SM celebrates Chinese New Year with discount promo
CELEBRATE Chinese New Year with a visit to SM Store as it takes the hassle out of holiday shopping, plus there are special discounts for the occasion. Looking for red and gold decorations to bring good luck into the home? SM Store has a selection of lanterns, banners, and charms. Planning an out-of-town trip? Check out the new luggage collection. For gifts there are special collections of accessories, beauty products, home essentials, and even Chinese snacks like hopia, tikoy, and more. In addition, with no minimum spend required, shoppers can enjoy an extra 10% off everything when they use their SMAC from Jan. 29 to Feb. 2. Celebrate the Year of the Snake in style with lucky clothes, shoes, snacks, and festive décor to bring in good vibes and fortune. For more details about this promo, visit smstore.com/cny/2025.
Chinese New Year at Greenhills, Estancia
KICKING off the Chinese New Year festivities on Jan. 29 in the City of San Juan is the Dragon & Lion Dance at the Greenhills Mall’s East Wing Atrium at 10 a.m., followed by fortune telling at noon and a Drum War at 2:30 p.m. Tikoy, desserts, and other trinkets and delicacies will be available at the Chinese New Year Pop-up from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2. Meanwhile, at Estancia Mall in Mandaluyong City, another Dragon & Lion Dance will be held on Jan. 29, starting at 10 a.m. Certified master feng shui consultant Joyce Co will then give a talk titled “Welcome the Year of the Snake” at 3 p.m., followed by a Chinese Cultural Dance at 4 p.m., and a Chinese Puppet Show at 5 p.m. The mall’s Chinese New Year Pop-up will be up until Feb. 2.
Robinsons leans into urban legend for Chinese New Year
ROBINSONS Galleria has set up eye-catching installations at the Atrium to get mallgoers in the Chinese New Year mood. There are also several activities at the department store until Jan. 31. First off is the 2025 Horoscope forecast at the Atrium area and a Lunar Lucky Fair sale. Shoppers also have a chance to win gift certificates by snapping and sharing z in the Robinsons Galleria fitting rooms, a reference to the snake of local urban legend. There is also a free photo booth at the department store from Jan. 29 to 31.
Culture Wars visits Manila for the 2nd time
ALT-ROCK band Culture Wars returns to Manila on Jan. 29, this time as part of Maroon 5’s Asia Tour. The Texas-based band first visited the Philippines last October as LANY’s opening act at the Philippine Arena. In the meantime, their latest single, “It Hurts,” has been released on all digital music streaming platforms. It is part of the band’s upcoming debut album which was mostly recorded in Los Angeles, California.
Paddington in Peru showing in PHL cinemas
AS did the first two Paddington films, Paddington in Peru has been garnering praise from audiences and film critics for its unique story, animation, and humor. The movie will open in Philippine cinemas on Jan. 29. The film sees the iconic bear in a brand-new adventure as he tries to get back to his roots and solve a mystery involving his family in his birthplace of Peru. The third Paddington film stars Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Imelda Staunton, Carla Tous, Madeleine Harris, Samuel Joslin, Olivia Colman, and Antonio Banderas, with Ben Whishaw returning as the voice of Paddington.
RuPaul’s Drag Race World Tour to come to Manila, Cebu
THIS April, fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race will be able to see the live show in Manila and Cebu. On April 29, the production will be staged at the Waterfront Hotel, Cebu City, while on April 30 the show goes to the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City. Presented by Voss Events and Wilbros Live, in collaboration with World of Wonder and MTV, the 2025 tour has Sasha Velour as host, starring Derrick Barry, Jaida Essence Hall, Jorgeous, Roxxxy Andrews, and Vanessa Vanjie. There will also be a lineup featuring iconic Drag Race PH queens, to be announced soon. Tickets to the Manila show will be available at TicketNet.com.ph while tickets to the Cebu show will be available at SMTickets.com, both starting Jan. 31.
Valentine’s film screenings at MiraNila
THE MiraNila Heritage House and Library is hosting a unique Valentine’s celebration titled “Pelikula sa MiraNila,” with screenings of romantic films under the stars. On Feb. 4, the first of the two outdoor screenings will feature Gitling by Jopy Arnaldo and Past Lives by Celine Song, which explore “unlived lives, cultural differences, and our unknowable selves through the prism of failed romance.” On Feb. 12, the event continues with two acclaimed fantasy-romance short films: Martika Ramirez Escobar’s Living Things and Carla Pulido Ocampo’s Tokwifi. The evening culminates with Isa Pa With Feelings by Prime Cruz, starring Maine Mendoza and Carlo Aquino. On both days, MiraNila opens at 4:45 p.m. with a mini art fair on site. Screenings will start at 6 p.m. Tickets are priced at P700 for regular admission and P560 for students. Each ticket includes the film screenings, a Heritage House tour, and a bag of special popcorn. Garden mats will also be provided for the outdoor screening. Guests are encouraged to bring their own pillows. MiraNila is located at 26 Mariposa St., Brgy. Bagong Lipunan, Crame, Quezon City.
Dilaw releases single, launches fan nights
FILIPINO band Dilaw has kicked off the year with a new song, “Mahal,” which talks about how priceless true love and commitment are. It is the last song to be released from their Love Trilogy series, along with “Nilalang” and “YIEE.” These songs talk about the stages of love, with the goal to form a perfect soundtrack for Valentines Day. They also launched the first of their Lawdian Nights fan events at Lyf Malate, Manila. A night filled with fun activities and music, the band intends for this to be a regular event for them to meet, bond, and perform for their fans. Attendees may even hear new, unreleased songs at one of these events.
dwta and SB19’s justin reimagine nursery rhyme
SINGER-songwriter dwta has linked up with SB19’s justin for a new collaboration, “Sampung Mga Daliri,” a folk-pop lullaby that captures the degradation of a love that was once formidable and promising. Released under Sony Music Entertainment, the track reimagines the classic Filipino nursery rhyme as a poignant tale of doomed romance. “Sampung Mga Daliri” deals with the heartbreaking realization that love is no longer enough to make two people stay together. It is out now on all digital music streaming platforms.
QCinema 2025 calls for QCShorts submissions
THE QCinema International Film Festival is once again inviting aspiring and established filmmakers to submit their projects for QCShorts 2025. Now in its 13th year, QCinema offers a production grant of P500,000 for short films in the early stages of development. Selected films will premiere at the QCinema International Film Festival slated for November. This year, QCinema is looking for narrative fiction, animation, or experimental short films that demonstrate creative storytelling and artistic merit. Filipino citizens aged 18 and above, whether based in the Philippines or abroad, are eligible to apply. The final film output must have a total running time of no more than 20 minutes, including opening and closing credits. The submission deadline is Feb. 14, 11:59 p.m. For more details and to apply, visit qcinema.ph/submissions/qcshorts2025.
B Hotel stages Valentine’s Concert
B Hotel celebrates the “Love Month” with a concert titled Love Unplugged: Valentine’s Mini Concert. It will be held on Feb. 15, 6 p.m., at the B Hotel Alabang, Muntinlupa City. The event will feature Ella May Saison, with Elhmir and Kashli Saison. Tickets cost P2,499 per person, inclusive of a buffet dinner.
