Floy Quintos’ Ang Nawalang Kapatid Closes DUP’s 38th Season

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A musical adaptation of India’s greatest epic closes Dulaang UP’s 38th season. Ang Nawalang Kapatid, adapted from The Mahabharata by acclaimed playwright Floy Quintos, with original score by Ceejay Javier, directed and choreographed by Dexter M. Santos, is a re-telling of the epic battle between the Kaurava and Pandava families. The story focuses on the anti-hero Karna, a brave young man who must choose between loyalty to his family or to the state which made him a prince.

ANG NAWALANG KAPATID was originally written as a children’s play for the Ateneo Children’s Theater and was first produced for their 2011 season. This new version allows for many more of the complexities of the original material to be dramatized. New arrangements of the original songs were created by Ceejay  Javier, whose original works include “Isang Panaginip na Fili”, “Astig”, “Alex in Wonderland”,“Break Away Antigone”. He is best known as Musical Director for Atlantis Productions’ “Next ToNormal”, Disney's “The Little Mermaid”, “Carrie”, “Addams Family”. As expected, the new staging will showcase Dexter Santos’ flair for images and movement as seen in his previous works “Maxie the Musical”, “Collection”, “Orosman at Zafira”.

In adapting the Indian epic, Floy Quintos has chosen to highlight the story of family and blood ties, and the conflicts that these bring about. Karna, who in Indian literature is traditionally the anti-hero, is now a young man searching for his dharma, his truth and destiny, while unaware of his true blood ties. The young and energetic cast is made up of the Dulaang UP Ensemble, with a live band. Krina Cayabyab is vocal director.

Special Sticker Campaign Proceeds of Line to Help Yolanda Affected Communities

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LINE, the world’s leading mobile platform with 330-million users, has donated funds raised by its “Pray for the Philippines” special-edition sticker set to victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda.

The stickers, which were sold worldwide through the LINE Sticker Shop from November 15 to December 31, 2013, generated over Php25-million (58,773,190 Yen). The proceeds have been forwarded to relief and rebuilding efforts in storm-battered communities in Visayas and Mindanao.

To express LINE’s support for the cause, Akira Morikawa, the company’s CEO, paid a courtesy call to the Philippine embassy in Tokyo, Japan this past week. Morikawa sat down with Ambassador Manuel Lopez to present the proceeds from LINE’s “Pray for the Philippines” campaign. He was likewise given updates about ongoing relief operations in the country.

Bangon Tours is Supported by the Private Sector

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Tourism establishments and travel companies have signified their support for Bangon Tours by signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), the marketing arm of the Department of Tourism.

Cebu Pacific Air (CEB) is the latest to sign up by implementing the Bangon Tour Seat Sale with travel period until April 2014. CEB also promotes these tours through communication materials provided by TPB in all its organic ticket offices and partner GSAs and WH in the Philippines. CEB has likewise extended humanitarian flights for stranded passengers in Tacloban and undertaken rehabilitation efforts to aid victims of Typhoon Yolanda.

According to Domingo Ramon Enerio III, TPB’s Chief Operating Officer, The Manila Hotel, Diamond Hotel Philippines and EDSA Shangri-La Hotel lead the industry’s hospitality sector supporters nationwide. Members of the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) are also participating in Bangon Tours. These establishments prominently display the Bangon Tours poster with logo in their business premises and submit to the TPB updates related to the total amount donated to NGOs and foundations concerned.

JR NBA Returns to the Philippines for Seventh Consecutive Year

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The Jr. NBA program was first conducted in the Philippines in 2007 and has more than doubled in participation in the past six years. Each year a new city benefits from the grassroots basketball program that involves not just young players but also their parents and coaches.

Alaska brings back the Jr. NBA for the seventh consecutive year, and expanded to include a new program for the girls with Jr. WNBA. The tip off in Manila last Saturday, January 18, will move to Cebu, Puerto Princesa, Dagupan City, including first-time stops in Surigao and Iloilo - reaching over 500 schools and communities nationwide.

The Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA is the league's international youth development program open to all youth aged between 10 to 14. It admiringly promotes basketball participation, sportsmanship and teamwork, and an active lifestyle among children.

Wait Until Dark: An Impressive Thriller That Truly Shines Out Amidst a Dark Theater Setting

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To start off its 2014 season, Repertory Philippines proudly brings us a Frederick Knott suspense thriller entitled "Wait Until Dark".

Liesl Batucan, from the recent Alice in Wonderland, was truly impressive as a blind housewife named Suzy that was being terrorized by shady individuals that were in search of a musical doll that was apparently filled with the dangerous and prohibited substance known as heroin.. Her husband Sam, played by Lorenz Martinez, also fresh from the Lorenzo the Musical play, mistakenly transported the doll from Amsterdam into their home in London.Suzy, with a little help from the neighbor kid Gloria played by Daniella Gana, must now rely on her cunning instincts, making use of her other vital senses and her strength within the darkness, to outwit the strangers.

The con men played by Arnel Carrion as Harry Roat Jr., Joel Trinidad as Mike Trenton, and Robbie Guevarra as Crocker had distinctively unique personalities that effectively shined out making them really distinguishable among each other. 

NBA All-Star Game Official Uniforms for 2014 Unveiled by Adidas and NBA

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Adidas, the official on-court apparel provider for the National Basketball Association (NBA), recently unveiled the uniforms and apparel for the 63^rd NBA All-Star Game on February 16 in New Orleans, Los Angeles.

The uniforms were designed by Adidas and were inspired by New Orleans’ rich and unique culture, featuring vibrant Mardi Gras colors and shiny brass and silver accents on a short-sleeved silhouette. The NBA All-Star logo appears on the chest of the blue “East” and red “West” jerseys in the shape of the fleur-de-lis, the official symbol of Louisiana, with a purple “W” or green “E” cut out to identify the conference of each player.

“Each year, we look forward to developing a unique on-court look for the players that pays homage to the host city and adds to the excitement of this highly anticipated game,” said Chris Grancio, adidas head of global basketball sports marketing. “This year’s All-Star collection reflects New Orleans’ festive musical history while also providing the premium performance elements that NBA athletes have grown accustomed to.”

Starting Over Again Top Bills Piolo Pascual and Toni Gonzaga

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Thinking of watching a movie with your special someone sometime during the love month of February?

Well, I recommend a very "kilig" overload movie from Star Cinema just in time for Valentines Day. Grabe ang hugot ng movie na ito! Here's to no closures between lovers who had to separate ways wondering what went wrong.

On its 20th year, Star Cinema proudly brings you an Olivia M. Lamasan film starring piolo Pascual and Toni Gonzaga in a story about endings and new beginnings, what might have been and what should be.

"Sabihin mo nga saa akin, ano. I deserve and explanation!"

"Anong karapatan mong hingin ang isang bagay na ipinagdamot mong ibigay? I deserved an explanation. I deserved an acceptable reason!"

The Hub at Rizal Park Opens Bar and Cafe

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It's a five-in-one place - a lounge, cafe, bar, restaurant and ticketing office!

You can spend an afternoon here sipping a locally roasted coffee brewed to perfection, or try a Regional Filipino cuisine twisted to another deliciously creative delight, or trying out novel cocktails while watching people come and go at the park.

The Hub at Kilometer Zero located at the heart of Rizal Park, or what we all know as Luneta, somewhere at the Bulwagan ng Kagitingan area, is a project of 2GO Travel, the domestic shipping passenger business unit of the 2GO Group, Inc., the country's biggest total supply chains solution company according to Stephen R. Tagud, Vice President of 2Go Travel.

4 Spooky Places In the Philippines That Travellers Must Know Of

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1. The Clark Air Base Hospital

Haven't we all heard our share of ghost stories in every hospital? Hospital in Angeles City too has its own. Now and abandoned hospital but surely it has enough stories that can give one sleepless nights. If you aren't convinced yet, then may be the fact that Ghost hunters International had declared it to be "one of the most haunted places in the world” will send shivers down your spine. This hospital has the maximum number of ghost spotting documented. People have experienced violent spirit voices among other things.

If we go back in History, we can trace the hospital back to the days of World War two. The hospital was home to the dying young soldiers, hence this place is believed to be haunted by restless spirits. Owing to its reputation, the National Geographic Channel started a documentary series on it, titled "I Wouldn’t Go In There.”

ASUS Announces Availability of MeMO Pad 8 and MeMO Pad 10 Tablets

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ASUS today announced the availability of two new affordable Android tablets, the MeMO Pad 8 and MeMO Pad 10, with an 8-inch and 10-inch screen, respectively. Both tablets feature a 1280 x 800 resolution, a quad-core processor and microSD card storage.

Designed for easy one-handed use, ASUS MeMO Pad 8 measures just 127mm from side to side and weighs only 350g, yet packs an 8-inch display that gives 30% more screen space than a 7-inch tablet. ASUS MeMO Pad 10 is equally portable, at just 522g.