Maniolas

From left: Breeze assistant brand manager Samantha Kwan, Unilever corporate communications head Liza Vengco, Jollibee Philippines VP for marketing Harvey Ong, Regine Tolentino, Bettina Carlos, Christine Bersola-Babao and Jollibee PR director Arline Adeva.  Below: Breeze has signed up as Jollibee’s official detergent partner for the 20th Maaga ang Pasko. MANILA, Philippines – Breeze has signed up as Jollibee’s official detergent partner for the 20th Maaga ang Pasko, supporting the campaign’s mission to make Christmas bigger and brighter for even more Filipino kids nationwide. To achieve this, Breeze is holding a series of special 1 Laba @ Maaga ang Pasko events, using Breeze with ActivBleach to wash more than 500,000 toys donated by kindhearted Filipinos across the country and even abroad.  The first run of the 1 Laba Clean-up held recently in Mandaluyong was joined by an army of volunteers, including celebrity moms like Christine Bersola-Babao, Regine Tolentino and Bettina Carlos. They all worked together to make sure that the donated toys look and smell as good as new before they are delivered to beneficiaries in time for Christmas.    “Our goal is to bring cheer and joy to more Filipino children by cleaning pre-loved toys, making sure that they are in the best condition before they are given to the beneficiaries,” said Unilever head of corporate communications Liza Vengco. “It’s a good feeling because even if we don’t get to meet the kids who will receive these gifts, we know that we have played a part in making their Christmas a Read More …

Alden Richards (center) with (from left) Ate Redg, Louise delos Reyes, Max Collins and Pekto MANILA, Philippines – GMA Network’s first-ever regional affair in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat, left thousands of supporters in awe and abuzz with excitement after it featured Kapuso stars led by Regine Velasquez-Alcasid. Free shows were mounted by the Network’s Regional TV team at the Sultan Kudarat Sports and Cultural Center — highlighting the Filipino fiesta as its brand of entertainment — that coincided with the province’s celebration of the annual Kalimudan Festival. Gabby Eigenmann recently graced the coronation night of this year’s Mutya ng Sultan Kudarat and serenaded the contestants. Bet ng Bayan host Alden Richards, who recently represented the country at the Hanoi International Film Festival, meanwhile, bannered a Kapuso Fiesta. Joining him on stage were Louise delos Reyes and Max Collins, who felt elated by the attendance of an overwhelming audience estimated at 12,000. Last Nov. 20, Regine, host of Bet ng Bayan and Sarap Diva, thrilled around 10,000 people with her presence in a Kapuso Fans’ Day. Also present in the said festival were Mark Herras, Dion Ignacio, Kylie Padilla and Rochelle Pangilinan. Last Nov. 21, the four GMA talents experienced the Kalimudan spirit as they topbilled a fun-filled Kapuso Night. “We are very happy for a fruitful partnership with the province of Sultan Kudarat. It was exciting for us to bring the Kapuso brand of entertainment to such a beautiful place like Sultan Kudarat. This was our first time to join the Kalimudan Festival and we were overwhelmed by the thousands of Sultan Kudarateños who welcomed us in all our activities,” said Read More …

TFC@theMovies brings current number one Filipino comedy film to 38 theatres in the U.S. and 13 in Canada starting December 5 REDWOOD SHORES, CA – The last time Kim Chiu and Xian Lim teamed up on the big screen under award-winning director Mae Cruz Alviar – which was just in early 2014 – their film Bride for Rent grossed over P326 million in the Philippine box office.  Versatile comedienne Ai Ai de las Alas co-starred in Sisterakas, an entry of ABS-CBN Star Cinema to the 2012 Metro Manila Film Festival, which earned over P391 million.  These two films are now the 7th and 4th, respectively, highest grossing films of all time in Philippine cinema history. TFC@theMovies is giving moviegoers in North America the holiday gift of a jolly ho-ho-ho and a barrel of ha-ha-ha when it brings anew director Cruz-Alviar, the loveteam known as “KimXi” and the genius zaniness of De las Alas in a wild comedy ride of a movie called, Past Tense, to 38 theatres in the U.S. and 13 in Canada, starting this Friday, December 5. “This is a ‘feel good’ time for every member of the family, a season of joy and laughter,” said ABS-CBN Global Head of Theatricals John-D Lazatin. “With this winning team, viewers will find themselves rolling on the floor with the laugh-a-minute barrage of jokes, comedic characters and situations.  The beauty of this is you can tell that the artists are immensely enjoying themselves in this movie and that energy is contagious.  This is a true laugh trip.  It’s a fun way for TFC@themovies to wrap up Read More …

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas has ordered the National Police Commission to define the powers of an acting police chief, following the suspension of Philippine National Police chief Director  General Alan Purisima and the retirement of his supposed successor. Purisima’s six-month suspension and the retirement of Deputy Director General Felipe Rojas last week left Leonardo Espina, deputy chief for operations, as officer-in-charge of the PNP. The appointment raised questions as to what Espina’s functions will cover. “The Napolcom will soon issue a statement to determine the extent of powers of him as officer-in-charge,” Roxas, who as DILG secretary has direct supervision of the PNP, said Thursday. He said Espina could carry out duties that come with the position, particularly with concerns on law enforcement, like the bombing of a passenger bus in Bukidnon province. He said can send additional intelligence personnel to the area or replace the provincial director if the need arises. “The power of an OIC is very wide to respond on the principal mandate of anti-criminality,” Roxas said as he assured the public that the PNP will not be crippled by the suspension. The Office of the Ombudsman ordered Purisima’s preventive suspension last week in connection with a supposed anomalous contract the PNP entered into with a courier service in 2011. Purisima’s suspension comes without pay amid administrative investigation, it said. At present, the suspended PNP chief is facing two plunder complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman over his alleged hidden wealth. He is currently under fire Read More …

MANILA, Philippines–Long-term bets by foreign firms in the country rose to a fresh record high in September as the Philippines, one of the fastest-growing economies in the region, remained attractive to investors. Data released on Wednesday showed that foreign direct investments (FDIs) more than doubled in September. FDIs come in the form of significant equity placements, advances by multinationals to local units, and foreign firms’ earnings reinvested in local operations. The figure brought the total for the first three quarters of 2014 to a new record high, despite recent capacity constraints that threatened to choke capital formation onshore. “The sustained increase in net inflows during the month reflects continued investor confidence in the country’s solid macroeconomic fundamentals,” the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said in a statement. Net inflow of FDIs rose by 116 percent in September to $680 million over the same month last year. For the nine months ending in September, FDI net inflows grew to $4.88 billion—higher than any full-year total on record. Direct investments usually bankroll the construction of new facilities or the expansion of foreign firms’ new or existing operations in the country. These are considered a better measure of international investors’ confidence in the country because the placements tie them to the economy’s fortunes for the long term. Because the investments fund business expansion, FDIs may also result in the creation of new jobs. Data showed that the net inflow of equity capital increased significantly to $161 million from just $7 million last year. Read More …