Watch out K-Pop and K-Drama fans, one of the Philippines most loved K-Actor is coming back to the Philippines for his “Just One 10 Minute” fan meet series. This time around, fans will get to spend a starry evening during his Cha Eun-Woo “Just One 10 Minute” <STARRY CARAVAN>” in Manila happening on August 6, 2022 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The Manila stop will be an exciting one as the actor has always been well received by his fans in the Philippines.
CHA EUN-WOO showed his different charms as an actor in his most well known lead roles, “My ID is Gangnam Beauty”, “Rookie Historian Goo Hae-Ryung”, and his latest drama “True Beauty”. His likability on-screen only adds to his off-screen charms, which fans can’t get enough of.
After not being able to see the actor live in almost 3 years, fans can look forward to spending more time with CHA EUN-WOO and experience interactions and exciting activities that they should not miss out on. This is a starry evening worth remembering for every Filipino CHA EUN-WOO fan.
Ticket Prices are Php 9,500 (SVIP), Php 8,500 (VIP), Php 7,500 (BOX PREMIUM), Php 6,000 (LOWER BOX), Php 4,000 (UPPER BOX), Php 2,000 (BOX). Check out the seat plan and for more info and grab your seats on July 2 during the pre-selling at the Gateway Cineplex Lobby or July 3 on the official ticket selling!
More exciting updates and information about CHA EUN-WOO “JUST ONE 10 MINUTE” <STARRY CARAVAN> in MANILA will be released soon. Make sure to follow DnM Entertainment’s social media pages for more news and updates.
It is no secret that Japanese anime has a lot of rich stories to offer, from exciting thrillers to epic adventures to just feel-good stories with humorous antics. But aside from these, some anime have also been notorious for their heartwrenching moments that had viewers wiping tears off of their cheeks!
If you’re interested in watching some tearjerker anime that would really give you the feels, look no further, as we’ve listed down 25 titles that you should watch right now if you really need a good cry!
1. Grave of the Fireflies (Film)
Perhaps Studio Ghibli’s most harrowing film, Grave of the Fireflies tells the story of siblings Seita and Setsuko as they try to fend for themselves during the onslaught of World War II. As the American’s firebombs continue to drop on the streets, the siblings’ survival gets slimmer by the minute.
2. Your Lie in April (Series)
Your Lie in April exhibits both the beauty and pain music can evoke. After his mother’s death left him traumatized, piano prodigy Kōse becomes unable to hear the sound of his piano and only sees the world in monochrome. Years later, he meets the lively violinist Kaori who slowly brings back the color to his life. Stream Your Lie in April soon on Netflix.
3. 5 Centimeters Per Second (Film)
A story about growing apart, Makoto Shinkai’s short film 5 Centimeters Per Second follows the encounters of childhood friends Takaki and Akari. When Takaki’s family moves to the other side of the country, the distance slowly chips away at their relationship. Stream 5 Centimeters Per Second on Netflix.
4. Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day (Series)
A tale of friendship and death, Anohana centers on Jinta and his childhood friends who all drifted apart after Menma, the littlest and most innocent of the group, died in an accident. Now a young adult, Jinta is soon acquainted with the ghost of a grown-up Menma, who asks him to grant her mysterious wish.
5. A Silent Voice (Film)
A Silent Voice follows a young man’s search for redemption he may not be worthy of. It tells the story of Shouya, a cruel elementary student who bullies his deaf classmate Shouko until she decides to change schools. Years later, Shouya is still haunted by his wrongdoings as a young boy and decides to find Shouko to make amends.
6. Your Name (Film)
Your Name takes the body swap cliché and turns it into a heartwarming, romantic tale. It follows Mitsuha and Taki– two teens living from different parts of Japan whose bodies suddenly started swapping. The more time they spend with the other person’s body, the deeper the connection between them becomes. A connection that soon turns into romance.
7. I Want to Eat Your Pancreas (Film)
This film follows an aloof boy who seems to avoid social interactions, thus having no friends for most of his life. This changes when he accidentally reads a book in a hospital waiting room, which happens to be the diary of his popular classmate. The two then began to develop a connection after she reveals to him that she’s secretly suffering from a fatal pancreatic illness.
8. Clannad (Series)
In Clannad, the school delinquent Tomoya thinks that life is dull and wastes his time skipping classes. But his life takes a turn when he becomes friends with Nagisa, a girl who was held back a year due to a severe illness. When he learns that her dream is to revive the drama club, Tomoya joins her in her mission, meeting four more girls and helping them overcome their respective life hurdles.
9. Angel Beats! (Series)
Angel Beats! plays on the concept of a high school-like limbo, where the students must overcome the hardships they experienced in life before passing on. After finding himself in this limbo, Yuzuru is recruited into the Afterlife Battlefront, a rebel group fighting against an unseen god as payback for the members’ unfair circumstances in life. As Yuzuru navigates this new world, he regains more of his memories, and ultimately, discovers the afterlife’s true purpose.
Photo: Netflix
10. Violet Evergarden (Series)
Filled with heartbreaking moments, this anime follows the young ex-soldier Violet Evergarden, who is now navigating the post-Great War world. Assigned to a writers’ agency, Violet writes letters to connect people, while suffering from the pains of her own past. Stream Violet Evergarden on Netflix.
11. Orange (Series)
What if you can prevent the things that you will be regretting later in life? This is the premise of Orange, which follows the sophomore student Naho. One day, she receives a letter from herself ten years into the future, telling her of the mistakes and regrets she will be having in the future, including losing a person that she has yet to meet.
12. Elfen Lied (Series)
This sci-fi fantasy series touches on dark and serious themes such as discrimination, abuse, revenge, and jealousy just to name a few. It centers on the mutated species of Diclonius, who have a humanlike appearance but are dangerous killers. It follows the Diclonii Lucy who escapes from an experiment facility and wreaks havoc on the area. After getting injured, Lucy develops a second, childish personality called Nyu.
Photo: Amazon Prime Video
13. Steins; Gate (Series)
Steins; Gate explores the consequences of time travel. It tells the story of Rintaro Okabe who develops a time travel machine using a microwave oven. When the research organization SERN learns about this, they send men to retrieve the technology, killing Rintaro’s friend, Mayuri, in the process. Rintaro then tries to undo everything through his time machine, but saving her would also entail grave consequences. Stream Steins; Gate on Netflix.
Photo: Amazon Prime Video
14. Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 (Series)
This anime bares the horrors of a natural disaster, specifically an earthquake that leaves cities in ruins in its wake. Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 follows the two young siblings, Mirai and Yuki, who were visiting a robot exhibition in Odaiba when a massive earthquake happens in Tokyo. Alongside the motorcycle courier Mari who is trying to get home to her own daughter, the two kids journey to the partly-ruined city to be reunited with their parents.
15. Wolf Children (Film)
Wolf Children tells the story of Hana who falls in love with an enigmatic man that could turn into a wolf. After bearing his two wolf-human children, tragedy struck leaving Hana widowed. The movie then follows Hana’s hardships as she raises the two children on her own, children who want to experience many things in the world but are hindered by their feral callings.
Get the chance to pose with Pau-Pau at the photobooth, experience running on a giant hamster wheel for exclusive merch and vouchers, embody a human claw to take as many goodies as you can, and collect vouchers for your next snack spree and the best of all? Meet Pau-Pau! Don’t skip out ’cause a fun day awaits!
Catch the party at the BHS Amphitheatre on June 24 to 26!
And our final leg, to be announced soon – happening on July 1 to 3! Tune in to foodpanda’s official Facebook page for the announcement!
Don’t forget to join the big birthday raffle and to be one of the lucky winners of the following prizes:
All foodpanda customers:
Eight (8) All Expense Paid Trip for Two (3D2N) to Boracay (four winners) and Palawan (four winners)
Eight (8) Apple iPad Pro 11 (128 GB)
Eight (8) Nintendo Switch
Eight Hundred (800) Vouchers (₱800 off, minimum order value of ₱799)
Exclusive prizes for pandapro subscribers:
Eight (8) Cebu Pacific Round Trip Domestic Flight Tickets (Terms and Conditions apply) – pandapro subscribers only
Twenty-five (25) Love Bonito Gift Certificates – pandapro subscribers only
Thirty-seven (37) Realme PH Products – pandapro subscribers only
Two (2) Realme 9 Pro
Two (2) Realme 8 5G
Twelve (12) Realme Watch 5 Pro
Ten (10) Realme Hairdryer
Ten (10) Realme Bluetooth Speaker
One (1) Realme Pad Grey (3+32GB)
Five (5) Zalora Gift Certificates worth ₱ 2,000 – pandapro subscribers only
Agoda (Onground Raffle) – pandapro subscribers only
HOW TO JOIN?
STEP ONE:
FOR NEW USERS: Visit www.foodpanda.ph or download the foodpanda app. Create an account and start ordering the food you love!
FOR EXISTING USERS: Visit www.foodpanda.ph or open your foodpanda app. Input your preferred delivery address and choose from thousands of restaurants or shops within your area!
STEP TWO:
On the checkout page, enter and use the following multiple-use voucher codes:
For food delivery: 88FOOD for₱88 off with a minimum spend of₱499
For groceries: 88GROCERY for₱88 off with a minimum spend of₱888
For pickup: 88PICKUP for₱88 offwith a minimum spend of₱599
For pandapro: 88PRO for₱88 off with a minimum spend of₱399
One entry = one (1) voucher redemption.
STEP THREE:
Complete the purchase then, you’re all set!
TERMS & CONDITIONS:
The raffle is open to new and existing users, including pandapro subscribers. Should their names be picked in both raffles, pandapro subscribers can win once in both categories.
To be eligible, the participants must use one of the provided codes in a successful transaction to earn one (1) raffle entry.
The contest period runs from June 1 until June 30, 2022
We’re a few days away from seeing the end of Stranger Things season 4, with its second volume slated for release next month.
To keep the excitement among fans, Netflix has dropped the trailer for Stranger Things 4 Vol. 2, which teases a war from all corners, as the divided members of the gang face the monsters spawned by the Upside Down– from the demodogs in Russia to Vecna and his deadly curse.
Watch the trailer below:
In the first volume of season 4, we were introduced to the humanlike monster Vecna, who curses students at Hawkins who suffer from their traumatic pasts. When Max becomes the next target, the gang at Hawkins scrambles to save her. Meanwhile, Mike, Will, and Jonathan are trying to find Eleven, who is trying to reclaim her powers by revisiting her painful memories at the Rainbow Room. Joyce and Murray are reunited with Hopper in Russia, where they discover demodogs that are being held in captivity. Volume 1 ended with the big revelation of who Vecna really is.
The question is, will our heroes prevail against this terrifying monster? Who will fall and who will survive? Find out when the new episodes drop this July 1.
Netflix’s Stranger Things is created by the Duffer Brothers. Its lineup of stars includes Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Sadie Sink, Caleb McLaughlin, Gaten Matarazzo, Joe Keery, Natalia Dyer, Maya Hawke, and Charles Heaton. Also added to the cast this season were Jamie Campbell Bower, Joseph Quinn, and Eduardo Franco.
You can stream the earlier seasons of Stranger Things only on Netflix.
Starbucks Philippines champions sustainability and digital innovation as they unveil their initiatives for 2022 and beyond. In a media roundtable, the company went in-depth on new digital services and sustainability efforts that help give back to the planet, while enhancing its customer experience.
Starbucks Sustainability Commitment Environment
“We are very excited to be introducing these new initiatives for sustainability and digital innovation. Through these efforts, we can connect with our customers better, and focus on the well-being of our planet to create a better shared future,” said Jamie Silva, Senior Manager for Marketing, Digital Customer Experience & Loyalty at Starbucks Philippines.
Connecting Starbucks Rewards with Grab and Lazada
It’s important for the company to make earning rewards as easy for customers as possible and connecting to Grab and Lazada is a powerful tool for Starbucks Philippines because of how easily it fits into its customers’ daily lives.
Starting June 23, a seamless integration with Starbucks Rewards will allow customers to earn 1 Star for every Php40 spent on Starbucks orders. Every 100 Stars collected converts to a free Starbucks beverage or food reward, redeemable in stores.
Gifting Made Easy
The company’s integration with GLife and GrabGifts is a key next step as Starbucks Philippines innovates in social digital gifting, providing a greater connection and convenience for all its customers.
eGifting is now available through GrabGift and GLife, allowing customers to digitally send Starbucks favorites to their loved ones. Starbucks eGifts can be purchased starting at Php 100 on GrabGifts and Php 300 on GLife. eGifts from GLife can be used to pay in Starbucks stores while eGifts from GrabGifts can be used to purchase orders from Starbucks on GrabFood.
Starbucks FoodShare Program
Last March, Starbucks FoodShare launched in the Philippines starting with 40 stores in Metro Manila. Through Starbucks’ ongoing partnership with Grab, participating stores can connect with Grab drivers to pick up and deliver food donations daily. The donations are donated to Philippine Food Bank Foundation, a local non-profit organization, to be distributed to select beneficiaries within Metro Manila daily.
To date, the program has served over 50,000 meals from more than 200 stores. The company’s goal is to continuously expand the program to more stores outside Metro Manila and serve more communities.
Global Community Impact Grants
The Starbucks Foundation commits a $30 million investment in the Global Community Impact Grants by 2030. These grants aim to support programs that create meaningful impact, both locally and regionally.
For Starbucks Philippines, a total of $70,000 in grants have been awarded to Gawad Kalinga, HOUSE Foundation, and Teach for the Philippines. These grants will be directed to hunger relief and youth development programs from 2nd half of 2022 to 1st half of 2023.
“We’re very grateful for the continued support our customers and media partners have given Starbucks Philippines. As we introduce more initiatives to enhance the Starbucks Experience, I look forward to collaboratively creating a better future for all,” said Noey Lopez, President & CEO of Starbucks
Gary Valenciano has unveiled a brand new song “Pwede Pang Mangarap”, released under Universal Records. It’s the type of buoyant, morale-boosting track that transports listeners to a much-needed ray of hope as we dare to rise above the seemingly dream-crushing effects of the pandemic.
The pandemic may be making its way out of our lives slowly but its aftereffect is still felt by many, especially amongst those who have been striving to stay afloat in the world of the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises. Some have had to stay closed for two years, while others have just had to shut down indefinitely. Thus, this uplifting track from Mr. Pure Energy came to life.
“Pwede Pang Mangarap” was made possible with the cooperation of The Association of the Filipino Franchisers Inc. (AFFI) and it’s the official TVC of BUYanihan, a known collective of brands, retailers, and MSMEs that aims to empower the Filipino entrepreneurs and help them highlight their world-class products.
“We’ve all heard of the light at the end of the tunnel, but I believe more in the fact that when our hope is fueled by our faith, God can become our light no matter where in the tunnel we may find ourselves in. Yes…I strongly encourage you to start dreaming once again,” says Mr. Gary V. about this powerfully crafted song.
Truly, life can’t always be easy, we all fall short but what’s important is that we don’t lose hope and become stronger versions of ourselves. Always keep your dreams alive. Stream “Pwede Pang Mangarap” on your favorite digital streaming platforms today.
Directed by Baz Luhrmann, it is a biographical musical drama about Elvis Presley’s rise to fame in the 1950s while maintaining a complex relationship with his manager, Colonel Tom Parker. It stars Austin Butler as Elvis Prelsey, with Tom Hanks, Helen Thomson, Richard Roxburgh, Olivia DeJonge, Luke Bracey, and more.
Directed by Sunghoo Park, it is based on the manga series Jujutsu Kaisen 0, a prequel to the Jujutsu Kaisen manga series. It follows Yuta Okkotsu, a young student who becomes a sorcerer and seeks to control the cursed spirit of his childhood friend Rika Orimoto in Jujutsu High alongside other skilled mates. It features the voices of Megumi Ogata, Kana Hanazawa, Mikako Komatsu, and more.
Directed by Prime Cruz, it centers on long-time friends who share the same talent manager and had once gone out on a date, before their respective relationships later on ended. It stars Paulo Avelino and Janine Gutierrez.
The first-ever Holiday Inn branded property in Cebu opened its doors to guests today with the highly anticipated launch of Holiday Inn Cebu City in the heart of Cebu Business Park.
A joint partnership between The Erawan Group Public Company Limited and IHG Hotels & Resorts, the new-build hotel is conveniently located in the center of Cebu’s premier business district, making it the perfect accommodation choice for international and regional business travelers. Alongside multinational companies, BPOs, and local and foreign financial institutions, the hotel is a 5-minute walk from the Ayala Center Cebu shopping mall, a 9-hectare lifestyle destination in the city.
Designed to offer a convenient and comfortable stay, each of the 180 guest rooms and suites feature the brand’s signature thoughtful touches such as high-speed wifi, spacious work desks, premium beddings, and pillow menu. The lush tropical room interiors offer a relaxing escape after a busy day of exploring the Philippines’ historic “Queen City of the South”.
The hotel’s seventh-floor houses leisure, dining, and events facilities for guests of all ages to enjoy: an outdoor pool, 24-hour fitness center, and three fully-equipped function rooms that can accommodate business meetings, corporate events, and social gatherings for up to 120 persons. Sevii Dining & Drinks, an all-day dining restaurant and bar serving local and international favorites features weekly buffet offers and a special kids menu under the Holiday Inn’s Kids Stay and Eat Free program. The breezy alfresco area and cozy poolside lounge are perfect spaces to catch up with friends over drinks.
Kaye Mendoza, General Manager, Holiday Inn Cebu City commented: “As domestic and inbound tourism continues to make a strong ram in the Philippines, we are delighted to be opening the very first Holiday Inn hotel in Cebu offering business and leisure travelers reliable, internationally branded accommodation in the heart of the city.”
Guests will have access to a best-in-class loyalty program, IHG One Rewards, which is centered around its guests – giving them richer benefits and more ways to earn than ever before, all powered by leading technology on its new mobile app. Non-members can visit IHG One Rewards to learn more or register to become a member.
Delivering on the global IHG Clean Promise, Holiday Inn Cebu City is committed to high levels of cleanliness with protocols to ensure guests’ safety and peace of mind throughout their stay. Located in the same tower as Erawan Philippines’ owned Hop Inn Hotel, Holiday Inn Cebu City is situated on the upper floors with its own separate entrance, lift, and lobby.
To celebrate the official launch of Holiday Inn Cebu City, the hotel is offering an opening promo of PHP 2,999++ plus PHP 1 peso breakfast for two for a Standard King or Twin Room stay, valid for bookings from now until 1 July for stays until 31 August 2022.
Armed with a firm belief that a sustainable future is a better future, City of Dreams Manila steps up its strategies to meet sustainability targets by 2030 aligned with the goal of its parent company Melco Resorts & Entertainment (Melco). Despite the challenges brought by the pandemic, the integrated resort has persisted in undertaking projects anchored on its core values of service to colleagues, guests, the community, and the environment.
The company’s sustainability strategy led by Melco Chairman and CEO Lawrence Ho dubbed “Above and Beyond” outlines ambitious goals including carbon-neutral resorts and zero-waste resorts by 2030. In adherence, City of Dreams Manila’s sustainability endeavors are focused on the environment (renewable energy, energy efficiency, zero waste initiatives, reduction in water consumption, recycling, digitalization of processes, sustainable gardening or organic urban farming; economy (sustainable sourcing and support to local small and medium enterprises) and social responsibility (looking after colleagues’ welfare, workforce diversity and training, and extending a helping hand to communities needing of aid through community development and volunteerism programs).
City of Dreams Manila Property President Geoff Andres said, “We are committed to seamlessly integrating sustainability in our guests’ experience whether it be in our restaurants, in our hotel rooms, even in our gaming and entertainment facilities. Inspired by the “Above and Beyond” ethos, we will continue to progress further with our green undertakings and soldier on contributing to a more sustainable future.”
A testament to the resort’s commitment to sustainability is the 2022-2024 ASEAN Green Hotel Award presented to the three luxury hotels on the property – Nüwa Manila, Nobu Hotel, and Hyatt Regency Manila – for their environment-friendly principles that include resource consumption reduction and local community involvement. Melco has also been recognized at the 2019 Sustainable Business Awards (SBA) in the Philippines for its talent development program for its workforce in both Manila and Macau, as well as its energy efficiency efforts to tackle climate change at City of Dreams Manila.
Environment
Renewable Energy. Since its opening, City of Dreams Manila has been initiating corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities and efforts geared towards environmental protection. This advocacy further intensified in 2019, with the launch of Melco’s global “Above and Beyond” sustainability strategy, as City of Dreams Manila initiated harnessing of renewable energy with the installation of 3,120 PV solar panels on the topmost floor of its parking building. Being the first integrated resort in the country to utilize solar solutions, the property’s solar panels have been fully operational since the beginning of 2020 and can generate 1.2MWh at full capacity. On an annual basis, the panels can generate over 1,600 MWh, which is equivalent to the amount of CO2 absorbed by close to 19,000 tree seedlings grown for 10 years or charging over 139 million smartphones in a year.
Reducing water consumption. In reducing water consumption, treated greywater is being reused in the property’s cooling towers. Filtered and monitored to ensure that water quality meets the required health standards, the reused wastewater is estimated to save about 88 Olympic-sized swimming pools worth of water or about 219,000 m3 annually, when business is back to normal, saving the same amount of water from the city’s supply. Looking for more ways to reduce water consumption, the property’s laundry wastewater is also being reused for toilet flush in employees’ locker rooms.
Elimination of single-use plastic. With Melco as a signatory to the Global Tourism Plastic Initiative, led by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in collaboration with UN Environment, City of Dreams Manila continuously addresses the elimination of problematic plastic. Since 2020, the property has reported a substantial reduction of plastic waste through the replacement of non-biodegradable materials with sustainable alternatives including the use of bagasse packaging materials for take-away boxes, and resealable paper pouches for chocolates, the use of cardboard boxes replacing acetate boxes, greaseproof paper for sandwiches, among others.
Single-use plastic bottled water in all gaming areas has been eliminated, and small toiletry amenity bottles in hotel rooms are replaced with reusable, refillable, and convenient pump bottles.
Onsite water filtration plant. To bolster this initiative, the resort has installed an onsite water filtration plant and a bottling system with NORDAQ. This is projected to result in the elimination of 11,000 single-use plastic bottles from hotel rooms per day, equivalent to more than 4 million single-use plastic bottles per year.
Other programs. To lower the property’s environmental impact, various initiatives include reduction of food waste through an on-site vermicomposting system; growing and using of own herbs and spices at the property’s herb garden; recycling of used coffee capsules with Nespresso, partnerships with non-government organizations that collect recyclable plastics; elimination of soap waste through its “Soap for Hope” program; implementation of food waste programs with the deployment of Winnow system, an AI technology that aims to reduce plate waste and overproduction of food served at the employee’s cafeteria; recycling of used kitchen oil from F&B outlets, to be used as biofuel; and digitalization of products and services such as the use of the Melco app for guests’ convenience in the hotel and/or restaurant bookings; among other endeavors.
Economy
An executive team under the direction of City of Dreams Manila Property President Geoff Andres (center) drives the resort’s sustainability initiatives, from left: Director of Engineering Paul Bruce, Director of Hotel Operations Kent Lee, Kaizen Site Leader Bernie Matubis, Director of Supply Chain Fulya Oguz, Director for Food and Beverage Operations Chad Ogden and Executive Chef Markus Tauwald.
The resort also practices sustainable sourcing, with 86% of its procurement consisting of local products in support of social, ethical, and environmentally responsible local Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the country. It adopts a holistic and sustainable coffee program for which it partners with local coffee farmers through the Philippine Coffee Board Inc; procures rice that is 100% chemical-free and 100% traceable – from grain sourcing to planting and processing – from the fertile farmlands of Alangalang, Leyte through its partnership with Chen Yi Agventures, a fully integrated and sustainable rice business behind the brand Dalisay Rice otherwise known as Renucci Rice; sources fresh vegetable produce grown in hydroponics from Aba Pardes Agritech Corporation; and purchases responsibly-sourced seafood from local fisheries and farms through sustainable seafood companies such as Meliomar and SeaTraceability, Inc., whose business practices align with the integrated resort’s vision to contribute in the preservation of marine ecosystems and the livelihoods of communities that depend on them. Digitizing the supply chain was also prioritized with the implementation of a new P2P (purchase to pay) procurement system, allowing the property to achieve supply chain sustainability targets, such as going paperless in receiving and warehouse processes, among others.
One of City of Dreams Manila’s most recent sustainable initiatives is switching to a 100% use of cage-free eggs across all its restaurants. Cage-free eggs are known to be more food-safe, of higher quality, and at the same time, more humane to animals. The first among the integrated resorts in the country to fully adopt the initiative, the commitment was made possible through partnering with Lever Foundation, an international animal welfare non-profit organization that helps leading food companies in the Philippines and across the Asia Pacific Region in upgrading their protein sourcing for a more humane, safe and sustainable supply chain, with a particular focus on cage-free eggs. Currently, the property sources cage-free eggs from Bounty Fresh Eggs, one of the largest egg producers in the country.
To bolster the property’s sustainability programs and in recognition of the importance of each colleague’s participation in the success of the property’s initiatives, City of Dreams Manila formed a sustainability committee composed of colleagues from different departments to initiate sustainability projects. Training for new hired colleagues to engage them on Melco’s sustainability programs, goals, and initiatives are regularly implemented to promote awareness and drive employee responsibility. Employee surveys are also conducted annually to help the management improve its undertakings.
As businesses continue to navigate the uncertainties resulting from the pandemic, City of Dreams Manila continues to align its green activities with Melco’s “Above and Beyond“ sustainability strategy, firmly set on taking positive strides towards a more sustainable future by being a force of good not only in the tourism industry but for the people and the planet.
From the director that brought us ‘Moulin Rouge!’ and ‘Gatsby’, Baz Luhrmann lends his unmistakable genius of cinematic spectacle to the life of American rock and roll legend Elvis Presley in the musical biopic ‘Elvis.’
Luhrmann (with a screenplay by Luhrmann, Sam Bromell, Craig Pearce, and Jeremy Doner) takes broad strokes and focuses on the phenomenon of Elvis – how his persona and music changed the fabric of America – and his relationship with his manager Colonel Tom Parker. Told in the point-of-view of Parker, as he is recalling the rise and fall of Elvis in a delirious state of a morphine high near his death, Parker narrates the story completely aware of the audience, with Tom Hanks (playing Parker) looking straight at the camera at some point and even referring to us as ‘you.’
The self-awareness of the film’s approach creates a space for Luhrmann to go all-out with his filmmaking techniques. He splices live footage with his film, uses multiple frames, jumps back and forth through time in a dazzling fury, and even infuses contemporary music production techniques when Elvis sings to seamlessly jump from scene to scene on a song number while amplifying what it was in Elvis Presley’s music that was so charged and moving.
Told from the villain’s point-of-view (because Colonel Tom Parker was revealed to be as such) it pushes Elvis into the space of a mythical being. His rags to riches story and how his life is the quintessential American dream (including the reality of being consumed by the same industry he found his mark in due to his naivete) is rendered like a fable or a fairytale except all this really happened.
More than Hanks, who delivers a rather unsurprising villain (complete with full prosthetics and a fat suit), it is Austin Butler who truly grounds this movie with an embodiment of a character that is full of charisma and passion and sexual energy.
While I’m familiar with a lot of Elvis Presley’s songs (more than I realised after watching this film) I’m not that familiar with the singer himself nor his actual career so I don’t feel comfortable talking about Butler’s portrayal of Presley. But what he does accomplish is to imbue Elvis with so much energy that when the women start screaming at his onstage gyrations and primal stage presence, I feel like I understand what the whole phenomenon of Elvis is about.
And while the film, even at 159 minutes, only really scratches the surface of Elvis’ life and career, what I do enjoy about the movie is how it really manages to show his connection to black music – gospel and rhythm and blues – and really amps up how Elvis Presley found his roots in these genres of music.
His connection to the black community of Memphis and Beale Street, with legends like B. B. King and Mahalia Jackson in tow, really brings to light why people like Al Green and Little Richard credit Presley for “opening the doors to black music.” This is well-executed through Luhrmann’s editing where he splices three timelines in one song, allowing us to see how Presley’s youth and listening to gospel choir influences his music in his early years until the later part of his career. The effect is dazzling.
With the intercutting of the scenes and sounds, it even appears that the primarily white audience of Elvis are applauding and cheering for the black singers and musicians of Elvis Presley’s past. The effect is spell-binding.
Baz Luhrmann is a director of grand spectacle. He barely has any quiet moments in his film and his character’s most introspective moments are amped up by a soaring musical score and high drama. Subtlety is not Luhrmann’s strength and we don’t go and watch a Baz Luhrmann film for that. What he delivers in turn is a high-energy rock musical, sometimes even playing contemporary rap music in selected scenes, to underscore how timeless this story is and how relevant Elvis Presley’s legacy to American (and global) music is.
While the film really explores the villainy of Colonel Tom Parker and his hand at both the rise and fall of the rock and roll legend, at over two hours, I would’ve wanted just a little bit more of his life with Priscilla, his wife. Played by Olivia DeJonge, Priscilla is set up as a counterpoint for Parker’s manipulations but she hardly gets to do anything much in the narrative.
What we get instead are some amazing performances by Butler, singing some songs I’ve forgotten and some songs I love that I didn’t even realize were Presley’s that truly showcased the power of his stage presence and his voice. Butler sings the songs in his early years but they interpolated recordings of Presley in his later years into Butler’s voice to mark the lowering of his tonal register. The music of this film, like any Baz Luhrmann film, is absolutely fantastic and I can’t wait for the album to be out on streaming (it isn’t out yet on Spotify as I’m writing this).
‘Elvis’ is a big, grand rock and roll musical with high energy and a brilliant performance by Austin Butler. And while it never really manages to get to a genuinely soft and tender moment due to its scale, it manages to contextualize the legend that is Elvis Presley. It’s definitely something to watch in a cinema with really good sound.
My Rating:
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‘Elvis‘ is now showing in cinemas nationwide. Buy your tickets here.
