DOE Invites Koreans to Invest in PH Energy Projects

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Department of Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella promoted Philippine energy investment opportunities during the Korea-Asia Energy Cooperation Seminar convention at the Plaza Hotel in Seoul, Republic of Korea on 7 July 2017.

The Philippines' Department of Energy (DOE) under Secretary Alfonso Cusi today announced to Asian energy sector players and government officials that the Philippines will require 43,765 megawatts (MW) of additional electricity capacity by 2040.

Represented by Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella, he told the Korea-Asia Energy Cooperation that the required additional capacity represents a three-fold increase in the Philippines' demand for energy.

Fuentebella also expounded on the energy policies and thrusts of the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte during the convening of the seminar at the Plaza Hotel in Seoul.

The DOE official briefed the audience of promising investment prospects in the Philippine energy sector.

"To address this need, the Philippines would need 70% base load power plants, 20% medium range power plants and 10% peak load power plants."

Fuentebella cited the demand for new power plants in areas identified by the DOE in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Major energy projects were also highlighted in the presentation, such as the Integrated LNG Terminal and Visayas-Mindanao Interconnection Project along with their corresponding costs and projected timelines for completion.

To highlight the Philippines as an attractive destination for energy investors, Fuentebella announced that President Duterte recently signed Executive Order No. 30 giving priority status to energy projects.

Under E.O. 30, an Energy Investment Coordinating Council was created to streamline regulatory procedures affecting energy projects of national significance.

The EO also reduced to 30 days the processing time for applications for energy-related undertakings and projects.

In the open forum, the DOE official said the Philippine government is open to looking at micro-grids to augment the energy supply given the country's archipelagic location.

He said the DOE would soon release guidelines pertaining to the Green Energy Option.

Following the seminar, several Korean companies expressed interest in exploring energy investment opportunities in the Philippines.

Fuentebella provided a comprehensive overview of the Philippines’ primary energy mix, energy demand and supply outlooks from ‎2016-2040 as well as strategic directions

Power In Quake-hit Visayas To Be Restored ASAP - DOE

Wazzup Pilipinas!

We will bring back power as fast and as safely as is humanly possible to areas in the Visayas affected by a strong quake that rocked the region.

This was the consensus reached by the energy family under the Department of Energy (DOE), as well as their private sector partners, during an emergency meeting called by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi at the DOE headquarters today.

Cusi assured the public that the DOE and all of its attached instrumentalities and commercial partners are on top of the situation. "We are all working round the clock and all hands are on deck," said Cusi.

According to the Energy Development Corp. (EDC) and Green Core Geothermal, they are providing generator sets in coordination with the local officials of Municipality of Kananga and Ormoc City to critical facilities like municipal halls, hospitals and water districts.

EDC and Green Core said, impact assessment measures are being undertaken at their geothermal power plants.

Based on the technical assessment of the companies, the marshalling stations or the central switching station of Leyte power plants will be restored within 3-5 days to enable importation of power supply from Cebu to the provinces of Leyte, Samar and Bohol.

For transmission, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) is undergoing further assessment of their transmission facilities in determining the specific timeline on the restoration of the damaged facilities.

As of 2:30 p.m., the 138kilovolt (kV) Ormoc-Tongonan T/L near the affected Tongonan Geothermal Power Plant with a power supply capacity of about 35 megawatts (MW) is ready to be energized.

On the distribution side, electric cooperatives (ECs) in Samar and Leyte provinces have no power but most of their facilities sustained no damage. Currently, the ECs are awaiting the powering up of the transmission facilities.

The entire province of Bohol remains without power.

To augment the power supply in the affected provinces, the government, through the DOE, is working with alternative power suppliers, such as Trans Asia and Salcon Power to deploy Power Barges 101, 102, and 103 and the unutilized 16 MW diesel-fired power plants.

To fast track the restoration further, the National Electrification Administration prepared the mechanism for a “quick response fund” to be allocated to ECs with damaged facilities.

The DOE coordinated with the concerned agencies to determine the timelines and other significant details in the deployment of the power barges and dispatching of the diesel power plant.

To supervise these complex yet integrated tasks, Sec. Cusi created a Project Management Team for the earthquake affected areas.

"We are on top of the situation and we will deliver the much-needed energy services immediately," Cusi concluded.

The DOE Central Office and Visayas Field Office (VFO) are open to accommodate inquiries and support from the public through the hotline number ‎‎479-2900 loc. 329 for consumer concerns and ‎‎(032) 253-7222; ‎‎253-2150 for the VFO concerns.

Explore International Flights for as Low as USD 600 with Ethiopian Airlines’ Exciting Airfare Deals

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Travelers are in for a special treat as Ethiopian Airlines offers its best value deals yet. Families can bring their entire brood on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure to Europe, Brazil, Africa, and the United States for as low as USD 600-700 each for roundtrip economy, and only USD 2,500 for two round trip tickets on “Cloud Nine”, its renowned business class cabins, from Manila to over 20 international destinations via its hub, Addis Ababa.

Recently awarded the Best Airline in Africa in 2017’s SKYTRAX World Airline Awards, and the 2017 Outstanding Food Service by African Carrier Award, Ethiopian celebrates its 2nd anniversary in the Philippines with this seat sale offering that passengers surely won’t want to miss.

All passengers flying Ethiopian Airlines get to experience exceptional African hospitality en route to famous international destinations around the globe through its world-class amenities including an in-flight entertainment system where travelers get to choose from a wide range of movies, TV shows, music albums, and radio shows among others.

The carrier also boasts of an exceptionally curated in-flight cuisine featuring fresh and varied meals of the highest quality, its unique Ethiopian cuisine and International fare, as well as a complete range of beverages including its excellent red and white wine selection.

On top of this, Ethiopian Airlines passengers on economy are entitled to a total of 44kg baggage allowance, while passengers flying on “Cloud Nine,” its Business Class service, are entitled to a total of 64-66kg.

Sale Period is until 15 July 2017. Travel is valid from 7 July 2017 until 31 December 2017.

For more information, please contact Ethiopian Airlines Reservations Office (632)848.9878/79, (632)522.2095, and (632)522.4869.

Davao Aguilas FC Hosted Kaya FC Makati

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Davao Aguilas Football Club (DAFC), sponsored by San Miguel Corporation, went up against Kaya FC Makati on Sunday, July 9, 4 p.m., at Davao del Norte Sports Complex.

It was the second time that these two teams went against each other for the Philippines Football League (PFL), with the first match taking place at University of Makati (UMak).

Davao Aguilas FC has earned a reputation for setting the trend in Philippines Football League (PFL) for hosting the biggest crowds. Its past 4 matches in its home stadium have gathered at least 16,000 people.

The club has also been getting involved in grassroots programs in Davao. It recently organized a football clinic for 200 kids, held at Tionko Football Field in Davao City. There are also other football clinics lined up for Davao and the Mindanao region.

Coach Gary Phillips in an interview, stressed the importance of setting-up a training camp in Davao; to help further develop football interest and be able to tap more local football talents as well. The club currently has players from Davao and other parts of Mindanao.

In the meantime, five members of Davao Aguilas FC (DAFC) have been called up for the Philippines Under-22 squad list for the Japan training camp, which was arranged by the Philippine Football Federation, along with Japan Football Association. The camp is a preparation for the AFC Under-23 Championship Qualifiers and the 2017 Southeast Asian Games. These players are Junnell Mark Bautista, Jaime Vicenzo Cheng, Rey Franco Miguel De La Torre, Van Rey Diaz and Richard Talaroc, Jr. 

Justice Delayed is Never Justice Denied in the Legal Drama “Conviction” to Premiere this July on Sony Channel

Wazzup Pilipinas!
This July, the fight for justice begins for those who have been wrongly convicted as they have one last hope for an acquittal in the legal procedural series Conviction on Sony Channel.

Highly skilled defense attorney Hayes Morrison (Hayley Atwell), who is also the daughter of a former U.S. president, is blackmailed into heading the newly created Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU), a department under the New York County District Attorney’s Office tasked to investigate cases where there is credible suspicion of wrongful conviction.

To avoid imprisonment and further embarrassment, Hayes reluctantly accepts her new job but realizes that this might be the opportunity for her to rebuild her integrity and gain the respect she deserves.

Every week, Hayes and her team of lawyers, investigators, and forensic experts work together to identify and examine cases that made the headlines. With only five days on each case, they have to determine if any evidence was tampered, a confession was invalid, or a witness has been compromised that might overturn the conviction.

To come to a conclusion, Hayes and her elite group will question if the system failed, if jobs were carried out, if there was a cover-up and - the most important of all – if justice was served. 

Conviction premieres on July 20 and airs Thursday at 8:50pm, first and exclusive on Sony Channel.


Sony Channel is available on SKYCable Channel 35, Destiny Cable Channel 62, Cignal Channel 120, G Sat Channel 48, and Cablelink Channel 39.

Which Is Better: Rent-To-Own or In-House Financing?

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Top property marketplace Lamudi Philippines compares common housing payment schemes to let buyers choose which one suits them best

In a bid to provide end-to-end service to all home-hunters, Lamudi continues to share assistance through valuable information that will arm investors in their real estate transactions. Before you head on to the Lamudi Affordable Housing Fair and browse properties you can soon own, know first which the best option is: rent to own or in-house financing?



Rent-to-Own

Rent-to-own or lease-to-buy is an agreement that guarantees a renter the option of buying a leased property within a pre-arranged duration. Basically, it is being able to rent a home that you can buy at some stage in the rental period. A well-drafted contract is key in rent-to-own terms. Both parties must consent to the specifics, including rental rates plus rent-to-own premium, purchase date, duration of lease term, actual sale price, and all other essential clauses that must be finalized.

A rent-to-own scheme is appropriate for buyers who cannot afford to pay for a huge down-payment in one go as the duration of the lease—which normally lasts for two or more years—allows them to save enough cash and build their creditworthiness. For some people, owning a home is much for feasible this way.

One advantage of a rent-to-own transaction is that the buyer can lock the property’s present price even though the actual purchase may happen after the end of the lease term. In addition, in the event that you find the property or the neighborhood unsuitable, you can also decide to leave the property at the end of the lease term and look elsewhere. However, there are a number of caveats that must be considered before jumping into the rent-to-own bandwagon.

It is normally stipulated in the rent-to-own contract that the lessor/buyer will pay a rent-to-own premium on top of the monthly rent. For example, if the monthly rent of a certain condo in Makati is Php25,000, the rent-to-own contract may stipulate that the lessor/buyer will pay an additional Php8,000 per month as rent-to-own premium. This premium will make up part of the eventual down-payment at the time the lessor is to buy the property per the contract. If the lessor has paid 24 months of rent-to-own premium, they have accumulated a total of Php192,000.

Furthermore, as the intention to buy the property is already stipulated in the contract, the lessor agrees that they will eventually make the purchase upon the expiration of the lease term. If they don’t, then the contract may also stipulate that all rent-to-own premium paid will be forfeited.



In-house Financing

For buyers who want to pay for their properties in a series of installments without availing the offerings of third-party institutions, such as banks and other lenders, real estate developers also offer in-house financing.

Technically in-house financing is not considered a loan but an extended way of payment. Application is easy as developers are generally less stringent than commercial banks; with just valid identifications and enough proof of income you can already purchase a property. This usually applies to pre-selling projects of various developers for faster take-up. Likewise, many developers do not offer financing for move-in-ready units.

The setback is steeper interest rates and shorter payment terms. The high and fixed interest fees offered by real estate developers are way above the normal range accessible in banks. Payment duration offered is also shorter than the usual 10 to 15 years in banks or the up to 30 years offering of Pag-IBIG Fund.

Before finally deciding to enter a big financial commitment like real estate mortgages, it is very important to evaluate your current financial standing to be able to decide which term best fits your needs. If fast, worry-free, and easily approved scheme is your best bet, then in-house financing will work for you. Alternatively, if you prefer to move-in right away and rent a home that you can eventually buy, then gear up and find the best rent-to-own properties up for grabs at the Lamudi Affordable Housing Fair.



Lamudi Affordable Housing Fair

Slated to happen on July 15 and 16 at the Glorietta 3 Activity Center in Makati City, the Lamudi Affordable Housing Fair will display a wide-range of value-for-money properties with the easiest payment terms. The event is also packed with exclusive discounts and exciting freebies and promos can also be yours at the two-day housing fair.

Foreclosed property auctions, virtual reality in real estate, home-buying seminars, and forums facilitated by experts will simultaneously happen at the event.

The first Lamudi Housing Fair was successfully held November of last year and was attended by more than 5,000 visitors. The upcoming housing edition focusing on reasonably priced properties is expecting more attendees.


To know more about the Lamudi Affordable Housing Fair, visit http://www.lamudi.com.ph/events

Batibot Now on App Store

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Educational app develops essential thinking skills among children

Parents using iOS-powered smartphones and tablets can now download for free the Batibot mobile application, an interactive version of the beloved TV show that helps enhance learning among children.

Earlier launched on the Android platform, the app features fun games that teach kids basic learning concepts like matching, sorting, and grouping. The app also lets children practice tracing letters with the proper strokes, and helps them identify shapes, colors, numbers, and letter sounds.

The app’s “Awiting Batibot” feature enables kids to sing along to Batibot songs, while “Kuwentong Batibot” contains local stories that promote good values.

What makes the Batibot app stand out from other educational apps is that it is the only app in the Filipino language that is aligned with the kindergarten curriculum of the Department of Education.

The Batibot app is the product of a collaboration among Smart Communications, Community of Learners Foundation, and developer startup OrangeFix. The app jumpstarted Smart’s efforts to work with various communities and organizations to create literacy apps in local languages.

One Year On: Filipino Social Enterprises Better Equipped to Improve Quality of Education Following Completion of SAP Social Sabbatical Program

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Following the completion of SAP Social Sabbatical Program in the Philippines last year, two participating social enterprises, Teach for the Philippines and Silid Aralan (SAI), reported that their organizations are better able to fulfill their respective missions to improve the quality of education for underprivileged Filipinos.

The program, which ran in the Philippines last year with the aim to help local social enterprises overcome pressing organizations challenges and barriers to growth, has helped SAI and Teach for the Philippines to develop a sustainable business model, allowing these two organizations to maintain more efficient business processes both internally and externally, thereby giving the management more time to focus their efforts on driving outcomes based on their respective mandates.

According to Arcie Mallari, founder and executive director of SAI, the organization previously faced issues in recruiting volunteers. Prior to the SAP Social Sabbatical program, its staffs were also not equipped with the knowledge or skillsets to efficiently manage its resources.

By participating in the SAP Social Sabbatical program as an organization beneficiary, SAI was able to better gain insights on how their resources were being deployed and identify operational areas which were not getting the right amount of support, which then helped the management to acknowledge the need to employ more talents and gain more resources at the right time.

With the support of SAP employee volunteers through the SAP Social Sabbatical initiative, SAI was able to better develop a sustainable operating framework that brings a higher level of organization and sustainability for the organization. The social enterprise can now also function better in fulfilling its mission of boosting the academic performance of low performing and underprivileged students through a more effective and systematized set-up for its tutorial programs.

“SAI has plans to expand our organization and business. We aspire to develop learning hubs across the country by the year 2020. This year, we are putting up learning hubs in seven regions from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. This endeavor was made possible partly because SAP Social Sabbatical team helped us improve our business model. Through the program, the SAP employee volunteers helped us develop a ‘Franchise Kit’ that we present to potential partners. They had also linked us to possible sponsors. Now, SAI is also more financially stable,” added Mallari.

Meanwhile, SAP also conducted a brand audit focused on further enriching the branding and marketing aspects of Teach for the Philippines. According to Clarissa Isabelle Delgado, co-founder and CEO of Teach Philippines, the brand review allowed them to learn new ideas that have aided them on how they can evolve the organization.

Since Teach for the Philippines enlists young professionals to mentor students in public schools, especially in remote areas in the country, the Social Sabbatical program improved their knowledge on how and what needs to be done to further promote its advocacy. This new-found understanding of the organization’s branding and marketing systems enabled them to create conversations about the social enterprise and its objectives and, in turn, encouraged more volunteers to join their ranks.

“It was helpful to have a third-party review our processes. The full brand review allowed us to have a new baseline to jumpstart conversations among our team on how we want Teach for the Philippines to evolve and improve in our communications – internally and externally,” added Delgado.

SAI and Teach for the Philippines are two social enterprises that aim to address prevailing issues that impede in the education of Filipinos despite the country’s high literacy rate.

While the country’s literacy rate is at 98.1 percent, according to the latest available data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) as of 2013, there has been an increase in the issues that limit the learning capacity of students.

In 2015, Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) revealed that 1 in every 10 Filipinos, aged 6 to 24, was out-of-school or 24 million Filipinos are experiencing hindrances to education due to various reasons. Among the top barriers to education are insufficient family income, the high cost of education and, a lack of interest in schooling.

For its part, SAP Social Sabbatical aspires to reach out to more social enterprises in the country to help them with their advocacies. The SAP Social Sabbatical is a unique program for SAP employees to contribute their time and expertise to assist in empowering organizations in the education or entrepreneurship sector in emerging markets, including assistance in strengthening their leadership competencies, cross industry sector know-how and intercultural sensitivity. Following the successful completion of the program in 2015, SAP is looking at continuing the efforts of supporting local organizations in the Philippines in 2018.

“SAP has long been dedicated to creating ways to help relevant social organizations, in any way that it can. SAP Social Sabbatical is our way of contributing a lasting impact to the society. This is also a big help to our country, especially in further improving education,” said Ryan Poggi, Managing Director, SAP Philippines.

Get Down and Move It

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Legit Status – a name whose got quite a reputation in the Philippine Hip-Hop Dance Community. They were one of the first representatives of the Philippines in the World Hip-Hop Dance Championships (HHI) back in 2009, as well as being a consistent finalist in international competitions. Last 2015, they won a Silver Medal for the Varsity Division. Now in 2017, after a one-year hiatus, they are back and stronger than ever. They currently have 48 members; 40 of which are competing in the Megacrew division and 8 competing in the Varsity Division. They are definitely well positioned to bring home the Gold for the Philippines as they wholeheartedly train and battle to represent the country.

After placing 2nd in this year’s National Championships, they are more motivated to bag 1st place in this year’s HHI, which will be held in Phoenix, Arizona. Never fazed by the past, they always look to conquer their future. Legit Status has never been afraid of stepping up to the plate, as they believe that the challenges they face are what make the team grow stronger.

The road to the World Championships is not an easy task, aside from the late night trainings, in addition to balancing work or school; fundraising is one of the challenges that every team faces. One of Legit Status’ main fundraising events is their concert entitled “Represent!”. This is a 2-day concert on July 15 and 16, 2017 at the Henry Lee Irwin Theater, Ateneo de Manila University. For only P300, the audience will witness an undoubtedly entertaining show that captivates the essence of love and unity for the Philippine Hip-Hop Dance Community. Featuring several renowned teams in the Hip-Hop Dance Community, Represent! will surely be something you won’t want to miss. Come and support Legit Status as they strive to compete and make the Philippines proud. See you at Represent!

For more information regarding Legit Status and their different fundraising activities, visit their Facebook account on facebook.com/LegitStatusPH, Instagram: @LegitStatusPH, and Twitter: @LegitStatusPH.

NEC Introduces Smart Communications System SL2100 to Asian Market

Wazzup Pilipinas!

NEC Asia Pacific today announced the launch of the Smart Communications System SL2100for small- and mid-sized businesses in the Asian market.

With wide-ranging, enterprise-grade voice over IP (VoIP), mobility and Unified Communications and Collaboration (UC&C) features, the SL2100 also offers industry specific features for retail, healthcare, food service and entertainment, as well as hospitality features for small hotels and motels.

“The way the business world communicates is rapidly changing, especially in consumer-facing industries, where excellent customer experience is a must,” said Shigeru Matsuura, General Manager, Global Platform Division, NEC Corporation. “NEC’s SL2100 offers a new design for Hardware and Endpoints. Combined with the value-added features, such as Smartphone Integration and web-based Video Conferencing & Collaboration, the SL2100 is an ideal fit for service oriented small- and mid-sized businesses.”


SL2100’s key features include:

Built-in VoIP technologies (Standard 8ch. Expandable to 128 ch)
Web-based UC Client
Web-based Video Conferencing & Collaboration
Voice Response System/Voicemail
Outbound & Inbound audio conference
Geographical Multi-site operation over IP Network
ACD (Automatic Call Distribution) for small Contact Center
Hotel Features with PMS API


The SL2100 also offers an array of add-on Smart Mobility options, such as Remote/Home Office Support, Smartphone SIP App and Mobile Extension.

The SL2100 will be released to Asian countries sequentially starting from July 2017.