Events
The Best Way to Donate to Charity Through GCash
GCash introduces a program for advocacy that addresses different issues faced by society across different levels. GCash for Good is a pioneering corporate social responsibility program that encourages Filipinos to donate to non-government organizations for worthy advocacies such as education, environment, animal welfare and other social issues.
Ney Villasenor – Vice President, GCash and Corporate Communications Group Head
“It all starts with your decision to do good,” says Reyner Villasenor, the VP for corporate communications. “GCash for Good is another big step to further develop the GCash app into a more socially relevant and sustainable platform that helps address issues across different levels,” he adds. With the launch of the GCash for Good Program, GCash invites NGO Partners from Cebu and nearby cities to join a community of doing good and giving back through the program.
“Globe Fintech Innovations Inc. (Mynt) operates GCash as a springboard for donations to non-government organizations that champion various advocacies, thanks to its scale and innovative digital platform,” says Reyner. “With GCash for Good, GCash users can use the GCash app to donate to various groups to create an impact on society,” he adds.
Mabel Niala, Head of Sustainability and External Affairs of Mynt
The GCash for Good program currently involves 35 NGOs, including UNDP, ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation, ECHOstore, Caritas Manila, WWF- Philippines, and more.
“The team at GCash really need to be commended for providing concerned citizens with a highly accountable platform to support the causes they are passionate about,” says Titon Mitra, county representative for UNDP. “I doesn’t matter how much one can afford to give- every peso to a good cause counts. GCash can be a powerful tool for direct citizen engagement and an important contribution to helping the Philippines to meet the Sustainable Development Goals,” he adds.
“I am calling all our NGO friends in Cebu and other nearby locales to join us as we spread the power of good through GCash,” says Reyner. Regulatory requirements are need to be completed by interested NGOs before becoming official GCash for Good partners to ensure the organizations are legitimate and the money donated cannot be abused.
“People now prefer to donate online, as this removes the hassle of having to go through long queues and processes, giving them more time to focus on their daily lives,” says Reyner during the launch of the GCash for Good program in Cebu. With that, partners of the program are happy that GCash has launched a program where people can be comfortable to donate their money.
“After a decade in development work supporting our social enterprises, I have seen the difficulties that non-government organizations face in mobilizing funding support for even the most worthy causes,” says Jeannie Javelosa, the director for ECHOsi Foundation, one of program’s current partner. “ I am excited to see what GCash for Good can do for the development community. With more Filipinos feeling comfortable about giving online, GCash for Good could be a game-changer,” she adds.
Reyner Villasenor stresses during the launch that through GCash, doing good is made easier and more efficient for people who wish to do so. “With GCash for Good, users will also have direct access to where their donations go. It showcases a more transparent and user-friendly interface for anyone to access,” Reyner says.
Events
A Feast for the Senses
By Joanna Cuenco
June 8 – Mactan, Cebu | For one of its biggest dining events of the year as part of the highly anticipated Cebu Food and Wine Festival, Crimson Resort and Spa Mactan curated an epicurean journey that brought guests on gastronomic flights of fancy, fine cuisine. A Feast for the Senses showcased the creativity and excellence of the resort’s culinary team through a dine-around event at its four dining destinations that invited guests to sample the best that each restaurant had to offer: international cuisine at Saffron, Spanish at Enye by Chele Gonzalez, Japanese at Aka by Naoki Eguchi, and desserts and more drinks at Azure Beach Club.
Maria Paz Perdices, Ambra Anzani, Ema Onda,Kate Anzani, Kumiko Onda, Daisy Barns
Tamsin Booth, Didier Belmonte, Frances Siao, Celeste Miranda, Bert Miranda, Bob Booth
Spirits were high and beverages flowed freely the whole evening, thanks to Philippine Wine Merchant, A Wine Company, The Wine Club, Don Revy, Sommelier Selection, Engkanto Brewery, M. Lhuillier Food Product Inc., Future Trade International, Happy Living Philippines, Equilibrium Intertrade Corporation, and Bauhinia Brewery.
Allan Barios at Saffron dessert station
Ulysse Jouanneaud
Margarette Lhuiller and Perl Jacalan
For the after-party and entertainment at Azure Beach Club, renowned mixologist Ulysse Jouanneaud took over the bar, crafting cocktails with Bacardi, Don Papa, Cointreau, and Sula Brands. Chef Allan Barrios presented a dessert spread that included key lime pralines, vanilla bourbon truffles, honey coconut cryos, and tiny flower-potted bamboo shoots that turned out to be made of pistachio. These little works of art were planted alongside vibrant green foliage, smooth stones, and a faux fog effect that created a tropical rainforest diorama out of the dessert table.
Lechon belly station at Saffron
Dessert display at Azure Beach Club
Yellowfin tuna tataki
Grilled mackerel with laksa boullabaise
The night sky and the distant lights of neighboring islands were the perfect backdrop for a high-energy LED dance performance and fantastic fireworks display that left guests in awe and applause.
Rose Hudson
Chele Gonzalez
Brava potato with chorizo at Enye
LED and Tron Dance
Aka Private Room
The Cebu Food and Wine Festival is supported by the Department of Tourism – Philippines, Visit Central Visayas, the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Cebu Business Month, and Cebu Pacific Air.
Events
The First NUSTAR BALL
The NUSTAR Ballroom, a magnificent venue at the NUSTAR Resort and Casino in Cebu, sets the stage for last night’s first-ever NUSTAR Ball.
Black was the color of night at the Zee table.
Glamorous guests from Manila and Cebu converged at the NUSTAR Ballroom, an exquisite venue within the NUSTAR Resort and Casino in Cebu. The evening unfolded with a seated 5-course dinner. The opulent feast started with Beetroot Salmon Gravlax, adorned with caper berries, caviar, set with delicate edible flowers; and a main course of Compressed Pork Belly with Crackling Skin and Baby Scallops. Another highlight was the auction of coveted items like Dior and YSL handbags, a limited-edition Bulgari watch, and an exclusive 2-night stay in Nustar’s opulent 3-bedroom villa—complete with a private pool and a dedicated butler. The charity evening benefited the Cameleon Association, an NGO based in Iloilo City created in 1997 that developed a global approach to act on the causes and effects of sexual violence against children.
Nora Sol, Beth Go, Frances Siao and Marylou Ong
Ina Ronquillo, Maryanne Aboitiz and Jackie Lotzof
Designers Jun Escario and Philip Rodriguez
Philip Rodriguez with NUSTAR Malls two power ladies: May Adolfo and Joanna Salazar
Lana Osmeña with Mariquita Yeung
PJ Castillo and Kaye Abad with Cary Santiago
Drew Sarmiento with LV Manager Adrian Decuigan
Cary Santiago with Eva Gullas
Manila socialites Julie Boschi and Ching Cruz with June Alegrado
It was a night of elegance, luxury, and unforgettable memories as ladies in long gowns and gentlemen in black ties danced the night away.
Events
Flying Tiger Copenhagen Lands in Cebu
By Joanna Cuenco
June 13 – Cebu City | Danish lifestyle brand Flying Tiger Copenhagen has landed in Cebu, opening its first branch in the Philippines outside Metro Manila at the upper ground floor of SM Seaside City.
Since its first store in Copenhagen in 1995, Flying Tiger has aimed to share products that not only look good, but make people feel good too. There’s something for everyone aged one to 100: toys, art materials, homeware, party supplies, workout gear, travel essentials, fashion accessories, and more. There will be fresh drops at the store every three to four weeks, so there’s always something exciting to look forward to and share with family and friends.
Product designs range from minimalist and “aesthetic” to cute and kitschy. Find lifestyle essentials like food storage and home organizers, tea towels and toothbrush holders, to some awesome things you didn’t know you needed, like a handheld sewing machine and a beach chair for your phone.
Even though the 200+ square meter space is fully stocked with hundreds of items, the store layout and neat display make it such a joy to look at all of the things and make the shopping experience easy and enjoyable. Flying Tiger believes a richer life does not cost a fortune, so items start at only P30, or even lower with some special promos.
The store opened with a traditional Danish cake-cutting ceremony with Jet Tan, Flying Tiger Copenhagen Store Operations Manager of APAC Region; Gladhys Rodriguez, Merchandising Manager of Flying Tiger Copenhagen Philippines; Billi Jin Esguerra-Perez, Marketing Manager of Flying Tiger Copenhagen Philippines; and JB Tan, Mall Manager of SM Seaside City Cebu.
Zandra Len Salvador and Drew Sarmiento
Sarree Pimentel with Lian
Rizanne Tiongko, Joanna Cuenco and Anya Morrissey
Jen and Jas Sarmiento, Rere Dakay, Kirby Yu with Kayden
Jaja Chiongbian Rama with Sebi and Georgiana
Eleni Paray, Hazel Tirol and Mitchelle Lua
Flying Tiger is exclusively distributed in the Philippines by Stores Specialists, Inc., the country’s largest specialty retailer that handles a network of 593 stores and 94 brands, including some of the most recognized names in the world.
Facebook: @FlyingTigerCopenhagenPH
Instagram: @flyingtigerph
bai Hotel Cebu named 2024 PH’s Leading Business Hotel at World Travel Awards
A Feast for the Senses
The First NUSTAR BALL
Flying Tiger Copenhagen Lands in Cebu
Golden Prince Hotel’s Sinulog Royalty Experience
SM Fashion Forum reveals Cebu’s style influencers
BTS: Beetle and Bimmer Clubs for Men’s Issue
Noise and Sounds: An Artform
Christmas in Colonial Cebu: A Themed Exhibit by Teresin Mendezona and Eva Gullas for Stylescapes 2019
Artisanal Cebu: Aspiring calligraphy artist Abigail Condrado
Experience authentic Korean Barbeque at Da-In Restaurant
