Sepang F1 Circuit Blazes Anew with 2016 Michelin Pilot Sport Experience

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The MICHELIN Pilot Sport Experience (MPSE) blazes its way back to the Sepang International F1 Circuit in Malaysia for the 12th consecutive year. For over 25 days in August and September, Michelin will treat more than 600 selected invitees from Asia, the Middle-East, Oceania and Europe to another round of excitement and sheer driving pleasure in the iconic Malaysian track.

Dealers, brand stake-holders, influencers and media were invited to participate in the event together with twenty-five (25) lucky consumers from the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, Japan and Korea. They won their MPSE trip by participating in Michelin Driving Passion, a social media campaign conducted recently that reached 70 million consumers in the region. Campaign participants were invited to describe and share the emotions they experience when they are behind the wheels.

A shared passion for beautiful speed machines that will elicit unique emotions awaits everyone at the MPSE. Guided by an elite team of professional racing drivers and instructors, participants will drive premium racing vehicles such as the Citroen DS3 R1, the Formula 4 car, the Renault Clio IV, the Lamborghini 2014 GT3 and a Formula Le Mans 2-seater exclusively designed for this event.

Meeting motorsports champions who embody the spirit of the race and getting to connect with them is part of what makes this year’s MPSE unique. Special VIP guests in 2016 include Earl Bamber, former MPSE instructor who raced his way to victory and became 2015 Le Mans champion, and Kris Meeke, winner of the 2016 WRC Rally Finland.

At the MPSE, Michelin will launch its new MICHELIN Pilot Sport 4 tyre, the newest arrival in the MICHELIN Pilot Sport family. This tyre is specifically designed for premium sedans and sport cars whose owners desire enhanced driving pleasure through superior performance, a unique looks and safety. Participants will experience first-hand the tyre’s excellent steering control and high level of reactivity during a dedicated workshop.

Why does Michelin continue to organize and enhance MICHELIN Pilot Sport Experience, year after year? “There is nothing that can better convey our passion for performance than sharing it with our key stake-holders right where it is most apparent; on fantastic cars, in an iconic setting, with real racers, where one can feel, touch and even smell the difference that MICHELIN tyres can make”. Michael Nunag, Chief Representative of Michelin Philippines, said.

“The enthusiastic comments and the stronger engagement with the Michelin brand which we see in our invitees every year are a clear confirmation that MPSE is an extraordinarily effective platform to share our brand values and make a lasting impression”.

The MICHELIN Pilot Sport Experience was first launched at the Sepang International Racing Circuit in 2006 and has grown today into a key Michelin annual event in the region.

For more information about the MPSE, please visit its website: http://pilotsportexperience.michelin.com/

Hontiveros, Community Leaders File Alternative Mining Bill

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros on Thursday filed a bill to limit mining operations and ensure the protection of communities and the environment through taxes and heavy fines.

Together with community leaders and advocates from Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM), the neophyte Senator filed the Alternative Minerals Management Bill or Senate Bill #1069 to "rectify the failure of Republic Act 7942 or the Mining Law of 1995", the country's current law governing mining.

"There is a need to overhaul our current mining policy to ensure the proper management and utilization of our mineral resources", Hontiveros said.

The Senator also lamented the "low return and high costs of mining", citing that the industry only contributes 0.7% to the country's gross domestic product" while incurring high costs in terms of environmental degradation, loss of livelihood and human rights violations.

Hontiveros, also an environmental advocate, seeks to factor climate change in the government's mining policy framework by inculcating environmental tax and the establishment of a Calamity and Human Rights Protection Fund.

"It's time for mining companies to ensure that their operations do not harm the environment and are a source of contribution to the community", she added. "Super-heavy fines and revocation of licenses to operate await mining companies that violate the law", warned Hontiveros.

"The bill also limits the areas of operations of mining companies", she further explained. The bill protects watershed, key biodiversity areas, critical habitats and geo-hazard areas are no-go zones for mining companies.

Aside from the bill, Hontiveros supports a comprehensive review of all existing mining applications and licenses of all mining countries to determine what companies and mining areas, including places near settlements and biodiversity areas, are compliant with their respective environmental compliance certificates (ECCs) and those that have repeated records of abuse and exploitation. The Senator is also supporting the call of environmental advocates for a thorough investigation on the real economic benefits of mining.

Fast, Reliable Internet for Philippine Homes

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Converge ICT, a world-class provider of ICT products and personalized services, now offers a more reliable and high-speed internet solutions for homes with its FiberX plans.

Despite the presence of several internet service providers (ISPs), the struggle to access information needed for daily living still remains challenging.

The Philippines is one of the countries in the world that is notorious for its slow and unreliable internet connection. In the recent ranking among Asia Pacific countries, it emerged as second slowest with an average speed of 3.64 megabits per second (Mbps), a disturbing mile behind more than 100 Mbps of Hong Kong and Singapore which are on top of the list.

According to Dennis Anthony Uy, Converge ICT president and CEO, FiberX uses pure fiber optics that allows symmetric connectivity. It enables the users to experience superior internet connection and reliability since it neither congests nor degrades data as it passes through, allowing for a speedy downloading and uploading process.

“Fiber technology offers many benefits to both households and businesses because it provides higher bandwidth. What this means is that, people can now enjoy faster internet and that translates to better productivity,” Uy said.

Converge ICT’s FiberX technology provides 100 percent end-to-end fiber technology from its node to the subscriber. This makes for fast browsing, video-streaming, and seamless gaming, among others.

Furthermore, Converge ICT’s pure fiber technology offers better security because unlike copper wire, which is the conventional material used by other providers, fiber is dielectric. This means that it does not transmit energy so conversations on LAN are fully secured.

FiberX comes in different packages that are tailor-made depending on the needs of the consumers. They may avail of Converge ICT’s FiberX with a 20 Mbps, 50 Mbps or 100 Mbps bandwidth, respectively.

Converge ICT has already connected its fiber-powered capabilities to cities like San Juan, Las Pinas, Manila, Quezon City, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Makati, Pasig, Taguig, CAMANAVA Area, Pasay, and Muntinlupa , Angeles in Pampanga and Tarlac City and Subic.

Converge ICT is licensed to operate nationwide. More than 6,700 km. of fiber optics cables (FOC) were rolled out nationwide with the use of the latest micro- trenching technology.

For more details, please visit the website at http://www.convergeict.com/about.php.