Maine Mendoza Signs with Universal Records

Wazzup Pilipinas!
(L-R) Universal Records Operations Manager Peter Chan, Universal Records General Manager Kathleen Dy-Go, Maine Mendoza, Business Manager Rams David

After weeks of anticipation, Maine Mendoza has officially signed a record deal with Universal Records. The contract signing was held at the Universal Records office. Present during the signing were Universal Records General Manager Kathleen Dy-Go, Operations Manager Peter Chan, Business Manager Rams David, and Maine. 

Hints of Maine’s signing first hit the web after Universal Records posted a teaser photo of a ‘mystery girl’ wearing a leather jacket bearing the word Universal on it. Fans were quick to catch on, as #MaineForUniversalRecords became the #1 Trending Topic on Twitter in the Philippines and Worldwide not long after the teaser was posted.

Watch full #TheBigReveal video on Youtube here

The mystery girl was finally shown to be non-other than Maine herself on June 22, as posted through a Big Reveal video, further exciting her fans.

Signing with Universal Records is just the latest accolade for the 23 year-old star, as she celebrates her third anniversary in show business. Rising to stardom after being introduced as Yaya Dub on the hit noontime show Eat Bulaga, Maine has amassed a number of endorsements, TV shows, box-office hits, and a best-selling book. Now, Maine is more than ready to trade in her dubsmash skills to pursue a recording career, adding to her many talents.

Maine with Universal Records General Manager Kathleen Dy-Go

Talking about Maine’s signing, Kathleen Dy-Go, General Manager of Universal Records says “We’re very happy to welcome Maine into the Universal Records family, and very excited to be working with her for her upcoming projects.”

Maine now joins Gary Valenciano, Christian Bautista, Noel Cabangon, The CompanY, Parokya ni Edgar, Gloc-9, Sponge Cola, Ice Seguerra, Shanti Dope, Christian Bautista, and Elmo Magalona in the elite roster of Universal Records’ prime artists.

Stay tuned for Maine's debut single under Universal Records this 2018.


For more updates, follow Universal Records on Instagram @universalrecordsph and Twitter @universalrecph, on Facebook at http://facebook.com/universalrecordsph and YouTube.

Cusi Brings Electricity Trading Closer to Autonomy

Wazzup Pilipinas!

THE NEW BOARD: Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi with the newly-elected Board Members of the Philippine ElectricityMarket Corporation (PEMC) during its Annual General Membership Meeting on Monday, 25 June 2018. In photo (L-R) are Peter Wallace, Eugenio Roxas, Elenita Go, Rolando Cagampan, Allan Laniba, Felino Herbert Agdigos, Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi, Noel Aboboto, Nino Juan, Ronald Dylan Concepcion, Gilbert Pagobo, Rauf Tan, Oscar Ala.

Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi on Monday welcomed the first election of members of the Philippine Electricity Market Corporation (PEMC) board of directors, a step that moves the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) closer to attaining Independent Market Operator (IMO) status.

Fifteen board members, including 11 sectoral representatives, were elected during PEMC's Annual General Membership Meeting at the Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria.

The elected board members were Emmanuel V. Rubio (SN Aboitiz Power), Victor Emmanuel B. Santos Jr. (First Gen), Elenita Go (SMC Global Power), Juan Eugenio L. Roxas (FDC Utilities, Inc.), Rolando M. Cagampan (Meralco), Allan L. Laniba (LEYECO III), Felino Herbert Palpallatoc Agdigos (Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative), Gilbert A. Pagobo (Mactan Electric Company, Inc.), Noel Villas Aboboto (Team Energy), Atty. Ronald Dylan P. Concepcion (National Grid Corporation of the Philippines), and Atty. Francis Saturnino C. Juan (Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines).

Four new independent directors were also elected namely, Rauf A. Tan, Atty. Oscar E. Ala, Jesus Lim Arranza, and Peter Leslie Wallace.

“It has been a fruitful two years. Now we look forward to a new era, as PEMC’s elected representatives take over the reins of governing the electricity market,” Cusi said in a speech during the event.

The election of a new PEM Board brings the industry a step closer to the long-delayed transition to the IMO.

Cusi has remained firm in calling for the IMO’s establishment, which is already overdue for more than a decade from what the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 originally required.

While PEMC and the IMO will be independent from the government, the DOE will maintain oversight of the WESM operations.

“The DOE’s involvement with the WESM needs to be close enough for the Department to understand key developments, while keeping enough distance from the market’s daily functions. The Energy Department will remain the ultimate guardian of WESM rules and manuals. Together with the Energy Regulatory Commission, we will protect our consumers against industry breaches and anti-competitive behavior,” Cusi said.

Under the transition plan approved earlier this year, the IMO will manage operations of the WESM while PEMC will remain the spot market’s governing body.

DOE Pushes More Safety Measures in the RE Sector

Wazzup Pilipinas!

E-SAFETY FIRST: DOE-REMB Geothermal Energy Management Division Chief Ariel D. Fronda presents the draft Renewable Energy Safety, Health and Environment Rules and Regulations (RESHERR) Code of Practice to the participants during the public consultation Tuesday in Cagayan de Oro City.

The Department of Energy (DOE), today held a public consultation in its bid to enforce operational safety and security in the renewable energy (RE) sector. Led by the Renewable Energy Management Bureau (REMB), the public consultation focused on the draft Renewable Energy Safety, Health and Environment Rules and Regulations (RESHERR) Code of Practice.

The event aimed to inform the RE developers on the "E-Safety" tenet of the DOE's E-Power Mo campaign, and to solicit their inputs on the RESHERR draft. About 20 RE developers from Mindanao participated in the public consultation.

Earlier, Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said that part of the DOE’s push for energy diversification and resiliency is the promotion of additional RE in the country’s energy mix. “We are doing everything we can to empower Filipino consumers by giving them access to renewable energy development,” said Cusi. In pursuing this policy, he stressed that it should take into consideration the factors of safety and cost effectiveness for the consumers.

The RESHERR Code of Practice will set internal and external operational safety guidelines for all RE facilities. In addition, it also contains provisions addressing environmental concerns, such as air, land and water pollution resulting from RE activities.

RE developers would likewise be able to use the code in conforming to the Energy Resiliency Compliance Plan, which would institutionalize national adaptive standards against human-induced and natural disasters.

Among the topics discussed during the consultation include the general safety guidelines, workplace safety monitoring and control, requirements needed for electrical work, demolitions, and the precautionary measures in dealing with hazardous, flammable and explosive materials.

The public consultation was sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme - Development for Renewable Energy Applications Mainstreaming and Market Sustainability (DREAMS) project.

The project was the product of the partnership between the DOE and the Global Environment Facility-UNDP. Similar public consultations were earlier held in Cebu (6 June) and Manila (18 June).

The DOE continues to accept comments and suggestions on the RESHERR draft to ensure a more comprehensive policy issuance. Interested parties may email their inputs to mikko.realo@yahoo.com on or before Thursday, 5 July 2018.

Interested parties may access the draft policy on DOE's official website (http://bit.ly/DraftRESHERRPolicy).