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News in the Philippines

Stay in the loop with your go-to source of blogs in the Philippines! Know the latest happenings and trending news in Manila and across the country.

Win Free Tickets to ONE OK ROCK Live in Manila
January 19, 2016

Win Free Tickets to ONE OK ROCK Live in Manila

Wanna win FREE tickets to One OK Rock Live in Manila? Here’s How! Get ready to witness Japan’s sensational band, One OK Rock on January 19, 2016 at the MOA Arena for free! We’re all very excited for you to see your favorite Japanese rock band perform live! Primer will be giving away 4 VIP  Standing tickets and 5 Lower box  tickets to 9 lucky winners! All you have to do is: 1. Like Primer’s Facebook page. 2. Share this post. Make sure it’s public!   Contest runs from January 14, 2016 to January 15, 2016 at 12 am. Winners will be determined through a random drawing on Monday (January 18, […]
MMDA to Netizens: Report violators through Viber, Twitter
January 14, 2016

MMDA to Netizens: Report violators through Viber, Twitter

The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is encouraging the netizens to take part of a new act in helping reduce the number of parking violators along Mabuhay Lanes or the alternative routes for motorists to avoid congestion. Commuters and concerned citizens can now report such violators through mobile apps Twitter and Viber. MMDA posted on Twitter recently the instructions. Viber or tweet them the following details: • picture of the parked vehicle/road works/obstruction • time and location of the picture taken And send to 0906-1476975 for Viber or to @mmda for Twitter with the (hashtag) #netizenswatch. They will acknowledge and forward your report, and then give you updates via the […]
AWCP Monthly Bazaar: Work a little, Shop a Lot
January 13, 2016

AWCP Monthly Bazaar: Work a little, Shop a Lot

Bazaars are often a great place to find the best deals, but there are moments when you just have to marvel at the sheer scale of one to better appreciate what it’s all about. Take the American Women’s Club of the Philippines (AWCP) Monthly Bazaar. As the name implies, it is a once-a-month bazaar that has its fair share of great deals and even better people. The AWCP Monthly Bazaar has been going on for at least two decades, starting off at the World Trade Center before finally moving to the SMX Convention Center. To sum it up: it’s six hours of pure shopping bliss for any woman looking for […]
Hang tight 2016, New Year of the Fire Monkey at Manila Pavilion Hotel
January 11, 2016

Hang tight 2016, New Year of the Fire Monkey at Manila Pavilion Hotel

Let the Lunar New Year pace in gracefully at acclaimed dining outlets of Manila Pavilion Hotel as you celebrate new beginnings and round off the successful year behind. Reward your loved ones with Manila Pavilion’s well known Oriental dinner buffet feast as our newly appointed Executive Chef Giovanni Sias redefines buffet focusing on quality and freshness.  A decadent Chinese New Year and Spring Dinner temptations await. A spread of luxurious dim sum stunners, noodles representing long life and have an exchange of Nian gao (tikoy) would certainly entice your family get-together for Php 1200 nett, Friday and Saturday, 6PM-10:30pm and Sunday Brunch from 10am to 2PM. Throw a memorable family […]
Welcome back, Pia Wurtzbach!
January 12, 2016

Welcome back, Pia Wurtzbach!

WURTZBACH’S COMEBACK. Reigning Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach comes back to PH on January 23 for a grand homecoming. Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images On January 23, Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach is scheduled to come home to the Philippines as a grand homecoming waits upon her arrival. In its official Facebook page, Bb. Pilipinas Charities, Inc., (BPCI) confirmed that Pia Wurtzbach will be back at January 23 and a series of events will follow thereafter. According to Stella Araneta -Marquez, the BPCI chairperson, Pia will arrive in Manila at 6 am. Here is the itinerary of Pia’s homecoming schedule: January 23 – Arrival January 24 – Press Conference, Novotel Araneta Center […]
Nokia acquires Alcatel – Lucent
January 11, 2016

Nokia acquires Alcatel – Lucent

The telecommunications industry has another turn with some speculations of a take over last year. It has been announced that Nokia was planning on buying smaller French Company, Alcatel Lucent, for $16.6 billion. Finalized last December, Nokia had bought the said company, buying of 70% of their share. In due time, Alcatel – Lucent allowed Nokia to own 100% of the company shares. The company is to be called Nokia Corporation once the takeover is successful, making it the second largest mobile equipment manufacturer in the world with an estimated market share of 35%, coming behind SONY Mobile with an estimated market share of 40%. Changes have been made once […]
Philippines’ Population to reach 142 Million by 2045
January 08, 2016

Philippines’ Population to reach 142 Million by 2045

Recent findings show that the Philippines’ current population is currently at 104 million and that will continue to drastically grow in the months to follow. It had been noted that the number of children a woman wants has been decreasing from 1.9 in 2010 to 1.7 in 2012. However, all it doesn’t stop the increase of population in the country. The Philippine Statistics Authority said that 10 regions are expected to increase faster than the average and five of those are in the Mindanao region. The Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao or ARMM is projected to have the highest average annual growth rate of 2.12% within the period of 2010 […]
Star Wars passes Avatar to be top-grosser in US
January 08, 2016

Star Wars passes Avatar to be top-grosser in US

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… Avatar held the record of highest-grossing domestic film of all time. Until Star Wars: The Force Awakens came along. With the Force strong within them, it defeated Avatar. With a whopping $760.5 million of ticket sales in U.S. in just 20 days, Force Awakens takes its place as the No.1 domestic film, beating James Cameron’s Avatar. It’s the first time in years that Cameron won’t have the title to himself. It is a first, however, for J.J Abrams who is known to be a student of Cameron and George Lucas. Although Avatar still holds the worldwide record with $2.8 billion […]
LTFRB holds dry run of double-decker buses in Manila
January 08, 2016

LTFRB holds dry run of double-decker buses in Manila

PH TRANSPO. The double-decker bus can accommodate up to 40-45 passengers for seating capacity. Photo from LTFRB Twitter account. With our fingers crossed that this kind of bus will soon be implemented in Manila, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) held the dry run of double-decker buses on January 7. The dry run started at 7:30 am, with the SM North Edsa to Glorietta 5 route. It is also open to the public and costs P55 per ride (P40 for students, senior citizens, and PWDs). This service, which is operated by bus company Froehlich Tours, showcased this bus to be used for demonstration of possible use as EDSA […]
Local film buffs rejoice as the Cinematheque Center Manila is now officially open!
January 08, 2016

Local film buffs rejoice as the Cinematheque Center Manila is now officially open!

Manila’s newest film center, located along TM Kalaw Avenue in Manila, will open its doors to the public with a screening of the Lino Broca classic Maynila sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag (1975) on January 8. Broca is widely regarded as one of the best directors the Philippines has ever seen, and has been honoured with the title of National Artist. Cinematheque Centre Manila’s facade. Photo courtesy of FDCP A poster for Lino Brocka’s classic film Maynila sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag. Photo courtesy of Inquirer Preen. Other movies which will be shown for the month of January include Elwood Perez’ Esoterika: Maynila (2014) and another Filipino classic, Lamberto Avellana’s […]
Traffic Advisory: Road Closures on Quiapo Day
January 06, 2016

Traffic Advisory: Road Closures on Quiapo Day

The Feast of the Black Nazarene draws a lot of people to the City of Manila every year. While most of these are devotees, some of the people who will be in Manila are tourists looking to see one of the biggest processions in modern Christendom. As such, the Manila Police District’s (MPD) Manila District Traffic Enforcement Unit (MDTEU) has issued an advisory on Monday, January 4 regarding the feast regarding road closures for the event. According to the advisory, Katigbak Drive and South Drive will be closed starting January 8 at 9:00pm, with only one lane open for those who are headed for/staying at the Manila or the H2O […]
It’s National Tempura Day!
January 06, 2016

It’s National Tempura Day!

TEMPURA FOREVER AND EVER. Celebrate National Tempura Day on your favorite Japanese restaurants – who knows, you might get a big discount! Photo grabbed from nationaldays.net Today, we celebrate the day of our most loved Japanese food—Tempura! Although today is a remarkable day for all of us tempura lovers, sadly it’s not a recognized holiday. But hey, who says we can’t celebrate this very special occasion? Why not go to restaurants which serve the best tasting tempuras? But before you daydream about that, here are some interesting facts you should know about the mighty and all-time favorite deep fried delicacy. 1.  History of Tempura The origin of Tempura traces back […]
Checks with erasures, corrections – no longer accepted in 2016
January 05, 2016

Checks with erasures, corrections – no longer accepted in 2016

Starting January 4, 2016 checks with erasures, corrections, and any forms of deficiencies shall no longer be accepted based on the Philippine Clearing House Corporation (PCHC) Memo Circular 15-460.
CoCo Ichibanya opens branch at BGC
January 08, 2016

CoCo Ichibanya opens branch at BGC

Good news for those around the Bonifacio Global City Area! The famous Japanese curry house CoCo Ichibanya opens its new branch in Burgos Circle at Forbes Town Center this January 2016. Get ready to fill your tummies with their delectable rice meals that you can customize according to your preference. You can have 200-600 grams of rice so you can eat as much as you can. If you’re a fan of spicy food, you can also customize your spice level depending on your taste. Also, you can add the toppings you want. It’s the restaurant you should choose if you prefer your meals to be custom made. CoCo Ichibanya is […]
Schedule of Holidays in 2016
January 04, 2016

Schedule of Holidays in 2016

In charge of planning the perfect holiday getaway in the family? This coming 2016, you might want to mark your calendars for the long weekends. By virtue of Proclamation No. 1105 signed by President Benigno Aquino III, there will be six long weekends, with holidays falling either on a Monday or Friday. Holidays are categorized into regular holidays (fixed dates) and special non-working days. According to the Official Gazette, the following dates are the holidays for 2016: January 1 – New Year’s Day January 2 – Additional non-working holiday February 8 – Chinese New Year February 25 – EDSA People Power Revolution March 24 – Maundy Thursday March 25 – […]
2015 Philippine Newsmakers
January 04, 2016

2015 Philippine Newsmakers

Another year has passed and it wouldn’t be complete without summarizing all the biggest events that happened in the Philippines. Here is a list of some of the news that made it to the front page, created waves in social media, and impacted the world. 1. Papal Visit PAPAL VISIT. Pope waves at the crowd in Tacloban. Photo by rappler.com From January 15-19, Pope Francis went to the Philippines for an Apostolic and state visit. His Holiness also paid a visit to the victims of Typhoon Haiyan in Tacloban and Leyte, and celebrated mass in Manila. The 5-day event became the largest papal event to date, with the Pope’s concluding […]
From Zero to Hero: Dr. Jose Rizal, National Hero
January 05, 2016

From Zero to Hero: Dr. Jose Rizal, National Hero

The construction of the Torre de Manila in Ermita, dubbed in social media as “Terror de Manila”, continues to be a controversy. Apart from alleged building and zoning violations, to both local and foreign tourists, the building is a “photobomber”, ruining the view of the landmarks in the area. The most damage seen is its effect to the monument of the national hero of the country, Dr. Jose Rizal in Rizal Park, found a few kilometers away. Regarded as one of the Renaissance men and the most influential Malay of his time, Dr. Jose Protasio Mercado Rizal y Alonzo Realonda was born on June 19, 1861 in Calamba, Laguna. The seventh […]
Nine Filipino Youths Join the Asian International Children’s Film Festival 2015 in Japan
January 06, 2016

Nine Filipino Youths Join the Asian International Children’s Film Festival 2015 in Japan

Nine high school students from the Philippines headed over to Japan last Monday, November 23rd to participate in the Asian International Children’s Film Festival 2015. They stayed for 9 days in Kitami City, Hokkaido, Japan, where festival delegates from different participating nations were exposed to traditional Japanese culture and customs. Apart from film presentations and the awards ceremony, the itinerary included a Kitami Budokan experience and visits to the Ryu-hyo Museum, the office of the Mayor of Kitami City, the Kita no Daichi no Aquarium, and local schools. The Philippine delegation to the program this year was composed of students who created the top three films* selected among the pool […]
Top 5 Lechons in the Metro
January 04, 2016

Top 5 Lechons in the Metro

In every Filipino event that involves dining, there will always be that one special guest that steals the scene among other dishes served. Clue? It’s hefty, it’s succulent, and it’s crunchy. It’s Lechon—the whole roasted pig we’d all like to devour. Every city in the metro has its own take on lechon. Some like it stuffed; some like it crunchy; and some like its original taste. To help you out on where you can get the best lechon you will ever have, here are some of the bestselling restaurants where you can pig out (pun intended). 1. Lydia’s Lechon Known for more than 50 years in the food industry, Lydia’s […]
Check your PH bills: Old banknotes valid until Dec 31 only
January 06, 2016

Check your PH bills: Old banknotes valid until Dec 31 only

Do you still have old Philippine peso bills? Better check your wallet because these bills will no longer have monetary value by 2017. According to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo, the banknotes launched in 1985, can be used up to until December 31, 2015 only. However, you can still be able to have it exchanged in authorized banks and in the BSP Cash Department from January 1, 2016-December 31, 2016. On January 1, 2017, these old banknotes will officially be declared to have no monetary value. This demonetization process is in line with Section 57 of Republic Act No. 7653 or the New Central Bank Act, […]