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| Among the works to be showcased in the "Patrimony Of Art" exhibit is a Fernando Amorsolo masterpiece belonging to the Lopez Museum collection (right) scrutinizing through the use of a micro climate technology device (left) to ensure that the priceless Filipino works are preserved properly. (Image Source: The Manila Times/Lopez Group Foundation Inc.) |
Lopez Group Foundation Inc. is set to unveil “The Patrimony Of All – Ang Panublion sang Tanan – Paintings From The Lopez Museum And Library Collection", an exhibit showcasing the works of famous and renouned Philippine artists Juan Luna, Felix Hidalgo, Juan Arellano, and Fernando Amorsolo from the Lopez Museum and Library (LML) Collection starting November 25, 2024 as part of the University of the Philippines' celebration of the 77th year anniversary of its presence in Iloilo. “The Patrimony Of All” will allow audiences in the Visayas to encounter the works of Filipino masters, while also shining the spotlight on the rich architectural heritage and legacy of Iloilo. The paintings in the exhibit will range from the dramatic and monumental “La Barca de Aqueronte” by Hidalgo and the tragic “Christ down from the Cross” by Arellano to the romantic “Ensueños de Amor” by Luna and the famous bucolic scenes of Amorsolo’s “Native Fruits".
The title given by exhibition curator Dr. Patrick Flores encapsulates the spirit of the endeavor. It is recognition that the creativity embodied by Amorsolo, Arellano, Hidalgo and Luna belongs to all Filipinos. It also foregrounds the ethos of legacy and stewardship that drives the Lopez Group Foundation and this project. The artworks, artifacts and written material in LML were collected with a vision of providing Filipinos with the resources to learn about their history and culture. While based in Metro Manila with its foundations and corporations, the Lopez family remains deeply rooted in Iloilo, the province of its origins. For more than a century, members of the Lopez family have been a involved in the community through their entrpreneurial, civic and philanthropic activites. From 1878 when Iloilo was struck with a province wide famine, Kapitan Eugenio Lopez and his brother Claudio took it upon themselves to organize a relief operation using their own funds to 2006 when a disastrous oil spill affected Guimaras, the family donated 15 hectares of land to affected families, providing them with a place to live and livelihood programs.
Ingrained in the family and its institutions is a deep sense of responsibility for the Filipino people and culture. It is the spirit that drove Oscar Lopez to personally fund the restoration of the frescoes of the Jaro cathedral and LGFI to bring masterpieces from the Lopez Museum and Library collection to Iloilo. This project is a joint initiative of the Iloilo City Government, University of the Philippines Visayas and the Lopez Group Foundation. It was conceived by former Senator Franklin Drilon in 2019 and is made possible through the support of Senator Loren Legarda. "The Patrimony Of All" exhibit will run until April 25, 2025.
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Coca-Cola Philippines And Bacolod City Promote Bottle Collection And Segregation At Masskara Festival
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| (Image Source: Orange Magazine TV/Coca-Cola Philippines) |
Coca-Cola Philippines, in partnership with the Bacolod City Environment and Natural Resources Office (BENRO), promoted PET plastic bottle segregation and collection at the 45th Masskara Festival, held last October 11-27, 2024, in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental. Together with Basic Environmental Systems and Technologies (BEST) Inc. and festival organizer Yuhum Foundation, the beverage company engaged festival-goers in responsible waste management practices by facilitating the segregation and collection of used PET bottles.
To raise awareness about bottle collection and segregation, Coca-Cola Philippines encouraged festival attendees to drop off their empty PET bottles at the Coca-Cola bottle counter and The Tindahan Extra Mile (TEM) exchange booths located at the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC). Attendees also exchanged empty bottles to participate in various games and activities. One of the highlights was the MassKara mask-making contest where festival-goers cast their votes for the Best Recycled Mask on display using bottle caps. Artisticrew was named the grand winner while Bacolod City College and the Negrese Artist Circle received consolation prizes for their participation. Additionally, attendees took part in the “Dunk, Not Junk” shooting hoops game. As they showcased their shooting skills, players had the chance to win a variety of Coca-Cola merchandise and other exciting prizes.
Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines Inc. ‘s (CCBPI) flagship nationwide collection program “Tapon To Ipon: Basta Klaro, Panalo!” featured a pop-up collection booth. In its second year at the MassKara Festival, Tapon To Ipon encouraged attendees to drop off used clear PET plastic bottles of any brand, allowing them to win prizes. Coca-Cola Philippines Senior Franchise Operations Manager Ruby Biro congratulated all the partners and local barangays that contributed to the success of the waste management initiative during the festival’s closing program. She emphasized the importance of community engagement and the role of festival-goers in celebrating while making a positive impact on the environment.
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A Greener Future, One Tree At A Time: Palawan Group And University of Baguio Join Forces To Grow 1 Million Trees
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| (L-R) University of Baguio Linkages Office Director Melanie Rulla-Saro, CGSP, MBA; Palawan Group of Companies’ CSR Head Rema Dabalus; University of Baguio Student Affairs Director Dr. Froilan Aspa (Image Source: Iconic MNL/Palawan Group Of Companies) |
The Palawan Group of Companies has forged a meaningful partnership with the University of Baguio, welcoming the school as one of its key collaborators in the “1 Million Trees Project” – an initiative that underscores the company’s unwavering commitment to environmental protection. Launched in 2021, the “1 Million Trees Project” is dedicated to planting one million hardwood trees including Narra, Ipil, and Ironwood, across the Philippines. The project seeks to help restore ecosystems in communities affected by natural disasters, showcasing the lasting benefits of reforestation.
“At the University of Baguio, we recognize the urgent need for collective action to address environmental challenges. We fully pledge our support to help achieve the goal of planting 1 million trees,” said Dr. Froilan C. Aspa, Director of the University’s Office of Student Affairs. The partnership was formalized during a signing ceremony attended by representatives from both institutions. The Palawan Group of Companies was represented by CSR Head Rema Dabalus and North and Central Luzon Regional Accounts Manager Jaylord Paleb. On behalf of the University of Baguio, Student Affairs Director Dr. Froilan Aspa, Research Innovation Extension and Community Outreach (RIECO) Director Dr. Donnavila Marie Panday and Linkages Office Director Melanie Rulla-Saro, CGSP, MBA were present. As part of this collaboration, the Palawan Group of Companies will make a monetary donation to bolster the University of Baguio’s tree-planting efforts. This gesture highlights the company’s dedication to preserving the environment and promoting sustainability. Together, the two organizations aim to create a lasting, positive impact not only on the environment but also on the lives of Filipinos.
“In line with our commitment to corporate social responsibility, we are proud to partner with the University of Baguio and support their tree-planting initiative. This cause is close to our hearts, as it aligns with our promise to protect the environment and foster sustainability for future generations," said Dabalus. In partnering with the University of Baguio for the “1 Million Trees Project", the Palawan Group of Companies reinforces its commitment to creating a win-win situation for both customers and the planet. By supporting reforestation and sustainability efforts, the initiative not only contributes to a healthier environment but also ensures a brighter, greener future for generations to come. Through collaborations like this, the Palawan Group continues to demonstrate that positive change for the planet can go hand in hand with serving communities and meeting the needs of its customers.
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Green Meets Great: Iloilo City Gears Up To Be PH’s First Green MICE City
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| (Image Source: GMA Network/Janssen Panizales on Pexels) |
Iloilo City is poised to become the Philippines’ first green MICE destination as it embarks on an aggressive Green Meets Great campaign as outlined in the city government’s 2025 outlook and presented by a team led by City Mayor Jerry Trenas at a gathering held last October 22, 2024. As one of the few local government units in the Philippines to establish a thriving Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) Office, Iloilo City meets the conditions to be a top MICE tourism hub for Southeast Asia.
The Green Meets Great campaign signals a liveable, sustainable, highly urbanized Iloilo City, offering a wide array of green MICE options for traveling groups eager to experience. Records from the Department of Tourism (DOT) showed that Iloilo City clocked a total of 752,301 tourists in 2022 and 886,283 in 2023. Moreover, Iloilo City was declared a Clean Tourist City by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), making the city a good ground to promote sustainable energy practices in the country. As bestowed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Iloilo City has also been named in Creative City of Gastronomy in 2023. Initiatives under the Green Meets Great program include accreditation of solar panel and energy saver establishments, government buildings, and accommodations as well as renewable energy adoption incentives, and waste management protocols especially for streets and parks. The Green Meets Great program also aims to improve sustainable tourism mobility with its bikeable city plan, having won the Gold Award for Most Bicycle-Friendly City last year.
Programs are geared towards a sustainable environment including paperless registrations and bookkeeping, cashless transactions down to the markets, an emphasis on the city’s no smoking city ordinance, and no styrofoam and no plastic directives in events, pivoting toward 100 percent compostable materials. Encouraging stakeholder participation in renewable energy adoption, the Department of Energy (DOE) lauded the success of its Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) campaign on the Green Energy Option Program (GEOP) and other voluntary renewable energy programs in Iloilo City in May 2024. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) recognized Iloilo City at the 2024 Lunsod Lunsad Awards for innovative local growth projects in August 2024, becoming a recipient of a Php2M (two million pesos) grant under the Lunsod Lunsad Project. This gave rise to the project's comprehensive mapping of the city's gastronomic landscape.
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From The Streets Of Manila To The Global Stage: Filipino Dancer To Compete In Red Bull Dance Your Style World Finals In India
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| Kenneth "Klockwise" Martinez during the Red Bull Dance Your Style Philippines National Finals (Image Source: Orange Magazine TV/Red Bull Philippines) |
Excitement sizzles in the air as the countdown begins for one of the most intense highly-anticipated dance events, the Red Bull Dance Your Style World Finals. Filipino locking master Kenneth "Klockwise" Martinez is gearing up for the competition as the sole representative of the Philippines at the Finals. Happening at the NSCI Dome in Mumbai, India on November 9, 2024, the competition will feature the top dance talents from across the world, vying to be this season’s World Champion. The Valenzuela-based dancer scored his title as National Champion after winning the National Finals in Manila last September 28, 2024. He bested 15 other dancers who came from all over the country who all brought their own flavor to the dance floor. In the end, Klockwise’s masterful freestyle performances with just the right amount of theatrics captivated the crowd and won him the trophy.
The road to the World Final was a long one, but for Klockwise, the journey has just begun. The National Champion is more than ready for the challenge, happily grabbing the chance at representing the Philippines on the world stage. Kenneth said and claimed, “I am bringing the Filipino dance community and the whole Philippines with me. (I will show) who I am, who Klockwise is on stage. (It’ll be like) I will have my own concert at the World Finals,” he claimed. Red Bull Dance Your Style is a unique global 1-on-1 dance competition that challenges dancers to bring out their most impressive and most captivating improvisation and freestyle skills. Dancers creatively come up with their moves spontaneously to random, unpredictable hits from hip hop, disco, funk, pop, rock, and more. Unlike other dance competitions, Red Bull Dance Your Style gives the audience the power to decide who wins each battle round, inviting dancers to embrace the moment, feel the beat, and captivate the crowd. Klockwise is set to battle against 49 dance hopefuls from all over the world for the title as the Red Bull Dance Your Style 2024 World Champion.
Following 145 public events across 49 countries, it all comes to a head at the Red Bull Dance Your Style World Final. Leading up to the big day, Mumbai is hosting a Red Bull Dance Your Style World Final Week which features feature workshops, panel talks, performance showcases, and other fun events celebrating dance and spotlighting the global dance community. Support Klockwise in his journey as the Philippines’ representative and catch the Red Bull Dance Your Style World Final at the NSCI Dome, in Mumbai, India on November 9, 2024 via live streaming on the Red Bull Dance Youtube channel. It’s one big celebration you definitely should not miss!
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Com2uS Launches "Frostpunk: Beyond The Ice" In 170 Countries Worldwide Including The Philippines
| (Image Source: pinoygamer.ph/Com2uS) |
Com2uS recently launched the official version of Frostpunk: Beyond the Ice (FPBI) on global markets and is now available in more than 170 regions over the world including Asia, North America, and Europe. The mobile game is supported in 7 languages including English, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, German, and French. The official version implemented upgrades reflecting feedback from early access users in the US, UK, and Philippines.
FPBI is a mobile version of Frostpunk, a highly-acclaimed survival game with over 3 million copies sold on PC and console worldwide. FPBI is developed by the original game's developer 11 bit studios and NetEase which has a history of developing and publishing IP-based games such as Diablo Immortal and Harry Potter: Magic Awakened. Com2uS' new mobile game is set in a late modern background where the user is to build a city powered by a giant steam engine, gather survivors, and survive the ice age that engulfed civilization unexpectedly. They are constantly tasked with making difficult decisions between survival and morality as the city prospers. FPBI features mobile-exclusive content by integrating social elements and minigames. It allows users to interact with each other through multi-player content such as "Featured Industry" to cooperate for survival and "World Congress" to discuss issues related to industries, medicare, environment, etc. Other unique features include: the Stock Market that recreates an early 18th-century stock trading system, the Pub with different board games, and the Hospital that treats sick patients.
The mobile game publisher holds various events to celebrate its global launch. One event is where users play in-game Expedition content to get related items until November 12, 2024. During the period, Expedition supplies will be given daily and bonus Core Component rewards are available for reaching 90% or more in Expedition progress. Another event, dubbed "City Step-up Event", will be held until November 26th to offer rare city development items such as Selective Warehouse Expansion Material Treasure Chests for clearing weekly missions. Furthermore, users can also get Bed Frame and Machine Tool items by joining the official Discord server and verifying their sign-up at the event bulletin. More information on FPBI's global launch, gameplay, and events can be found on the game's official website and Discord server.
