Dasma residents tell Pacquiao: Stay home

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Manny Pacquiao and his family have been told to stay home by his neighbors in an exclusive village in Makati City after a video showing him partying with another lawmaker infected by the coronavirus went viral on social media.

In a letter to the senator, Barangay Dasmariñas homeowners said Pacquiao is effectively a “person under monitoring” after a video of Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III partying at Pacquiao’s house circulated on the internet.

Pimentel, who announced this week he contracted the disease, received public condemnation for breaching quarantine protocol when he accompanied his pregnant wife to a hospital and exposed health workers to the virus. He also went shopping at an S&R store.

Pacquiao earlier said members of PDP-Laban, including their president Pimentel, had a meeting at Pacquiao’s residence in Makati last March 4.

Pimentel said he received his test results on the evening of March 24. He took a swab test last March 20 after having experienced body pains.

“Many of your colleagues in Senate have been identified to be COVID-positive. Therefore, you have to be quarantined at your own house,” Barangay Dasmariñas residents told Pacquiao.

“For your own family and household’s safety, please have yourself self-quarantined, stay home. No one, including any of your household, can come out,” they added. “If you need something, please call the barangay... We can procure things for you and send it to your doorstep.” – philstar.com

What's that unidentified object in the sky?

The skyline of Makati City with its glittering lights and silver skyscrapers can easily leave anyone mesmerized. The city is abuzz with energy because of the constant flow of people and traffic making its way across the metro.

But last July 2, families and the commuting public spotted a peculiar sight — an unidentified object in the sky hovering above the metro CBD’s buildings.

Could this be the first other-worldly sighting in Manila finally caught on tape?

“When I first saw it, I had to do an immediate double take!” shares Michelle Alingarog, a 34-year-old mom who was with her four-year-old daughter, Mayumi. “It wasn’t scary or anything, actually my daughter was excited to see it!”

Another passerby, Jasper Lagorza, shared, “It made me stop whatever I was doing, because here was something I had never seen before.”

Instead of striking fear, the experience made the adults and kids curious, pointing to the sky and badgering their parents for answers.

source: philstar.com

The Peninsula Manila and The Farm at San Benito create new wellness menu

The Peninsula Manila Hotel invites us to embrace wellness and experience the restorative powers of nature with its newly expanded 360º Wellness, Naturally, Peninsula menu, a collaborative effort between the talented culinary teams of The Peninsula and The Farm at San Benito, one of the world’s foremost health and wellness resorts, located 90 minutes away from Metro Manila.

The new menu introduces a wide variety of lighter dining fare using natural herbs and spices, together with other organic produce from reputable and sustainable sources, live and raw foods and no meat, fish, fowl, dairy, eggs, butter, cholesterol or saturated fats from animals or animal by-products.

This echoes The Peninsula Manila’s “Naturally Peninsula” cuisine philosophy that focuses on a non-clinical and holistic approach to wellness by harnessing the botanical benefits of nature.

This same philosophy is shared by the chefs of The Farm at San Benito  who have won numerous best cuisine awards, including  winning the “Spa Cuisine of the Year” two years in a row from Asia Spa Magazine. Upon the guidance of The Farm’s chefs, the Peninsula Manila’s new 360° Wellness, Naturally Peninsula menu does not use any flour, wheat, grain, sugar, canned, or anything that is processed, boxed or packaged.

Dishes under this menu are also to be cooked only with certified organic extra virgin olive oil and Absolutely No Heat Process (ANH) virgin coconut oil. Working closely with the Peninsula’s Executive Chef Richard Green and his team, both stellar kitchens have identified and incorporated local ingredients into signature dishes that will ultimately enhance a guest’s destination-inspired experience.

Guest dining in the hotel’s various dining outlets will delight not just in the surprisingly more flavorful take on health food, but also in the knowledge that they are eating ingredients that are free of toxins and harmful chemicals and at the same time helping preserve the environment.

To celebrate the new collaboration, The Farm at San Benito and The Peninsula Manila are launching a joint wellness program package, starting at approximately USD873 (PhP34,916) for two, which includes one-night accommodation at The Peninsula Manila and two-nights’ accommodation at The Farm.

Early Chowbuzz recommendations includes; the Smoked Eggplant-Szechuan dip (90 calories per tablespoon), Mushroom-nut ragout stuffed, Coconut Ravioli with cumin carrot sauce (274 calories per serving), and Penang Curry (174 calories per serving).

• The Peninsula Manila, corners of Ayala and Makati Avenues, Makati City. Tel. no. (+632) 810-3456 or (+632) 887-2888.

source: interaksyon.com

Borderless Cuisine

The term atelier is more commonly used to describe the workspace of a chi-chi fashion designer or gallery-worthy artiste. But in this case, Atelier 317 is the workstation of one of Philippine society’s glam girls who, not content with being a statistic on the Manila’s Best Dressed list, slips out of the designer dresses to don a chef’s jacket and cook for her customers. We refer, of course, to Stephanie Zubiri, Cordon Bleu alum, food writer, young fashion icon, entrepreneur, and now, after a gorgeous wedding to Jonathan Crespi at Misibis Bay, a newly-wed.

Because of her rep as an “it” girl, she may seem intimidating and stand-offish – until you get to sit down and chat with her about her many passions, with a side-trip stories of her teenage escapades in Europe. The same may be said of the restaurant, by virtue of the owner’s background. It may seem intimidating on paper, but a step inside Atelier 317 brings you to a homey atmosphere, with an artsy touch to the knick-knacks on the tables, the assortment of unusual plates and cups, down to the mismatched chairs of the dining area.

There is even an old sewing machine that she had converted at a local shop into a conversation piece/eating area. It’s all hers, she says, “I took my time decorating because I wanted it to reflect my tastes. Everything here, I chose myself. We didn’t get an interior decorator – I bought every piece, and I am actually surprised at how well it all came together.”

The food is also quite eclectic. “I am always asked what kind of cuisine I offer,” she grins. “People like to box you in, and probably because of my culinary training background, they always think I make fancy French food. No, I don’t make fancy French food!” she mock groans. “For me, why does a restaurant have to have a specific cuisine? For me, it is about world food, not just French cuisine. Almost all these recipes are what I eat at home. I like simple ingredients, I like using herbs and spices. These dishes comprise my personal comfort food.” One of these is the Spicy Lamb Bolognese, which she swears is one of her favorites and is a staple in her own home kitchen.

She talks about her mission to make an Atelier meal a memorable experience. “When I was starting out, I was looking for an alternative to my catering business. I wanted to make a restaurant that people will not go to only for special occasions. I want to offer what people like and look for every time they eat at the restaurant, which is comfort food. From our catering, we had a lot of things that were really doing well, like the Bicol Express Chicken. I want people to come here with an open mind, and try new versions of the things that they like or are familiar with.”

Her travels also have a strong influence on her menu. “My menu constantly evolves. I visited Vietnam three times last year to explore, and I loved the food. I went to cooking classes in Thailand. I go around asking people for their recipes. These are the techniques and flavors that I try to translate with my own dishes. I love Indian food, so I am developing South Asian dishes. I talk to friends in the food industry to find out what is happening.”

Still, she insists on keeping it simple and relatable. For all the prestige of Cordon Bleu, she candidly says she did not exceptionally enjoy the experience. “It was too serious, too difficult! I like to cook from the heart!” Her tapa is a recipe from her Lola Zubiri, and aside from the addition of foie gras bits in her molo soup, the bola-bola follows the family formula. “She used to make her bola-bola with tomato sauce, and on some days, I offer that as well,” Stephanie says.

She adds that her philosophy is all about offering the best quality within more reasonable price points. Her hollandaise sauce for the fab Eggs Benedict is made fresh from scratch. Her best-selling Caprese salad is made with kesong puti, instead of the more expensive mozzarella. “I don’t want to charge P500 for a Caprese salad when there is a good alternative that will offer better value!” she says.

Here, she flame-broils the cheese and plump tomatoes to give them a smoky flavor, and drizzles these with olive oil and balsamic reduction, followed by a smattering of fresh basil leaves. A must-try is the melt-in-the-mouth Balsamic Beef Adobo, slow-cooked US Black Angus Short Rib served with Portobello Mushroom Sinangag Rice.

For those who are not inclined to “sin,” Atelier 317 offers healthy vegetarian options such as the Falafel Pita Burger and the creamy Spiced Pumpkin Soup, along with salmon dishes like her Red Curry Salmon Parmentier – flaked, poached salmon topped with lemongrass and fried shallots, served with red curry sauce.

The restaurant, which is now equipped to handle small gatherings for cooking demos at the top floor, is a favorite haunt of well-known personalities for its laid-back vibe. The location, a stone’s throw away from the Powerplant mall, is perfect for a weekend brunch away from the maddening crowds. Stephanie says that her decision not to locate at a mall offers some kind of freedom. “There is no pressure to have a high turnover, and guests are more inclined to linger over coffee or good wine.”

Atelier 317 is located at the Palm Rock Bldg., 6060 Palma corner Osias Sts. (near Makati Science High School) in Poblacion, Makati City. The restaurant is open Mondays to Fridays from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Sundays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call 358-0987, 0917-8308393 or e-mail atelier317@epicurusinc.ph.

source: mb.com.ph

5 reasons why you should dine at Chateau 1771 again in your next night out

Reliable menu, friendly waitstaff, and elegant but warm interiors. These are some of the reasons that regular patrons claim on why they keep returning to 25-year-old restaurant Chateau 1771.

The restaurant recently added new offerings to their menu—a welcome addition to some of our favorites. A little change here or there, Chateau 1771 confirms that it still serves the best food created by Executive Chef Vicky Rose Pacheco. And here are more reasons why you should revisit the classic restaurant in your next night out.






1. No borders cuisine
Chateau 1771 started out as a French restaurant and but now serves French, Italian, Swiss, and no-borders cuisine. “By no borders, we mean you can ask for specific things to be changed in the menu or on your dish because you don’t like it, or if you are in a particular diet,” says Kirk Daquioag, Chateau Group marketing manager. “Restaurants would say no they wouldn’t do that, whereas here, we will always, if we can, oblige to your request.

2. Healthy, organic ingredients
A welcome addition to the Chateau 1771 is the organic dishes such as the chicken, pork shoulders, and vegetables.

“If we can find a good source of ingredients, we try to make it organic,” shares Daquioag. “For example, all our chicken dishes are organic, the pork shoulder  (the only pork dish in the menu) is organic. We also serve organic vegetable, organic rice, so that you would have a lot more choices to side dishes and things like that.”

“We try to give healthier choices,” he says. “So, if you are in any specific diet, be it Cohen diet, low carbs diet, there is something for you.”


3. More seafood dishes
If you have been browsing Chateau 1771’s menu, then you would have certainly noticed the wider selection of seafood that they have been carrying since late last year. There have been some add-on sea food dishes to the choices, a delight to any pescetarian.

“We have a section which has a variety of different fishes and as well as a local fish of the day and you can have that cooked in three different ways,” says Daquioag.

Selections include Norwegian salmon, ocean trout, halibut, or the local fish of the day to be cooked according to your preference. The restaurant also offers it in three different ways: steamed covered with bokchoy, leek and carrot cream sauces, and mashed potato, sautéed then covered with bread crumbs then baked with lemon butter, and then baked with fresh lemon thyme, extra virgin olive oil & pecan nuts, and rice.  Seafood such as fish or prawns can also be grilled.

4. Slow-cooked meats
The selection of cocette (small casserole) fare is another welcome addition to the menu.

Meat are slowly cooked together with spices such as oregano, sage, rosemary, and many more in the cocette giving your tastebuds utmost pleasure. Pick your choice of lamb, veal, beef, duck, or pork to be served in the tiny casserole.

 5. More delectable dishes to come
Chateau 1771 first started in Malate. CEO Ricky Gutierrez wanted to offer something to the internationals who were dining there.  Over the course of the years, the influences—Italian, French—for Chateau has changed.

The restaurant has become known for its signature dishes such as the Raclette, Flaming Potence, Caesar Salad, and Pasta Chorizo. “But it is our ability to adapt to changing times and market which is reflected in surviving for 25 years, but not only surviving but excelling in what we do. I am sure the way we are going, we have got another 25 years to go,” Daquioag says.

• Chateau 1771 is located on the Ground Level of Greenbelt 5, Greenbelt, Paseo de Roxas cor. Legaspi St., Ayala Center, Makati City. For inquiries, (+632) 729-9761.

source: interaksyon.com

Makati opens human milk bank

MANILA, Philippines - Makati City on Monday opened the third Department of Health-approved human milk bank in the country.

Located at the Bangkal Health Center at E. Rodriguez Avenue in Barangay Bangkal, the milk bank was opened by Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay. It is the first human milk bank to be operated by a local government unit.

“We are proud to make history once more with the opening of our human milk bank, which is the first such facility to be established and operated by a local government unit in the country,” Binay said.

Binay said the project was particularly significant to him because his youngest daughter Maria Kennely, survived premature birth largely through adequate nourishment from a steady supply of breast milk obtained from milk banks.  His wife Kennely Ann died shortly after giving birth to their fourth child.

“This human milk bank has been put up so that motherless infants in our city and neighboring cities will not be deprived of their rightful share of God’s wonderful gift to every newborn, to every child,” Binay said.

Binay said the Makati milk bank was opened with the support of the DOH, the World Health Organization, and the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC), a DOH-accredited training institution for the management and operation of milk banks.


“Makati and its people are truly grateful to our partners in putting up this facility, which brings up our community-based breastfeeding advocacy to a more noble level because mothers will have the chance to save lives by donating their breast milk to the milk bank,” Binay said.

Studies show that regular breastfeeding stimulates the mammary glands of lactating mothers and enables them to produce an abundant supply of breast milk that could cover their baby’s needs and still leave much for the milk bank.

Dr. Estela Barrios, officer-in-charge of the Makati Health Department, said the milk bank is fully equipped with imported equipment, including a human milk pasteurizer made in England, a large bio-refrigerator, two large freezers, and an electric dishwasher with sterilizer.

She said the operations of the facility will be handled by six personnel comprised by a doctor, a nurse, two midwives and two medical technologists who all underwent proper training under PCMC, particularly on lactation management and laboratory procedures.

PCMC is a DOH-accredited training institution on the management and operation of human milk banks, and is one of only two health facilities in the country housing a DOH-approved human milk bank.  The other is Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital.

Barrios said the Makati Human Milk Bank would be operated according to the WHO manual of operations for human milk banks.

source: philstar.com

Beauty in PureColor

MANILA, Philippines - Estee Lauder, one of the most renowned global beauty brands, celebrated the beauty of women in the PureColor Play event featuring its latest makeup line in Makati City.

Celebrity guests included Miss Universe ’73 Margie Moran-Floirendo, Brazilian models Fabio Ide, Daniel Matsunaga and Vanessa Matsunaga.

Hosted by Teresa Herrera with music from DJ Badkiss (Christina Baertgas) and DJ Meow (Mia Ayesa), the event was highlighted by a performance of Ballet Philippines and a fashion show featuring Jun Escario’s creations, which brought to life the video animation that unveiled Estee Lauder’s makeup collection.

The dramatic image mapping throughout the venue showcased Estee Lauder creative makeup director Tom Pecheux’s masterpiece in the limelight, giving guests a first look at his creation made for women all over the world.

Guests got to try Estee Lauder’s PureColor Lipstick, PureColor Eyeshadow Palette, PureColor Blush and the Vivid Collection (PureColor Gelee Powder Eye Shadows, PureColor Vivid Shine Lipstick), the PureColor Nail Lacquer with True Vision Technology — at the play and display booths manned by Estee Lauder’s makeup artists and nail technicians.

With its newest makeup collection, Estee Lauder stays true to her promise that “Every woman can be beautiful.”

source: philstar.com

Tory Burch mixes good design with good fortune

MANILA, Philippines - Tory Burch is launching a special capsule collection in bright red, the traditional color of the holiday, symbolizing good fortune. It includes handbags, wallets, cosmetic cases and iPhone covers. These limited edition designs are now available at Tory Burch freestanding stores in Beijing, Tianjin, Hong Kong–IFC, Hong Kong–Harbour City, Hong Kong–Times Square, Makati City and Singapore. They will also be offered at 14 select locations in North America, including New York, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Honolulu and Toronto boutiques.

The Tory Blog will highlight Chinese New Year as well with a special feature. Visit blog.toryburch.com for more information.

This is the brand’s second year designing custom product for Chinese New Year, marking the important role of China in the company’s global expansion plan — it opened its Hong Kong office when the brand launched in 2004 and there are now eight stores in Greater China.

In the Philippines, Tory Burch is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc. (SSI) and is located at Greenbelt 5 and Rustan’s Makati.

source: philstar.com

Makati extends works hours ahead of deadline for tax, business license payments

MANILA - Frontline offices of the Makati City government have extended work hours on weekdays and weekends to accommodate taxpayers before the January 20 deadline for tax payments and renewal of business licenses.

In a statement, Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin S. Binay said business owners and real property taxpayers can come to City Hall on weekdays after 5 p.m. and on weekends for their transactions to avail of discounts and avoid penalties for late payments.

The mayor also announced that electronic realty tax payment centers in the barangays will be open on designated dates, during which property owners need only present their previous receipt to complete their transaction in four minutes.

Binay said Makati offers a 10 percent discount on realty taxes paid on an annual basis, and five percent for quarterly payments made during the first 20 days of the quarter.

The Business Permits Office and Real Property Tax Division of Makati, assisted by teams from the Office of the City Administrator, Urban Development Department, Miscellaneous Division and the barangays, will be open from 5:30-10 p.m. from Mondays-Fridays until January 18.

On weekends, the said offices will be open to serve clients from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., specifically on January 12 and 13, and January 19 and 20.  The issuance of community tax certificates, barangay clearances, insurance and other transactions are being done at the new City Hall Parking Building along F. Zobel St. on weekdays and weekends.

Satellite tax payment centers will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the following barangays: Urdaneta, January 10; Magallanes, January 11 and 12; San Lorenzo, January 14; Bangkal and Pio del Pilar, January 15; Tejeros and San Antonio, January 16; Guadalupe Nuevo and East Rembo, January 17; and West Rembo, January 18.

Residents whose barangays are not yet included in the program may pay their taxes at the nearest available barangay tax payment center or at the second floor of the new building of the Makati City Hall.

Based on the Makati Revenue Code, annual realty tax payments made after March will be charged an eight percent penalty, while late quarterly payments will incur a penalty of two percent per month.

Penalties on late payments of business taxes include a 25 percent surcharge and a two percent penalty per month of delay until the amount due is fully settled.

source: interaksyon.com

Silicon Valley Achievers At Forum

Philippine Development Foundation (PhilDev) announced its 2012 PhilDev Economic Forum with the theme “Harnessing Filipino Innovation and Entrepreneurship” will be held on October 8, 2012, in Makati City.

 PhilDev’s US-based Filipino Board of Directors who are established entrepreneurs and change-makers will come home to host the event, merging local technopreneurs with investors and game-changers from Silicon Valley.

“Based on the experience we gathered from the Entrepreneurship Camp we held in Cebu last May, the time has come for all to discover, highlight and harness the talent of the Filipino,” said PhilDev Chairman of the Board and Tallwood Managing Partner, Dado Banatao.

Aside from Banatao, PhilDev Trustees and Event Chairs, Winston Damarillo, Chairman and co-Founder of Exist Global Inc., and Sheila Lirio Marcelo, Founder and CEO of Care.com will also be advising entrepreneurs at the forums and will help showcase the Philippines’ software industry as a burgeoning leader in the ASEAN and global markets.

Other speakers will include Toby Stuart, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation from Haas School of Business in Berkeley, CA, and former Harvard School of Business faculty, Loida Nicolas Lewis, Chair and CEO of TLC Beatrice, Arthur Tan, Chief Executive Officer and President of Integrated Microelectronics, Inc., a subsidiary of Ayala Corporation, Eric Manlunas, Co-founder & Managing Partner of Siemer Ventures, and Secretary Greg Domingo of the Department of Trade and Industry. Executives from Facebook, Google, Oracle and Dell and have also been invited to become speakers and mentors.

This year’s Forum will be preceded by a three-day mentoring session on October 5 to 7 at the Radisson Blu in Cebu City. “Hack2Hatch: From Hacker to Founder” is a weekend entrepreneurship camp and guided pitching session and one-on-one mentorship where local start-up founders can harness their business and technical skills and pitch to actual investors and venture capitalists who have had success in Silicon Valley. This special 4-day mentorship and speaker series aims to take the Filipinos’ innovation and entrepreneurship towards collective empowerment and economic development.

source: mb.com.ph

Second ELC store opens in Greenbelt 5

MANILA, Philippines - The second Early Learning Centre (ELC) store, UK’s leading toy retailer, opens in October at Greenbelt 5. ELC has been sharing its fun, educational and developmental toys with babies and toddlers for almost four decades. Established in 1974, ELC has been Britain’s favorite toy shop for over 38 years, providing toys that inspire and stimulate children to develop as they play.

Children of different age groups are sure to find the best toys suited for their developmental stage. Parents and babies discover the world together with toys from the baby and toddler category. Girls aged three to eight years can set their imagination free with the help of make-believe toys from the Let’s Pretend line. With the launch of ELC Active Fun last February, the Let’s Pretend kitchen sets had parents discovering their little master chefs. In this category also, kids can explore their future with our Let’s Pretend professional costumes, they could either dress up as a doctor, a fireman or a royal princess!






Boys of all ages can experience just how thrilling the world can be with exciting toys from the Action and Adventure category. For kids fond of dinosaurs, ELC has Dino Kingdom and German-made Schleich animal collectibles. For kids who love cars, it has the Big City Garage, the Spiral Race Ramp and 20 Superwheel cars to play, race and chase!

Bring out the rock star in your child with the Music and Learning Rockstar guitar. ELC also carries other musical toys such as the Carry Along keyboard, Sing Along Star Mic and Sing along CD player.

Early Learning Centre toy shops are magical places of delight and discovery for babies, young children and parents across the world. Its unique and innovative toys are designed and created by experts to help children develop as they play and have fun.

ELC values the importance of learning and play, which is crucial in the developing and growing years of a child. All ELC toys meet British and European standards for toy safety. The toys are specially made to nurture the holistic development and inspire.

Early Learning Centre toy shop is located at G/F Active Fun Building, Bonifacio High Street and the soon to open at Level 3 of Greenbelt 5, Makati City.

source: philstar.com

Andi Eigenmann and Albie Casino infinite issue

Andi Eigenmann splashed wine on Albie Casino's face and slapped him during the chance encounter last Friday Night- MAy 4 at Fiamma Bar along Jupiter St. in Makati City. After the incident happened, Albie went straight to the washroom to clean itself without any reaction at all.

After a while, Albie and his friends opted to leave the place to avoid trouble but according to reports, Andi Eigenmann's friends followed Albie and hit him on the head with a bottle. after the incident, Albie was brought to Makati Med and was later on released but he's still recovering from the injuries he sustained.

Now, the Family of Albie Casino is planning to file charges against those involved.