PLDT opens premier VITRO Data Center in Makati

Tweet

Leading telecoms and digital services provider PLDT has opened the country’s biggest data center at Makati City, the country’s premier business district, to serve a wide range of organizations, particularly those handling vital data such as banks, business process outsourcing (BPO) firms, IT and content providers and government institutions.

VITRO, set up by PLDT subsidiary ePLDT,  is a network of world-class data centers, guaranteeing continuous business operations for enterprise organizations. Highly robust, secure and scalable infrastructure, unparalleled connectivity, and 24×7 technical support capabilities, allowing you to focus on your core competencies.

(L-R) Opening of VITRO Data Center Makati with Jovy Hernandez, FVP; Eric Alberto, PLDT EVP & ePLDT President and CEO; Nerrisa Ramos, Chief Operating Officer; and David Simon, Chief Technology Officer & Service Delivery & Operations Group Head.

The newest VITRO Data Center sits on a nearly two-hectare property with 3,600-rack capacity. It is equipped with systems and facilities to guarantee continuous operations, ensuring that businesses can utilize robust and scalable digital infrastructure, as well as world-class 24/7 technical support capabilities.

“PLDT is investing heavily in our VITRO data centers as we believe that these facilities are one of the basic building blocks of the country’s digital economy. This data center will be a vital resource for companies as they ramp up their own digital services,” said PLDT Chairman and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan.

The new earthquake-resistant, purpose-built data center in Makati is built on solid ground without seismic faults within its proximity. In addition, special architectural techniques and materials planning were implemented to provide the data center with fire-rated concrete walls and flood-protected design.

VITRO Makati is rated to withstand earthquakes up to intensity eight in the Richter scale. The data center is also compliant with global design standards.

“PLDT recognizes how vital it is for enterprises to ensure stable operations despite changes in the external environment. The need for scalable and secure hosting facilities to house and manage critical platforms is also growing in importance as the enterprise becomes more data-driven as a result of continuous digital transformation initiatives,” said PLDT Executive Vice President and ePLDT President and CEO Eric R. Alberto.

VITRO Makati offers one of the most secure and impenetrable structures in the Philippines with an eight-layer security design, guaranteeing that data and applications will always be protected and secured 

Each major component of the facility is configured with redundant counterparts in place that seamlessly operate to anticipate adverse events, including power generators and Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) units, among others. 

As part of the VITRO network of data centers, VITRO Makati also serves as a carrier-neutral Internet Exchange facility that provides numerous IP peering services, enabling access to local and international content.

VITRO Makati is also a Nexcenter-certified facility, allowing its clients to use globally standardized Nexcenter services of world leader NTT Com at some 140 locations in 84 cities of 19 countries, in addition to NTT Com’s Arcstar Universal One private-network service, which is already available in the Philippines and which is largely used by the country’s BPO industry.

“As the world becomes even more digitally connected, Filipino enterprises must leverage on new technologies to ensure the security and resilience of their operations. PLDT’s digital platforms can enable enterprises to take advantage of disruptive technologies, secure their operations, and promote growth in their businesses,” said Alberto.

The PLDT Group now operates seven data centers all over the country with a total rack capacity of nearly 7,000 to serve the needs of small, medium, and large enterprises across various industries, including banking, financial services, outsourcing, telecoms, and gaming.

Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) lends a helping hand

Tweet

The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) recently visited Leyte, as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) program to help the province recover from the aftermath of the disastrous typhoon Yolanda that hit the country in 2013. 

Leyte was one of the hard-hit areas in Visayas. It was engulfed by a deadly storm surge and hundreds of families were badly affected, especially those living along the coastlines. Even after three years, the province is still recovering from the disaster as thousands lost everything – their shelter, livelihood and families.

TPB started their outreach program by bringing cheer to the orphaned and underprivileged children from the Social City Welfare, as well as the elderly from the Pope Francis Complex Center for the Poor. TPB employees donated school supplies, toys, books, canned goods, toiletries and clothes to children and elderly.

To help in protecting the coasts of Leyte from another fortuitous event, TPB employees also planted mangroves along the shores. 

To cap off their charitable mission, the employees visited some of Leyte’s tourist attractions, such as the Sto. Niño Church, Palo Church, Sto. Niño Shrine and Museum, San Juanico Bridge, MacArthur Landing Memorial National Park and the Leyte Provincial Capitol. They also visited M/V Eva Jocelyn, one of 17 cargo ships that was washed ashore by the storm surge during typhoon Yolanda from the waters of the Port of Tacloban City to a side of a hill in Barangay 37 which was turned into a monument and a mini-park; and the Tzu Chi Great Love Village in Palo, a Taiwanese Buddhist foundation which provides livelihood and shelter for the victims of the typhoon. 

“Apart from promoting the country’s wonderful tourist spots, we, at TPB, are also committed to help communities and preserve the environment. We hope that in our humble efforts, we not only protect our natural wonders, but more importantly, uplift the spirits of our fellow Filipinos,” says TPB Chief Operating Officer (COO) Domingo Ramon Enerio III.

TPB’s visit to Leyte is the 2nd leg of its CSR program this year, which started in Occidental Mindoro and will conclude in Palawan. They also had similar activities in Boracay, Bohol and Camiguin last year. By setting an example, TPB’s charitable works hope to inspire not just its employees, but also other agencies and the general public to help the country in restoring its beauty and making the Philippines more fun.

. 

Pedro Morelli's ZOOM

Tweet

ZOOM is a multi-dimensional interface between a comic book artist, a novelist, and a film director. Each lives in a separate reality but authors a story about one of the others.

Directed by  Pedro Morelli, a  fast-paced, pop-art inspired, multi-plot contemporary comedy, Zoom film consists of three seemingly separate but ultimately interlinked storylines about a comic book artist, a novelist, and a film director. Each character lives in a separate world but authors a story about the life of another.

The comic book artist, Emma, works by day at an artificial love doll factory, and is hoping to undergo a secret cosmetic procedure. Emma’s comic tells the story of Edward, a cocky film director with a debilitating secret about his anatomy. The director, Edward, creates a film that features Michelle, an aspiring novelist who escapes to Brazil and abandons her former life as a model. Michelle, pens a novel that tells the tale of Emma, who works at an artificial love doll factory … And so it goes ...

Stars are Gael García Bernal, Alison Pill, Mariana Ximenes and Jason Priestley, screenplayed by  Matt Hansen, ZOOM is released by Solar Pictures.

Who’s zooming who?

The Three Realities of ZOOM 

From the crazy mind of Pedro Morelli, written for the screen by Matt Hansen, and produced by Niv Fichman, these three creative geniuses collaborated to create the distinct universes of ZOOM. Hansen explains that “originally, the film was similar to INCEPTION in that it started with one reality point and went further into one’s consciousness. This changed when I suggested that we do the film Escher staircase style where we would have different worlds affecting one another. Conceptually, this idea sounded really cool, but we soon realized that realistically the idea was fairly complicated. We then decided cut the film down to three stories, which led us to create ZOOM.”

Emma The Cartoonist

Emma works in a factory that makes love dolls. But when she looks in the mirror, Emma tends to compare herself to the dolls and becomes dissatisfied with her own flawed body. And so, she decides to invest her savings in breast implant surgery. The surgery endows Emma with enormous breasts, just like the dolls. But she has a hard time getting used to their presence and begins to feel like a stranger in her own body. Emma questions her decision and ultimately tries to get the implants removed. Unfortunately, she doesn't have enough money left for the surgical reversal.

“The thing about Emma is that a lot of people know a girl like this,” says writer Matt Hansen. “She’s nerdy but not in a pejorative kind of way. She’s caught up in this society of perfect appearances, but unable to see her own inner beauty.” Emma’s inner beauty captivated producer Niv Fichman as well. “Emma is someone who I would love to meet,” says Fichman.“She’s a secret artist, she draws really well. I feel sorry for her because she has this problem where she is not as confident as she looks and wants to be augmented. But this unrealistic image of beauty is something society has imposed on all of us and that is one of the main themes of the film.”

In her free time, Emma likes to draw cartoons and creates a comic book about the life of a filmmaker named Edward.

Edward The Filmmaker

Edward is designed by Emma to be the perfect man. Charming, handsome and sexy, he is a successful action film director. Immersed in a world of fame, fortune and vanity, he craves to be recognized for his artistic sensibility. Edward's problems begin when his penis dramatically shrinks overnight - the result of a derisive practical joke by his creator Emma, who holds his destiny in her hands. This sudden and senseless mutation leaves Edward in despair.

The character of Edward is far too familiar to those in the film industry. “Edward’s a caricature of a variety of directors in movies that both Niv and I have come across over the years, in that he’s a commercial guy who is trying to make something meaningful or arty,” says Hansen. “He’s a parody of that type of filmmaker, the process of making a film as well as having various people influencing the work, for better or worse.”

Edward's latest project is a movie about a successful Brazilian fashion model who strives to be a novelist.

Michelle The Novelist

Michelle is a Brazilian fashion model living in Toronto. She dreams of becoming a novelist despite the discouragement of her manager (and boyfriend) Dale. But when Michelle shows an incomplete manuscript to a respected publisher, he thinks it has great potential and encourages her to complete it. In order to concentrate on finishing the book, Michelle escapes to Brazil so she can focus exclusively on her work.

Michelle’s character was created around the concept that one should not judge a book by its cover. “Michelle is that kind of girl who people think is just beautiful,” says Hansen. “She has all these advantages in life: she goes to the front of the line; she can get what average people can’t and she sees the benefits and disadvantages to that---one of them being that she is not taken seriously as a writer because she’s only seen as beautiful.”

Throughout her story, Michelle is writing a book about Emma, an insecure woman who works in a factory that makes love dolls. 

And this closes the circle between the three realities of ZOOM.

3rd SEASON OF FOOD HERO SET TO RAISE THE BAR IN 2016! : Be the next food host on Asian Food Channel and Food Network Asia!

Tweet

Asian Food Channel and Food Network’s hunt for the next food host is expected to draw fierce competition across Asia-Pacific.  Now looking for a great host with a passion for food and travel, who also has outstanding skills in the kitchen.

The digitally-enabled competition expects to surpass past seasons’ participation numbers and increase engagement among food lovers in the region

Food Hero is a digitally-enabled campaign by Asian Food Channel and Food Network Asia to looking for talent that is passionate about food and travel, and aspire to be on television! Interested participants can download the Food Hero mobile app from either the App Store (on Apple) and Google Play (on Android) to submit their entries for selection. All you need to do is to shoot a 3-minute video of yourself either cooking or introducing a dish and upload it onto the Food Hero mobile app. Submissions close August 21. Share your food story today! 

The search for the region’s best home cook and host kicks off in Asia as Food Hero returns in its third season. Building upon the momentum and success from previous seasons, the digitally-enabled competition will look to crown one winner who will go on to host his or her own Asian Food Channel and/or Food Network programme. 

“As the leader in lifestyle programming with two dedicated regional channels focused on food, we are always looking to grow our pool of on-air and digital talent. Continuing the Food Hero competition is not only a great platform to uncover fresh talent, it is also a great way for our viewers to connect over the common passion point around the love for food,” said Carl Zuzarte, Senior Vice President of Programming and Production at Scripps Networks Interactive, Asia-Pacific.

Food Hero 2016 – 5 Simple Steps to Participate! 

1- Interested participants can download the Food Hero mobile app from either App Store (on Apple) or Google Play (on Android).  

2- After downloading, participants will be prompted to register their information to sign in. 

3- The mobile app provides instructional videos and tips on how to shoot and submit a winning entry. Participants can also draw inspiration from various recipes from past contestants and watch previous Food Hero winners share their food story.  

4- Participants can record their entry that best demonstrates their cooking and hosting skills.  

5- They can then upload their video entry and also view submissions by other participants. 

Upon closing of competition on 21st August (three months period to submit entries), a panel comprising of production and creative experts will evaluate the entries based on the participant’s personality, on-screen appeal and their creativity in producing original and engaging content. Top entries will be shortlisted to participate in a series of culinary and travel-related challenges to better evaluate them in ‘live’ scenarios. 

Last year, Ili Sulaiman from Malaysia and Debbie Wong from Hong Kong overcame fierce competition and was crowned Food Hero 2015 champions, joining the likes of TV hosts Sarah Benjamin (Singapore) and Michele Lean (Malaysia) who won the first edition of the competition. 

“The moment I realized I wanted to make a career out of food was probably when I saw Martin Yan on TV and I remember thinking that’s exactly what I want to be. Someone who’s passionate about food and sharing their food story with the world,” said Wong, who has since hosted a number of Food Network productions like Food Wars Asia Season 2 and Kitchen Quickies.

“I took part the first time around and I didn’t get through but being the winner for Food Hero last year has opened many doors for me and given me the confidence to host my own shows and better run my own establishment,” said Sulaiman who owns ‘DISH by Ili’, a food delivery service providing wholesome and nutritious meals in Malaysia.

Starting today, interested participants can visit www.foodhero.asia and sign up for the Food Hero mailing list to receive the latest updates and exclusive content leading up to the competition.

www.asianfoodchannel.com 

www.facebook.com/asianfoodchannel

www.foodnetworkasia.com 

www.facebook.com/foodnetworkasia

Globe Telecom submits 3-year coverage rollout plan to NTC

Tweet

95% of cities, municipalities to have mobile services by end of 2018

Globe Telecom submitted its 3-year coverage rollout plan to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and committed to provide mobile services, including voice, SMS and data, to 95% of municipalities and cities in the country by the end of 2018, using the additional spectrum it acquired from San Miguel.

The rollout plan is one of the conditions set by the NTC in approving the co-use agreement covering the spectrum resources that Globe acquired from the joint buy out of San Miguel Corp.’s telco assets.

In a letter, dated July 29, 2016, addressed to NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba, Globe General Counsel Froilan Castelo said Globe started to implement the rollout plan in June and will be deploying about 4,500 multiband, multimode software defined radio base station equipment and capacity upgrades to improve overall customer experience in terms of speed and reliability of its mobile services.

Currently, Globe provides mobile broadband services across its entire network, having fully upgraded to 100% 4G network while more than 60% of its sites are now equipped with LTE for mobile broadband services, Castelo said. Just after two months of gaining access to the spectrum assets, Globe has already upgraded over 25 cell sites with LTE 700 megahertz and more than 600 cell sites with additional 2600 MHz spectrum and about 1,500 cell sites with additional 1800 MHz spectrum as part of the company’s commitment to improve mobile internet speeds within 1 year.

Castelo explained the 3-year coverage rollout plan took into consideration certain conditions that include priority areas with substantial existing demand and high traffic growth trends; key development areas to further promote the country’s overall economic development; maximum use of Globe assigned frequencies for the 700 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2300 MHz and 2600 MHz. By yearend, the company expects that about 2,200 of the company’s existing cell sites representing over 30% if its network nationwide would be upgraded using the additional spectrum from the co-use agreement, Castelo said.

“We would like to assure the commission that we are utilizing all available resources and doing all we can to improve the mobile experience of our customers. We are committed to pursue our aggressive mobile broadband coverage and capacity expansion programs in order to meet mobile data traffic growth and increasing demand for mobile connectivity. We are confident that our strategy of combining new site builds with efficient use of spectrum resources and adopting new broadband wireless technologies such as LTE-Advanced will allow us to satisfy the changing needs of our mobile customers,” Castelo said.

Globe is also pursuing its fixed broadband expansion program to propel the Philippine internet index to a comparative level within the region, he said, adding that the company is committed to provide ultra fast internet in 2 million households over 20,000 barangays by 2020.