Malasimbo 2015: A Double Weekend of Festivities- A life-changing adventure

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MALASIMBO 2015. The festival that combines Music, Arts, Dance, Environment, and Indigenous Culture into one life- changing adventure.

Malasimbo now on it’s 5th year was held in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro, host to thousands of music, art, dance and nature lovers.

Malasimbo Music & Arts Festival, considered to be different from all other festivals was held last March 6-8 and the first Malasimbo Lights and Dance Festival on March 13-15, 2015.

With an array of electronic and indie acts, blending traditional & contemporary arts & culture together with music performances while working towards the protection & sustainability of the environment.

Every year, people from all walks of life seek the Malasimbo Magic. The festival continues to grow into a global phenomenon, with more than 5,000 people from over 30 countries in attendance last year.

Malasimbo Music and Arts festival is the official event featured for the month of March on Department of Tourism’s campaign “Visit The Philippines 2015.”

Malasimbo awed the fans in the second weekend (March 13-15) – with a whole new concept. The Malasimbo Lights and Dance Festival, which caters more to the youth with a focus on hip hop, house and electronic music, enhanced with amazing dance performances and state of the art light shows.

Eco-cultural activities

Behind the festivities, eco-cultural preservation is an integral part of the Malasimbo Experience. With The d’Aboville Foundation, the festival promotes mangrove tree planting, the use of solar power, the protection of the endangered Tamaraw in partnership with French organisation Noé Conservation, coastal cleanups, and other ongoing projects within Puerto Galera — member of the “Most Beautiful Bays in the World.”

At the heart of Malasimbo is the Mangyan village, where exhibits and workshops showcase their rich culture and beautiful crafts. The demo Mangyan village, built by Mangyan craftsmen in 2010, is a permanent feature of the Malasimbo grounds, and showcases the 7 Mangyan tribes of Mindoro. Each tribe is represented through life-size houses respecting their original architecture.

The Malasimbo brand keeps getting stronger over the years. In 2011, the first Malasimbo Music & Arts Festival became a catalyst for a boom in contemporary festival culture in the Philippines. With its natural amphitheater boasting of coconut trees, grass- terraces, the tropical breeze, coupled with the view of the world famous Puerto Galera Bay, there’s really no other venue like Malasimbo.

The festival weaves music, arts, dance, environment, and indigenous culture into one life- changing adventure.

Visual Arts

The Sculpture Garden at Malasimbo is a witness to the festival’s love for the visual arts. The grounds have been blessed by the beautiful works of talented contemporary artists, mostly Filipino but attracting foreign artists as well. In four years, more than 40 artists including Agnes Arellano, Wawi Navarroza, Ling Quisumbing Ramilo and Leeroy New, have used the venue as their canvas for their art installations.

As the 5th Anniversary special, over 30 artists will showcase their works. Whether permanent or degradable, loud or discreet, phantasmagoric or natural, interactive or silent, the works all have a synergy with the mountain, the landscape, the wind, the ocean or the festival’s creative energy.

Entertainment

Known for quality sound, the Malasimbo Amphitheater is praised by musicians and music lovers. The many acts that have played, including living legends Jimmy Cliff, Roy Ayers, Joe Bataan, Joss Stone, Robert Glasper and Jose Gonzalez, were entranced by the beauty and energy of the place. The stage is also abundant with local talent hailing from the different parts of the Philippines. It has become a platform where collaboration between international and homegrown music can ring around the island.

On March 6-8, Malasimbo Music & Arts Festival scheduled to attract its loyal attendees from all over the world, excited to listen to Ky- Mani Marley, son of legendary reggae artist Bob Marley. The international lineup also includes Fred Wesley and the New J.B.s, led by the former band director of iconic artist James Brown, the Godfather of soul and funk music. Taylor McFerrin, son of popular vocalist Bobby (“Don’t Worry, Be Happy”) McFerrin is a Brooklyn-based DJ, producer, keyboardist and beatboxer that released his debut album, Early Riser on Flying Lotus’ Brainfeeder record label.

More artists, both local and international, are completing the exciting lineup: French Kiwi Juice (France), GOCOO + GORO (Japan) Taiko Drum Band, our own Brigada, Noli Aurillo, Akasha, Bleu Rascals, Adinkra Lumads Djembe Community, Crwn, and many more to be announced soon!

New attractions

Exciting additions during the 5th Anniversary celebration— Malasimbo pulls neighbouring cities (Bacolod, Iloilo, Cebu, Davao and Boracay) closer; Malasimbo at parties up-the-ante for festival-day-programs, and in between the two weekends— Malasimbo stay alive hosting activities for Puerto Galera’s local community.

The Malasimbo Festival is an experience-driven event— regardless of the lineup of acts, one is e an unforgettable time. The biggest headliner in Malasimbo is Malasimbo, and for those who seek culture, adventure, and magic, this is the place for new discoveries. 

Partners

Malasimbo Music and Arts Festival wouldn’t be possible if not for our major sponsors and partners Ipanema, VISA, Department of Tourism, Ticketworld, Stage Craft, Fox International Channels Asia, Yahoo Philippines, Grid Magazine, Mabuhay Magazine, Scout Magazine, ABS-CBN Publishing Inc., Metro Society and Metro.

5th Anniversary Special: Malasimbo Lights and Dance Festival

In an industry where sustainable development is at times overlooked, Malasimbo Festival has proven to be a solid name to stay for decades, which will continue giving innovation and quality entertainment to its loyal fans and its organically- growing audience. In celebration of the 5th Anniversary, the Malasimbo family proudly introduces an entirely new concept that is already creating a buzz with the youth: The Malasimbo Lights & Dance Festival, set on March 13-15.

Why two weekends?

Malasimbo Festival hosts more than 5,000 people from over 30 countries. Having a 10-day affair encourages international tourists to stay at least 10 days in Mindoro and the Philippines. This further activates Malasimbo’s eco- cultural tourism efforts, and allows tourists to fully discover all of the amazing activities & sights the Philippines have to offer.

At the rate of Malasimbo Festival’s growth parallel to Puerto Galera’s limited accommodating capacity, creating a 2nd weekend and ultimately longer Malasimbo Experience helps maintain convenience for our audience and gives local tourism a greater return. We have a capped capacity and we want to ensure safety for all.

The Malasimbo Lights & Dance Festival caters to a specifically targeted market – the millenials – and offers an immersive feast of state-of-the- art light shows enhanced with contemporary and traditional dance performances, full- circled with hip hop, house and electronic music that is most relevant to the youth of today.

Performing acts

Dance organizations are given a prime spot at the festival in celebration of the 5th Anniversary: Philippine All Stars, Planet Zips Luminaries, Daloy Dance Company and more who graced the Malasimbo stage.

Quality music is, of course, another key element of the Malasimbo Lights & Dance Festival. A talented selection of DJs, both local and international, is guaranteed to make you dance all night. DJ Kentaro, DJ Mitsu the Beats, To-Ru, HiFaNa, and Tetsuji Tanaka & MC Cardz are flying in straight from Japan, accompanied by many great acts: Swindle (UK), Manolet Dario, Mikail, Br3aking Silence, Emel Rowe, and Lyrically Deranged Poets to bring Philippines’ finest in hip hop today; many more notable acts performed.

Partners

Malasimbo Lights & Dance Festival is a collaboration between Malasimbo Productions and Japan’s BassCamp festival run by Dj Kentaro. For this, the Malasimbo family thanks our Japanese partners Groundstar+, Basscamp, Asia Unite, and GOJA Cafe. Malasimbo Lights and Dance Festival wouldn’t be possible without our other major sponsors: Ipanema, Ticketworld, Stage Craft, Department of Tourism, Tourism Promotion Board, Fox International Channels Asia, Yahoo Philippines, Grid Magazine, Mabuhay Magazine, Meg, Scout Magazine, and ABS-CBN Publishing, Inc., Chalk, Metro.

Party high-up in the mountains for Malasimbo’s 5th anniversary double weekend special!

As we celebrate MUSIC, ARTS and NATURE at Malasimbo Festival, there is so much to see and explore in the tropical paradise. Indeed, it is more fun in the Philippines!

Visit http://www.malasimbo. com for further information. Twitter: @malasimbofest 

For inquiries contact info@ malasimbofestival.com

DepEd affirms commitment to safe schools, highlights community participation at WCDRR

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“The Philippines, through the Department of Education recognizes that schools are at the heart of our communities, therefore we commit to keep our schools safe,” said Assistant Secretary Reynaldo D. Laguda as he addressed participants of the 3rd UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in the city of Sendai, Japan earlier today.

During an intergovernmental plenary session on Comprehensive School Safety, Laguda expressed DepEd’s solidarity with the global community in discussing and adopting a new framework for action on disaster risk reduction. He notes however that DRR must be rooted in community and fostered in schools because, “no school can be safe without the involvement of its host community and no community is safe if its schools are not safe.”

In his statement, Laguda shared how DepEd now uses the Comprehensive Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction Management in Basic Education to guide school-based DRRM planning and preparation. He stressed that, “education helps achieve DRR outcomes and conversely, DRR helps achieve our education outcomes of access, quality and governance.”

Recognizing the need for inclusivity and noting the importance of community-led efforts at building resilience, DepEd stressed the need to engage with host communities in ensuring the success of projects. Infrastructure alone does not guarantee strength or safety.

In the presence of international partners, Laguda also mentioned that partnerships with different stakeholders are crucial in achieving the common goal of safer schools and resilient communities.

Lazada.com.ph Celebrates its Third Year Anniversary with a 3-Day Shopping Extravaganza

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Lazada Philippines, a part of Lazada Group which operates Southeast Asia’s number one online shopping and selling destination, is celebrating its third anniversary this month with three days of sales from 24 to 26 March.

Lazada Group has seen rapid growth since its launch in March 2012. The company now has over 4,000 employees across the region and has raised approximately EUR 520 million in funding from leading sector specialists and investors including Temasek, Tesco, JP Morgan, Kinnevik and Rocket Internet, among others. 

In December 2014, Lazada Group’s GMV exceeded US$70 million, supported by the success of the month-long Online Revolution campaign which kicks off annually on 11 November. Its sites and mobile applications saw over 40 million unique visitors during the month of December. This performance is testament to the company’s focus on delivering an effortless, secure and reliable one-stop shopping experience for its customers.

Lazada Group’s growth is also a result of its rapid assortment expansion driven by its unique position to provide brands and merchants simple, fast and direct access to approximately 550 million consumers in six countries through one retail channel. The number of sellers on the marketplace platform, which now accounts for approximately 75% of overall sales, crossed 10,000 in December 2014.

Addressing the logistical challenges in the region, Lazada Group is investing heavily to develop its infrastructure. The company now has eight warehouses and a dedicated Lazada Express last mile delivery fleet with 50 hubs covering 80 cities. In addition, Lazada Group has partnered with 60 express transport and courier companies across the region to provide customers with quick and reliable delivery.

“We are delighted to be celebrating our third year of rapid growth this month. Looking ahead, Lazada will continue to focus on increasing its assortment range, expand our logistics infrastructure and payment solutions to further enhance the effortless shopping experience for our customers,” says Inanc Balci, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Lazada Philippines.

Lazada.com.ph has been growing in line with the group and received 18 million visits in December 2014. By continuing to focus on developing the marketplace platform to support brands and merchants, the company reached more than 1,600 sellers by the end February 2015, who were supported by 1500 employees.

Following the success of the Online Revolution campaign last 2014 and the Mobile Power Sale last February 2015, consumers can expect more from the upcoming birthday sales from 24 to 26 March. Simply log on to www.lazada.com.ph and on the Lazada Mobile App to get a chance to be part of the biggest birthday extravaganza from Lazada.com.ph.

Are you curious of what to expect during the 3-Day Birthday Shopping Extravaganza? Here are some hints:

3 Days of Flash Deals on exciting products from 8:00 AM until 8:00 PM;

Announcement of Discount Vouchers for the Night Shoppers (12:01 AM – 7:59 PM);

Best-selling Items marked at its best prices;

Fun contests and games on the Lazada PH Facebook Fanpage;

Hot discounts and bundles available on the Lazada Mobile App

Inanc Balci added, “We thank our customers for their support and hope they will enjoy the birthday sale promotions as part of Lazada’s anniversary celebration.”

Free microwave at Anson’s from Citi Credit Cards with 0% PayLite

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Anson’s is one of the leading premium appliance and electronics store in the Philippines. It offers a wide variety of product categories and brands to cater to almost every appliance and electronics needs, from Video/Audio Entertainment, Household and Kitchen, Information Technology, Mobile Communications, Digital Imaging, to Beauty and Wellness, Home Furnishings and select Hardware Equipment.

Enjoy shopping for home appliances at Anson’s and get a free microwave oven and a free buffet for 1 at Vikings when you pay on 0% installment up to 24 months using your Citi credit card. Simply avail of Citi PayLite for a minimum of P25,000, and get a free weekday buffet for 1 at Vikings. 

For purchases of any featured appliances starting at P50,000, you will be treated to an additional gift — a free microwave oven worth P2,499. These generous offers are good until April 30, 2015 at any Anson’s outlet nationwide.

Redeem your PayLite reward at Anson’s by presenting your valid charge slips and Citi credit card until June 30, 2015.

After claiming your free microwave oven, drop by at any Vikings outlet and surrender your valid charge slips and present your Citi Card to claim your free weekday buffet. If dining with family and friends, they can grab an exclusive 10% discount on their bill when you charge to your Citi Credit Card.

To know more about other perks available to Citi cardholders, log on to www.citibank.com.ph/ansons or call the 24-hour CitiPhone Hotline at 995-9999. 

For kids and kids-at-heart, PLDT HOME Telpad bolsters multimedia offers with Disney

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PLDT HOME Telpad, the world’s first and only landline, broadband and tablet in one fortifies its multimedia offering through its partnership with one of the world’s largest creators of interactive content, Disney Interactive. This collaboration with Disney allows

PLDT HOME Telpad to further rule over the multimedia space with a doubled subscriber base in 2014. The addition of Disney content to its portfolio followed the recently launched most advanced PLDT HOME Telpad unit, strengthening the portal for a truly connected home.

As the centerpiece of the connected home, the PLDT HOME Telpad will serve as the family’s gateway to the magical world of Disney. Kids of all ages can select from hundreds of interactive content featuring their favorite Disney characters. Parents who read bedtime stories to their kids can also now choose from an extensive selection of interactive e-books.

For new and current PLDT HOME Telpad subscribers, the Disney experience at home will be made extra special with the limited edition Disney-branded Telpad units loaded with Disney themes and a pre-installed Disney widget wherein they can browse and download the multitude of Disney Android games to their units.

“For many kids and kids-at-heart, Disney stories have been a definitive part of our childhood memories, and we look forward to sharing that invaluable experience to our subscribers,” Ariel P. Fermin, PLDT Executive Vice President and Head of Home Business, said.

“It is an honor for us to further solidify our leading Internet and multimedia platforms with a renowned global brand that shares our vision of enriching Filipino homes with family-friendly content.”

Fermin added, “PLDT HOME has always invested heavily in providing compelling multimedia content for our subscribers. The partnership with Disney will surely level up the way we help families forge the strongest connections at home through the Telpad.”

This partnership is part of the expanded multi-year, multi-platform partnership of the PLDT Group with The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia, through its digital entertainment arm Disney Interactive. PLDT Group provides Disney content to a combined 75 million mobile and broadband subscribers nationwide.

For more information on how to access Disney content at home, visit www.pldthome.com.