The PR & Events Circuit

The annual Korean Film Festival unreels to showcase five blockbuster and critically acclaimed films at selected SM Cinemas from September 8 to October 16. With Strong Hearts as this year’s theme, the festival will feature films with characters with strong personalities and those who pursue their goals and desires with courage and determination,  A joint partnership between the Korean Embassy’s Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines and SM Cinema, the film festival will begin its run at SM City Clark in Pampanga from September 8 to 11. This will be followed by screenings at SM Lanang Premier in Davao from September 15 to 18, SM City Iloilo from September 22 to 25, SM City Cebu from September 29 to October 1, and at SM City Dasmariñas in Cavite on October 6 to 9. The film festival's culminating event will be on October 8 to 11 at SM Megamall.

SM Supermalls have been one of the forefronts in recognizing talented Filipinos who excel in their own fields of interest. For years now, we have given awards and recognition to various individuals ranging from the sciences, visual and performance arts, music and a whole lot more.  This time of the year, the recent World Championship of Performing Arts (WCOPA) 2016 last July 8-17 at Long Beach, California. Fourteen(14) young performers have given recognition to the Philippines and most of all, to Iloilo. 

Iloilo City, August 18, 2016- Megaworld, the country's largest developer of integrated urban townships, is launching its sixth residential tower in the 72-hectare Iloilo Business Park township in Mandurriao, Iloilo City.  To be called SAINT HONORE, the 10-storey condominium will be an exclusive residential community inspired by the classic architectural designs of the shop houses, botiques, museums and retail rows of the Rue Saint-Honore, a historical street in downtown Paris. "Ilonggos will get to experience the world-renowned beauty of Paris with Saint Honore. Amidst all of its grandeur and Parisian lifestyle, future residents are assured of utmost exclusivity, privacy, and serene atmosphere in this first-of-its-kind residential enclave in Iloilo" says Jennifer Palmares Fong, vice president for sales and marketing - Iloilo Business Park,Megaworld.

As part of its commitment to the senior citizens, SM City Iloilo recently held another round of Seniors Day. This time it tackled what most 60 pluses do not dare at their age - the latest technology! The activity was held to equip the participants with knowledge on technology that will aid in their well-being and relaxation. 

The best young athletes from the TM Basketball Para sa Bayan clinics in Cavite, Bulacan, Cebu, and Davao are set to participate in the National Basketball Association’s 3-on-3 competition in Manila from August 19-21, 2016.  LA Tenorio teaches young kids the proper way of playing basketball   Czarlo Lorenzo Salvador, Laurence Cyrel Nuenay, Tristan Maurice Coquilla, and Giero Velasquez comprise Team Davao while Adrian James Canales, Marc Gabriel Canales, and Kyle Clapis represent Team Cebu.   Both teams will join the NBA 3X male 10-12 category. For the male 13-15 division, all participants will come from Luzon. Two teams were chosen for Cavite.  They are composed of Rexeus Raziel Moldez, John Christian Hernandez, Lee Rodney Kiofranz Marallag, Devon Dein Diez, Steven Kurt Grado, and Justin Jolo Santos.  For Bulacan, the players are Sean Ashley Junio, Clarenz Camua, and Patrick Jasper Abuan. 

Megaworld’s subsidiary, Global Estate Resorts Inc. (GERI), the country’s biggest developer of integrated tourism estates, posted a net income of P465-million in the first half of 2016, up 37% from P339-million during the same period the previous year. Consolidated revenues for the first six months of 2016 amounted to P2.86-billion, a growth of 36% from P2.11-billion during the first half of 2015. The key driver of the GERI is still its residential arm, which account for close to 75% of total revenues.  “As the premiere developer of tourism estate developments in the country, GERI stands to greatly benefit from the current administration’s thrust of regional development. Our current and upcoming projects are mostly located around the metropolitan areas, which will definitely feel the impact of accelerated growth spurred by our government, especially in better infrastructure, ” explains Monica Salomon, president, GERI. 

Emperador, the world’s largest brandy company and owner of Fundador – the largest brandy producer in Spain – realized a net income of PHP3.4b in the first six months of 2016, reflecting a growth of 5.5% over the comparable period in 2015.  Net income in the second quarter of 2016 came in at PHP2.0 billion, up 9.4% year-on-year, but up almost 45% against the net income in 1Q16. Earnings growth was achieved even as consolidated revenues of PHP18.4b in the first half of this year showed marginal growth of 0.2% over the same period of last year. 

Philippines' biggest mall network, SM Supermalls takes the Pokémon Go craze to new heights as it stages the biggest nationwide Lure Party this Friday (August 12)!  SM's upcoming event is set to be the biggest Pokémon Go Lure Party worldwide to date as more than 150 Pokéstops will be lured simultaneously from 5:00pm to 9:00pm in 50 SM malls (including SM Jazz Mall, SM Light Mall and SMDC Green Residences) all over Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao! During the four-hour event, SM shoppers nationwide will be treated to an array of exciting attractions and fun-filled activities perfect for families and groups of friends. Pokémon characters and cosplayers will be strolling around the malls while select SM branches will feature different adorable Pokémon collectibles and Pokémon Go essentials perfect for every trainer's daily adventure. Also joining the historical Lure Party are several mall establishments all set to launch their respective special Pokémon promos.

AirAsia is offering promotional fares to Asean destinations in conjunction with Asean Day starting today until 14 August 2016. Asean Day celebrates the founding of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) with the signing of the Bangkok Declaration on 8 August 1967. From as low as P1,058, guests will be able to explore destinations in all 10 Asean nations – Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Brunei, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. Travel period for this promo is from 9 August 2016 to 14 March 2017.  Explore exciting destinations in Asean and beyond from as low as P1,058 only At the same time, guests can also take advantage of low fares to destinations beyond Asean on AirAsia and AirAsia X's network covering North Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, Australia and Africa.

Business success stories usually start with an inspiration. For Regina Sambalido and her business partners, the idea of making affordable yet lovely-looking leather sandals available to Filipinos came during a trip abroad where they stumbled upon several stores selling beautiful leather footwear.  They were so taken with the sandals that they decided to bring a couple of pairs home and offer them online.  This started their love affair with footwear and the birth of Renegade Folk. Regina and her three siblings together with Bibay Puyat initially offered a variety of quality leather sandals with the best material.  The sandals can be worn by people of any age, which is what Renegade Folk is after. Most of their footwear now comes from the local manufacturing industry, which also benefit from Renegade Folk’s loyal online customers not only in the Philippines but also in Singapore, Australia, and Canada.

Iloilo Airport, touted one of the best airports in Asia in a 2015 survey of web portal , SleepingInAirports.com, promises a better digital experience for travelers with the upgrade of its data connectivity by PLDT and wireless subsidiary Smart Communications. The firing up of Smart Wifi will significantly improve the digital experience of travelers using the Iloilo Airport passenger terminal.  With a bandwidth of up to 1 gigabit per second, Wifi users will have the best customer experience whether surfing the web for their favorite sites, or keeping connected with home and office while traveling. The installation of Smart Wifi in the Iloilo Airport comes on the heels of similar initiatives in Davao City’s Francisco Bangoy International Airport, Misamis Oriental’s Laguindingan Airport, and Bacolod City’s Silay International Airport. Next week, Smart Wifi will also be on air in the Clark International Airport.

Smartphone giant Samsung finally unveiled its all-new Galaxy Note 7 at its unpacking event in New York City, and its features are set to the bar yet again in mobile technology and innovation. Philippines’ #1 mobile brand Globe Telecom is gearing up to take pre-orders starting August 6, 2016 via globe.com.ph/note7.  Maximizing a connected lifestyle, Globe complements the new Galaxy Note 7 with its customizable Globe myLifestyle plans. The myLifestyle postpaid plans provide a personalized online experience through its variety of lifestyle packs designed for different interests ranging from entertainment, music, fashion, to travel, among others. 

AirAsia, the World’s Best Low Cost Carrier for eight consecutive years running, in partnership with Sabah Tourism Board is now accepting entries for “Mount Kinabalu Challenge.” To join, amateur and professional mountaineers are invited to upload their photo and share a story of their most memorable outdoor trip or hike in Facebook or Instagram using the following hashtags: #AirAsiainKotaKinabalu and #MtKinabaluReady from today until August 14, 2016. One winner will get to bring two of his friends to fly from Manila to Kota Kinabaluvia AirAsia for free with hotel accommodation and tour of Mt. Kinabalu on September 7-11, 2016*  including The North Face PH Day Packs. Find out more about the contest mechanics here:

Globe Telecom is the Philippines’ most awarded telecommunications operator in the first half of 2016 following a series of recognitions given to the company by various institutions. “The string of awards given to Globe testify to the company’s  excellence in creating shared value to all our stakeholders even in the face of intense industry competition amid a continuing customer adoption of a digital lifestyle,” Globe Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications Yoly Crisanto said. Globe Telecom was declared first runner-up in the Best in Ethics & Governance category during the Asean Corporate Sustainability Awards 2016. Globe Corporate Brand Management OIC EJ Francisco (center) and Globe Corporate Communications’ Strategy and Management Operations Head Mitchel Cloyd Masaudling (right) receive the award from Dr. Oscar P. Bulaong, Jr. (left), Executive Director of Ateneo Ethics Center. Two of such awards conferred on the company are Frost & Sullivan Philippine

ABS-CBN Iloilo’s Mr. Reggie Adosto and UP Professor Ms. Analiza Barcelona were the invited storytellers during the National Book Reading Day celebration at SM City Iloilo held last July 19, 2016. The National Book Reading Day is being held annually by the mall to support the advocacy of encouraging more children to value reading books as a medium of education. Invited schools for this year are the Bolilao Elementary School and Ateneo de Iloilo. Spearheaded by the SM Cares Committee for Children and Youth, this project is in partnership with National Bookstore, Vibal Publishing and UNICEF. The event was also supported by Our Home and Toy Kingdom.