Tuesday, July 8, 2025

CCP Kabataang Gitarista Program is now accepting applications for Batch 13

 


The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) is now accepting applications for Batch 13 of the
CCP Kabataang Gitarista (KG) Program, a project spearheaded by the Artist Training Division
under the CCP Arts Education Department. The CCP KG Program provides classical guitar
training and performing opportunities for aspiring guitarists while developing an increased
appreciation for classical guitar.

Interested applicants must be a bona fide Grade 7, 8, or 9 student in a public high school within the National Capital Region, with good moral character and an average or higher scholastic standing. Applicants may apply by downloading and filling out the Application Form (downloadable through https://linktr.ee/CCPKGProgramAuditions2025) and submitting the duly accomplished form via email to artist.training@culturalcenter.gov.ph on or before September 5, 2025 (Friday), 12:00 NN.

Auditions will be held on September 6, 2025 (Saturday), 7 AM, at the Tanghalang Ignacio B. Gimenez (CCP Blackbox Theater) lobby, followed by a Parents’ Orientation and Lecture of the accepted applicants at 10:00 AM.

Successful applicants will receive the highest classical guitar training for FREE. The CCP KG Program, with its 13th batch of members, will develop a performing classical guitar ensemble to usher fresh perspectives into the Philippine musical landscape. All members will  attend weekly training sessions every Saturday morning at the CCP Annex.

Since 2012, the CCP KG Program has provided opportunities for numerous young guitarists to develop their musicality and technical skills under the supervision of Program Advisor Melissa Corazon V. Mantaring and mentors Christian Mercader, Fernando Sy-Changco III, and Edel Mark Bitao.

Interested in joining the CCP Kabataang Gitarista Program? Contact the CCP Artist Training Division at 8832 1125 local 1605, or via Viber at (+63)950-751-4403. You may also email artist.training@culturalcenter.gov.ph. Follow the official social media accounts of CCP, CCP Arts Education Programs, and Kabataang Gitarista for more details. For updates on future programs, trainings, and workshops, you may check the CCP website (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph).

Thursday, July 3, 2025

EastWest Ageas Earns 2025-2026 Great Place To Work Certification™

 



EastWest Ageas is proud to be Certified™ by Great Place To Work® for 2025-2026. This prestigious award is based on employees' and financial advisors’ ratings of the company’s culture, in which EastWest Ageas earned a score 17 points higher than average in the Philippines.

 

Great Place To Work® is the global authority on workplace culture, employee experience, and the leadership behaviors proven to deliver market-leading revenue, employee retention, and increased innovation. 


"Great Place To Work Certification is a highly coveted achievement that requires consistent and intentional dedication to the overall employee experience," says Sarah Lewis-Kulin, the Vice President of Global Recognition at Great Place To Work. She emphasizes that Certification is the sole official recognition earned by the real-time feedback of employees regarding their company culture. “By successfully earning this recognition, it is evident that EastWest Ageas stands out as one of the top companies to work for, providing a great workplace environment for its employees." 


 

“EastWest Ageas is honored to be certified as a Great Place to Work™,” shares Lois Dalida, Chief People and Culture Officer. “We are deliberate about our employees’ professional and individual growth, and this milestone will only push us to do more in building their better tomorrow with us.”


One of EastWest Ageas’ initiatives to create a positive employee experience is its hybrid workplace culture. The insurer’s leaders created the WFH 2.0 program, which balances the needs of the business and employees. The head office’s progressive workplace practice only requires employees to be on-site twice a week. This showcase of mutual trust and accountability has led to a more attractive workplace with a hiring rate improvement of 5% and an attrition rate reduction by 6%.  


EastWest Ageas also offers financial advisors world-class training and support to help them thrive in their roles. As one of the fast-rising new players in the insurance industry, East West Ageas is also open to fresh ideas, allowing employees to take the lead in innovation. 


According to Great Place To Work research, job seekers are 4.5 times more likely to find a great boss at a Certified great workplace. Additionally, employees at Certified workplaces are 93% more likely to look forward to coming to work, and are twice as likely to be paid fairly, earn a fair share of the company’s profits and have a fair chance at promotion.

 

WE’RE HIRING! 

Looking to grow your career at a company that puts its people first? Visit our careers page at: www.ewageas.com.ph  

 

July Dining Delights at The Manila Hotel

 


This July, The Manila Hotel invites guests to savor an enticing selection of culinary experiences across its renowned dining outlets.

 

Fresh Offerings at the Lobby Lounge and Tap Room

In celebration of World Chocolate Day, the Lobby Lounge presents a mouthwatering Chocolate Afternoon Tea available from July 7 to 13, between 11:00 am and 6:00 pm. Guests can delight in an elegant array of chocolate-infused bites including Chocolate Scones with Raspberry Syrup, Chocolate Bibingka, Tart au Chocolate, Pralines, Chocolate Madeleine, Banana Chocolate Turon, Tablea Chicken Adobo Sandwich, and Eggplant-Chocolate Napoleon. Each set is served with a choice of freshly brewed coffee, premium tea, or the hotel’s signature hot chocolate. 

Also available throughout July is the Dark and Stormy cocktail, a bold and refreshing blend of rum, ginger beer, and lime—perfect for sipping through the rainy season.

 

Bastille Day at the Champagne Room

Celebrate Bastille Day with a taste of France at the Champagne Room from July 9 to 15. A specially curated French set menu, available for both lunch and dinner, includes Country Pork Terrine, Onion-Wild Mushroom Soup, Lamb Rack in Herb Crumble, Ratatouille, Brie de Meaux, Cherry Clafoutis, French Macarons, and a choice of coffee of tea. This menu is priced atPhp 4,688 nett per person.


Delicatessen Specials

Dubai Pistachio Chocolate




Discover new favorites at the Delicatessen, featuring freshly baked delights and decadent sweets. Enjoy the soft, pillowy Brioche and Shokupan ideal for breakfast or gourmet sandwiches. For a luxurious bite, try the Dubai Pistachio Chocolate, a decadent fusion of pistachios and fine chocolate.

Vegan-Friendly Offers

Vegan Portobello Mushroom Burger


The Manila Hotel also unveils a lineup of vegan offerings, catering to plant-based lifestyles and wellness-conscious guests. At the Lobby Lounge, the Vegan Burger featuring a hearty Portobello mushroom patty served in a vegan bun, accompanied by sweet potato fries. This dish is available at a special rate of Php 600 nett per order.

The Champagne Room presents an elegant Vegan Degustation Menu that includes Duo of Chickpea Purée and Eggplant Salad with Tortilla Chips, Tuscan White Bean Soup with Vegetables and Kale, Mixed Mushroom Potato Ravioli, Vegetable Sofrito sautéed in Truffle Oil and Herbs, Green Mango Sorbet, Strudel of sautéed Vegetables and Tofu in Curry Cream Sauce, and fresh seasonal fruits.

Over at the Delicatessen, guests can also enjoy the Vegan Chocolate Almond Cake, a rich and moist dessert made without dairy or eggs, ideal for health-conscious chocolate lovers.



Mid-Autumn Festival Early Bird Offer


To celebrate the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival, The Manila Hotel offers and exclusive early bird offer on its Mooncake Box of Four. Guests can enjoy 30% off the regular price of Php 3,888 nett, now available at Php 2,721.60 nett per order, valid until September 15. Each set is crafted with the finest ingredients and presented in an elegant commemorative box that pays tribute to the iconic façade of The Manila Hotel, making it a delectable gift and a timeless keepsake. Pick-up of orders starts on September 16. The early bird offer is subject to terms and conditions. Per DTI Fair Trade Permit No. FTEB-229154 Series of 2025.

 

For more information, call +632 8527 0011 or +632 5301 5500, email restaurantrsvn@themanilahotel.com, or visit www.manila-hotel.com.ph

 

 


Wednesday, July 2, 2025

PPO champions Filipino artistry with heartfelt symphonies in recent UK Tour

 



The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO), the premier orchestra of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), successfully championed the brilliance of Filipino talent to international audiences on its recent concert tour to the United Kingdom (UK).

“It was a hectic schedule for the PPO with nine concerts in 11 days, but the orchestra was up to the challenge. They were inspired, and their performances showed it,” said CCP President Kaye C. Tinga.

The PPO delivered exceptional performances night after night, feeding its audiences with heartfelt symphonies. Music critic Garry Fraser from the Perth Festival of the Arts described the tour as an exhibition of “skill and stamina,” exceptionally guided by its music director and principal conductor, Maestro Grzegorz Nowak.

Fraser continued: “They are as good as any you’ll hear and excellent in every single department, as fresh and engaging in the last bar of the Beethoven as they were in the first bar of the Bizet. The PPO and [its] conductor, Grzegorz Nowak, believe in value for money.”

Maestro Nowak leads the PPO to greater heights with UK Tour

Nearly three years have passed since Maestro Grzegorz Nowak was appointed conductor of the PPO, following an extensive search in 2022. He succeeded the esteemed Maestro Yoshikazu Fukumura and has since guided the nation’s premier orchestra to unprecedented artistic heights. With the successful conclusion of the UK Concert Tour, the maestro continues to shape the PPO’s legacy with unwavering vision attuned to musical excellence.

Critics David Gray and Paul Gray wrote in their review: “Conductor Grzegorz Nowak captured the individual flavour of each of the national dances. We were served up a stately Czardas and a friskily cheeky Neapolitan Dance.”

The tender lyricism of PPO’s concertmaster and artist-in-residence

Together with Maestro Nowak, PPO’s very own artist-in-residence and guest concertmaster Diomedes Saraza Jr. and top-tier guest soloists cellist Wen-Sinn Yang and pianist Mark Bebbington displayed profound musicality in the tour.

Saraza Jr. graced the UK Tour with poised clarity and lyricism. At the age of 12, he won first place in the violin category at the National Music Competitions for Young Artists (NAMCYA) in 2002. He is the first Filipino violin soloist to perform in Carnegie Hall.

“Diomedes Saraza Jr., with flawless intonation, expressive vibrato, and the sweetest tone, gave
a rhapsodic and captivating account of the piece [Bizet’s Carmen],” said Donal Hurley in
Edinburgh Music Review.

Saraza’s monumental nine-day concert tour with the PPO might have ended, but his encore of the Philippine folk song Leron, Leron Sinta lives on in the audience’s hearts. Fraser described the interpretation as a “blistering display of virtuosic dynamism and technical adeptness”.

Stylish interpretations of a cellist and a pianist

With heartfelt sensitivity, cellist Yang and pianist Mark Bebbington conversed with the PPO through virtuosic elements. Yang played Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variation with an “enjoyment passed over to the audience in no small measure,” according to Fraser. He added, “It’s easy to run out of superlatives, such was his [Yang] fantastic display of skill, technique, and dazzling fingerboard gymnastics.”

Yang rose to popularity after winning first prize at the Geneva International Music Competition in 1991. He later became a regular guest at the international music festivals in St. Moritz, Davos, Biel, Dresden, Weilberg, and at the Ludwigsburg Castle Festivals. Since 2004, Yang has been a of Violoncello at the Academy of Music and Theater in Munich.

Meanwhile, Bebbington, a certified champion of British music, enchanted audiences with his interpretations of Delius’ Piano Concerto. Saraza labelled him as the tour’s “hidden gem” when the revered Maestro Nowak shone marvelously with the piece.

Bebbington had previously toured with the London Philharmonic, Philharmonia, and Royal Philharmonic orchestras, as well as the London Mozart Players, Orchestra of the Swan, and BBC Concert Orchestra.

The PPO’s rousing success in the UK

Made possible by IMG Artists, the PPO performed in nine different venues, which require varying technical precision. Despite standing on unfamiliar stages, the orchestra received the same brand of adoration for its unparalleled commitment to music.

Highlighting Filipino excellence while strengthening cultural ties between the Philippines and the UK, the PPO UK Tour commenced at the Bristol Beacon in England on May 13 and concluded

Back-to-School Hacks with Gcash

 


There’s something exciting about seeing our kids step into the new school year: new books, new teachers, new friends, and new chances to grow. But let’s be honest: the back-to-school season doesn’t always feel like a fresh start.

We go full-on with our budgeting, trying to juggle all the expenses. But no matter how good you are at handling things, there are days that still get you thinking: Is there a smarter way to do this? How can I make things easier and more efficient for my child—and for me?

The good news is you don’t need to figure it all out on your own. There’s a way to make all your expenses feel a lot lighter so you can focus on being present for your kids.

At the end of the day, it’s not always about doing more; it's about finding smarter, simpler diskarte that works for you and your family. So, if you’ve ever felt the pressure during this season, don’t worry! You’re not alone. Here’s how you can make some of the most common struggles every parent goes through during the back-to-school season lighter:

School supplies shopping is time-consuming

Before the start of the school year, there's so much to do. From buying new uniforms and shoes to making sure all their school supplies are complete, it can really take up the whole day, especially if you're hopping from one store to another. With everything else on your plate, you just want it done, mabilis, hassle-free, at tipid.




Good news, moms—you can Scan QR with GCash at stores nationwide! It’s quick, cashless, and convenient. If you’re a Laking National member, you get ₱200 off a minimum purchase of ₱1,000 when you pay using GCash at National Bookstore. You have instant savings!






If your schedule is too packed to go out, you can still enjoy sulit deals when shopping online on Lazada and paying with GCash to unlock discounts on all your school supplies purchases. And even if it's not yet time for your salary, you can still pay for what you need with GCredit, the revolving credit line in the GCash app powered by CIMB, so you don’t have to stress about being on a tight budget, so you can ensure your kids have everything they need for school!

Stressed about paying the tuition fee

Aside from the usual bills and daily expenses, tuition is one of the biggest burdens every parent has to deal with during back-to-school season. Luckily, you can also breathe easy knowing that you can turn to GLoan for these moments.

GLoan is the personal cash loan feature that lets you borrow instantly up to ₱150,000 so tuition and other school expenses feel lighter, even if you need to pay everything you need to pay all at the same time. There are no additional documents or collateral required. With interest rates as low as 1.59% per month, you can settle school dues on time and pay in flexible terms.

You need to make an upgrade

A new school year often means new gadgets. But a laptop or tablet can be a major investment, and when you have to pay in full, it can take a real toll on your budget.

With GGives, you can enjoy flexible, hassle-free installments, with zero down payment needed. You can also choose the best payment plan that fits your budget. So, for all your big gadget purchases for your kids this July, enjoy special deals – like getting 29% off when you pay with GGives at Power Mac Center and The Loop.




It’s also worth checking out ongoing promos if you are planning a gadget upgrade. You can get a free Marshall Willen speaker when you buy select iPhone 16 models — or score free Marshall Major headphones with select iPad and MacBook models at Beyond the Box, Digital Walker, or Open Source until September 12.

You’ll also find 4% off select Apple devices at Digimap and Digiplanet, ₱500 off with ₱15,000 min spend on laptops at Abenson, Electroworld, and Automatic Centre, and even a free powerbank when you purchase a new mobile gadget or tablet — handy extras for kids heading back to school.





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