Smart supports Davao City, MM quake drills, deploys emergency communications equipment

Press release

[13 July 2017] PLDT wireless subsidiary Smart Communications will provide emergency communications support for the earthquake and tsunami drills in Davao City and Metro Manila on July 14, 2017.

The drills, which will simulate a magnitude-7.2 earthquake situation, will start at 9 a.m. in Davao City and 4 p.m. in Metro Manila.

Officials of Davao City and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will signal the start of the city- and metro-wide drills by using Smart’s Emergency Cell Broadcast System (ECBS), which will send alert messages to residents in the area informing them of the activity. To date, Smart is the only telco to comply with Republic Act No. 10639, or the Free Mobile Disaster Alerts Act, via the ECBS.

Smart will also deploy Smart Satellite solutions and LTE mobile connectivity to ensure uninterrupted communications among response units. These services will complement the free calling and charging services for the use of earthquake and tsunami drill participants.

Leading the drill in Davao City are Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officer and Central 911 chief Emmanuel Jaldon, and key participating units. In Metro Manila, the event will be spearheaded by the Metro Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (MMDRRMC) and managed by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), and other agencies and stakeholders.

“I encourage all Dabawenyos to participate in the 1st Davao City earthquake and tsunami drill on Friday, July 14, because this will help us prepare ourselves in the event a tsunami or an earthquake hits Davao City,” said Mayor Duterte. “It is our responsibility to ensure that everyone in our communities and our homes are aware and knowledgeable of the things that should be done in cases of emergencies. Preparation, which involves learning or acquiring emergency skills, is critical in protecting ourselves, our families, and our communities. Readiness is key to survival,” she added.

“We understand how important communication is, especially in times of calamities. Our ECBS and satellite solutions, as well as traditional fixed and wireless services, are deployed to affected areas as we recognize communications as a form of relief,” said Ramon R. Isberto, PLDT and Smart public affairs head.

As a member of the emergency telecommunications cluster of the NDRRMC, Smart has provided communication aid during calamities, including free broadcast alerts, free texts, calls and charging, and satellite solutions to LGUs and response teams.

Smart is also a founding signatory of GSMA’s Human Connectivity Charter (HCC), which aims to empower operators to improve their disaster resilience through mobile technology.

Through its #SafePH advocacy and as part of its commitment to the HCC, Smart promotes resilience using technology and communications. The company’s disaster risk reduction initiatives have helped instill a culture of preparedness among its partners and the general public. These include emergency mobile solutions such as the Batingaw disaster preparedness app and the Agos community aid SMS platform, as well as on-ground community caravans such as the Tropang Ready educational series for the youth.

BALLET PHILIPPINES COLLABORATES WITH INDEPENDENT ARTIST EISA JOCSON IN “YOUR HIGHNESS”

Press release

Eisa Jocson’s newest creation, “Your Highness” will have its world premiere on July 27 (8pm) and 28 (3pm, 8pm) at the CCP Little Theater, and will be performed at several major European performing arts festivals from August to September 2017. The work is a production by Ballet Philippines and Künstlerhaus Mousonturm Frankfurt am Main (Germany), in co-production with Internationales Sommerfestival Kampnagel (Germany), Zürcher Theater Spektakel (Switzerland), La Bâtie – Festival de Genève (Switzerland).

         Eisa Jocson is an internationally renowned artist creating and touring works in Asia, Europe, America and Australia. Educated as a visual artist and trained as a ballet dancer, she won her first pole-dancing competition in Manila in 2010 and began her international dance career with public interventions like “pole-tagging” here and abroad. Her 3 solos, “Death of the Pole Dancer” (2011), “Macho Dancer” (2013) and “Host” (2015) toured extensively in major festivals abroad. Under the HAPPYLAND (2017) series, her new creations, “Princess” a duet with Filipino performance artist Russ Ligtas and “Your Highness” are a continuation of her investigation into Filipino labour, performance of happiness and production of fantasy within the happiness empire. “Your Highness” is her first ensemble creation, and is the first of all her works to be premiered and produced in the Philippines.

         In “Your Highness”, the classically trained dancers masterfully alternate between stylized Disney gestures and standards of ballet classics like Giselle, The Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake – and explore the fine line between portrayals of happiness through ballet history and princess archetypes in a globalized entertainment industry.

 

Eisa Jocson

         The massive employment of Filipino performers by Hong Kong Disneyland has led to a dire brain drain, with its impact strongly felt in Ballet Philippines, which has lost half of its top dancers within the last decade. Against this backdrop, choreographer Eisa Jocson has now created a dance piece with five young dancers of the Ballet Philippines.

         “As an independent Filipina choreographer it is a unique and inspiring adventure to collaborate with Ballet Philippines in creating this new ensemble work,” shares Jocson. “It is exciting to see the dancers push their capacities into unknown terrain with incredible virtuosity. And I am looking forward to share this performance born out of an intense and meticulous process of exploring the dancer's and ballet's manifold bodies and voices.”

         “Your Highness” international artistic team is led by Eisa Jocson (choreographer), Gia Gequinto, Stephanie Cabral, Maila Habagat, Alexis Piel, and Carlo Padoga (Ballet Philippines dancers), Arco Renz & Anna Wagner (dramaturgs), Teresa Barrozo (music & sound design), Florian Bach (lighting design), and Dennis Maristany (costume design).

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

Facebook: www.facebook.com/balletphilippines

Twitter: @balletph

Instagram: @balletphilippines

YouTube: balletph

For tickets, call Ballet Philippines at (+632) 551-1003, the CCP Box Office at (+632) 832-3704, or Ticketworld at (+632) 891-9999.

The Flats: Calling the City Home

Press release

Ayala Land Inc. introduces the co-living concept for young professionals in Makati.

Living in the heart of this country’s bustling business district certainly has its advantages—accessibility to work, being a stone’s throw away from commercial, recreation and leisure destinations, and the opportunity to check out diverse shopping and dining options when the mood calls for it.

These perks of city living, which ultimately draws young professionals to call the city home, are also the main reasons why it’s hard for them to do so. All this convenience and practicality, fused with bustling activity and diversity comes at a price.

“There’s something very aspirational about living in the middle of a thriving city like Makati. And our latest project hopes to make this ideal accessible to everyone. Makati is home to a very diverse set of professionals—including young ones who are just starting out, typically from the fast growing BPO industry, as well as other corporate and institutional locators,” explains Ms. Shiella Aguilar, Project Development Manager of Ayala Land’s Strategic Land Bank Management Group.

While certainly not limited to these fields, it’s undeniable that the demands of today’s workplace require more time from employees. The competition is tougher, and the challenges are more stressful. And one aspect that can help them manage their work-life balance better is being able to call the city home—a place where they can easily retreat to after a hard day’s work, without having to trudge through hours of traffic.

This is where Ayala Land Inc.’s pioneering vision behind The FLATS comes in. The Flats offers innovative and affordable co-living spaces that cater to young urban professionals.

“To serve the new breed of office workers, we created the concept which breaks out of the model of a typical Ayala Land product.  It is the company's first ‘residential for lease only’ development and is expected to raise the bar on co-living given the combined best practices from the residential, retail, office and hotel businesses,” adds Ms. Aguilar.

The FLATS would allow for young professionals, just starting out to live right at the heart of the city. Designed to provide co-living accommodations, employees now have the option to enjoy living near work, avoiding lengthy daily commutes and enjoying all the benefits of urban living. 

Designing the product with the millennial market in mind, Ayala Land takes a pioneering approach to project development. This meant exploring beyond the company’s common practices and methodologies on design, procurement, construction and operations.

The first building is set to rise at Amorsolo corner Dela Rosa St. in Makati. It will have 15 storeys with 22 square meter residential units that can accommodate a maximum of four occupants. There will be a total of 196 rooms and 728 beds. Each room is thoughtfully designed to offer built-in beds, workstations and ample storage, as well as a kitchen and toilet/bathroom. The building is internet and cable ready and will also provide ample security, key card access for residents, basic retail amenities such as laundry shops, a water refilling station, and a convenience store at the ground floor. 

The Flats delivers an affordable product that is benchmarked on the Ayala Land brand, allowing young professionals to enjoy comforts such as having a safe and secure environment and convenient access to the city and its amenities.

The Flats Amorsolo is located a few steps away from the Dela Rosa Walkway, making it conducive for residents to walk to their place of work. It will also be near Ayala Land’s upcoming two-tower mixed-use development that will house multinational and BPO offices, a 10,000 square meter retail podium devoted to dining and shopping destinations, as well as the 312-room Seda Hotel.

Makati has always been at the top of its game in providing service to individuals from all walks of life. With The FLATS Amorsolo, people can have the opportunity to live with ease, and feel the dynamism of the city that makes it happen-- truly an exciting and pioneering concept that will entice more of today’s young professionals to call Makati City their home. The Flats will also be offered in other estates of Ayala Land.

Vermosa adds Lasallian excellence in its community, opens to SHS students

Press release

Ayala Land, Inc.’s (ALI) Vermosa – a first of its kind in mixed-use destination and the fourth largest estate of ALI – recently added Lasallian excellence in its community with the opening of the De La Salle Santiago Zobel School (DLSZ) Vermosa Campus. On June 21, 2017 the DLSZ- Vermosa Campus in Imus, Cavite started its Senior High School (SHS) classes.

The 700-hectare estate brings together residential, retail, and business spots in one destination bolstered by sports and fitness amenities. The DLSZ-Vermosa Campus is located within the Vermosa Midtown, a pedestrian-focused, bike-friendly area, home to a campus-type commercial district with a lifestyle mall from Ayala Malls as well as the Vermosa Sports and Lifestyle Complex.

DLSZ-Vermosa houses three primary school zones—Academic, Sports, and Cultural. Within the zones, there are different modern facilities such as classrooms, laboratories, and faculty centers. Inside the Academic Zone are the administration building, middle (junior) and senior high school halls, and the Spark Building. There is also a premium sports complex—with a Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)-certified track oval and football field—together with a performing arts theatre, among others.

A unique feature of the estate is the Vermosa Sports & Lifestyle Complex that will have the Philippines’ first Fédération internationale de natation (FINA)-certifiable Olympic-sized swimming pool, the country’s first International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF)-certified oval track, motocross track, bike trail, and the Philippines’ first Sports Science Laboratory that can serve as a training facility for DLSZ’s athletes. These facilities and features position DLSZ-Vermosa as a top-notch educational institution in the south within an estate that bolsters an active lifestyle and well-balanced family life.

Lasallian excellence and experience

The School Administrators and all the SHS teachers warmly welcomed the students in the Academic Year 2017-2018 to the Vermosa Campus. With the new SHS Building, students get to experience and enjoy state-of-the-art facilities.

The DLSZ-Vermosa Campus is set to ignite the spark of each Lasallian student as it continues to provide a world-class, learner-centered environment that produces lifelong learners who are reflective, creative, critical thinkers and problem-solvers in a transformative and innovative learning environment. It is envisioned to be a trailblazer in technology-supported learning in the Philippine education through “next generation blended learning (NxGBL).” This kind of learning is the incorporation of the use of technology into classroom teaching and learning.

The Senior High School program will continue to uphold a dynamic learning community through its existing student curriculum in the fields of academics, science and technology, sports, arts and music. Further, it aims to produce Lasallian graduates who are college-ready, career-ready and life-ready.

adidas Harden LS Release

Press release

July 1, adidas unveiled Harden LS, a lifestyle evolution of the Harden Vol. 1 and continuation of the Harden signature line.  Harden LS utilizes multi-color Primeknit uppers, full-length BOOST, refreshed signature detailing and an uncaged toe box. The model steps off the court and embraces James’ alter ego – an unfiltered persona that creates for the culture, love for family and his LA upbringing. 

Inspired by the off-court rewards of unleashing your creativity on the court, these are Harden’s life stories as told through four distinct colorways. James will share the timing of each colorway release date with fans exclusively on his social media channels.  

Inspired by the California palm trees and ocean views, the LA Life is designed in triple white Primeknit with silver accents and a marbled outsole. It pays respect to the town where Harden learned to dream and fulfills those dreams. 

Life in the fast lane –shifting gears at a moment’s notice the game never sleeps. Fast Life is built with custom detailing, highlighted by burgundy and candy orange Primeknit threads lifted on black BOOST and a gum outsole. 

From pregame tunnels to the runway, Harden can make a statement simply by owning the moment. He keeps his style clean one night and is ready to show out the next. The Night Life is suited in black and white Primeknit with XENO three stripes on the heel and glow-in-the-dark elements featured on the Harden Mark.   

The Sweet Life features pink Primeknit across the upper and gold detailing accented on the three stripes and outsole. It all starts with those that support your dreams and for James Harden that began with his mother Monja. From the first basketball hoop she bought him as a kid to the home he purchased for her after signing his first NBA contract, the game always finds a way to give back. 

LA Life is now available, and other colorways will drop soon in leading adidas stores, adidas.com, and Titan.

Stay tuned to @jharden13 on Instagram and Twitter to find out all the Harden LS drops and how to cop a pair. Join the conversation @adidashoops and @footlocker on Twitter and Instagram with #HardenLS.

Empowered Women Can

Press release

Three tips for you to become an everyday Wonder Woman

Photo credit: Warner Bros.

©DC Comics

Tough, driven and ambitious. These are just some of the words that describe the modern-day Maria Clara. Just like how Wonder Woman is lighting up the silver screen and breaking boundaries, women are just about done with the caged-stereotypes and roles imposed by the patriarchal society they grew up in. Whether single or married, women have found remarkable ways to share the load of keeping their families comfortable, all while building careers, and embarking on their own businesses.

As feminism flourishes online and social media sites so does the image of a financially-capable woman. But let’s face it, raising a family can be tough for any woman, especially if you’re juggling a job and two or more kids. There are bills to pay, mouths to feed and retail therapy just isn’t the answer anymore.

Make money off your past life

Whether you’re a full-time employee or a full-time mom, you’ll always be looking to get more bang for your buck. One way to stretch your Peso is by buying and selling pre-loved items through online marketplaces. After all those spontaneous trips to the mall in the past, you’re bound to have accumulated too many unused and underused items that are just lying around.

This is where online and mobile classifieds marketplaces, like Carousell, come in. Carousell lets you snap, list and sell your preloved items in just 30 seconds. Putting those underused tops up for sale has never been easier. It’s also a great to way to earn a bit of side income and unlock value in items you don’t use or don’t want to keep anymore.

Even if you’re deal-seeker, second-hand marketplaces like Carousell could be the solution, where you can snap up personal, or even household items at a fraction of the retail price.

Sense, space and style

A successful woman will always look inward first. To declutter her personal items before spreading the decluttering message to her family.

You can breathe new life into your personal style without breaking the bank.  Your closet should be one of the first stops of your decluttering journey and potential treasure trove. Take time to revisit your wardrobe for pieces you can sell online; you’d be surprised with what you find.

If you find pieces of clothing in your wardrobe that you haven’t used for six months, like a basic black blouse, why not try cashing it in? Not only would you free up space in your closet, but you can also earn some spare cash.

Vintage and branded handbags such as a Gucci leather tote bag or jewelry that you haven’t used or brought out from the closet in a long time, could also bring in the bucks.

Make space, get creative!

Even the most insanely weird and unique household items like this vintage camera clock can be put for sale.

That long-forgotten bedside drawer or coffee table may take up space in your room but may be a centerpiece for someone else.

Your children’s stash may also be a potential gold mine. With the kids growing so fast, instead of throwing the clothes they’ve only worn for a few months, you could look to sell it on Carousell. Not only would you be making some cash, but you would also be helping another mom pick up a nice set of clothes for their kid.

Even the toys your children have outgrown, but are still in good condition, can bring so much joy to another child. Just make sure you’ve got your kids’ permission before you start selling all their stuff. (Carousell will not be responsible for any kiddie meltdowns).

Use the extra income to make extraordinary memories. Take your family on a holiday getaway to unwind (it might make the kids more agreeable to parting with their old things too).

Get rid of all the unnecessary clutter that’s hogging precious space in your home. Build character with every piece you acquire and let go of the ones that you don’t like. Nothing screams empowered better than a Woman who’s got it all together.

Easy to use, easy on the pocket

What’s really great about living today is the existence of great mobile apps like Carousell. With over 1.6 million listings on Carousell, the application is thoughtfully designed and organized to make sure you easily find that special something. The site’s intuitive features makes shopping or selling a breeze.

On top of that, the app has a built-in Chat tool  that allows you to easily communicate with the seller or buyer without giving your personal contact information. You can also opt to meet your seller in person to be able to carefully inspect the item before paying.

Carousell empowers women and everyone else to get more and enjoy modern life.