Discover the Other Side of Japan with Mastercard

Wazzup Pilipinas!

From its rich history and breathtaking landscapes to its unique and delectable cuisine, Japan is a dynamic country with so much to offer. But there’s more to this exciting Asian destination than its famous and frequented capital of Tokyo, and with Mastercard, you can fully experience the different sides of Japan. Tailor your itinerary to suit your ideal Japan vacation by letting Mastercard show you what makes each city unique.

The delectable flavors of Osaka. Elevate your dining experience with exclusive offers on bookings in the city’s most sought after restaurants. Mastercard partners with online booking service Voyagin, so you can wine and dine like a VIP in the food haven that is Osaka.

Apart from captivating historical structures, Nagoya is also home to a world-class that is worth a trip for both kids and parents, LEGOLAND. Make sure to plan a full day here because there are over 40 rides, numerous shows and themed attractions, 17 million LEGO bricks, and 10,000 LEGO models for everyone in the family to experience.

Mastercard cardholders can enjoy a special offer of JPY200 off on admission tickets. So, be sure to put LEGOLAND on your itinerary for a one-of-a-kind family bonding experience.

The third largest city in Japan is home to more than 90 Michelin-starred restaurants. Among them, the 3-Michelin-star restaurant Hajime is where you’ll get to delight in the best French dishes in Japan created by Chef Hajime Yoneda who is dubbed by Le Chef magazine as one of the best representative chefs in the world.

For the best seafood, 2-Michelin-star Sushi Harasho serves the finest sushi in all of Japan. Sushi Harasho is also known for having only eight seats, but with Mastercard, you can enjoy the quiet and elegant atmosphere of one of the most popular sushi restaurants in Japan.

Osaka Cuisine ASAI, on the other hand, offers an authentic taste of traditional Japanese cuisine. Choose from over 150 dishes, which change according to season, and are specially created by the chef. 3-Michelin-star restaurant Kashiwaya is where you will be able to experience classical Japanese kaiseki (multicourse) cuisine and relax in your very own private tea room.

The breathtaking sights of Nagoya. Though renowned for its industrial core, Nagoya also boasts of beautiful parks, fantastic museums, and of course, the Nagoya Castle. The original structure was built between 1610 and 1614 by the Tokugawa family, and today’s replica is where you’ll find treasures, an armor collection, and histories of the Oda, Toyotomi, and Tokugawa families.

The winter getaway in Hokkaido. Hokkaido is famous for being a skier’s paradise with its blanket of snow covering wide, open spaces. However, its hot springs and elegant Ryokan hotels make it a favorite choice among travelers who are looking for a relaxing getaway as well. 

For a world-class skiing experience, Hokkaido’s Niseko Village reigns as the number one choice with its 800 skiable hectares, soft and light powdery snow, ski schools, beginner slopes and the more advanced ones like black diamonds. While you’re on a snowcapped getaway, experience authentic Japanese hospitality in the Ryokan Collection – an exquisite chain of luxury ryokans or traditional Japanese inns, which provides lavish meals and a private onsen (Japanese bath).

Mastercard gives you access to exclusive experiences like in-house personal masseuses and offers like complimentary breakfast and room upgrades in other hotels in Japan.

Hokkaido is a place where you can also give yourself a well-deserved dose of retail therapy in Japan’s premium outlet malls, where you’ll find extensive selections of local and international brands across categories like fashion, gadgets, home, and luxury goods. If you’re looking for a great place to start head to one of the Mitsui Outlet Parks spread all over Japan, like Mitsui Outlet Park Sapporo Kitohiroshima.  Mastercard rewards your shopping experience in the Mitsui Outlets with up to 10% discounts.

There are numerous ways you can experience every corner of Japan, and Mastercard enriches your travels with offers to suit and elevate your vacation plans. Plan your trip to Japan with Mastercard and unlock the various ways you can make your travels more fulfilling.

REP Wins Nine Awards in the 10th Philstage Gawad Buhay

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Repertory Philippines (REP) clinched 9 major awards in various categories in the recent 10th Philstage Gawad Buhay Awards. It was indeed a Golden Year for REP with all its 2017 productions winning major awards.  REP had garnered 36 nominations.

REP’s murder mystery in a convent, Agnes of God, starring Becca Coates, Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, and Pinky Amador, emerged as the big winner of the annual awards ceremony that is the country’s equivalent of Broadway’s Tony Awards. Agnes of God took home the honor of Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Play, and Coates received the Outstanding Female Featured Performance In a Play award for portraying the titular role of Agnes. Joey Gonzalez-Mendoza bagged the Outstanding Set Design award; John Batalla was recognized with the award for Outstanding Lighting Design; and Jethro Joaquin claimed the trophy for Outstanding Sound Design.

Also among the winners are Joshua Spafford, who received the Outstanding Male Lead Performance in a Play award for In the Next Room or The Vibrator Play; and Roselyn Perez, Outstanding Female Lead Performance in a Play for Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike.

Ejay Yatco was named for Outstanding Musical Direction in REP’s grand musicale Hair, while Bonsai Cielo was awarded for Outstanding Costume Design for her work on In the Next Room or The Vibrator Play.

The Philstage Gawad Buhay Awards was established in 2008 and is known as the country’s first industry awards exclusively for the performing arts. A select panel of jurors – members of the press and the academe – is tasked to watch all productions of Philstage member companies. After careful deliberation, the jurors come up with a set of nominees and finalists.

The Philstage organization is comprised of the leading professional theater and dance companies in the Philippines, which includes REP.

For updates and show schedules, log on to www.repertoryphilippines.ph, like and follow repertoryphilippines on Facebook and Instagram, and follow @repphils on Twitter.

DOE Reaches Out to Players, Consumers to Promote Smart Energy Use

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Department of Energy is reaching out to players in the energy industry and the consumers to aggressively promote energy efficiency.

“We endeavor to keep everyone abreast about the fast-evolving developments in the sector by highlighting governance and resiliency as important components of our policy directions on energy,” Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi explained.

The DOE’s Information, Education and Communication campaign for the Cordillera Region dubbed as “E-Power Mo” will be held in Baguio City on April 24, 2018 at the Hotel Supreme Convention Plaza with the theme: “Communicating Efficiency Across the Energy Sector.”

“As the theme suggests, we seek to explain the various DOE programs and projects to impart to the Filipino energy consumers the importance of spreading efficiency across all the sectors of economy,” Cusi said.

The conference seeks to address the specific energy efficiency strategies, regulations and programs of the DOE for each sector of the industry, including the downstream oil and natural gas sector, the upstream sector, the renewable energy sector, the power sector, the alternative fuels and energy efficiency sector and the consumer sector.

For the downstream oil and natural gas sectors, the discussions will include the development plans, the Philippine National Standards and the regulatory frameworks concerning the LPG and liquid fuels industry.

For the upstream sector, the conference will focus not only on efficiency strategies but also on programs, contracting processes and guidelines about conventional energy such as petroleum and coal.

Likewise, the presentations will revolve around efficiency in the Renewable Energy sector as part of empowering the electricity end-users to choose and manage their supply of electricity that impacts on their electricity bills.

The RE presentations will be aimed at discussing the policies and guidelines that will enable the end-users to render an informed decision on the kind of electricity supply and services that meet their choices and requirements.

Policies and guidelines on distribution and pricing mechanisms will also be taken up.

In addition, the conference will cite ways on how to improve the Alternative Fuels and Energy Efficiency sector, including the introduction of new and emerging technologies.

An avenue by which DOE reaches out to consumers is through its programs on Gender and Development.

Consumers will also learn more about the energy supply chain and the safety practices to guide them on the smart use of energy.

Key players in the energy sector, government officials, policy-makers, representatives from various economic sectors, the academe, the media and civil society organizations will participate in the E-Power Mo event.

The DOE E-Power Mo campaign is conducted in partnership with the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) and Philippine Information Agency (PIA).