Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Sunday, November 13, 2016

1st DICT Summit: Implementing Telecommuting and other ICT-Based Solutions to Mitigate Traffic Congestion Nationwide

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The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) hosted a summit on “Implementing ICT-Based Solutions to Mitigate Traffic Congestion Nationwide” on November 8, 2016 at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel in Makati City. The 1st DICT Summit aims to provide recommendations on how ICT can help in alleviating traffic congestion nationwide.

The one-day summit highlighted ICT-based solutions that our country can easily adopt with the end-in view of realizing the mutual vision for free flowing road traffic.

Representatives from different government agencies like the Department of Transportation (DOTr), including the Senate and the House of Representatives, League of Governors/Mayors, Local Government Unit Officials in NCR, ICT experts, and ICT industry stakeholders shared their vision, insights, and recommendations on how ICT-based concepts may efficiently be implemented. These proposals will then be translated into a joint Position Paper addressed to the President, which will contain the various suggestions and comments of the participating stakeholders with the recommendation for the President to issue an Executive Order on the matter.

Leading the event is DICT Secretary Rodolfo Salalima who gave the Welcome FRemarks and the introduction of Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella who was in Malacanang Palace where a press conference was also taking place at the same time. A video-conferencing setup was supposed to give a clear communication from the Makati Shangri-La Hotel to the Malacanang Palace but technicalities like the loss and inaudibility of the audio persuaded the government officials to just discontinue the conversation.

The incapability of the video-conferencing was a clear sign that there really is a need for the country and government to invest on ICT infrastructure as the opportunities for growth and development is continuously being hampered by poor technologies available to us in the Philippines.

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The Philippines, through the Department of Transportation (DOTr), will host the 42nd Senior Transport Officials Meeting (42nd STOM) and the 22nd ASEAN Transport Ministers Meeting (22nd ATM).

The high-level meetings to be held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Manila from November 14 – 18, 2016 will gather transportation officials from the 10 ASEAN Member States. More than 200 transport officials and delegates will convene to discuss various transport initiatives and policies that will improve connectivity and enhance cooperation in the region.

The STOM leaders, working under the direction of the ASEAN Transport Ministers (ATM), are expected to review the implementation and establishment of transport agreements as set by the ATM. Among the projects to be discussed is the Kuala Lumpur Transport Strategic Plan (KLTSP), which is the transport vision and blueprint for 2016 – 2025. The KLTSP, an important pillar of the ASEAN Economic Integration, aims to make the ASEAN community more integrated, competitive, and resilient.

Other transport initiatives to be discussed include the establishment of the ASEAN Single Shipping Market and the ASEAN Roll-on Roll-off Shipping Network, which are both designed to facilitate trade, reduce transport costs, and provide easier access to key markets in Southeast Asia through a more connected maritime transportation network. Liberalization of air services, building safer road networks and efficient railway systems, and promoting sustainable and green transport initiatives are also part of the agenda.

The ATM will convene from November 17 -18 and are expected to consider and adopt STOM recommendations.

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Leg five starts off with a flight from Phuket to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam where teams make their way to Thanh Da, an indoor fishing pond to receive their next clue. Here, they find their first Fast Forward in the Race.The first team that finishes the Fast Forward challenge can skip all tasks and head directly to the Pit Stop.

Eric & Rona and Treasuri & Louisa are huge fans of The Amazing Race Asia and they conclude that previous teams that had gone for Fast Forward usually end up last, so they immediately opt for the challenge.

At Thanh Da, teams put their angling skills to the test and catch four prawns from the indoor pond before receiving their next clue. As teams settle down to wait for their catch, Tom & Anita decide to take the risk and head to the Fast Forward task.

In this Fast Forward task, teams must break potentially hundreds of clay bowls containing steamed, sticky rice. Only one bowl contains a coin that is the golden ticket to the Pit Stop. However, teams must break one bowl at a time and eat the rice before they can continue their search.

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With a Vietnamese partner who has been successful in the restaurant business in Western Australia for more than 20 years, Michael "Mike" Ang decided to bring the Tra Vinh brand to the Philippines so that Filipinos could also have a taste of the fabulous Vietnamese cuisine that has been awarded many times for its best and freshest produce.

We have to thank Van Chien Ho for agreeing to share his authentic Vietnamese cuisine recipe through Mike for the Filipino people. True enough, the phenomenal dishes are something to rave about by every foodie out there.

Faithful from their original recipe, the Tra Vinh Vietnamese Restaurant has caught the attention of foodies from all over the Metro. I took the extra effort to go there even though it's located at a neighborhood I am not so familiar. Since I'm based in Pasig city, the Banawe, Quezon City area is relatively too far for me. However, the lengthy travel was definitely worth it!

We did an exclusive lengthy video interview session with the owner so he could explain in details about the dishes served to us. This is where we have learned that Tra Vinh is a place in Vietnam where Van Chien Ho's wife lived which most probably has a sentimental value for the creator of the Tra Vinh brand.

Please do watch it here or at our official YouTube channel at http://www.YouTube.com/user/wazzuppilipinas

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For the last 30 years, the Philippines has been a favorite outsourcing destination for animation. Countless international companies have trusted the handiworks of the Filipino animators, and we have not failed them. But when we begin asking ourselves, “What is our own brand of animation? What is the Filipino identity of animation?” We cannot give an immediate reply. We don’t even have a direct translation or an equivalent for the word “animation.”

The event, brought to us by the Animation Council of the Philippines, Inc. (ACPI), is an attempt to answer these questions. It is ACPI’s way of saying that the Philippines is not just about being an outsourcing destination for animation, but it can also be an excellent source of original content and high quality animation.

Animahenasyon festival is the Filipino equivalent of animagination, as a result of combining the words “animation” and “imagination” (imahenasyon). It is also about the image (imahe) that we want to portray as a nation (nasyon) of animators to the world. But Animahenasyon is more than just a showcase of what the Filipino animators can do. It is really a harvest (ani) of the Filipino talent and creativity. It is a celebration of the Philippine animation industry.

This annual Filipino animation festival features the different animation works of both aspiring and professional animators in the country through a competition. To further advocate continued learning and development on the arts and craft of animation, a series of symposium and interaction between international guest animators with local animators and students were conducted. Also part of the festival is the exhibit of the works of this year’s lifetime achievement awardee.

Katrina Anne Johnson of Davao Wins as Miss Silka Philippines 2016

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Congratulations to the winners of the Miss Silka Philippines 2016 led by Miss Silka Davao, Katrina Anne Castañeda Johnson - the 2016 Miss Silka Philippines.

The Grand Coronation was held at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati on November 12, 2016.

Other winners are:

Miss Silka Philippines 1st Runner up - Cebu
Miss Silka Philippines 2nd Runner up - Pampanga
Miss Silka Philippines 3rd Runner up - Tarlac

Miss Congeniality - Miss Lanao

Miss Juicy Cologne - Miss Davao

Miss Photogenic - Miss Davao

Online Choice Award - Miss Iloilo

Best in Talent - Miss Bicolandia

Best in Casual Wear - Miss Zambales

Celebrity heartthrob Piolo Pascual serenaded the candidates earlier with song numbers. Hotspot was also there earlier to grace us with song numbers.

Miss Silka Philippines 2015, Kimberly Weber, was stunning in her elegant white dress during her farewell walk, and to welcome soon the next lady to wear the crown of Miss Silka Philippines for 2016.

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“(I spent) seven months of not hosting on TV. I promised myself, babalik ako for a once in a lifetime, one-on-one interview,” Kris Aquino said.

And that one-on-one interview was supposed to be with the President. However, Kris Aquino’s one-on-one interview with Pres. Duterte did not push through. It was supposed to be her much publicized, much anticipated one-on-one interview with the President of the republic. But as it turned out, television personality Kris Aquino was "stood up" by President.

"President Duterte doesn't know what he's missing" says Kris. Kris tried to lighten the mood after the President skipped the small and medium enterprises summit in Davao City. It was indeed an it was an epic snub which also led Kris Aquino to say "One day mamahalin mo rin ako" to the president who was said to be not feeling well that day. The president arrived before dawn on Friday in Davao City from a two-day visit to Malaysia.

The popular TV host handled the sticky situation with humor by posting a #GandangDiNapakinabangan hashtag after President Rodrigo Duterte's no-show at an event on November 11, 2016 called the "Townhall Interview with the President" at the National Micro, Small, and Medium Entrepreneurs’ (MSME) Summit 2016 organized by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Go Negosyo Foundation, TV-5 and state-run TV station PTV 4.

"I apologized again that the date hindi natuloy (did not push through). I was stood up. But I assume the next time, he realized that it was fun, sisipot na siya (he will attend)." say Kris.

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At the recent November 10 “China Philippines Dialogue 2016” forum organized by the “China Daily” newspaper at Peninsula Manila Hotel in Makati City, the Philippines, various speakers led by the Philippines’ newly-designated ambassador to Beijing Chito Sta. Maria look forward to better Philippine and Asian economic growth prospect with the normalization of Philippine-China bilateral economic, diplomatic, cultural and other ties due to efforts of President Rody Duterte. He cited new railways in Mindanao of southern Philippines, seaports, agriculture and others as areas where both countries can cooperate.

Former veteran journalist Chito Sta. Maria said that in tackling differences like territorial disputes over the Scarborough Shoal or Spratly isles, the reformist government of President Rody Duterte prefers the pragmatic and more effective “quiet diplomacy instead of megaphone diplomacy”. Sta. Maria said that China’s pragmatic leaders can reciprocate goodwill in negotiations, citing examples of China concluding territorial dispute agreements with like Russia and Vietnam after several years of high-level bilateral talks with each neighbor.

Sta. Maria explained that Duterte’s announcement of “separation” from longtime military ally and former colonizer USA and charting a new independent foreign policy is his way of pursuing a “hedging strategy” for the Philippines to “diversify risks and maximize the gains” from two superpowers the U.S. and China. The new envoy said that the new pragmatic approach shall also make the Philippines no longer be perceived byChina or others in the international community as “a pawn or vassal state” of the United States.

Former CNN Beijing bureau chief and now Peking University Visiting Professor Jaime FlorCruz is also supportive of President Duterte’s reformist efforts to uphold an independent foreign policy for the Philippines, in rebalancing the country’s diplomatic and economic ties with all powers.

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The new face of the most undisputed "Selfie Expert" has been revealed and it was no other than one of the most popular charming faces in the Philippines, Alden Richards.

With so many celebrity endorsements under his name, Oppo has surely wanted to cash in on his popularity as well. But who wouldn't ? Aside from his partner, Maine Mendoza aka Yaya Dub, which creates their viral tandem we all know as AlDub, the other popular celebrity couples could not really stand on their own when separated from each other.

In this case, we can see Alden Richards making a grand influential presence on his own minus Maine Mendoza. Though they are obviously stronger together since the female part of the AlDub fame also has a lot of followers, not too many brands can manage to afford the talents fees of the two combined.

But as for me, Oppo alone is also a brand that has able to effectively reach out to its consumers with its specifications that beats most brands within the competition. The barnd has not only revealed Alden Richards as its brand ambassador, it has also launced a limited edition Oppo F1s in metallic grey color. The previous Oppo F1s are available in gold and rose gold.

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We invite you to witness Miss Silka 2016 Grand Coronation on November 12, 2016, 3:30 pm at the Glorietta Activity Center, Makati. Who do you think deserves to be crowned as the next Miss Silka Philippines 2016?

Vote for your favorite candidate at http://silkaskincare.com/vote.aspx for Miss Silka 2016 People's Choice Award! Who among these amazing ladies do you think deserves this award? Vote now!

Miss Silka Philippines is an annual pageant that aims to celebrate the Filipina’s beauty, confidence and sense of commitment.

"Cosmetique Asia together with Cornerstone Entertainment presented to the members of the media the thirty (30) candidates vying for the title of Miss Silka Philippines 2016 at Felicidad Mansion in Quezon City.

Silka, celebrating its 15th year, aims at selecting its next brand ambassador from the gorgeous delegates coming from all over the Philippines. The beauty brand will bring together delegates from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao who are blessed not only with fair and smooth skin, but also with confidence and sense of commitment to her community.

The winner will be crowned during the finals slated at the new Glorietta Activity Center on November 12, 2016. Reigning Miss Silka Philippines Kimberly Weber of Zambales will turnover his crown and title. The winner will also get a chance to donate cash to her chosen non-goverrnment organization courtesy of Cosmetique Asia." - Missosology

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Artistang Artlets, the Official Theater Guild of the Faculty of Arts and Letters of the University of Santo Tomas, has been in active service to the Thomasian community for the past 36 years. As part of the guild’s thrust to promote theater as an alternative educational tool for the people inside and outside the university, we will be staging our Major Production for this academic year 2016-2017.

Si Maria Isabella at ang Guryon ng mga Tala is a story based from Dean Francis Alfar’s The Kite of Stars. This was one of the most acclaimed productions in the Virgin Labfest 2015 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines written by Eljay Castro Deldoc and is to be directed by John Michael Peña and produced by Mary Claire Aquino this November 15, 16 and 17, 2016. The time slots will be 1 PM, 3 PM, 5 PM and 7 PM at Tan Yan Kee Auditorium, Tan Yan Kee Bldg., University of Santo Tomas.

As part of our goals and aspirations for this season, we aim to produce community development projects that would not only give great impact to the participants but would also bring about long lasting changes within them. In line with this, ArtistangArtlets will be holding a project entitled “Passion Project” together with our partner community, Cecilio Apostol Elementary School. ArtistangArtlets aims to teach the students the basics of theater-making and performance, to let the students assimilate themselves as vital parts of the production itself, which will in turn be a fundraising event for them to have a theater guild in their school.ArtistangArtlets, the Official Theater Guild of the Faculty of Arts and Letters of the University of Santo Tomas, has been in active service to the Thomasian community for the past 36 years. As part of the guild’s thrust to promote theater as an alternative educational tool for the people inside and outside the university, we will be staging our Major Production for this academic year 2016-2017.

Si Maria Isabella at ang Guryon ng mga Tala is a story based from Dean Francis Alfar’s The Kite of Stars. This was one of the most acclaimed productions in the Virgin Labfest2015 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines written by Eljay Castro Deldoc and is to be directed by John Michael Peña and produced by Mary Claire Aquino this November 15, 16 and 17, 2016. The time slots will be 1 PM, 3 PM, 5 PM and 7 PM at Tan Yan Kee Auditorium, Tan Yan Kee Bldg., University of Santo Tomas.

As part of our goals and aspirations for this season, we aim to produce community development projects that would not only give great impact to the participants but would also bring about long lasting changes within them. In line with this, ArtistangArtlets will be holding a project entitled “Passion Project” together with our partner community, Cecilio Apostol Elementary School. ArtistangArtlets aims to teach the students the basics of theater-making and performance, to let the students assimilate themselves as vital parts of the production itself, which will in turn be a fundraising event for them to have a theater guild in their school.

Time schedule for the three (3) play dates:

TUES: Nov. 15- 11am, 1pm, 4pm, 6pm
WED: Nov. 16- 10am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm
THU: Nov. 17- 2pm, 4pm

Donald Trump is My President: What People Say About America's New Leader

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"There must be a side of Trump that the media ignores. The real Donald Trump must be good. There must be something out there that shows he is not racist, sexist, or homophobic. That he is not motivated by greed; that he's genuine. And that he is generous even when no one's looking. I am looking for those traits because now, Donald Trump is my president."

Congratulations to the new President of the United States of America (USA). This actually means most surveys, even the ones done in the Philippines, are inaccurate. You simply must prepare yourself to any outcome even if it's a total surprise for most Filipinos, here and abroad.

Just thirty-seven per cent of respondents to the network exit poll said that Donald J. Trump was qualified to be President; sixty-one per cent said that he was unqualified. And yet, on January 20, 2017, it will be Trump who will be inaugurated.

Donald J. Trump has won the presidential election in a stunning upset. How were you all feeling on the day after hearing about Donald J. Trump's victory? In his very first speech, he is very respectful of Hillary Clinton and notes: "...it’s time for America to bind the wounds of division. It is time for us to come together as one united people. It’s time.”

He must make a stab at uniting the country, after a scorched-earth campaign in which he consciously tore at the nation's gender, racial and economic fault lines to build a movement to win power. Whether or not America is ready for President-elect Donald Trump, the Walt Disney Company is prepared. Lol!

Trump's candidacy seemed like a bad joke. His victory has left a country shocked and ravaged by discord, especially along racial lines. This goes far beyond the usual partisanship. Some leftists are having a harder time than others adjusting to the idea of a Donald Trump presidency. But did you know that the Simpsons predicted Donald Trump to be the president 16 years ago? I an episode called "Bart to the Future", Lisa was elected as his successor. We have to face the reality that Donald J. Trump has been elected the 45th president of the United States, the capstone of a campaign in which he won over white voters with the promise to "Make America Great Again."

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The largest sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship (ONE), returned to the Singapore Indoor Stadium for another exciting evening of world-class mixed martial arts (MMA) action. ONE: DEFENDING HONOR showcased Asia’s premier combat sports talents on the global stage of MMA with a series of compelling bouts. In the main event, Eduard Folayang shocked the world by stopping Shinya Aoki to become the new ONE Lightweight World Champion. In the co-main event, Marat Gafurov retained his title with a submission victory over Narantungalag Jadambaa.

Visit the official ONE: DEFENDING HONOR photo gallery by clicking: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ivh34n9pza3q94o/AADwuMwRg-gnDecd5AIBoQyTa?dl=0

In the main event, Eduard “Landslide” Folayang of Baguio City, Philippines completes his journey through ONE Championship’s lightweight ranks by stopping Asian MMA legend Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki by technical knockout within three rounds to clinch the ONE Lightweight World Championship. Aoki dominated the first round with his Brazilian jiu-jitsu, but Folayang came alive in the second round as he opened up his striking, showcasing his world-class wushu talent. In the third round, Folayang rocked Aoki against the cage fence and finished him off with ground-and-pound.

In the co-main event of the evening, reigning ONE Featherweight World Champion Marat “Cobra” Gafurov of Russia successfully defended his title against challenger and top contender Narantungalag “Tungaa” Jadambaa of Mongolia. It was the champion’s second title defense, after lifting the belt from Jadambaa a year ago. After a brief exchange of strikes, action quickly went to the mat when Jadambaa missed a kick and fell to the canvas. Gafurov followed the Mongolian down and that’s where he worked on the submission. Jadambaa was able to defend for a few moments, but once Gafurov re-established himself, the choke came effortlessly.

Lightweight prospect Amir Khan of Singapore overcame a spirited effort from former Pan Asia BJJ Champion Vaughn “The Spawn” Donayre of the Philippines to win by submission in the third round. After spending the first half of the bout tagging each other with various striking combinations, the two fighters decided to take things to the mat. On the ground, Khan showcased his technical brilliance, threatening Donayre with multiple choke attempts while dominating the grappling exchanges. Although Donayre had his moments, particularly catching Khan in a very deep kimura attempt, the younger fighter survived to win by rear naked choke in the third round.

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Seven remaining teams will have a taste of Vietnamese delicacy in The Amazing Race Asia Season 5

After arriving first at the pit stop for the past two legs, will Indonesia’s Treasuri & Louisa score a hat trick in tonight’s episode? Singapore’s JK & Mike struggle to move beyond second last place so will they turn the tide and move to safer ground this time around? Only seven teams remain and the stakes are so much higher, who will be eliminated this week?

Catch the all-new exciting episodes of The Amazing Race Asia Season 5 every 9pm only on AXN. For behind-the-scenes clips and extra footage, visit www.AXN-Asia.com/TARA or join the conversation on Facebook at TheAmazingRaceAsia.

AXN is seen on Cable Link Channel 38, Cignal Digital TV Channel 61, Global Destiny Cable Channel 61, Dream Channel 20, GSat Channel 51, and SKYCable Channel 49. AXN HD is seen on SkyCable Channel 247.

#AXNTARA

Friday, November 11, 2016

New NatGas Plants to Help Secure Energy Supply -Cusi

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OH MY GAS: Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi led the commercial operation ceremonies of the 414-MW San Gabriel and 97-MW Avion Natural Gas Power Plants Friday (11 November) in Batangas City. In photo is Sec. Cusi (right) shaking hands with Lopez Group Chair Emeritus, Oscar M. Lopez. Also, witnessing the ceremonies are (L-R) First Philippine Holdings (FPH) Chair & CEO Federico R. Lopez, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, former Senator Sergio Osmeña and FPH President and Chief Operating Officer Francis Giles Puno during the said event.

Committed to provide reliable and clean power supply towards industrialization, the Department of Energy (DOE) welcomes the commercial operation of the two natural gas-fired power plants, which were inauguratedFriday (11 November) by First Gen Corporation in Batangas City.

Considered the cleanest among the known fossil fuels, the 414 megawatts (MW) San Gabriel and 97 MW Avion Natural Gas Power Plants support the increasing economic growth trajectory target of 7-8%, while also balancing the energy mix.

In his Keynote Address, Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said “San Gabriel and Avion’s combined capacity of 511 megawatts will help secure our energy supply for the years ahead.”

Sec. Cusi emphasized that “It is also imperative for the DOE to find the right energy mix by considering technological advancements and all possible energy options, while also factoring in the growing social awareness on energy sustainability.”