ELIZABETH: Jr. NBA presented by Alaska is back in the Philippines for the 9th consecutive year

The Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA program for 2016 started officially last January 23-24, 2016 during the Jr. NBA / WNBA Presented by Alaska TIP-OFF at the Don Bosco Technical Center in Makati. The Jr. NBA & Jr. WNBA presented by Alaska, is just one of Alaska’s Sports Development Program that inspires children realize their dreams through teaching them skills to play the game while incorporating the values of determination, hard work, team work, discipline and sportsmanship.

The Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA program has reached hundreds of schools and communities nationwide and benefited thousands of children, parents, and coaches through grassroots activities like basketball training camps and school clinics. The Regional Selection Camps -- where outstanding young players in various regions will be chosen for inclusion in the National Training Camp -- is Phase Two of the program has kicked-off last February 20-21 at Benguet State University in Baguio, last February 27-28 in Ateneo de Davao University, Davao and on March 5-6 in Cebu City at Don Bosco Technical Center, Cebu.

In line with its thrust this year to make it fresh by bringing the program to more schools and communities nationwide, Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA presented by Alaska Regional Selection Camp will be held in Manila on April 9-10 at the Don Bosco Technical Institute, Makati City.

The best of the best players from Metro Manila will undergo a series of skills stations such as Lay-ups, Shooting, Passing, Footwork and Dribbling. Fifty boys and 24 girls will be chosen to participate in the 9th annual Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA National Training Camp in Manila (the third phase of the program) from April 22-24. The National Training Camp is the high point of the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA program where ten Jr. NBA and five Jr. WNBA standouts will be named as the 2016 Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA All-Stars and a Coach of the Year will be chosen. The National Training Camp will be held at the Don Bosco Technical Institute Makati on April 22 and 23 and at the SM Mall of Asia on April 24. All the best players from each region will pit skills and the ways in which they express the STAR values during the three-day boot camp that will prepare them to be exceptional athletes and total persons on and off the court. The 10 best male performers selected in the National Training Camp will be this year’s Jr. NBA Philippines All Star Team, while the 5 best female performers will be the first-ever Jr. WNBA All-Star Team. The male and female All-Stars will be rewarded with an authentic NBA experience and the chance to play with a counterpart youth team abroad. The Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA program, is free for boys and girls across all stages – from the school and open clinics, through the Regional Selection Camps, the National Training Camp and the NBA Experience. NBA coaches and Alaska Basketball Powercamp Director Jeffrey Cariaso leads the Regional Selection Camps.


Live, love, laugh,
Beth :)

SinagMaynila films continue to make waves here and abroad

Independent film festival SinagMaynila was born from the vision of Solar Entertainment Corporation, CEOWilson Tieng and renowned festival director Brillante Mendoza’s wish to have a festival that not only inspires but educates and enlightens Filipino movie audiences. Made up of five homegrown filmmakers handpicked and closely collaborated with by Tieng and Mendoza, the festival produced feature films that presented social issues currently faced in Filipino culture. After a successful run last March, the films have gone on to garner attention both in the country and abroad thanks to their compelling narrative.

Winner of the Best Picture Award at SinagMaynila, “Imbisibol” by Lawrence Fajardo was invited for a screening at the Stockholm International Film Festival in Sweden last November 11. It also premiered at the 40thToronto International Film Festival (TIFF) at the Scotiabank Theatre in downtown Toronto, Canada as it vied to win in the Contemporary World Cinema Programme last September. A screening was also held at the 28^th Tokyo International Film Festivaland Focus on Asia Fukuoka International Film Festival in Japan.The film trains the spotlight on four undocumented Filipinos in Japan and their plight to escape deportation. The cast is led by JM De Guzman, Ces Quesada, Bernardo Bernardo, Allen Dizon and Ricky Davao.Imbisibol will have screenings in Iloilo: Dec 1-6Davao: Dec 15-20 and Baguio: Dec 22, 23, 26, 27, 29, 30.

Another SinagMaynila film “Balut Country” by Paul Sta. Anais invited for a screening at the All Lights IndiaInternational Film Festival in India this November. It also premiered at the 28^th Tokyo International Film Festival last October which was also attended by the film’s main actorRocco Nacino. He stars as an heir to a duck farm left to him by his late father in “Balut Country”. The movie follows his difficult decision between selling the property for his own financial peace or keeping the land and sparing the farm’s loyal caretakers from displacement.

“Bambanti” by Zig M. Dulayrecently won best film at festival international du film de Brussels. Ithas also been invited to compete in a series of film festivals this November— Ourense International Film Festival in Spain, the Asian Panorama film competition of International Children’s Film Festival in India where actor MickoLaurente won The Golden Elephant Trophy for Best Actor, Festival Des 3 Continents at Nantes, France, and in the Ajyal Youth Film Festival in Doha Film Institute, Qatar. The film bagged the Best Film award in the recent Festival International du Film de Bruxelles.Bambantilooks at the prejudgment of the rich towards the poor as mother and son embark to uncover the truth behind a missing watch. Stars Alessandra de Rossi, MickoLaurente, Julio Diaz, ShamaineBuencamino, and Lui Manansala.

Invited at the recent Minsk International Film Festival in Belarus was “Swap” by RemtonZuasola. This film is the only Asian film to be invited for screening at the Zabaltegi section of the 63rd San Sebastian International Film Festival in Spain last September 18-26. Swap is also poised for another international screening in Japan for the upcoming Tokyo Filmex. Shot continuously with no cuts, the movie narrates the tale of a young father who is torn between solving a crime and committing another crime in order to save the life of his kidnapped son. Dionne Monsanto, Matt Daclan and Mon Confiado star in this action-drama.

The 2nd SinagMaynila Film Festival will run in May 2016. For more updates, look for SinagMaynila on Facebook (SinagMaynila), Twitter (@sinagmaynila), and Instagram (@sinagmaynila).

Philippines Sets Stage for Annual International Museum Council Summit

The Philippines is set to welcome more than 200 culture and museum leaders and experts of the Asia Pacific region this first week of December for the International Council of Museum- Asia Pacific 2015 Conference and General Assembly dubbed as ICOM ASPAC 2015. The event is slated on December 3 to 7 at the newly opened Iloilo Convention Center, Iloilo City.

ICOM is a global network of more than 35,000 culture and museum institutions and professionals that work together to achieve its mission of conserving, continuing, and communicating to society the world’s natural and cultural heritage. Its Philippine National Committee, the ICOM-Philippines headed by its Chair, Gina V. Barte is tasked to host this year’s annual event. The ICOM President, Hans-Martin HInz, will address the event together with the ICOM-ASPAC Chair, Dr. Song Xinchao, Chair of ICOM-China and Deputy Director of the Directorate of State Cultural Heritage of the Peoples’ Republic of China. This year’s theme, ‘Pathways for Museums for a Sustainable Society,’ promotes ICOM’s response to changes in today’s social environment and represents ICOM’s contribution to societal development, particularly in the domain of culture and museum building. This is part of ICOM’s response to the global call of uniting its partners in culture and development to create the greatest impact in becoming a cultural driving force towards sustainable development. 
The link between sustainable development issues and the core function of museums to safeguard and promote and educate the public about their cultural heritage is becoming more pronounced in recent years. The world is increasingly torn by conflicts and violence, where museums and cultural heritage sites have become targets of destruction or end up as collateral damage, in situations of terrorism and war. Calamities and disasters resulting from extreme weather conditions continue to endanger museums and collections that represent irreplaceable culture and heritage. Poverty and growing population have led to neglect in some countries, making museums and cultural objects to pillage and theft.

In this event, the ICOM-ASPAC will be able to gather the key leaders of culture and museums in the region as well as other countries outside of it as one community in an effort to recognize its role in defining, promoting, and implementing sustainable practices. It will explore take off points that will bring forth significant and new knowledge about the framework and best practices of each of the 24 ICOM-ASPAC member countries. The goal is to create pathways that puts culture and museums at the core of sustainable development in the countries/regions where the ICOM-ASPAC is present, including Australia, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam (observer), China, Cambodia, Canada, India, Indonesia, Japan, Khyrghyztan, Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Shri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, New Zealand. They will be joined by Palau representing the Pacific rim countries and middle east countries, the Republic of Iran.

“As the country host, the ICOM-Philippines is looking forward to having our colleagues and our sustainable development allies, learn from the plenary discussions and workshop sessions but most of all, discover our own cultural treasures through the study tours of significant cultural sites, museums, and exhibits and other activities lined up for the event,” enthuses Barte.

She also added that the Philippine hosting of this year’s ICOM event comes at an opportune time as the government, through the Department of Tourism, has identified the role of cultural tourism as one of the driving forces in the development of Philippine tourism. The event is also a testament that the country, and especially Iloilo, is now ready to be globally competitive in hosting international events like ICOM.

DOT follows the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP), which also supports the direction of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNTWO), as its strategic framework in the development of the tourism section. Under the NTDP, opportunities for the country to develop and market competitive destinations and products has been identified. Part of this is cultural tourism as well as promoting the Philippines as a competitive venue for global Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) activities.

ICOM ASPAC 2015 event will be attended by museums and culture professionals, culture and tourism planners, entrepreneurs, policy makers, advocates, academics, partners from the business sectors and civil societies, other stakeholders from the Philippines and members from the global ICOM network. If you want to know more about ICOM,visit http://icom.museum/. To know more about the event, visit http://network.icom.museum/icom-philippines/. For additional queries, contact the Secretariat at icomph.secretariat@gmail.com, +632550-2218 or +63927-812-2335

ELIZABETH: DYSON TECHNOLOGY

Dyson Technology is now here in the Philippines! It's a British Technology Company ,bringing the latest technology. Good to know that this are the solution to solve the everyday problems. 

Other vacuum cleaners still rely on bags or filters, losing suction over time. Dyson has been continually refining cyclone technology since inventing it more than 20 years ago. Every angle of each airway is honed to ensure microscopic particles - as tiny as .5 microns or 1/5,000th of a pin head - are spun out of the airflow and captured in the bin.

Dyson cordless vacuums are engineered for nimble, high performance cleaning. With the flick of the wrist you can alternate from carpets, to light fixtures, to curtains. And because it's cordless the machine can be carried from task to task very easily. Dyson's cordless vacuums have patented anti static carbon fibre brushes to improve the fine dust pick-up from hard floors. And like all Dyson vacuums, they're equipped with Root Cyclone technology so there is no loss of suction.

Invented by Dyson, the Air Multiplier is the World's first bladeless fan that creates a cool, smooth and uninterrupted airflow. Air is accelerated through an annular aperture set within the loop amplifier. This creates a jet of air which passes over an airfoil-shaped ramp that channels its direction. Surrounding air is also drawn into the airflow. No blades means no need for a grille; so it is safe and simple to clean.

James Dyson is the founder of Dyson, and the inventor of cyclone technology. He started inventing during his studies at the Royal College of Art in London, where he developed a keen interest in design. His first invention was a flat hulled boat - the Sea truck - designed to carry heavy loads at high speeds. James is now Dyson's Chief Engineer, spending most of his time in the Research, Design and Development department.

Live, Love, Laugh,

Beth