Thursday, October 8, 2026
Whether it's a quick break from a long day or a much-needed treat after school, merienda is always an excellent reason to pause and savor something tasty. At your Most Loved SM City Marilao Foodcourt, a wide range of delectable and reasonably priced options make it simple to pick a snack to satisfy any cravings.
For those looking to cool down, Halo-Halo Factory offers a classic Filipino favorite that is ideal for a pleasant midday treat. Meanwhile, Juice Avenue serves fruity and refreshing beverages for those seeking something light and thirst-quenching.
Craving something savory? ChizMozza serves cheesy and flavorful bites that are perfect for snacking in between errands, while Tokyo Tempura provides crunchy tempura selections for a fulfilling merienda fix. Additionally, Kanzen Sushi Roll delivers sushi rolls with Japanese-inspired tastes that are perfect for sharing—or eating all by yourself.
Wednesday, October 7, 2026
A good family day out is rarely about doing just one thing. It is the grocery run that turns into lunch, the quick stop for household essentials that becomes an afternoon of browsing, or the practical errand that ends with everyone settling into a cinema seat.
At SM City Valenzuela, these everyday rhythms come together naturally. With All Your Faves Here, the mall brings together the things that families need, the things they want, and the little pleasures that make time together feel worthwhile.
The day often begins with the most familiar of family rituals: groceries.
At SM Hypermarket, the weekly shop becomes a shared activity. Parents work through the essentials, children pick out their favorite snacks, and everyone has a say in what eventually makes it to the dinner table. Fresh ingredients, pantry staples and household necessities fill the cart, along with the occasional unexpected favorite.
This season, there is even more reason to hold on to those receipts. Running until October 31, the SHOP & WIN promo adds a little excitement to everyday shopping. A single or accumulated receipt worth ₱2,000 from participating stores, restaurants or service shops earns one raffle entry upon registration. With no limit to the number of entries, three lucky winners will each receive a ₱10,000 grocery shopping spree at SM Hypermarket. It is a simple reward for something families already do: shop for the week, stock the pantry and prepare for the days ahead.
From groceries, the day naturally moves to the rest of the household. At The SM Store, practical needs and personal wants share the same space. Everyday clothes, home essentials and new discoveries for the younger members of the family can all be found under one roof. There is no need to split the day into separate errands when everyone can find something to enjoy along the way.
And because home extends beyond the people who live in it, there is always something for the rest of the household, too.
At ACE Hardware, families can pick up supplies for a home project, take care of a quick household fix or find essentials for the pets who have become an important part of the family. What might otherwise be another errand becomes simply another stop in a day that already has everyone together.
By lunchtime, everyone has earned a break.
At SM Foodcourt, different appetites can meet around the same table. One might want something familiar, another something hearty, while someone else is already thinking about a favorite comfort food. There is no need to settle on just one craving. Everyone gets to enjoy what they want, together.
Then comes the point in the day when the errands are done, the bags are full and the practical agenda begins to give way to something more leisurely.
For many families, the answer is simple: a movie.
At SM Cinema, the pace changes. The lights dim, the popcorn comes out and, for the next couple of hours, everyone settles into the same story. It is one of those rare family activities that does not require everyone to have the same interests. They simply share the experience, side by side.
By the time the credits roll, a simple grocery run has become a full family day: shopping, household errands, lunch and a movie, all without having to go anywhere else.
Perhaps that is what makes a day at SM City Valenzuela feel so familiar. The moments themselves are ordinary, but they become memorable when shared. A favorite snack chosen from the grocery aisle. A new find at the department store. Something picked up for the family pet. A meal where everyone gets exactly what they want. A movie watched side by side.
Because sometimes, the best family days are not the ones that require elaborate plans. They are the ones where everything you need, and plenty of the things you love, happen to be in the same place.
At your most loved SM City Valenzuela, All Your Faves Are Here. And for families, that can make an ordinary day feel like one well spent.
DSWD conducted the first digital payout in Bacolod City led by Secretary Rex Gatchalian who committed to disburse UPLIFT assistance payouts via GCash until December 2026
For families facing rising costs and financial pressures, government assistance can provide much-needed support to meet immediate needs and regain stability.
To make that support easier to access, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), in partnership with GCash, is expanding digital access to DSWD UPLIFT assistance, giving eligible beneficiaries the option to receive succeeding payouts through their GCash wallets.
The initiative supports the rollout of the government’s Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) Program, a relief initiative established under Executive Order No. 110 to help protect vulnerable sectors and cushion the impact of global oil shocks and rising inflation. Under the expanded DSWD UPLIFT Assistance Program, targeted cash assistance will reach 7.5 million households through DSWD.
The digital disbursement initiative also comes as the government works to cushion the impact of the energy emergency on vulnerable families nationwide. By expanding access to digital channels, beneficiaries can receive succeeding assistance through a more convenient and accessible option, reducing the need to spend additional time and resources accessing government support.
While the initial DSWD UPLIFT payouts will be distributed in cash, beneficiaries are encouraged to transition to digital channels for succeeding disbursements. As part of the UPLIFT Caravan, GCash is supporting the initiative by assisting beneficiaries with account onboarding, giving those who choose GCash the option to receive future assistance directly through the GCash Fund Disbursement Service (FDS).
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said it was the President's directive to disburse the much-needed aid in a quick and convenient manner, understanding that beneficiaries need immediate relief.
"Mula ngayon hanggang sa December, kapag kukunin n'yo na yung ₱2,000 n'yo, sa digital wallet na lang," he stressed. (From now until December, when you claim your ₱2,000, you can receive it directly through your digital wallet.)
Along with this, Secretary Gatchalian encouraged those who do not have a digital wallet yet to set one up so they can receive the funds without the hassle.
"GCash is honored to continuously support DSWD in expanding digital access to government services. Access is not only about receiving support, but also about making the experience more convenient, secure, and dignified for the people we serve. By giving beneficiaries a digital option, we hope to make DSWD UPLIFT assistance easier to access while giving them greater choice in how they receive and manage their financial support," said GCash Vice President and Head of B2B Sales, Cleo Celeste Santos.
The partnership demonstrates how digital financial services can make social protection more accessible while helping beneficiaries take greater control of their financial assistance. By bringing government support directly to beneficiaries through a channel they can access and manage digitally, the initiative aims to reduce barriers to receiving assistance and help create pathways toward greater financial inclusion and opportunity.
For more information, visit https://www.gcash.com.
.jpg)
.jpg){kind=link}
MANILA, Philippines—Manulife China Bank Life Assurance Corporation (MCBL), the strategic alliance between Manulife Philippines and China Banking Corporation, has launched Secure Pinoy Group Life Care and Secure Pinoy Group Life Care Plus, group insurance solutions designed to help employers provide accessible and meaningful protection benefits for their workforce. Designed for companies with five to 200 employees, the products offer life, accident, and optional health-related coverage that can help employees and their families navigate unexpected life events.
“At MCBL, we believe businesses thrive when their people feel protected and supported,” said Amy Gochuico, President and Chief Executive Officer, MCBL. “When unexpected events happen, financial security can make a meaningful difference for employees and their families. As employers look for ways to care for their workforce beyond compensation, Secure Pinoy offers a practical and flexible solution that helps provide protection, peace of mind, and greater confidence for the future.”
Secure Pinoy was developed in response to a growing need among Filipino businesses for practical, easy-to-implement group protection. As employees and their families face the financial risks associated with accidents, illness, disability, and other unexpected events, employers are increasingly looking beyond compensation to support their workforce’s financial well-being—seeking benefits that are both meaningful and simple to manage.
Secure Pinoy Group Life Care is designed for office-based, administrative, professional, and other non-hazardous occupations, while Secure Pinoy Group Life Care Plus extends protection to businesses with employees in higher-risk industries such as construction, manufacturing, transportation, logistics, retail, and services. Both solutions are designed to help employers strengthen their benefits offerings through comprehensive and flexible protection coverage.
.jpg)
“Businesses today are looking for protection solutions that truly reflect the needs of their workforce and are easy to implement,” said Erwin Go, Chief Corporate Solutions and Alternative Distribution Officer, Manulife Philippines. “With Secure Pinoy, we are making meaningful group coverage more accessible to Filipino employers, from small enterprises to growing companies, through the trusted networks of China Bank and China Bank Savings. This reflects Manulife’s commitment to delivering the right solutions to businesses in ways that support how they operate and grow.”
About Secure Pinoy Group Life Care
Both Secure Pinoy Group Life Care solutions provide a core package of protection benefits, with the flexibility to enhance coverage as a business’s needs evolve. Coverage amounts range from PHP100,000 to PHP1 million, with pre-approved rates and a simplified enrollment process. The plan’s features include:
- Comprehensive core protection: Life insurance coverage, accidental death, dismemberment and disablement benefits, and total and permanent disability coverage, safeguarding employees against a wide range of risks.
- Immediate family support: A Family Assistance Benefit provides immediate financial support to beneficiaries following the loss of an insured employee, when it is needed most.
- Optional riders for tailored coverage: Employers can enhance protection with Hospital Income Benefit, Accidental Medical Reimbursement, and Cancer Benefit, where applicable, allowing companies to shape coverage around the needs of their workforce.
- Simplified administration: Pre-approved rates and a simplified enrollment process help employers deliver meaningful benefits without adding operational burden.
Benefits under Secure Pinoy Group Life Care and Secure Pinoy Group Life Care Plus are provided through the Group Yearly Renewable Term (GYRT) base plan and selected available group riders under the Secure Pinoy product suite. Both plans are available through MCBL financial sales associates located in China Bank and China Bank Savings branches. Eligibility and coverage are subject to policy provisions and underwriting guidelines. More information is available at www.manulife-chinabank.com.ph.
The Filipino-British singer-songwriter explores love, faith, self-discovery, and growing into her own voice across a 15-track collection of original songs
MANILA, Philippines — After captivating listeners worldwide with her intimate, delicate covers of global pop hits, Filipino-British singer-songwriter Sam Benwick takes a major leap with the upcoming release of her debut album, HIGHS and lows, a 15-track collection of original songs offering an unguarded look into the experiences and discoveries of a young woman finding her way through life.
Brimming with stripped-down pop sensibilities, HIGHS and lows traces Benwick’s growth as a storyteller. Across the album, she explores life’s changing seasons and reflects on the role faith has played in shaping her perspective. The songs are intimate without being insular, drawing on personal experiences while leaving room for listeners to find their own meaning.
Love, in its many forms, is another binding thread integral throughout the record. Benwick writes about the exhilaration of finding love, the hurt of encountering the wrong kind, and the lessons that emerge from both. Rather than presenting herself as someone who has found all the answers, she treats love as an ongoing process of understanding: what it can give, what it can take, and how it can ultimately change a person. In this sense, HIGHS and lows becomes both a personal account and an open invitation for listeners to recognize pieces of their own stories within hers or encounter a perspective different from their own.
Benwick recently teased the attendees by playing songs from her forthcoming release at a by-invite listening party on October 3, 2026, at Concept Space MNL in Quezon City. Joined by members of the press and The Samshines, her community of supporters, Benwick also took part in a Q&A session, where she shared insights into the stories behind the songs.
Independently produced with distribution support from ONErpm, HIGHS and lows will be released on Friday, October 16, 2026, on all major digital music platforms worldwide. The album includes previously released songs, “OUT OF THE DARKNESS,” “told ya so,” “FINALLY,” “mr. nonchalant,” and “STEP BY STEP,” plus ten new tracks.
With HIGHS and lows, Sam Benwick moves beyond the covers that first introduced her to audiences and opens an exciting new era of original music, personal storytelling, and a willingness to embrace the highs and lows of growing into who she is.
Recorded during her 10 Year Manila Exclusive Set, the live album reflects a decade of growth, healing, and finding her voice as an artist
A decade after first stepping into the spotlight, Ylona Garcia looks back on the music, memories, and experiences that defined her career with ylona, so far. (live), a nine-track live album arriving October 5, 2026 via Sony Music Entertainment.
More than a collection of live recordings, ylona, so far. (live) revisits the songs that have accompanied Ylona from her formative years as a young performer to the artist she is today. Through fresh live interpretations of familiar tracks, the album allows Ylona to reconnect with music from different phases of her life, this time with a deeper understanding of herself and greater ownership of her art.
“It feels like a healing experience, and that means the world to me,” Ylona shares about the project. Revisiting the music she has released over the years brought back both beautiful and difficult memories: from the opportunities she once could only dream of to the pressures of growing up in the public eye and navigating expectations from both the industry and fans. “Looking back now, I’m incredibly grateful for all of it because it’s given me the perspective and experience to take more control over my career and, more importantly, to understand who I am as an artist.”
The album features nine tracks spanning Ylona’s career, including “my name is ylona garcia,” “lie so well,” “space,” “dahan dahan dahan lang,” “o pag ibig,” “don’t go changing,” “don’t say goodbye,” “win the fight,” and “entertain me.” As longtime listeners may know, the songs and their live renditions reveal how dramatically Ylona’s relationship with them has evolved.
“Before, I was so grateful for the opportunities I was given that it was hard for me to be fully present in them,” she explains. “I did my best to perform each song in the studio and on stage, but I was often more focused on making sure everyone else was happy than connecting with the music itself.” A decade later, she approaches these songs from a more personal place, letting her present-day perspective reshape music that once represented earlier versions of herself.
The album’s rollout began with “entertain me (live),” which was recorded during Ylona’s 10 Year Manila Exclusive Set at Backyard Live. The performance teased the overall vibe of the new record and its central theme of reclaiming her story.
“It became a reminder that people can take things from you, but they can’t take away your heart or your mind,” she says. “That’s what this project represents to me—taking back ownership of my story and who I am as an artist.”
The Manila exclusive set will also live beyond the stage through a series of performance videos recorded at Backyard Live, which will be released on Ylona Garcia’s YouTube channel. The videos invite fans to experience—or relive—the energy of the 10 Year Manila Exclusive Set while witnessing how Ylona reimagines songs they have known for years. In doing so, the artist also honors the people who have been part of her journey from the beginning.
“I hope they feel how much I care about my work and the impact it has on them,” Ylona says. “I wanted them to feel the intentionality behind reimagining music they already know through the perspective of who I am today. More than anything, I wanted to give them a glimpse of the artist I’ve become while still honoring the girl they first fell in love with.”
Among the album’s most poignant moments is “o pag ibig (live),” featuring Bailey May, a full-circle reunion that connects Ylona’s present with one of the earliest chapters of her career. Having not seen each other since they were 16, the two reunited onstage to revisit the song with a decade’s worth of life and experience behind them. Even after the years apart, the performance carried an unmistakable sense of familiarity. “Performing ‘O Pag-Ibig’ together honestly felt like no time had passed at all,” Ylona recalls.
At its heart, ylona, so far. (live) is a tribute to the stage that helped hone Ylona into the performer she is today. “Live performance was my training ground as an entertainer,” she says. Given the idea to turn her exclusive Manila performance into a live album, she immediately saw an opportunity to celebrate not only the last 10 years of her life, but also the roots that brought her here.
“I think these live versions capture all of who I am,” Ylona says.
Tracklist — ylona, so far. (live)
- “my name is ylona garcia (live)”
- “lie so well (live)”
- “space (live)”
- “dahan dahan dahan lang (live)”
- “o pag ibig (live)” ft. bailey may
- “don’t go changing (live)”
- “don’t say goodbye (live)”
- “win the fight (live)”
- “entertain me (live)”
ylona, so far. (live) is out now on all digital music platforms worldwide via Sony Music Entertainment.
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – On September 12, 2026, the EMCOR Atrium in Bajada filled with music, cheers, and rising talent as LG Electronics Philippines, co-presented with EMCOR, brought LG xboom IDOL 2026 to Davao.
Created to discover talented aspiring singers and dancers from across the country, LG xboom IDOL 2026 continues LG’s search for the best pop talent in the Philippines. More than a competition, it gives passionate performers the chance to showcase their talent, confidence, and stage presence in front of a live audience—while experiencing the bold, room-filling sound of LG xboom.
From 18 registrants, 10 semi-finalists were selected for the competition. Eight performers ultimately took the stage that day, each bringing their own voice, style, and energy to the afternoon’s performances.
Hosted by OOO, the event turned the atrium into a shared music moment as contestants performed before an enthusiastic crowd. OOO also energized the audience with a special intermission performance.
Roxanne Jamora’s Moment
By the end of the competition, three performers stood out: Merry Grace Simbajon of Digos, Cristine Joyce “CJ” Bunao of Tanza, and Roxanne Jamora of Agdao.
Roxanne Jamora emerged at the top, earning an average score of 97.58% and securing the title of LG xboom IDOL 2026 Mindanao Grand Finalist.
She received a trophy and certificate in recognition of her achievement, while the other semi-finalists were also honored with medals and certificates for their performances.
A Stage Built for Big Voices and Bigger Moments
At the heart of the competition is the LG xboom Stage 501, designed to bring more excitement to singing, karaoke sessions, and live performances. With its powerful sound, dynamic presence, and features made for music-led gatherings, it helps turn performances into fuller, more engaging stage moments—whether at an event venue or in more intimate celebrations with family and friends.
This year’s elimination rounds also came with exciting prizes for standout performers. Winners received an LG xboom Stage 501 with Php 5,000 in cash, while other selected performers took home an LG xboom Mini with Php 2,000 in cash.
The road to the finals also leads to bigger rewards. The 5th place winner will receive Php 10,000 and a 50-inch LG Nano UHD 4K Smart TV. 3rd and 4th place winners will each receive Php 20,000 and a 50-inch LG Nano UHD 4K Smart TV. The 2nd place winner will take home Php 50,000 and a 55-inch LG Nano UHD 4K Smart TV. The 1st place winner will receive Php 100,000 and a trip for two to Seoul, South Korea.
Bringing More People Closer to the Music
Throughout the event, the crowd became part of the story—cheering, singing along, and sharing in each performance. That energy carried beyond the stage, with 10 LG xboom Minis raffled off to audience members during the program.
“Through LG xboom IDOL, we want to create more opportunities for aspiring performers to be seen, heard, and celebrated,” said Yongwoo Park, Media Solutions Product Director, LG Electronics Philippines. “It’s our way of bringing people closer to music while showing how LG xboom can make every performance feel more alive, more shared, and more memorable.”
Through LG xboom IDOL, LG Electronics Philippines brings its sound experience closer to Filipino music fans while opening the stage to emerging performers ready for their moment. In Davao, that moment belonged to Roxanne Jamora. And for one afternoon, music brought everyone a little closer.
The journey continues as LG xboom IDOL 2026 heads to its next leg on October 11 at Ayala Malls Manila Bay, giving more aspiring singers and dancers a chance to step into the spotlight and show what they can do.
Search