Pag-ibig Fund Sponsors FREE Wedding Ceremonies for its Active Member Couples this Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Probably one of the most anticipated events of the year, malls will be spruced up and adorned again with everything in red colors along with flowers 🌷, heart shaped ❤️ stuff and chocolates 🍫 to the delight of the women. Truly, love is in the air this month of February! For singles out there, Valentine’s Day may not exactly be something to look forward to, but it is an entirely different story for couples—and practically anyone who has someone special to share it with.  

I have good news for couples who have been living together as well as those who are in serious relationships who have plans of getting married but unable to do so because of not having enough money or savings to get married even in civil rites. Pag-ibig Fund has annually sponsored unmarried couple members who would like to settle down legally by means of holding a mass wedding for their active members.

Now on their 9th year, Pag-ibig Fund grants every couple active members' wish to be able to get married sans the hassle of an expensive and lavish wedding because Pag-ibig Fund shall be shouldering all the necessary expenses during your wedding rites. How good can that be, right? 

So how can you avail of the free wedding? What are the requirements needed in order to be part of thhe free PAG-IBIG Fund's Valentines Day Mass Wedding?

Here's how:

1. The couple must be both an active Pag-ibig Fund members. 

2. You must go to the nearest Pag-ibig Fund office to submit necessary documents as well as to fill up the form. 

3. Submit a CENOMAR (Certificate of No Marriage)

4. PSA (Philippine Statistics Authority formerly known as National Statistics Office of NSO) Bith Certificate

5. Bring 2 valid ID's of each couple

Here's the Perks that awaits each couple:

Pag-ibig Fund will be providing the venue, food, transporation from branch to the venue and guess what, you also stand a chance to win House and Lot for Free as well as other exciting prizes during the raffle! Yes, you read it right, one lucky couple gets to go home with thheir very own house and lot from Pag-ibig Fund so that they can start their own family soon. 

So for couples who would like to settle down and be married, this might be your chance. The Pag-ibig Fund mass wedding will be held on February 14, 2020. What are you waiting for? Grab this once-in-a-lifetime chance to show your significant other how much you love them and seal your love forever. 

For more infortmation, please visit Pag-ibig Fund's website at www.pagibig.gov.ph. 

You may also visit ther Pag-ibig Fund office nearest you for further details. 

Disclaimer: I am not compensated for this post. Opinions expressed are 100% my own. 

Koomi PH The First Purple-Rice Yoghurt Specialty Shop in the Philippines

Koomi PH

First there was the rise of coffee shops. Then it was followed by the milk tea craze. And now, with the arrival of Koomi Philippines, the popular purple-rice yoghurt drink specialty shop from Australia has finally made it to the Philippine shore.

You can get your hands on this trendy drink at Koomi’s branches: SM Mall of Asia, Eastwood, Robinson’s Magnolia, and Podium. Soon they can also be found at SM Megamall, Uptown BGC, Power Plant Mall, Lucky China Town, Estancia and SM North Edsa. 

Koomi Yoghurt Drink

If you’re like me who loves to both drink and chew on beverages, this one’s definitely for you. I’m no health expert, but I’d like to believe that Koomi’s a better alternative to sugar-laden milk tea. After all, Koomi’s made from honest-to-goodness yoghurt from cow’s milk. 

Koomi's Guiltless Goodness

 Koomi PH has two blend choices: Aussie and Pinoy blend. Aussie blend is more on its natural sourness. And to suit the Filipino palate, Koomi PH has tweaked the drink a bit so they also have Pinoy blend which has a creamy texture and a bit sweeter than its Aussie counterpart.

I’d like to emphasize though that this isn’t a bubble tea shop (although Koomi has their own bobba flavor on yoghurt drink). They have an array of creamy yoghurt drinks for you to choose from, which includes purple rice (Koomi’s signature drink), fruit toppings from dragon fruit, strawberry, coconut, jujube [read: that’s dates for you] and charcoal activated stuff to pistachio and almond nuts to mangoes. 

Koomi PH Signature Purple Rice Yoghurt Drink

Ways to Score an Extra Bottle of Novuhair

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14th Spring Film Festival Chinese Movie Line Up and Schedule

你好 - Nĭ hăo! It's that time of the year again folks when every corner begins to have touches of red. Yes, the 14th Spring Film Festival is upon us. At the Shangri-la Plaza Mall, it's been a tradition to celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year with Free film screenings, Chinese Painting Exhibit, Chinese Concert and Chinese Painting Workshops. The good news is, these line up of activities are FREE. Admission to the film screenings are also free but seats will be given on a first come, first served basis. 

The 14th Spring Film Festival is one of the many highly anticipated film festivals for film enthusiasts. It officially kicks off the numerous annual film festivals at the Shangri-la Plaza mall. So mark those dates people: From January 19-26, 2020, tag along your family and friends to come and watch these awesome line up of Chinese movies with you at the Red Carpet Theater of the Shangri-La Plaza. 

The 14th edition of the Spring Film Festival will be featuring films from different genres so there will surely be something for everyone to enjoy. Worry not, each film will be having English subtitles/translations so you'd be able to understand the stories. 

For the complete schedule please read on. 

Here are the exciting line up of Chinese movies for this year and their synopsis:

Jian Bing Man 煎餅侠 (5.6/10, IMDb)

Director Dong Chengpeng, China, 2015

Popular TV personality Da Peng (played by the real-life Da Peng) is a comedian by day and superhero by night. The dilemma kicks in when Da Peng uses a movie budget to purchase an engagement ring that costs 10 million RMB and loses both the ring and his girlfriend in the nightclub. He then tries to produce a film based on his childhood dream of becoming “Jian Bing Man” (literally, Pancake Man) to pay off his debt to the financier—a gangster businessman. Audiences will certainly be amazed by the hilarious antics and the course of action that springs from his creative ways to make content for his film.

Prepare to be wowed by the countless cameos of Chinese celebrities starring as themselves throughout the film. Spiraling in an amusing two hours of jam-packed thrill and comedy sketches, this movie is a must-watch for an adventurous and imaginative audience. 

Written by Justin Tembresa and Kaitlyn Tan

Edited by Patrick Ang and Aaron Medina

Citations: 

Letterboxd

Rotten Tomatoes

Cinema Escapist

Our Shining Days 闪光少女 (2017) (Running time: 100 mins)

Cultural. Youthful. Inspiring.

The directorial debut of Wang Ran, Our Shining Days (2017) is a teen comedy that circles around the challenges Chen Jing (Xu Lu) faces in her pursuit to revive the traditional Chinese orchestra in her school. Treated as outcasts in the film, the ensemble of protagonists consists of a pair of nerdy students and four ‘otaku’ geeks from an emerging subculture of animation, comics, and games (ACG) in China. They aim to garner equal respect for traditional Chinese instruments as those of the conventional Western orchestra. It is entertaining to watch as the musical scores successfully integrate Oriental and Western classical music into impressive performances that feature Chinese culture, which may inspire future musicians.

Aside from the main conflict, this film also journeys around teenage struggles such as desperation, rejection, self-esteem, gaining confidence, and most importantly, on standing firm for one’s passion. Although this film brushes a bit on rom-com, it is fit for young audiences. 

Written by Kaitlyn Tan

Edited by Patrick Ang and Aaron Medina

 

Little Door Gods 小门神 (2017)

In modern times, as each generation passes, people no longer believe in spirits guarding them. A restless spirit god, however, dares to travel back to the human world to bridge the two again, proving his value as a door god. As he gets involved with a family struggling to keep their soup shop open, what follows is unexpected encounters and a chaotic quest that shocks both worlds.

Producing an animated film that highlights traditional Chinese culture and legends has been anticipated by audiences in Chinese cinema for a long time. The stunning animation brings to life stories of old through segments of hand-drawn backstories and a modernized computer-generated imagery type of style. However, the story leaves viewers wanting more from a lackluster plotline needing thoughtful and practical touches to it. The film still delivers with beautiful aesthetics from the characters and its reinterpretation of classic mythologies.

Written by Hazel Lam

Edited by Patrick Ang and Aaron Medina

Monkey King 2 (Running time: 119 mins)

Based on the 16th Century Classic novel "Journey to the West" about Sun Wu Kong who is a monkey with supernatural powers which he acquired through Taoist practices. The story revolves around the adventures of Sun Wu Kong together with Buddhist monk Tang San Zang. 

The Great Wall (Running time: 104 mins)

It's the story of a European mercenary who joined the soldiers of the flameless Order who are protecting The Great Wall in fighting the monster Tao Tie.

Battle of Memories (Running time: 118 mins)

The story took place in 2025, where advance technology removed the memories of a man and later on finds himself in a serial killer's mind. 

January 19 (Sun)    Movie Title

3:00 PM                  Our Shining Days

5:10 PM                  Little Door Gods

7:30 PM                  The Monkey King 2

January 20 (Mon) 

2:55 PM                    The Great Wall

5:10 PM                    Jian Bing Man

7:30 PM                   The Monkey King 2

January 21 (Tues) 

3:00 PM                    Little Door Gods

5:20 PM                   Our Shining Days

7:30 PM                   Battle of Memories

January 22 (Wed) 

2:45 PM                    Jian Bing Man

5:00 PM                    The Monkey King 2

7:30 PM                    The Great Wall

January 23 (Thurs) 

2:50 PM                     Our Shining Days

5:00 PM                     Battle of Memories

7:30 PM                      Little Door Gods

January 24 (Fri) 

2:45 PM                   The Monkey King 2

5:15 PM                    The Great Wall

7:30 PM                     Jian Bing Man

January 25 (Sat) 

2:40 PM                  Battle of Memories

5:10 PM                   Little Door Gods

7:30 PM                  Our Shining Days

January 26 (Sun) 

3:00 PM                   Our Shining Days

5:10 PM                    Little Door Gods

7:30 PM                 The Monkey King 2

See you at the movies! 😊

Mall guests can also look forward to other activities apart from the free film screenings. Traditional Chinese paintings and scrolls will be on display at the Confucius Institute Painting Exhibit from January 19 to 26. If luck is on your side, you may also witness the special Chinese musical event led by the Philippine Cultural College Chinese Orchestra which will feature both an exciting Wu Shu and Lion Dance exhibition at the same time by Northern Rizal Yorklin School--it'll be happening on January 25 from 2:00PM-3:30PM. 

On January 26, from 2:00PM-4:00PM, you may learn interesting fine craft of traditional Chinese art with the Chinese Painting Workshop by Art Association of the Philippines President Master Fidel M. Sarmiento and Vice President Roger Santos. 

For more information, visit Shangri-la Plaza's official facebook page or follow them on Instagram @shangrilaplazaofficial. 

Yakikai Grill and Fusion Buffet Restaurant Food Review

YakiKai Fusion Buffet Restaurant

Sink your teeth and experiment with different types of grills at the newly opened YakiKai Fusion Buffet Restaurant in Scout Lazcano Street near Sacred Heart area and Tomas Morato in Quezon City.  This latest BBQ spot allows you to try both Japanese and Korean dishes starting at their promotional opening price rate of Php 399 (this offer is extended up until January 31, 2020) for thheir Premium Set (Regular Price is Php499) where you can already feast on the following mouthwatering barbecue based dishes like: Chicken Teriyaki, Spicy Chicken Yakiniku, Samgyupsal, Spicy Samgyupsal, Galbi Sauce Pork, Peppered Pork Shoulder Loin, Sliced Beef, Beef Tare Yakiniku, Spicy Beef and Fresh Shrimps. That's on top of the usual unlimited banchan.

For their Emperor Set which is currently also on opening promotional price rate at Php 599 (Regular Price is at Php699) has an overload of Chicken Teriyaki, Spicy Chcken Yakiniku, Samgyupsal, Spicy Samgyupsal, Galbi Sauce Pork, Peppered Pork Shoulder Loin, Sliced Beef, Beef Tare Yakiniku, Spicy Beef, Fresh Shrimps, Beef Steak (Chuck Eye roll), Jjampong Nabe, Salmon Sashimi and Ebi Tempura. You can get all these and more because you can eat as much as you can with their wide array of banchan. You practically roll on your tummies as you feast on these awesome Japanese and Korean fusion buffet spread.

I was in awe watching the staff prepare the foods from their open kitchen where you can actually see the foods as they are being done, so you can be assured that your food is made clean and fresh. The staff also does refills fast although you have to be reminded that due to the overwhelming response from  the huge number of customers they receive each day--they are still on soft opening as of this writing as Yakikai Grill and Fusion Buffer Restaurant had just opened its doors to the public last December 11, 2019. Barely a month since their opening, they had been a word of mouth among foodies and samgyupsal enthusiasts. People come not only for finding a good value for their money, but also because they wanted to sample and experience what the buzz is all about. 

If you ask me. I think there are only a few not-so-pleasant things I've noticed about YakiKai Grill and Fusion Buffet. Number one is the very limited parking. Yes guys, if you happen to have cars, make sure that you come really early to have a guaranteed parking slot. Unfortunately, that area in Scout Lazcano isn't exactly a good place to find ample parking space. That had always been a problem in many food establishments in the same area so it's pretty much understandable but still it would be best if they had some place where they can usher more guests with vehicles. Number two, due to the limited seating capacity of the restaurant (they can accommodate around 150 pax at the same time), guests are required to either come in early or book in advance to make seat reservations. Number three, since the venue gets quite jampacked especially on weekends, the restaurant gets a bit hotter than you can expect. Chances are, you might also finish your meal smelling like barbecues. While the exhaust actually works, it might not be enough when all the grillers from the other tables would start grilling their own meats. 

Rib eye is one of the must try at YakiKai Fusion Buffet

Also due to a great volume of customers on any given day, the staff may have some difficult time giving in to certain requests like refilling a pitcher of water or refilling some banchan or barbecue set, but again, that's pretty much understandable especially when it's peak hours. It happens even to the best of restaurants. It is also advisable to come in huge groups because the receptionist would most likely prioritize big groups to further maximize the tables rather than groups of two or three.