How To C.A.R.E. About Being Your Best

Wazzup Pilipinas!

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 60 to 85 percent of the population worldwide does not engage in enough activity, making physical inactivity the fourth-leading risk factor for global mortality. With many spending hours commuting and sitting at their desks and moving less, more people are putting their health at risk for weight gain, muscle loss, weak bones, poor blood circulation and inflammation that can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke and increased feelings of depression.

Any amount of physical activity is beneficial, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Ideally, though, adults should do at least 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity physical activity (such as walking), or 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous-intensity, or a combination of both, each week.

Helpful Hints 
To help you live a healthier, happier, more active lifestyle, former Olympic runner, personal trainer, and current vice president of Worldwide Sports & Fitness at Herbalife Nutrition, Samantha Clayton, offers this reminder to C.A.R.E.:

• Create specific and achievable goals and resolutions. Remember, this is a lifestyle change that can lead to sustainable, lasting results. “Crash diets” and gym overload are temporary and not sustainable long term.

For example, if your goal is to start running, don’t shoot for a marathon right away. Start with short jogs and challenge yourself by signing up for a 5K, 10K and so on. The incremental successes will build your physical strength, your endurance and confidence. Remember to celebrate your achievements!

• Activate your social networks to help you achieve your goals. Surrounding yourself with like-minded people can help you stay on track. At Herbalife Nutrition Clubs, for example, people come together to improve their health, fitness and well-being, all while benefiting from a supportive community that provides encouragement and guidance.

• Resolve to take action by making little lifestyle changes. It takes three weeks to make a habit, so start with something you know you can achieve. Add fruits and vegetables to every meal, go for a walk, take the stairs instead of the elevator, park your car farther from the door and walk.

• Eat balanced meals that include fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and proteins that will help maintain energy and curb appetite. Many people find that an easy way to jump-start their diet is to replace two meals with a meal replacement shake or bar, such as Herbalife Nutrition Formula 1, then have a calorie-controlled, healthy entrée as their third meal, with extra veggies and salad on the side.

How To Get Started 
Weight management is a result of balanced nutrition and exercise. Free video tutorials of exercises you can do at home, in the office or on the road are available at www.Herbalife.com. There, you will find Clayton and other fitness experts demonstrating exercise routines that are from five to 15 minutes long. You will also find recipes for nutritious, balanced meals.

Whether you’re new to exercise or are training for the next bodybuilding competition, the exercise video library caters to your goals and aims to help you achieve a healthier and happier life.

DOTr Agencies on Heightened Alert for Barangay SK Elections

Wazzup Pilipinas!

All sectorial offices and attached agencies under the Department of Transportation (DOTr) have been directed to be on heightened alert status to ensure the peaceful and orderly conduct of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on Monday, May 14.

The DOTr warned operators to not allow candidates to use their public utility vehicles (PUVs) to perform acts that are inimical to the conduct of an Honest Orderly Peaceful Elections (HOPE). 

Transport agencies were likewise enjoined to be on the lookout for individuals or groups that pose threats to the security of the elections or coerce any person to vote for or against a candidate, and to report such incidents immediately.

Agencies are also directed to implement 24/7 operations, ensure that direct communication lines and feedback mechanisms are operational, and incidents are reported in real-time. All booths or counters servicing passengers must be properly manned to prevent heavy queuing. 

Just like previous holidays, the Inter-Agency Council for Traffic (i-ACT) will not be on vacation, and drivers of colorum vehicles, smoke belchers, and traffic violators will still be apprehended.

DOTr, CAAP Inaugurate San Vicente Airport

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), in cooperation with the provincial government of Palawan, led the inauguration of the San Vicente Airport (SVA) in Palawan today, 10 May 2018.

 

The inauguration of the SVA concludes the PhP62.7 million airport project that began construction in 2009, which was envisioned to provide more flights and routes for air passengers travelling in Palawan, and help boost the country’s first Flagship Tourism Enterprise Zone.

 

Secretary Tugade was accompanied by DOTr Undersecretary for Aviation and Airports Manuel Antonio L. Tamayo, Undersecretary for Finance and Administration Garry De Guzman, CAAP Director General Jim Sydiongco, and Palawan Governor Jose Alvarez.

 

According to Secretary Tugade, more flights will be accommodated in the airport after the inauguration.

 

“Ngayon ay bumibiyahe na dito ang Air Juan. Sa lalong madaling panahon, magsisimula na ring bumiyahe dito ang Cebu Pacific at ang Philippine Airlines (PAL),” Secretary Tugade said.

 

The SVA’s passenger terminal building (PTB) can accommodate up to 100 passengers at any given time, bigger than the average capacity of community airports that can cater to 50 passengers.

 

With SVA ready to accommodate commercial flights, the number of tourists are expected to further increase as they begin to explore various tourist destinations in San Vicente.

 

Secretary Tugade reminded everyone that while tourism is expected to boom in San Vicente after the inauguration of the airport, locals should maintain the cleanliness of their surroundings as to protect Palawan’s beautiful locale.

 

“Regalo po ito ng Pangulo sa inyo. Alagaan ninyo ito. Siguraduhin ninyong hindi magiging basurahan ang mga baybayin nito, hindi magiging itim ang white sand, at hindi magkakaroon ng mababaho at maduduming mga kanal. Take care of your paradise. Do not let anyone destroy your paradise,” Secretary Tugade added.

 

Started in 2006, then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo announced the construction of a new airport in San Vicente to jumpstart tourism development not only in San Vicente, but in other parts of North Palawan.

 

Over the years, funding was allocated for the construction of the airport, which was personally spearheaded by Governor Alvarez.

 

“There is nothing more basic at stake than the future of Palawan to play on a global stage of tourism. If the province can figure out how to invest in its future, all Palaweños will prosper through education, improved quality of life, and jobs. And, the generations to come will see and benefit all of these beautiful things we’ve done in our lifetime,” Governor Alvarez said.

 

Seen as the country’s first Flagship Tourism Enterprise Zone, the town of San Vicente, a first-class municipality, is home to the Long Beach, known as the longest white sand beach in the Philippines that stretches to 14.7 kilometers spanning to the coastline of four barangays.

Month-Long Mother's Day Celebration with Nobu Staycation and Retreat at Nuwa Spa & Nobu Spa at City of Dreams

Wazzup Pilipinas!

In celebration of Mother’s Day, City of Dreams Manila indulges moms their desire for total relaxation with a Nobu Hotel staycation package and pampering treatments at NÜWA Spa and Nobu Spa, which are offered until May 31, 2018.

Nobu Hotel Manila

Nobu Hotel Manila’s Mother’s Day staycation package includes an overnight stay with complimentary buffet breakfast for two at Nobu restaurant, a special welcome amenity and P5,000 dining credit valid in City of Dreams Manila-operated outlets such as Nobu Manila, Crystal Dragon, The Tasting Room, Red Ginger, Jing Ting and Café Society. On May 13, Nobu Manila lays out a special Sunday buffet brunch. Nobu Hotel’s swimming pool and well equipped gym give moms wellness options.

Guests can choose from Nobu Deluxe or Nobu Premier rooms with either city view or pool view, Nobu Executive, and Nobu Suite with the package price starting at P15,888 net.

Moms may also go for additional experiences offered at City of Dreams’ other entertainment facilities that offer enjoyable bonding moments with the family, such as DreamPlay where 12 DreamWorks-inspired interactive attractions promise fun with the children, CenterPlay where top live bands perform nightly, KTV lounges for uninhibited videoke, and even EDM entertainment at Chaos with the young adults in the family.

NÜWA Spa and Nobu Spa

To honor moms and provide them a respite from their busy schedules, the 2018 Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Awardee NÜWA Spa and the Nobu Spa offer curated Mother’s Day spa packages for a delightful pampering experience. While gift vouchers are available, bookings can be made directly at the two spas.

NÜWA Spa at the 2018 Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Awardee NÜWA Manila, draws inspiration from Nüwa, the goddess who created mankind in ancient Chinese mythology. Among many of her great deeds, Nüwa smelted together five colored stones to patch up the azure sky, saving the world from destruction. The myth about the five stones encapsulates the fundamental principle of Chinese medicine that equilibrium can be achieved by honing the power of nature. NÜWA Spa captures the power of these “healing elements” and incorporates the soothing power of nature in the spa therapies.

In celebration of Mother’s Day, NÜWA Spa has hand-picked a few of the highly-acclaimed holistic spa treatments for an indulgent experience for moms. 

The 2-hour One Mom-ent in Time package consists of a bespoke body polish, gold hydration intensive facial and head, neck and shoulder massage at P5,800. For an immersion in Philippines’ age-old healing techniques, traditions and ingredients handed through generations, the 2 hour-and 30 minute Mother’s Day Out comprises Heal-ot massage with Dagdagay foot massage and NÜWA Radiance facial at P6,800 net. An option for Ayurvedic therapy to balance mind, body and spirit is available with the 2 hour-and-30 minute  Mum Me-Time which includes Shirodhara treatment, Abyanga massage and OM facial express at P7,800 net. All packages come with a long-stemmed American rose and a signature chocolate bar.

The Nobu Spa situated at the Nobu Hotel Manila offers a fully-immersive rejuvenation in an elegant and contemporary Japanese oasis. The 1 hour-and-30 minute Super Woman Retreat consists of chocolate body glow treatment and Juan Hilot’s Pride massage at P3,800 net. For a more youthful radiance, the 2-hour Flawless Mom package includes pink salt body polish and collagen skin booster facial at P4,200 net. For a total revitalizing experience, the 2 hour-and-30 minute Ageless Beauty package comes complete with a renewal massage, Dr. Babor BTX lifting facial and For Your Eyes Only treatment at P4,600 net. All packages come with a special Ikebana flower token and a signature chocolate bar.

For inquiries and reservations, guests can call 8008080 or e-mail guestservices@cod-manila.comor visit www.cityofdreams.com.ph.

Guerrero Bares MARINA’S 14-Point Agenda for 2018

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Newly appointed Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) Administrator Rey Leonardo Guerrero recently bared his 14-point agenda, giving the agency the direction and boost it needs to carry out lasting reforms.

Presiding on his first flag ceremony as MARINA Administrator last Monday, 7 May 2018, the former Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff reminded officials and employees on their duties as public servants.

 

“Always bear in mind that, where a position of governance is higher, the expectations and demands will also be higher. Therefore, corrupt and non-performing employees will have no place in this organization,” Guerrero said.

During the ceremony, Guerrero reiterated the following programs should be accomplished by the end of the year, including submission of substantial accomplishment from concerned Directors. 

At the center of these programs is the (1) completion of the 10-year draft of the Maritime Industry Development Program (MIDP), which provides a general framework and execution plan for the agency. 

In an effort to make merchant marine services and procudures more efficient, Guerrero directed MARINA to work on the following: (2)completion of the revised draft on Philippine Merchant Marine Rules and Regulations; (3) completion of the MARINA quality procedures covering all major services at the MARINA Central Service Units in preparation for the eventual implementation of the MARINA Integrated Management System; and (4) completion of the draft for the Philippine Fishing Vessels Rules and Regulations (PFVRR).

Strengthening the organization is also among Guerrero’s priorities. He is (5) proposing for a new MARINA organizational structure; and wants to (6) accelerate filling up of vacant plantilla positions. To ensure everyone is performing his or her duties as mandated, the Guerroro wants to (7) revive the MARINA Performance Governance System (PGS); and work on the (8) validation by the Civil Service Commission of MARINA’s implementation of the strategic Performance Management System. 

The newly-installed MARINA chief also wants to make sure that the Philippines will carry on with its good standing in the global maritime community by ensuring (9) full compliance with the audit findings of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) relating to Philippine Maritime Education, training and certification system; (10) preparation for the Philippine Audit under the IMO Member State Audit Scheme (IMSAS) in 2021; and (11) strengthened and substantial Philippine participation in international meetings and conferences. He added that MARINA participants in such conferences should have prepared and cleared positions, interventions, and papers before being allowed to travel. 

Other efforts also include (12) assessment on the implementation of Republic Act No. 9295, also known as the “Domestic Shipping Development Act of 2004”; (13) implementation of regulatory reforms to ease doing business in the maritime industry; and (14) re-engineering and updating of the contents of the MARINA website.

Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade expressed his confidence in the leadership of the new MARINA Administrator. 

 

“I am certain that his track record and commitment in serving the public will prove valuable as the agency moves into a new direction of providing world-class quality service to the people, while fighting corruption from the inside,” Secretary Tugade said.

 

Guerrero was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte to the MARINA after his resignation from the AFP last April 24.

Let TravelBook.ph and AirAsia BIG Reward You This Summer

Wazzup Pilipinas!

If you haven’t yet ticked off the bucket list that travel getaway you’ve been dreaming of, then let TravelBook.ph and AirAsia BIG make it happen for you. TravelBook.ph, local online reservations portal of hotel accommodations and tour activities, has partnered with AirAsia BIG, loyalty program of AirAsia, to provide an enjoyable and relaxing treat to its customers even past the summer season.

Get 18% discount on hotel bookings and have a chance to win a luxurious vacation package for two with breakfast to three of the country’s top travel destinations: Bohol, Palawan, and Cebu. AirAsia BIG will also give away roundtrip flights worth 26,000 points.

Four (4) winners will get to experience a pleasurable vacation getaway for 3D/2N accommodation (except for Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort Cebu which is 2D/1N) to the following hotels and resorts:

Bellevue Resort Bohol
Situated on the famous Panglao Island, this luxurious five-star hotel makes you forget the busy lifestyle of urban living. Indulge yourself with the top-notch services Bellevue Resort Bohol can only offer. As an ASEAN Green Hotel awardee, Bellevue Resort Bohol commits to sustainable tourism through its efforts on implementing environment-centered approach and energy conservation principles.

*Winner of the 3D/2N accommodation for two with breakfast at the Bellevue Resort Bohol is entitled of AirAsia BIG’s roundtrip flights worth 26,000 points.

Daluyon Beach and Mountain Resort Palawan
Spoil yourself with the breathtaking views of the lush greeneries while you gently feel the soft breeze of the surroundings. Found in Sabang Beach, Puerto Princesa City, Daluyon Beach and Mountain Resort Palawan is recognized as the winner of 2017 World Luxury Hotel Awards. Experience the comfort you deserve and celebrate in one of the world’s most beautiful islands.

Solea Mactan Cebu Resort
Right at the heart of Alegria Cordova, Cebu, be stunned with the picturesque sunset view as you enjoy your relaxation and experience superb amenities of Solea Mactan Cebu Resort. They also have kid-friendly pools and heartwarming staff that will surely guarantee the very best moments of your travel adventure.

Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort Cebu
Found at the beautiful Mactan Island, Lapu-Lapu City, Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort Cebu lets you feel the warmth of a true home. With its nature-like sanctuary and so much leisure activities to explore, embrace the comfort and fun of a true island living.

The raffle campaign is open to all AirAsia BIG members only. To join, just visit www.travelbook.ph/aab to book your preferred accommodation. Upon booking, enter the promo code TBSUMMER18 and AirAsia BIG membership ID. All qualified bookings are entitled to an 18% discount and 30 AirAsia BIG points per Php. 100 spend. Each successful transaction corresponds to a unique booking ID and is considered as one electronic raffle entry.

Booking period is from May 5 to 31, 2018 only. Stay period is until October 31, 2018. Raffle of entries is on June 14, 2018.

Per DTI-FTEB Permit No. 7793 Series of 2018

Building a Shared Future and Recognizing Asia’s Best: The 4th International CSR Summit and Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards set in Manila

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The world’s top CSR thinkers, doers, speakers and leaders will be in the country on June 1, 2018 at the Manila Marriot Hotel for the 4th International CSR Summit (ICS), an annual event organized by Enterprise Asia, Asia's leading non-governmental organization for responsible entrepreneurship.

This year, the ICS theme is “Building A Shared Future”, which calls upon business organizations to lead “Transformational Change” and combat urgent issues threatening people and the planet to reach a shared future. Learning from last year’s summit, which talked about the growing number of responsible businesses across global borders and have sought to establish industry-wide and global alliances, ICS 2018 now urges businesses to deliver real impact and solutions to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and identify the areas where businesses need transformational change.

Highlighting the ICS 2018 agenda are dialogues to be led by CSR experts and practitioners who steered some of the remarkable CSR initiatives in the region. The line-up of speakers include Congresswoman Gwendolyn Garcia, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines; Dr. Eugene Chien, former Minister of Environment and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan, Republic of China; Cheryl Maley, President and Managing Director of Novartis Philippines; Laetitia Lienart, Vice President of Corporate Citizenship APAC of Credit Suisse; Dr. Niven Huang, Regional Leader of KPMG Sustainability Services Asia Pacific; Maricel Aguilar from UN WOMEN Philippines and H.E. Leo M. Herrera-Lim, Chairman, ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR); to name a few.

In conjunction with the ICS 2018, the Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards 2018 (AREA 2018)—Asia’s most prestigious and largest recognition program, will also be held at a Gala Dinner at Manila Marriott Hotel, Philippines. For the past 10 years, AREA has recognised and honoured top sustainable CSR initiatives across Asia. All the award recipients have designed and executed effective CSR programmes embedding sustainability into their core initiatives.

Over 200 nominations have come in from 23 countries and markets across Asia, including Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, UAE, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. The AREA 2018 recognises leading CSR practices in the following categories - Social Empowerment, Investment in People, Health Promotion, Green Leadership, Corporate Governance, SME CSR and Responsible Business Leadership.

The AREA aims to inculcate proactive, transparent and purpose-driven sustainable initiatives in addressing intense economic, social and environmental challenges, as well as advocate the business community to build a responsible and sustainable future that recognizes the needs of all.

With support from its title sponsor, Universal Harvester Inc. whose company safeguards the interest and welfare of the farmers by offering the best quality fertilizers at the most reasonable cost, and to help to assist farmers in keeping them up-to-date with the latest technology for maximum yield; Enterprise Asia continues to deliver CSR programmes that embody their pillars of existence are investment in people and responsible entrepreneurship.

For inquiries, email csr@enterpriseasia.org. For summit passes, email e.loh@enterpriseasia.org

Decisive Finish is in Mei Yamaguchi’s Crosshairs as She Faces Angela Lee Again

Wazzup Pilipinas!

In the sport of mixed martial arts, every athlete dreams of becoming a world champion because it signifies that they have reached the pinnacle of success.

Competitors invest blood, sweat, and tears to achieve the ultimate career-defining moment of having a gold-plated strap wrapped around their waists and hearing the announcer declare their names as champions.

Like any other professional mixed martial artist, Japanese veteran Mei “V.V. Yamaguchi has the same desire of becoming a world champion in the sport.

Yamaguchi, who has been competing in mixed martial arts for a decade with 28 bouts under her belt, seems destined to be a world champion after dominating both local and regional combat scenes.

The 35-year-old native of Tokyo, Japan carved her niche in the Japanese mixed martial arts circuit, winning three prominent tournaments.

Yamaguchi further rose to prominence when she toppled three different opponents in Dream Jewels’ 2015 grand prix tourney to capture the company’s featherweight belt.

Yamaguchi’s success in Japan led her to compete for the inaugural ONE Women’s Atomweight World Championship title in May 2016, facing Singaporean sensation Angela “Unstoppable” Lee in an epic showdown that would later win multiple “Fight of the Year” honors.

However, Yamaguchi fell short in capturing the gold-plated strap as she yielded to Lee by way of unanimous decision.

“If I had won, it would have been perfect. But still, even though I lost, a lot of people told me they cheered me and said, ‘Congratulations,’ so I did not feel bad. It was okay because I was able to make the audience excited,” she recalled.

“That is the thing — I want to keep doing that as a professional athlete,” Yamaguchi quipped.

Yamaguchi has been granted a second chance to vie for the ONE Women’s Atomweight World Championship belt as she will challenge Lee in the main event of ONE: UNSTOPPABLE DREAMS in Singapore on 18 May.

The second encounter between Lee and Yamaguchi was supposed to happen at ONE: IMMORTAL PURSUIT last November, but the bout was cancelled after the Singaporean champion pulled out of the contest.

Lee was involved in a car accident weeks prior to her title defense against Yamaguchi, and the injuries that she sustained in the unfortunate incident forced her to regretfully withdraw from the highly-anticipated championship rematch.

“I was told that Angela was in a car accident. I was surprised, but I was so glad that she was okay,” she shared. “Since I am next in line for a title shot, I just continued training. There was no reason for me to stop. It gave me more time to prepare.”

Ever since Yamaguchi lost to Lee for the inaugural ONE Women’s Atomweight World Championship two years ago, she has polished her strengths and built her confidence up to new heights.

In 2017, Yamaguchi won her two assignments inside the ONE Championship cage on an impressive note.

Yamaguchi submitted Jenny “Lady GoGo” Huang in June 2017, coercing her fellow former world title contender to tap via rear-naked choke in the first round.

Yamaguchi cemented her position as the top contender for Lee’s atomweight crown by scoring a dominant victory over the Philippines’ Gina “Conviction” Iniong in a November 2017 rematch at ONE: IMMORTAL PURSUIT in Singapore.

“My goal is to be a world champion. There were many challenges that came my way in 2017, but it did not deter me. I am destined to be in this position,” she said.

Both Lee and Yamaguchi have grown tremendously since their epic clash two years ago as they have matured and expanded their skillset.

Unlike the last time that both ladies stood opposite each other, Yamaguchi believes that she is entering the world title rematch with her morale at an all-time high.

“The most important thing about being a martial artist is having good technique and good heart. Not everyone can get this chance to compete for a world title. I’ve got this chance, so that has given me confidence as a martial artist,” she stated.

Yamaguchi revealed that she is planning to make the most of her second crack at the title as her new mission is to walk out of the Singapore Indoor Stadium with an intricately-crafted hardware around her waist and leave the decision out of the judges’ hands.

“It is going to end early. It will be a clear finish by me. It is going to be a knockout,” she guaranteed.

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

Alex Silva and Yoshitaka Naito Face Off at One: Grit and Glory Open Workout

Wazzup Pilipinas!

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The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), recently held an open workout for athletes competing at ONE: GRIT AND GLORY. Held at the Jakarta Muay Thai & MMA Gym on 9 May, the ONE: GRIT AND GLORY Open Workout featured main event competitors, reigning ONE Strawweight World Champion Alex “Little Rock” Silva of Brazil and opponent Yoshitaka “Nobita” Naito of Japan. Also in attendance were martial arts stars Stefer Rahardian, Himanshu Kaushik, Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol, and Rome Trinidad who will all be appearing on the supporting card.

ONE: GRIT AND GLORY is set for 12 May at the Jakarta Convention Center in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Ticket information for ONE: GRIT AND GLORY is available at www.onefc.com.

Official Photos for the ONE: GRIT AND GLORY Open Workout can be found here

Alex Silva, ONE Strawweight World Champion, stated: “I am always looking for a spectacular finish, no matter where the bout ends up -- whether on the feet or on the ground. I really feel like I can beat Naito again, no doubt. If it takes one round or five, I’m ready. I am prepared to go the duration of the contest again. My goal is to improve on the performance of the last bout. There should be no problems with me going to the end since I have prepared well, but I am definitely looking to finish this time around.”

Yoshitaka Naito, ONE Athlete, stated: “This is a really important bout for me, and I am working very hard to win this time. I think the opportunity that I have for this rematch this soon is very rare, so I’m not taking it lightly. He is the champion now, and I am the challenger. Silva is very good at everything. I underestimated his striking previously, but he is very well-rounded. I could not do what I wanted to do in the cage. This time, things will be different.”

Stefer Rahardian, ONE Athlete, stated: “I definitely learned a lot from my last match, and I know that I need to be prepared for everything. It was hard, but I earned a tough decision and that’s great. But now I want to win with a finish. I want to excite the crowd and give my best performance. There is something to be learned with every match, win or lose. I want to show that I have improved a lot since my last appearance.”

Himanshu Kaushik, ONE Athlete, stated: “With my family and friends supporting me, I want to make them proud of my performance. I am very lucky to have the team I have behind me. Stefer Rahardian is a great athlete, undefeated and experienced. He has great wrestling skills and his grappling is top notch. I am preparing to handle his strengths and by the time we both step into the cage, I’ll be ready. I know what to do and we have a great game plan in place.”

Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol, ONE Athlete, stated: “The more I compete, the more experience I get. It does not matter so much whether I win or lose, as long as there is always something to learn. I am working on all areas of my skills, both in my striking and in my ground game. I really feel like I have improved a lot, and I want to showcase this in this next match. I want to be the best. I want to get more matches and wins, and hopefully get the belt.”

Rome Trinidad, ONE Athlete, stated: “I am out to prove that every woman can do anything they put their mind to. I want to inspire the youth, young girls who look up to us martial artists and want to follow in our footsteps. I want them to be strong against any challenge in life, not only physically, but also mentally and spiritually. This is a tough game we play, but I am prepared to do what it takes to bring my best performance to the cage.”

Alex “Little Rock” Silva of Sao Paulo, Brazil, is a third-degree black belt and Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion feared for his relentless pursuit of submission finishes. He is a technical grappling specialist with a penchant for securing highlight-reel submissions. With steadily increasing confidence, five of Silva’s last six victories have all ended in spectacular fashion. In his most recent contest, Silva turned in the best performance of his career, defeating former champion Yoshitaka Naito via unanimous decision to claim the ONE Strawweight World Championship. Now, Silva is ready to return to action to defend the belt against the same man he took it from.

Former ONE Strawweight World Champion Yoshitaka “Nobita” Naito of Matsudo, Japan, owns a stellar professional record of 12-1. He owns six victories by submission and one by knockout. Naito made a name for himself at Japan’s world famous Korakuen Hall competing for Shooto as its Flyweight Champion, and captured the ONE Strawweight World Championship by submitting Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke in his ONE promotional debut in 2016. In his most recent bout, Naito succumbed to now reigning division king, Alex Silva. He returns to action looking to reclaim championship glory against Silva in a rematch.

Top Indonesian martial arts talent Stefer Rahardian impressed in his ONE Championship debut by winning the ONE: TITLES & TITANS Flyweight Tournament in August of 2016. Rahardian finished both Yotha Hutagalung and Hendrick Wijaya by first round rear-naked choke to become the tournament winner. Since then, Rahardian has blazed a trail in the ONE Championship cage in an amazing run as a professional. In his last outing, Rahardian outperformed Pakistan’s Muhammad Imran to win by unanimous decision. Still unbeaten at a perfect 8-0, Rahardian puts his unblemished record on the line against Himanshu Kaushik in a strawweight contest.

Indian bantamweight contender Himanshu Kaushik is set to make his ONE Championship debut at ONE: GRIT AND GLORY. Kaushik has competed mostly in his native India, showcasing a solid set of striking and grappling skills. A striking specialist, Kaushik also owns a wushu record of 71-7. Kaushik’s promotional debut will be anything but easy however, as he faces surging Indonesian martial arts talent Stefer Rahardian in a three-round strawweight bout.

Female martial artist Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol of Jakarta, Indonesia, is an Indonesian national wushu champion who has trained in various striking disciplines such as kickboxing and wushu. The 29-year-old made her ONE Championship debut against Singapore’s Tiffany Teo at ONE: THRONE OF TIGERS in February 2017, joining a growing list of elite female martial artists in Asia. Lumban Gaol, a striking specialist with a wushu record of 15-5, will look to extend her two-bout winning streak to three in her next appearance inside the ONE Championship cage, when she takes on Rome Trinidad.

20-year-old Rome “The Rebel” Trinidad of Manila, Philippines is set to return to action in her second appearance inside the ONE Championship cage. The atomweight competitor is a practitioner of Sikaran, an ancient martial arts discipline which originated from Rizal province in the Philippines. With no written history, Sikaran was passed on from generation to generation by succession. A former National Sikaran Champion training out of Elorde Gym, Trinidad is ready to showcase her skills to the world. She takes on rising Indonesian martial arts star Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol.

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

Tugade Orders Immediate Firing of LTO Tarlac OIC for Alleged Involvement in Illegal Drugs

Wazzup Pilipinas!

“Kung involved kayo sa korapsyon, lalong-lalo na sa droga, pasensyahan tayo, sipain ko kayo.” 

This was the statement of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade right before he directed Land Transportation Office (LTO) Chief Edgar Galvante to immediately fire LTO Tarlac OIC Rodel Yambao after being nabbed by the police for alleged possession of illegal drugs.

Yambao was arrested on Wednesday, 08 May 2018, in an operation conducted by the Tarlac Police together with the operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

According to the police report, nine (9) sachets of suspected shabu, a hand grenade, and bullets for an undertermined hand gun were seized in Yambao’s residence in Barangay San Roque.

Yambao, who has been listed as a high value target, is now in police custody and will have to face charges on possession of illegal drugs and illegal possession of firearms and ammunitions.

Enraged after learning the incident, Tugade said "Kung mga corrupt nga hindi natin pinalalampas, eto pa kayang sangkot sa ipinagbabawal na gamot? Ang mga anay na gaya mo, walang puwang sa departamentong ito lalo na sa lipunan na galit na galit sa droga!"

Tugade likewise ordered Galvante to look into Yambao's profile and investigate if he is involved in any form of corrupt practices during his term.

Further, the Transportation Chief warned all employees under DOTr and its attached agencies that zero tolerance is imposed to those who will get involved in corruption, much more with illegal drugs.

Qingdao Peking Opera Company's The Monkey King Makibg Havoc in Heaven to be Presented at CCP on May 18 - 19

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Cultural Center of the Philippines, together with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China proudly present a special Beijing Opera performance of “ The Monkey King Making Havoc in Heaven ” featuring The Qingdao Peking Opera Company on Friday, 18 May 2018 (Gala Night) at 7:30 pm and Saturday, 19 May 2018 at 7:30 pm at the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater) CCP Complex, Roxas Blvd., Pasay City.

Admission is FREE. For ticket reservations, please call the NCCA International Affairs Office at (02) 527-2206 --- Mon. – Thurs. 10 am to 4 pm.

The year 2018 marks the 43rd year of the formal establishment of the Philippines - China  Diplomatic  Relations.  In light  of  the  progress  made  by  the  increase  of  official people-to-people  contacts  and  exchanges,  both  countries  agreed  to  facilitate  cultural activities to further enhance the Philippines-China bilateral relations.

Part  of  the  2015-2018  Executive  Program  of  the  Philippines-China Cultural Agreement is a cross-cultural collaboration of the Filipino Sarswela/Opera and Chinese Jingju (Peking Opera).

The visit of the Qingdao Peking Opera Company shall feature back to back performances, interactions, lecture-demonstration, and pre-production meetings with Filipino theatre artists to facilitate a traditional theatrical collaboration between the Philippines and China. 

The Philippines-China diplomatic relations was formally established back in June 9, 1975. The late Premier Zhou Enlai and the late Philippine  President  Ferdinand  Emmanuel  Edralin Marcos signed the  joint  communiqué of  the  establishment  of  diplomatic  ties  in  Beijing  and  formally established diplomatic relations at ambassadorial level.

Synopsis of " The Monkey King Making Havoc in Heaven."
When Sun Wukong led the monkey training in the “Mountain of Flowers and Fruits”, The Jade Emperor sent the God Venus to invite him to temple peach feast, which is not real invitation. Enraged by the news that he is not in the guest list of   peach feast, Sun Wukong smashed abode of immortals in heaven and stole the temple peach and elixir made by the God Venus.

Flaunting the banner of “The Monkey King”,   Sun Wukong called his own troops in the “Mountain of flowers and Fruits”. After defeating the Li Tianwang army sent by the Jade Emperor, Sun Wukong and all monkeys enjoy their happy lives in the “Mountain of flowers and Fruits”.

Established in 1950, Qingdao Peking Opera company is recognized “National Key Provincial Opera Troupes” and “National Advanced Culture Collectives ” by the Ministry of Culture, People's Republic of China. Awarded as “Shandong National Advanced Culture Collectives”, the Qingdao Peking Opera Company  was officially ratified as “Province-level Intangible Cultural Heritage” by People’s Government of Shandong Province.

Over the past 60 years since its founding, the Company has inherited and developed various schools of Peking Opera through endless efforts of artists such as Yan Shaopeng, Zhang Chunqiu, Zhang Shaolou, Jie Yun Hong, Li Shibin, Dong Chunbo etc. In recent years, the Company has been developing vigorously “Young Talent Cultivation Strategy”. Charged with the important task of cultural exchanges with foreign countries, the Company constantly sends performance visits to Japan, Russia, Britain, South Korea, Norway and other countries. The Qingdao Peking Opera Company is one of the elite and distinguished Peking Opera Troupes in China.

In the years of artistic creation and performance appraisal in the Central Propaganda Department, the Company has won several awards, "China Peking Opera Art Festival Award", "National Children's Drama Repertoire of Outstanding Performances Award", "Shandong Province Quality Engineering Award" and "Shandong province Taishan Literary Award”, among others.

The classic traditional repertoires  are  "Harmony through a Royal Marriage," "Silang Visiting His Mother," "Wild Boar Forest," "Qin Xianglian," "Wangjiang Pavilion, "Zhu Lian Village," “The Legend of Wang Baochuan and Xue Pinggui," "Big Two," “Uproar in Heaven," "Bazhen Decoction," "Mu Guiying," "Losing Pavilion•Use of Empty City•Killing Masu," "Farewell to My Concubine," "Nest," "An Imperial Concubine Gets Tipsy," "Changbanpo," " Village Of Tigers," "Champion," "Taking Turns Fight against Four Pairs of Mallets.” The repertoires have won extensive influence and deep love among audiences from home and abroad.

3 Key Benefits Of Using Instagram Stories For Online Businesses

Wazzup Pilipinas!

For online marketers and entrepreneurs operating small businesses having a viable profile on Instagram is a necessity rather than a luxury. The popularity of this social media networking channel in recent years is encouraging businesses of various classes to use it as an effective marketing tool to promote their brand products and services.

Moreover, the people operating such organizations do not have to pay any subscription fee to use this platform. This is the reason there are approximately 25 million organizations with an active business profile on this social media networking site. Moreover, experts say this trend is likely to increase in the coming years.

Three key advantages of using Instagram stories for online marketers and entrepreneurs

Experts specializing in the field of online marketing say it can be difficult for businesses to achieve their organizational goals using Instagram without proper guidance. People who use this popular social media networking platform expect to see more than just gorgeous photos from the companies who advertise their brand products on this site. They want to see how the people running such organizations create the goods they are offering to sell to the public. This is where Instagram stories come into the picture. Studies show that the effective use of this unique feature by entrepreneurs and online marketers encourages Instagram users to visit their business websites frequently.

These professionals go on to point out the following three key advantages entrepreneurs can enjoy when they use the potential of Instagram stories to market their brand products to the general public:


Increase in customer engagement

Instagram stories are a series of photos and videos which appear in a slideshow format to allow users to get a glimpse of how businesses create the products they buy. It allows them to experience a day in the working of such organizations and opportunity to hear from the owners of such establishments. This helps to boost customer engagement especially when such entrepreneurs notice a significant increase real Instagram likes from such users.


Boost sales

Unlike other social media networking platform, Instagram allows entrepreneurs and online marketers to connect with the members of their target audience at a personal level. Even within Instagram stories, these businessmen can use certain features which help them to link their posts to their main websites. It allows users viewing such stories to also browse through the sites of such owners. This goes a long way in boosting the sales and revenue of such organizations.


Potential for marketing campaigns to go viral

Entrepreneurs who are successful in capturing the attention of their target with their story ads using this unique feature on Instagram notice an interesting trend. Within a few seconds, people who enjoy the strong visuals of such marketing campaigns and relate to their message immediate, such posts with the those they know. This enables such businessmen to reach out to a larger audience.

Instagram stories allow entrepreneurs and online marketers connect with their target audience in a way which is not possible with traditional advertising methods. The above three advantages of using this feature prove why it is an indispensable marketing tool for such businessmen. It can help them to gain the competitive edge in the marketplace without making a huge hole in their pockets

Author Bio: Trudy is a Business Tech Analyst. He is very responsible towards his job. He loves to share his knowledge and experience with his friends and colleagues.