This might not be the typical expat blog, written by a German expat, living in the Philippines since 1999. It's different. In English and in German. Check it out! Enjoy reading!
Dies mag' nun wirklich nicht der typische Auswandererblog eines Deutschen auf den Philippinen sein. Er soll etwas anders sein. In Englisch und in Deutsch! Viel Spass beim Lesen!
You plan to move to the Philippines? Wollen Sie auf den Philippinen leben?
There are REALLY TONS of websites telling us how, why, maybe why not and when you'll be able to move to the Philippines. I only love to tell and explain some things "between the lines". Enjoy reading, be informed, have fun and be entertained too!
Ja, es gibt tonnenweise Webseiten, die Ihnen sagen wie, warum, vielleicht warum nicht und wann Sie am besten auf die Philippinen auswandern könnten. Ich möchte Ihnen in Zukunft "zwischen den Zeilen" einige zusätzlichen Dinge berichten und erzählen. Viel Spass beim Lesen und Gute Unterhaltung!
Visitors of germanexpatinthephilippines/Besucher dieser Webseite.Ich liebe meine Flaggensammlung!
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Showing posts with label BY MANILA BULLETIN ENTERTAINMENT. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BY MANILA BULLETIN ENTERTAINMENT. Show all posts
Mike Sandejas made his mark as a filmmaker through his films, "Tulad Ng Dati" (2006) and "Dinig Sana Kita" (2009), both of which won awards at Cinemalaya.
The cast of 'Sinagtala'
Sinagtala" may not pass off as the title of a commercial film, one that could easily draw in droves of people into a movie house. For one, whoever mentions that word again in conversations these days, when the young are more focused on creating, inventing their own lingua franca, so far detached from the rules of language as we know it?
Yet, movie production company Sinagtala has boldly adopted the ancient word as headliner of its first film offering. The film’s creative staff led by its director, Mike Sandejas, has smartly baptized a bunch of young musicians collectively as the Sinagtala band. For lack of a better interpretation, do I take it that the English translation of sinagtala could be moonbeam, although moon is hardly in reference here?
"Sinagtala" is not exactly a movie musical in the strict sense, although Sandejas says 30 per cent of the movie is made up of musical numbers. It tells the intertwined stories of five band members, played by Rhian Ramos, Glaiza de Castro, Arci Muñoz, Rayver Cruz and Matt Lozano, each one dealing with his own demons and picking up life lessons in the process.
The individual stories are tied together by intermittent band performances, creating a pastiche that is often tear-jerking or funny, nonetheless dramatic enough to move the viewer to reflect on his own journey.
To top it all, the character who dies, Glaiza de Castro, serves as the film’s conscience and unifier. Some may call her part as preachy, yet, what she’s sharing are actually words of wisdom straight out of Harold J. Sala. If only the script allowed the actor to break the routine and inject more humor into the lesson plan.
As a whole, the film is technically well done by Sandejas---crisp editing, clear and versatile cinematography. Sandejas has not made a film for about 10 years. His inactivity during all these years have probably made him a hungry artist, just like the characters in the film desperately trying to reunite as a band after having disbanded.
As for the performing parts, credit goes to the cast, who are not exactly known as singers per se, but who manage to pull off commendable performances. In fairness, all of them have a side to them that sings or composes or plays with bands or have a family history in music.
Mike Sandejas made his mark as a filmmaker through his films, "Tulad Ng Dati" (2006) and "Dinig Sana Kita" (2009), both of which won awards at Cinemalaya.
"Sinagtala," produced by Sinagtala Productions, opens in cinemas on April 2.
When I think about the different kinds of female beauty, the 2005 flick The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants often comes to mind. It centers on four friends, each unique yet beautiful in her own way. Apart from their friendship, what makes the story stand out is how an article of clothing becomes a witness to their coming-of-age moments. That piece is a pair of magical jeans that somehow fit each of them perfectly, despite their different body types.
A Scene from 'The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants' movie (Photo from Warner Bros. Pictures)
That scene alone reflects what fashion should be for women—a tool that inspires bravery, instills confidence, and unites rather than divides. As the Philippines celebrates March as National Women’s Month, fashion brands went all out to make Filipinas everywhere feel heard, valued, and empowered. Through a series of forums, activities, and gatherings, these brands gained insights into the diverse lives Filipinas lead every day and how the pieces they produce can become dependable partners in their journeys.
As the fashion industry’s primary consumers, women deserve clothing that captures their diverse styles, unique identities, and evolving needs. Below are some key takeaways.
Women deserve support Gone are the days when “beauty is pain” was the norm. In today’s world, creating beautiful clothes isn’t enough—they must also support women, whether at work or on a casual day. Take Uniqlo’s latest bra top, for example. Designed with molded cups and an elastic underband that centers the bust, it offers a flattering silhouette that seamlessly transitions between work and play.
Uniqlo crepe jersey bra camisole (P990)
Women deserve duality Romantic yet edgy. Classic yet modern. Kind yet fearless. There are countless layers to being a woman, and true beauty lies in how these contrasts make each one unique. A perfect example of this is how Zara and Mango reimagine the perennial floral look—transforming it into something edgy and moody while maintaining its striking femininity.
Mango long floral-print dress (P5,995)Zara open-back linen top (P2,395)
Women deserve clothes that empower Clothing is more than just a means to cover the body—it should serve as everyday armor, empowering its wearer to embrace individuality and take bolder steps. Love, Bonito embodies this through its “Trailblazer” collection, featuring wardrobe essentials designed for power dressing. Meanwhile, ForMe’s “True to Me” collection celebrates individuality and self-expression through apparel crafted to uplift and inspire. In partnership with Girls Got Game Philippines, ForMe is also allocating a portion of the collection’s proceeds to support the organization’s initiatives.
Women deserve fashion that enhances their innate beauty Clothes should enhance beauty—and beauty, in itself, is a broad and inclusive concept. The push for inclusivity in fashion has been an ongoing movement, encouraging brands to create clothing that promotes body confidence. One of the latest to champion this cause is TikTok Shop Philippines, which has introduced a new subcategory curating a selection of quality and authentic plus-size items. The initiative also extends opportunities to female sellers and women-led businesses on the platform, such as GZL Plusize Girly, a brand dedicated to providing fashion solutions for plus-size women.
GZL skort (price available upon request)
Hello, readers! Do you have a story you want us to feature? Send us a message on Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, and X and let’s talk about it.
Tickets are priced at regular - P1,500; senior citizens and persons with disabilities - P1,200; and students - P1,000.
The Filipino String Teachers Association (FSTA), in cooperation with St. Scholastica’s College, presents CAPRICE, a recital featuring violinist Kaycee Galano and pianist Inna Montesclaros at the Corazon Aquino Hall on April 5, 2025, at 6 p.m.
Galano, a rising artist recognized for her technical brilliance and expressive interpretations, has earned international competitions and performance accolades.
Montesclaros, a graduate of the Royal College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music, has performed in renowned venues in London, New York, and Manila.
Tickets are priced at regular - P1,500; senior citizens and persons with disabilities - P1,200; and students - P1,000. Reserve your seat today at http://bit.ly/fstacaprice
MIFF showed that the whole country, including BingoPlus, is behind our movie makers.
Maine Mendoza
BingoPlus, the country’s most comprehensive digital entertainment platform, successfully united some of the biggest names in Philippine cinema at the 2nd Manila International Film Festival in Los Angeles, California, held on March 7, 2025.
As a major sponsor for the Manila International Film Festival 2025, BingoPlus is privileged to support Filipino filmmakers showcase their talent in the international scene. This partnership garnered opportunities that will help Filipinos explore increased opportunities through filmmaking.
Piolo Pascual
BingoPlus brand ambassador Maine Mendoza Atayde is also joyful about this collaboration, saying that Filipino movie makers are capable of doing more.
“It means so much you know because we never really get the chance to do this worldwide and I think it’s about time for Filipinos to be known globally, I mean we have so much to offer and I think this is just the beginning.”
A stage like the MIFF is a perfect medium to present the expertise of Philippine cinema to different parts of the world.
In addition, bringing entertainment to the people is among the valued missions of BingoPlus. By sponsoring the MIFF, it has given them a chance to give pleasure and reach wider audiences through film. Four-time Emmy award winner and author of the Manila International Film Festival, Lisa Lew, says that bringing leisure is the common ground between BingoPlus and MIFF.
Seth Fedelin and Francine Diaz
“We would love to make sure people enjoy their lives and have a good time. And I think that’s where we really come together. BingoPlus is making an effort to be a part of a broader world.” Moreover, Song of the Fireflies, directed by King Palisoc, a movie inspired by the Loboc Children’s Choir, won the ‘best picture’ during the awards night. The film also won ‘best actress,’ ‘best supporting actor,’ and ‘best supporting actress.’
First Lady Louise Araneta Marcos was also awarded the ‘visionary award.’ She admired Filipino art when it came to visual creative media. In a statement she said last year during a meeting with famed Filipino directors, she highlighted that it’s time for the Philippine film industry to been recognized on the international stage.
Morissette Amon
“The best way to help the movie industry is to tell the world that Filipinos are good, we’re talented.”
MIFF showed that the whole country, including BingoPlus, is behind our movie makers. This success marked a significant milestone for the industry. As Filipino films continue to gain international recognition, the future of Philippine cinema looks brighter than ever.
The star-studded music video included cameos from Sassa Gurl, Zae, Arkin Magalona, and Jonas Belgica.
Illest Morena
From her humble beginnings in the streets of Mandaluyong City to her unwavering success as a female emcee, Illest Morena has proved that authenticity is necessary when making art, evident in her newly released visual for "Stinkalink," a crowd-favorite track from her debut album "Morenita."
2024 was an interesting year for Illest Morena—she released her full-length album, headlined several shows, including Billboard'sMainstage Concert. She received the Top Kalye Song Award for "Faded (Raw)" at the 2024 Spotify Wrapped Party.
Despite being the illest in the game, the 23-year-old artist has no plans to stop. Like everyone else, her priority is to live life to the fullest.
In an exclusive interview, she shared her daily routine to get in the mood for her errands. "I light incense because it makes me feel relaxed. Then, I would make my coffee, journal my feelings, and work," she highlighted.
Love for community
The rapper shared that her upbringing in Mandaluyong City played a pivotal role in her music taste, citing her community as an inspiration for her artistry.
"I used to live in Addition Hills, the city's most congested, most populated area. So, the houses are very close to each other. My neighbors would often play songs from Pinoy hip-hop artists such as Ron Henley, which I'm a huge fan of," she reminisced.
She also mentioned her household as the catalyst for her love of R&B songs, such as Jay-R's "Bakit Pa Ba?" which stuck with her as a little girl.
"Although I'm a rap artist, I love exploring R&B when it comes to my music because it really takes me back to a time when things were simpler and life felt lighter," the artist explained.
It was only a matter of time before she started honing her music with the help of her fellow Mandaleño artists, which enabled her to embrace a unique yet authentic style.
"There was a certain time in my early music days when I couldn't write, and they [Guddhist Gunatita and Ghetto Gecko] invited me to their studio so we could make some songs. I feel like it created this great foundation for me in terms of lyricism because I hung out with some of the greatest hip-hop artists from Mandaluyong," she highlighted.
As a result, her coming-of-age journey as an artist became the motif of her album, a story-driven project inspired by lust, love, and dreams.
From Sneaky Link To Stinkalink
When preparing for her album, Illest stumbled upon a beat given by her producers Radical and SEIS titled "Sneaky Link."
Following her musical intuition, she gravitated towards the beat but had to reframe its meaning. She clung to her life experience as the main inspiration for the song, alluding to how she and her boyfriend started dating.
"During this time, I wrote 'Slow Burn,' a song about my boyfriend and our romance. So, when the beat [for Stinkalink] was given to me, I was already in a relationship and didn't feel like writing something about sneaky links. And it sort of pushed me to instead reminisce about the early stages of our relationship since we started as friends, and I wasn't so sure if he liked me back at the time," she expressed.
This story also became the blueprint of the music video's storyline, referencing 2000s chick flicks such as Mean Girls and White Chicks.
"We had two weeks to prepare for the music video. I've always wanted to fulfill my early 2000s chick flick fantasy and I tried doing that for ‘Pick Up' but we didn't have the budget at the time. As for the storyline, it was inspired by the period when my boyfriend and I used to party and we weren't honest about our feelings. But we would get clingy with each other only when we're drunk," she said.
The star-studded music video included cameos from Sassa Gurl, Zae, Arkin Magalona, and Jonas Belgica.
She shared that one of the reasons behind Sassa's appearance is their supposed resemblance, according to netizens. Meanwhile, her dance battle with Zae is an homage to the female artists who came before her.
"We decided that Sassa would play the old version of me since I get a lot of comments about how we look alike. Then, my dance battle with Zae was so fun to shoot since I was doing it with the artist who made me feel like it was possible to be a female rapper in this country," she shared.
As for the love interest, she wanted someone that resembled his partner.
"Jonas is a good friend of mine and we go way back in 2019 — when we used to dance together in a group called Aces. I thought he could play the role well," the artist recalled.
Arkin Magalona's cameo is the cherry on top, continuing his late father's legacy in the local hip-hop scene. "He [Arkin] is one of the few people I always meet during parties and I knew that he would kill the role of a party boy," she said.
But for Illest, the presence of her long-time fans made the experience memorable and special. "My relationship with my fans is very tight. They inspire me as much as I inspire them. It started off as a small group and I made a group chat for us to directly talk to each other. Then, I invited them to my secret session where they listened to the album way before its release. And they all loved 'Stinkalink,' so I knew I had to include them in the shoot," she shared.
The past and the future
While she is mostly known for her top hits "Pick Up," and "Faded (Raw)," Illest expressed her gratitude for the success that the songs have given her.
"You know, it's really validating. It made me realize that if I did it once, then I could do it again. And it just keeps me motivated to push harder into creating what I want without thinking about the 'formula,' or what other people would say. When I made those two songs, I was only expressing myself and I feel like if I keep doing that, nothing else really matters. I don't have to try to create a hit song. I just make a song and then I let it have its moment," she said.
This unapologetic demeanor resonates with the current landscape of the Filipino music industry, where artists can now freely express themselves without immense pressure from the public eye. However, for Illest, there is a price to pay.
"In exchange for that freedom, you will experience a lot of hardships and sacrifices. But what matters the most is that you should never lose your authenticity, as it would affect your relationship with your craft. I'm just very grateful because people's tastes are more open to genres that were once frowned upon by the masses, especially hip-hop," she mentioned.
The rapper assured that she is constantly making new music and plans to collaborate more with her peers.
"I'm always working on new music because I don't want the feeling of being stagnant. Hopefully, I'll get to do a concert soon, but as of now, I'm just really focusing on creating more music and living life to get more inspiration to write good music," she shared.
The summit is divided into four components, namely, 1) Festival Exhibition, 2) National and 3) International Competitions, and 4) International Choral Conference.
The largest gathering of choirs will happen right here in the Philippines.
All roads lead to the Palawan International Choral Summit, which will be held from Aug. 13 to 16, 2025, in various venues in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.
The summit is divided into four components, namely, 1) Festival Exhibition, 2) National and 3) International Competitions, and 4) International Choral Conference.
The Festival Exhibition is a general event that will feature non-competing local and international choirs to perform and immerse themselves in the local unique and diverse cultures of Palawan, while the national Competition is a search for the best choirs to be participated in by choral groups from different regions in the Philippines. This is the best venue where local choirs can bring and represent their respective regional cultures through their music. This is also to render their knowledge and proficiency in choral singing. The first 20 participants who have settled their registration fees are provided free accommodations.
Meanwhile, the International Competition will give them a chance to foreign choirs to showcase their talents and experience as well as the warm hospitality of the Palawenos and to see their pride scenic spots for themselves. This is the best avenue for local choirs to acquire additional knowledge from international choral groups and vice versa. This is also the best opportunity to forge friendships among themselves.
Other components of the fest include the International Choral Conference, which will take choral knowledge to the next level by offering cutting-edge discussions, masterclasses, fiesta booths, festival kits, souvenir programs, and special tours of the islands.
Categories will be divided among the festival exhibition and national and international contests that will showcase the competition properly with its competition performance, repertoire, etc. The Jury will set the criteria, assess, deliberate, and proclaim the winners through scorecards.
Meanwhile, Philippine choirs can participate internationally in two ways: 1) if registered directly in the global competition. Just like the other international participating choirs, they will experience the best amenities that the festival organizers can provide 2) if they register for the national finals and obtain a grade of 85 percent or above in any given category. This automatically entitles them to participate internationally without paying additional registration and individual package fees prescribed to international participants. Nevertheless, local choirs can join both competitions at discounted costs.
Another featured event is the opening ceremony, which will take place on Aug. 14, 2025. A unique program featuring folkloric and traditional music and dances that showcase Palawan's culture will be performed.
Those interested in participating in the national competition and festival can log on to www.nafci.com. For the international choir festival, log on to www.ppicf.com. Registrations are now open. Before you submit research papers to join the international choral conference, please wait for more announcements. If you have any questions, please log on to www.nafci.com or email at filipinochoirs@gmail.com.
