The Amazing Race Asia Season 5 Update: The Stress of the Race gets to Rona

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Last episode’s first team, Yvonne and Chloe kicked off leg three with good news – they are heading back to their homeland in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia! But first, teams need to travel from Bandung to Jakarta’s Senayan City Mall to purchase their air tickets. At Garuda Indonesia’s office, the teams realize that the earliest flight to KL is the next day at 8.35am.

Right when they land, the teams make a quick dash out. While the other teams are directed to get an airport taxi, Eric asks around for a metered taxi, giving Eric & Rona an advantage. At Menara Great Eastern Building in Kuala Lumpur, teams face their first Roadblock challenge. One of them must rappel down the side of a 300 foot skyscraper to retrieve a flag. Teams that miss the flag or drop it, must attempt the challenge again.

Eric & Rona, Tom & Anita are the first two teams to rappel down while it’s just starting to rain. As Louisa &Treasuri are getting ready, the teams received a lightning warning and they have to head back indoors to wait for the storm to pass. Eric & Rona, Tom & Anita head to KL Sentral Station where they have to take the earliest train to Penang. They are disappointed to find out that the next available train is at 5.50pm, almost 3 hours away, which will give the other teams a chance to catch up.

Once the rain let up, Louisa &Treasuri, Parul & Maggie and Yvonne & Chloe speed down the building easily and they quickly make their way to the train station. Unfortunately, JK & Mike, Alex & Will and Vicky & Rach did not find the flags and they have to retry the challenge again.

DOTr Rolls Out Oplan Ligtas Biyahe: Undas 2016

Wazzup Pilipinas!

In preparation for the influx of passengers during All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has activated Oplan Ligtas Biyahe: Undas 2016 to ensure the safety and reliability of various modes of transportation.

The DOTr has directed all its attached agencies to be on heightened alert status to guarantee the security and safety of passengers traveling during the Undas period. Attached agencies are expected to make sure that public concerns hotlines are operational and properly manned.

Road Safety and Public Assistance

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will conduct an inspection of buses as part of ensuring its road worthiness and safety of the passengers. Help Desks shall also be placed in terminals to ensure that queries and concerns of commuters will be swiftly and efficiently attended to.

Further, LTFRB shall issue special permits to bus operators valid from October 29 - November 3, as more buses will be needed to transport those who will be traveling to their respective provinces.

Similarly, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) will enhance its public assistance programs by prioritizing tasks in line with guiding motorists.

Meanwhile, the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) will deploy additional personnel at toll plazas where traffic build-up is expected.

For its part, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) has created a Management Team which consists of airport managers to personally oversee the operation during the peak days.  Passengers can also ask for assistance and information to Help Desks manned by MIAA Operations group, airport police and medical team.

The Philippine National Railways (PNR) will maintain the present number of train trips in the Metro Manila South Commuter and Bicol Commuter Services. There will be 36 daily from Tutuban – Alabang/Mamatid and four (4) in Naga – Sipocot. One-stop help desks will be set-up in terminals and stations and quick response teams will be activated.

Nationwide Inspection of Passenger Ships

Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) will monitor all domestic passenger ships prior to scheduled departures to ensure that applicable MARINA rules and regulations are complied, particularly the “No Overloading of Passengers and Cargoes” Policy.

i-ACT Deployment and Lifting of Number Coding

The Inter-Agency Council on Traffic (i-ACT) will deploy around 2,900 personnel to man the roads of the metropolis, i-ACT will likewise lift the Number Coding Scheme in Metro Manila from October 31 to November 1. However, in order to further assist commuters going to and from their provinces, Number Coding shall be lifted ONLY for provincial buses on November 2&3, 2016.

Short+Sweet Festival of 10-Minute Plays Now on its 2nd Week

Wazzup Pilipinas!

It's the second week of Short + Sweet (S+S) Theatre Festival Manila 2016 so i'm excited to watch another batch of these promising short and sweet plays. There's those lengthy plays that are so absorbing when seen in full, but it takes a lot of effort to be able to engage the audience with a play that's only 10-minute long. 

The challenge is to be able to effectively cram it all in within those few minutes of performance. That's not an easy thing to do, but on the other end, it may also be an awesome way to deliver a clever or intriguing thought or idea without getting the audience bored.

Short + Sweet (S+S) Theatre Festival Manila 2016 marks its third season this year featuring 30 short plays, 30 directors and nearly 100 actors.

Directors and actors are composed mostly of Filipino talents. The plays will be performed over the last two weekends of October and the first weekend of November at the Power Mac Center Spotlight at Circuit in Makati.

Short+Sweet Theatre, which originated in Sydney, Australia is a festival of ten minute plays and theatre pieces known as a far-reaching brand of short form theatre in the world. Each year, the festival showcases hundreds of bite-sized dramatic treats.

"We handpick over 400 ten minute plays, selected from thousands of scripts submitted, and present them in our Festivals. We utilise the talents of established and upcoming actors, directors, writers, and technical crew, to create some of the best short work theatre across the planet." S+S stated on its release.

Schedule of remaining performances are as follows:
Week 2 : Oct 28, 2016 (Friday) 8PM Oct 29, 2016 (Saturday) 7PM Oct 30, 2016 (Sunday) 7PM

Wildcard Shows: Oct 29 & 30 (Sat & Sun) 3.30PM

Finale : Nov 4, 2016 (Friday) 8PM Nov 5, 2016 (Saturday) 7PM

If you are interested to watch the shows, please confirm your attendance to Ms. Vaish- 09188770011.

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