Maritime Sector to Activate “Oplan Biyaheng Ayos!: KAPASKUHAN 2017” Next Week

Wazzup Pilipinas!

In compliance with the directive of Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade, the maritime sector is set to activate next week their contingency and security measures to ensure the safety and comfort of travelers during the Yuletide Season.

Dubbed as “Oplan Biyaheng Ayos!: KAPASKUHAN 2017”, the maritime sector – composed of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), and the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA)—will strictly execute their respective contingency measures from Dec. 20, 2017 up to January 5, 2018.

Under the Oplan, maritime sector officials and personnel were directed to be on heightened alert status to ensure the safety and security of passengers, particularly those travelling by sea to spend the Holidays in their respective provinces.

According to DOTr Undersecretary for Maritime Felipe Judan, maritime personnel are expected to implement several safety measures and contingency plans such as activating the DOTr Passenger Assistance Counters, ensuring that all ships and other sea vessels are properly inspected, and all passengers, bags and cargoes are thoroughly inspected prior the boarding.

Maritime personnel were also directed to report in real-time and provide regular updates on the status of incidents via SMS or e-mail form to their superiors.

Further, Usec. Judan said that a consolidated written report on the occurrences/non-occurrences of incidents should be sent through e-mail to their superiors and immediate supervisors at 7 a.m. daily.

Authorities were likewise required to send out necessary public advisories such as safety tips, documentation requirements, prohibited items, and safety regulations at seaports.

Earlier, Secretary Tugade reminded transportation officials and personnel to assure not only the commuters’ security but also their comfort while in the various public transport hubs.

“May I once again reiterate the great importance of maintaining and assuring the safety, security and comfort of the riding passengers and the public. Accordingly, please continue implementing and improving our security and safety measures to protect people, facility, structures and equipment and the like,” Sec. Tugade said.

AXN Embarks on an Epic Journey in New Travel Show “Adventure Your Way” Featuring Atom Araullo

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Brand new original series hosted by TV personality Atom Araullo where viewers shape his experience via social media

AXN has added a fresh new reality series to its roster of top-rated original productions: Adventure Your Way, a weekly 30-minute travel show that explores new adventures in exciting destinations in the Philippines.

Unlike any other travel show, Adventure Your Way invites Pinoy viewers to shape the travel experience of popular host Atom Araullo by sharing their bucket lists via social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (#AXNAdventureYourWay). From these crowdsourced ideas, Atom will embark on a one-of-a-kind mission around the country equipped with only his phone and social media to guide him. From sampling the local delicacies and meeting with the locals to discovering the most thrilling activities, Atom is completely in the hands of AXN fans.




Adventurous ideas for Atom, which could be crazy, cultural, epic or daring, can be submitted from today via AXN’s social platforms: AXN or Adventure Your Way Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

Atom Araullo is an award-winning TV personality and is regarded as one of the top program hosts in the industry. His most notable work is the documentary Warmer (Climate Change), which won the Bronze Medal in the World’s Best TV and Films category of the 2017 New York Festivals. Today, Atom continues to pursue his interest in documentary filmmaking.

Adventure Your Way will premiere in February 2018 first and exclusively on AXN.
Adventure Your Way is co-presented by Vivo Smart Phone, BDO, and Cherifer; and co-sponsored by Petron, Chevrolet, and Cebu Pacific.

AXN is available on Cablelink Channel 38, Cignal Channel 121, Destiny Cable Channel 49, Dream Satellite TV Channel 20, G Sat Channel 51, and SKYCable Channel 49. AXN HD is available on SKYCable Channel 247.

Sprout Solutions Supports Local Startup Community in PH Through a Series of Free Learning Sessions

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Sprout Solutions, the fastest-growing Filipino tech startup providing a complete suite of HR software tools specifically made for the Philippine business environment, gives back by supporting the country’s startup community through its series of free learning seminars called Sprout Academy.

Through this initiative, Sprout seeks to bring the Silicon Valley culture to the Philippines where there is a free exchange of ideas and best practices across industries.

“In 2015, Sprout was accepted by Acceleprise, a Silicon Valley enterprise SaaS accelerator; this made us see the importance of knowledge-sharing, especially among the local industry players and entrepreneurs,” said Patrick Gentry, Sprout Solutions CEO and Co-founder. “We believe that through events like Sprout Academy, we can contribute to the continuous growth of the local startup community.”

Recently, Sprout held the sixth leg of the series, which gathered more than 100 participants from the startup sector, as well as students and individuals who plan to put up their own business.







This time, the session focused on how entrepreneurs can unlock explosive growth for their company. Sprout’s very own Patrick Gentry, who was recently named 2017 Philippine Rice Bowl Startup Awards Founder of the Year, shared some of his personal experiences and feasible strategies for boosting their startup.

Gentry emphasized that one of the primary issues that entrepreneurs, especially starters, should consider is to solve a specific need.

“Some of the most successful startups are very specific in solving an existing pain point. But to achieve stable growth, you have to cultivate the solution you offer through constant experimentation. It also pays to invest in creating good relations with the people you work with, and banking on the right tools and technologies,” Gentry mentioned.

Aside from Gentry, the event was also graced by Ravi Agarwal, the CEO of engageSPARK and the man behind some of the most successful startups based in Boston in the US.

During his discussion, Agarwal talked about the benefits of investing in product innovation which should go beyond just meeting the needs of the customers but more importantly, sparking excitement by touching their unspoken needs.

Apart from Sprout Academy, the company also stages other free learning sessions like Innovate where HR practitioners come together every month to hear from industry experts and discuss different ways to improve the way HR is done in the country.

Sprout is also sponsoring the Philippines HR Group Summit 2017 with the theme, Transformational HR: Agile and Future Ready for the Millennials and Generation Z Workforce, happening on November 23.

To stay updated on the latest HR trends and to know more about Sprout Solutions, visit their website or their official Facebook page.