders to make appropriate decisions regarding loan applications.

The law requires banks, quasi-banks, their subsidiaries and affiliates, life insurance companies, credit card companies and other entities that provide credit facilities to submit basic credit data and updates on a regular basis to the CIC, which is mandated to update the basic credit data of a borrower on a monthly basis. Basic credit data includes any negative and positive credit information that tends to update the credit status of borrowers.

The establishment of a comprehensive credit information database is expected to enhance financial inclusion in the country. For instance, Globe customers with no credit record from a bank or financial institution, but with a Globe account, can now have credit information, which could be one of the possible bases for loan approval.

Recently, the scope of CIC’s coverage was expanded to include telecommunication companies as provided for under CIC Circular 2016-01. “The CIC has determined that telecommunications companies are within the purview of the law whose data is relevant for determination of creditworthiness and in making credit decisions,” the circular stated.

With the establishment of a comprehensive credit information database, financing companies may use the basic credit data from the pool of credit information gathered and collected by CIC from the submitting entities to establish creditworthiness of an individual or an organization.

The Best Travel Deals for Your Next Dream Getaway

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Kick-start 2017 with wonderful travels to inspiring destinations. Now on its 4th year of partnership since 2013, Globe Platinum and Singapore Airlines bring the Singapore Airlines Showcase and Travel Fair to Manila starting January 20 to February 20, 2017. Globe Platinum customers can enjoy discounted round trip all-in-fares and other wonderful surprises during this year’s event.

"Traveling is one of our customers’ biggest passions and our longstanding partnership with Singapore Airlines allows us to provide some of the best travel deals! This exclusive access is just some of the many privileges that only we can offer. Our partnership complements the already existing travel privileges of a Globe Platinum customer, such as access to over 800 international airport lounges and our worldwide concierge service. This is just the start of many exciting things and travel opportunities for our customers this 2017,” shares Kaisie del Carmen, Globe Platinum Head.

Wonderful travel destinations in Southeast Asia, North Asia, West Asia, Africa, Europe and USA, can now be accessed directly from the Philippines through Singapore Airlines (SQ) and SilkAir (MI) with the most affordable fares. Globe Platinum customers can exclusively enjoy year-round discounted flights to these destinations if they purchase their flights from January 20 to February 20, 2017 at any Singapore Airlines Showcase and Travel Fair. Customers can also book their flights to any of these said destinations using their BPI credit card through http://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/ph/home.

Ang Walang Katapusang Sequel: A Modern Site-specific Approach to Romance

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“Saan ka kayang dalhin ng pag-ibig? Hanggang saan mo kaya magpadala?” 

Antrosininglaya continues to break walls with its not-so-typical play about love and relationships or popularly known today as “hugot”. Music, theatre, poetry, and audience are treated as elements of the performance.

The Ang Walang Katapusang Sequel performance discusses modern relationships in all its glory and complications. The play is experiential with a site-specific approach placing the audience inches away from the performers, treating everyone in the space as a part of the performance.

Love is boundless and has interminable sequels. The play does not want to tell stories of love under a typical light. The performance tells them how love stories are, how they end, and continue to exist. Ang Walang Katapusang Sequel also takes an experiential and interactive approach to the story where the audience participates and contributes to the performance.

The play is told through different stand-alone episodes involving Matt and his friends, and other lovesick individuals at the bar. The scenes are woven through Matt, who is secretly in love with the Alice, the bar’s resident singer.

Set in an acoustic bar bunch of familiar characters, date, hangout, drink, and catch up. Testaments and sentiments of a hopeless romantic, an old lover, the-one-that-got-away, an unwitting mistress and other not so familiar characters fuel the story's unending discussion about relationships, life, love and everything in between. These not-so-familiar characters share their intertwined stories to the heart-breaking music of the bar’s band and cold bottles of beer like what a typical Friday night should be. What else could happen, right? 

The Disappearing Fourth Wall - Instead of the traditional on-stage set up, we will break borders and tell the story in an actual environment where it could happen in actual time. Audience interaction is treated as an essential element of the performance to highlight its realism aspect.

Collaboration of Music and Segmented stories - The play is influenced of stories we hear and encounter on a typical bar night hangout but told in a different approach. The execution of the stories are not limited to acted-out scenes and live music.

Antrosininglaya is open to selling Ang Walang Katapusang Sequel performance to different bars, resto, or any space given where they can blend it in. Contact them through their page or directly message their Artistic Director, Alvin Molina (09167084981 or albin.molina@gmail.com) for details and set-up.
TRT:    75 mins to 90 mins
GENRE:   Romantic – Comedy – Light Drama
THEME:   love, “hugot”, relationships (and all its complications)
TARGET AUDIENCE:  Class B – C. Teenagers, yuppies, people who just want to hang out and chill out to good music.

TICKET PRICE:  P250
CONTACT:  Maxin Canlas – 0917 764 0827 or send a message through the AWKS Facebook Page
SHOW DATES And VENUE:  SPLICE RESTO BAR, GREENFIELD DISTRICT, MANDALUYONG CITY    February 4, 2017 (5pm and 9pm) February 5, 2017 (3pm and 7pm)

Previous shows: (the show on the 4th of February will be the 19th show and 7th run)
A Space, Makati City – June 2016
Splice Resto Bar, Mandaluyong City – June 2016
Splice Resto Bar, Mandaluyong City – July 2016
Roxy Events Place, Quezon City – August 2016
Dad Jim’s Diner, Las Pinas City – September 2016 77
Grove Place, Los Banos, Laguna – November 2016 

Buddha-Bar Manila to Host Cabaret Night for its 5th Year Anniversary

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Buddha-Bar Manila, a world-class bar that offers fine dining and entertainment experience, will celebrate its 5th anniversary with an evening of spectacular entertainment, heart-stopping music, exquisite wine, and non-stop dancing on Saturday, January 28, 2017.

The event dubbed “Cabaret Night” will feature live performances by the Silk Band, Can-Can Dancers, and Buddha-Bar’s Resident DJ Joseph Alturas. Former Myx VJ and Kulay Band member, Angel Jones will host the evening of festivities, which also coincides with the celebration of the Year of the Rooster.

“Buddha-Bar is known for bringing multiple dining and entertainment experiences for our customers. That is why aside from our relaxing lounge bar area, the culinary pleasures from the restaurant, and the good music vibes distilled by our resident DJ, we also conceptualize themed events. This time, we are bringing the extravagance and glamour of a cabaret night for our customers,” said Angelito Agustin, Head of Operations of Buddha-Bar Manila.

Buddha-Bar’s Cabaret Night starts at 9 pm and is co-sponsored by Distileria Destileria Limutuaco & Co., Emperador Distillers, Inc., and Maserati Philippines. It also offers an Open Bar promo in which for Php 1,000 per person, customers will get unlimited cocktails, wines, and spirits.

Since it first opened in 2012, Buddha-Bar Manila has brought the exquisite taste of Modern Asian and Western cuisine. It also carries the sophistication and the world-class service offered by the Buddha-Bar International franchise based in Paris, France.

“We hope to get the word to the glamorous people out there to join us as we celebrate five fabulous years. We are thankful for the support of our customers and we look forward to many more years to come.” Agustin added.

Buddha-Bar Manila is located at Picar Place, Kalayaan Ave, Makati City. For inquiries and reservations, please call 8566719, 8566859 or 09989833918.

NEC Named to the “Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations” List for 2017

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NEC Corporation announced its selection to the “Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World,” an index listing the world’s 100 most sustainable corporations. This marks the third time NEC has been selected as one of the Global 100, following an announcement at the World Economic Forum held from January 17 in Davos, Switzerland.

The Global 100 index has been published annually since its establishment in 2005 by Canadian publisher Corporate Knights Inc. The Global 100 were evaluated and selected from among approximately 4,900 corporations around the world based on efforts made toward twelve quantitative key performance indicators related to sustainability. NEC is one of four Japan-based corporations selected to the list.

Global 100 Key Performance Indicators:

Prioritized for the Technology Hardware Storage and Peripherals Group

l  Energy Intensity          

l  Carbon Intensity          

l  Water Intensity   

l  Waste Intensity  

l  Innovation Capacity               

l  Percentage Tax Paid               

l  CEO-Average Employee Pay   

l  Pension Fund Status              

l  Leadership Diversity

l  Clean Capitalism Pay Link

l  Supplier

l  Clean Air Productivity

As a social value creator, NEC will continue leveraging ICT to resolve challenges facing society as it aims to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by 193 UN members in 2015.

Cusi: Energy Sector’s Resiliency vs Calamities a Must

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The Department of Energy (DOE) will continue to adapt, improve and be pro-active in ensuring the resiliency of the energy sector in the face of the onslaught of natural calamities like the recent typhoons.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi made the assurance today as he revealed that the DOE is updating the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and emergency responses of the sector to lessen the impact of calamities on energy infrastructures.

“Disaster risk reduction is always a priority along with immediate restoration of power during outages caused by Mother Nature," said Cusi. “We have to live by the new reality that typhoons have become far stronger because of the effects of climate change.”

Cusi said the best practices in disaster risk reduction being employed by various government agencies including the DOE is being continuously overhauled, tweaked or upgraded to be more responsive in addressing today’s challenges.

“On the part of the DOE, we are reviewing the protocols to be followed by energy sector players, especially the measures on climate change adaptation,” he added.

Cusi said the DOE has been strictly following the measures set forth by the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 (R.A. 10121) as implemented by the National Disaster Risk-Reduction and Management Council.

The DOE secretary sits as member of the NDRRMC.

Cusi identified “Task Force Kapatid” as one of the measures employed by the energy family, through the supervision of the National Electrification Administration (NEA).

The task force facilitates the repair and rehabilitation of lines and the restoration of electric service during disasters in coordination with the NDRRMC.

“We constantly convene industry partners to encourage climate change adaptation in order to reduce the vulnerability of our power supply system against future calamities,” said Cusi.

“We are constantly on the lookout for better systems and technologies, as well as SOPs and protocols in undertaking repair and rehabilitation of damaged lines and energy facilities,” added the DOE chief.

Mapúa Central Student Council Proudly Presents Mapúa Foundation Week 2017

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The Mapúa Central Student Council of Mapúa Institute of Technology proudly presents the Mapúa Foundation Week 2017, one of the major events held yearly by the institute. The event will be held on January 22-28, 2017 at Mapúa, Intramuros Manila and Makati.

The Foundation week will start off with a fun run at the Mapua grounds on January 22. Opening ceremonies will happen the following day, January 23, with Institutional Service Awards, Awards Ceremonies and the Don Tomas Cup 2017 Opening. January 24 will have several seminars and lectures, the Cinemapua, an exhibition game, plus a Mapua Got Talent competition in the evening. Cinemapua, seminars and lectures, career talk, Math wizard, Mapua Tekno Teatro, Quiz Show, Mr. and Ms. Cardinals Red Carpet and a concert at night will happen on January 25. January 26 will have Teambuilding with orgs, Quiz Show, several seminars, Cardinal Excellence Awards. January 27 will have CineMapuas, Mapua Tekno Teatro, seminars and the grand coronation night for Mr and Ms Cardinals.

Mr. and Ms. Cardinals 2017 is one of its major activities where it showcases beauty and talents of our co-students. Just as how we are nearing the holding of the Miss Universe beauty pageant in Manila, we give highlights to our respective beauties with our own "beauty pageant," may it be in school, work, neighborhood, city, region and of course, the country and the world...or universe rather.

James Chalmers’ “Prelude To Macbeth” – A One-Act Play All Set to Open Artist Playground’s 3rd Season on Feb. 23

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Artist Playground proudly presents the Asian premiere of James Chalmers’ “Prelude to Macbeth” as its third season opener starting February 23, 2017.

Directed by Roeder Camanag, Artistic Director of Artist Playground, “Prelude to Macbeth” is an epic tale set in the middle ages. This one act play is the prequel to Shakespeare’s Macbeth of how he becomes Thane of Glamis and how he meets Lorna Stewart who becomes his wife – Lady Macbeth. The play is written in blank verse - the style fashionable with playwrights of Shakespeare’s era.

“Prelude to Macbeth” was written by James Chalmers in 2009 and performed by his own drama company Shoreline at the Leverhulme Drama Festival and the Wilmslow Festival of One Act Plays.

“Prelude to Macbeth” won the 2010 Seahorse Award for Best Stage Play at the Moondance Film Festival in America. At the Wilmslow Guild Drama Festival 2010, it received the Adjudicators Award for the most original piece of theatre. It was also awarded the trophies for highest directing mark and overall winner at the SCDA Caithness District festival of one act plays in Scotland in 2016.

The schedule of performances of “Prelude to Macbeth” are as follows: February 23 – 26, 2017. Thursday – Friday at 7 pm; Saturday and Sunday at 3 pm and 7 pm. Venue: 1701 The Little Room Upstairs, Landsdale Tower, Mother Ignacia Ave. corner Timog, QC.

Globe Expands Interconnection with Competition for Fixed Voice Calls to Include Davao Oriental

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Globe Telecom said interconnection with its main competition for fixed voice calls has been expanded further to include Davao Oriental province.

Taking effect January 5, 2017, the interconnection enables customers of Globe landline services in Davao Oriental to call customers of other telco providers without additional charges as they no longer have to pay for long distance charges when calling one another.

“The implementation of an interconnection agreement in Davao Oriental supports Globe Telecom’s thrust of providing affordable and easily accessible ways of communication for the benefit of our customers. We expect more and more provinces and areas to enjoy lower connectivity rates, in line with our commitment of further expanding interconnection with other telco operators,” Globe General Counsel Atty. Froilan Castelo said, adding that interconnection with its main competition now covers 39 provinces and areas in the country.

Prior to the interconnection, landline customers of Globe and other telco providers were charged with long distance rate when making phone calls to one another. With the interconnection, Globe customers can simply dial the seven-digit telephone number to connect with other telco providers and vice-versa.

Interconnection among telco providers is in line with provisions for compulsory interconnection of authorized public telecommunications carriers under Republic Act 7925. The law aims to create a universally accessible and fully integrated nationwide telecommunications network to encourage more infrastructure investments from the private sector that would benefit the consumers.

In addition to Davao Oriental, Globe has existing interconnection agreement with its main competition in Metro Manila, Cavite, Iloilo, Batangas, Cebu, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Bohol, Leyte, Davao City, Pampanga, Bulacan, Zamboanga, Laguna, Quezon, La Union, Nueva Ecija, Benguet, GenSan/South Cotabato, Tarlac, Davao del Norte, Pangasinan, Ilocos Norte, Zambales, Ilocos Sur, Capiz, Cagayan, Nueva Viscaya, Iloilo, Bataan, Isabela, Camarines Norte, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Biliran, Aklan, and Bukidnon.

Globe Provides Libreng Tawag and Charging to CDO Flood Victims

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Leading telecommunications company Globe Telecom reaches out to victims of torrential rains and severe flooding in Cagayan de Oro City by setting up Libreng Tawag and Libreng Charging stations in three of the most affected areas.The Globe booths are located at Brgy. Hall, Mabolo St., Brgy. Carmen; Cugman Elementary School; and Brgy. 26 Osmena St. in front of ongoing SM construction. They are open until January 22, from 9 am to 6 pm and may still be extended depending on the need.

Pinoy Fighter Roy Doliguez Finds One-Year Hiatus Beneficial in Skill Growth

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Over a year sitting on the sidelines, Filipino fighter Roy Doliguez makes his much-awaited return to the ONE Championship cage on 10 February as he is set to square off with grappling ace Alex Silva on the undercard of ONE: THRONE OF TIGERS in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Doliguez, who holds a professional mixed martial arts (MMA) record of 6-3, is considered one of the best strawweight competitors that the local combat scene in the Philippines has produced.

The 34-year-old native of Malungon, Sarangani is also a former professional boxer, who has nearly 50 fights under his belt. He captured the WBO Asia Pacific light flyweight title in September 2002.

Doliguez, who has been out of action since January 2016, did not mince words about his excitement for his comeback bout at ONE: THRONE OF TIGERS.

“I am back, and I am so happy. I might have been away from action for over a year, but the desire to compete has been always there. I am so excited. I want to put on a great fight for the fans in Malaysia. And of course, bring pride and honor to the Philippines,” he said.

Although he has been away from the international MMA spotlight for 14 months, Doliguez revealed that he kept himself active during his absence from active competition.

“I was still training. It did not stop. Even if there wasn’t a fight, I still trained like there is an upcoming fight. It’s my lifestyle. I’m in great shape for this fight,” he stated.

Lenovo Launches Think University to Enrich Learning Experience in Partner Schools

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Recognizing the growing role of technology in the learning process of students, Lenovo Philippines launches Think University, an initiative that empowers partner schools to provide an enhanced and more interactive learning experience through a grant of 10 units of ThinkCentre M73 Tiny Desktop to qualified colleges and universities. By purchasing a certain number of Lenovo computers, a school can qualify for the program.

“Lenovo believes that empowering the youth through quality education is vital to nation-building. Think University is part of our efforts to leverage our innovative devices to aid the academy in enhancing the overall experience,” said Michael Ngan, Country General Manager of Lenovo Philippines. “We hope that through this, our partner schools can create an immersive, interactive learning environment for their students.”

With the Lenovo computers, the students are able to access technological resources that will strengthen their learning experience. It will allow them to engage more fully in class activities and access worldwide databases with ease, acquiring competence in technologies that are relevant to their studies.

Ngan explains that an improved IT infrastructure in schools can further boost learning in the classroom. “Technology today enables students to learn at their own pace. Almost all educational apps allow for individualized instruction and there are plenty of legitimate resources that can be accessed anytime on the Internet. With this, students can learn according to their abilities and needs. This form of teaching is also great for the teacher because it gives him or her the time to work individually with students who may be struggling,” said Ngan.

As the leading PC manufacturer and seller of consumer electronics in the country, Lenovo’s products are known for their durability, ruggedness, and reliability—three critical factors which the company believes are tailor-made for the classroom. Lenovo’s products are flexible enough to adapt to the many ways technology can be incorporated into the overall school experience.

Not only for students
Knowing that improved education technology leads to better teaching opportunities, Lenovo also aims to assist educators. The products enables teachers to deliver more dynamic lessons by providing reliable access to the latest online multimedia materials and connecting their PCs to interactive online classroom boards. Administrators can also update policies and procedures on the overall network in real-time, maintain up-to-date emergency plans and increase collaboration among staff for school-wide initiatives.

“Being a global leader in technology and innovation, we have a special role in developing the use of technology in the classroom. We also understand the challenges schools face in improving education with new models of teaching while managing cost, efficiency, and security and that is why Lenovo will continue to support its partner schools,” added Ngan.

ThinkCentre M73 Tiny Desktop is a compact computer packed with the same reliable and powerful performance one expects from bigger desktops. It features 4th Gen Intel Core processors as well as plenty of storage and memory, making it a good fit for school use. Moreover, the model comes with an advanced heat regulator and an ultra-efficient Green design to help lessen energy use.

Cusi Outlines PH’s Energy Thrust in Abu Dhabi Meet

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Advancing continental energy cooperation, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi led a delegation from his department in taking an active role during the 15th Ministerial Meeting of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) in Abu Dhabi.

The dialogue hosted by the United Arab Emirates last Jan. 17 had for its theme “Abu Dhabi, the Capital of Sustainable Energy.”

In his speech, Secretary Cusi said “ACD is evolving to a higher level and serious intent of cooperation. The Philippines is one with the ACD in pursuing its vision of sustainable energy and secured energy access for Asia.”

Recognizing the importance of energy planning with rising power demand due to rapid urbanization, Sec. Cusi emphasized that “the energy sector will play a critical role in ensuring the reliable supply of energy to all our consumers nationwide. We take the role of sustainable energy very seriously.”

“We continue to work with other countries to ensure a strong enabling environment which will encourage greater investment, especially in renewable forms of energy, as well as other conventional forms of energy,” he added.

Global Filipino Schools Enhance eLearning with 220 Tablet Donation from Cloudfone

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Select public schools under the Global Filipino School (GFS) program of Globe Telecom can now further enhance digital learning and promote love of reading among K-12 students through the help of 220 tablets donated by Cloudfone, one of the leading providers of smartphones and tablets in the country.

Globe and Cloudfone launched the partnership by holding a different kind of reading session at the Andres Bonifacio Integrated School in Mandaluyong City where 40 grades 5 and 6 students enjoyed stories told by Globe employee volunteers using the tablets.

The first 11 schools which implemented the GFS program received Cloudpad 900TV tablets pre-loaded with an ebook reader app. The tablets are on top of the regular Globe Digital Laboratory package that are provided to all GFS containing netbooks/tablets, wifi devices, and a mobile cart with a built-in projector screen.

"Part of Cloudfone's advocacy is to equip the youth of today with technological devices such as these Cloudpads, to make their learning experience awesome and worthwhile,” said Eric S. Yu, President and CEO of Cloudfone.

“Through this partnership with Cloudfone, more students and teachers can have access to a vast library of information previously out of their reach. Students can go beyond what they learned in the classroom with just a few clicks while teachers benefit too because the information they get from the internet can make for more interesting and enriching lessons,” said Yoly Crisanto, Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications of Globe.

With the help of the tablets, students and teachers can fully explore the GFS Library (http://www.gfslibrary.com), a free, web-based platform that provides free and quick access to digital story books for children and young adults as well as textbooks on core subjects such as Math, Science, English, Filipino, Music, Arts, among others. They may also use the Globe-provided internet service to connect to the GFS Library and to download as many titles as needed for their learning needs.

Under GFS, schools are provided with unparalleled online connectivity to give homeroom teachers access to limitless teaching and learning engagements available on the internet that will help further improve their craft and make learning fun and interesting for the students.

GFS Library is a component of the GFS program, a long-term Globe educational initiative that seeks to transform public schools into centers of Information and Communications Technology excellence and innovative teaching methods in order to set the stage for 21st Century Learning.

All schools under GFS are, likewise, intended to become teacher training hubs and training partners of the DepEd Division Offices in conducting teaching workshops for neighboring schools of each division.

There are currently 80 schools under the GFS program, with Globe expecting to put up a GFS school in each of the 221 school divisions of the Department of Education (DepEd) nationwide within the next four years.

PHOTO CAPTION:

Students of Andres Bonifacio Integrated School listen intently to a Globe employee volunteer who reads them a story using the Cloudpad 900TV tablet.

DOTr Statement on 260% increase of Common Station from Original Php778 M to Php2.8 B

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Here is the statement of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) in response to the post of Renato (Nato) Reyes Jr. re: 260% increase in the project cost for the Common Station from the original Php778 million in 2009 to Php2.8 Billion:

"CLARIFICATION: The Php777 million is not the cost for the SM City Annex Station. It is the ADDITIONAL COST TO THE ORIGINAL COST of the North Avenue Station of the North Extension Project (NEP) which was transferred to the SM Annex location because of MRT7. Please take note that the 2009 transfer of the NEP's North Avenue Station to the SM City Annex location was due to the fact that the MRT7 project was not yet in place back in 2006.

The original cost of the North Avenue Station of the NEP in 2006 was approximately Php780 million. When it was moved to SM City Annex in 2009, an additional Php777 million was needed with a total cost of around Php1.5 Billion. This is because the original North Avenue Station of the NEP was originally intended to service ONLY Lines 1 and 3. BUT, with the subsequent approval of Line 7, the government needed a bigger station to serve three (3) rail systems. Bigger station equals bigger budget.

The "additional" 777 million approved in 2009 was on top of LRT-1 NEP's original 2007 NEDA Board approved Project Cost of Php6.3 billion. The reason for the additional cost was because the SM Annex station (a.k.a. MM Integrated Rail Terminal) is larger than the original LRT-1 NEP terminal station across Trinoma (because instead of just being a transfer station between LRT-1 and MRT-3, the SM Annex station connected LRT-1, MRT-3, and MRT-7). Again, Php777 million is NOT the cost of the SM Annex station; Php777 million is the "ADDITIONAL" cost entailed by shifting from the original LRT-1 NEP terminal station across Trinoma to the SM Annex Station.

Boodle Fight in a Bilao at St. Nicholas Catering and Restaurant

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Our pre-Christmas get-together last December was a tummy-filled foodie blast thanks to St. Nicholas Catering and Restaurant's "Boodle Fight sa Bilao." Unlike most boodles that you eat either on banana leaves, the restaurant's boodle fight is conveniently placed in a "bilao" or large woven tray. The "Boodle Fight in a Bilao" is available for Dine in or Take out.

The "Boodle Fight in a Bilao" is available in many variants or food combinations. In our case, we got three "bilaos" of the one they call "Davao" with Shrimps, Calamares, Shrimp tempura, Lechong Kawali, Eggplant Tempura, of course Rice, plus some Salted Egg Tomato and Onion.The "Palawan" version has Fried Chicken, Pancit Canton, and Okoy Gulay to replace the Shrimp tempura, Lechong Kawali, and Eggplant Tempura, while the "Boracay" bilao has Fried Chicken, Lechong Kawali, Sisig, Pritong Talong with Bagoong, and Pancit Canton. "Cebu" has Calderetang Baka, Lechon Kawali, Sisig and Pancit Canton. "Batangas" has Adobo sa Dilaw, Calamares, Shrimp Tempura, and Pancit Bihon. All Boodle sa Bilao have Shrimps, Salted Egg, Tomato, Onion and Rice. You save around Php200 per bilao.

Too bad it's not yet available for delivery since the place is quite hard to get a taxi or regular transport services if you're just going to commute. Getting a Grab or Uber transport may be difficult especially during peak hours. It is thus advisable to bring a car or any vehicle as service. But the owners just wants you to come to the place so you could personally visit and take some photos with their new giant teddy bear.

The Top Five Real Estate Emerging Market Trends for 2017

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Property portal Lamudi Philippines predicts five market trends that will shape the property sector in 2017

The year 2016 was a challenging year for real estate. Most of the year was rapt with uncertainty in the aftermath of two seismic events—Brexit and the U.S. elections.

Anyone thinking of buying property became hesitant and decided that it was more prudent to wait until there is more clarity about how these unexpected events would affect the market. Buyers in Mexico were worried that a wall might be built sending the country into an economic recession. English investors were concerned that the inevitable departure from the EU would be cataclysmic for the domestic property market.

Analysts at Lamudi Philippines have spent some time in the lab crunching the stats, to come up with five trends they deem will shape real estate in 2017.

Steady as She Goes

With torpid real GDP growth across most of the emerging markets, governments are reluctant to raise interest rates. So where does that leave the market? In many cases due to difficulties securing construction financing and the cash required to purchase prize locations, there is now a situation where investors will look to avoid risk more so than usual. In brief, this will create a calm market, where real estate prices remain stable. While construction activity is expected to pick up pace in the second half of 2017, the start of the new year will be slower to gain momentum.

Emerging Markets Are a Portfolio Essential

A smart move for the new year is to hedge your investments in Europe and the United States by including some higher risk real estate investment funds. In a world of unattractive global investment options going against the grain might be the ticket to prosperity. Despite the International Monetary Fund cutting its global growth forecast to 3.4 percent for 2017, there is hope in the developing world.

Attack of the Drones

Unmanned aerial vehicles or drones will be the big tech advancement in 2017. Real estate agents will look to gain an edge over competitors by providing flyovers of properties for exclusive properties and agents. Home-buyers and sellers will be able to use drones to their advantage. One caveat: certain flights will need the local tower’s permission along with a flight plan filed online. There is a real danger that drones could crash into commercial planes; considering the damage a bird can do this is something users need to bear in mind.

Optionality Is Back

As investors flee to relative safe havens; developers and investors are seeking solace in multi-use projects. Owners of versatile buildings can benefit from finding the maximum rent from the ideal tenant, whether that is through offices, retail outlets, or residential blocks. Flexible leases will become more common in a coworking type of arrangement. Lamudi—the global property platform whose global HQ is in the trendy Kreuzberg area of Berlin, Germany, share their building with other Rocket Internet startups. This is an ideal way for owners to get the full rental income while companies can engage in knowledge sharing.

Smart Home Tech and IoT

In 2016 we read a lot about the revolution that the Internet-of-Things (IoT) promised and 2017 may be the year for smart home technology to become more widespread. The problem is that there is a lot of competition, but no single company has managed to combine multiple appliances and apps into a seamless catch-all product. That could soon change with Google and Apple entering the market, giants of uniform user experiences. So brace yourself for smart houses that make life very, very easy for you.

Construction of Common Station to Start in December 2017

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The construction of the Common Station project is targeted to start by December this year after the Department of Transportation and concerned parties today signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on the long-delayed railway project.

The MOA was signed by the DOTr, SM Prime Holdings, Inc., Universal LRT Corporation (BVI) Limited of the San Miguel Corporation (SMC), Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC), North Triangle Depot Commercial Corporation (NTDCC), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA). 

Specific signatories as seen in the photo above are (R to L) Bernard Vincent Dy, President and CEO of Ayala Land Inc.; Jeffrey Lim, President of SM Prime Holdings Inc.; Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, Vice Chairman of Ayala Land Inc.; Hans Sy, Chairman of SM Prime Holdings; Mark Villar, Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary; Arther Tugade, Department of Transportation Secretary; Manny Pangilinan, Vice Chairman of Light Rail Manila Corporation; Ramon Ang, President of San Miguel Corporation; Lorenzo Formos of San Miguel Corporation; Rogelio Singson, President and CEO of Light Rail Manila Corporation; and Ret. Gene. Reynaldo Berroya, Light Rail Transit Authority Administrator.

The MOA contains the design parameters for the Common Station, which will be the basis of the detailed designs that will be developed after the signing.

IPC to Offer Salesforce Training Classes for Users

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IPC (IP Converge Data Services, Inc.), leading PH cloud and data center services provider and Southeast Asia’s first and only Salesforce Gold Cloud Alliance Partner, today announced that it will conduct a series of Salesforce University training classes designed to aid End-Users, Systems Administrators, and Developers using the platform.

“For enterprises to experience a truly streamlined sales cycle and really get the most out of Salesforce CRM (Customer Relationship Management), special skillsets are required, and this knowledge base can only be acquired from IPC, being the only Authorized Training and Delivery Partner of Salesforce University in the country today,” said Niño Valmonte, Director for Marketing and Digital Innovation in IPC. “Through this accreditation, IPC has gained the knowledge to conduct Salesforce training courses in order to help users maximize the platform for their respective businesses.”

IPC is the only partner in the Philippines that has been certified for training delivery and training resellership by Salesforce University. This distinction gives them exclusive access to modules and exercises made by the developers of the world’s leading cloud-based CRM platform.

The classes will feature a Salesforce University Certified Instructor who will teach students through a series of exercises designed to reinforce the concepts presented in class. For this year, IPC will offer four courses: Administration Essentials for New Administrators (ADM201), Administration Essentials for New Administrators (Professional Edition) (ADM202), Administration Essentials for Experienced Administrators (ADM211), and Declarative Development for Platform App Builders (DEV402).

Create Your Globe Coldplay Story on April 4, 2017

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Get an exclusive chance to win tickets and watch Coldplay live in Manila

The Coldplay fandom in Manila is undeniably huge. Tickets to their April 4, 2017 concert at the MOA Concert Grounds, presented by Globe were sold out in a day, but Globe will give all its customers another chance to watch the most-coveted concert of 2017. By registering to any GoSurf promo or subscribing to any Broadband plan, customers can earn raffle entries to win tickets to Coldplay’s “A Head Full of Dreams Tour in Manila”. For Globe Broadband customers, every P5 spent on their bill is equivalent to one raffle entry. Forty tickets are up for grabs as 20 lucky customers will win 2 tickets each.

“We know that music is an integral part in every Filipino’s lives and Globe is here to elevate your music experience by allowing you to enjoy music in a different perspective. With Globe, you can listen to your favorite artists like Coldplay on Spotify, or catch it via live stream from their L.A. concert on YouTube, or even watch them perform live by joining our raffle promo. We want all our customers to get this chance and experience watching their favorite artists here in Manila, or even abroad,” shares Globe Senior Vice President for Consumer Mobile Business, Issa Cabreira.

“This time, by simply registering to any GoSurf promo or subscribing to a Broadband plan, all our customers can get a chance to win tickets to the most-anticipated concert of Coldplay this 2017.” Cabreira added.

Globe takes entertainment to another level. Just recently, Globe awarded two of its loyal customers, Monique Lim and Cristina Santiago, to watch the band perform at the Allianz Stadium in Sydney Australia last December 13, 2016 through Globe’s “Fly-Away Promo.” 

Jr. NBA Philippines Presented by Alaska to Inspire Nationwide Youth Basketball Participation

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Jr. NBA Philippines 2017 presented by Alaska returns this year to the Philippines from Jan. 20-May 14 as part of the league’s effort to encourage youth basketball participation.

Jr. NBA, the league’s global youth basketball participation program for boys and girls, teaches participants the fundamental skills and core values of the game at the grassroots level in an effort to help grow and improve the youth basketball experience for players, coaches and parents. In addition, Jr. NBA Philippines will introduce a court refurbishment initiative that will revitalize a community court through the NBA Cares platform.

The Jr. NBA Philippines 2017 presented by Alaska is free and open to boys and girls ages 10-14 and is comprised of four stages: skills clinics in schools and communities, Regional Selection Camps, a National Training Camp and an NBA experience trip.

The skills clinics will be held nationwide from January through April with stops in Bacolod, Batangas, Cagayan De Oro, Cavite, Cebu, Metro Manila and Subic. The Regional Selection Camps will be held in Cagayan De Oro (Feb. 11-12), Lucena (Feb. 25-26), Cebu (March 11-12) and Metro Manila (April 1-2), with the top 37 boys and 37 girls advancing to the National Training Camp in Manila on May 12-14, which will feature an NBA and WNBA player or legend. The program will culminate with the selection of 16 Jr. NBA All-Stars, comprised of eight boys and eight girls, who will embark on an overseas NBA experience trip with fellow Jr. NBA All-Stars from Southeast Asia.

SAP Introduces Jump-Start Enablement Program for SAP Leonardo IoT Portfolio

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SAP SE announced a jump-start enablement program for its Internet of Things (IoT) innovation portfolio. The program is intended to help customers connect the emerging world of intelligent devices with people and processes to achieve tangible business outcomes. Following through on SAP’s recently announced commitment to invest €2 billion in IoT over five years, the IoT portfolio combines adaptive applications, Big Data applications and connectivity in packaged solutions across line-of-business and industry use cases ranging from connected products, assets and infrastructure to vehicle fleets, markets and people.

Named SAP® Leonardo, SAP’s IoT portfolio takes its name from a figure known for ushering in a groundbreaking era of science and discovery. For more on the SAP Leonardo brand, please see here.

“Moving from things to outcomes is about new business processes such as Industry 4.0, new business models and new ways for people to live and work,” said Dr. Tanja Rueckert, executive vice president, Digital Assets and IoT, SAP. “With SAP Leonardo, we connect ‘things’ with business processes that are instantaneous and proactive, and with people who can manage more effectively with augmented intelligence and autonomous systems. Our SAP Leonardo IoT portfolio delivers on SAP’s commitment to produce superior business value through enterprise IoT innovation.” 

Converge ICT Ties Up with Google, Facebook, Netflix, Akamai

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Converge ICT—a provider of world-class ICT products and services in the Philippines—recently tied up with several web giants in the US and Asia Pacific in a bid to bring a better internet experience to its customers in the country.

In an announcement made by the company, they now have a direct peering with tier-1 sites such as Google, Facebook, Netflix, and as well as with content delivery networks provider, Akamai.

“With these partnerships, our customers now experience seamless web browsing once they visit these sites. It also allows our network to have a better data traffic to achieve lower latencies, essential for diminishing internet lags,” said Emil Baniqued, Head of Network Operations of Converge ICT.

These developments are part of the latest upgrades made by Converge ICT, which focused on improving their customer’s internet experience. The company has amplified the bandwidth capacity of its core infrastructure all the way to the distribution of data.

“We have been doing these efforts in line with our thrust of improving the internet connectivity in the country,” explained Jesus Romero, Chief Operating Officer of Converge ICT. “These upgrades are a big leap for the company since we have quadrupled the bandwidth capacity of our network’s backbone. We are also doing these improvements to ensure that we provide best-in-breed ICT products and services to our clients, especially that we are now extending our capabilities to more communities.”

To date, Converge ICT has already connected its fiber-powered capabilities to communities in NCR as well as in Central Luzon.

To know more about Converge ICT internet packages, please visit their website at http://www.convergeict.com/about.ph.

Ayala SureSeats Partners with Globe Digital Ventures

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Customers can soon enjoy an enhanced cinema experience with the SureSeats website powered by Globe Digital Ventures.

Constant moviegoers now have a more convenient way of planning their movie dates and buying their tickets online as SureSeats seals its recent partnership with Globe Digital Ventures at Raffles Hotel, Makati.

Reinforcing the telco’s ties with its Ayala Corporation family, Globe Digital Ventures signed a contract with Ayala’s Sureseats for Globe Digital Ventures’ acquisition and management of its movie schedule and ticketing website, SureSeats.com. This latest partnership allows patrons to experience a faster and hassle-free process of purchasing movie tickets to Ayala Malls Cinemas with the technology that also powers GMovies.

“At Globe, we continue to strengthen our proposition to offer services that will enhance our customers’ digital lifestyle. Innovations like GMovies alongside our strategic partnerships allow us to achieve our objective and provide services that will upgrade the connected experience,” said Ernest Cu, President & CEO of Globe Telecom.

“We are very excited with the partnership of Ayala Malls Cinemas with Globe. We look forward to a rejuvenated Sureseats.com that will elevate the customer experience of our cinema patrons and bring significant growth in membership,” said Amir Precilla, General Manager of Ayala Malls Cinemas.

SureSeats is a complete online ticketing service for all Ayala Malls Cinemas in the country, allowing customers to reserve and purchase their movie tickets ahead of time. This kind of service lets everyone plan ahead, choose their preferred cinema, date, time, and even their seats. Through the partnership with Globe Digital Ventures, SureSeats users will be able to experience a new level of digital convenience and enjoy a more rewarding user experience.

"Partnering with Sureseats - a pioneer brand in the online convenience space for Ayala malls movie theaters, is a milestone for us as we are certain we can take the Sureseats brand to a whole new digital entertainment experience," said Glenn Estrella, Vice President of Globe Telecom Digital Ventures.

Through this partnership, customers can simply enter the cinema without the need for falling in line nor having tickets printed. For more information, visit www.sureseats.com.

Expanded Maternity Leave Bill to Benefit Dads

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"Ang Expanded Maternity Leave Bill ay hindi lamang para kay nanay, pwede din kay tatay."

This was the statement issued on Tuesday by Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros in response to questions whether the paid paternity leaves of working men can also be increased.

Hontiveros, who chairs both the Senate Committee on Women and Senate Committee on Health, filed Senate Bill 215 otherwise known as "The Expanded Maternity Leave Act" to double women workers' maternity leave from the current 60 days to 120 days, with extra 30 days for solo mothers, for a total of 150 days.


"Daddy quota"

The Senator said that fathers can avail of the benefits of the proposed Expanded Maternity Leave Law. She called this the "Daddy quota" of the proposed measure.

"The idea behind the bill is not only to give expectant mothers ample time to ensure the best possible conditions for a healthy delivery, recovery from childbirth and stronger mother-child bond, it also recognizes the role of fathers, adoptive parents and alternate caregivers, and contribute to a more equal distribution of child care among Filipino families," Hontiveros said.

Hontiveros said that 30 days of the proposed 120-day maternity will be alloted to alternate caregivers (spouse, common-law partner, relative up to the 4th degree of consanguinity). Adoptive parents are also included.

“Parenting is a collective effort, and pregnancy is both a delicate and precious time. Pregnancy and child care is not the responsibility of women alone. Fathers and other alternate caregivers deserve the opportunity to create meaningful memories with their partners as they welcome and nurture their children,” Hontiveros said. 

Mga tatay makikinabang sa Expanded Maternity Leave bill ni Hontiveros

"Ang panukalang batas na Expanded Maternity Leave ay hindi lamang para sa mga nanay, pwede rin ito sa mga tatay."

Ito ang pahayag ngayong Martes ni Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros bilang kasagutan sa mga nagtatanong at nagmumungkahing itaas din ang bilang ng paid paternity leave ng mga nagtatrabahong tatay.

Si Hontiveros, chairperson ng Committee on Women at Senate Committee on Health sa Senado, ay naghain ng Senate Bill 215 o ang "Expanded Maternity Leave Act" para doblehin ang kasalukuyang 60 araw na maternity leave sa 120 araw at karagdagang 30 araw sa mga solo parents, sa suma total ng 150 na araw.


"Daddy quota"

Ayon sa senador hindi lang ang mga kababaihan ang makikinabang sa kanyang Expanded Maternity Leave bill, maging ang mga tatay ay kasama dito. Sabi ni Hontiveros, may "Daddy quota" ang kanyang panukalang batas.

"Ang pangunahing layunin ng panukalang batas na ito ay bigyan ng tamang panahon ang mga nanay na magpagaling matapos manganak at masiguro din na may tamang oras na igugugol para sa mother-child bonding. Bukod sa pagbibigay halaga sa mga nanay, kinikilala rin ng Expanded Maternity Leave Act ang papel ng mga tatay, adoptive parents, at alternatibong tagapag-alaga o caregiver na may parehong responsibilidad para alagaan ang mga bagong silang na bata," ani ni Hontiveros.

Ayon kay Hontiveros, sa kanyang panukalang batas, ang 30 araw sa 120 araw na maternity leave ay pwede ibahagi sa mga miyembro ng pamilya na mag-aalaga ng sanggol (asawa, common-law partner, o kamag-anak hanggang 4th degree of consanguinity). Kasama rin ang mga adoptive parents.

“Ang pagiging magulang ay isang kolektibong pagsisikap. Ang pregnancy at childcare ay hindi lang responsibilidad ng mga kababaihan. Ang mga tatay, adopters at alternatibong tagapag-alaga ay kailangang mabigyan ng oportunidad na magkaroon ng makabuluhang panahon kasama ang kanilang mga partners para masubaybayan at maalagaan ang sanggol," sabi ni Hontiveros.

SEA-US Cable System Secures FCC License Cable is Targeted for Completion in 2Q 2017

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The Southeast Asia – U S (SEA-US) Cable System publicly marked key milestones and closed in on others with the completion of the installation of its state-of-the-art undersea fiber optic cable network by the second quarter of 2017. Last week, the Hermosa Beach, California shore-end was successfully connected. On January 12, 2017, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted the SEA-US cable landing license. By the end of January 2017 the construction of California’s cable landing station will be completed. In February 2017 the installation vessel will arrive in Honolulu, Hawaii, after completing its main-lay construction between California and Hawaii.

Essential to the SEA-US Cable System’s reliability is the location and protection of mission-critical equipment on land. The SEA-US consortium members chose CoreSite (NYSE:COR), a premier provider of secure, reliable, high-performance data center and interconnection solutions across the United States, to house the SEA-US Cable System’s submarine line terminating equipment (SLTE) at CoreSite’s purpose built LA2 data center in downtown Los Angeles, California. The SEA-US Cable System’s unique design provides its users with additional protection between the Hermosa Beach, California landing and CoreSite’s LA2 data center over physically diverse dark fiber pairs.

The historic US $250 million SEA-US Cable System is being constructed by NEC Corporation. When completed, the system will deliver an initial design capacity of 20 Terabit per second (Tb/s) capacity, using NEC’s state-of-the-art 100 Gigabit per second (Gb/s) technology. This capacity will help to meet the exponentially growing demand for bandwidth between Asia and North America, while also enabling onward connectivity to existing and planned submarine cable systems.

The SEA-US Cable System investors consist of the following consortium members: Globe Telecom (Manila, Philippines), GTA (Tamuning, Guam), GTI (Los Angeles, California), Hawaiian Telcom (Honolulu, Hawaii), RTI (San Francisco, California), Telin (Jakarta, Indonesia) and Telkom USA (Los Angeles, California). More details can be found below.

The Role of Endpoint Security in Today’s Healthcare IT Environment

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This is the number of opportunities a cybercriminal needs to exploit healthcare network vulnerabilities, steal passwords, install malware, and ultimately work their way through the entire IT ecosystem. Once inside, they could hijack control of medical equipment, gain access to patient data, and much more, ultimately putting patient lives and organizational reputation on the line.

The shift towards deploying and managing a more patient-friendly healthcare environment that includes the myriad of devices being accessed by patients and employees can be very challenging, especially when it comes to endpoint security.

Let’s take a closer look at the role endpoint security plays in today’s healthcare environment, and why it needs to be part of the larger network security puzzle. 

Supporting the Patient-Centric Care Movement

Healthcare providers of all types are now being required to provide platforms that allow for seamless communication and collaboration between key stakeholders. As a result, information that needs to be securely shared and stored is now flowing at an increasingly rapid rate, and in many different directions, creating a need for security solutions that can support these exchanges.

This move towards patient-centric network services has decentralized the monitoring process and resulted in patients, providers, and other stakeholders accessing information that originates from outside the hospital’s physical walls.

The more information accessed and shared outside the hospital setting, the greater the risk of malicious content working its way inside. While some healthcare systems are adjusting to these changes by employing endpoint security and robust security solutions, there are still a number of organizations that have left the doors to their data wide open. Endpoint security is critical to keeping the patient and other stakeholders’ data secure.

Securing Endpoints Related to the Increased BYOD Interest

The growing number of connected devices used by employees in the healthcare sector is leading to more information sharing, but it’s also placing the endpoint at greater risk than ever before. It’s very common to see smartphones, tablets, and laptops being used inside today’s hospitals, and the data that’s being accessed needs to be secured, from the Internet to the endpoint. This data often contains sensitive medical information that’s being shared between healthcare professionals, including medical imaging data, transcriptions, prescriptions, and more, and typically needs to be vetted by a number of different individuals (physicians, employers, claims processors, etc.) to determine protocols and procedures.

This need for a collaborative digital workspace to enable internal and external collaboration makes it critical that endpoint security be taken seriously. Without appropriate endpoint security solutions in place, healthcare systems will not be able to enhance their existing systems and processes without an overabundance of risk.

An Endpoint Blueprint for Success

Solely deploying security end to end is simply not enough in today’s healthcare industry, as it lacks two key components – integration and automation. Endpoint security, today and in the future, needs to be part of a much larger security framework that can work together with other security elements, like threat intelligence.

From inside the network to the cloud, powerful and integrated end-to-end solutions need to protect the attack surface at all points along the kill chain. When different security sensors and tools are able to work together to collect, analyze, and coordinate a response to threats, the entire healthcare environment will be better protected. Security solutions must be ready and able to deal with the sophisticated threats of today in real time.

Let’s get a conversation going on Twitter! What role do you think endpoint security plays in today’s healthcare IT environment and where do you think we are headed in 2017 and beyond?

Written by Susan Biddle, Sr. Director of Healthcare at Fortinet