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| (Image Source: Interaksyon.com/Universal Pictures) |
This August, it’s all about families’ survival and surviving the family with Universal Pictures’ thrilling films – Beast, Nope and Easter Sunday. Beast (opens August 10) is a pulse-pounding new thriller about a father and his two teenage daughters who find themselves hunted by a massive rogue lion as the jungle’s apex predator. Idris Elba stars as the recently widowed Dr. Nate Daniels who returns and brings his daughters to South Africa where first he met his wife. The long-planned journey takes them to a game reserve managed by an old family friend and wildlife biologist, Martin Battles played by Sharlto Copley. But what begins as a journey of healing jolts into a fearsome fight for survival when a lion, a survivor of blood-thirsty poachers who now sees all humans as the enemy, begins stalking them. Iyana Halley (The Hate U Give, This is Us series) plays Daniels’ 18-year-old daughter, Meredith, and Leah Sava Jeffries (Rel series, Empire series) plays his 13-year-old, Norah.
From Oscar® winner Jordan Peele who disrupted and redefined modern horror with Get Out and then Us comes his latest expansive new horror epic Nope (opens August 17). In Nope, siblings Oj (Daniel Kaluuya) and Emerald (Keke Palmer) find themselves unwittingly drawn into a mysterious realm once they started taking over the horse ranch of their industry-legend father. Carrying the torch of their father’s craft as animal wranglers for film and television, OJ and Emerald face financial challenges and the heartbreak inherent to a trade where livestock is the talent. OJ and Emerald begin observing unexplained phenomena on their vast ranch that leads them down an obsessive rabbit hole — plotting attempts to capture the mystery on camera. The hijinks of their quest for documentation, through increasingly elaborate and dangerous set-ups, puts at risk the only thing they truly have: the hard-earned business of their late ue father, who has left them in his long shadow. Things unexpectedly escalate as the siblings enlist the expert help of Fry’s Electronics store employee Angel Torres and acclaimed cinematographer Antlers Holst, who is on the cusp of retirement. As their efforts, and hubris, cross a point-of-no-return, ratcheting the stakes to terrifying consequences, our heroes are drawn straight into the eye of an irreversible storm. The result is an expansive horror-spectacle with an intimate and emotionally complex core.
Easter Sunday (opens August 31) stars stand-up comedy sensation Jo Koy (Jo Koy: In His Elements, Jo Koy: Comin’ in Hot) stars as a man returning home for an Easter celebration with his riotous, bickering, eating, drinking, laughing, loving family, in this love letter to his Filipino-American community. Easter Sunday features an all-star comedic cast that includes Jimmy O. Yang (Silicon Valley series), Tia Carrere (True Lies, Wayne’s World films), Brandon Wardell (Curb Your Enthusiasm series), Tony nominee Eva Noblezada (Broadway’s Hadestown), Lydia Gaston (Broadway’s The King and I), Asif Ali (WandaVision), Rodney To (Parks and Recreation series), Eugene Cordero (The Good Place series), Jay Chandrasekhar (I Love You, Man), Tiffany Haddish (Girls Trip) and Lou Diamond Phillips (Courage Under Fire).
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Rakuten Viber's Pinoy Dream Negosyo Aims To Inspire More Filipino MSMEs
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| Pinoy Dream Negosyo winners Mon Cabsag and Richmond Argosino with Viber executives Lana Macapagal, Chris Aguilar, and Veronica Feleo together with Pinoy Dream Negosyo judges during the panel discussion with the media (Image Source: Orange Magazine TV/Rakuten Viber) |
In line with their mission to educate, enable, and empower Filipino MSMEs, Rakuten Viber held the Pinoy Dream Negosyo event last July 14, 2022 in Makati City. The event was a culmination of a series of online challenges and activities for Raket Mo ‘To and Da Best of Food PH. Top three participating entrepreneurs from the Raket PH and FoodPH Viber channels were given the opportunity to pitch their business ideas and receive a business grant from Viber and its partners.
In selecting the GRAND BESTie of DA BEST OF FOOD PH, Viber sought the help of an esteemed panel of judges including writer and editor Ruth Navarra-Mayo, restaurateur and celebrity chef Gerick Manalo, and Rakuten Viber’s Business Development Manager Veronica Feleo. For Raket Mo ‘To of Raket PH, the panel of judges comprised of Go Negosyo mentor Joseph Arnold De Guzman, celebrity mompreneur Nene Tamayo, and Rakuten Viber Asia Pacific (APAC) Chris Aguilar. In the end, two Filipino entrepreneurs received business grants and other special prizes from Viber and its partners. The judges chose Mon Cabsag of The Bistro Box as the GRAND BESTie of FOODPH and Richmond Argosino of Ken Goods and Apparel for Raket Mo ‘To of RaketPH. “Pinoy Dream Negosyo didn’t happen overnight. It is a byproduct of the team’s hard work to meet and answer the needs of the Filipinos back in 2020. When there was a surge in users and communities actively using Viber, we asked ourselves how we could help them further. That led us to our goal, which is to champion Filipino MSMEs,” said Rakuten Viber APAC Public Relations (PR) Lead Lana Macapagal.
Viber, one of the world’s leading apps for free, secured, and easy communication, has been instrumental in helping small businesses grow and stay connected to their consumers and each other, especially during the pandemic. Viber saw an increase in the use of its Channels feature during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Viber Channels helped entrepreneurs reach out to potential customers and like-minded individuals, allowing them to grow and manage their businesses. Among the helpful tools for small businesses were the Raket PH and FoodPH Viber channels.
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Veteran Filipino Actor Tirso Cruz III Officially Assumes Role As New FDCP Chairman And CEO
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| (Image Source: Rappler/Film Development Council Of The Philippines) |
New Chairman and CEO of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) Tirso S. Cruz III has officially assumed his position as the head of the country’s national film agency during his visit to the FDCP office in Manila last July 21, 2022. Chairman Cruz and Outgoing Chairperson Liza Diño met to discuss the preparations for the transition process. He was accompanied by his daughter Djanin Cruz, director Joey Javier Reyes, Atty. Patricia Lejano, and Atty. Chris Liquigan.
Cruz was among the appointed officials who took their oath in the Malacañang Palace before President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. last July 5, 2022. The veteran actor is bringing to the Agency more than five decades of experience in the film and entertainment industry. During the closed-door meeting, former chairperson Diño, along with outgoing executive director Ria Anne Rubia discussed FDCP’s ongoing programs and accomplishments in the last six years and agreed on the next steps to the transition process. She also led a tour of the Agency’s facilities including the Philippine Film Archive’s film repository. Diño expressed her continued support to the Agency’s new leadership, especially during the transition period.
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BPI, Ayala Foundation Launched Donation Campaign The Arts And Culture Way
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| (L-R): Ayala Foundation Senior Director of Arts & Culture Ma. Elizabeth “Mariles” L. Gustilo; Bank of the Philippine Islands SVP and Unsecured Lending and Cards, Products and Sales Head Jenelyn Z. Lacerna; and Ayala Foundation Chief Finance Officer Rosallie “Challie” Abela–Dimaano (Image Source: Orange Magazine TV/Bank Of The Philippine Islands) |
The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) partners with Ayala Foundation, Inc. (AFI), the social responsibility arm of the Ayala Group of Companies, for a donation drive that aims to encourage BPI cardholders to donate to Ayala Foundation to promote arts and culture in the country. The two institutions signed their partnership for this donation campaign in a ceremonial signing held on July 20, 2022 at the Ayala Museum.
“We invite our generous BPI Credit, Debit and Prepaid Cardholders to participate in this effort while deepening their knowledge of the local art scene. This is as the Bank continues to aspire to be at the forefront in championing Philippine art through various initiatives for better arts awareness and appreciation,” said BPI Senior Vice President (SVP) and Head of Unsecured Lending and Cards, Products and Sales Jenelyn Z. Lacerna. Promo rewards also await BPI Cardholders participating in the donor drive. BPI Credit, Debit and Prepaid Cardholders can participate by donating to Ayala Foundation’s Education Program. Every Php1,000 or greater donation using a BPI Credit, Debit or Prepaid Card will contribute to funding children’s education. As a token of gratitude, every donation comes with a free ticket to the Ayala Museum.
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| (Image Source: Orange Magazine TV/Bank Of The Philippine Islands) |
As one of the leading private museums in the country, the Ayala Museum makes Philippine history, art, and culture accessible to the public through engaging exhibitions and exciting cultural programs. The Ayala Museum uses both traditional and non-traditional platforms to present our country’s rich heritage in fresh, engaging, and innovative ways. “Our collection has delighted the arts and culture enthusiasts among the BPI Cardholders. We welcome those who have not joined in this effort yet as we invite them for a very enriching experience at Ayala Museum, as part of our mission to build and nurture partnerships to achieve impact, scale, and sustainability for everyone involved,” said Ayala Foundation Senior Director of Arts and Culture Ma. Elizabeth “Mariles” L. Gustilo.
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PH Wins 2 Bronze Medals, 4 Honorable Mentions In 63rd International Mathematics Olympiad
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| The Philippine delegation for the 63rd International Mathematics Olympiad (Image Source: ABS-CBN News/Facebook/Philippine Embassy In Norway) |
Six Filipino students took home two bronze medals and four honorable mentions at the 63rd International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) which was held in-person for the first time after two years. IMO first-timer Mohammad Nur Casib of the Philippine Science High School-Central Mindanao and two-time IMO medalist Raphael Dylan Dalida of the Philippine Science High School (PSHS)-Main Campus led the way for the Philippines, snatching two bronzes after scoring 24 and 23 points, respectively. Sarji Elijah Bona of the De La Salle University Senior High School, who won a bronze medal last year, received an honorable mention this time along with Rickson Caleb Tan of MGC New Life Christian Academy, Filbert Ephraim Wu of Victory Christian International School and Enrico Rolando Martinez of the PSHS-Main Campus.
A total of 589 contestants from 104 countries participated in the 63rd IMO held in Oslo, Norway, which finally snapped the two years of conducting the competition online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Philippines ranked 55th out of all the participating countries. Since joining the IMO in 1988, the country has won a total of four gold medals, 16 silver medals, 37 bronze medals and 30 honorable mentions. This year, 44 gold medals, 101 silver medals, 140 bronze medals, and 210 honorable mentions were awarded to outstanding students from across the globe competing in the international math competition. “I am very proud and happy that our Filipino students continue to excel in Mathematics and perform well in international competitions. These medals and honorable mentions are proof of their excellence, hard work and dedication and evidence that the Filipino youth are achievers in the international arena,” said DOST Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) Director Dr. Josette T. Biyo.
