SJDM Breaks World Record For Longest Light Parade

Over 12,500 lanterns illuminated Quirino Highway in the City of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan at the recently concluded Tanglawan Festival, successfully claiming the Guiness record for the world’s longest lantern parade.

The new record number of participants, which comprised of students from various schools and communities in the city, exceeded the previous record holder, Singapore, who had a total of 10,568 participants.

The city is expected to receive an authorized certificate from the members of the Guinness Book of World Records to commemorate their achievement and to cement their place as record holders in the coming weeks.

The local government of San Jose Del Monte, whom arranged the Festival and its activities credited the success of the world record attempt to the effforts of its constituents.

“The success of this event is victory for all San Joseño’s,” Said Congresswoman Florida “Rida” Robes.

“That together, we can achieve anything that we put our mind to,” she added.

“This accomplishment as a stepping stone for our community to realize our vision of San Jose Del Monte as a Sustainable City. While our city may have had a dark reputation and history, we believe the light of each citizen can change that,” she concluded.

For more information on San Jose Del Monte and their projects please visit http://csjdm.gov.ph/

Happy Studio app brings a whole new world of fun to your kids’ next play date with this educational Mc Donald's app

Customers across the globe have always enjoyed McDonald’s iconic Happy Meal. Highly collectible, each Happy Meal release comes with a range of toys for kids to delight in. With the launch of the new Happy Studio app, customers can now enjoy their favorite toys and characters in a new and exciting platform.

Happy Studio is an interactive learning and play app that makes the Happy Meal experience even more enjoyable. Filled to the brim with character-themed games, the Happy Studio app is a place where kids can explore their creativity while developing useful skills.

Using the app is simple and easy. All you have to do is download the app for free and click on your activity of choice to get the fun started. The best part? You can even scan a Happy Meal toy to unlock more fun and games within the app!

Happy Studio has been designed in collaboration with a panel of child development and play experts. These experts have been working with McDonald’s to create a fun new environment that grows children’s imaginations and encourages innovative thinking.

Educational Game Play

In the Happy Studio app, kids can choose to step into the shoes of an inventor, an artist, or a musician. Each activity is focused on developing certain skills while putting the child into playful mini-scenarios.


As an inventor, kids can build various objects with their favorite characters while learning creative and logic skills as they go. As an artist, children are able to improve their creative skills and exercise their imagination. As a musician, kids are able to explore musical patterns to help improve their rhythm and timing.

Parents can also join in on the fun with features such as Happy Readers, for quality bonding experiences with their kids.

Happy Studio is now available for download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Share your love for the app via the official Facebook fan page, www.facebook.com/mcdo.ph, or by tagging @McDo_PH to your sweet and funny Happy Studio moments on Twitter or Instagram.

Ascof Lagundi presents "Biyenan" under the helm of Director Chris Cahilig

IT IS QUITE common to find parents-in-law playing active roles in a typical Filipino family, especially in helping raise children.

Despite the comfort and convenience this cultural norm may engender, it occasionally gives rise to conflict. Where do both parties draw the line between nurturing and spoiling them—and how can sensitive issues like this be peacefully resolved?

“Biyenan,” a short film directed by Chris Cahilig and presented by Ascof Lagundi, touches on this commonplace subject involving the tricky relationship between two women (the young mother and her biyenan) who, notwithstanding the immense love they both have for the children, have vastly divergent views about raising them.

The short film follows the story of Jenny (played by Dalin Sarmiento), a mother of two, who struggles to make her children, Dana (Yuriko Javier) and Kyle (Nathan Martinez), follow her own house rules—such as the proper time to watch TV and do school work. The children, having been accustomed to their grandmother Marita’s (played by veteran actress Lui Manansala) more laidback rules when they were still living in the same house, find it a challenge to comply with their mom’s restrictions.

Jenny is likewise worried about her kids being frequently pampered by her biyenan with bags of goodies and occasional shopping sprees, and not even her husband Vince (Mon Paulo Martinez) can do anything about it.

At one point in the story, the more willful and outspoken Dana throws a tantrum when Jenny tells them to turn off the TV and go to bed since it was nearing midnight. The girl, claiming it was a weekend, after all, is defiant. “Buti pa kay lola, walang rules-rules! She loves us so much! I want to live with lola again!” 
There are a few other scenes in the film that depict how a young mother and her headstrong but well-meaning biyenan could come to a head, but towards the end of the story, Jenny and Marita realize that what they have in common—they are both mothers who love their youngsters unconditionally and want nothing but the best for them—will allow them to overcome their differences and find harmony in the process.

Director Cahilig, producer of renowned indie film Echorsis and a public relations and marketing expert, asserts that “Biyenan” is something that Filipino families can easily relate to because it presents scenarios that actually happen in real life—like resolving disagreements, as Jenny and her biyenan did in the short film, by trusting in a common good.

Cahilig affirms this, saying, “Our viewers will find themselves smiling and frowning and smiling again while watching ‘Biyenan’ because, whether they admit it or not, they will see a slice of their lives or a reflection of themselves in the characters of a story that is very simple yet will surely tug at the heartstrings of parents and their in-laws.” 

“Jenny and her biyenan Marita do not see eye to eye on assorted issues, and this is depicted throughout the film, but they are one in saying that it takes a trusted and natural cough remedy like Ascof Lagundi to ensure that the kids get effective and soothing relief from cough-related sore and itchy throat,” Cahilig adds.

Ascof Lagundi, the innovative and pioneering cough remedy in the Philippines, is made from 100 percent organically grown Lagundi leaves, making it a natural, safe, and effective relief for cough and bronchial asthma.

“Biyenan,” which can be watched online at the Ascof Lagundi Facebook page, was shot by cinematographer and producer Cesca Lee, known for T.P.O., Purgatoryo and Otso. The production staff also include Archie Del Mundo (line producer/screenplay), Jane Gonzales (production manager), Mark Cyril Bautista (editor), and Kathrine Salinas (sound design).

Darren Aronofsky Reflects on Why He Made “mother!”

Visionary filmmaker Darren Aronofsky (Noah, Black Swan) brings to the screen his most daring and bound-to-be-controversial film – Paramount Pictures' new thriller m o t h e r ! starring Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem.

In Philippine cinemas September 20, the film revolves around Mother (Lawrence) and Him (Bardem) who live in a seemingly idyllic existence in a secluded paradise. But the couple’s relationship is tested when man (Ed Harris) and woman (Michelle Pfeiffer) arrive at their home uninvited. Answering that knock disrupts their tranquil existence and as more and more guests arrive, mother is forced to revisit everything she knows about love, devotion and sacrifice.

The relationship thriller began when Writer / Director Darren Aronofsky spent five fevered days at his keyboard alone in an empty house. The Academy Award© nominated filmmaker knows he might be pressed about the result – Why such a dark vision? His answer? Look around:

“It is a mad time to be alive. As the world population nears 8 billion we face issues too serious to fathom: Ecosystems collapse as we witness extinction at an unprecedented rate; Migrant crises disrupt governments; A seemingly schizophrenic U.S. helps broker a landmark climate treaty and months later withdraws; Ancient tribal disputes and beliefs continue to drive war and division; The largest iceberg ever recorded breaks off an Antarctic ice shelf and drifts out to sea. At the same time we face issues too ridiculous to comprehend: In South America tourists twice kill rare baby dolphins that washed ashore, suffocating them in a frenzy of selfies; Politics resembles sporting events; People still starve to death while others can order any meat they desire. As a species our footprint is perilously unsustainable yet we live in a state of denial about the outlook for our planet and our place on it.

“From this primordial soup of angst and helplessness,” continues Aronofsky, “I woke up one morning and this movie poured out of me.”

His other six films gestated with him for years, but this? In 5 days, he was holding a rough draft of m o t h e r ! in his hands. “Within a year we were rolling cameras.”

Two years after that long weekend, Aronofsky’s film was headed for its world premiere at the 74th Venice International Film Festival (Aug. 30 – Sept. 9), selected to compete for the prestigious Golden Lion Award for Best Film. Its North American premiere is set for the 42nd Annual Toronto Film Festival Sept. 7-17.

Aronofsky admits m o t h e r ! is hard to slot into any one particular genre, and that’s because even he can't fully pinpoint where everything in this film came from: “Some came from the headlines we face every second of every day, some came from the endless buzzing of notifications on our smart phones, some came from living through the blackout of Hurricane Sandy in downtown Manhattan, some came from my heart, some from my gut. Collectively it's a recipe I won't ever be able to reproduce, but I do know this concoction is best served as a single dose – in a shot glass.”

“When Darren sat down to write this story one of the main things he was thinking about was the way that human beings live on this planet and what they do to this planet,” says Producer Ari Handel. “And he wanted to dramatize that by shrinking it all the way down: to one relationship in one house. “I remember when, a few months after we were deep in the script, he came across this book, Woman and Nature, by Susan Griffin. It was a piece of ’70s philosophy that also sketched a parallel between how men sometimes treat women and how people treat the planet. That book reaffirmed for us that we were going to be able to make these two stories, the story of a relationship, and the story of our world, both work at the same time.”

mother! is distributed in the Philippines by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

LG launches LG Signature 77-inch OLED TV in the Philippines

The future of home cinema entertainment has arrived with the introduction of LG Signature OLED TV in the Philippines, via an official launch ceremony at the Ascott, BGC. LG is the pioneer in OLED technology (Organic Light Emitting Diodes). Thanks to OLED, we can now enjoy more vivid visuals like never before. Over the course of the past five years, LG has continually developed a better, more vibrant viewing experience. The result is the LG Signature OLED TV.

There is indeed cause to be excited because the pinnacle of this 5-year continuous improvement is embodied in the sleek 77-inch LG Signature OLED TV, the first LG Signature TV to be made available in the Philippines. LG Signature is the gold standard in design. Behind it is an intuitive, responsive and functional design philosophy that spells sheer elegance in simplicity.

OLED technology makes perfect blacks and perfect colors come alive, and the viewing experience is complemented by exceptional sound with the Dolby Atmos audio system. This is the first time that the Dolby Atmos has ever been featured in TV speakers. The result mimics reality on your TV. Also because of OLED, the screen is so thin, it’s picture-in-glass thin! The result is a perfect viewing angle, wherever you are relative to the TV. Through the webOS, you can sit back and binge-watch movies and shows on Netflix for hours of non-stop excitement. No one can blame you if you never want to leave the house again!

“With Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos integrated into our newest OLED products, viewers will be able to recapture the magic of the cinema and experience their favorite movies with their original clarity, depth and imagination intact,” said Mr. Tony An, Vice President for Home Entertainment, LG Electronics Philippines. “The stunning new TVs on available in the market demonstrate our commitment to innovation and leadership in OLED Technology.”

With the arrival of the LG Signature OLED TV in the Philippines, we welcome a new era in TV. It has elevated the home TV entertainment experience.

For more details, visit www.lg.com/ph, like LG Philippines’ official Facebook page or follow @LGPhilippines on Twitter and Instagram.

Luistro, Abunda open Manila Int’l Book Fair 2017 at SMX

On its 38th year, the Manila International Book Fair (MIBF), promises to be bigger and better this year, now with two floors of exhibit space to celebrate the written word and the love for reading.

Slated to open on Wednesday, Sept. 13, and to run until Sept. 17 at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City, MIBF 2017 returns with more than a hundred exhibitors to satisfy the Filipino public’s reading fix.

Set to grace the opening ceremony are president of De La Salle Philippines and former Education secretary Bro. Armin Luistro, FSC; and talk show host, media personality, certified bookworm and now author Boy Abunda.

In response to the growing audience for MIBF, which reaches up to 120,000 visitors over the five-day event, MIBF has expanded its exhibit space beyond the main exhibit halls, increasing the exhibit floor from  9,130 to 11,980 square meters

This year, the MIBF will be showcasing books for young readers – from baby books to YA – on the second floor. Hence, the MIBF is oce more poised to showcase the biggest and most varied collection of literature for leisure and academic reading, including bestsellers, children’s books and YA, textbooks and reference materials, comics and graphic novels, religious and inspirational reads, multimedia and teaching aids, and many more.

Readers can also look forward to a lineup of exciting events in store for this year’s crowd, from book launches, book signings, meet and greets, storytelling, cosplay, special contests, seminars and workshops, and other special activities designed for book lovers of all ages and all walks of life.

Also co-located at the MIBF is the National Conference on Technology in Education set on September 12 to 14, driving conversations about modernized trends in the Philippine education sector.

The MIBF is organized by Primetrade Asia, Inc. in partnership with Asian Catholic Communicators, Inc., Book Development Association of the Philippines, Philippine Booksellers Association, Inc., and the Overseas Publishers Representatives’ Association of the Philippines.

For details, call 896-0661 or 896-0682, e-mail bookfair@primetradeasia.com, or follow @ManilaBookFair on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Sanrio Little Twin Stars x Happy Skin

To those who grew up in the 80s. Sanrio was the "in" thing during those years. I remember a suitor who was 5 years my senior, pampering me with my favorite Little Twin Stars every time he had a chance dropping by school.  Sanrio was a part of my childhood memories.

From bags to toothbrush, clips, spoon and fork, socks, hankies, wallets, coin purses, keychains, pins, name it I had it. I was I guess during those time a Sanrio Influencer, hahahahaha. My classmates would always nudge me where Sanrio branch  I bought my items. The next day you'll see them wearing or toting the same thing.  I kind of miss Sanrio Stores now. It saddened me that the stores has pulled out.

Shut Up & Kiss Me Moisturizing Matte Lippies php699

Fast forward to today, imagined your favorite Little Twin Stars in a lippie!
I literally jumped with joy, when I heard that Happy Skin collaborates with Sanrio with these Sanrio limited edition!! Look at these babies!

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I love them all and would hoard on those. Ill try their blushes. Happy Skin is a good local cosmetic brand.  I have a handful in my make up stash. They're not selling cheap but they can compete with high end brands in the market when it comes to quality.

They are available on Sept 14 at your favorite malls nationwide! I will update you on their blushes and matte lippies soon!

Your #TeaReimagined with the New Starbucks Teavana Frozen Teas

Starbucks PH introduces their Starbucks New Teavana Frozen Teas following their successful Teavana Asia launch last year.

To those who love their teas frozen,  healthy and packed with antioxidants. Starbucks PH launches their refreshing, icy-smooth handcrafted beverages Starbucks New Teavana Frozen Teas on Sept 2 at Starbucks largest branch Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard with media. We got to try mixing and customizing our own frozen teas with the help of Starbucks barista Ms. Roma.

It was a fun whirling afternoon mixing our own concoctions. I customized mine with a little syrup and lots of pomegranate pearls. Yummy!!

My personal favorite is the new Starbucks Teavana Frozen Hibiscus Tea with Pomegranate Pearls. 

Starbucks Teavana Frozen Hibiscus Tea with Pomegranate Pearls

This refreshing beverage combines floral notes of hibiscus flowers and rose petals with the tropical flavors of papaya and mango, enhanced with hints of cinnamon and lemongrass. The beverage is topped with glistening, jewel-like pearls of pomegranate juice that burst on the tongue.

I also did my version of  Starbucks Teavana Frozen Chamomile Tea with Kyoho Grape and Aloe. I was generous with the toppings. The kyoho grapes goes well with chamomile tea. It was a perfect combination.

It is made with chamomile tea blended with honeyed white grapes and aloe cubes delivering a cool, lightly sweet taste. The beverage is generously topped with skinned and pitted whole Kyoho grapes – a popular variety from Japan known for its distinctive sweetness and generous size.

Following the successful Asia launch of Starbucks Teavana last year, which brought Starbucks modern tea experience brand to Asia for the first time, Starbucks today announced the introduction of new Starbucks Teavana Frozen Teas. These refreshing, icy-smooth handcrafted beverages combine the finest Teavana teas and botanical blends with premium ingredients like Kyoho grapes and pomegranate pearls.

“We want our customers to experience tea like they’ve never imagined. Drawing our inspiration from a love of tea in Asia and from popular new flavors. This year, Starbucks takes innovation in flavors and texture to the next level with a unique Frozen Tea platform to satisfy the growing sophistication of consumer preference.” said Keith Cole, head of marketing for Starbucks Philippines.

Starbucks Teavana Frozen Teas have been developed exclusively for customers across Asia, delivering a sophisticated and modern tea experience. Starbucks is committed to investing in Teavana in the region as it remains a strong growth driver for the brand.

Commenting on the growing interest in frozen beverages, Davina Patel, global food and drink analyst at Mintel, the global market intelligence agency which follows food and beverage trends in Asia, said: “Our research shows that consumers in Asia continue to gravitate towards beverages with textural and visual appeal, which has led to a growing interest in frozen products. Moreover, consumers are increasingly exploring the world of tea through flavor and variety, with preference shifting towards botanical teas such as herbs, fruits and spices.”

It was truly a fun afternoon of surprises as we arrived to our own gallery of snapshots (posted at the venue) taken at Starbucks teavanas launch last year.

We also tried to customize our own Starbucks pouch with lots of doodles and drawings. Talking about creativity. I am a minimalist so I just stenciled mine with colored hearts. This is how it went!

Starbucks Teavana Frozen Teas will be available for a limited time only starting September 12.


As a special treat, Starbucks Card customers can enjoy Starbucks Teavana Frozen Teas ahead of its public launch. Customers will just need to pay the full amount of the beverage using their Starbucks Card from September 9-11 to avail of the early access promo.

For more information about these new Starbucks Teavana Frozen Teas and the aforementioned promo, visit www.starbucks.ph.

Casting for “Aladdin,” the live-action adaptation of the studio’s animated classic, is now complete

Check out this Selfie of “Aladdin” Cast Members: Will Smith, Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott and Marwan Kenzari

Will Smith: https://www.facebook.com/92304305160/photos/a.231136370160.270995.92304305160/10159146683900161/?type=3&theater

Disney:
https://www.facebook.com/Disney/photos/a.127564720953.105058.11784025953/10154939369560954/?type=3

Casting for “Aladdin,” the live-action adaptation of the studio’s animated classic, is complete and production is currently underway at Longcross Studios outside London.

The “Aladdin” cast includes: Two-time Oscar® nominee Will Smith (“Ali,” “Men in Black”) as the Genie who has the power to grant three wishes to whoever possesses his magic lamp; Mena Massoud (Amazon’s “Jack Ryan”) as Aladdin, the hapless but lovable street rat who is smitten with the Sultan’s daughter; Naomi Scott (“Power Rangers”) as Princess Jasmine, the Sultan’s beautiful daughter who wants to have a say in how she lives her life; Marwan Kenzari (“Murder on the Orient Express”) as Jafar, an evil sorcerer who devises a nefarious plot to unseat the Sultan and rule Agrabah himself; Navid Negahban (“Homeland”) as the Sultan, the ruler of Agrabah who is eager to find a proper husband for his daughter, Jasmine; Nasim Pedrad (“Saturday Night Live”) as Dalia, Princess Jasmine’s hand maiden and confidante; Billy Magnussen (“Into the Woods”) as Prince Anders, a suitor from Skanland and potential husband for Princess Jasmine; and Numan Acar (“Homeland”) as Hakim, Jafar’s right-hand man and head of the palace guards.

“Aladdin” is directed by Guy Ritchie (“Sherlock Holmes,” “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.”) from a screenplay by John August (“Dark Shadows,” “Big Fish”) based on the 1992 animated film “Aladdin” and stories from “One Thousand and One Nights.” The producer is Dan Lin (“The LEGO Movie”) with Golden Globe® winner Marc Platt (“La La Land”), Jonathan Eirich (“Deathnote“) and Kevin De La Noy (“The Dark Knight Rises”) serving as executive producers. Eight-time Academy Award®-winning composer Alan Menken (“Beauty and the Beast,” “The Little Mermaid”) provides the score, which includes new recordings of the original songs written by Menken and Oscar®-winning lyricists Howard Ashman (“Little Shop of Horrors”) and Tim Rice (“The Lion King”) as well as two new songs written by  Menken and Oscar® and Tony Award®-winning songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (“La La Land,” “Dear Evan Hansen”).

For more information on “Aladdin,” follow

Facebook:        https://www.facebook.com/DisneyAladdin/
Twitter:           https://twitter.com/DisneyStudios
Instagram:       https://www.instagram.com/disneystudios/
Hashtag:        #Aladdin

Watch for the new official “INSIDIOUS: THE LAST KEY” trailer here!

Enter the red door and watch the new trailer of Columbia Pictures' Insidious: The Last Key

The creative minds behind the hit Insidious trilogy return for Insidious: The Last Key. In the horror thriller, which welcomes back franchise standout Lin Shaye as Dr. Elise Rainier, the brilliant parapsychologist faces her most fearsome and personal haunting yet: in her own family home.

Shaye is joined in the cast by Angus Sampson, Whannell, Josh Stewart, Caitlin Gerard, Kirk Acevedo, Javier Botet, Bruce Davison, Spencer Locke, Tessa Ferrer, Ava Kolker and Marcus Henderson.

Steven Schneider, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Charles Layton, Bailey Conway Anglewicz, Couper Samuelson and Whannell serve as executive producers. Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (“SPWA”) produced and financed Insidious: The Last Key. Sony Pictures Releasing and SPWA’s Stage 6 Films will distribute the film outside of the U.S.

Opening in Philippine cinemas in 2018, Insidious: The Last Key is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.