SM City Masinag celebrates a Merry and Bright Christmas

It is that time of the year again when everyone gathers at SM City Masinag to light up the annual giant Christmas display at the mall atrium.

Aptly called Merry and Bright Christmas, SM City Masinag illuminates the entire mall highlighting an amazing Christmas centerpiece that features a towering 20-feet royal gazebo and an abundantly adorned Christmas Tree on top of it. The centerpiece greenery is decked out with poinsettias, Christmas trees and fluttery park lights that complete a beautiful indoor garden scenery. I and my mom took the opportunity to take our photos in the wonderful display.

The launch highlights a ceremonial lighting ceremony with local officials led Antipolo City Councilor Susan Say and Bgy. Mayamot Kagawad Arvie Reyes-Regino. They are joined by SM Supermalls Senior AVP Johanna Rupisan, Regional Operations Manager Chris Martin Coquia, SM City Masinag Mall Manager April Duques Bulanon and Assistant Mall Manager Sean Arroyo. The talented performers from Madison Events entertain guests with a Christmas musical.

“To see families and friends gather round our annual Christmas centerpiece makes us beam with happiness as we know we become part of their Holiday memories when they take pictures at our mall displays. We are thankful that we get to do this again for our shoppers especially after the limiting years we endure because of the pandemic. We hope that our offerings and attractions here at the mall make their Holidays this year more meaningful,” says April Duques Bulanon, Mall Manager of SM City Masinag.

Starting October 29, 2022, SM City Masinag is again launching the Bears of Joy, an annual charity program of SM Supermalls wherein shoppers can also participate by buying a pair of Christmas Teddy Bears for P250 from the Bears of Joy booth. One of the two bears will be donated to a selected charity, while the donor can take the other one home. SM City Masinag will give the accumulated donated bears to a chosen charity.

Check out SM City Masinag Official on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for official updates about the lineup of promos and happenings this Holiday Season.

Read More

The Biggest K-Bazaar is Going to CEBU!

Previously attended by over 2,000+ fans during our last event last August 20, 2022 at the SM Skydome - Hallyu Market is now headed to Cebu for 3 HALLYU-PACKED Days of merchandise and budol all around for our Visayas based K-Pop Community!

Hallyu Market Live will be at the City Atrium Event Center at SM Seaside Cebu on November 18-20, from 10AM onwards. Entrance is FREE!

Interested merchants can instantly book their booths at www.hallyumarket.live

Read More

Charity Dinner Concert to Fund Children Nutrition Program

To raise funds for a massive nationwide nutrition program for children, a charity dinner concert will be staged at The Manila Hotel on November 26, 2022 at 6:00pm.

This was announced by Joey Lina, The Manila Hotel President and Former Senator after the formation of an alliance of non-governmental organizations called “Alliance for a Healthy Philippines” (AHP) last October 6, 2022 also at The Manila Hotel. The alliance aims to increase awareness on the serious children malnutrition problem in the country and to implement barangay-based nutrition intervention program especially during the child’s first 1,000 days. The organizations include Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions, Jaycees, Midwives and the World Vision and others. The AHP will work in tandem with government, particularly with the National Nutrition Council (NNC).

The performers in the concert include the country’s premier music artists Isay Alvarez, Lara Maigue, Rachelle Gerodias, former press secretary Atty, Mike Toledo, former executive secretary Atty. Salvador Medialdea and Joey Lina.

Malusog na Bata, Malakas na Bansa is the battle cry of the organization. The theme of the concert is “Yes, I Believe”.

In a letter to various business organization and individuals asking for support to the nutrition program and the charity dinner concert, Lina explained the grim statistics surrounding the country’s children’s health and nutrition:

1. "The underlying cause of 95 child deaths daily in the Philippines is child undernutrition.”, according to the 2015 Unite For Children report from United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF). This makes children undernutrition in our country much worse than the COVID-19 pandemic.
2. The 2016 Global Nutrition Report said the Philippines is among those with the highest wasting and stunting prevalence. Of a total of 130 countries ranked lowest to highest on wasting prevalence, the Philippines is ranked 93rd. On stunting, the Philippines has 30.3% prevalence and is at 88th spot out of 132 countries also ranked lowest to highest.
3. Health experts have warned that “chronic undernutrition leads to stunted growth, which is irreversible and is associated with impaired cognitive ability and reduced school performance, as well as poor work capacity and productivity.”
4. When it comes to Intelligence Quotient (IQ) in Southeast Asian nations, the Philippines ranked lowest according to a study released last year by the World Population Review.
5. The Philippines ranked lowest in reading literacy among 79 countries, and second to lowest in mathematics and science, based on the evaluation last 2019 by the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).

Unless the country is able to solve the children malnutrition problem particularly in the child’s first 1,000 days, the most critical period in the child’s brain growth, the Philippines’ human resource will be not productive and school performance will be poor, Lina added.

Read More

Coming home to Amiya Raya: A Fulfillment of a Promise

The first time 34-year-old Michael Gargarita saw Amiya Raya, he instantly fell in love with the place, so much so that he purchased his Ramya unit the day after. He describes his first impressions of Amiya Raya as a home away from the city that is in fact near the city.

The transaction may have been quick, but really, this feat of owning a home at Amiya Raya was a result of years of hard work. Michael is currently a regional operations manager for Procter and Gamble and has been with the company for seven years, following his previous stints.

“This is a fulfillment of a promise. That’s why I purchased it actually. When I was younger, we weren’t really born with a silver spoon. I promised my mom that one day, I would be really providing or purchasing a house for her. And then, it did happen. So, it’s really a fulfillment of a promise,” Michael narrates.

I really wanted to have a place that would be able to provide some relaxation and ambiance for my mom at her age, he added.

For Michael, Ramya, his chosen unit, utilizes space well and has a big outdoor area for a garden. During his house blessing, he was able to make the most of the garden as well as its surrounding area, inviting a total of 150 guests for his house blessing.

Getting the unit semi-furnished gave him the liberty to design its details and make it his own.

“I always believe that a house always has its own unique feature or character that showcases the personality of its homeowner. My motif was more on black and gold for the living room, white and gold for the kitchen area, and more of wood type upstairs.”

Amidst the ongoing pandemic, the happy homeowner describes his home “healthy mind setup”, something really close to nature and is conducive for work-from-home arrangements.

Living an active lifestyle, he describes Amiya Raya as a place that allows him #LiveItUp.

“First is the view and I really think we have good amenities. Even if it’s a home away from the city, it still has amenities that can support that kind of active lifestyle that you want, playing badminton, going to the gym, doing a lap via the deep pool.

“I did recommend Amiya Raya to some friends,” he shares. 

Read More

Liam Hemsworth takes Geralt role for The Witcher

In a special announcement, Henry Cavill lays down his swords in the fourth season of Netflix's The Witcher and giving it to a new Geralt, Liam Hemsworth. 

Henry sends his warm wishes to Liam in this short and heartfelt message online.

My journey as Geralt of Rivia has been filled with both monsters and adventures, and alas, I will be laying down my medallion and my swords for Season 4. In my stead, the fantastic Mr Liam Hemsworth will be taking up the mantle of the White Wolf. As with the greatest of literary characters, I pass the torch with reverence for the time spent embodying Geralt and enthusiasm to see Liam's take on this most fascinating and nuanced of men.
Liam, good sir, this character has such a wonderful depth to him, enjoy diving in and seeing what you can find.  #TheWitcher Liam Hemsworth

- Henry Cavill

Liam Hemsworth later on gives a statement in accepting the role.

As a Witcher fan, I'm over the moon about the opportunity to play Geralt of Rivia. Henry Cavill has been an incredible Geralt, and I'm honoured that he's handing me the reins and allowing me to take up the White Wolf's blades for the next chapter of the adventure.

Henry, I've been a fan of yours for years and was inspired by what you brought to this beloved character. I may have some big boots to fill, but I'm truly excited to be stepping into The Witcherworld. @henrycavill @witchernetflix.

- Liam Hemsworth, Instagram

Netflix also made it internet-official welcoming the new Geralt and thanking Henry for an awesome journey in the character.

While many online are sad about Henry leaving The Witcher, let's give all smiles to Liam in this new role. Season 3 of The Witcher comes in Summer 2023 and standby for season 4.

Read More

LG’s 54” Videowall is the Perfect Control Room Solution

Make a statement guaranteed to leave the right impression with LG’s LED Bloc. The massive 54” videowall, the recipient of numerous design awards such as IDEA and Red Dot, combines innovation and simplicity. It provides a host of indoor applications and sets the standard for what commercial displays should be.

The biggest innovation of the 54” LG LED Bloc is the application of cableless transmission technology with non connectors. For up to UHD resolution with the 16:9 ratio, it does not require a cable connection between the cabinets to supply signal and power. Its block assembly design makes the LSAC series easier to install than before.There’s no need for additional signal cables that add clutter and confusion to your setup.

The LG 54” video wall is also sleek and sits flush to the wall. Unlike LCD video walls, the LSAC series is truly bezel-free, so audiences can focus on visual content in its entirety without any bezel interference between displays.

Since the LSAC series is EMC Class B certified, it can be used anywhere, even up close and personal. Therefore, it is suitable for up-close uses such as corporate meeting rooms, board rooms, etc.Aside from low electromagnetic emissions, it saves power when on standby as well. When there is no input signal for a period of time, the screen turns off and the main circuit parts inside the LED cabinet go to a standby mode. This saves additional power consumption and enables the product to be reactivated simply by using a remote control.The OS of the display is also compatible with LG software solutions including SuperSign CMS, LED Assistant, and ConnectedCare, which help customers operate their own business flawlessly.

For more information regarding LG’s commercial display solutions, visit the LG website at https://www.lg.com/us/business/commercial-displays. You may also follow LG’s social media pages on Facebook (@LGPhilippines) and Instagram (@lgphilippines).

Read More

Grumpy Tom Hanks in the trailer of "A Man Called Otto"

Discover what can happen when you let life in. See Tom Hanks as Otto in the official trailer of Columbia Pictures’ heartwarming comedy/drama A Man Called Otto, in Philippine cinemas 2023.

Based on the comical and moving # 1 New York Times bestseller, A Man Called Otto tells the story of Otto Anderson (Tom Hanks), a grumpy widower who is very set in his ways. When a lively young family moves in next door, he meets his match in quick-witted and very pregnant Marisol, leading to an unlikely friendship that will turn his world upside-down. Experience a funny, heartwarming story about how some families come from the most unexpected places.


Directed by Marc Forster (Finding Neverland), A Man Called Otto stars Tom Hanks (Philadelphia, Forrest Gump, Cast Away), Mariana Treviño (Club the Cuervos), Rachel Keller (Fargo) and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo (The Magnificent Seven). The screenplay is written by Academy Award® nominee David Magee (Best Adapted Screenplay, Life of Pi, 2012; Best Adapted Screenplay, Finding Neverland, 2004) based upon the best-selling novel “A Man Called Ove” by Fredrik Backman. The film is also based on the Swedish film written and directed by Hannes Holm. The film is being produced by Rita Wilson, Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman and Fredrik Wikström Nicastro.

In Philippine cinemas 2023, A Man Called Otto is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.

Read More