Dec 30 2015
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7/10, Movies

MOVIE REVIEW: Honor Thy Father

Honor Thy Father is exaggerated but impressive in some aspects especially with how it successfully heightened the stakes for the characters in order to provide the audience with probably the most gripping movie scene of the year by a filipino film.

A pensive John Lloyd Cruz in skinhead holding a gun is desperate to survive against all odds, a familiar struggle for “Honor Thy Father” as it dared to compete against big commercial movies that threatens its very chances to be shown in cinemas. 
Director Erik Matti knows how to make an excellent suspenseful socially-relevant crime drama, from the gritty “On The Job” that tackles police corruption to “Honor Thy Father” which plot surrounds on an organized religion and a multi-level marketing scam. 
“Honor Thy Father” lacks the speed and adrenaline that we expected based from Matti’s latest movie, “On The Job”. Instead, it gives its audience some short thrills, however, with a complicated and thrilling end. The musical score screams that it is an indie film (It’s actually annoying) betraying the glossy and commercial look of the film. 
Unfortunately, reflective movies like this is an acquired taste. Being part of a movie festival is not an assurance for a captured audience. Moviegoers will not take the risk of wasting their 13th month pay watching an unfamiliar and never-heard before movie. More should have been done to highlight the movie’s best. “Kung mahina ka, kakainin ka nila.” Or, maybe, they can start with a better title. 

7.5/10

  

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Dec 25 2015
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8/10, Movies

MOVIE REVIEW: #WalangForever

#WalangForever is funny, witty and romantic. It innocuously leads you to believe that love in reality is better than the fantasies in the movies. 
Jennylyn Mercado is at her best in both acting and form but this movie is more of Jericho Rosales’ outstanding comeback. (The guy deserves an award here.) Their chemistry is undeniably a pleasure to behold, downright effective to say the least, despite the scurried sequencing and shallow build-up at the start of the film. The couple’s whispers of sweet nothings and amorous snuggling are the best things you shall look forward to in this movie. 

#WalangForever will hurt you in your unguarded moment while it attempts to investigate the phases of love from its fundamental manifestations to its most superficial excuses and up to its purest state.

Go watch it. A hanky should come handy not just to stop a boisterous laugh but also the gushing floodgates. 

8.5/10 

  
#EthysMovieReview #nindotkaayo

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Dec 21 2015
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Awesomeness Break, Press Release

Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach of the Philippines is Miss Universe 2015

After 4 decades (42 years to be exact) of  drought for the crown, the Philippines takes home the most coveted crown in the universe. Miss Philippines Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach is crowned Miss Universe 2015 after a nonconventional coronation night held at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas.

Photo Credit to the owner

This is the Philippines’ third Miss Universe title following the footsteps of Gloria Diaz who won in 1969 and Margie Moran who brought home the crown in 1973.

 

Pia who is also a PLDT HOME DSL ambassador was congratulated by her sponsors and brands. In an interview with the press, PLDT VP and HOME Marketing Director Gary Dujali shared their excitement and pride for Pia as she embarks on her new journey as Ms. Universe 2015.  “Pia has been with us throughout the year as we agressively went around the country bringing the family-sized broadband connection of HOME DSL to more Filipino homes nationwide” he added.

PLDT HOME DSL is the country’s number one broadband with over one million subcribers. For more information, log on to http://www.pldthome.com.

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Nov 27 2015
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Awesomeness Break, Events, Food, NKRecommendation, Places

10 Dove Street Delightful Desserts

A new sweet and dainty dessert place at Cebu’s food avenue, AS Fortuna is Cebu Food Crawl’s 4th stopover. 10 Dove Street is a well-loved dessert place that used to be located at Sto. Nino Village in Mandaue that reinvents itself to serve a bigger crowd of sweet tooth. Now relocated at Oakridge Business Park in Banilad, it has a lush garden set-up to set your mood while indulging a decadent slice of cake and a cup of hot tea.       

   
 
  
The group’s favorite is the classic Chocolate Decadence (P100.00). 
  
  

The bars and cookies are perfect for coffee too. 

   

  

  

      
Follow them their instagram, @tendovestreet for more photos and dessert idea.  

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Nov 27 2015
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Awesomeness Break, Food, Places, Restaurant

Ocean Garden Restaurant: The Undiscovered Food at A.S. Fortuna

There’s an unassuming filipino restaurant at Bakilid, A.S. Fortuna St. in Mandaue City that is not only affordable (actually, really very cheap) but also exquisitely good. Ocean Garden Restaurant is the third stopover of the CBS Cebu Food Crawl. 

From its humble roots of being a turo-turo style restaurant, it now hosts private parties and events serving international and filipino seafood and meat dishes. 
The standout favorite of the group is the Spanish Style Bangus (P155.00) and the Chili Crabs (P120.00 per 100g). 

 

Spanish Style Bangus


  

Chili Crabs

 

My personal favorites are their dinuguan, monggos and baked scallops. 
They also cater private events on their restaurant (Seafood Buffet) at as low as P250.00.       

 

Chopsuey with Scallops

  

Tempura

  

Sinanglay na Isda

  

Pork Barbecue with a special sauce

  

Calamares with a very special tartar dip

    

Baked Scallops

  

The Best Guyabano Shake is served here too!

 

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Nov 27 2015
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Awesomeness Break, Food, Places, Restaurant

A Mango Affair at Cebu City Marriott Hotel

Cebu Food Crawl’s second stopover is at Cebu City Marriott Hotel. General Manager Patrick Carroll welcomes the participants while brilliant hosts Nico Velasquez and Frances Alfafara warms up the food crawlers with some social media games.  
  
  
 
The biggest surprise is the mango coffee themed break set-up. Everything in the buffet is made from mangoes, a clever representation of everything cebu. 

   
    
    
 
  
The malunggay infused siphon tea is a perfect treat for the bursting tummies of the food crawlers.

  
Please follow Marriot’s social media account for announcements. 

  

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Nov 27 2015
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Awesomeness Break, Events, Food, Places, Restaurant

A Spanish Spread at Ipar’s Restaurante y Bar de Tapas 

Nestled at the heart of the City, at the lush green street of F. Ramos is that spanish restaurant that preserved the spanish influence in Cebu. The first stopover of CBS Cebu Food Crawl is at Ipar’s Restaurante y Bar de Tapas.
  
With a very concise menu of pure and unadulterated Spanish goodness (nothing fusion), the food is cooked and served the way Spain does. 

  
We are served with the bestselling house starters to kickoff Cebu Food Crawl, the first meal of the event.

  
The paella dribbled with the generous stream of olive oil is the best thing in Spanish dining in Cebu! Finish it with kalimotxo cocktail to perfect that pure spanish experience.

Of course, you should not miss Cebu’s best leche flan here. 

  
More details about the restaurant at http://www.ipars.com.ph, follow the at @iparsrestaurantecebu in instagram. 

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Nov 26 2015
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Awesomeness Break

SM Seaside City  Cebu opens! 

On November 27, 2015,  SM Seaside City Cebu, the 4th largest mall in the Philippines, opens to the public. 
A day before it officially opens, a holy mass  and blessing of the mall is held. 

Blessing and Holy Mass at the Mountain Wing

 

Blessing of SM Seaside City Cinemas

  

SM Seaside City Ice Skating Ring

  

SM Seaside City Bowling Center


    

  

  

  

   

  
  

  

Nov 22 2015
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Events, Press Release

“Bituing Walang Ningning (The Musical)” returns on October, December and January

I wasn’t able to make it during the first run of Bituing Walang Ningning at Resorts World Manila, all tickets were sold, last July 2015.  On its first run, it has twenty sold-out shows with around 1,500 in attendance per show, this is a  Philippine theatre phenomenon in the making.

After the rave reviews and clamor about the play, Bituing Walang Ningning returns this October and December 2015 and January 2016 with new supporting cast members,  new songs, tighter script and even more spectacular production.

Bituing Walang Ningning

Bituing Walang Ningning

Specifically for December, Bituing Walang Ningning will be shown on December 3, 4, 5 and 6. Special blocking on December 14, 2015.

Ticket Prices: Inclusive of Service Charge (ticketworld.com.ph)
SVIP:P 3,537.60
VIP:P 2,680
Gold:P 2,036.80
Silver:P 1,500.80
Bronze:P 1,072

In a presscon held in Cebu, Monica Cuenco told the press in Cebuano that Cebu is not new to her since she was able to reside in Cebu for a couple of years. A native from Leyte, Monica joins several singing contest before she had the biggest break in her career –taking on the iconic role of Dorina Pineda which was first portrayed by the Megastar Sharon Cuneta in Bituing Walang Ningning (Movie), a role that is easily relatable to her for its parallelism with her own life story.

So, theater review anyone? Let’s book a flight now.

 

Bituing Walang Ningning

Definitely, will catch these actors (Mark Bautista as Nico Escobar and Monica Cuenco as Dorina Pineda) on their second run this October, December and January.

 

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Nov 22 2015
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Press Release

PLDT HOME gains 3 times more subscribers in the 3rd quarter of 2015

More and more homes are connected to the internet and PLDTHOME has remained the preferred broadband provider in the Philippines.

 PLDT HOME registered a double-digit growth in digital services such as the PLDT HOME Telpad, the all-in-one tablet, landline and broadband, the triple-play service where broadband and landline services are bundled with Cignal digital TV, as well as the home monitoring system FamCam.

PLDT HOME recorded a commanding a market share of over 70% at the end of the third quarter of 2015 making PLDT an undeniable leader on this field. PLDT, for example, registered three times more new subscribers compared to its nearest competitor.  

“PLDT HOME continues to strengthen its leadership with more digital services via the Connected Home,” said PLDTand Smart EVP and Head of Consumer Business Ariel P. Fermin. “The fixed line subscriber base reached about 2.3 million at the end of the third quarter of 2015, 54% of whom have fixed broadband subscriptions.”

“PLDT HOME’s fixed broadband has continuously reinforced its industry leadership with its significant array of new digital services and compelling content, providing entertainment to customers everywhere, whether they are at home or away from home. Beyond telecommunications, we are delivering entertainment, peace of mind, and urban comfort to our subscribers,” he said.

PLDT HOME also announced its roster of content bundled with broadband subscription from South East Asia’s number one video-on-demand provider iflix and the region’s leading broadcaster Fox International Channels to live HD channels from Cignal. These services exacerbated the growth of broadband subscription supported by a strong and aggressive activations program. 

PLDT HOME has also launched the first and only Quadplay, the innovative bundling offer where mobile services are packaged with voice, data, and cable television, providing customers with connectivity everywhere. It is the mobile service that contains PLDT HOME DSL broadband, PLDT landline, Cignal Digital TV and Smart mobile.   

PLDT HOME Marketing Head Gary Dujali

 
According to PLDT HOME Marketing Head Gary Dujali, “With Quadplay, we are solidifying our leadership in the broadband market. The service will reinforce the trusted benefits of PLDT HOME brands as we offer our customers a one-stop shop for all their communications and multimedia needs to enable them to experience a richer digital lifestyle in a connected home.”

 

“Following a strong Q3 performance, PLDT HOME introduced the TVolution stick—a device that turns any HDMI-capable TV to a fully functional Windows computer, and more recently, PLDT HOME Fibr rolled out speed boosts for all subscribers and broke new ground with the unveiling of the country’s first 1 Gbps broadband connection, further enriching PLDT’s product portfolio for a digitally connected home,” Dujali said. 

The PLDT Group’s robust and resilient fixed and wireless networks, with its most extensive fiber optic footprint that spans over 100,000 kilometers, enables it to offer reliable broadband services that can simultaneously deliver voice, video, and data at faster speeds and larger capacities through various devices – from computers, tablet, and cellphones, to television sets.

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