GCash, the Philippines’ top finance app, has teamed up with multi-awarded P-Pop boyband SB19 to launch a brand new summer anthem and music video.
The release of the upbeat “Tara, Summer Na” isn’t just about making sure everyone’s got a new summer anthem, but it’s also an invitation to experience the best that the season has to offer in a new way with GCash.
Whether it’s going out on food trips, traveling out of town with friends, or going on a shopping spree for a new wardrobe for the season, GCash is adding an extra layer of excitement to everyone’s favorite activities with the launch of the Shake It, Win It promo. With numerous prizes waiting to be won, GCash ensures that every moment this summer is truly worth it and more rewarding.
From March 4 to May 31, users have the chance to join the Shake It, Win It Raffle just by paying a minimum of Php 100 with GCash. Every payment unlocks a world of prizes worth 179M. Starting March 8, users can also enjoy over 50% off in partner deals!
Prizes to look forward to in the Shake It, Win It prize draw include GCash credits, discount vouchers to retail merchants, today’s hottest gadgets, new appliances, and even free flights. In addition, select lucky winners can also win free trips for 2 to top local summer destinations such as Cebu, Siargao and Boracay, while 5 grand prize winners will get the chance to jet off to Japan, China, South Korea or Thailand together with a companion!
To earn raffle entries, users simply need to pay with GCash a minimum of Php 100 through its different features and products on the GCash app. Whether it’s to Buy Load, Pay Bills, or avail any products on the GInsure or GLoan dashboard, transactions will earn users 1 raffle entry to play per day. They can also use the GCash Card locally or abroad and tap to pay, or Scan QR in all their favorite merchants for a chance to get more entries daily.
Here’s how to play the Shake It, Win It Game:
After making a transaction worth a minimum of P100 with the eligible GCash services, click on your top banner in the GCash homepage
Under the Shake It, Win It page, click the Shake It, Win It banner
Users with a raffle entry will then be allowed to play by shaking or tapping their device
Users will then see their prizes immediately!
Stream the new Tara, Summer Na track today and keep paying with GCash for a chance to join the Shake It, Win It game daily and experience Summer the GCash way – easy, fun, more rewarding.
Tara, Summer Na. I-GCash mo! Download the GCash app today.
Repertory Philippines (REP) raises the curtain for its 87th season with the Manila premiere of Betrayal, a renowned play by British theater icon and Nobel Prize-winning playwright Harold Pinter, running from March 1 to March 17 at the Carlos P. Romulo Theater in RCBC Plaza.
A recipient of The Olivier Award and New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award, Betrayal employs a reverse-chronological structure to tell the poignant tale of an extramarital affair involving Emma, Robert, and Jerry, who is Robert’s best friend. Inspired by Pinter’s own seven-year affair, the play is a three-hander and takes place in London and Venice over a nine-year period.
Directed by critically acclaimed actor and theater director Victor Lirio, Betrayal features a cast of London-based Filipino actors James Bradwell, James Cooney, and Vanessa White who all boast extensive experience on stage and on screen, and beyond.
New York and London-based Lirio has directed several productions in New York and London. He was most recently Resident Director on Dr Semmelweis in the West End starring Oscar winner Mark Rylance at Harold Pinter Theatre in London. He was the former artistic director of Diverse City Theater in New York.
Bradwell has performed at prestigious venues in London such as Shakespeare’s Globe and The Royal Court Theatre, and has played various TV roles including a part in Netflix’s Bridgerton. Cooney has played lead roles in several productions at The Royal Shakespeare Company, The Old Vic, and, most recently, The Almeida Theatre in London. Finally, White, also a former member of English-Irish girl group The Saturdays, returns to her theater roots having performed in the West End productions of The Lion King and The King and I.
They will be joined by Manila-based actors and Philstage Gawad Buhay awardees Regina De Vera and Jef Flores. Betrayal will feature set design by Miguel Urbino, lighting design by John Batalla, sound design by Fabian Obispo, and costume design by Becky Bodurtha.
“I am thrilled to be directing my first production in my home country and at Repertory Philippines,” Lirio says. “We will be exploring Betrayal from the second-generation Filipino immigrant experience in London and set it in the contemporary time. Though born in England, actors James Cooney’s and Vanessa White’s families are from Davao and James Bradwell’s from Naga City. My family is from Batangas. And we will mine our Filipino roots to re-tell this beautiful and complicated story.”
REP presents Betrayal as part of The Bridge Project, a collaboration among global professional theater practitioners of Filipino descent from New York, London, and Manila. Launched by Lirio in June 2020 in London and currently in partnership with REP in Manila, this global undertaking serves as a skills exchange platform. The Bridge Project will offer free Knowledge Sharing Sessions that will touch on theater topics like Shakespeare text rhetoric, text & scene study, script analysis for visual designers, voice and theater experience, as well as a speaker series forum and some staged readings. The classes will be held at MINT College, Mckinley Hill and Ortigas Campus. Registration begins the first week of February. Interested parties may download application forms at repertoryphilippines.ph and their social media channels.
“I sense a real commitment and passion from REP for a global collaboration among Filipino artists,” adds Lirio. “I’m grateful to REP President and CEO Mindy Perez-Rubio for supporting The Bridge Project’s ethos and for having the London-based Filipino actors and me. We’re all very excited to collaborate with fellow theater artists in Manila in presenting one of Pinter’s most extraordinary plays.”
The Eras Tour fever is taking hold of Southeast Asia, and whether you’re able to head to Singapore to catch a truly once-in-a-lifetime Taylor Swift concert or you have to hold down the fort at home, there’s always a way to keep your Swiftie heart happy.
Thanks to the power of the internet and AI, Google can help elevate your Swiftie experience no matter where you are. As long as you’ve got your device and a solid internet connection with you, any day can be a Taylor Swift day—Google’s different tools and features can easily bring the music and the moments to life.
Here are a few ways you can bring the Eras Tour anywhere with Google:
● Recreate the concert on YouTube and YouTube Music: What’s the Eras Tour without the actual Taylor Swift music, right? Aside from finding or creating your own Taylor Swift playlists, you can immerse yourself in the whole concert experience with more live versions from Taylor such as her full BBC Live Lounge performances and JetBlue airport busking only on YouTube and YouTube Music.
● Have a Taylor Swift hybrid get-together via Meet: So maybe you and your friends won’t be able to fly to Singapore—if you’ve made or found that YouTube playlist of Taylor Swift songs, you and your friends can sing your hearts out together face-to-face and online. For others who won’t be able to join physically, get on a Google Meet call with them and share those screens to have your own unique Swiftie experience.
● Create some fun content on Shorts: Who says you have to be abroad to join the fun? You’ve got your phone, it’s got a camera, so you can be a positive part of the fandom by creating some Swiftie content on Shorts. Who knows, you could just be the next big viral Swiftie from the Philippines—what’s there to lose from trying?
● Stay updated with everything happening on the Eras Tour with Alerts: When you know everything that’s going on, it’s like you’re there as well. Set up your Google Alerts to monitor topics like the Eras Tour, Taylor Swift, and even Taylor Sheesh so you don’t miss any bits of Swiftie news and information.
● Learn more about Taylor Swift from Gemini: As an AI bot that’s able to search much of the internet really fast, Gemini can bring you all the info you need on Taylor Swift, anytime you need it. Simply talk to it like you would talk to a friend who knows everything about her, and Gemini will give you what you need. You can even deep-dive into certain information or topics, or double-check its response using the Google Search feature built within Gemini.
Don’t miss out—get caught up with the Eras Tour wave now with Google, wherever you are. Head over to Google to get the experience started today.
See the combined forces of Kong and Godzilla like never before in the ultimate titan team-up, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. Kong’s journey to find his family leads to an undiscovered layer of Hollow Earth, and with it, the most dangerous threat to mankind yet.
Given the success of the previous film, the epic monster mash Godzilla vs. Kong, director, story writer and executive producer Adam Wingard decided to go another route for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. “I remember even as we were completing the last movie, that was the thing in the back of my mind. ‘Where do you go from here?’,” he says. “The characters—now that they’ve fought together, they’ve been in movies together—it’s pretty hard to imagine doing another movie without them. Once you put Godzilla and Kong together you can’t take them apart, but they’re never gonna get along really all that well. They both have too big of egos, and so what’s fun about them is that even when they do team-up, there’s always gonna be this sort of uneasy truce to it all,” he explains further, talking about what kind of relationship audiences will expect between the Titans.
As their relationship changes, audiences can look forward to Godzilla and Kong going through their own evolution as well. “In Godzilla vs. Kong, it was really important to me to make sure that there was continuity between the other movies—that Godzilla felt like the Godzilla that we had established in the Monsterverse, and Kong also felt like the same character. But for me, I was looking forward to having my opportunity to update the character, to give him a new look, and I didn’t want it to just be something that was just a random thing,” Wingard says, explaining his vision for the Titans’ updated look. “I wanted it to be driven by the story, and so I knew even at the early development phases, that I wanted to give Godzilla a new look, but I wanted to make sure that it was also motivated by something going on in the movie and that we would actually see the evolution happen within the film.”
The reason for the legendary team-up between the two Titans? A mysterious, powerful new villain: Skar King. “When you have a movie called Godzilla x Kong, you can’t just have another run-of-the-mill kind of situation for them to be in. You have to come up with something that is going to require a team to take it down,” says Wingard about how Skar King is going to shake things up for the duo. “Because of the humanity within Kong’s character, we were able to come up with a villain like the Skar King—it opened the door where we could tell that same ‘evil side of humanity’ story, but from the monster perspective, and that means creating an even bigger threat that the Skar King is in control of. In the way that humans have armies and weapons of mass destruction, the Skar King’s got his version of that, and it’s gonna take all the hero monsters in the world to band together to be able to stop him.”
Finally, Wingard talks about what people can expect in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, being inspired by the monster movies of old. “[Because] ultimately, I wanted to make not just another Monsterverse film, but a thrill ride like you’ve never seen before. I wanted it to be a mic drop moment for monster movies. Whatever kind of movies I make in the future, as far as monsters go, I want this to say everything, and I want to be able to walk away knowing that we did everything… and the kitchen sink!”
About “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire”
The epic battle continues! Legendary Pictures’ cinematic Monsterverse follows up the explosive showdown of “Godzilla vs. Kong” with an all-new adventure that pits the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence—and our own. “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” delves further into the histories of these Titans and their origins, as well as the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond, while uncovering the mythic battle that helped forge these extraordinary beings and tied them to humankind forever.
Once again at the helm is director Adam Wingard. The screenplay is by Terry Rossio (“Godzilla vs. Kong” the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series) and Simon Barrett (“You’re Next”) and Jeremy Slater (“Moon Knight”), from a story by Rossio & Wingard & Barrett, based on the character “Godzilla” owned and created by TOHO Co., Ltd. The film is produced by Mary Parent, Alex Garcia, Eric Mcleod, Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni and Brian Rogers. The executive producers are Wingard, Jen Conroy, Jay Ashenfelter, Yoshimitsu Banno, Kenji Okuhira.
The film stars Rebecca Hall (“Godzilla vs. Kong,” The Night House”), Brian Tyree Henry (“Godzilla vs. Kong,” “Bullet Train”), Dan Stevens (“Gaslit,” “Legion,” “Beauty and the Beast”), Kaylee Hottle (“Godzilla vs. Kong”), Alex Ferns (“The Batman,” “Wrath of Man,” “Chernobyl”) and Fala Chen (“Irma Vep,” “Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”).
In cinemas March 30, “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” is distributed in the Philippines by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Discovery company.
Embark on a journey to your dream getaway at the much-anticipated BPI Awesome Travel Fair 2024. From March 8 to 10, the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati will transform into a pulsating center of wanderlust and excitement, inviting all BPI and Robinsons Bank Cardholders to immerse themselves in an exclusive weekend dedicated to crafting unforgettable travel experiences.
In collaboration with partner airlines and travel agencies, BPI proudly unveils this year’s Awesome Travel Fair—an exceptional opportunity to unlock travel deals tailored to your every whim. Whether you envision basking in the sun on sandy beaches or exploring the vibrant streets of bustling cities, this fair is your portal to a world of unforgettable travel experiences.
More than just flights and accommodations, the BPI Awesome Travel Fair 2024 is designed as a lifestyle event, created for modern travelers who appreciate the finer things in life and seek to share these experiences with loved ones. Seamlessly plan your next adventure with hassle-free travel booking, affordable payment options, and an array of exclusive perks tailored to your unique travel lifestyle.
From discounted airfares to unbeatable hotel deals, this is your golden opportunity to do more and turn your dream vacation into reality with the help of BPI. Enjoy the convenience of 0% special installment plans and Buy Now Pay 3 months later for select exhibitors, as well as 100% Bonus Madness Limit for qualified credit cardholders, making your travel expenses more manageable and budget-friendly.
Travel smart with BPI Credit Cards, boasting low forex rates of just 1.85%, ensuring substantial savings on international purchases, be it shopping abroad or booking flights online.
Now, you can use your BPI Credit Card Pin for a hassle-free shopping experience abroad! Your cash advance PIN is now your CCPIN that you can use to validate the in-store purchases of your BPI Credit Card while you are overseas.
For added peace of mind, complimentary travel insurance is extended to select BPI Credit Cards. Meanwhile, BPI Platinum Rewards Mastercard Cardholders can take advantage of a 0% installment for 6 months on airfare purchases, making travel dreams even more attainable.
As a delightful bonus, BPI Credit, Debit & Prepaid Cardholders as well as Robinsons Bank Credit Cardholders can score a free gift with a minimum spend of Php 5,000. Simply show your charge slip and official receipt at the BPI Customer Service Booth and treat yourself to something special. BPI and Robinsons Bank merged effective January 1, 2024, with BPI as the surviving entity.
This extraordinary travel fair is brought to you in collaboration with renowned partners such as PAL, Cathay Pacific, Airasia Super App, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Gulf Air, Saudia, United Airlines, AirSWIFT, Sunlight Air, Klook, Ark Travel, Constellation Travel, Rajah Travel, El Nido Resorts, Executive Resources, Samsung, Samsonite, American Tourister, Travel Club, & Big Sky Nation, among many others.
Robinsons Malls and the National Bicycle Organization (NBO) have forged a long term partnership to launch RKids Push Bike Racing series in order to bring more Push Bike Racing (PBR) events across the country. Starting this year, there will be a PBR race held each month at Robinsons Malls, with the aim of fostering a vibrant community of families and cycling enthusiasts who love two wheels. Since 2021, Robinsons Malls has been the official home of NBO’s PBR events, and this partnership has been instrumental in creating a fun and safe environment for young riders to showcase their skills. Since 2021, Robinsons Malls has been the official home of NBO’s PBR events, fostering a vibrant community of families and cycling enthusiasts who love two wheels.
“We are thrilled and honored to be the home of NBO’s Push Bike Racing series,” says Jess Zulueta, Senior Marketing Director at Robinsons Malls. Mr. Zulueta adds that this exciting partnership allows Robinsons Malls, with its eight locations including Robinsons Imus, Robinsons Novaliches, Robinsons Malolos, Robinsons Metro East, Robinsons Galleria South, Robinsons Starmills, Robinsons Antipolo, and Robinsons Pangasinan, to foster an active, healthy and sustainable lifestyle for the kids and to build stronger communities of cycling enthusiasts. The Rkids
“With our partnership with Robinsons Malls, we will be able continue our advocacy of growing the cycling community, teaching toddlers the fundamentals of biking and ultimately creating the next generations of bikers who love biking and a healthy lifestyle” says Benedict Camara, Director, and Founder at NBO.
The RKids Push Bike Racing series, in partnership with the NBO, is designed to encourage a love for cycling and an active lifestyle among toddlers and young children. The program provides a fun and engaging environment where they can develop balance, coordination, and confidence on two wheels, pulling them away from screen time and encouraging them to enjoy the outdoors. It also promotes sustainability and creates lasting memories for families, thus building a thriving cycling community across the Philippines. The partnership between Robinsons Malls and NBO goes beyond just racing. It aims to positively impact the community by promoting cycling for its health, environmental, and community-building benefits. Furthermore, this program will inspire the next generation of cyclists and fosters and develop empathy for sustainable practices among families.
This year, the RKids Push Bike Racing experience gets even better with the launch of the RKids Push Bike Racing Passport program. Children can participate in multiple races throughout the series, collecting stamps on their passports and unlocking exciting rewards.
For older kids ages 5-6 seeking a challenge, Robinsons Malls and NBO are expanding their program to include Duathlon events and seminars that combine running and cycling. These exciting races are open to young athletes ready to push their limits.
Are you ready to start rolling? Just download and register in the RMalls+ App and tap “RDeals” to join any of the upcoming races or visit https://robinsonspbr.nationalbicycle.org.ph for the full calendar of upcoming push bike races or https://www.facebook.com/RobinsonsMalls to find more about upcoming events at Robinsons Malls near you.
In Kung Fu Panda 4, Po, the Dragon Warrior (Golden Globe nominee Jack Black), is called upon by destiny to become the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace.
“When Po steps into the shoes of Spiritual Leader, you get to see his whole internal struggle,” says Black, who himself steps back into Po’s shoes almost a decade after the third film. “He has the Staff of Wisdom, but he’s scratching his head wondering if he knows anything about wisdom at all. This chapter is like Po’s mid-kung fu-life crisis. More wisdom, fewer dumplings, but the same lovable Po.”
It’s the same lovable Po but in an entirely new adventure. “The Kung Fu Panda world continually evolves and expands,” DreamWorks Animation President Margie Cohn says. “Of all the journeys Po has been on, this story is his most emotional and exciting. As Po faces new challenges and characters like Zhen [played by Awkwafina], and the most menacing opponent the Valley of Peace has ever seen in The Chameleon, this film takes him, and in turn the audience, on a fantastical new adventure.”
Ensuring the continued success of this monumental franchise required the expertise of a director deeply immersed in its essence. Enter Mike Mitchell, a seasoned director with an impressive repertoire that includes iconic franchises Shrek and Trolls, and contributions to all the previous Kung Fu Panda films.
“My goal in any franchise, especially my favorites, is to remind everyone of what made the first film great,” Mitchell says. “Kung Fu Panda has a timeless quality, and we wanted to emphasize that. We wanted to infuse even more action, pushing boundaries with new camera techniques not explored in animation before. Think of cool GoPro-style action, typically seen in live-action films. We aimed to bring that dynamic energy into the animated world, and what better canvas than a Kung Fu Panda film? Our aim was to create the biggest and best installment of this franchise, with a grander scale, more humor and the best action yet.”
A spark in all of us
A lot of that action is thanks to all the trouble caused by this installment’s formidable new villain Chameleon, voiced by Oscar winner Viola Davis, who attributes the franchise’s enduring popularity to its characters being reluctant heroes. “I think that sparks something in all of us,” Davis says. “Po doesn’t necessarily look like a warrior, but it sparks the imagination and allows the viewer to envision what they can become. It feels great to be part of this group now. I’ve always wanted to do an animated movie, and with this film, I felt like the right character and the right group of people found me, and I’m just happy to be in their company.”
For Awkwafina (voice of Zhen), another newcomer to the franchise, joining the Kung Fu Panda family holds personal significance. “It means a lot to me because this isn’t just an animated franchise, it’s a beloved world that’s resonated with audiences for so many years. And being able to contribute to a film that pays homage to the beauty of Chinese culture adds an extra layer of personal significance.”
A must-watch for the entire family, Kung Fu Panda 4, also featuring the voices of Dustin Hoffman, James Hong, Bryan Cranston, Ian McShane and Ke Huy Quan and distributed by Universal Pictures International, opens in Philippine cinemas March 6. #KungFuPanda4Ph
When it came to picking who would embody the role of his father Bob Marley for the movie Bob Marley: One Love, Ziggy Marley only had this to say about Kingsley Ben-Adir. “He was the best, simple,” Ziggy says. “But it was also about, ‘Who can hold this?’ Because it’s a very heavy burden. When I met Kingsley, I knew this was a man who could. He had the right spirit, energy, ability, respect and commitment.”
Undertaking the role was going to be a feat. “It was not an easy task, capturing the essence of Bob,” Ziggy says, “because Bob is not just a normal, everyday guy,” Ziggy admits. “He was somebody who was unique. We were making a Hollywood movie, but Bob is not a Hollywood person.” In turn, Kingsley Ben-Adir took the blessing of the Marley family very seriously. He was firmly against auditioning for the role if the family wasn’t part of the production. “Because it wouldn’t have felt right,” explains the actor.
Not only did Ben-Adir get the approval of the Marley family, but in preparing for the role, he got to hang out with them numerous times. On one occasion, as would be expected of someone who would play a notable football fan like Bob Marley, Ben-Adir watched a football match with Ziggy — a memory the actor says he will cherish forever.
For the role, Kingsley Ben-Adir would completely transform himself to fit the image of the legendary musician. He learned to play the guitar, and studied how to move and speak like Bob Marley. The greatest challenge was the voice, according to director Reinaldo Marcus Green. “There is patois [the dialect of a specific region; in this case Marley’s hometown of Nine Mile, Jamaica] and then there’s what Bob did,” Green says. “There are the intonations, the nuance of the language, how Bob arranged certain words and sentences. Kingsley spent eight months just listening to Bob Marley, like a record in his head.”
The team enlisted the help of another Jamaican icon to help with the complexities of the Marley patois: Fae E. Ellington. Her first-hand knowledge of the nuances of her country’s culture and the musician would be vital to the film. “My job was to make sure everyone in the movie talked with heart and authenticity,” Ellington says, who worked with Ben-Adir over months to coach the actor about the Marley patois. “Bob is a cultural icon, so we worked assiduously on it. In every language there are nuances, but I’m convinced that the Jamaican language has more nuances than any other. I really believe that. And I am so impressed with Kingsley. In Jamaica, we are very, very critical. But I think people are going to be very pleased when they see and hear him.”
For Bob Marley’s unique movement and posture, Ben-Adir was coached by choreographer and head of movement Polly Bennett. From Rami Malek’s Freddie Mercury (in Bohemian Rhapsody) to Austin Butler’s Elvis (in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis), to Naomi Ackie’s Whitney Houston (in I Wanna Dance With Somebody), Bennett has been teaching actors how to move like icons. “Everything Kingsley does is coming from an authentic place,” Bennett says of her and Ben-Adir’s process here. “It’s about excavating why Bob Marley moves the way he does, which means we can help the character development that comes from the physical side.”
Along with movement and voice, comes playing the guitar like Marley, and Ben Martinez was tasked on teaching Ben-Adir on how to play the guitar not only just like the musician would, but in his own words, “understand the role that Bob has within the band when he plays.”
As a result, Ben-Adir embodied Bob Marley in a way that captured his essence, without being just a copy. “We searched every corner of the world. What you’re looking for is someone to embody Bob Marley. You can never recreate him. You can’t bring him back. But you can bring his essence back. What Kingsley did was interpret Bob. An actor acting, not mimicking. It was masterful,” director Green says.
Watch the making of a worldwide icon as Bob Marley: One Love opens in Philippine cinemas on March 13.
About Bob Marley: One Love
Bob Marley: One Love celebrates the life and music of an icon who inspired generations through his message of love and unity. On the big screen for the first time, discover Bob’s powerful story of overcoming adversity and the journey behind his revolutionary music. Produced in partnership with the Marley family and starring Kingsley Ben-Adir as the legendary musician and Lashana Lynch as his wife Rita, BOB MARLEY: ONE LOVE is in theatres March 13,, 2024.
Paramount Pictures Presents
A Plan B Entertainment / State Street Pictures / Tuff Gong Pictures Production
Starring: Kingsley Ben-Adir, Lashana Lynch, James Norton, Tosin Cole, Umi Myers, Anthony Welsh, Nia Ashi, Aston Barrett Jr., Anna-Sharé Blake, Gawaine “J-Summa” Campbell, Naomi Cowan, Alexx A-Game, Michael Gandolfini, Quan-Dajai Henriques, David Kerr, Hector Roots Lewis, Abijah “Naki Wailer” Livingston, Nadine Marshall, Sheldon Shepherd, Andrae Simpson, Stefan A.D Wade
In Philippine cinemas starting March 13, Bob Marley: One Love is distributed in the Philippines by Paramount Pictures through Columbia Pictures. Connect with #BobMarleyMovie #OneLoveMovie and tag @paramountpicsph
Photo and Video Credit: “Paramount Pictures International”
An exciting gustatory collaboration between two exceptional Spanish chefs will be held at Tomatito on March 6 (Estancia) and 7 (BGC). The Four-Hands Dinner, billed “Flamenco Flavor,” will be headlined by Willy Trullas Moreno and Alfredo Rodriguez. The March 6 event is a celebration of the opening of Tomatito’s new branch at the ground floor of Estancia at Capitol Commons, Pasig City
Chef Willy is the founder of Tomatito which was first introduced in Shanghai in 2014. It then expanded to the Philippines and in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam serving its signature sexy tapas. This maverick and jovial culinary wiz is known to have popularized Spanish cuisine in China after taking the position of “Culinary Operations” in Greater China for Torres wine company, organizing gastronomic events in order to promote Spanish wine & food in Asia. In 2008, he opened his first co-owned Spanish restaurant “El Willy” in Shanghai. He was trained in some of the world´s great restaurants such as 3-star Michelin Georges Blanc in France, Aquavit restaurant in New York & several others in Barcelona.
Chef Alfredo, a native of Madrid, is the Corporate Executive Chef of Bistronomia, a collection of Spanish concepts by The Bistro Group. With years of experience working abroad, he considers the Philippines his second home sharing his expertise with lovers of Spanish cuisine. He is the creative genius behind Bistronomia’s Las Flores, BCN by Las Flores, Rambla, Rumba and Tomatito.
Expect nothing short of spectacular the dishes (from appetizers to mains and desserts) that will be served in this upcoming four-hands 7-course fiesta by two incredible chefs. To spice up the evening, there will be a lively flamenco performance by Centro Flamenco Philippines.
Tomatito’s cuisine is focused on family-style tapas dining that is bold, colorful and funky! The food menu is home to many Spanish classics, like croquetas, patatas bravas and paellas but also creative and sexy tapas best enjoyed with sangria, hand-crafted cocktails, a wide selection of Spanish wines.
Price per person is P 2995 and an additional P 1000 for wine pairing. Seats are limited so reservations are recommended. Contact (63 915) 9612694 (Estancia) and (63 915) 5884803 (BGC).
Customers are in for a whole new Japanese dining experience at Go Bento. Sporting a fresh look, it re-opened this February after months of renovation in its original location at The Spa Building in Bonifacio High Street, BGC. This fast casual 90-seater restaurant offers delicious and authentic Japanese food served mostly in bento boxes with a more vibrant, “Tokyo-Metro” vibe.
“When we were planning on how to redesign Go Bento, I explored Japan to study Japanese restaurants and discovered that they either imbibe a traditional restaurant concept or focus on the J-Pop, Manga genre,” said Scott Tan, the managing Director of Scottland Food Group, Inc., the same company that successfully launched Bonchon in the Philippines.
“One day, I was in a Tokyo train station and I realized that our Go Bento concept would work well with a metro train station vibe,” Tan explained. This prompted him to adapt the feel of Tokyo’s train station – the red tiles, the signages, the railings and other design aspects as the main features of the restaurant. “This blueprint goes well with our bento boxes, bentos being a huge part of Japanese people’s culture and heritage, just as train stations are. “They are imbedded in the culinary DNA of the working people. They grab a bento box before going to work, on their way home and anytime they want to eat a quick and complete meal. I really wanted to create that feeling and the value that Japanese people have when it comes to their food.”
Thus, once customers step into Go Bento, especially those who have been to Japan, they would sense the perfect synergy between the interiors and the dishes.
What’s in the box?
Bento boxes are a cultural icon of Japanese food. Go Bento takes this much-loved way of serving dishes to the Philippines that offer much in terms of value.
If you are a Go Bento newbie, the Bento boxes (with miso soup, vegetables and a drink) are a must-try. Choose from these sets- Beef Misono, Chicken/Pork Katsu, Tempura, Chicken Teriyaki, Yakitori, Ebi Katsu, Karaage, and Chicken/Pork Katsu Curry.Then there’s the one-piece and two-piece Chicken Bento and Salmon Teriyaki.
Customize your meals and go big with the Big Bento which consists of two mains, miso soup, a side dish, veggies and Japanese rice. Start by choosing your first main (Beef Misono, Chicken or Pork Katsu, Karaage or Mixed Tempura); your second main (Beef Misono, Chicken Teriyaki, or Chicken Yakitori) and your side dish (Gyoza or California Maki) . Now, you’re all set to post your personalized #BOTD (Bento of the Day) and enjoy.
The selections don’t end there as Go Bento boasts of their Donburi as well (Oyakodon, Yakitoridon, Gyudon,, Ebi Katsudonand Beef Misono). A la carte dishes include crowd favorites- Umami Fried Chicken, Karaage-style Chicken, Chicken or Pork Tonkotsu, Spicy Karaage Ramen and Sukiyaki. Other items worth trying are Chicken Mango Salad, Japanese Hambagu, Potato Takoyaki and Matcha Soft Serve. Go Bento also has Party Platters to Go.
“Quality and authenticity are important to us. That’s why we attach a lot of importance on small things. Customers are more discerning now. For example, we want our shrimp to have the perfect texture, we use fresh breading for our katsu and I insist on serving only Japanese rice. We found the sweet spot between very good quality and price so that our food remains value for money. We want that our bento box to be at par with Japanese casual dining restaurants, but always at pocket-friendly prices,” Tan explained.
In leading and in growing Go Bento, he draws from his years of experience with Bonchon, his first food venture, and from listening to the pulse of his customers.
“While we saw the local market’s growing love for authentic Japanese food at great value, there were not too many Japanese restaurants offering these. We adjusted and tailored-fit Go Bento’s concept to make them of high-quality, complete and affordable,” he expounded.
On the right track
After spending 10 years in the USA working in finance, Tan came home to pursue his love for food. “I particularly love Korean and Japanese cuisines because of their umami flavor- the amazing balance of sweet, spicy, salty,” he shared.
Go Bento is ready to expand their footprint in the Philippines with plans to open 10 company-operated branches in Metro Manila this year. Franchising is in the drawing board and will be launched at the appropriate time.
As he works closely with the company’s R&D, Tan brings to Go Bento his passion for food and his personal mantra, “If I don’t eat it, I won’t serve it. I serve only what I love to eat”.
Rediscover a new and more enjoyable dining experience at Go Bento, anchored on authentic and value for money Japanese food amidst a Japanese train station flair.
