Game of Drones Takes to the Skies for the Second Time

A stratospheric high took over everyone as Game of Drones: 2nd Flight, the country’s biggest and only drone competition, took off on May 26, 2018.

High-flying teams came together at The Bike Playground at the Circulo Verde, the city’s newest entertainment and lifestyle destination that has become a haven for those who love one-of-a-kind adventures.

Game of Drones: 2nd Flight is one such event, which provided FPV (First-Person View) pilots and drone enthusiasts an opportunity to show off their flying skills without having to wander far from the city, thanks to The Bike Playground’s wide open spaces which is ideal for those who love to fly drones.

The contest covered three categories – Time Trial, the Rotorcross finals, and Drone Photography, all of which allowed participants to battle in various contests for supremacy of the skies.

Time Trial is a spec/open class category, where competitors raced to fly their drone across the 300-meter track for one lap. With up to four pilots per race, the winner Jerico Taleon, flew his drone within the shortest time took home a cash prize of P30,000. Runners-up were Marlon Caras and Mark Cometa.

Rotocross is a spec class game. For this, participants were again grouped into batches of four for the elimination round. They flew their drones through a marked course, and the racers who finished first per batch moved up the ladder of eliminations. In the evening, the finals were held to determine the Rotocross Champion. Repeat winner Jerico Taleon received a P20,000, a trophy, plus items from sponsors. Runners-up were Danny Formentera and Axlsoy Godinez.

Drone Photography is an opportunity for photography enthusiasts to take breathtaking aerial shots within the Circulo Verde vicinity. The top ten submitted entries were shown at the venue for judging, and the winner who took home P5,000 was Lawrence Samaco.

On ground, there was as much excitement as that in the skies. Treats were available for everyone thanks to food stalls and sponsors’ booths that have ensured that everyone was revved up for a whole day of fun.

Drone hobbyists, enthusiasts, novice racers, and those who just want a taste of some outdoor fun were present to experience and watch as the drones battled for supremacy of the skies.

The Bike Playground is located within Circulo Verde, Calle Industria, Quezon City, a 10-hectare master-planned mixed-use community envisioned by its developers, Ortigas & Co., to become an active lifestyle destination.

For more information, check out the Game of Drones social media pages:
https://www.facebook.com/gameofdrones.ph/
https://www.facebook.com/CirculoVerde.Ortigas/

Defeating Adriano Moraes will be ultimate career highlight for ‘King of Rematch’ Geje Eustaquio

If based on the old idiom “Second time’s the charm,” it would be the perfect embodiment to depict Filipino superstar Geje Eustaquio’s professional mixed martial arts career as Lady Luck seems to be on his side in every rematch that he has had.

Out of 16 bouts in his seven-year prizefighting stint, Eustaquio has shared the stage with the same foe on two occasions, walking out in both instances with his arm raised in triumph.

After dropping a split decision to Anatpong Bunrad in April 2015, Eustaquio settled the score with his arch-nemesis two years later by edging out the Thai hard-hitter with his own split decision victory.

Meanwhile, Eustaquio clinched the ONE Interim Flyweight World Championship, toppling Kazakh rival Kairat Akhmetov by way of five-round unanimous decision in a second encounter this past January.

“Winning the world title is a dream come true for me. Ever since I started my professional career, the goal was to be a world champion. Now, that goal is a reality,” Eustaquio stated.

Believing that it could be sweeter the second time around, the 29-year-old Baguio City native seeks to replicate the same magic as he is slated to lock horns once again with Brazilian flyweight kingpin Adriano Moraes.

Both men are scheduled to face each other in a world title unification clash at ONE: PINNACLE OF POWER, which takes place at the Studio City Event Center in Macau, China on June 23.

“There were lots of trials and challenges. My path was not the easiest, but I always knew what I had to do to achieve it. Like I always say, it’s either you win or you learn. I learned from my past failures. And here I am today. That’s the secret to my success,” Eustaquio shared.

“On June 23, I have a tough task in front of me. However, it is still an opportunity for me, an opportunity that comes once in a lifetime. On that date, it’s my opportunity to become the undisputed champion of this division. And I am coming for it,” he added.

Eustaquio and Moraes stood opposite each other for the first time in September 2014 when the two collided for the inaugural ONE Flyweight World Championship.

Moraes derailed Eustaquio’s championship aspirations as he found a way to counteract his opponent’s striking prowess in the second round and then forced the 5-foot-5 Team Lakay representative to wave the white flag with a guillotine choke.

Eustaquio admitted that it was a tough defeat to digest, but he pointed out that he took a lot away from it by viewing it as a learning curve.

“That loss has taught me a lot. Ever since then, I have worked extensively in improving in all areas,” he said. “I have worked extremely hard to get to this point because deep inside, I knew we would meet again. Now I can finally give him a better fight.”

Since his initial meeting with Moraes almost four years ago, Eustaquio stressed that he has grown tremendously as he has matured and expanded his skillset.

“I have evolved as a martial artist since we first met inside the cage in 2014. I know that it will be different in the rematch against Adriano Moraes. The second bout against Kairat Akhmetov is a testament that I am no longer a one-dimensional fighter. I trusted my team, and in the bout against Akhmetov, one of the things we worked on was how to bring the bout back to the feet,” he explained.

In his upcoming rematch, Eustaquio expects that the Brazilian submission specialist may look to focus on using his other skills.

“This time around, I have a feeling we will be standing more. I think he will want to stand and trade with me to test his striking,” he reasoned. “If the going gets rough, then he can focus on taking it to the mat. The same principle applies to me. I want to test my Jiu-Jitsu skills too, and what better opponent than Adriano Moraes to do so against?”

According to Eustaquio, defeating Moraes to become the undisputed ONE Flyweight World Champion would be the proudest moment of his career.

“This rematch is very big. It is the biggest of my career, no doubt. I am treating this bout as the most significant of my time as a professional mixed martial artist, but because of my hard work and preparations, all that is left is to give the performance of a lifetime,” he ended.

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

GET READY FOR LIMITLESS POSSIBILITIES AS THE ZENFONE MAX PRO FINALLY ARRIVES IN THE PHILIPPINES THIS JUNE!

After the whirlwind of excitement that recently rocked parts of the globe, it is finally Philippines’ turn to taste the true power of the newest Battery King that comes to town in June 2018 – the ZenFone Max Pro. Filipinos will be no less than thrilled with the experience that is in store with the arrival of another royalty they can rule the world with. This time, the possibilities are limitless.

With the newest Battery King to enter the market, people are sure to enjoy maximum smartphone performance; especially with the most powerful combination of the ZenFone Max series yet: a high-capacity, high-density 5,000mAh battery and a powerful Snapdragon 636 processor! With so much power to be used, there is endless capacity to browse more, game more, stream more, talk more, and – overall – do morewithout worrying about nasty low batteries.

ZENFONE MAX PRO: LIMITLESS POSSIBILITIES

“If a smartphone's battery is your top priority, then you're going to be hard pressed to find a cheaper phone with better battery life… it’s certainly a budget offering that can put its money where its mouth is.”

– Techradar Review, April 2018

The ZenFone Max Pro is designed in a stylish 180g-light metal body with diamond-cut edges and 2.5D-curved display glass.  At the heart of the smartphone is an advanced Snapdragon 636 Mobile Platform, which combines smooth, responsive performance with the superb battery life of 5,000 mAh, and a powerful Adreno 509 GPU that is designed to support enhanced mobile gaming and browsing performance. ZenFone Max Pro handles any task easily, with performance to spare.

The Snapdragon 636 is an advanced 14nm 64-bit system-on-a-chip (SoC), which is engineered to deliver up to 40%-higher CPU performance and 10%-higher graphics performance, while maintaining excellent battery life. With its improved performance, the Adreno 509 GPU supports lifelike visuals and more efficient rendering of advanced 3D graphics.

ZenFone Max Pro ships with pure Android™ 8.1 Oreo™, the latest version of the beautiful Android user interface that improves productivity, and simply lets users have more fun with their phone.

MARKET AVAILABILITY

The newest Battery King, ZenFone Max Pro, will be available in June.  For more information on the ZenFone Fone Max Pro, the ZenFone Max series, and other incredible products from ASUS, tune in to the ASUS Philippines Facebook Page and the ZenTalk Philippines Forum.

Winner of Asia’s Got Talent The Sacred Riana Takes Center Stage on New Season of America’s Got Talent

Fans of The Sacred Riana will be in for a thrilling surprise on AXN as she takes the US by storm in the latest season of America’s Got Talent, premiering this Thursday, May 31 at 6pm on AXN.

The Sacred Riana was crowned the winner of AXN’s Asia’s Got Talent season 2 after becoming the most anticipated act of the season. Her spooky persona and terrifying

illusions throughout the series made Riana a viral sensation with a whopping 100 million views on Facebook and YouTube.

After impressing (and scaring) Asia’s Got Talent’s judges, David Foster, Anggun and Jay Park, can The Sacred Riana do the same with Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Mel B and Heidi Klum on America’s Got Talent?

America’s Got Talent premieres Thursday, May 31 at 6pm on AXN, within 48 hours of the US telecast and encores at 10pm. From June 7 onwards, America’s Got Talent airs every Thursday at 6pm and encores at 8pm.

For an exclusive first look of America’s Got Talent, visit @AXNAsia on Facebook.

AXN is available on Cablelink Channel 38, Cignal Channel 121, Destiny Cable Channel 49, G Sat Channel 51, and SKYCable Channel 49. AXN HD is available on SKYCable Channel 247.

About AXN

AXN is Asia’s leading general entertainment channel, featuring exclusive top-rated drama series, blockbuster features, reality programs and groundbreaking original productions. The channel appeals to a discerning audience seeking content that is smart, intriguing and unexpected, all delivered close to US telecasts. From The Blacklist and MacGyver to Asia’s Got Talent and The Amazing Race Asia, AXN is defined not by a genre, but by an attitude that truly redefines action.

*This is Press Release

Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act: A Gamechanger, Says DTI

The Department of Trade and Industry expressed optimism that the newly-enacted Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018 will make doing business in our country easier as it promotes efficient government.

“Under the EODB/Efficient Government Act, businesses can expect streamlined processes, reduced processing times from all government agencies, including government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs).  Government agencies shall be made to comply with the prescribed processing time: three (3) working days for simple transactions, seven (7) working days for complex transactions, and 20 working days for highly technical transactions.” DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez said.

The EODB-EGSDA Act, which amended the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007, requires all local government units to streamline procedures for the issuance of business permits, clearance and other type of authorizations by implementing unified business application form. LGUs are mandated to setup Business One Stop Shop (BOSS) to facilitate business permits application.  The law also provides that barangay clearances and permits must be issued at the city or municipality to speed up transactions.

Apart from streamlining, the law also provides for the creation of a Central Business Portal that will receive and capture application data on business-related transactions, while Philippine Business Databank shall provide LGUs and national government agencies access to information to verify validity and existence of businesses. With this, businesses are not required to submit the same documentary requirement previously submitted.

The DTI Secretary, who now chairs the Ease of Doing Business and Anti Red Tape Advisory Council (EODB/ARTAC) called RA 11032 a landmark legislation that will have a direct impact on all citizens and business sector.

“We realized that for the EODB reforms to be fully implemented and integrated, a whole-of-government approach was necessary. Thus in full support of the President’s vision, Congress enacted a law that will make doing business in the Philippines easier and more importantly, create a more efficient government.” Lopez added.

The EODB-EGSDA law will be implemented by the Anti-Red Tape Authority, an agency under the Office of the President that will monitor compliance of agencies, and implement and oversee national policy on anti-red tape and ease of doing business. The seven-member Ease of Doing Business and Anti-Red Tape Advisory Council will be composed of the Secretaries of DILG, DICT, and DOF, and two members from the private sector. The EODB/ARTAC will serve as the policy and advisory body of ARTA, to be chaired by DTI Secretary, and the Director General of the Anti Red Tape Authority (ARTA) as Vice Chair.

Honda Philippines Celebrates HSDC’s 10th Anniversary and Thanksgiving Day

Honda Safety Driving Center (HSDC), the first motorcycle riding school in the country that provides comprehensive training for both         2-Wheel and 4-Wheel vehicles and even truck certification, celebrates its 10th anniversary and thanksgiving day along with the Honda group of companies namely Honda Philippines, Inc. (HPI,) Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI,) and Honda Manufacturing Parts Corporation (HPMC.)

HSDC offers programs in road safety training which aims to help safeguard the well-being of motorcycle riders and automobile drivers.

The institution also conducts training courses for Beginners and Refreshers, as well as Seminars that provide the rules of the road and demonstrate proper and legal safety maneuvers for motorcycle riding. These programs are ideal for those who want to learn safety techniques, relearn driving, and awareness as a Safe Road User.

In celebration of its 10th anniversary, HSDC updates the public about the projects they have done so far after the launch of the One Honda Road Safety (1HRS) for our Family Campaign, a joint advocacy of the Honda group of companies. This was awarded as one of the best road safety programs by the Society of Philippine Motoring Journalists. This is HSDC’s milestone and long-term commitment to building a community of safe and responsible road users.

HSDC also launches its newest services, such as the Basic Group Riding Course, the Big Bike Safety Riding Course, the Executive Driving Course, and Kids on Safety Program.

The celebration also coincides with the thanksgiving and awarding of the Certificate of Appreciation to all of its road safety program partners. Since it is important to HSDC that its riders make it home safely, it awards its partners to recognize their efforts in helping make this goal into a reality.

HSDC sets to strengthen its programs on road safety, accident prevention, and risk reduction through its new training innovations and Dealer Road Safety Program, which features training courses and audiovisuals to provide customers with road safety tips. These tips also aim to eliminate bad habits on the road, which alarmingly cause accidents that kill over 10,300 Filipinos a year according to the World Health Organization. This is why it is important for HSDC to provide these courses to promote intelligent, safe and responsible motorcycle riding.

This is aligned with Honda’s commitment not only to provide quality products and services with technological expertise, but also safe riding practices for every Filipino family to further experience the joy of riding Honda motorcycles and driving Honda cars.

For more information about Honda Philippines and its upcoming events, go to www.hondaph.com or follow the official Facebook page at facebook.com/hondaph/.

*This is Press Release

How to Teach Children About Fire Safety

People take every precaution necessary to ensure that their households are protected from every possible danger, most especially a fire. But how do parents teach children at an early age the importance of fire safety?

Top LPG provider Solane offers these tips on how to teach kids fire safety.

Flammable materials are not toys. A good way to keep children from accidentally starting a fire is not to let them play with objects that may cause a spark. Make sure all lighters and matches are out of their reach. More importantly, make them understand that even if these items are within reach, they are not toys and they should not play with them.

Have your own fire drills and prepare emergency plans. Make sure your kids know where the fire exits, extinguishers and alarms are. Teach your children what to do when a fire breaks out.  Map a escape route, mark all possible exits for every room in the house and make sure the children have them memorized. In case of a fire, identify a meeting point outside your home. Tell the children to remain in that place once they are out of danger so you would know where everybody is and would not have to worry about someone being left behind.

Stay low and make a quick exit. Teach children to stay low and close to the ground where there is less smoke when they are inside a room filled with fumes. They should then crawl their way to safety.

Stop, drop and roll. Remind children not to panic and run when their clothes catch fire to prevent the flames from spreading. Show them how to stop, drop and roll to extinguish the flames.

Know the emergency numbers. Teach your kids how to dial the numbers for emergency services and to call for help in case of an emergency. Keep those numbers close to the telephone for easy access. Teach the kids to speak in a calm, clear voice to avoid confusion.

Keep fire hazards away from children. Kids are naturally curious and will want to explore whatever they find interesting. Advise them to avoid playing with anything electrical, such as sockets and wires.

Practice these tips until they become second nature to everyone in the household. For more information, check out Solane’s website, solane.com.ph.

Filipino-Kiwi Designer Wins Sony Channel’s The Apartment: Passion for Design

Once again, Filipino pride takes the limelight as Fil-Kiwi fashion designer Stephanie Dods was selected the winner of Sony Channel’s The Apartment: Passion for Design, and walked away with the biggest prize in the series’ history - the deed to a luxurious UMLand apartment at D’Lagoon located in Iskandar, Malaysia.

Declaring in the show that failure was not an option, the beauty queen-model fiercely proved her worth by out-performing competition from the US, Australia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia in a series of grueling challenges that showcased her flair for innovative design, eventually conquering Asia’s biggest design reality series.

Dods hurdled the weekly challenges with her style and confidence. It was no walk in the park, as she narrowly escaped elimination many times.

Dods has now become the second Filipino contestant to win the prestigious competition after Cebu-based interior designers and best friends Deankie Latonio and Tiara Sison won the third edition in 2013.

In the semi-finals, Dods shared the spotlight with fellow Filipino contestants, Jesy Cruz and Eugene Del Rosario, who both performed strong but in the end just came just a bit short, paving the way for Dods.

The season finale saw Dods going head-to-head with Malaysian make-up artist Rachel Lee in the ultimate challenge to design and furnish an apartment from scratch.

The latest season featured a formidable and glamorous panel of judges, which included world renowned interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen as the head judge, Filipino interior designer and media personality Cat Arambulo as one of two new judges, together with Tyler Wisler, one of New York’s most influential and dynamic designers. Award-winning designer and author Jamie Durie returned as series host and mentor.

The Apartment: Passion for Design is a Sony Channel Original Series created and produced by Imagine Group Entertainment, the leading entertainment production company in Asia.

For more information, visit TheApartmentTV.com or @TheApartmentTV on Facebook and
Twitter.

Sony Channel is available on Cablelink Channel 39, Cignal Channel 120, Destiny Cable  Channel 35, G Sat Channel 48, and SKYCable Channel 35.

About Sony Channel 

Sony Channel is the premier destination for female-skewing entertainment with the biggest and best of Hollywood. Designed for the socially connected viewer, Sony Channel features some of the most captivating and talked-about drama, comedy, lifestyle, and reality programs on TV, all airing close to the U.S. telecasts, together with popular feel-good movies.

Fresh, confident and stylish, with a dash of clever wit, Sony Channel is visually stunning with a brand identity that perfectly complements its line-up of high calibre programming. Sony Channel appeals to a female-skewed, male-inclusive audience who loves to escape, engage, and lose themselves in premium content. Viewers are modern, social, stylish, and aspirational.

Sony Channel is wholly owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment and managed by Sony Pictures Television Networks Asia, which also operates pay-TV channels AXN, Animax, ONE and GEM.

Visit www.SonyChannelAsia.com, and join the conversation @SonyChannelAsia on Facebook and Twitter.

About Imagine Group

Imagine Group (“Imagine”) is a leading international TV Production company headquartered in Singapore. Amongst its hit TV productions are Fit for Fashion, The Contender Asia, The Biggest  Currently the ONLY production company in Asia that produces large scale ORIGINAL reality TV shows to an American production standard that are sold and formatted worldwide, Imagine has shows in production and development across a variety of genres including Music, Sport, Fashion, Lifestyle, Design, Magic and kids’ content.

More information at www.imaginegroup.tv.

DTI Supports Coastal Communities Through International Food Expo

THE Department of Trade and Industry through its Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) featured the ‘best of the seas’ as it welcomed buyers for the 12th International Food Exhibition Philippines (IFEX) 2018 on May 25 to May 27 2018 at the World Trade Center and Philippine Trade Training Center in Pasay City.

“Marking its return as an annual event, IFEX Philippines 2018 will highlight the country’s finest seafood to fulfill the growing global demand for marine product and coastal cuisines,” said DTI Trade and Investment Promotion Group Undersecretary and CITEM Officer-in-Charge Nora K. Terrado.

Participated in by over 450 Philippine micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) including those from coastal communities from Northern Luzon and Mindanao, the trade show is composed of four major exhibition halls: Food Philippines Hall, International Hall, Food Artisans Hall, and the Marketplace.

 “This is also our way of supporting the promotion of agribusiness sector in the country that provides employment opportunities especially in the regions,” added Terrado.

Among the municipalities joining the said trade show is the General Santos City, the Tuna Capital of the Philippines.  Local companies will showcase their world‐class tuna varieties, including skipjack, yellowfin, bluefin, and bigeye tuna, in different packaging options during the three-day show.

“General Santos City is home to one of the world’s best‐tasting tuna catches available to the international and local market and we wanted to highlight this as we position the Philippines as a go‐to sourcing destination for high‐quality tuna and tuna‐like species,” said Terrado.

As of 2016, the city’s tuna industry generates 65 percent of the country's over-all tuna catch and employs around 200,000 workers.

According to Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC), the Philippines is top three tuna producer in the world in terms of volume. Eighty (80) percent of Philippines seafood is exported to the United States and the European Union, with a value of approximately US $120 million export earnings per year.

“The Philippines is also currently ranked as the second largest manufacturer of canned and processed tuna in Asia, after Thailand, with a majority of this catch landed in the port of General Santos City,” said Terrado.

SEAFDEC data also showed that tuna is the Philippines’ top export fish commodity valued at PHP19.6 billion pesos in 2014, making up 35 percent of the country’s total fishery export.

IFEX Philippines 2018 is the country’s biggest international trade exhibition on the Philippines’ and Asia's ethnic and specialty food, tropical fruits, vegetables, seafood, beverages, bakery and confectionery products, meat and poultry, Halal-certified products, as well as natural, organic, and healthy food products.

To streamline export deals, DTI-CITEM opened its ‘IFEX Connect’ program, a customized platform for integrated business-to-business (B2B) matching services to help buyers identify and screen potential business partners among the exhibitors, in collaboration with DTI’s Export Marketing Bureau (EMB).

“We expect a more upbeat exchange of trade deals, sealing of partnerships and knowledge transfer through our B2B activities and learning seminars,” said Terrado.

In its previous four editions in 2011 to 2017, IFEX Philippines has already welcomed nearly 6,600 international and local buyers across the world: 1,270 in 2011, 1,259 in 2013, 1,976 in 2015 and 2,092 in 2017—increasing at an average of 14 percent over the past four editions.

From 2009 to 2017, the top 10 countries where these buyers came from are the United States, Japan, Singapore, China, United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Malaysia, Australia, Taiwan and Canada, respectively.

The 12th edition of IFEX is organized by the DTI-CITEM in close partnership with Department of Agriculture (DA), through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service (AMAS).

*This is Press Release

SM Supermalls wins in The International VM Awards 2018

SM Supermalls scored two awards in The International Visual Merchandising (VM) Awards by Retail Design Expo for SM Aura Premier’s A Christmas Under the Sea, winning in two categories – ‘Most Outstanding Feature or Prop’ and ‘Shopping Centres, Town Centres, and Airports’ – at the awarding ceremonies last May 3, in Olympia, London.

SM is the sole shopping mall brand to receive a VM Award, while completing the shortlist for the ‘Shopping Centres, Town Centres, and Airports’ category were SM South Luzon’s Dinos in the Mall and The Podium's Wintery Christmas.

“These global accomplishments continue to drive our passion for innovation as we develop exciting and meaningful visual display exhibits and executions to elevate customer experiences in SM malls,” said Jonjon San Agustin, SM Supermalls senior vice president for marketing.

Retail Design Expo’s International VM Awards recognize the most outstanding visual merchandising executions and examples of point-of-purchase, window dressing, and displays across all seasons and sectors. On its second year, the Awards garnered over 140 entries worldwide.

In 2017, SM Supermalls won in the VM Christmas Awards for the 2016 SM Malls of Asia Christmas Wonderland mall display, under the ‘Shopping Centres, Town Centres and Airports’ category. SM is the only Philippine shopping mall brand to receive a VM Christmas Award, and was the only Philippine brand shortlisted in the categories, along with Selfridges, QIC Grand Central and Victoria Garden.

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For exclusive news about SM Supermalls, visit www.smsupermalls.com or follow SM’s official social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and get an insider access to all the fun happenings at SM Supermalls nationwide through SM’s Viber Public Chat. Tweet your thoughts, upload and share your photos about your fun memorable moments at SM, then use its official hashtag #EverythingsHereAtSM.

*This is Press Release

Pick One Piece of Trash and Save One Life #TravelResponsibly

#Ecowarriors, did you know that May is Ocean Month?

Apparently, the month of May is tagged as Ocean Month, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources or DENR. In 1995, then-President Fidel V. Ramos signed the Proclamation No. 75 which mandates the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Agriculture through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) to spearhead the activities of MOO (Month of the Ocean) in collaboration with the different sectors of the society. Relatively, this year marks its 16th year in our country. The month-long celebration aims to highlight the importance and significance of conservation, protection, and sustainable management of Philippine coastal and marine resources. As described in the DENR website, this year’s theme, "STAND UP, SAVE OUR REEFS" emphasizes the cause and effect relationship of our actions towards the environment and the ecosystem services and goods that the oceans provide to create a flourishing community. True to our vision and mission to conserve, preserve, and protect our environment, Eco Hotel Philippines is also launching a campaign called #travelresponsibly.

Under the #travelresponsibly campaign are activities that will persevere our desire to save Mother Earth by traveling responsibly.

This campaign also aims to educate our nation particularly the younger generation, travelers, tourists, that picking one piece of trash can save one life; could be a human being, an animal, or even save the lives of plants and trees. Hence the activity name, "pick one save one."

In a succinct manner, the "pick one save one" campaign is a clean-up drive in our properties in Bohol, Palawan, and Siargao. The #travelresponsibly campaign is also for our local properties in Makati, Tagaytay, and Mataasnakahoy, Batangas through a series of tours with our fellow #ecowarriors.

On June, we will be opening our properties to the public as a “refilling station” for shampoo, conditioner, and bath gels. The said items were made according to our strict compliance: ingredients should be eco-friendly and hypoallergenic.


Having to share all these information, are you willing to join this campaign? Come and support us! After all, we are all under one horizon.

Having to share all these information, are you willing to join this campaign? Come and support us! After all, we are all under one horizon.

For partnerships, please email us at marketing@ecohotels.com.ph.

Keep up to date by following us on social media: www.facebook.com/ecohotelph and IG: ecohotelph.

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About Eco Hotel Philippines

Eco Hotel Philippines is a company that is passionate about conservation, preservation, and protection of our environment. As a green service hotel, Eco Hotels ensures that Eco-friendly processes are implemented from construction to day-to-day operations. This is aligned with its advocacy of minimizing its impact on the environment while imparting practices of sustainability to their staff and guests.


We aim at implementing eco-tourism principles, the protection of the environment and its eco system, preservation of the natural and cultural heritage; to benefit the immediate community where it stands; by educating and giving employment to the locals and effectively convey the message to our guests that each one can be a part of the same mission to protect their environment.

*This is Press Release

THUNDER’S BREWER, NETS’ LEVERT, HEAT’S OLYNYK, MAVERICKS’ POWELL HEADLINE SECOND BASKETBALL WITHOUT BORDERS CAMP IN INDIA

The National Basketball Association (NBA), the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) today announced the top 66 boys and girls from 16 countries and territories who will participate in the 10^th edition of Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Asia.

BWB Asia 2018 will be held May 30 – June 2 at The NBA Academy India in Delhi National Capital Region (NCR), marking the second time that the NBA and FIBA’s global basketball development and community outreach program will be held in India. Nike will serve as the official partner.

Corey Brewer (Oklahoma City Thunder; U.S.), Caris LeVert (Brooklyn Nets; U.S.), Kelly Olynyk (Miami Heat; Canada; BWB Americas 2009), Dwight Powell (Dallas Mavericks; Canada), two-time WNBA Champion Ruth Riley, and former WNBA player Ebony Hoffman will coach the top high school age campers from throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

BWB Asia 2018 will feature two current prospects from NBA Academies, the league’s signature elite player development initiative that consists of a network of elite basketball training centers around the world for top male and female prospects from outside the U.S. Since October 2016, NBA Academies have been launched in Canberra, Australia; Jinan, Urumqi and Zhuji, China; Delhi NCR, India; Mexico City, Mexico; and Thies, Senegal.

Players and coaches will lead the campers through a variety of activities on and off the court, including movement efficiency, positional skill development, shooting and skills competitions, 5-on-5 games, and daily life skills seminars focusing on health, leadership and communication. One boy and one girl will be named BWB Asia 2018 MVPs at the conclusion of the four-day camp.

BWB Asia 2018 will be preceded by a basketball development camp May 27 – 29 for the 18 female prospects from throughout India as part of The NBA Academies Women’s Program. 1996 Olympic

Gold Medalist and Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame member Jennifer Azzi, Riley and former college coach Blair Hardiek – the global technical directors for women’s programming across the league’s seven academies – will oversee the camp.

BWB Asia 2018 and The NBA Academies Women’s Program camp will also include a variety of NBA Cares and Jr. NBA community outreach efforts with youth in New Delhi in partnership with local community organizations, including basketball clinics for more than 150 youth from the Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program and the NBA Basketball Schools in New Delhi. These programs will highlight the power of sport to promote cultural understanding while teaching the importance of a healthy, active lifestyle and the values of the game, including teamwork, respect, determination and community.

Current NBA assistant coaches Bret Brielmaier (Nets), Darvin Ham (Atlanta Hawks), Ryan Saunders (Minnesota Timberwolves), and Mike Wells (Utah Jazz) will also serve as BWB Asia 2018 coaches. Patrick Hunt (President of the World Association of Basketball Coaches; Australia) will be the camp director. Casey Smith (Mavericks) will serve as the camp’s athletic trainer.

Nike, a BWB global partner since 2002, will outfit the campers and coaches with Nike apparel and footwear.

BWB has reached more than 3,190 participants from 127 countries and territories since 2001, with more than 50 former campers drafted into the NBA or signed as free agents. A record 24 former BWB campers were on opening-night rosters for the 2017-18 season.

The NBA and FIBA have staged 53 BWB camps in 33 cities across 27 countries on six continents. More than 250 current and former NBA, WNBA and FIBA players have joined more than 200 NBA team personnel from all 30 NBA teams to support BWB across the world. BWB Asia was previously held in India in 2008.

The NBA Academy India, an elite basketball training center in Delhi NCR for the top male and female prospects from throughout India and the first of its kind in the country, officially opened in May 2017 and builds on the NBA’s existing basketball and youth development initiatives in India. The Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program has reached more than 6 million youth and trained more than 5,000 physical education instructors nationwide since its launch in 2013. In April 2017, the NBA launched The NBA Basketball School, a network of tuition-based basketball development programs open to male and female players from outside the U.S. ages 6-18. NBA Basketball Schools have been launched in Mumbai, New Delhi, Pune and Punjab as part of a multiyear agreement with India On Track (IOT), one of India’s leading sports management, marketing and development companies. NBA Champion Kevin Durant became the first active NBA player to visit The NBA Academy India in July 2017.

Follow BWB using the hashtag #BWBAsia on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Follow The NBA Academies Women’s Program using the hashtag #NBAAcademy on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Find out more about NBA Academies at nbaacademy.nba.com and on Instagram (nbaacademy).

Additional 2018 BWB camps in Serbia and South Africa will be announced at a later date.

     

The following is a complete list of players participating in the 10^th BWB Asia camp (rosters are subject to change):

GIRLS ROSTER:

Last Name	First Name	Country
Price	Paige	Australia
Wise	Lauren	Australia
Bowyer	Indiah	Australia
Liu	Guanpeng Liu	China
Yuan	Meiya Yuan	China
Gao	Jianjun Gao	China
Tang	Ziqi Tang	China
Zhao	Dan Zhao	China
**Ahlawat	Khushi	India
**Baliyan	Riya	India
**Behal	Priyanka	India
**Deodhar	Siya	India
**Desai	Rajvai	India
**Dongre	Khushi	India
**Jayakumar	Monica	India
**Johny	Anmariya	India
**Kartik	Sunishka	India
**Karva	Neha	India
**Niranjan	Grishma	India
**Ramesh	Sanjana	India
**Rani	Radha	India
**Rani	Sreekala	India
**Senthil Kumar	Pushpa	India
**Taunque	Asmat	India
**Yadav	Vaishnavi	India
**Zacariah	Ann Mary	India

BOYS ROSTER:

Last Name	First Name	Country/Territory
Bird	Clancy Joseph Lurey	Australia
Giddey	Joshua James	Australia
Foster	Daniel	Australia
Bofinger	Lachlan Joseph	Australia
Dennis	Kian Jamie	Australia
Wu	Yonghao	China
Li	Yuanxin	China
Wu	Chao	China
Zhang	Zhiyao	China

Chen	Chiang-Shuang	Chinese Taipei
Ma	Chien-Hao	Chinese Taipei
Anson	Lam Man Kei	Hong Kong
*Singh	Princepal	India
*Sandhu	Amaan	India
Tomar	Prashant	India
Singh	Harprett	India
Priyanshu	Priyanshu	India
Tomar	Harshwardhan	India
Kokate	Pritish	India
Sebastian	Darryl	Indonesia
Vahedi	Mohammad Sina	Iran
Aliyari Dehkordi	Amir Hossein	Iran
Aghajanpour	Matin	Iran
Matsuo	Kaiga	Japan
Ehara	Shintaro	Japan
Mitani	Keijiro	Japan
Belozor	Vassiliy	Kazakhstan
Khoueiry	Marc	Lebanon
Tannoury	Andre	Lebanon
John	Tang Jun Kai	Malaysia
Murray	Taine	New Zealand
Jenkins	Samuel	New Zealand
Stallworth	Ezekiel	New Zealand
Stodart	Mac	New Zealand
Padrigao	Rence "Forthsky"	Philippines
Cortez	Raven Angelo	Philippines
Faustino Amado	Reuben David	Singapore
Moon	JeongHyeon	South Korea
Cha	Minsuk	South Korea
Preechahan	Master Tanawat	Thailand

*Current NBA Academies Prospect

**NBA Academies Women’s Program Participant