Musica Europa 12 : A virtual choral festival and concert of champions

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

Musica FEUROPA, Far Eastern University’s annual choral festival with the European Union Delegation in the Philippines as its principal partner proudly presents
Musica FEUropa 12,a virtual series of concertsfor the first time on May 15, 22, 29 and 30, 2021.


Musica FEUROPA 12 will celebrate the power of music with choral groups sharing
their virtual performances to showcase both Philippine and European pieces for the public to see, hear and enjoy.


Musica FEUROPA aims to elevate the standards of participating choirs by using the European guidelines for competitions. It prepares Filipino choirs to participate in European choral competitions and fosters an openness to cultural exchange.

The main purpose of Musica FEUROPA is to make it one of the definitive festivals in the choral circuit, first in the Philippines, then in the world:

--- To promote the European Union in the Philippines, particularly through its music during the European Union Month of May;
--- To expose Filipino choirs to the works of European composers; and
--- To give equal importance to the works of Filipino composers.


As in previous years, highly respected Adjudicatorsfrom the Philippine choral circuit will be present in the first three concerts to provide constructive feedback to each of the selected choirs.


The adjudicators are as follows:

Anna Abeleda-Piquero,
Mark Anthony Carpio,
Dr. Ed Manguiat,
Ramon Lijauco, Jr.,
Jonathan Velasco, and
Dr. Maria Theresa Vizconde-Roldan.


Some of these adjudicators will return for the finale on May 30 to conduct their choir in
the Concert of Champions.


The latter will feature various Filipino choirs who have won not just in Musica FEUROPA
but bigger competitions in the Philippines and abroad.


Invited choirs will submit videos of past or virtual performances of one piece in an official EU language by a composer from the EU, one in any Filipino language or dialect by someone of Filipino descent and the Ode to Joy in German.


The deadline for submission of entries is May 18.


Musica FEUROPA 12 will happen via Zoom.


All Musica FEUropa 12 concerts will also be posted on its YouTube Channel and that of the FEU Center for the Arts.


Musica FEUROPA 12 is also brought to you by 98.7 DZFE, official media partner.


#MusicaFEUROPA
#MusicaFEUropa12
#MF12
#VivaEuropa
#MusicHarmonyLegacy

8 Important Things to Consider When Booking a Hotel

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

Traveling for either business or leisure is no longer a new concept and neither is making hotel reservations online. Many choose to do so because of the convenience of settling everything with just a few clicks rather than making several calls to their travel agent. While many seasoned travelers know better than to book the first hotel they see online, some fall prey in trusting captivating advertisement photos—only to be disappointed by the real condition of their rooms when they arrive at the hotel.

If you don’t want to make a similar mistake and ensure you get what you pay for, here are eight important things you need to consider when booking a hotel.

Guest Reviews

The best way to know the real condition of the hotel you are looking at is by reading customer reviews. Many guests are willing to share their experiences and honest feedback. Through the reviews, you will notice a pattern on the similar things people are praising or complaining about. This can help you get more information about the hotel from the guests’ perspective.

When reading through the reviews, take note of both the positive and negative ones too. There may be a few discontented guests that may have been too fussy and complained about almost everything. A good gauge is to see the majority of the reviews. If you see one or two complaints, these may be isolated cases or something the hotel has yet to improve on. On the other hand, a series of praises may mean the hotel strives to provide excellent service to all its guests. Also, you may want to check if the hotel responds to the feedback and tries to resolve the issues immediately. This could mean they value what their customers have to say about them.

Guest reviews can also help keep you updated if a part of the hotel is under renovation or an amenity is temporarily unavailable because of the timely feedback that customers leave. You can typically find these reviews on the hotel’s website, their official Facebook page, and other trusted review sites.

Location

The location of the hotel needs to be safe and practical for you as this could affect your entire trip. You want to make sure that you can safely go back to your hotel in case you end up staying out late. Also, you want to have an idea of nearby restaurants and cafes.

If you are on a business trip, you want to easily get to the central business districts from the hotel. You don’t want to spend so much time on the daily commute. In line with this, make sure to have several modes of transportation available as well. If you are on a budget, it’s good to have options like a ride sharing app rather than just relying on riding a taxi, which may be costly.

Most hotels have brief descriptions of their location with an online map. But it’s always good to check on online maps like Google Maps and see the hotel’s exact location and the establishments in its vicinity.

Wi-Fi Connection

Internet connectivity is now considered more of a utility rather than a luxury, especially for those with a digital nomad lifestyle.

Although most hotels provide free Wi-Fi, some may charge a small fee for a high-speed connection while others limit access to one device at a time. This may be a problem if you have multiple devices or if you are sharing the room with another person. If you need to stay connected throughout your stay, you may want to ask the hotel about it before placing a reservation. Also, be cautious of how some hotels will advertise “Free Wi-Fi” but it will only be available in the lobby or other common access areas.

Complimentary Breakfast

All guests appreciate complimentary breakfast. It’s very convenient and can help save you from having breakfast elsewhere. While some hotels offer a more affordable room rate if you exclude breakfast, consider this carefully if the price difference is small. You may save more by having breakfast in the hotel than in other cafes outside.

Early Check-In and Check-Out

Early check-in can be very helpful and convenient, especially if your flight allows you to arrive hours before the normal check-in time. Some hotels allow you access your room as soon as it’s ready. On the other hand, if your flight departs in the evening, a late check-out may save you from spending hours waiting at the airport.

It’s always good to communicate with the hotel staff before your arrival and see if they will allow you to check-in early or check-out late without any additional costs. Some can be understanding with your request, as long as the room is available. If not, you can ask them to hold your luggage while waiting.

Health and Safety Protocols

With the new health standards in place nowadays, many hotels have taken up new protocols to ensure the safety of their guests and staff. You may want to keep yourself informed on the essential and additional precautions they are implementing. This can also help you prepare in case you need to make special arrangements during your stay. For example, they may encourage to settle all payments online and to have contactless check-in to reduce human contact.

Special Needs

Some travelers may be traveling with people who have special needs. If you are traveling with an infant, you may need to request a bassinet. Similarly, a person with a physical disability may need elevator access and an elevated toilet seat. Also, you may need to check if pets are allowed in the hotel. Those that do may even provide a dog bed.

Discounts and Promos

Every traveler likes discounts and promos. When booking a hotel, be on the lookout for offers that will give you the most savings. You may also avail yourself of loyalty cards for certain hotels to get additional benefits. While you’re at it, check the prices and see if there are any hidden fees. Make sure you read the fine print when it comes to taxes and clarify them with the hotel. You want to avoid being surprised when settling the final fee.

These are just some of the important details you don’t want to skip when booking a hotel, whether it may be through an online travel agency or directly on the hotel’s website. It’s always good to do some research first. You may end up saving more like when you choose to have a direct booking at Kabayan Hotel through their website.

Julian Felipe Reef is Ours!

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

Roque downplays swarming of Chinese ships in Julian Felipe Reef, claiming the feature is 'far away' from Philippine landmass, 'we never possessed that reef.'

Malacañang  said the Philippines was never in possession of Julian Felipe Reef, an area in the West Philippine Sea that hit the headlines due to the presence of hundreds of Chinese ships there.

How can we ever hope to assert our position in the WPS if our own officials appear to contradict each other, diminish our claims, or make jokes about an important source of livelihood for many Filipinos. 

Another indicator that the Duterte government lacks coherent, sound and independent foreign policy. Expect contradictions within the regime.

Hindi mo na rin sure to si Locsin. Doble kara kasi minsan.

This is government incompetence in motion.

May bagong ibinebenta ang Duterte admin

Palace: PH never owned Julian Felipe reef. It’s not part of our Exclusive Economic Zone

Is this the script China want them to memorize?

Treason to the max!

Palace spokesman Harry Roque falsely claimed that the Julian Felipe Reef is not within the West Philippine Sea. The NTF-WPS issued a statement in March saying the reef is located around 175 nautical miles west of Bataraza, Palawan and is within the PH EEZ

The nearest landmass to The Julian Felipe Reef is neither China nor Vietnam. It's Palawan, Philippines. 

I manually checked how far Julian Felipe reef is from Palawan using a map. The result was 200.04 miles.

I assume that's land miles so that means, converting it to nautical miles, Julian Felipe reef is well within Philippine EEZ.

Why is Malacanang taking the side of China again? This is very alarming?

Department of Foreign Affairs, Sec. Teodoro Locsin Jr. said  International diplomacy should be left exclusively to the DFA hours after Roque  said that the Julian Felipe Reef wasbeyond the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

Foreign affairs is the domain of the Executive Branch. But what if there are discordant voices in the EB? Poor us. It used to be legislative v executive but Duterte's confusion has gone down to his men to the detriment of the Filipino people.

"The DFA, therefore, reiterates the demand of the Secretary of National Defense that China immediately withdraws its fishing vessels and maritime assets in the area and vicinity of Julian Felipe Reef and in the Philippines’ maritime zones."

Nagmamarunong ba si Roque o sinasadya na ipamigay na lang ang mga Philippine properties dahil utos ng poong Duterte?

The problem with Harry Roque, he is using the SpOC office to give his opinions on any matters that he wants to. He is supposed to be just a messenger and will speak for the Pres without passing any personal comments. He seems confused of his own role.Ang hitad madaldal pa loro!

Vietnam's Grierson Reef & China's Hughes Reef are close to Julian Felipe Reef. UNCLOS reiterated the intl Law of the Sea, that the shoreline of a country is the basis to measure EEZ. Thus, the Julian Felipe reef being only 175M from PH shoreline is our territory. 

Julian Felipe Reef is 175 nautical miles (324 kilometers) west of Bataraza, Palawan. 

That’s within The Philippines' EEZ (200 nautical miles or 370 km from our shores).

Julian Felipe reef is 1,060km from China. That makes it 3x farther from China than The Phils.

Kung hindi po natin ipaglalaban ang ating Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), lahat po ng nakakulay pula ay mawawala sa atin. Kasama sa malaking karagatan na nakakulay pula ay ang Julian Felipe Reef. Iyan po ang totoo. 

.

Ang layo ng inaangkin ng China. May nagkabayaran na ata kaya ayaw na talaga ipaglaban. 

Sana malabas sa TV ito for public info.

....and the circus continues

Sana merong Tagalog na primer o Frequently Asked Questions re WPS. Malaking hamon na labanan ang disinformation campaign ng rehimeng Duterte sa dikta ng gobyerno ni Xi Jinping. Kabilang ito sa estratehiya ng Sinicization, ang hegemonya ng imperyalistang China.

When China says consensus reached through dialogue means we are not leaving the Julian Felipe reef, nor the West Philippine Sea. 

China will be china, "as far as the eyes can see, and beyond that, historically, is mine."

Kung mawala man sa atin yan, dapat kasuhan ang mga may kagagawan at persona non grata na rin sa Pilipinas ang buong angkan nila.

So what is the next move of this government?  

Do we accept our defeat or CONTINUE TO FIGHT EVEN IF OUR LEADERS DO NOT HAVE FULL CONFIDENCE ON THE REASON FOR FIGHTING?

Evil minded dugyot administration made matters worst for the Filipinos 

Julian Felipe Reed is ours. Period!

Sana nagkamali lang at bawiin kasi it is not true. But knowing this Duterte administration, they would insist on their evil plans for the downfall of the Filipinos.

This case is plain and simple. Duterte doesn't care about the WPS or whatever property within our EEZ. He doesn't care about the millions of Filipino fisher folks who are losing their livelihood because of his deliberate inaction regarding our claims in the WPS.

Naiiyak ako. Nagngingitngit ako sa galit. Napakahirap maging Pilipino na walang magawa para sa sariling bayan. 

Nakikiusap ako sa lahat ng makakabasa nito. Magparehistro kayo. Bumoto tayo ng tama. Sana magkaroon tayo ng tamang pagpipilian. Nakakasawa na.

We can’t wait for Duterte's term to be finished. Sana naman sa darating na election bumoto tayo ng iba. 

Hindi DDS hindi Dilawan hindi Artista we need true leadership yung hindi ka-away ang kapwa niya Pilipino.

My heart weeps for our country.