IT Infrastructure Summit 2017 introduces Digital Solutions to Philippines

With the implementation of the Data Privacy Act by the government, companies are surely looking for digital solutions provider that can suit their needs. It is also timely that there was an IT Infrastructure Summit 2017 and Computer Technology International and its local subsidiary, Computrade Technology Philippines launches their newest productions in digital solutions.

 

Computrade Technology Philippines Expands Enterprise Portfolio. Photo shows (left to right): Toto A. Atmojo, President Director of Defenxor; Teddy Sumulong, Managing Director of CTP; Rachmat Gunawan, Director of CTI Group; Stephanie Boo, Managing Director-APAC of Menlo Security; Pun Kok (PK) Lim, Managing Director for ASEAN of Nutanix and Siva Belasamy, Chief Executive Officer of Deep Identity.

Part of the reason for this summit to showcase and know how we can protect our data from hackers since the threat of cyber-crimes is real and it is no longer just happening in movies or TV. We also read how hackers even crack websites not just locally but also worldwide.

The products and partner companies for digital solutions distributed in the country are already being used worldwide and here are the following: Deep Identity: for customers who need to “merge data management and compliance of identity governance”, Menlo Security: for digital security, Nutanix: assisting clients to secure their data, and Defenxor: for Cyber-Security.

There are new threats adapting every year but if you are able to adapt as well with these digital solutions, your company’s data will be protected. This is why there are summits and conferences like these happening regularly.

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Twitter Launches Fast, Data-Friendly Twitter Lite

Press release

A new mobile web experience with Twitter’s key features that loads up to 30% faster, uses up to 70% less data, and takes up less than 1MB on mobile device

Manila, 6 April 2017 - Twitter today launched Twitter Lite, a new mobile web experience accessible to anyone with a smartphone or tablet with a browser, optimized for speed with up to 30% faster launch times, reduces data usage up to 70% with data saver mode turned on, and takes up less than 1MB on mobile devices. Of course, Twitter Lite still provides the key features of Twitter as well as app-like performance such as a wide range of push notifications and offline support.

Twitter Lite is now globally available via mobile.twitter.com and makes Twitter more accessible to millions of people - all one needs is a smartphone or tablet with a browser, no App Store or Google Play account required. It supports 42 languages including Tagalog. For more info about Twitter Lite, you can visit lite.twitter.com.

Patrick Traughber, Product Manager, Twitter said, “Every day, millions of people in the Philippines use Twitter to see what’s happening right now. However, there are several barriers to using Twitter, including slow mobile networks, expensive data plans, and lack of storage on mobile devices. So we built Twitter Lite to minimize data usage, load quickly on slower connections, be resilient on unreliable mobile networks, while still providing the key features of Twitter—your timeline, Tweets, Direct Messages, trends, profiles, media uploads, notifications, and more. With Twitter Lite, we’re making Twitter more accessible to millions of Filipinos—all you need is a smartphone or tablet with a browser.”

In particular, Twitter Lite has a data saver mode, which further reduces the amount of mobile data used. In this mode, users will see a preview of images and videos before choosing which ones to fully load. This can reduce data usage by up to 70%, making it more affordable for people to use Twitter in areas where mobile data is expensive.

Twitter Lite has additional features on Google Chrome and other modern browsers on Android devices. Users can now receive a wide range of push notifications, so they will be alerted to what’s happening on Twitter throughout the day. Twitter Lite also offers offline support, so they will not be interrupted while using Twitter if they temporarily lose their connection. Users can also add Twitter Lite to their device’s home screen, so they can launch Twitter quickly with just one tap.

Patrick added, “Twitter Lite is a great way for many people in emerging markets across Asia Pacific, Latin America and Africa to experience Twitter for the first time on their mobile devices. No matter where you are in the world, we want to make Twitter the best way for you to get real-time updates on news, sports, entertainment, politics and other topics that matter most to you.”

Project T Launches First BGC Facility

Press release

Project T officially launched its first facility in Bonifacio Global City last March 16. Its forward thinking focus on design and detail makes it suitable for SMEs planning to set-up businesses in the Philippines.

The serviced office boasts of 29 private offices, 400 internet-enabled workstations, two conference rooms which can accommodate respectively 25 and 10 people, 70 seater training room, 2 interview rooms, work pods, sleeping quarters, a clinic and lactation area, business center and lounge, and two pantries.

Project T offers end to end business solutions. Their services include: 

•         Serviced Office: private office spaces (BGC) with furniture and internet-enabled workstations for 4 to 400
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•        Virtual Office: premium office address (BGC or Makati), landline number, mail and call handling services.
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•       Co-working space: 400 flexible plug and play seats (BGC), available with no minimum number requirement
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•        Business Continuity Plan: disaster recovery office spaces, multiple redundant internet connection
  
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•         Staff Leasing: recruitment, onboarding, and management of virtual, part-time and full-time employees
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•            HR & Payroll: redundancy control, process payroll and mandatory benefits - SSS, Philhealth and Pag-ibig
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•        Commercial Space: locate suitable office spaces (bare shell and furnished) in BGC, Makati, Ortigas, and Cebu
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•       Residential Space: locate suitable housing (apartments, townhouses, condos ) for individuals and companies and Business Registration: process documents with SEC, PEZA, FDA, BIR, LTO, BI and other PHL government agencies

Website: http://www.projecttsolutions.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/projecttsolutions/

Email Address: inquiry@projecttsolutions.com

Address: 23^rd Floor, Bonifacio Stopover Corporate Center, 31^st St. Corner 2^nd Ave., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, 1634

Phone Number: 02-236-5999

Universal Robots Partners Nissan Motor Company to Enhance Manufacturing Productivity through Collaborative Robots

Press release

Nissan Motor Company has simplified processes, reduced relief worker costs and stabilised production output through deployment of Universal Robots’ UR10 cobots

Manila, April 2017 – Universal Robots, the leading collaborative robotics company, has announced that Nissan Motor Company has successfully deployed Universal Robots’ UR10 robot arms at its Yokohama factory; joining other global automotive manufacturers including BMW and Volkswagen who are using Universal Robots’ collaborative robots (cobots) to automate their processes. Through the deployment of Universal Robots’ cobots, Nissan has enhanced its production processes, resulting in a higher level of output and stability as well as time and cost efficiencies. Nissan’s aging workforce also enjoy a reduced workload, and were redeployed to less strenuous tasks.

Shermine Gotfredsen, General Manager, SEA and Oceania, said, “We are excited to be working with Nissan in their automation journey. The global automotive industry plays a key role in driving the adoption of collaborative robots (cobots) to produce better manufacturing output, and this is critical for industry players to stay competitive. Universal Robots is at the forefront of this trend; our cobots effectively support process automation, resulting in improved safety standards and less strain on human employees. This can be applied not only in the automotive industry, but also in the manufacturing of electronics and electrical, pharma and chemistry, and food and agriculture.”

Cobots are an offshoot of traditional industrial robots. They are lightweight and mobile in terms of deployment, and are flexible enough to be modified for different applications. The automotive industry uses cobots in a wide variety of processes, including handling, assembling, packaging, palletizing, labelling, painting, quality control and machine tending. The market value for collaborative industrial robots in the automotive industry was US$23.56 million in 2015 and is projected to reach US$469.82 million by 2021, at a CAGR of 64.67% between 2015 and 2021.

Rise of Collaborative Industrial Robots in The Philippines’s Automotive Industry

The automotive industry in SEA is poised for expansion with large markets experiencing important sales growth. As a key manufacturing hub producing for Asia and the world, SEA’s automotive sector grew by 11% CAGR between 2010 and 2015[1]. The upcoming implementation of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Free-Trade Area is expected to lower import and export taxes in the region, further driving demand for cost-effective regionally manufactured vehicles.

The Philippine automotive industry is one of the key drivers of the economy, contributing 4% of GDP in 2011[2], and is the third fastest-growing automotive market in Southeast Asia. The industry aims to make the country a competitive manufacturing base of motor vehicles and parts and components, serving the domestic and export markets globally. Currently the country has a 2% market share in the region[3]. With increasing demand for automotive vehicles, the Philippines automotive industry is moving towards automation using collaborative industrial robots to ensure cost-effective increases in manufacturing.

UR10 Robot Arms at Nissan Motor Company

Nissan Motor Company needed to streamline its production process at its large-scale Yokohama plant. The company also needed to manage labour costs with an aging workforce and the associated loss of vital skills.

Mr Nakamura, Expert Headman for the plant’s Engine Section, said: “We needed a robot large enough to carry hefty intake manifold components, weighing up to 6kgs. On comparison with other companies’ robots, we selected the UR10 due to its cost advantages for a single robot, as well as its weight capacity. In the process of installing the intake manifolds, only the UR10 robot arm had the payload of 10kg among the other products we considered.”

Universal Robots’ cobots are collaborative industrial robot arms that can automate processes and tasks that weigh up to 10 kg, and require precision and reliability. With a reach radius of up to 1300mm, the cobots are designed to be more effective at tasks across a larger area, and can save time on production lines where distance can be a factor. Universal Robots’ cobots are easy to program and set up. They are designed to work alongside humans, as a tool, to help simplify and speed up tasks that might be complicated, or require greater physical strength.

After deliberating on the range of safety and features required, Nissan decided on using the UR10 robot arms which were easily installed, programmed and operational within a week. The deployment of UR10 robot arms at Nissan reduced production time and quality as well as allowed employees to be relieved of monotonous tasks, allowing them to obtain valuable line experience elsewhere.

Subsection Chief of Engine Section Mr Onishi said: “We are able to quickly respond to potential production time overruns as we can easily move the UR10 to work on any process in the plant where the issue has been identified. We plan to further the use of cobots by integrating the strong on-site and engineering capabilities, which will increase our level of cobots deployment going forward.”

For more details on how Nissan Motor Company is using UR10 robots please click here.

Cesar Legaspi Centennial Exhibit

Each year, there are new artists emerged. They come and go. Most got famous after they lived and died. Only a few are recognized for their work within their lifetime but once they passed on, they are immortalized because of their work lived on.

National Artist Cesar Legaspi is one of those examples. His works are either in his family’ household or somewhere displayed in a huge lobby. At CCP, having your work displayed is not just a prestige but an honor. CCP values the works of artists like Mr. Legaspi; who is now celebrating his 100^th birth year.

It is my privilege learning about his contribution to the art world because not all of his works were saved long before I was born. I was told that once before the opening of the Coastal Road, his work the Bayanihan was displayed as a fresco and that it wasn’t even given care to be transferred to another location.

 

Three-dimensional animated tribute

What makes Cesar Legaspi’s works interesting that he was commissioned to do portrait for the former first lady Imelda Marcos but he also painted some abstract works that shows the horrors of martial law. The exhibit of Cesar Legaspi is also curated by members of the family who are not just familiar with his works but also grew up with it.

This gallery is really worth going not just for the exhibit displayed but also for the experience. You are not just using your sense of sight but also hearing. Composer Ryan Cayabyab composed a song for the artist using the letters of his name as notes.

Even though Mang Cesar’s daughter Celeste became a popular singer, his granddaughter Clara continues her grandfather’s legacy. Using the theme of his lolo(grandfather), she uses modern technology like a projector to make his grandfather’s work moves.

 

Machina by Clara Gallardo

The Bayanihan of Cesar Legaspi was also brought back to life with the help of the Pampangan lantern makers. The new Bayanihan is not only displayed but it also has moving lights controlled at the rear part of the wall.

The exhibit of Cesar Legaspi is currently at CCP Bulwagang Juan Luna in the third floor of the main lobby for a limited time. For more CCP events, follow this blog and like L.E.N.S. blogs on Facebook.

ALICE REYES RETURNS AS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF BALLET PHILIPPINES IN APRIL 2017

Press release

Coming full circle, Ballet Philippines’ founder, National Artist for Dance, Alice Reyes steps back into the company’s helm as Artistic Director starting this 48^th season.

“It is our great honor to welcome Alice back,” says BP President Margie Moran Floirendo. “She has generously given the company much support especially over the past few years. We felt that this was the perfect time for her to take on a more active role in the company’s overall planning and direction, particularly in leading us to our 50^th season in 2019.”

“I am elated to be coming in at this most opportune time,” says Alice Reyes. “The company is two short years away from its golden anniversary, and so this is a fantastic chance to start drumming up the energy and keep it up even beyond the 50^th season.”

Alice Reyes is the visionary founder of Ballet Philippines who propelled the company into a national arts institution we can all be proud of. In the Philippines, she established regular season concerts, professionalized dance as a career, and played a major role in the phenomenal development of dance in the country.

With a background in ballet, folk dancing and jazz, Reyes ventured into the challenging and exciting realm of modern dance. Through a grant from the John D. Rockefeller III Fund, she went through an extensive training period in the United States at the Colorado College under a Hanya Holm scholarship. She was subsequently awarded a grant from the Music Promotion Foundation of the Philippines, which enabled her to study further under leading exponents of the medium and earn a Master of Arts in Dance from the Sarah Lawrence College under its scholarship program.

Upon her return in 1969, she staged her first modern dance concert at the CCP. Its success made her decide to remain in the Philippines and develop the great potential of dance in the country. Since then, her outstanding performances on stage have provided artists an enriching example to emulate. The sheer diversity of her choreographic talent has produced highly acclaimed works ranging from the classics like “Cinderella” and “Romeo and Juliet”, to Filipino modern works like “Amada”, “Itim-Asu”, “Bayanihan Remembered”, “Mga Babae”, “Tales of the Manuvu”, and “Rama Hari”. Through her efforts, dance has become among the country’s respected careers and distinguished professions. The Filipino dancers have emerged as an indispensable part of our cultural heritage.

She served as Ballet Philippines’ Artistic Director for the company’s first 20 years. In June 20, 2014, Alice Reyes was declared National Artist for Dance by President Benigno S. Aquino III through Proclamation No. 807.

Paul Alexander Morales will be on sabbatical leave for the 48^th season. He served as Ballet Philippines’ Artistic Director from 2009 to 2017.

Ballet Philippines (BP) is the flagship professional classical and contemporary dance company in the country. A resident company of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, it was founded in 1969 by Alice Reyes and Eddie Elejar. It is widely recognized today as a cornerstone of the contemporary Filipino identity. The Ballet Philippines Dance School continues to produce dancers of international caliber.

Connect to Ballet Philippines online through the following social media networks:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/balletphilippines

Twitter: @balletph

Instagram: @balletphilippines

YouTube: balletph