“A Disney Christmas” at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort Brings First-ever Snowy Christmas to World of Frozen

Make your winter holiday shine brighter with authentic festive celebrations

It’s time for all your favorite Christmas traditions to shine brighter with a sprinkle of magic during “A Disney Christmas” at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort from November 15, 2024, to January 1, 2025. This year, the world’s first and largest “Frozen” themed land, World of Frozen, is set to host its first-ever Christmas celebration, inviting guests to join a snowy Arendelle celebration for the first time in forever.

As the Happiest Place on Earth gleams with holiday decor and festivities, rejoice in the highly anticipated return of Disney Christmas traditions such as the “Mickey and Friends Christmastime Ball,” “A Holiday Wish-Come-True Tree Lighting Ceremony,” “Disney Christmas Live in Concert!” and more. Book your winter getaway now and celebrate alongside your beloved Disney friends.

World of Frozen Welcomes its First Christmas
For the first time at World of Frozen, join Queens Anna and Elsa from the Walt Disney Animation Studios films, and the enthusiastic citizens of Arendelle for authentic festive traditions. Arendelle Village will be adorned with a veil of sparkling snow, while the forest will transform into a joyous celebration brimming with Christmas spirit, delighting holiday visitors from around the world.

Don’t miss your chance to send season's greetings to Queen Anna while enjoying the first-of-its-kind Arendelle Royal Breakfast Buffet 1 at Golden Crocus Inn, available to book exclusively on Klook.

Disney Christmas Traditions and New Year’s Eve Celebrations Return

Celebrate the festive season with music, magic, and a touch of heartfelt emotion at “Disney Christmas Live in Concert!”, where remarkable singers from across the region will perform in front of the Castle of Magical Dreams. This series will weave Disney classics and festive melodies alongside Mickey and Friends and different performers on three consecutive weekend nights starting from November 23.

Delve into the dreamlike “A Holiday Wish-Come-True Tree Lighting Ceremony,” illuminating Main Street, U.S.A. with twinkling drone effects and a glorious snowfall. Catch “Mickey and Friends Christmastime Ball” and the “Wish Upon a Star” Photo Moment with Mickey and Friends, as well as Duffy and Friends! Duffy and Friends will don their new holiday outfits and greet guests at the
Duffy and Friends Play House.

Ring in 2025 with Disney Pals and celebrate a truly fantastic year ahead in front of the Castle of Magical Dreams by joining the New Year’s Eve countdown party!

Fill Your Hearts and Stomachs with Joy

No Christmas would be complete without the cherished tradition of a joy-filled, family meal. Savor Explorer's Christmas Dinner Buffet with Disney Friends Encounter at Explorer’s Club Restaurant, where Disney Friends dressed in festive outfits will appear beside you! Main Street Corner Café Hosted by Coca-Cola® will also debut a classic seasonal feast with a live Christmas carol performance.

Gift your loved ones an assortment of seasonal items themed to Mickey and Friends, “Frozen,” and more. From cozy sweaters and plushes to homeware, decor and accessories, take home something special to put under the tree for the perfect festive flair.

Elevate Your Immersive Christmas Getaway

Three themed resort hotels have been adorned with magnificent Christmas decorations, providing the perfect stay complete with Christmas-themed in-room surprise packages, themed suites, and holiday activities to extend your Christmas experience. To enhance your day, grab “Disney Premier Access” and “Early Park Entry Pass” to enjoy the rides and attractions at your own pace.

Learn more about the offers below and start to plan your Disney Christmas experience:

2 Nights Plus Special at 30% OFF

Enjoy 30% off Flexible Rate when you book 2 or more consecutive nights at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort Hotels.

Early Park Entry Pass

Enter the park up to an hour earlier than everyone else to enjoy designated rides and attractions.

Play and Shop 2 Day Ticket Offer 2

Enjoy 2 Park visits at HK$918 with a HK$50 merchandise discount voucher!

Disney Premier Access

Enjoy priority access to designated popular attractions and/or shows.

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DITO Telecommunity is Once Again the Rated #1 Mobile Network in the Philippines!

DITO once again won the Rated #1 Mobile Network in the Philippines, making it the first telco in the country to achieve back-to-back wins for this category.

DITO garnered a total score of 3.7 based on the data collected by Ookla® Speedtest Intelligence® from Q1-Q2 2024, highlighting the company’s constant commitment to providing technological innovations and top-notch customer service experience. This recognition is also a validation of the loyalty and trust of DITO subscribers nationwide.

In 2023, DITO also won the Rated # 1 Mobile Network in the Philippines and celebrated its win early this year by launching “DITO SA PUSO KO” featuring Philippines’ power couple Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera. This campaign celebrated the love, trust, and satisfaction that millions of subscribers bestowed to the young telco.

How does Ookla determine the Rated #1 Mobile Network?

At the end of a performance test on Speedtest.net/Speedtest App, users rated telco providers at the “Rate your provider” from one to five stars. All local telcos are represented in Speedtest Intelligence data, with significant volumes of tests nationwide. It comprised millions of consumer-initiated tests performed on web and mobile Speedtest platforms.

The back-to-back recognition of being the #1 Rated Mobile Network is a testament to DITO's unwavering commitment to delivering excellent services to every Filipino. For more details about DITO, check out @DITOphofficial on Facebook, Instagram, and Tiktok or visit https://dito.ph/.

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Get Lifetime Priority Access and Extra Baggage with Sunlight Air and The 815 co.’s new Special Edition Luggage

Earlier this month, alongside the celebration of its fifth anniversary at the Grand Travel Fest 2024, local boutique airline Sunlight Air launched an exclusive Sunlight Air themed luggage line in collaboration with The 815 Co.. Named the Special Edition Collection, the luggage line features a sleek navy exterior and comes in three sizes. As a special treat to purchasers of the Special Edition Collection, each luggage size corresponds to 1-2 kg additional check-in or carry-on baggage allowance for Sunlight Air flights and lifetime rights to priority lane access at the airline’s check-in counters and boarding gates.

“We wanted to commemorate our fifth year by introducing something new that will further elevate the travel experience of our passengers,” shares Ryna Brito-Garcia, CEO of Sunlight Air. “With The 815 Co., we produced the Special Edition Collection with our passengers’ needs in mind, as well as both aesthetics and functionality that will allow for relaxed and stylish travels with Sunlight Air ahead.”

Sunlight Air passengers are in for a treat as those using the Special Edition Collection will also be entitled to exclusive perks as long as they fly with the Sunlight Air. Perfect for travelers looking to bring home tons of souvenirs or stylish vacationers traveling with a complete wardrobe, there’s definitely a bag fit for everyone.

The Special Edition Collection offers luggage available in three different sizes and is crafted with high-quality Polycarbonate PC material, made extra secure with built-in TSA locks. Each luggage includes a dust bag, luggage belt, and a sticker sheet for users to personalize their bags with and express their creativity. The luggage also includes a convenient top-opening zipper, meant to balance practicality and style, making the Special Edition Collection a must-have for frequent travelers.

The Special Edition Collection is available via The 815 Co.’s online store, as well as Zalora, Shopee, and Lazada. You may also purchase your next go-to travel partner via Sunlight Air’s exclusive merchandise store, Sunlight Air SkyMerch. To browse physically and see what’s in store, interested parties may visit The 815 Co. at SM North EDSA, Monarc, and SM Megamall.

To book flights or learn more about Sunlight Air and its available routes, visit https://www.sunlightair.ph/.

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Ber movies to remem-BER

The -ber months have officially started. Check out these movies coming this September.

September 4 - Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Cast: Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Jenna Ortega, Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, Willem Dafoe
Directed by: Tim Burton

In “Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice,” three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River after an unexpected family tragedy. Still haunted by Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton), Lydia’s (Winona Ryder) life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega), discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened. With trouble brewing in both realms, it’s only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice’s name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem.

September 11 - Speak No Evil (Universal Pictures)
Cast: James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, and Scoot McNairy
Directed by: James Watkins

When an American family is invited by a charming British family they befriended on vacation to a weekend in their idyllic country estate, a dream holiday is planned. Soon it warps into a psychological nightmare as not everything is what it seems. An intense suspense thriller from Blumhouse, “Speak No Evil” stars James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, and Scoot McNairy.

September 18 - Transformers One (Paramount Pictures)
Voice cast: Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi, with Laurence Fishburne, Jon Hamm
Directed by: Josh Cooley

“Transformers One” is the untold origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron, better known as sworn enemies, but once were friends bonded like brothers who changed the fate of Cybertron forever. In the first-ever fully CG-animated Transformers movie, Transformers One features a star-studded voice cast, including Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi, with Laurence Fishburne, and Jon Hamm.

September 18 - Taklee Genesis: Worlds Collide (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Cast: Paula Taylor, Peter Corp Dyrendal, Wanarat Ratsameerat, Nuttacha Jessica Padovan
Directed by: Chookiat Sakveerakul

During the Vietnam War, the US Armed Forces built a large Radio Research Field Station (RRFS) at Ramasun Camp. It’s believed to be a test site for the warp-speed teleporter by the name of “Taklee Genesis.” Stella (Paula Taylor), a single mom experiencing a twist of fate, receives a call from her childhood friend Ith (Peter Corp Dyrendal) asking her to return to her hometown to care for her critically ill mother Duangphon (Jenjira Widner). Stella left Ban Don Hai when she was a child after testifying that her father had mysteriously disappeared in a forbidden forest, to no one’s belief. Now back in her hometown 30 years later, Stella receives a call from her missing father asking her to bring him back.

*Schedules are subject to change without prior notice.*

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Cellist Damodar das Castillo set send-off concert on Sept. 19

The MiraNila Heritage House & Library proudly presents “Strings of Gold: Send-off Concert of Cellist Damodar Das Castillo” on September 19, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. at the Main Hall of MiraNila.
Virtuoso concert pianist and Julliard-trained Mariel Ilusorio will accompany the famed cello prodigy, Damodar Das Castillo. Ilusorio will be playing on MiraNila's newly restored Steinway 1904 grand piano, considered rare in the Steinway & Sons catalog.

At the onset of MiraNila's construction in 1929, owner Francisca Tirona Benitez and architect Gregorio Paredes, her cousin who trained alongside National Artist Juan Arellano in Philadelphia, conceived the idea of showcasing this instrument with its unusual rococo-style feet. They positioned the piano on an elevated platform at the bottom of an elegantly winding staircase, allowing the expanse of the living room to foreground the graceful setting.

The repertoire presents a blending of classical music for cello by Bach and Chopin with popular classical pieces by Nicanor Abelardo, Henry Mancini, and Richard Rogers.

The evening concludes with a cello concerto by Dvořák, one of the numbers that allowed Damodar to make his mark on the international competition circuit.

Damodar established his reputation at age seven. Guided and inspired by his cellist father, he joined the Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra as its youngest member in 2015, rising to become its most frequently featured soloist.

Damodar das Castillo

Among his notable performances in 2017 was one before heads of state at the ASEAN Summit and as a featured solo artist making his debut with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra.

A two-time Ani ng Dangal Awardee in Music, Damodar went on to garner top prizes in prestigious international competitions, including The Young Musician in Tallinn, Estonia, in 2019; the International Anton Rubinstein Competition Cello Junior in Dusseldorf in March 2020; the Young Ludwig Youth Music Competition Age Group 2 in Berlin in September 2020; and the Musica Goritiensis International Music Competition Category C in Gorizia, Italy, in July 2021.

Damodar is currently enrolled in pre-college at the Mozarteum University Salzburg under Prof. Barbara Lübke-Herzl. He was recently offered a scholarship to further his studies under Prof. Valentin Radutiu at the Carl Maria von Weber College of Music in Dresden.

Beyond this prodigy’s classical studies is a teenager who dabbles in basketball, football, and table tennis. He enjoys playing death metal music on his electric cello and jamming with a jazz band. He seeks out universal truths while making his mark in classical music.

The cellist father, Alvin, said that his stewardship mainly lies in filling up competition applications and finalizing hotel bookings. "I just remind him about the competition date and I leave it to him to practice or not. I am not really that concerned if he wins or not. I am only concerned about how he will handle results of his preparations" (ABS-CBN News.)

Standard Insurance Company, under its Chairman Ernesto T. Echauz, has been Damodar’s constant supporter, gifting him with a cello handcrafted by Master Luthier George Gerl, a winner of the 2012 German Musical Instrument Prize.

Mariel Ilusorio is a virtuoso concert pianist and a seasoned music educator. She studied at the Juilliard School of Music in New York, the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio, and the State Academy of Music and Theater in Hannover. Top prizes came her way in piano competitions under the tutelage of Stella Brimo, followed by studies and performances in the United States, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Indonesia. After twenty-six years, Ilusorio returned to the Philippines, tantalizing audiences with her virtuoso piano playing. She concurrently serves as an organizer of concerts and recitals and is in the faculty of the UST Conservatory of Music, St. Scholastica's College of Music, Philippine High School for the Arts, and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Manila.

Mariel Ilusorio

The House opens at 5:30 p.m. and the program promptly starts at 6:00 p.m.

For the general public: Tickets @ P1500, limited seating is available, do order now. Text 0927 277 6335 (Robeen Manalo) for tickets. Guests are requested to kindly wear soft-soled shoes as these are kinder to old floors.

Pre-concert snacks & post-concert dinners are available at Bizu MiraNila with a 5% discount for ticket holders on the day of the concert, call to reserve with Jenn or Kim +639273015129.

MiraNila Heritage House & Library is located at 26 Mariposa Street, Brgy. Bagong Lipunan, Crame, QC (find us on Facebook: MiraNila Heritage House and Library).

“Strings of Gold” is presented by the Benitez-Tirona MiraNila Foundation in partnership with Leon Gallery, Erehwon Center for the Arts and Gallery of The Blue Leaf with support from the Bizu Groupe.

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The Manila Hotel and Montesa Medical Group Forge Partnership

The Manila Hotel and Montesa Medical Group (MMG) officially sealed their partnership through a contract signing ceremony held at The Manila Hotelon August 8, 2024. The ceremony was led by The Manila Hotel president, Atty. Jose D. Lina, Jr., and vice president for administration, Elaine Santos. Representing Montesa Medical Group were president and medical director, Dr. Anna Marie Montesa, and managing director, Dr. Christine Marie Montesa, alongside key figures Lovely Rose Sherani and Christine Shea.

This agreement marks the beginning of a new chapter for Montesa Medical Group, as they are set to open a state-of-the-art aesthetic clinic within the health and recreational facilities of The Manila Hotel in November 2024. The clinic will offer a comprehensive range ofdermatological and wellness services. These premium services will be available to both in-house and non-in-house hotel guests.

Montesa Medical Group considers it an honor for MMG to be housed in the iconic and national heritage The Manila Hotel.

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Stay Stylish, Rain or Shine at SM City San Mateo 3-Day Sale

Get ready to revamp your rainy-day wardrobe without breaking the bank! SM City San Mateo is hosting a 3-Day Sale on August 30, 31, and September 1, 2024, offering unbeatable deals on stylish and functional fashion finds for young millennials who commute or drive to work.

Shop for Rainy Day Fashion Finds for Less
Discover a variety of trendy and affordable options to beat the rainy blues. From waterproof jackets and rain boots to cozy sweaters and stylish umbrellas, you’ ll find everything you need to stay dry and fashionable.

Win a Brand-New Suzuki Burgman Street
Don’t miss your chance to win a brand-new Suzuki Burgman Street! Simply shop for at least 1,000 pesos in a single receipt purchase during the 3-Day Sale. The more you shop, the higher your chances of winning this amazing prize.

Exclusive Perks for SMAC and Prestige Cardholders
SMAC and Prestige Cardholders can enjoy exclusive perks and discounts during the 3-Day Sale. Mark your calendars for the Prestige cardholder’s sale on August 30 and the SMAC cardholder’s sale on August 31 and September 1, both at 3–7 PM only.

Play What’s in the Bag promo at the SM Store San Mateo for a chance to win P10,000 worth of shopping money

SM Store’s What’s in the Bag Promo
Aside from the grand raffle, SM Store is also offering its exciting What’s in the Bag promo. Shoppers with a single receipt purchase of P3,000 can win P10,000 worth of shopping money!

Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to update your wardrobe and enjoy incredible savings! Visit SM City San Mateo from August 30 to September 1 and experience the ultimate shopping adventure.

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