16th Grand Wine Experience: We Keep Coming Back Because It Always Gets Better

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Congratulations to the Joseph brothers of Philippine Wine Merchants for the Grand Wine Experience for another success on their sweet 16th run held on November 4, 2016 at the fabulous and equally grand Marriott Hotel Manila in Pasay city.

At a bigger space, you can't imagine that the ballroom would be filled with so much people that were all excited to taste the more than 500 wines, beers and other spirits, plus the amazing buffet spread of tasty dishes lavishly displayed all over the grand ballroom. Sumptuous culinary treats were at everyone's easy reach courtesy of the chefs and crew of Marriott Hotel Manila led by Executive Chef Meik Brammer.

The event started with the attendees having chill time with white wines at the red carpeted halls leading to the main ballroom while everyone waited for the grand ballroom event venue to open its doors. Live music was also playing on stage to complete the mood, and then host of the night greeted everyone to officially start the event. Finally he led everyone in to the grand ballroom where everyone was amazed with the spectacular wine choices and buffet spreads. 

The program continued after a few minutes of the attendees already engaged with eh wines and food offerings. The Joseph brothers held a welcome toasts for all on stage as many were already busy with their wine tasting and buffet dinner. Robert Lim Joseph, Chairman of Philippine Wine Merchants said a few messages including the announcement about the partnership with the Department of Tourism making the Grand Wine Experience another tourism attraction that will include visits at the different destination of the country. He also announced the very first issue of the Grand Wine magazine which featured Ralph Lim Joseph on the cover.

The Very First Whisky Live Manila Held at Shangri-La BGC

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The very first Whisky Live Manila was an outstanding success! Even during the first hours of the event, hundreds of attendees, both enthusiasts and newcomers to the world of the dram, sampled the many available whiskies within the ballrooms of no less than the newly opened Shangri-la Hotel, Bonifaco Global City in Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines on October 28 and 29, 2016.

Whisky Live Manila opened its doors to a huge number of whisky enthusiasts for two days. Manila is the world's premier whisky tasting show's 5th venue in Asia, and we are fortunate to be among the lucky media attendees invited to taste the whiskies and witness the other happenings including learning a little more from industry experts, and took it a step further by attending some of the organised master classes conducted by whisky experts like Jim Murray, author of the bestselling Whisky Bible, the world's leading whisky guide containing over 4,600 whiskies tasted, evaluated and rated.

I am amazed at how the event was promoted as there were a lot of foreigners, celebrities and other VIPs who attended the event. Some of the personalities that were at the event were Philippine Volcanoes team captain Jake Letts, veteran character actor Joel Torre,  fashion designer, columnist and socialite-philanthropist Tessa Prieto-Valdez, Uno Magazine editor-in-chief and Mercator Centrale owner RJ Ledesma, Model and son of governor Imee Marcos-Manotoc Birgy Manotoc, actor and Persia Grill restaurant owner Kian Kazemi, and a lot more.

DOE Drafts Comprehensive Energy Plan

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Under the helm of Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi, DOE Undersecretary Jesus P. Posadas presented the DOE Strategic Directions and Energy Outlook during the Regional Public Consultation on the Philippine Energy Plan Public 2016-2030 today (04 November) at the F1 Hotel in BGC, Taguig City.

The public consultation was attended by various stakeholders – local government units, electric cooperatives, non-government organizations, civil society organizations (CSOs), academe, RE developers, oil industry players, generation companies, chamber of commerce and industries, financial institutions and development partners.

The Department of Energy- Energy Policy and Planning Bureau (DOE-EPPB) is conducting a series of sectoral campaigns in line with the agency’s mandate to formulate a comprehensive energy plan.

The DOE-EPPB is finalizing the Philippine Energy Plan 2016 to 2030 as the energy sector’s contribution to the Ambisyon Natin 2040 (Executive Order 5), which lays down the foundation for inclusive growth and a high-trust society.

According to Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi, the DOE is currently formulating a 15-year energy plan and even a plan until 2040 that entails a series of studies factoring in gross domestic product (GDP) and population growth, among others.

According to DOE-EPPB, these sectoral roadmaps are a result of the review exercises done by the Department on the effectiveness of the current agenda and the identification of implementation gaps in the program. Each of the roadmaps is complemented by programs of action which are broken down into short, medium, and long-term targets guided by its overall objectives by 2030.

Cusi said, “The PEP formulation paved the way for the development of sectoral energy roadmaps that are critical to ensure energy security and increased energy access. We have conducted a series of consultations with various stakeholders – local government units, electric cooperatives, non-government organizations, civil society organizations (CSOs), academe, RE developers, oil industry players, generation companies, chamber of commerce and industries, financial institutions and development partners – to present the Plan and generate inputs for its enhancement."

The DOE brought the Plan to the following cities:

1)       Cagayan de Oro (11 October)

2)       Legaspi (13 October)

3)       Iloilo (18 October))

4)      Davao City (25 October)

5)       Cebu City (28 October)

6)      Bonifacio Global City (04 November).

The DOE-EPPB collated issues raised in the plenary discussion during the consultations held in the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Legaspi, Iloilo and Davao, which are initiatives on low carbon future (lowering of greenhouse gas emissions), oil deregulation, electricity pricing, rural electrification, renewable energy development and its policy mechanisms, measures on energy efficiency and conservation, Energy Regulations 1-94 and other local energy concerns.

“Planning our country’s energy roadmap safeguards our Filipino consumers and our industry participants from any undesirable energy scenarios in the future. It is our job to protect them,” Cusi explained.

"Once the plan is finished, it will greatly contribute to the expansion of the country’s economic prospects through the provision of employment opportunities and generation of investments that will subsequently provide all Filipinos a life envisioned to be Matatag, Maginhawa at Panatag,” Cusi concluded.