The Official Emblem Reveal of the 22nd Edition of the FIFA World Cup, Qatar 2022

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Official Emblem of the 22nd edition of the FIFA World Cup™ was unveiled last Tuesday, 03 September 2019, as FIFA and host country Qatar reached another major milestone on the road to the world's greatest football showpiece.

A number of major cities around the world, also celebrated the milestone, with images of the emblem seen on renowned locations and outdoor billboards in prominent public spaces. Some of the world's best-known footballers and FIFA World Cup legends were taken to social media to support the launch and share the emblem with their millions of fans online.

The emblem's design embodies the vision of an event that connects and engages the entire world, while also featuring striking elements of local and regional Arab culture and allusions to the beautiful game.

The swooping curves of the emblem represent the undulations of desert dunes and the unbroken loop depicts both the number eight – a reminder of the eight astonishing stadiums that will host matches – and the infinity symbol, reflecting the interconnected nature of the event. Besides echoing the shape of the iconic FIFA World Cup Trophy, the emblem's central form takes inspiration from a traditional woollen shawl. During winter months, shawls are worn around the world and in the Arab and Gulf region in particular by a variety of people and in various styles.

The intricate embroidered detail that often adorns shawls in the Arab world is featured and takes inspiration from various cultures across Asia, celebrating the continent's second hosting of a FIFA World Cup tournament and Qatar's diverse population. The regionally inspired winter garment also alludes to the tournament's start dates and the fact that it will be the first FIFA World Cup to be played in November and December.

The new typeface created to accompany the emblem reimagines traditional Arabic calligraphy in a new, contemporary font, taking inspiration from the region and Asia, and fusing tradition with modernity.

The emblem is just one example of the bold, modern tournament designs that will be revealed in the run-up to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. The striking Al Janoub Stadium – modelled after the traditional dhow boat used in the region and the second venue to be ready – hosted its first match in May this year and demonstrates the host country's grand vision to create iconic designs. The remaining six venues are scheduled to be completed before the end of 2020, including the spectacular fanar lantern inspired Lusail Stadium, which will host the opening match on 21 November, as well as the final on 18 December 2022.

Miss World Megan Young is the New Face of Lenovo

Wazzup Pilipinas!

MISS WORLD MEGAN YOUNG, NOW THE FACE OF LENOVO. Actress, model, and Miss World 2013 Megan Young has just been named the official brand ambassador of global technology leader Lenovo. Known as a techie and online game streamer, Young will get to treat her fans to exclusive content and special appearances at Lenovo’s events. IN PHOTO FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Lenovo Philippines’ Joey Nocom, Consumer Product Manager for YOGA & IdeaPad; Tristan Gonzales, Consumer Product Manager for Legion & IdeaCentre; Michael Ngan, Country General Manager; Megan Young, Brand Ambassador; Sally Yu, Consumer Segment Lead; Anna Abola, Marketing Communications Manager; Mutya Syling, Operations Lead.






Actress, model, host, Miss World 2013, and now, the newest face of global technology brand Lenovo. Yes, Megan Young is definitely on a roll, with her latest achievement allowing her to flaunt her techie side for the world’s leading PC developer.



Used to the limelight by now, Young will be gracing Lenovo events and supporting the company’s advocacies. She’ll be giving fans sneak peeks of current and upcoming Lenovo products and devices and engaging them with exclusive content. At present, Young has 2.4M followers on Instagram and her official Facebook page has 2.1M likes, which she leverages for her Beauty With A Purpose projects and personal advocacies.



“We’re very excited to have Megan Young represent Lenovo this moment in our history when we are solidifying all efforts to maintain our position as the world’s number one PC maker. She embodies Lenovo, with her sophistication, elegance, style, and, more importantly, vibrant personality and flexibility, allowing her to adjust to any situation or role ─ key qualities we are integrating into our consumer devices. With her influence and large social media following, Megan can help bring our products closer to consumers,” said Lenovo Philippines Country General Manager Michael Ngan.



The simple techie and casual gamer



While more popularly known for her TV and film stints, Young is also closely associated with technology, revealing she is a gamer at the Miss World Philippines 2013 pageant. She admits that technology played an important part of her lifestyle growing up and until now, with her various commitments.



“I’m what you can call as a simple techie. I may not be as into it as others who research and compare specifications of various products but I approach it as an art and what I look out for the most is performance and programs. I actually grew up being involved with technology. I didn’t go out that much when I was young and I was on my computer instead playing games. My computer was my outlet when my parents were out working, and during the moments when Dad was home, he even taught me coding in HTML. As a matter of fact, when I won Miss World, my gift to myself was a laptop,” Young said.



A self-confessed casual gamer, Young shares her gaming experience to the public via online streaming. Her latest gameplay to date, which saw her playing Stardew Valley, has been viewed by at least 57,000 times on Facebook. Last year, she was able to display her skills in League of Legends by taking part in a celebrity showmatch held at Conquerors Manila sponsored by Lenovo and Globe. The match was able to raise P134,000 for charity.



“I’m delighted with my partnership with Lenovo because it will definitely help elevate my streaming experience. I started streaming around February and that was also the time when Lenovo first approached me. The situation is timely for me since I’m starting to really get into PC games,” said Young.



Asked what she likes the most about Lenovo’s products, Young said it’s how the devices are able to combine power, performance, and a premium look and feel into one. Her Legion Y740, for example, fits well at meetings and in coffee shops because of its sleek, business-like look. Another of Young’s favorites is the Yoga S940, with its impressive nearly bezel-free display.




These products are part of Lenovo’s consumer lineups which recently underwent a premium refresh on their designs. Previously bulky and rugged-looking, the latest IdeaPad, Yoga, and Legion laptops are now sleeker, thinner, and lighter.



Expect to see more of Lenovo’s consumer devices with Megan Young at the forefront. For more updates, follow her on Facebook (@MeganYoungPage) and Instagram (@meganbata).

Sec. Cusi Leads the Philippine Delegation for AMEM37

Wazzup Pilipinas!

AMEM STRONG: DOE Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi (fourth from left) joins the other Energy Ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

for their signature solidarity pose during the opening of the 37th ASEAN Energy Ministers Meeting in Bangkok, Thailand.

Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi headed the Philippine Delegation for the 37th ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM37) and Associated Meetings being held from 2 to 6 September 2019.

Slated for the event is a series of Ministerial Meetings, which includes the AMEM-International Energy Agency Dialogue, AMEM-International Renewable Energy Agency Dialogue, 13th East-Asia Summit Energy Ministers Meeting, and the 16th AMEM+3 Meeting. In addition, the Ministers-CEO Dialogue under the 2019 ASEAN Energy Business Forum, which highlights various energy-related concerns within the ASEAN region and its dialogue partners, would likewise take place.

"The annual AMEM is always a great opportunity for the Philippines to reach out to our ASEAN partners and showcase our most recent achievements in the energy sector. Moreover, we are able to explore potential energy cooperation endeavors to help us attain our energy goals, particularly energy security, equity, and resiliency," Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said during the AMEM's Opening Ceremony.

With this year's theme "Advancing Energy Transition through Partnership and Innovation", AMEM 37 intends to further strengthen collaboration among ASEAN member countries, their regional partners, and international organizations through the formulation of sustainable solutions that would promote closer regional integration and establish the ASEAN as a major economic block.

At present, the ASEAN has achieved an energy intensity (EI) reduction level of 24.4%, consistent with the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) Strategy target to reduce EI by 20% in 2020. Meanwhile, the renewable energy (RE) share in ASEAN’s Total Primary Energy Supply reached 14.3% in 2017, with the APAEC Strategy calling to increase the RE component in the ASEAN’s Total Primary Energy Mix to 23% by 2025.

On the matter of promoting regional power integration, the ASEAN Energy Ministers noted the supplemental multi-lateral electricity trade among Lao PDR, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore (LTMS) under the Energy Purchase and Wheeling Agreement (EPWA). The Supplementary EPWA upgrades the tradable capacity of Phase 1 of the LTMS Power Integration Project which was signed during the Philippine hosting of AMEM35 in 2017.

Secretary Cusi will also be holding bilateral meetings with the US-ASEAN Business Council, US State Department, and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan to advance the Philippines’ energy agenda.

Other members of the official Philippine Delegation to AMEM37 include DOE Senior Undersecretary Jesus Cristino P. Posadas, Assistant Secretary Gerardo D. Erguiza Jr., DOE-Energy Policy and Planning (EPPB) Bureau Director Jesus T. Tamang, and EPPB-Energy Cooperation and Coordination Division Chief Lilian C. Fernandez.


OTHER PHOTOS:

STRONGER TOGETHER: In Sec. Cusi's statement during the AMEM-International Energy Agency Dialogue, he called for ASEAN members to embrace a more active role in joint energy resource development within the region.

He stated that together, the ASEAN could further expand collaboration through its shared borders and common concerns over depleting oil and gas resources.

AMEM37 AND COUNTING: During the Opening Ceremony of AMEM37, Sec. Cusi outlined some of the strides made by the region relative to the targets set in the ASEAN Plan of Action on Energy Cooperation.

Emphasizing the benefits of energy efficiency and conservation, he also shared the recent passage of the Philippines' Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act, which was signed by President Rodrigo R. Duterte in May 2019. He also emphasized that the need for the country's energy efficiency goals to go hand-in-hand with the ASEAN’s energy sustainability mission.

DOE IN FULL FORCE: The members of the Official Philippine Delegation to AMEM37, DOE-Energy Policy and Planning Bureau (EPPB)'s Energy Cooperation and Coordination Division Chief Lilian C. Fernandez; EPPB Director Jesus T. Tamang; Senior Undersecretary Jesus Cristino P. Posadas; DOE Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi; and Assistant Secretary Gerardo D. Erguiza Jr., during a bilateral meeting held at the sidelines of the event.