Microsoft Holds “Hour of Code” for Gawad Kalinga Students

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Microsoft believes that all young people should have the opportunity to learn new skills that will prepare them for the future workplace and an ever-transforming world.

Microsoft invited 30 students from Gawad Kalinga to the Microsoft Philippines office to participate in the Hour of Code, a global movement to encourage more youth to develop an interest in coding. The children were introduced to basic coding through Minecraft Designer, a free online tutorial on Code.org that teaches users to use computer science commands to bring the Minecraft world to life. The tutorial is set of 12 puzzles that includes creating their own game which can be shared with their friends or played on their phones.

For this year’s Hour of Code, Microsoft Philippines and Gawad Kalinga engaged with 6,000 youth and trained 250 teachers from La Union, Nueva Ecija, Iloilo, Davao, and Compostela Valley.

To try the new tutorial:

aka.ms/hourofcode

To learn more about how Microsoft Philanthropies is helping to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more, please visit www.microsoft.com/philanthropies. For more information about using “Minecraft: Education Edition visit http://education.minecraft.net.

Hit Musical CareDivas Opens PETA’S 50th Theater Season

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Philippine Educational Theater Association’s (PETA) comedy musical Care Divas returns to open its 50th anniversary with a whopping 50 shows from February 3, 2017 until March 19, 2017 at The PETA Theater Center.

Care Divas a disarmingly funny and candid musical drama about 5 transgender Overseas Filipino Workers in Israel who work as care givers in the morning and transform into glamorous drag queen performers at night. While desperate to make ends meet, they also struggle to search for acceptance in a foreign land.

The musical dominated the 2011 Philstage Gawad Buhay! Awards, bagging seven trophies including Outstanding Stage Direction, Outstanding Musical Direction, Outstanding Musical Production and Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Musical.

The play’s wickedly funny text, written by award-winning playwright Liza Magtoto, tells of the lives of the main characters: the kind and loving Chelsea, the often-sarcastic group leader Shai, the ditzy Thalia, the bubbly Kayla, and the ill-tempered Jonee.

Vincent de Jesus’ musical score leaves audiences humming tunes as it weaves through the narrative. Under the direction of Maribel Legarda, the creative team behind the show includes costume designer John Abul, lighting designer Jonjon Villareal, visual artist and set designer Leo Abaya, and contemporary dancer and choreographer Carlon Matobato.

Jesse Lucas Masterclass: The Art Of Writing Music For Film/TV

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Top-notch composer Jesse Lucas gives a masterclass on the art of writing music for Film/TV. Jesse is an award-winning and prolific composer who has written music for film, television, theater and ballet.

In film, his works have won awards from different award-giving bodies. In 2010, he was elevated to the FAMAS Hall of Fame for Best Music Scorer. He won the Best Music at the 2005 Screamfest International Film Festival in Los Angeles for the film Sigaw, 2005. His music for films have reaped awards such as Gawad Urian, Best Music Score for Babae sa Breakwater, 2004; four Young Critics Circle Awards for Best Sound and Aural Orchestration in Phone Sex, 2000, Sugatang Puso, 2001, Minsan May Isang Puso, 2002, and Anghel sa Lupa, 2004; Star Awards for Best Music Score for Filipinas, 2004; five Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) Awards for Best Music Score for 9 Mornings, 2003, Filipinas, 2004, Mano Po 3, 2005, A Love Story, 2008, and Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo, 2007; Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) Award for Best Original Song for Babae, 1997; MMFF Best Music Score for Luksong Tinik, 1999; and Gawad Tanglaw for Batanes, 2008.

Jesse has made scores for some noted TV "teleserye" series such as Maging Sino Ka Man, 2006 and 2008; Kahit Isang Saglit 2008; Lovers In Paris, 2009; Magkaribal, 2010; Princess And I, 2012 and Bridges of Love, 2015.

His most recent TV work is the top-rating Magpahanggang Wakas and for film - the box-office hit The Unmarried Wife.

He won the 2016 ALIW AWARDS Best Musical Director for his work in the theatrical play Happiness is a Pearl.