AXN Named Official Broadcast Partner For ‘The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition’

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Initial List Of Six Additional Broadcasters Also Announced

Singapore: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), today named AXN the official broadcast partner for The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition when the hit reality television series airs in early 2021.

ONE also announced an initial list of six additional media and Free-To-Air (FTA) platforms confirmed to collaborate with ONE in commercial and marketing efforts, as well as to air the show during primetime in their respective territories. More international broadcast partners will be announced shortly.

The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition will be available on:
AXN (Pan-regional)
Mediacorp (Singapore)
Abema (Japan)
KompasTV (Indonesia)
LINE TV (Thailand)
TV5 Network (Philippines)
HTV (Vietnam)

Sanchit Garg, Senior Vice President of Global Media Partnerships, ONE Championship, stated: “I am thrilled to announce that we have named AXN the official broadcast partner of The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition in Southeast Asia, bringing the compelling drama and nail-biting reality TV excitement of one of history’s greatest shows to millions of viewers all across the region. AXN is a network known for its top-rated dramas, blockbusters, reality TV and original productions. I am also ecstatic to confirm six additional confirmed Free-to-Air partners to carry the show.”

AXN features exclusive top-rated drama series, blockbuster features, reality programs and ground-breaking original productions, including shows such as The Amazing Race Asia, The Apprentice Asia, Asia’s Got Talent, Cash Cab, and The Contender Asia, among others.

Avani Bhanchawat, Vice President & Head, Revenue, KC Global Media Asia, which owns AXN, stated: “Our strategic partnership with ONE Championship enables audiences across the region to experience the high-stakes challenges for the first time. The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition adds to AXN’s stable of exclusive top-rated reality programs and ground-breaking original productions. Our partnership in this programme is a strong testament of AXN’s commitment to building, and grooming the development of entrepreneurs with great physical and mental agility, to thrive in today’s business environment and raise the bar for business leadership.”

The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition invites sixteen (16) contestants handpicked from around the world to compete in a high-stakes game of business and physical challenges. The winner will receive a US$250,000 job offer to work directly under Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong for a year as his protege in Singapore.

ONE Championship’s unique take on the hit reality TV series includes appearances from 12 guest CEOs (one CEO per episode) from the world’s largest companies. Among the CEOs confirmed to join the first season so far are Zilingo CEO Ankiti Bose, Catcha Group and iFlix CEO Patrick Grove, Grab CEO Anthony Tan, and Everise CEO Sudhir Agarwal. More CEOs will be announced at a later date.

In addition, 12 superstar athletes and World Champions (one per episode) will also guest star on the show. They will participate with contestants in tests of athletic ability and cardio endurance.

Among the athletes already confirmed to make appearances are ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon “The Truth” Vera, ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion “Unstoppable” Angela Lee, ONE Flyweight Grand Prix World Champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, Indian wrestling World Champion Ritu “The Indian Tigress” Phogat, Karate World Champion “Super” Sage Northcutt, and ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion “The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan. More World Champions joining the show will be announced at a later date.

'The Apprentice' is one of the world's biggest non-scripted reality TV programs in history that judges the business skills of a group of contestants competing for a job offer with a high-profile CEO. It has aired in over 120 countries. The first season of 'The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition' will consist of a total of 13 episodes.

For more information on The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition, please visit: http://onefc.com/the-apprentice/

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit https://www.onefc.com/about-us/, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

ERC slaps Meralco a P19-million fine over pandemic overcharge issues

Wazzup Pilipinas!

"The Energy Regulatory Commission  (ERC) imposed a P19-million fine against Meralco “for failure to clearly indicate bills were estimated” and “failure to comply with the mandated arrangement.”

The fine is in relation to the ”bill shock” experienced by several customers of the utility."

Meralco’s neglect to provide accurate and timely information especially during this time of pandemic has created chaos and confusion to most of the electricity consuming public," says ERC Chairperson Agnes Devanadera.

The fine was also due to the utility giant's failure to comply with the mandated installment scheme for settling quarantine arrears.

Meralco spokesman Joe Zaldarriaga said it will study the ERC’s order and will file the appropriate pleading after consultation with its lawyers.

Ayan, malamang greedy at corrupt kasi ang management. Wala kayong lusot sa ginawa ninyo Meralco. Obvious naman na you wanted to cheat the people amid the pandemic. That is how cruel you are on imposing huge amount of bills just because you have a monopoly of the provision of electricity.

Ngayon ay dadaanin ninyo sa mga liars este lawyers parsa ilusot kayo sa kaso.

Meralco will just find a way to pass this to its consumers. Ang laki ng monthly bills namin this pandemic. More than our average.

Ibalik na lang sa consumers yung sobra or maling charges. Baka sa gobyerno na naman mapunta yung pera namin.

Meralco consumers appeal for extended payment deadline for lockdown bill while several had been complaining about absurdly high electricity bills when even some were not at home.

DOTr: Toll expressways must implement cashless transactions for all vehicles not later than Nov. 2

Wazzup Pilipinas!


To ensure swift transition to cashless transactions on toll expressways, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) reiterated the need for its immediate implementation not later than 02 November 2020.

This follows the release of the Department Order 2020-012, signed on 13 August 2020 by DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade, directing concerned agencies of the Department, namely the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), and Land Transportation Office (LTO), to formulate new processes and procedures to ensure the smooth implementation of cashless transactions on toll expressways.

Pursuant to its function as the implementing authority over limited access facilities, the TRB is directed to promulgate rules and regulations that will require concessionaires and operators to transition to a one hundred percent (100%) electronic toll collection lanes.

The Department Order further states that the TRB shall ensure concessionaires and operators install electronic tags or other cashless systems, such as but not limited to, RFID, Automated Fare Collection System (AFCS), etc. for all motorists and motor vehicles using the toll expressways and transact only thru the cashless mode of payment of toll not later than 02 November 2020.

“Coordination is already ongoing between TRB and our concessionaires and operators. We are also working on the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the new policy to ensure smooth and expedient transition to contactless and cashless transactions. Ginagawa natin 'yan para walang hawaan [ng COVID-19]. 'Yan po ang direktiba sa atin ni Secretary Tugade kaya sisiguraduhin po natin na maipatupad ito by November 2.“ TRB Executive Director Abraham Sales said.

Meanwhile, the LTO will be in-charge of studying and exploring ways and means to allow for a full cashless and contactless system along expressways, while the LTFRB will monitor the compliance of all Public Utility Vehicles (PUVs) on the mandatory use/installation of electronic tags or use of other cashless systems in their units.

Contactless transactions shall be implemented in the following identified limited access facilities: South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway (CAVITEX), North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), South Metro Manila Skyway, Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR) Tollway, Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX) ; and all other road networks, including any extension of the existing expressway facilities mentioned, that may be constructed, established and/or operated as expressway toll facilities.

The new policy ensures further protection of the public from the infectious coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), as it promotes adherence to health protocols such as physical distancing through limiting human intervention, and removing the traffic queues as well as congestion at toll plazas.