Manila Call for Action on Measuring Sustainable Tourism

Wazzup Pilipinas!
 

We, the representatives of tourism, economic, environmental and other related administrations, statistical institutes, international and regional organizations, the private sector, the academia and civil society, gathered at the 6th UNWTO International Conference on Tourism Statistics: Measuring Sustainable Tourism, organized by the Government of the Philippines and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) on 21-24 June 2017 in Manila, the Philippines, and on the occasion of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, 2017:

1.         Acknowledge that sustainable tourism contributes to the three dimensions of sustainable development

– economic, social and environmental – and to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the universal 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as affirmed by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly when announcing the adoption of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, 20171.

2.         Draw attention to the fact that tourism has become one of the fastest growing and most important economic sectors in the world, benefiting destinations and communities worldwide. With over 1.2 billion international overnight visitors and many more domestic visitors in 2016, the sector represents approximately 10% of the world’s GDP and 1 in 10 jobs globally. This growth comes with the need to uphold the foundations of prosperity for tourism destinations: the rich natural resources of our planet and its diverse cultural heritage.

3.         Recall that sustainable tourism is defined as “tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities"2. Sustainable tourism should thus make optimal use of environmental resources, respect host communities and ensure viable, long-term economic operations so that benefits are equitably distributed among all stakeholders.

4.         Recognize that sustainable tourism drives inclusive economic growth and social development by promoting entrepreneurship, creating jobs and fighting poverty, and can also encourage environmental protection, cultural heritage preservation, and stronger peace and mutual understanding around the world, whilst leaving no one behind.

5.         Recall that with the adoption of several UN General Assembly resolutions on the importance of sustainable tourism as a tool for development3 the need to better understand and track progress towards a sustainable global tourism sector is more pressing now than ever.

6.         Are mobilized by the strong conviction that credible and comprehensive data on sustainable tourism is key for effective evidence-based policies and management in order to surmount current challenges and capitalize on opportunities thereof.

7.         Appreciate the achievements made in tourism measurement over the past decades, in particular the two official UN statistical standards for measuring tourism adopted in 2008: the International Recommendations for Tourism Statistics 20084 and the Tourism Satellite Account: Recommended

Methodological Framework 20085. Together, these statistical frameworks enable countries to produce data that is credible and comparable –across countries, over time and in concert with other standards. These frameworks help integrate and organize data for the purposes of deriving indicators such as tourism GDP.

8.         Advocate for the development of a Statistical Framework for Measuring Sustainable Tourism (MST Framework) that extends these frameworks beyond their economic focus in order to incorporate environmental, social and cultural dimensions, across spatial levels (global, national and sub-national) and pay attention to temporal considerations.

9.         Strongly believe that developing and implementing a MST Framework is the critical next step in understanding, analysing and supporting universal, cross-sectoral, sustainable tourism policies and practices that work from an integrated, coherent and robust information base.

10.     Underline that the benefits of an MST Framework for decision makers and other stakeholders include:

a.    The provision of a common language for discussing sustainable tourism within the tourism sector and with other key policy areas such as planning, industry, infrastructure, environment, social affairs, finance and central banks;

b.    The capacity to compare the performance of the tourism sector and the impacts of different policies on a consistent basis with other sectors and in different destinations and countries;

c.    The provision of a basis for improving co-ordination in data collection and compilation, as well as for improving institutional arrangements for the governance and management of statistics on sustainable tourism;

d.    The provision of a single, coherent and comprehensive picture of the state of sustainable tourism and its trends, in all its dimensions and across all spatial scales.

11.     Welcome the preliminary draft of the MST Framework as a launch pad with which to further the global discussion, and appreciate the significant progress achieved to date through pilot studies and other relevant work at international, national and subnational, including local levels, presented at this Conference. This reaffirms our conviction that an MST Framework is not only highly relevant but also feasible and most welcome.

12.     Emphasize that information from the Framework will improve our ability to inform on vital and urgent policy questions on sustainable tourism; including questions such as:

How can the use of energy, water and other resources be optimized?

What are the trends in land use (including water and coastal areas) for tourism purposes? What is the waste water and solid waste resulting from tourism activity and how is it dealt with? What is the impact of visitors on cultural and heritage sites and how do they affect their preservation?

How to plan infrastructure needs with regards to transport, water, energy, treatment of waste and wastewater due to changing tourism patterns?

How is the tourism concentration in mature destinations evolving over time? How do local communities benefit from tourism and how are they impacted by it?

What activities are being undertaken by tourism industries to maintain protected areas and other natural features (national parks, beaches) in good condition?

How does the environmental performance of the tourism sector compare to other sectors?

13.     Acknowledge that designing and implementing an MST Framework is a priority in the context of measuring progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in response to the needs of governments and tourism stakeholders.

14.     Recall that the United Nations recognizes UNWTO as the appropriate organization to collect, analyze, publish, standardize and improve the statistics of tourism globally, and to promote the integration of these statistics within the sphere of the UN system6.

15.     Appreciate the work of UNWTO as the leading UN Specialized Agency for tourism in leading the development of an MST Framework through the Working Group of Experts on Measuring Sustainable Tourism, under the auspices of the UNWTO Committee on Statistics and Tourism Satellite Account, and in close cooperation with relevant partners and experts.

16.     Welcome the support from the UN Statistical Commission7, the highest decision-making body in statistics globally, in developing a Statistical Framework for Measuring Sustainable Tourism that includes indicators for sustainable tourism, measurement at sub-national level and pilot projects, as well as the development of a compilation guide for the Tourism Satellite Account and a technical note linking the Tourism Satellite Account and the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting.

17.     Call upon all actors to facilitate the necessary means and resources for the development and subsequent in-country implementation of the MST Framework, note the opportunities to tap into the richness of data currently available and identifying gaps for producing any additional data that may be needed.

18.     Stress the need for building capacity towards measuring sustainable tourism, taking into account the constraints and challenges of implementing statistical systems in developing countries.

19.     Recognize that with regard to data collection all possible sources should be taken into account, including census, survey-based, administrative and big data.

20.     Encourage that the Statistical Framework for Measuring Sustainable Tourism be presented to the United Nations Statistical Commission for its consideration in the UN Statistical Commission’s fifty-first session, to be held in 2020.

21.     Emphasize that, beyond being a technical exercise, the development and implementation of an MST Framework is a strategic and ongoing endeavour, requiring wide and consistent stakeholder engagement, collaboration, inter-institutional coordination and political leadership.

22.     Welcome the establishment by UNWTO of a special funding mechanism through voluntary contributions for the purpose of further development and implementation of the Statistical Framework for Measuring Sustainable Tourism8.

During this 6th International Conference on Tourism Statistics: Measuring Sustainable Tourism in Manila, Philippines, we unite political commitment and gather technical expertise to call for the development and implementation of the Statistical Framework for Measuring Sustainable Tourism that includes economic, environmental and social dimensions across relevant spatial levels (global, national and subnational). We call upon other governments and administrations at national and sub-national levels, international organizations, academia, private sector organizations and civil society to join our efforts.

We extend our sincere gratitude to our host, the Government of the Philippines, for its warm hospitality and excellent support and arrangements for the organization of the Conference, as well as its significant contribution to advancing the sustainable tourism agenda as a driver for sustainable development.

Manila, Philippines, 23 June 2017

Artist Playground Sets Auditions on June 26 for Rody Vera's Plays

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Calling all actors!!!!!

Artist Playground is conducting auditions for the two forthcoming productions of award-winning playwright Rody Vera – Happiness is a Pearl and Fly Me To The Moon.

Date: June 26, Monday 2 pm – 8 pm
Venue: The Little Room Upstairs, 1701 Landsdale Tower, Mother
Ignacia cor. Timog Ave., QC


Please Prepare the following for the audition:

* A short monologue
* A movement piece, please prepare your music in a USB Flashdrive
* You will be asked to read the script in the audition.


Casting brief:

Happiness is a Pearl - What can you do for love?

Mari – Female, Japanese looking 25-35 years old
Kenji - Japanese Hosto, toned body age 21-30 years old
(with or without theater experience )
Maria - A Pinay Japayuki, age 21-30

Fly Me To The Moon – What love could do to you ?

Karayuki - A Japanese Prosti age 25-30
Herby - Okamasan, Transgender with Fair Skin, on her 20's
Captain - An older Japanese looking guy, on his 30's
Ibrahim - 25 -35 Middle-Eastern looking


SYNOPSIS:

“Happiness is a Pearl” revolves around three characters —Kenji, a male courtesan; Maria, a poor Pinay Japayuki; and Mari, a wife who falls in love with Kenji.

Before becoming a prostitute in a club in Kabukicho, Tokyo, Mari was married to a wealthy businessman. But Mari’s billionaire husband soon leaves her when she becomes attached to a male gigolo named Kenji, who has a pearl stitched under the skin of his penis. However, Kenji sets his eyes on a poverty-stricken Filipina entertainer named Maria. Intertwined by fate and struggles, how will Kenji, Maria, and Mari find the true meaning of love and happiness ?



"Fly Me To The Moon"

Herbie embarks on a journey to Japan to help her family make ends meet. Using her charm, she boards on a ship full of flesh-hungry sea crew, and finds comfort in Jo, a karayuki-san who longs for her one true love Ibrahim. On the ship, the two draw parallels between their lives as they unfold their own stories. Soon, Herbie and Jo part ways to follow their own pavement, but still keep a piece of each other’s heart.


For further inquiries, please call or text Kimberley Somoza 0975-9193179.

Smart Broadens Wifi Footprint with Super-Speed Smart Wifi Rollout

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Close to a year after its first deployment, carrier-grade Smart Wifi can now be found in key airports and transport hubs, universities, hospitals and even entertainment hubs across the country, allowing more people to live their increasingly digital lifestyles to the fullest, like never before.

The Smart Wifi rollout is part of Smart’s network expansion program. It goes hand-in-hand with the ongoing Smart LTE rollout, which aims to improve LTE coverage and increase the capacity of Smart’s cell sites nationwide, so they can accommodate more calls, texts and ever-increasing data traffic.

With a backhaul capacity of up to one gigabit per second, Smart Wifi can support up to 3,000 connected users with robust Wifi connectivity. 

Smart Wifi for travelers

Passengers waiting for their flights can now access super-speed Smart Wifi in the four terminals of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, as well as in 17 other key airports around the country.

Whether they’re traveling for business or pleasure, travelers from all networks can use Smart Wifi to check their flights and hotels online, update their social media and stream videos and music while waiting for boarding time.

Smart Wifi is also available in seaports in Puerto Princesa, Batangas, Calapan in Mindoro, Cebu, Dumaguete, Dapitan, Zamboanga, Tagbilaran, Bacolod, and in the gateways to premier island destination Boracay, the Caticlan Jetty Port and Cagban Port. 

Uplifting quality of life

On June 12, coinciding with the nation’s 119th Independence Day celebrations, Smart launched carrier-grade Smart Wifi on the MRT and along the stretch of EDSA to improve the mobile data experience of around half a million commuters who travel along the country’s busiest highway to get from their homes to their workplaces, and vice versa.

Commuters waiting for the MRT or riding on EDSA route buses can now stream music, watch videos or check email via robust Smart Wifi connectivity, which posted download speeds of between 200 to 300 Mbps from Taft Avenue station to North Avenue station during its first week.

Since the start of the year, several entertainment and lifestyle hubs called SmartSpots—high-traffic areas such as restaurant and bar clusters and malls where crowds often hang out—have also been launched, and are now also powered by Smart Wifi and Smart LTE.

Smart Wifi now also powers hospitals, government offices, city halls, provincial capitols, tourist spots and schools and universities across the country, making the digital lifestyle more accessible to people from all walks of life—a testament to Smart’s commitment to make #InternetForAll.

Subscribers from all networks can surf like never before on the Smart Wifi service, which is free for the first 30 minutes, without data cap. Load cards can be purchased to extend user sessions for P20 for 2 hours, valid for 2 days; and P50 for 10 hours, valid for 5 days. Smart subscribers can topup for as low as P10, for 30 minutes, valid for 1 day.

DOE Leads Forum On Energy Efficiency For Consumer Products

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Department of Energy (DOE) recently held the second of a series of public consultations aimed at developing a national energy efficiency standard for household appliances such as air conditioners, refrigerators and lighting products like LED lamps.

Holding the dialogue in partnership with the European Union, the DOE led other government agencies such as the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and private sector representatives in culling inputs from experts, resource persons and the general public.

The collective inputs would be used to improve the proposed Particular Product Requirements (PPRs) that would help consumers choose wisely in buying household items that are energy efficient.

Once finalized, the PPRs will form part of the Implementing Guidelines for the DOE’s Philippine Energy Standards and Labeling Program (PESLP). 

Through the product standards, consumers will be better informed on the energy consumption and efficiency levels of specified consumer goods. 

Director Amelia de Guzman of the DOE’s Energy Research and Testing Laboratory Services stressed the importance of involving consumers and civil society in the deliberations in order to get the practical viewpoints of the end-users.

She explained that the PESLP not only benefits consumers by reducing their energy bills but will also help in significantly reducing carbon emissions that contribute to mitigating climate change.

In his opening remarks, Program Manager for Energy of the EU Delegation in the Philippines Willy Hick said, “The EU has been supporting the Philippine government through the years in reaching its energy efficiency and poverty reduction targets.”

The EU has allocated 60M Euros or PHP3.3 B in support of the Philippine government’s 100%-electrification target by 2022.

“European funding can never work without a strong partner,” Hick said during the Philippines’ and EU’s Access to Sustainable Energy Program (ASEP) Meet.

Aside from efficiency, the ASEP also advocates clean energy by providing grants to boost rural household electrification using clean energy sources.

The first public consultation was held last 24 May.

Apart from the consumer products mentioned during the first two conferences, the PESLP will also cover television sets, washing machines and even passenger and commercial vehicles.

Cover Photo Caption:

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT. The Department of Energy (DOE) and Access to Sustainable Energy Programme (ASEP) experts engaged industry participants in a two-day public consultation for the Particular Product Requirements (PPR) for LED lamps, air conditioners and refrigerators last 14-15 June 2017 at the F1 Hotel in BGC, Taguig City.

Mineski Infinity Blitz: The Philippines’ Most Advanced Cybercafe

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Mineski Infinity Cybercafes invited us to a closed doors pre-opening launch of the newest addition to their ever-growing cybercafe network - the Mineski Infinity Blitz.

With the biggest game titles becoming more and more graphically-polished, the hardware requirement of these games also increases. Avid gamers can sometimes find that the investment in an expensive gaming rig is what keeps the most highly-anticipated games out of reach for them.

That is, until the launch of the Mineski Infinity Blitz cybercafé, powered by ASUS Republic of Gamers. The MI Blitz is located in Wilson St., San Juan.

The MI Blitz will be the most advanced cybercafe in the Philippines, with state-of-the-art ASUS-powered desktops that are far and beyond the most powerful computers to be found in a cybercafe anywhere in the Philippines. No longer will gamers have to wax wistful about getting to play the latest triple-A titles at the highest settings.

Not only that, but these extremely high-end rigs will be available for use at convenient, user-friendly rates (exact rates to be announced soon). As the brainchild of Mineski Infinity and ASUS ROG, the MI Blitz is a project to bring the best gaming experience possible to everyday gamers who would otherwise never get the chance to play on high-end gaming setups.

GEM to Broadcast Nippon TV’s The Music Day Live Across Asia

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World First: Dean Fujioka to Perform in Singapore as Part of the Live Event

GEM, the entertainment channel dedicated to the latest content fresh from North Asia, is set to broadcast Nippon TV’s highly anticipated THE MUSIC DAY event live across Asia on July 1.

In a world first for the popular Tokyo event, which features the who’s who of Japan’s music industry, Nippon TV has partnered with GEM to broadcast a performance by popular singer and actor DEAN FUJIOKA live from Singapore. As part of the occasion, GEM is offering fans the chance to win tickets to DEAN FUJIOKA’s performance and an exclusive fan meet session.

“THE MUSIC DAY is an iconic event on the Asian music calendar, and we’re excited to partner with Nippon TV to expand the concert’s reach to GEM’s viewers in Asia. DEAN FUJIOKA’s live broadcast from Singapore as part of the event marks a significant milestone for Japanese entertainment and we’re pleased that GEM is at the forefront of this industry evolution,” said Virginia Lim, Senior Vice President and Head of Content, Marketing and Production, Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia.

“Dean is a hugely popular artist in our region and last year starred in GEM’s first original series, ‘We are Asia - Dean Fujioka & Friends’. The fact that he will perform live from Singapore during THE MUSIC DAY is an unprecedented way for GEM’s viewers to get real time access to him and to the magic of J-Pop. For THE MUSIC DAY fans in Tokyo, they get to experience a dynamic new city via our live broadcast.”

Hosted by idol Sho Sakurai from ARASHI, THE MUSIC DAY will air live on Saturday, July 1 from 4:45pm -10:00pm (3:45pm – 9:00pm BKK/JKT). A star-studded line-up of Japan’s biggest names promises a captivating event, including AKB48, Gen Hoshino, KEN HIRAI, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, SEKAI NO OWARI, Perfume, Yuzu; as well as Johnny’s artists TOKIO, KinKi Kids, ARASHI, KANJANI EIGHT and KAME TO YAMAPI. 

Prepare to Defend Yourself: Learn Survival Techniques for our Troubled Times

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This June 24, Saturday at 2pm, come to the 5th level Events Center of Century City Mall for a Seminar to learn a martial art created for survival with and against weapons. This system of martial arts can be used with with whatever weapon you have or no weapons at all. It has been tested for personal and tribal survival. Use of all weapons is part of the system and specifically one of the many weapons categories covered in this seminar will be the hand axe or tomahawk. It is a commonly available tool that also can be a very hand personal protection weapon. Other weapons will be covered as well including knife, stick, sword, gun and empty hands. The only good defense is a good offense, and this art is separated from other martial arts by this concept.

FACTORYMMA brings Grand Tuhon Leo T. Gaje, Jr. Supreme Grandmaster Pekiti-Tirsia Kali System. Grand Tuhon Gaje pioneered the teaching of kali and authentic Filipino martial art on the east coast from his headquarters in New York City and introduced real full contact stickfighting across the United States producing both U.S. and Philippine national champions including the Grand Champion of the first (1st) national arnis (kali) tournament held in the philippines in 1979.

As national training director for the justice system training association and the United States police defensive tactics training association, Tuhon Gaje developed the safety baton system and edged weapon awareness/strategic knife defines programs.

Cybercriminals Targeting Mac Users with Malware Attacks

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Apple devices no longer safe against security breaches as new attack opportunities and threat vectors make Macs an easier target

Fortinet, a global leader in high-performance cyber security solutions, cautions that Apple devices have recently become attractive targets for cyber attackers due to their fast growing popularity and user demographics. In many organizations today, C-suite executives and marketing teams are more likely to use Macs. These individuals not only share valuable information, they are also very often less technically savvy and therefore, less likely to back up their devices, encrypt stored data, or abide by security best practices.

New attack opportunities and threat vectors are also making the targeting of Mac devices easier and more attractive. For instance, Fortinet’s FortiGuard Labs threat research team is starting to see the development of hacking tools that target cross-compatible software.

In addition, it has become easier for cybercriminals to scale up their operations against Macs. Due to the rise of cybercrime-as-a-service, cybercriminals have started building malware “franchises”. Instead of targeting Macs one at a time like in the past, criminals can now leverage pre-built technology to attack vast numbers of potential victims in exchange for sharing profits on the back end. While ransoming one device may not be of much financial value to professional cybercriminals, owning hundreds of franchisees targeting thousands of devices every day most certainly is. At the same time, such an opportunity appeals to many small-time players, such as lone-wolf hackers working out of their parents’ homes.

“When it comes to security, the only constant is change, whether it is the way networks are evolving or how these changes are creating new opportunities for criminals,” said Aamir Lakhani, Fortinet Senior Security Strategist. “It is imperative that companies approach security from a holistic perspective. This includes making sure that every device is protected across all threat vectors, including Mac devices that were thought to be secure.”

In response to this new wave of brazen ransomware attacks, Fortinet recommends Mac users to take the following preventive measures:

1. Apply patches and updates. Apple regularly provides security updates. Users must make sure they take the time to apply them.

2. Backup your device. Apple’s Time Machine service will automatically create full system backups, which means that should a system get ransomed, one could simply wipe the device and perform a full system restore from backup. Regularly scan backups for vulnerabilities and store these backups offline. Offline storage is vital because Time Machine backup systems are often persistently connected to the device being backed up, and risk being compromised during an attack.

3. Encrypt data stored on device. While this may not be effective against many ransomware variants, it is still a good practice as it can protect an organization should any device become infected with malware that is designed to steal files and data.

4. Install an endpoint security client. Look for endpoint solutions that will not only protect your device, but tie that security back into your network security strategy, allowing you to leverage and share threat intelligence to better protect your device and its assets.

5. Deploy security that covers other threat vectors.  As email is still the number one source for malware and infection, ensure that a robust email security solution is deployed. The same is true for web security tools, wired and wireless access controls, cloud-based security, and network segmentation strategies that help detect, isolate, and respond to threats found anywhere across a distributed environment.

July 2 Premieres of Casual and Younger Season 4 on Sony Channel

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Get ready for a different spin on a family comedy with Casual, the latest TV series premiering on Sony Channel. Nominated for the 2015 Golden Globe® Best TV series – Musical or Comedy, Casual premieres July 2, Sunday at 8.30pm. Casual joins returning series Younger on its 4th season on Sony Channel, also this July.

Casual is an offbeat comedy series that stars Michaela Watkins, Tommy Dewey and Tara Lynne Barr and follows their story of a dysfunctional family with a bachelor brother and his newly divorced sister. Together, they navigate through the crazy world of dating, while living under one roof again and raising a teenager.

“Casual tells a distinctive story of a non-traditional family and it does that with humour and heart,” said Virginia Lim, Senior Vice President and Head of Content, Production and Marketing, Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia. “Casual fits into our strategy of serving premium content like returning series Younger to our audiences who have fallen in love with Sony Channel’s schedule of witty, sassy and contemporary programming. The series is a perfect addition to our channel.”

Casual joins a robust line-up of primetime programming on Sony Channel’s ROFLing Sundays that includes Superstore and Younger.

The highly anticipated Younger returns for fourth season in July. After a head-spinning cliffhanger in season 3 where Liza Miller (Sutton Foster) suddenly came clean to her work BFF, Kelsey (Hilary Duff), Liza must now deal with the consequences of her lie.

Liza’s love life is also hanging on a thread when Josh (Nico Tortorella) was just about to promise marriage but caught Liza kissing her boss, Charles (Peter Hermann). Are you #TeamJosh or #TeamCharles? Younger returns on July 2, Sundays at 8.00pm on Sony Channel. 

For more information, visit SonyChannel.com or @SonyChannelPH on Facebook and Twitter.

Hadrian Mendoza's August Exhibit at Galleria Duemila

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Red. The color of ferocity and passion. Hadrian Mendoza chooses to reference the societal issues enveloping the country today in his latest exhibit at Galleria Duemila. The war on drugs, the cycle of life and death and a momentous scene of forgetting, even letting go in his new set of ceramics bombard and astonish the viewer in the two rooms of the gallery.

A Drop of Red, a wall-hanging installation illustrates the cycle of nature mixed with the intervention of the government to actively solve some if not all drug problems in the country. Pusher, a large installation of ash-glazed ceramics composed of haggard and tense facial expressions make the exhibition grounded and humane, establishing a connection with the characters in the narrative that we exist in. Blood Moon, made up of 28 square ox blood red glaze with porcelain slip wall pieces, represent Mendoza’s affinity with the lunar theme although incorporating it with a practical solution for the aforementioned problem.  It is a both a story-telling and a commentary sculpted in elegant and red-glazed works.

Awarded by the George Washington University as bearer of the Alfred E. Steck Memorial Prize in Sculpture this April 2017 and a Master of Fine Arts candidate in the institution, Hadrian Mendoza is an esteemed studio potter and kiln-builder. Participating in local and international conferences in ceramic such as the Southeast Asian Ceramics Festival and the Ceramic View Symposium in Thailand organized by the International Academy of Ceramics in Switzerland, Mendoza prides himself with hard work in expanding the practice of pottery both in the Philippines and abroad.

Hadrian Mendoza’s works are on display at Galleria Duemila, 210 Loring St. 1300 Pasay City on August 5 – 31 2017. 

Tying the Knot? Find Out the Best Locations to Live and Start a Family

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Leading real estate portal Lamudi Philippines helps newlyweds how to choose a location where to settle down

After the hype and excitement of the honeymoon wears off, the most important matter that the newlyweds have to consider and decide upon is where to settle down. For most couples, making their own family nest is a thrilling yet a challenging first ride as husband and wife.

To ease the task a bit, global property website Lamudi Philippines shares it expertise to guide new couples on how to choose the best place to begin a lifetime of adventures.

In the Philippines, the first few months or even years of the newlywed couples are often spent with the in-laws as close-family ties are seriously observed in the country. They usually go back and forth to visit and stay with both sides of the family. This scenario could be happy, endearing, and tiresome at the same time, and as real life sets in, the marriage will not be complete without a place they can call their home.

But what does it take for a community to house your future home? As the need of each couple varies, different deciding factors are also at play before finally being able to pick where to settle. It can be proximity to family, nearness to work and leisure, affordability, amenities, or even house architecture.

Mostly, the top deciding reason is still familiarity and closeness to family. Newlyweds start their solo life together but still prefer to be easily surrounded by family and common things so they rent out apartments or units near their family houses.

On the other hand, for those who are ready to dive in an independent lifestyle, here are some suggestions that could narrow down the search.

Live, Work, and Play

Walkable communities are very appealing to most house-hunters today especially to new couples who love to spend time together and not waste time. Top cities with good mixed-used locations where everything and anything are within reach are Makati, Taguig, Mandaluyong, and Quezon City. These cities house top multinational corporations, topnotch schools, and hospitals, and residential buildings are likewise strategically located around these places. Leisure components such as shopping malls, supermarkets, and other retail shops are also scattered around these mixed-use townships, making everything you ever need and want just a few minutes away.

Condominiums in these top central areas are also built with top-notch amenities that could make life more handy and suitable. Aside from the normal water and fitness features, developers are coming up with more unique services to offer like relaxing spas, reliable day care centers, valet parking and a myriad others.

Value-For-Money Homes in Suburban Areas

Cities and provinces located at the fringe areas of Metro Manila are also good options for future home. As revealed by Lamudi’s search data, Filipino house-hunters still prefer landed houses over condominium units. This is easily achievable in next wave cities like those found in Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan, and Rizal. In these areas, you can live just at the outskirts of the big city and go home to quaint and suburban home.

In addition, business process outsourcing (BPO) firms and other corporate offices are also choosing to locate in some of these areas, especially when real estate developers are unveiling provincial projects that also cater to them. This makes finding employment outside the traditional business districts possible. In addition, upcoming infrastructure projects like the Cavite–Laguna Expressway, the NLEX–SLEX Connector Road, MRT-7 are also currently in the development pipeline, ensuring that travel to these areas will become fast and easy in the future.

One: Light of a Nation is June’s Special Treat to Martial Arts Fans

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Widely considered as the frontrunner of mixed martial arts in the Asian region, ONE Championship seeks to end the first half of 2017 on an astounding note as the organization makes its way back to the beautiful city of Yangon to stage its fourth live event in Myanmar at the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium on 30 June.

Looking to keep that big ball of momentum going generated its recent highly-acclaimed trips to Manila and Singapore, ONE: LIGHT OF A NATION will feature the absolute best in local and international MMA talent, accentuating a tremendous five-round middleweight championship rematch between reigning division kingpin Vitaly Bigdash and Myanmar’s favorite son Aung La N Sang.

“This year, we’re giving Yangon something new, a much deeper roster of talents. We are bringing guys from different parts of the globe to showcase world-class action,” ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong said.

“The first bout was an absolute showcase of incredible skill and unwavering determination, and the rematch promises nothing short of another classic. We have an absolutely stacked card from top to bottom prepared for Yangon, and it will be a night fans will not want to miss,” he added.

Bigdash and Aung La first crossed paths five months ago at ONE: QUEST FOR POWER, where the Russian champion had to dig deep to take a unanimous decision victory.

The contest was evenly-matched for the first two rounds, but midway through the bout, Bigdash landed a powerful kick to the head of the Burmese hero that had everyone watching convinced it would be all over soon.

However, Aung La N Sang had other ideas as he proved that he would not go down without a fight, putting on an inspiring display of courage that showed the world that he had the true heart of a champion.

Aung La became an embodiment of incredible toughness and resolve, defending against Bigdash’s relentless assault while managing to mount a credible offense of his own.

Moreover, the proud Yangon native took Bigdash’s best shots and responded, lasting to the final bell in a valiant performance.

Although he was not able to claim victory, Aung La will challenge Bigdash once again this 30 June at ONE: LIGHT OF A NATION.

“It’s one of the most highly-anticipated rematches in history. Both of these guys know what to deliver on fight night. They have rich experience in their combat game. Strategically, it’s the perfect combination on June 30th,” Sityodtong stated about the encounter.

Aside from the main event, ONE Championship has prepared a special co-featured attraction to the Bigdash vs. Aung La II as Japan’s Mei “V.V.” Yamguchi squares off with fellow ex-world title contender Jenny Huang of Chinese Taipei.

The winner of scheduled three-round meeting between Yamaguchi and Huang could secure a rematch with Asian MMA superstar Angela “Unstoppable” Lee for the ONE Women’s Atomweight World Championship title.

Also slated on the undercard of ONE: LIGHT OF A NATION is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion Bruno "Pucci Bull" Pucci, who faces Filipino fighter Jimmy “The Silencer” Yabo.

Meanwhile, ONE Myanmar Featherweight Tournament 2015 Tha Pyay Nyo will return to the ONE Championship cage to battle former Lethwei fighter Htet Aung Oo, who makes his promotional debut.

Furthermore, South Korea’s Kevin “Old Boy” Chung is set to have his first ONE Championship debut against Chinese combatant Zhong Qingya.

ONE: LIGHT OF A NATION will likewise make history on 30 June as for the first time ever, a traditional Lethwei bout will be held inside the ONE Championship cage, showcasing front and center the beauty and authenticity of this ancient Burmese fighting discipline.

Lethwei fighters Shan Ko and Thway Thit Win Hlaing are set to display their amazing striking skills in front of a packed crowd eager for authentic Lethwei action.

In addition, ONE Championship has organized a Myanmar Flyweight Tournament to determine the country’s next flyweight superstar.

Saw Min Min will take on Tun Lwin Moe, while Ye Thway Ne battles Pat Kyaw Lin Naing in the semi-final matches. Shwe Kyaung Thar locks horns with Ye Yint Thway in the alternate bout.

With the box-office receptions of its two previous events, Sityodtong guarantees that ONE Championship’s fourth event in Myanmar will also be a night to remember.

“It will be bigger, better, bolder, crazier than ever before. It’s the month of June’s special gift to the great followers of this wonderful sport and to the genuine admirers of martial arts. June 30th in Yangon is going to be a massive, massive event. You’ve got to come out and show your love. It will be a lot of fun,” he ended.

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