Discovery Samal is Nominated for Best Resort in the Philippines at DestinAsian Readers’ Choice Awards 2027

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Three years after opening, Discovery Samal marks a new milestone shaped by Filipino hospitality, meaningful celebrations, and the stories of those who have made it their home away from home

Discovery Samal is proudly stepping onto the national stage as a nominee for Best Resort in the Philippines at the DestinAsian Readers’ Choice Awards 2027 which marks an exciting milestone for the resort and a proud moment for the destination it calls home.

The nomination celebrates the experiences and connections Discovery Samal has created over the past three years. From family getaways and romantic escapes to corporate retreats and trips with friends, the resort has welcomed guests from different backgrounds to come together, celebrate, and create lasting memories on the island.

The nomination not only recognizes the resort experience, but also showcases Samal Island as a world-class destination, where breathtaking surroundings, memorable experiences, and a distinctly Filipino warmth come together. It is a celebration of how far it has come and an invitation for more travelers to discover what makes this part of the Philippines truly special.

A Resort Built Around Gathering

The DestinAsian Readers’ Choice Awards celebrate outstanding travel and hospitality experiences as chosen by the readers of DestinAsian. Discovery Samal’s nomination under Best Resort in the Philippines gives guests, partners, Davaoeños, and supporters of the destination an opportunity to rally behind a resort that has made Samal its home.

Discovery Samal brings people together through warm Filipino hospitality and thoughtful service. From family holidays and weddings to celebrations and corporate events, the resort caters to a wide range of occasions. Its 1,000-capacity ballroom also makes it a key venue for MICE gatherings, strengthening Samal and the wider Davao region as a destination for both business and leisure.

The resort has also grown into a place for milestones and shared experiences. Couples can celebrate at the Chapel on the Hill or along the beachfront, while families can enjoy three expansive pools, the Sandbox kids’ play area, an arcade, and Samal Escape Spa. Just beyond the property, Samal Island’s clear waters invite guests to snorkel and discover the rich marine life that gives the destination its distinctive character.

Together, these moments tell the story behind its DestinAsian nomination not through a single attraction, but through the celebrations, connections, and memories created on its shores.

Cast Your Vote for Discovery Samal

Help bring this recognition home to Samal. As Discovery Samal competes for Best Resort in the Philippines at the DestinAsian Readers’ Choice Awards 2027, every vote is a chance to celebrate not only the resort, but also the warmth, beauty, and hospitality that make Samal and the Davao region truly special.

To vote:

• Visit the official DestinAsian Readers’ Choice Awards voting page at destinasian.com/survey/vote
• Go to the Best Resort in the Philippines category.
• Select Discovery Samal as your choice.
• Complete the required information and submit your vote.

Voting is open until October 20, 2026. Share the voting link with family, friends, and fellow travelers, and help bring greater recognition to Samal and the Davao region. Every vote celebrates the people, experiences, and warm hospitality that have shaped Discovery Samal over the years.

FedEx Volunteers Pack 10,000 Fortified Meals for Children in Cebu

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Federal Express Corporation (FedEx), one of the world's largest express transportation companies, partnered with Rise Against Hunger Philippines in Cebu to package 10,000 nutritious meals for underserved communities.

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The initiative with Rise Against Hunger Philippines aims to help address

rising child malnutrition cases in the country

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FedEx volunteers from Clark joined Rise Against Hunger Philippines to assemble 10,000 meal kits that will support public school students in Cebu.

The volunteering activity was held during Purple Week as part of the FWS Day of Service, which honors the legacy of FedEx founder Frederick W. Smith and encourages team members to give back to the communities they serve. A total of 60 FedEx volunteers gathered to package the meals, which will provide nutritional support to approximately 166 public school students in Cordova, Cebu, for at least 120 days. Each meal bag contains rice, dehydrated soy, dehydrated vegetables or fruits, a flavoring mix, and micronutrient powder fortified with 18 essential vitamins and minerals that support children's healthy growth, cognitive development, immune function, and overall well-being.

The initiative addresses an urgent and worsening child nutrition challenge in the Philippines. According to the Department of Science and Technology's Food and Nutrition Research Institute's 2025 Updating Survey, stunting among Filipino children under five rose to 25.3 percent in 2025, affecting one in four children and marking the first increase recorded since 2015.

"Every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and reach their full potential, and proper nutrition is an important foundation for that journey," said Maribeth Espinosa, managing director, FedEx Philippines. "By collaborating with Rise Against Hunger Philippines, we are able to support children and families in underserved communities while contributing to a broader effort to address food insecurity and improve nutrition outcomes."

“FedEx has been an incredible global partner in the fight against hunger,” said Sally Bull, Director of Philanthropy at Rise Against Hunger. “The meals packaged through this latest volunteer engagement in the Philippines will help nourish children while supporting their education, health and brighter futures. Together, we're creating lasting impact.”

FedEx and Rise Against Hunger Philippines previously collaborated to provide 3,600 meals to Aeta communities in Pampanga. This latest initiative builds on a shared goal to help address food insecurity and support vulnerable communities across the country.

To commemorate the FedEx founder, the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority renamed the Memphis International Airport the Frederick W. Smith Airport. This tribute recognizes Smith’s unparalleled contributions to the aviation industry, the global economy, and the city of Memphis, where the FedEx global headquarters resides.

To learn more about FedEx Cares initiatives across Asia Pacific, please visit here.

Pet lovers, here’s an easy way to help animals in need through GrabMart

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Animal welfare advocates and the wider pet-loving community can now donate food, medical supplies, and other essentials directly to PETA Asia’s Ampon Alaga Program and Biyaya Animal Sanctuary through GrabMart, with zero delivery fees from August 28 to September 3.

From dog and cat food to treats, toys, beds, vitamins and supplements, cat litter, pee pads, cleaning supplies, grooming tools, and other pet-care essentials, donors can choose from items that participating animal welfare organizations have pre-identified as most needed.

To donate, users can select their chosen organization as the GrabMart delivery location, purchase the items they wish to give from participating pet merchants, and complete their order using cashless payment methods. Participating pet merchants include Pet Express, Pet Lovers Centre, and Dogs and the City, with more merchants available within an 8-kilometer radius of each designated drop-off location.

Once the order is placed, the participating merchant will prepare the donation, and a Grab driver-partner will deliver it directly to the chosen organization. There’s no minimum spend, and delivery is free throughout the campaign period.

Users can select participating animal welfare organizations as delivery locations and enjoy free delivery on pet essentials.

Ashley Fruno, Director of the Animal Assistance Program at PETA Asia, said donations of everyday essentials can help animal welfare organizations continue caring for rescued animals.

“For animal rescues caring for hundreds of cats and dogs, even a small donation can make a meaningful difference. We’re grateful that Grab is making it easier for people to support rescues wherever they are. Every bag of food, pack of supplies, or other essential item helps us provide rescued animals with the care they need while they wait for loving homes,” said Fruno.

Rina Ortiz, President of Biyaya Animal Care Foundation, Inc., sees that operational need every day. The organization provides rescue, rehabilitation, veterinary care, and other support for animals in need.

Volunteers from Grab join Biyaya Animal Sanctuary’s Sunday Walk with rescued dogs.

“Caring for rescued animals teaches us that compassion is not only found in extraordinary acts. Very often, it is built through ordinary things done consistently—a meal, medicine, a clean place to sleep, a bag of supplies arriving when it is needed. What we love about this initiative with GrabMart is that it gives anyone a simple way to turn compassion into something tangible. When many people each do something small, together it becomes an extraordinary act of care,” said Ortiz.

Grab Philippines also provided GrabGift vouchers to support participating animal welfare organizations and the rescued animals in their care.

For the designated drop-off locations, users can pin “Biyaya Animal Care - Mandala” on the Grab app as the collection point for donations to Biyaya Animal Sanctuary, and “Ampon Alaga” for PETA Asia’s Ampon Alaga Program.

Those interested in adopting, fostering, or volunteering can visit the official social media pages of PETA Asia’s Ampon Alaga Program and Biyaya Animal Sanctuary.

Ben&Ben’s “Leaves (Reimagined)” finds new meaning in second chances and forgiveness

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The award-winning band revisits its enduring classic with a grander sound and a deeper reflection on healing, forgiveness, and human vulnerability

Nearly a decade after “Leaves” made a dent in pop culture consciousness with its unassuming tenderness, Ben&Ben reinterprets the heartwarming ballad with “Leaves (Reimagined),” a new rendition that transforms the original into a more mature reflection on forgiveness, second chances, and the complexities of growing together.

Instead of recreating the original, “Leaves (Reimagined)” approaches the track from a different emotional vantage point, mirroring the profound depths and tensions of life in sonic form. The orchestral elements do not make the track bigger or more ambitious; instead, they give the emotional peaks and quiet moments greater dimension and more room to sink in.

The multi-awarded band explains, "We wanted to highlight how much more dynamic life is emotionally when you grow up and grow older, and for this project, we wanted to explore the use of orchestral sounds playing alongside the band. This is because we wanted to make the quiet parts more nuanced and the grand parts more emotional, but in a ‘lived-in’ way.”

The new version continues the story not from the perspective of who they were when they first recorded it, but from where they are now: as musicians who have matured alongside a community that has experienced its seasons of love, loss, uncertainty, and change.

“Since we have grown up—and so have our Liwanag—in the past nine years, we wanted to encapsulate what that experience is like through the lyrics of this song,” Ben&Ben shares. “We think that if we are to live a life with someone constant with us, whether it be family, a best friend, or a romantic partner, the concept of giving someone another chance will always be a given.”

Following the success of “Lifetime (Reimagined),” the band considers the reimagined version of “Leaves” as a distinctly different creative process: one that allows the song to reveal new possibilities rather than recreate what came before it.

“Leaves definitely demanded a different creative process,” Ben&Ben says. “One cool discovery we had was that even in the process of breathing new air into each song, continuing their respective stories leads into very different trajectories in many layers: melodically, lyrically, and musically. Each song really has a life of its own.”

In June, Ben&Ben were named Duo/Group Artist of the Year at the 17th PMPC Star Awards for Music, with the recognition citing their stellar work on their latest album, The Traveler Across Dimensions.

The band has also earned multiple nominations at the 39th Awit Awards, including Record of the Year, Best Performance by a Group, and Best Pop Recording for “Saranggola.” The nominations further solidify Ben&Ben’s consistent presence at the forefront of OPM, leading up to the grand celebration of music, friendship, and memories via their upcoming major show, Saranggola: The Concert, happening on October 2 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Ben&Ben’s “Leaves (Reimagined)” is out now on all digital music platforms worldwide via Sony Music Entertainment.

Ben&Ben makes “Limasawa Street” tangible with new CD and vinyl editions

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The acclaimed debut is now available in physical formats, offering listeners a tangible way to reconnect with the record that helped define the band’s early years

Nearly a decade into their career, Ben&Ben revisits where much of their story began with the physical release of the band’s acclaimed 2019 debut studio album, Limasawa Street—now available on CD and vinyl.

Recorded when the band was still finding its footing, the record introduced Ben&Ben’s expansive, lush take on folk-pop while giving music fans a taste of their distinct songwriting style.

“Sabi nga nila: you never forget your first," shares the nine-piece collective. “The energy we had going into creating our very first album was one of the things we would never forget about that era of ours. It was the first time we collectively immortalized our music together in a body of work as ‘nine,’ especially since we weren't technically complete yet when the EP was recorded. Revisiting an album like that brings back so many memories of the entire creation process, especially our Limasawa Street tour. That album brought us to so many places; it introduced so many people to us and our music, and up to now all the songs remain near and dear to us.”

Their maiden release eventually became one of the most important Filipino records of its time, earning multi-platinum certification from the Philippine Association of the Record Industry (PARI). It produced modern classics such as “Pagtingin” and “Araw-Araw”-- songs that resonated then and continue to be relevant now. The critically acclaimed release also bagged major industry recognitions, including Album of the Year honors at the 33rd Awit Awards. The album’s success led to an extensive multi-city tour that brought the album and the band to audiences across the Philippines and Singapore.

“Limasawa Street was always meant to be a work of its time: an exploration of fresh ideals and a new heart, a new start,” Ben&Ben explains. “We have always been very open about how our albums serve as bookmarks in our lives, meant to encapsulate our beliefs, feelings, and outlook on love and life at that specific moment in time. We hear all of that and remember exactly the people who recorded those songs back in 2019. We still hear us; we still hear the beginnings of our current sound—and we are very grateful to those versions of ourselves who dared to dream and build a world of their own.”

Remastered for vinyl and CD by Grammy-award-winning sound engineer Jett Galindo, its arrival in physical formats gives fans a new way to experience a record that has long lived through streaming and live performances.

For Ben&Ben, the physical release also meant preserving a game-changing phase in their journey: the beginning of an illustrious period that transformed them into bona fide artists. In an era shaped by digital consumption, owning a physical record offers something that lasts: a relic of time you can hold, revisit, and pass down.

The chart-topping band adds: “Many of us have always been massive fans of physical media, especially vinyl. To finally have our very own press feels surreal. We still can't quite believe it because we haven't seen them in person yet, so we're super excited—and even more so for our listeners who have been waiting for us to release our music in a format that they can really collect and have in their hands and homes.”

Pre-orders for Ben&Ben’s Limasawa Street CD and vinyl open this Saturday, August 29, at 12 noon via Backspacer Records.

More details here: https://benandben.lnk.to/shop-limasawastreet