Ms sect d 20170820 sunday

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 2017

Jimbo Gulle, Editor

Roger Garcia, Issue Editor

LGUs

Local Gov’t Units

mslocalgov@gmail.com

'MORO KIDS NEED MORE PUBLIC ACTIVITIES'

By Nash B. Maulana

QC WINS. Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista shares with other city government officials the award given by the National Competitiveness Council recognizing QC as the most competitive city among all highly urbanized cities in the Philippines for the second consecutive year during the 5th Regional Competitive Summit held recently at the Philippine International Convention Center. Manny Palmero

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QC, MANILA, DAVAO, PASAY TOP COMPETITIVENESS LIST Q

UEZON City remains the country’s most competitive city after the recent 5th Regional Competitiveness Summit at the Philippine International Convention Center.

Mayor Herbert Bautista received the award given by the National Competitiveness Council, which Quezon City also won in 2016.

The National Competitiveness Council conducts an annual awarding to local government units in recognition of their roles and efforts in promoting competitiveness.

Quezon City also topped the infrastructure category, beating Manila and Davao City, and placed second in resilience, government efficiency and economic dynamism.

Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada said his city took home the top spot in government efficiency, was second in infrastructure, and third in resiliency.

“We are very proud and pleased that the City of Manila has been named again as one of the

Philippines’ most competitive cities, and we’re number two,” Estrada said.

“The accolades belong not to me but to every Manileño, every taxpayer, and every city government employee and official who cooperated and worked hard to transform our formerly bankrupt city to an economically progressive city today,” he added.

Davao City was awarded the Third Most Competitive City in the highly urbanized category, and is the only highly urbanized city outside of Metro Manila to make the Top 3.

Davao City had consistently ranked fifth for two consecutive years in 2015 and 2016.

Therecognitionasacompetitivecitydemonstrated Davao City’s business-friendly environment—how the city integrates innovation and technology in its policies and processes in serving investors, tourists, and the public, said Mayor Sara Duterte.

For 2017, Davao City claimed the top spot in the resiliency pillar. This is the first year that an LGUs resiliency was included in the index, which highlights the city’s ability to stand tall and strong amidst challenges and difficulties.

The city also showed an improved ranking in the pillars of economic dynamism and infrastructure,

bagging the fourth and third spot, respectively. It ranked fifth in government efficiency.

Meanwhile, Pasay City ranked first in economic dynamism and was awarded one of the top four Highly Urbanized Cities.

Mayor Antonino Calixto received the award and thanked members of the NCC for recognizing Pasay as one of the fast-emerging business hubs in the country.

"This only shows that the steady rise of our city’s economy and development is brought about by a common vision of Pasay’s leadership.

I am confident that this recognition will open more opportunities for our city and its current and potential investors,” Calixto said.

Pasay also ranked third in Most Improved Highly Urbanized City in Metro Manila and fourth in government efficiency, fourth in infrastructure, and seventh in resiliency among HUCs. Calixto said Pasay City may soon be the premier business and investment hub in the country. With the list of projects and developments that the city is planning, he added, he is certain that this vision will become a reality in the coming years.

Rio N. Araja, Bill Casas, F. Pearl Gajunera and Joel Zurbano

TACLOBAN REACHES 'SUMMIT' FOR CITIES

Tacloban City Mayor Cristina Gonzales-Romualdez (center) receives the award from officials of the National Competitiveness Council as NCC co-chairman Guillermo Luz (right) watches. Robbie Pangilinan

ALMOST four years after Typhoon “Yolanda” pounded the city and left thousands dead and millions worth of damage in its wake, Tacloban has been awarded first place for being the Most Improved Local Government Unit among the Highly Urbanized Cities during the 5th Regional Competitiveness Summit.

Tacloban City Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez received the award during the summit on Wednesday at the Philippine International Convention Center, CCP Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Metro Manila.

“In Tacloban we know how far we have reached and how strong we have become as we worked together to improve the city the past years, but being recognized as such is a great honor. I share this award to the Taclobanons, they truly deserve this recognition,” said the mayor.

Tacloban bested other HUCs by the standards of the Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index.

Present during the awarding were Local Government Undersecretary Austere Panadero; Guillermo “Bill” Luz, private sector co-chairman of the National Competitiveness Council; Vincent Tempongko, director, Site Acquisition and Management Network Technical Group; Trade Undersecretary Ruth B. Castelo; Tacloban City Administrator lawyer Irene Chiu; OIC City Budget officer Vicente Dy; Assistant City Treasurer Fe Napoles; Local Economic and Investment Promotions Officer Janis Claire Salvacion; and city employees. Robbie Pangilinan

GRAB PH AIDS 'MISISKOLARS' OF ITS DRIVERS

By Rio N. Araja TRANSPORT network company Grab Philippines has held the first of a series of its financial literacy and livelihood program for wives of its drivers, dubbed "MisisKolars."

At least 750 wives of Grab drivers received entrepreneurial and financial management skills from earning, saving, handling money and starting a business.

Brian Cu, Grab Philippines country head, invited speakers from the Truly Rich Club, headed by a Catholic preacher and inspirational author, Bro. Bo Sanchez.

"We have people who have become multimillionaires," Sanchez told the participants in a video message.

Also present to give inspirational talks were

couple Seph and Carmen Romana, family financial advocates, bloggers and educators, and Burn Gutierrez of Angat Pilipinas Coalition for Financial Literacy and the Truly Rich Club.

"You can be stockholders," Gutierrez told the wives.

"Our vision is to financially empower the families of our Grab community and ultimately foster their success," Cu said.

Grab Philippines is set to hold its second leg of seminar-workshop in Cebu on Aug. 27.

"As the leader in ride-hailing in Southeast Asia, Grab ensures that drivers on its platform are holistically aided by providing educational and financial assistance in the form of gas discounts and other livelihood programs beneficial for their families," the TNC firm said.

ANTI-MICROBIAL RESISTANCE. Officials from different government and private health organizations recently gathered to discuss “Fighting Anti-microbial Resistance In Resource-Limited Setting.” Photo shows (from left) Dr. Rontgene Solante, adviser of the Philippine Society of Microbial and Infectious Diseases, Health Assistant Secretary Dr. Eric Tayag, Clinical Microbiologist Dr. Adrian Brink, and Dr. Aileen Dualan, regional director of medical firm MSD, holding placards to demonstrate their topic during a press conference in Pasig City. Manny Palmero

BULUAN, Maguindanao—Moro children and youth should be exposed more to public activities and given the right education to get them off the perils of extremism, Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu said Friday.

Mangudadatu said education is the only long-term solution to increasing concerns on the massive recruitment of young individuals into terror groups—some purportedly offering big amounts in cash.

The governor held a series of dialogue with students, orphans, and young professionals on Aug. 15, which senior provincial staffer Eeman Aljani said was Mangudadatu’s birthday.

Students spoke to Mangudadatu about their learning experiences and on how the Maguindanao Peace (MagPeace) Study Grant Program helped them overcome the challenge of poverty, and eventually became professionals.

A youthful Maguindanaoan said he had his own biases on politicians, until he learned it was Mangudadatu who established the MagPeace Study Grant Program to help poor-and-deserving students finish college education.

Ramina Pandian, a young teacher, said she almost grew hopeless in life after surviving a motorcycle mishap which crippled her for quite a time.

She said the MagPeace lit her path with fresh motivation to finish college education, and become the young school teacher that she is now.

Mangudadatu said dozens more of Maguindanao children orphaned in armed conflict needed institutional guidance to get into the right track towards brighter future.

“These children should be exposed to the real world. Their only way through freedom from the perils of violence is education,” Mangudadatu said, as he and Maguindanao employees watched orphans enjoy the presence of the popular mascot of a fastfood chain.

SOLAR ROOFTOP LIGHTS MALL IN CAUAYAN CAUAYAN CITY, Isabela—SM City Cauayan will set a trailblazing sustainability effort with the launching of its solar rooftop, company officials said.

As an advocate of environmental conservation, SM is extremely active in the promotion of sustainability and environmental awareness.

“SM City Cauayan’s solar rooftop is the first industrial solar project in Cauayan City. It is composed of 342 panels that can produce approximately 105,678 kWh annually,” the company said.

The solar panels, which also serves as the building’s roof, can produce enough power to energize 9,700 units of 10 watts bulb or charge 26,358 cellphone at the same time.

The power generated from the solar facility could offset 74.0 tons of carbon dioxide that is equivalent to an average of 400 trees per year. The facility functions for 25 years.

“This initiative to use renewable energy resource aims to locally promote cleaner air and to save electricity. It also aims to serve as a model to commercial and industrial establishments as it will not only make business sustainable but make future generations live in a safe and healthier environment,” the statement added.

SM City Cauayan continuously takes sustainability initiatives that includes use of LED lighting systems to optimize electrical consumption for illumination, use of ceiling fans in the mall and energy-efficient office equipment and use of solar-powered rooftop. Abe Almirol

LGUs

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

FARMERS LEARN HOW TO BE‘CLIMATE-SMART’

By Abe Almirol ANGELES CITY, Pampanga—At least 30 farmers from northern and central Luzon gathered at the Grace Crown hotel here on Tuesday to take up a twoweek course on establishing a climate-smart farm business school.

The training, which is expected to wind up on Aug. 25 was jointly organized by the Agricultural Training InstituteRegional Center for Central Luzon and Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance (Villar SIPAG).

“We aim to equip farmers with knowledge to operate a farm business school or learning sites. The course is designed to provide a set of skills to combat the effects of climate change in agriculture,” said Veronica Conception V. Esguerra, ATI-RTC 3 Center director.

As an example, she mentioned the ongoing bird flu infestation as an indicator of the need to learn disaster adaptation measures.

A copy of the schedule of

activities given to participants reveal that the “first half of the training period would deal with five modules discussing trends in the Asean economic community, leadership principles, climate change as a risk, climatesmart agriculture, and farming as a business.”

The other half of the training period would be spent on farm business planning practice and visits to existing farm schools and learning sites in Central Luzon.

Speaking on behalf of Villar SIPAG, lawyer Engracia B. Tamaña, representing Senator Cynthia Villar, said “successful trainees are expected to multiply learning sites where ordinary farmers can be taught agriculture and farming as an earning business.”

The 30 trainees who are expected to open farm business schools or learning sites came from the provinces of Apayao, Benguet, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, La Union, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pangasinan, Pampanga, Bataan and Bulacan.

RIBBON CUTTING. Pagsanjan Mayor Girlie ‘Maita‘ Javier Ejercito (center) and former Laguna governor Jeorge ‘E.R.‘ Ejercito Estregan (in black jacket) lead the ribbon cutting at the new Arch, donated by the Ejercito family, marking the E.R. Ville Homeowners Association Inc. during the 3rd Foundation Day celebration of the LGU-CSAP Housing Project in Barangay Dingin, Pagsanjan, Laguna.

Also present are Councilors John Paul ‘Jet‘ Ejercito and Januario Ferry Garcia, Nadie Cortes Navara, president of the village association, and barangay chairman Rico Cavalles. Roy Tomandao

ILOILO CITY MARKS 80TH CHARTER DAY

T

HE City of Iloilo, one of the country’s fastest-growing urban centers, marks another milestone as it observes its 80th Charter Day in a month-long extravaganza.

Themed “Celebrating 80 years of Ilonggo Culture and Pride,” the 40-day celebration kicked off last July 17 and concludes on Aug. 25, a special non-working day based on Proclamation No. 253 by President Rodrigo Duterte.

“We have seen the recent development and growth in the city especially on infrastructure.

We are hoping to position our-

selves to be a local government unit that is globally competitive and a premier globally-competitive SMART city of excellence,” said Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog.

SMART, the city’s vision, stands for Services, Manufacturing and agri-business, Arts and culture, Research and technology, and Tourism as priority potential areas of investments and inclusive growth.

He said the event is also an opportunity to showcase the strides the city has made over the decades in terms of governance, disaster resiliency, environmental protection, tourism and preservation of heritage and culture.

The mayor said Iloilo has embarked on a 10-point agenda which covers education, health and social services, anti-criminality and anti-illegal drugs, anti-corruption programs, jobs and livelihood, family and spirituality, infrastructure and utilities, environment, traffic management and sustainable land

governance.

In recent years, Iloilo has been earning raves for its ability to balance preservation of cultural heritage and environmental protection with urbanization, as showcased in the restoration of the Iloilo River and the development of the River Esplanade.

The City was named Champion in the Livable Cities search of the Asian Development Bank, and First Place in the Government Efficiency among Highly Urbanized Cities for 2015 by the National Competitiveness Council.

Meanwhile, Mabilog was named in the Top 5 World May-

ors in 2014 by the City Mayors gent Maria Cristina bestowing Foundation, the only Filipino in it the title “La Muy Leal Y Noble the prestigious list.

Ciudad” (Most Loyal and Noble The highlight of the festivities City) and later “Queen Regent’s is the Iloilo City Charter Day Ball City in the South.” on Aug. 24 outstanding IlongIt was chartered in 1937 ungos and employees of City Hall der the Philippine Commonwill be recognized. wealth and was later declared a The Manila Symphony Or- highly urbanized city. chestra will hold concerts fea“The Charter Day time will also turing Filipino and Western give meaning and will call on all classics at the St. Anne Church Ilonggos to cooperate, partner, in Molo and the Iloilo Conven- and collaborate with the City tion Center on Aug. 25 and 26, Government in various programs respectively. to ensure the success of every enThe capital of Iloilo province, deavor that would benefit everyit first became a city under the body, especially the underpriviSpanish regime with Queen Re- leged,” Mabilog said.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Manila

'GENTRI' TOPS NCC AWARDS COMPONENT CITIES LIST

Standard DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES TODAY National Capital Region

REGIONAL BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE INVITATION TO BID DENR-NCR GOODS NO. 2017-001 FOR INSTALLATION & REHABILITATION OF WATERING SYSTEM AT THE PRODUCTION NURSERY 1.

The DENR-NCR, through the GAA-CY 20171 intends to apply the sum of ONE MILLION SIX HUNDRED THIRTY FIVE THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED NINETEEN PESOS & TWENTY CENTAVOS (PhP1,635,119.20) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for “Installation & Rehabilitation of Watering System at the Production Nursery”. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

2.

The DENR-NCR now invites all interested Phil-GEPS registered contractors, manufacturers, suppliers, dealers, authorized franchised dealers to submit Letter of Intent (LOI) and to Bid for the following project, to wit: Description (Purchase Request No. 2017-440)

• Sprinklers • G.I. Pipe 2” • G.I. Pipe 1” • High Density Pipe 1/2” • High Density Press Pit Tee • High Density Press Pit Elbow • PPR Pipe 1” • PPR Pipe 1/2” • PPR Pipe Gate Valve 1” • 80 Gallon Pressure Tank gauge #1 • 2.0HP Shallow Well Pump (made in Italy) • Pressure Switch • Pressure Gauge • Cement • Sand • Water Filter • G.I. Wire #16 • Assorted Nail • Plywood ½ x 4 • 10mm RSB • Enamel Paint (Black, Green) • Paint Brush 2” • Paint Thinner • Welding Rod Total Materials

Quantity 500 80 160 45 280 120 90 40 80 2 2 2 2 30 2 4 8 2 20 20 8 10 5 25

Unit pc pc pc roll pc pc pc pc pc unit unit pc pc bags cu.m. unit roll box pc pc gallon pc gallon kilo

Unit Cost

Approve Budget for the Contract (PhP)

284.00 1,428.00 977.00 7,000.00 331.00 284.00 870.00 790.00 550.00 32,000.00 45,000.00 850.00 450.00 248.00 1,500.00 9,000.00 1,650.00 1,750.00 830.00 148.00 578.00 55.00 318.00 140.00

Add: Labor/Installation & other materials

142,000.00 114,240.00 156,320.00 315,000.00 92,680.00 34,080.00 78,300.00 31,600.00 44,000.00 64,000.00 90,000.00 1,700.00 900.00 7,440.00 3,000.00 36,0000.00 13,200.00 3,500.00 16,600.00 2,960.00 4,624.00 550.00 1,590.00 3,500 1,257,784.00 377,335.20 1,635,119.20

TOTAL

Delivery of the Goods is required as indicated in the Bid Data Sheet of the Bidding Documents.

Bidders should have completed a contract similar to the project in the last five (5) years. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instruction to Bidders.

3.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedure using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138.

4.

Interested bidders must submit their Letter of Intent from August 15, 2017 to August 22, 2017 and may obtain further information from and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during 8:00 -5:00 P.M.

5.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders on August 15, 2017 to September 1, 2017 from the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Five Thousand Pesos (Php5,000.00).

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the DENR-NCR website (http://www.ncr. denr.gov.ph) provided that bidders shall pay the non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

6.

The DENR-NCR will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on August 23, 2017, 2:00 o’ clock in the afternoon, at the Conference Room, 4th Flr., DENR-NCR Bldg., National Ecology Center, East Avenue, Quezon City which shall be open to all interested parties.

7.

Bids must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat at the address below on or before of 10:00 a.m. of September 04, 2017. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in the ITB Clause 18.

Bid opening shall be at 10:30 a.m. September 04, 2017 at the Conference Room, 4th Flr., DENR-NCR Bldg., National Ecology Center, East Avenue, Quezon City. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

8.

The DENR-NCR reserves the right to reject any and all bids, declare a failure of bidding, or not award the contract at any time prior to contract award in accordance with Section 41 of RA 9184 and its IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

9.

For further information, please refer to: BAC Secretariat Procurement Section, 3rd Flr, DENR-NCR Bldg.

National Ecology Center East Avenue, Quezon City Tel. 3740091 August 11, 2017.

(SGD) ATTY. ALVIN JOSEPH G. CONSTANTINO Chairperson, Regional Bids and Awards Committee DENR-NCR National Ecology Center, East Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City Telephone No. (078) 304-1800

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In the case of National Government Agencies, the General Appropriations Act and/or continuing appropriations; in the case of GOCCs, GFIs, and SUCs, the Corporate Budget for the contract approved by the governing Boards; in the case of (LGUs, the Budget for the contract approved by the respective Sanggunian. (Section 5(a), R.A. 9184) (MS-AUG. 20, 2017)

NEW HOSPITAL. Mayor John Rey Tiangco joins Vice Mayor Clint Geronimo, city officials and department heads in unveiling the building plans for the construction of the Navotas Medical and Wellness Center. The four-story building with deck will replace the former Navotas Emergency and Lying-in Clinic in Barangay San Jose. Jun David

'AGRIMUSEUM' TO EDUCATE ASEAN YOUTH

By Brenda Jocson IN the 50th year of “One Asean,” cooperation among the 10 member countries has never been tighter with the Asean Economic Community paving the way for a single market and production base of which agriculture is an important component.

Yet employment and interest in agriculture has been in decline even as it remains the main source of livelihood in the majority of Asean Member States with the exception of Brunei Darussalam and Singapore, though both are nonetheless dependent on agriculture for food and commerce.

Seeing that the future of food and agriculture is hinged on attracting the youth to become a new generation and breed of farmers, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture or Searca is poised to build

an AgriMuseum.

It is an alternative approach to educating the young populace and other publics on the importance of agriculture and its centrality to food security, survival, and overall development of economies in the Asean region.

The Southeast Asian AgriMuseum and Learning Center will showcase the evolution and changing face of agriculture, its interconnectedness across landscapes from the mountains to the sea, its shared characteristics and diversity among Southeast Asian countries.

It will also articulate current issues and challenges, gamechangers and innovations, and the envisioned futures of agricultural and food systems in the region.

“Seeing the AgriMuseum’s value in drawing attention to agriculture as a field of study, a future career, and a lucrative livelihood, it has

already gained the support and endorsement of the education ministers of the 10 Asean countries plus TimorLeste,” said Searca director Gil C. Saguiguit Jr. Recently Dr. Saguiguit has personally presented the museum's concept in the biennial meeting of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization held in Jakarta, Indonesia July 24-27.

He said it could be counted as Searca’s contribution to the celebration of Asean’s first 50 years and to the future of agriculture in Southeast Asia.

The $1.8-million AgriMuseum will rise adjacent to Searca’s headquarters on the campus of the University of the Philippines Los Baños.

The education facility will also be a major destination in the planned science ecotourism program of the Los Baños Science Community Foundation, Inc.

THE City of General Trias in Cavite took home first place among the country's Component Cities in Economic Dynamism during the 5th Regional Competitiveness Summit and Awards on Wednesday at the Reception Hall of the Philippine International Convention Center.

Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez, NCC chairman, and NCC co-chairman Guillermo Luz handed out the prestigious awards to the locality during the conference.

Clinching the 2nd place was the City of San Fernando, Pampanga, and 3rd place went to Naga City in Camarines Sur. Cainta, Rizal; Taytay, Rizal; and Sto. Tomas, Batangas took the top three places in the firstand second-class municipality category for Economic Dynamism.

The towns of Mambajao, Camiguin, Tayug, Pangasinan and Dumunjug, Cebu were first, second and third, respectively for the third- and fourth-class municipalities.

Naga City got the top spot for component cities in Government Efficiency, followed

by Cotabato City and Antipolo City.

General Trias City Mayor Antonio Ferrer was surprised and overwhelmed by the award from the NCC. “We thank the NCC for this honor from your organization.

You can be assured that we will work even harder to improve our service to our city and our country,” he said.

Last year, “GenTri” was third among the Most Competitive Municipalities and first in Economic Dynamism for first- and second-class municipalities.

Gadgets & Games

NOKIA 8: HALLMARK OF TRUE FLAGSHIP PHONE

H

MD Global, the home of Nokia phones, recently announced the Nokia 8, a high performance, beautifully crafted smartphone, designed with content creators in mind.

The Nokia 8 brings three worldfirsts to Android smartphones, including a debut collaboration with ZEISS optics. With performance and pure Android at its heart, as well as the most advanced aluminium unibody design to date, the Nokia 8 represents all the hallmarks of a true flagship Nokia smartphone.

Be less Selfie, be more Bothie: The Nokia 8 introduces a world-first in enabling Dual-Sight video to be livestreamed natively and in real-time to social feeds such as Facebook and YouTube. Dual-Sight simultaneously harnesses both the front and rear cameras in a split screen visual for both photos and videos. With just one touch, this world-first livestream capability gives more immersive experiences for those who love to create and share special memories.

Nokia 8 is also the first smartphone to feature Nokia OZO Audio, placing exclusive Hollywood technology in the palm of your hand.

OZO spatial 360° audio brings a fully immersive audio experience to your 4K video. Leading-edge 360° audio capture ensures the playback lets you truly relive the moment so your memories never fade.

At 4.6mm thin at the edge and just 7.3mm slim on average, Nokia 8’s seamless unibody is precision milled from a single block of 6000 series aluminium and its pure design has been refined through a 40-stage process of machining, anodizing and polishing. Select models feature a high-gloss mirror finish that has taken over 20 hours to complete to achieve a flawless look.The phone features Qualcomm’s powerful

The Nokia 8 brings 3 world firsts to Android smartphones, with performance and true Android at its heart, as well as the most advanced aluminum body to date.

SnapdragonTM 835 Mobile Platform and paired with the pure, secure and up to date Android experience ensures outstanding performance.

Be less Selfie, be more #Bothie There are two sides to every story and the Dual-Sight feature of Nokia 8 is designed to help you create and share the full picture. The front and rear-facing cameras on the Nokia 8 have been co-developed with ZEISS optics for an optimum all round experience. Content creators can natively broadcast their unique #Bothie stories to social media through the DualSight functionality located within

the camera app. Fans can also enjoy unlimited photo and video uploads to Google Photos.

A new dimension of sound with OZO Audio Featuring OZO Audio, Nokia 8 combines three microphones with exclusive Nokia acoustic algorithms to capture audio with immersive 360° spatial surround sound. Share your 4K videos with OZO Audio anywhere – binaural codecs enable high fidelity playback even on devices without OZO Audio.

Innovation and precision engineering Powered by the Qualcomm® Snap-

dragonTM 835 Mobile Platform, Nokia 8 doesn’t compromise on performance.

The Nokia 8 has been designed from the ground up with the consumer in mind to deliver unique content capture and sharing experiences.

This requires it to be as meticulously designed on the inside as it is on the outside. To keep your phone working harder for longer, the design, innovation and engineering teams worked hand-in-hand to deliver. The result is a full-length graphite shielded copper cooling pipe that dissipates the heat generated by the high performing system across the full length and breadth of the handset. The Nokia 8 runs cooler in even the most demanding situations.

Nokia 8 is Qualcomm® Quick ChargeTM 3.0 compatible, meaning when your battery is running low you can get back to recording your important moments sooner.

Juho Sarvikas, Chief Product Officer of HMD Global, said: “We know that fans are creating and sharing live content more than ever before, with millions of photos and videos shared every minute on social media.

People are inspired by the content they consume and are looking for new ways to create their own. It’s these people who have inspired us to craft a flagship smartphone which perfectly balances premium design, an outstanding experience and powerful performance.”

Always pure Android Nokia smartphones always offer a pure Android experience, with no unnecessary apps slowing down the performance of your device. And with Nokia 8, pure Android combined with our innovative engineering processes unleashes the full potential of the SnapdragonTM 835 Mobile Platform. With monthly security updates, the Nokia 8 is safe and up-to-date. Your device is secured with biometric fingerprint authentication, delivering enhanced security and making Nokia 8 a versatile companion whatever your needs.

Availability Nokia 8 will be available in four colours: Polished Blue, Polished Copper, Tempered Blue and Steel.

UPLIFTING LOCAL COMMUTE WITH SMART BIZ LTE LEADING digital services provider PLDT, through its business group PLDT Enterprise, has partnered with one of the country’s biggest bus operators to redefine the local commute and evolve the current bus transportation system for the benefit of local commuters. The partnership with the Provincial Bus Operators Association of the Philippines was announced on July 26 across the country.

The partnership’s key central focus is the improvement of bus wireless service quality throughout the country through Smart Biz LTE, PLDT’s newest and advanced wireless broadband solution.

To help improve the current state of public transportation in the country, a select number of demo units of Smart Biz LTE are to be deployed to bus companies for fast and reliable Internet connection inside the vehicles that will help make the commute experience more enjoyable. The Smart Biz LTE units can connect bus fleets with business-grade WiFi to address the connectivity needs of companies within the transportation industry and can connect up to 45 mobile devices at a time, allowing passengers to surf non-stop at speeds of up to 42 Mbps.

Apart from a wireless router, each package includes both a Smart Tracker

and Smart Cam: solutions designed to enhance security for the commuter’s peace of mind, both free of charge.

PLDT’s Smart Tracker enables bus companies to monitor real-time traffic conditions through a GPS tracking device to make the dispatching of fleets more efficient. It also allows business owners to monitor fuel consumption through distance travelled by their units, and alerts them if their drivers are overspeeding, idle or are going beyond a defined geo-zones through SMS, email and web alerts. The Smart Cam, on the other hand, allows business owners to view and monitor situations their vehicles encounter on the road for the security of drivers and passengers alike.

“This key partnership reinforces how we at PLDT Enterprise support the government’s initiative to modernize public transportation with improved connectivity that will provide Filipinos better services in their everyday commute.

We recognize the challenges for our mobile-first consumers who demand to be always online even in transit, so with our recently launched Smart Biz LTE, we are committing to continuously work to develop solutions that will further improve the lives of every Filipino,” states Jovy Hernandez, SVP & Head

ACER Day in the Philippines kicked off at the Glorietta Activity Center last August 7 with fun activities and live performances from bands and DJs. The event is in line with Acer’s first annual and global brand day celebration that will occur on every 3rd day of August.

This year’s theme, “Be Cool Everyday”, was embodied by the company’s AeroBlade™ 3D Fan, which has the world’s thinnest fan metal blade.

Five activity stations were placed on the activity area, namely: “Grand Ball Pit Tower”, featuring an inflated climbing course; “Volleycool”, which turns the ball pit area into a volleyball arena for four players; “Cool Runnings”, a race game that requires

a player to obtain the most balls; “Plunge into Coolness” which makes a volunteer drop into a ball pool by hitting a target and; “Jumpstart to Coolness”, which allows a person to take a selfie while he falls backward on a pool of white balls.

Acer also showcased exciting performances from the UP Pep Squad, Kwjan, Basti Artadi and DJs Euric and Nina, while the audience felt at home in the ball pit area.

Aside from the event, Acer also created an Acer Day website, wherein customers can log in everyday in order to complete 11 daily challenges such as memory puzzles and friendsharing games.

These challenges allow consumers to acquire “Cool Points” to be converted into raffle tickets. Prizes to be won are five Acer Swift 7, one Acer

CLICK! DIGITAL SUMMIT THAT INSPIRES PARAMOUNT personalities from iconic brands were the guest speakers of a one-day digital summit that delved into futuristic trends to inspire brands to immerse its consumers in unique and memorable ways.

Conducted by Publicis One Philippines and Google Philippines, the whole-day event called CLICK! was designed to aid marketers in overcoming the challenges of the exceedingly dynamic digital landscape.

“As the digital marketing landscape expands at an unprecedented rate, the only way to stay ahead and lead the conversation is by working collaboratively with our clients and their brands to deliver superior brand communication that combines creativity, analytics and technology. CLICK! Is the platform where we will meet and share our learnings so that we can be inspired and energized to lead transformation,” said the Chief Media Officer of Publicis One Philippines Jennifer Santos.

Aside from the prominent names of iconic brands in the country, industry leaders from across the region were also present during CLICK! to share their ideas of thinking in online consumer engagement and the speakers suggested ways for this engagement to accelerate business growth.

Among the list of speakers and presenters at summit were Paolo Mercado, the SVP Communications Marketing and Innovation of Nestle Philippines; Margot Torres, the EVP and Deputy Managing Director of McDonalds’s Philippines; Stephan Czypionka, the VP Marketing of Coca-Cola Philippines; Neil Hudspeth, the Chief Experience Officer of Publicis One Asia Pacific; Nic Burrows, the Digital Strategist of ZOO Asia Pacific; Candice Iyog, the VP Marketing and Distribution of Cebu Pacific; Rajesh Sheshadri, the Head of Agencies for Google Asia-Pacific, and Gareth Mulryan, the Chief Executive Officer of Publicis Media Singapore.

The exclusive event was only made available to clients and partners of Publicis One agencies. CLICK! facilitated discussions that were aimed to change the future trajectory of the consumer experience in the Philippines to parallel with global best practices.

“As the Philippines continues to embrace the smartphone we, at Google, are working with brands who are ready to face the challenges and opportunities of the new mobilefirst world,” said Ken Lingan, Country Head of Google Philippines. Patricia Bianca Taculao

UPGRADING...

From D4 If setting up through web browser is not your cup of tea, D-Link QRS app (IOS and Android) will able to guide you through the setup and running effortlessly.

Hassle-Free D-Link Smart Connect Technology

Representatives from PLDT Enterprise and Provincial Bus Operators Association of the Philippines (PBOAP) launch new partnership to introduce Smart Biz LTE and other innovations for enhanced public transportation experience in the Philippines.

of PLDT Enterprise.

“We at PBOAP understand the growing needs and demands of our everyday passengers. We are excited to partner with PLDT Enterprise to be able to provide secure, fast and nonstop Internet access to our passengers who travel out of town,”says Alex Yague, Execuitve Director, Provincial Bus Operators Association of the Philippines.

The event was likewise attended by representatives from various transport associations and groups such as the Philippine Association of Tourism Transport Operators Inc., Pasang Masada, AUV Transport Association, Land Transportation Franchising & Regulatory Board, Department of Transportation, and other organizations under the 1-UTAK Party List, among others.

ACER DAY PH WANTS YOU TO 'BE COOL EVERYDAY

By Nathanielle Punay

D3

SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 2017 rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

Spin 1, and three Predator Helios 300.

“What we really want is to communicate to our consumers about the latest technologies and products that Acer has to offer,” said Sue Ong-Lim, Sales and Marketing Director for Acer PH.“We wanted to breathe new life to the brand and be able to showcase that to our customers.”

Acer Day is celebrated in 13 other countries such as China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand and Vietnam.

Acer Inc. is a multinational hardware and electronics corporation, specializing in advanced electronics technology that has been going on for 41 years. Their products include desktops, laptops, tablets, servers, smartphones, storage devices, Virtual Reality devices, displays and peripherals.

Ever since the introduction of 5 GHz wireless technology, users have had to blindly guess whether the 5 GHz or 2.4 GHz band would provide them with the best networking experience. D-Link’s Smart Connect Technology eliminates this confusion by automatically distributing devices to the optimal network. Simply initiate a connection to the DIR-878 and its advanced algorithms will determine the best network for your device to connect to, thereby ensuring a faster, more reliable, and hassle-free experience for your friends, colleagues, and family.

Price and Availability

The DIR-878 AC1900 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi Gigabit Router is now available at authorized retailers, resellers and distribution partners at a recommended retail price of P8,775.

PH FINISHES...

From D4 the growing talent in the country, that Filipino students can compete with the best in the world. The only other Asean team to finish in the top 10 of the Imagine Cup World Finals was Nepal.

“At the forefront of innovation are young creative people who see the world and flip it on its head. Team Opticode is a prime example of how digital transformation can be used to improve lives. These young upstarts are pushing boundaries and turning their visions into reality,” said Launay.

Celebrating 15 years of empowering students to create the world of tomorrow

Acer held its first-ever “Acer Day: Ball Pit Party” at the Glorietta Activity Center.

Hosted by Microsoft Executive Vice President of Cloud and Enterprise Scott Guthrie and judged by dozens of prominent judges over the course of the competition—from Microsoft corporate vice presidents and technical fellows to college professors and venture capitalists—Imagine Cup 2017 was a momentous occasion marking 15 years of uniting some of the brightest students in the world in their passion for innovation, creativity, and problem solving through technology.

D4

SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 2017 Riera U. Mallari, Editor rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

Gadgets & Games

SPHERO CREATES BUZZ WITH LIGHTNING MCQUEEN Manufactured with the approval of Disney-Pixar as part of its lucrative Cars franchise, this high-tech Lightning McQueen toy is Sphero’s first interactive remote control car.

Text and Photos by Dino Ray V. Directo III

I

F you’re a big Star Wars’ or Cars’ fan, you might probably have heard or have purchased already one of their interactive toys.

Sphero, a US-based company which creates robotic spheres which you can control using a smartphone app, has been creating quite a loud buzz when their BB-8 was sold to an enthusiastic global audience.

This innovative company has taken the concept of high tech toys even further with the release of their latest consumer/collectible blockbuster, the interactive Lightning Mcqueen car.

Manufactured with the approval of Disney-Pixar as part of its lucrative Cars franchise, this high-tech

toy is Sphero’s first interactive remote control car. According to Sphero CEO Paul Berberian, it took the company a year and a half to build Lightning McQueen.

“A big part of that time was spent going through numerous reviews with animators at Pixar. We had to make sure he’s as true to character as possible,” said Berberian.

What makes this toy special are features such as the animated eyes; the animatronic mouth, which is powered by six motors and touch sensitive panels; emotive suspen-

sion and versatile tires for some drift action moves. The scaled down version of Lightning McQueen feels like its alive and kids will surely go crazy with its adaptive controls which you can download for your iPhone or Android.

“Just a few minutes with it and you’ll be able to have hours of fun with Lightning,” added Justin Uy, local distributor of Sphero interactive toys.

“Being a Piston Cup Champion, Ultimate Lightning McQueen was born to race. Connect to the app, hit the gas, and see Lightning respond to your commands with his personality on display, thanks to emotive actions and speech.

Watch him lean into hairpin turns and drift like a pro. It is guaranteed to provide hours of fun and entertainment for you and your

kids,” added Uy, who also brings in Star Wars merchandise to the country. The Lightning McQueen interactive toy is compatible with iOS or android; has a 30-meter range; Bluetooth Smart v4.0; can run continuously for 40 minutes with speeds of up to 6mph; one hour charging time and comes with a free downloadable APP which is powered by Sphero and available in iTunes or Google Play Store.

The Ultimate Lightning McQueen is available in the Philippines at select branches of Hobbes &Landes, Toys R Us, Rustan’s Department Stores. You can also pre-order online on Lazada and Geek PH Store.

Stocks are expected to arrive in the Philippines by August 2017.

For more info, please follow Sphero Philippines on Facebook and Instagram.

MAXIMIZING YOUR ASUS ZENFONE 4 MAX ASUS Philippines’most celebrated smartphone model returns to the Philippine market with its latest and strongest variant yet – the Zenfone 4 MAX. With a 5000mAh high-capacity battery that can stand-by up to 46 days, this particular smartphone impeccably takes its known nickname, “Battery King”,to an entirely new level.

Perhaps, that’s the rationale behind its latest tagline – We Love Going Further.

But with a jam-packed energy that can last for 46 days (on standby), how do you maximize the Zenfone 4 Max 5.5, exactly?

Well, here are 4 tried-and-tested ways:

Binge watch your favorites in transit

out on Game of Thrones-Monday anymore!

CHARGE-UP ANOTHER DEVICE WITH THE ZENFONE 4 MAX 5.5 One of the unique features that the Zenfone 4 MAX 5.5 has been widely known is its capacity to turn into a powerbank and charge other devices – otherwise known as “Reverse Charging”.

As long as the on-the-go cable connects the Zenfone 4 MAX 5.5 to another, the Battery King will assist in charging.

This year around, however, the ASUS promises 2x faster reverse — which means whatever is being charged will gain 100% battery life in no-time!

Enjoy at least 3-hours worth of call with just 15% charge

The Zenfone 4 MAX 5.5 assures you at least 3 hours of call time in the event that the Battery King is left with just 15% battery life. With a capacity like this, you will never miss the chance to talk to your loved ones wherever you are and whenever it is.

Catch the most incredible time-lapse videos without fear

Not only does the Batter King sport an impressive 120-degree wide-angle camera to catch more breath-taking views but, through its manual controls, the Zenfone

With the Zenfone 4 MAX 5.5, gone are the long and tedious hours of waiting still in transit. The Battery King is not only powerful enough to stream all kinds series and movies but also strong enough to power-up up to 2-terabytes of hard drive, should signal be inaccessible.

There is no need to fret missing

4 MAX 5.5 also has the ability to shoot extended time-lapse with an automatic “power saving” mode – which is quite significant for time-lapse videos, since a shoot like that can consume a lot of battery power by snapping photos continuously and stitching them together into a stopmotion-esque video.

In this mode, battery life is saved by lowering the screen brightness and putting the

phone into plane mode whereitsradiosareswitchedoff.

So point your Zenfone 4 MAX 5.5 to the sky and wait for the entire universe to align for you and capture the most incredible time-lapse video without the dreading 0% battery!

For more information the Zenfone 4 series and other incredible moments, head on over to ASUS Philippines’ Official Facebook Page and ASUS ZenTalk Forum.

UPGRADING YOUR WI-FI ROUTER WITH D-LINK DIR-878 D-LINK, one of the world’s biggest suppliers of home networking products, launches a new AC1900 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi Gigabit Router, D-Link DIR-878. DIR-878 is a powerful wireless networking solution designed for Small Office/Home Office (SOHO) environments. By combining high-speed 802.11ac Wi-Fi with dual-band technology and Gigabit Ethernet ports, the DIR-878 provides a seamless networking experience with a high degree of convenience and flexibility for SOHOs. The DIR-878’s SOHO-class advanced security features help keep data safe from unwanted network intruders. These features together with the increased range and reliability of Wireless AC technology, help provide a protected network for devices in your home or office.

Wired and Wireless Connectivity

The DIR-878 upgrades your network to the latest dual-band high-speed wireless technology to bring you lightning-fast Wi-Fi speeds of up to 1,900 Mbps1 so you can meet the increasing demand from multimedia applications. Enjoy seamless high definition streaming media, Internet phone calls, online gaming, and contentrich web surfing throughout your home or office. In addition, 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet ports give you solid, dependable wired performance for devices such as Network Attached Storage (NAS), media centers, and gaming consoles. The built-in Quality of Service (QoS) engine allows you to prioritize important traffic to ensure that your favorite applications are receiving optimal bandwidth.

Smooth Streaming with Wireless 802.11ac Wave II

The DIR-878 brings a host of new technologies to create the best wireless networking experience to date. With 802.11ac Wave II technology, the DIR-878 provides Gigabit wireless connectivity with combined transfer rates of up to 1,900 Mbps1 (1300 Mbps Wireless AC + 600 Mbps Wireless N). Featuring a 3x3 MUMIMO antenna configuration, the DIR-878 offers better data rates, fewer dead-spots, more coverage, and increased reliability.

Upgrade your home or office with the latest ACWave II technology by matching the DIR-878 AC1900 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi Gigabit Routers with AC Wave II devices like the DWA-192 AC1900 Wi-Fi USB 3.0 Adapter to take full advantage of this speed.

Easy to Set Up and Protect

Sharing your Internet connection doesn’t have to be a complicated process; just open a web browser to access the setup wizard and follow the easy step-by-step instructions to get started.

Configure, apply, and set up WPA/WPA2 wireless security in minutes with the wireless network setup wizard, or use Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS), which establishes an encrypted wireless connection to new devices without the need to enter settings or create passwords. The access control features allow you to restrict access to your network giving you greater control over Turn to D3 network users.

PH FINISHES IN TOP 10 OF IMAGINE CUP WORLD FINALS

Team Opticode impresses at world’s most prestigious student tech competition.

THE young trio of Team Opticode from the Philippines participated and wowed audiences at the 15th annual Imagine Cup, the world’s premier student technology competition where students from around the world team up to solve some of the world’s biggest problems with technology.

“This is a most impressive accomplishment for Team Opticode.

The Imagine Cup is the world’s most prestigious student tech competition and we’re extremely proud of the team for all they’ve accomplished,” said Microsoft Philippines Managing Director Bertrand Launay. “A top 10 finish among 54 other teams from 39 countries in the World Finals shows

that the Philippines can compete with the best in the world.”

Considered the“Olympics ofTechnology” by computer science and engineering students, the Imagine Cup brings together student developers worldwide to help resolve some of the world’s toughest challenges.

They compete for the chance to win US$100,000 and a mentorship session with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.

The Philippines was represented

by Team Opticode which was composed of Christian Lou Cepe, Jasmine Pearl Raymundo, and Rochel Reyes.

All of them are students of Lyceum of of the Philippines University-Laguna.

Their mobile app, Minerva, a virtual

assistant mobile application for the visually impaired that taps on the power of the smartphone camera to identify objects in the real world.

Using various cognitive services running on Microsoft Azure, Minerva identifies objects in the immediate environment of users. A user can simply point their smartphone cameras at an object, say a pizza, and Minerva describes it using the phone’s speakers.

The road to the top 10 in the world was a long one for Team Opticode, having to battle national and regional competition before qualifying for the final. They emerged as grand winners of the National Finals

before winning second runner-up in the Southeast Asia Finals, besting 7 other Asean teams.

“Team Opticode’s win at the Regional Finals was huge for the Philippines, as we hosted the first ever Imagine Cup Regional in the country in line with the Asean summit. The Philippines is home to a lot of great tech innovators and is primed for a win in this competition since 2010.” said Launay.

The Philippines is embracing digital technology. The strong showing from the young technologists from Lyceum in this year’s Imagine Cup showcases Turn to D3