Rowena Garcia of Bulacan won the GameZone Tour Season 5 Championship, taking the ₱500,000 top prize and the Championship Ring and becoming the first woman to win the title in the competition’s five seasons. Garcia, who competed as Alas ng Bulacan, came through a season that ran from August 3 to September 19. Season 5 was played in daily rounds, with players earning points every playdate and the season standings deciding who advanced. The top nine on that ranking met at the final table in Merville, Parañaque. From nine it narrowed to three, and then to one. The Grand Finals carried a ₱1 million prize pool, shared across all nine finalists. Richard Funtilar, the Alas ng Quezon Province, took ₱200,000 in second place. Donato Ebuena, Alas ng Rizal, took ₱100,000 in third place.  Gamezone, operated by DigiPlus Interactive Corp. and licensed by the Philippine Amusement and  Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), strictly implements necessary requirements for its community players. They...

  Participating directors for the 2026 Puregold CinePanalo Festival The Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival is currently ongoing, from September 23 to October 4 at Gateway Cineplex 18, TriNoma, Fairview Terraces, Ayala Malls Feliz, Ayala Malls Circuit, Ayala Malls Manila Bay and Market! Market! Tickets are priced at ₱250 regular and ₱200 discounted, while a ₱2,000 festival pass gives moviegoers a way to take on the entire lineup. PWDs, senior citizens, students, national athletes and Aling Puring and Perks cardholders qualify for discounted tickets. Earlier, the 26 participating original films and their extraordinarily talented makers were presented at a grand media conference held at Quantum Skyview in Gateway Mall 2, Araneta City.  For its third edition, the festival broke records by giving the largest production grants in Philippine film festival history. The participating seven full-length film directors were rewarded P5 million, while 20 student filmmakers received P200,...

Photo from PETA FaceBook page Because change does not begin only when young people become leaders ,it begins when they recognize that their choices already matter Set in an alternate Philippines submerged in flood waters, Gen G follows a group of young people placed in “Balangay Gen Zones”, temporary communities for youth who are adaptable, flexible, and have high chances of survival. They were to remain safe in the Balangay while adults sought solutions elsewhere. But when the supposed return date arrives, the adults are nowhere to be found. Left to fend for themselves, the young people must figure out how to run their Balangay —and this time, the audience gets a say. Through votes, choices, negotiations, and unexpected consequences, audiences become part of the community and help determine what happens next. As the story unfolds, Gen G asks: Who gets heard? Who gets left behind? What do we prioritize? Survival isn’t just about making the “right” choice. And when the system we inher...

The opening ceremony and the official poster of HWONFEX 2026 The Health, Wellness, and Organic Festival and Expo (HWONFEX) stands at the forefront of positioning the Philippines as the premier "Heart of ASEAN Wellness." Designed as the country’s pioneering B2B2C holistic healing trade fair, HWONFEX brings together government agencies, industry stakeholders, and wellness advocates to champion a healthier, more purposeful way of life.  HWONFEX 2026: The Official ASEAN Side Event for the Health Tourism & Wellness Economy seeks to unify the region’s wellness economy under the banner “ASEAN Wellness as One,” fulfilling its core theme: “Go Explore, Grow Communities, Glow Together.” Mr. Ebb Hinchcliffe, executive director, American Chambers of Commerce, shared his personal experience on how he benefitted and got healed from the Philippines' health and wellness program. Photo by Ana Esternon This initiative arrives at a time of unprecedented global growth. According to the Gl...

Region 1 did a colorful centerpiece of Filipino food and delicacies for everyone to share on day 1 of PTM. The famous lechon was also served that day. (Below, DOT Sec. Dita Angara-Mathay led  tourism officials in rounding the exhibition hall.  The Philippines has long captured the global imagination with its powder-white beaches, emerald rice terraces, and crystal-clear waters. But to truly discover the archipelago is to understand why travelers inevitably fall deeper in love with its soul. Exploring the Philippines is an immersive journey into genuine bayanihan (communal unity), world-renowned hospitality, and a rich tapestry of indigenous traditions, Spanish-colonial history, and vibrant festivals. Traveling here is not merely about sight-seeing; it is about human connection.  And with the  Next-Gen Travelers—primarily Millennials and Gen Zs—who view travel not as a luxury, but as an essential component of holistic living, traveling should really be different and m...

Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu warmly received the visiting Global Fusion Media for its own initiative the Iloilo Food Circuit and Heritage Tour 2.0 from August 25-30, which coincided with the 89th Charter Day celebration of Iloilo City. From a thriving business process outsourcing (BPO) hub and a bustling port city to a recognized UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, Iloilo City's robust economy is matched by its commitment to preserving its architectural soul and sustainability.  The city beamed a vibrant display of unity, culture, and civic pride as it marked the 89th Iloilo Charter Day Celebration recently. On August 25, the milestone commemorated the city’s formal inauguration as a chartered municipality in 1937—a pivotal moment born from the historic merger of the old towns of Iloilo, La Paz, Arevalo, and the port district of Jaro.  Centered around the theme "Celebrating 89 Years of Progress Toward a Better Iloilo City for All," the citywide festivities spanned iconic venues...