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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.

PRA Standing Strong at 30 years
December 29, 2015

PRA Standing Strong at 30 years

The Philippines is a country replete with natural resources, caring and hospitable people and a growing economy. This is the reason why it’s an attractive retirement haven for foreign retirees. And for three decades, the Philippine Retirement Agency (PRA) remains at the forefront of providing support and attractive retirement options to the elderly from around the world who choose to call the Philippines their second home. Founded in July 1985, the PRA is a government-owned and controlled organization with a mandate to attract foreign nationals and former Filipino citizens to invest, reside and retire in the Philippines. The PRA is an attached agency of the Department of Tourism (DOT) and […]
Venice Piazza Grand Canal Mall in Taguig City
June 27, 2018

Venice Piazza Grand Canal Mall in Taguig City

Experience a romantic canal cruise a la Venice in the metro!
Star Wars: The Force Awakens Premieres in Manila
December 28, 2015

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Premieres in Manila

Yes, the force has come! The much-awaited space opera is finally back — Star Wars premieres today, December 17, 2015 in the Philippines. The seventh franchise of the Star Wars saga, The Force Awakens is expected to draw hordes to local cinemas beginning today. This well-loved series’ last franchise “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith” was seen a decade ago in 2005. Now, after 10 years of waiting, fans can again unleash their inner Jedi knights and reunite with their well-loved characters from this celebrated series. Relive your Star Wars memories and watch it in over a hundred theaters nationwide!
Christmas Bazaars Happening in the Metro
December 29, 2015

Christmas Bazaars Happening in the Metro

It’s time to wind up your Christmas shopping! Not done with your Christmas shopping yet? Grab your shopping bag and head over to these Christmas bazaars around the metro. Find that perfect present for your loved ones as each bazaar offers various shopping finds, from fashion to food items at very reasonable prices. Check out these places and enjoy shopping!   1)  Simbang Gabi Christmas Bazaar by the Ateneo Management Association Night shopping + evening mass. Come to the Simbang Gabi Christmas Bazaar organized by the Ateneo Management Association. When: December 15-24, 2015, night bazaar starts at 6pm, mass starts at 8pm Address: Ateneo de Manila University, Katipunan Ave., Loyola […]
New World Makati Hotel Welcomes the Festive Season
December 17, 2015

New World Makati Hotel Welcomes the Festive Season

New World Makati Hotel invites all to discover the magic of Christmas through a series of timeless tales and festive fare. Home for the Holidays. Create lasting memories in the comfort of newly refreshed rooms and suites from 10 December 2015 to 10 January 2016.  The Christmas Holiday Room packages start at PHP5,500 per night in a Superior room with complimentary breakfast for two, Internet access, dining vouchers and goodies.  Guests and non-local residents may opt for a Deluxe room for PHP6,500, a Residence Club room for PHP8,000 and a One Bedroom Suite for PHP9,000.  The first 50 guests to book will receive a complimentary upgrade to the next room […]
Krispy Kreme’s Crafty Christmas
December 28, 2015

Krispy Kreme’s Crafty Christmas

A melange of festive colours loaded with creativity and generosity came alive at Krispy Kreme’s flagship store in BGC High Street on December 12 at its Crafty Christmas event. The activity allowed Krispy Kreme customers to unleash their artistic side on Krispy Kreme’s Tin Can for a good cause. The participants were mainly families with kids who were so eager to embellish and personalize their purchased tin cans made available at the counter. The excitement didn’t end there as popular artist Kerby Rosanes doodled his own giant Kripsy Kreme tin can… live! And at the end of the day, the best decorated tin can was awarded with a year’s supply […]
Metro Manila Film Festival: A Showcase of Local Entertainment
December 22, 2015

Metro Manila Film Festival: A Showcase of Local Entertainment

It’s that time of the year when Filipino movies dominate the cinemas and foreign films have to give way to locally-produced films. The annual Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) happens every Christmas day until the first week of January. And although you might miss your Hollywood movie watching time, it is a good opportunity to get to know the local entertainment industry through movies that give you a glimpse of the local culture. Now on its 41st year, the MMFF advocates the patronage of Filipino films by showcasing only local movies during a two-week period. This year’s festival will run from December 25, 2015 to January 7, 2016. Here are […]
Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa Cited as ‘Best Resort Hotel for Business Events’
December 17, 2015

Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa Cited as ‘Best Resort Hotel for Business Events’

Cebu, Philippines, December 8, 2015 – In the recently released CEI Readers’ Choice Awards 2015, Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa, Cebu was named ‘Best Resort Hotel for Business Events’—a remarkable culmination to a year that had seen a series of high-profile events at the resort, including the historic ministerial meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference and the annual Asian Carriers’ Conference, among many others. The awarding body, CEI Asia, is an independent source of information for corporate events within the region. For the past 15 years, its annual industry survey has been a reputable list that showcases the best in MICE destinations as chosen by its readers. Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort […]
Get to Know the Country’s Presidential Candidates
December 15, 2015

Get to Know the Country’s Presidential Candidates

Get to Know the Country’s Presidential Candidates The race is on for the country’s next leader. Curious about the men and women vying to be the country’s chief executive? As you may already know by now, election in the Philippines is not complete without controversies and drama. And since most of the info we have about them come from their own political ads or media reports, it’s good to know some basic important things about them on neutral ground. Let’s get to know some of them in this quick review of their background and career highlights. JEJOMAR BINAY Name: Jejomar “Jojo” Binay Current position: Vice President of the Philippines Career […]
AlDub: The TV Phenomenon That’s Been Sweeping the Nation
December 15, 2015

AlDub: The TV Phenomenon That’s Been Sweeping the Nation

You see and hear them around through numerous billboards, TV commercials, radio commentaries, forum topics, and social media. This “AlDub” thing that is all the rage these days conquering all kinds of media may have made you feel curious and we can’t blame you. No one wants to feel left behind especially when something has become too big to ignore and almost everyone around you is talking about it. So what exactly is AlDub, and what makes it such a huge hit in the Philippines? Topping social media trends since July 2015, AlDub is now considered one of the most popular loveteams in the history of Philippine entertainment. AlDub is […]
Ride Your Way to Prizes: Cash Cab is Coming to Manila!
December 29, 2015

Ride Your Way to Prizes: Cash Cab is Coming to Manila!

Want to get rich while stuck in traffic? The popular American game show Cash Cab is coming to Manila premiering on December 22, 2015 at 8:50 pm on AXN. Hosted by Ryan Agoncillo, the show will have its encore telecast on December 24, 9:15 pm. To play the game, Cash Cab Philippines will be using a regular taxi cab for disguise. It will traverse along Metro Manila, in search of unwary passengers, with the driver (host) asking them a series of trivia questions. Every correct answer guarantees P1000 as the game gets more difficult. Strike is the term used for every wrong answer, and three strikes will mean that the […]
Enderun Colleges lights up its first eco-friendly and sustainable Christmas tree
December 28, 2015

Enderun Colleges lights up its first eco-friendly and sustainable Christmas tree

Enderun Colleges kicked off the holiday season with its first Christmas tree lighting ceremony called At First Light. The 22-foot structure features an eco-friendly Christmas tree made from bamboo and abundantly adorned with upcycled ornaments, LED lights and Liter of Light. The College collaborated with different groups to create its eco-friendly and sustainable Christmas tree. The ornaments were handcrafted by two communities – the newspaper ornaments were made by the talented women of Pook Galatia in Paranaque City, supported by Kabisig ng Kalahi Foundation; while the décor made from soda caps were assembled by the Gawad Kalinga Community of Sitio Pajo in Barangay Baesa in Quezon City. Enderun also partnered […]
Japan’s apples and pears are now available in Metro Manila
December 10, 2015

Japan’s apples and pears are now available in Metro Manila

Rustan’s marketplace in Metro Manila started the retailing of apples and pears from Yamagata Prefecture, Japan from December 5th, and will continue until January 2016. Shoppers can see and buy the Japanese apple varieties of “Sinano-Gold” and “Sinano-Sweet” and the popular pear variety “La-France” at the Rustan’s Marketplace outlets. A Japanese apple variety “Fuji” is also sold from the start of January. Japanese apple variety “Sinano-Sweet” French pear variety “La-France” Marketplace of Rustan’s Cental Square BGC Japanese apple variety “Sinano-Gold” Apples and pears are the only fruits, which are permitted for exports from Japan to the Philippines, in accordance with the agreement on plant quarantine between the two countries. Why […]
Dine and Donate, Shop and Share this Season and Beyond
December 29, 2015

Dine and Donate, Shop and Share this Season and Beyond

“It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” – Mother Teresa In the Philippines, it has been a tradition for many companies to give back to the community before the year ends. They organize fund-raising events and outreach programs to spread the spirit of giving. Here’s a list of establishments that accept donations and pre-loved clothes, books, and toys: – Jollibee – Maaga ang Pasko Since 1994, the number one local fastfood chain in the country has collected over 2 million toys and books through this nationwide donation drive. In partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of […]
Court Suspends Granting Permits to Uber, GrabCar
December 06, 2015

Court Suspends Granting Permits to Uber, GrabCar

The Quezon City Regional Trial Court on Friday issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to stop granting permits to app-based ride hailing services Uber and GrabCar and similar transport services operating under the Transport Network Vehicle Services (TNVS). The TRO includes the stopping of accepting, processing and approving of applications of private motor vehicles as public utility vehicles accredited and belonging to TNVS. QCRTC Judge Santiago Arenas clarified that the TRO does not apply to current operations of Uber and GrabCar, as it only disallows government offices from accepting and approving TNVS applications. […]
B Hotel Quezon City Grand Opening
December 06, 2015

B Hotel Quezon City Grand Opening

Bellevue Hotels and Resorts opened its second B Hotel branch in Quezon City on Friday after the tremendous success of its first branch in Alabang. By sharing the B Hotel flavor in the metro, travelers will experience a sleek and stylish business hotel characterized by exquisite look complemented with the beautiful Filipino hospitality. As inspired by a modernist style way back in 1950s that showcases simplicity free from mystery and romanticism, B  Hotel Managing Director Ryan Chan expressed that the concept for this hotel is to have a touch of aesthetics. Managing Director Ryan Chan It has a unique industrial design with distinctly rugged texture that will definitely attract businessmen and locals. Here, they can […]
Shangri-la’s Mactan Resort & Spa Cebu Brings the Rush to Manila
December 28, 2015

Shangri-la’s Mactan Resort & Spa Cebu Brings the Rush to Manila

Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa, Cebu joins the holiday rush in Manila as the premier resort stages its Pre-Christmas Sale at the Shangri-La Plaza Mall from Dec. 4 to 6. The three-day leisure sale exclusively offers jaw-dropping deals to shoppers who wish to enjoy the resort’s array of facilities and services, including room accommodation, dining, outdoor recreation and selected CHI, The Spa treatments. Shoppers dreaming of a getaway at the seaside resort can avail of a two-night stay with dinner buffet package that offers a discounted rate of up to 40 percent off. Starting at PHP22,000 net for a Deluxe Seaview Room accommodation, a family of two adults and two […]
Pope Francis is PETA Asia’s Person of the Year
December 02, 2015

Pope Francis is PETA Asia’s Person of the Year

PETA or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has chosen His Holiness Pope Francis as PETA Asia’s Person of the Year. The first pope to take the name of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of all animals, Pope Francis has been known as a church leader who cares for animal welfare. He urged the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics and all citizens of the world to reject domination over God’s creation, treat animals with kindness, and respect the environment. In his 2015 treatise, Laudato Si’, the charismatic pope stressed the importance of treating animals with kindness, writing, “Every act of cruelty towards any creature is ‘contrary to human dignity’” and “We […]
Dusit Thani Presents UMU’s Holiday Set Menu
December 28, 2015

Dusit Thani Presents UMU’s Holiday Set Menu

This year, let UMU Japanese Restaurant make your holiday celebration even more festive with its delightful Christmas and New Year set dinner offerings. Start your feast with the Zouni Soup (grilled rice cake, chicken thigh and vegetables) or Nankin Tofu (hand-made pumpkin tofu topped with prawn, asparagus, wasabi and Japanese sauce) and indulge in our Wafu Steak (U.S. rib eye steak in wafu steak sauce) or Beef Teppan (with ebi, mixed vegetables and steak sauce). Cap off your meal with some vanilla ice cream with red beans and kinako or green tea ice cream with kinako and cherry. PHP 3,500 nett per person on December 24 for dinner and December […]
GrabTaxi Launches GrabHeli
November 25, 2015

GrabTaxi Launches GrabHeli

Now you can beat the traffic by grabbing a chopper service in the metro! After giving teasers last week, the ride-hailing app GrabTaxi announced yesterday its launch of GrabHeli, its newest weekends-only chopper service made available to the public. In partnership with the helicopter and jets charter service PhilJets, the Malaysian-based company is offering it initially as a luxury service and as a forerunner to an Air Taxi service it plans to bring to the market in the future as an alternative travel mode. GrabHeli will cost PHP3,888 (US$82.53) per person for a 15-minute ride and all flights will take off and land on the PhilJets facility in Pasay City […]