The 47th Season of PETA kicks off !

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Here's a fun and  exciting theater treats for 2014!  After the box office success of Philippine Educational Theater Association’s (PETA) Rak of Aegis, PETA opens its new theater season with the return of the hit rock-comedy musical to the stage.

Rak of Aegis features the chart-topping Aegis hits such as “Halik,” “Sinta,” “Luha” and “Basang Basa sa Ulan,” rearranged by musical director Myke Salomon. Rak of Aegis is a musical filled with visual spectacle showcasing the Pinoy’s natural love for music and innate resilience in the face of calamity. The musical runs for 67 shows from June 20- August 31, 2014.

PETA also offers a new take on Florante at Laura with Florante at Laura Remastered, a Balagtasan battle inspired performance that infuses the classic text with gritty hip-hop humor and rippin’ rhymes. The story follows two aspiring wordsmiths, Victor, a private school boy and Ronbert, a street vendor, as they navigate through Francisco Baltazar’s masterpiece, in search of their own voice. These young kids yield their words as weapons and learn much more than what textbooks and classrooms could offer. Florante at Laura Remastered is written by Anj Heruela and directed by Ian Segarra. It will be staged on August 8-September 20, 2014 at Springs Production Studios.

Another production to watch out for is PETA’s adaptation of Anton Chekov’s Cherry Orchard. In this staging, the text will be set in the milieu of 1960’s lavish Manila aristocracy, to be adapted by Palanca Awardee Rody Vera. This production will also be PETA’s premiere collaboration with independent film director and Obie-awardee production designer Loy Arcenas.

International Partnerships

Aside from its in-house productions, the PETA Theater Center is also host to several local and international events and arts happenings.

On July 26, the PETA Theater Center and Japan Foundation Manila present PETA’s Strong Boy, Deaf Boy and a Girl in an Abaya and Dora Theater Company’s Ayanasu (Woven), two non-verbal performances about adversity, hope and triumph.

In partnership with British Council Manila, PETA also offers The Price of Everything and There We Have Been. The Price of Everything is Daniel Bye’s performance lecture of bizarre facts and impassioned arguments about value. James Cousins’ There We Have Been is a daringly intimate glimpse into a secluded world of fragile dependency. It takes an inspiration from the troubled relationships portrayed in Murakami’s best-selling novel Norwegian Wood.

Magic, fun and adventure combine in Janne Raudaskoski and Sammi Rannila’s Wally Watthead and His Lost Glow– Finland’s hit children’s magic theater show. Magic tricks and spectacles abound as Wally Watthead, a lightbulb, and his smartphone friend Simon the Simcard’s search for Wally’s lost glow. Children and adults will be thrilled by Wally’s magic transformations as he shrinks, levitates and grows on stage. Wally Watthead and His Lost Glow is a magical performance sure to be enjoyed by the entire family.

Aside from performances happening at The PETA Theater Center, PETA’s three mobile productions, Christine Bellen’s Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang, Ron Capinding’s William and Christine Bellen’s Batang Rizal are still on tour. For more information, contact (02) 725-6244, 0917-5765400, petatheater@gmail.com, www.petatheater.com.

Holy Week

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Holy Week is a Christian holiday that takes place on the last week of lent, and one week before Easter.

The holiday starts off with Palm Sunday (April 13), and includes Holy Thursday (April 17), Good Friday (April 18), and Holy Saturday (April 19).

Easter Sunday is on April 20, 2014. 

The Christian celebration of lent takes place 40 days before Easter, not including Sundays, and this year began on March 5, 2014 and will end on Thursday, April 17, 2014. 

Specific rituals and traditions, as well as set dates for observing lent, vary across denominations, as the Eastern Orthodox churches begins on a Monday and does not celebrate Ash Wednesday.

Just like during lent, during Holy Week, Christians typically abstain from meat and dairy, alcohol, and follow a stricter moral code.

Yesterday, April 13, is the Palm Sunday. A Christian moveable feast that falls on the Sunday before Easter. The feast commemorates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, an event mentioned in all four canonical Gospels.

In many Christian churches, Palm Sunday includes a procession of the assembled worshipers carrying palms, representing the palm branches the crowd scattered in front of Jesus as he rode into Jerusalem.

Here's the Gospel for today Holy Monday: 

"Six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom he had raised from the dead. They gave a dinner for him there; Martha waited on them and Lazarus was among those at table. Mary brought in a pound of very costly ointment, pure nard, and with it anointed the feet of Jesus, wiping them with her hair; the house was filled with the scent of the ointment.

Then Judas Iscariot -- one of his disciples, the man who was to betray him-said, 'Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?'

He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he was in charge of the common fund and used to help himself to the contents.

So Jesus said, 'Leave her alone; let her keep it for the day of my burial. You have the poor with you always, you will not always have me.'

Meanwhile a large number of Jews heard that he was there and came not only on account of Jesus but also to see Lazarus whom he had raised from the dead. Then the chief priests decided to kill Lazarus as well, since it was on his account that many of the Jews were leaving them and believing in Jesus."

- - -  John 12:1-11

Pacquiao won by unanimous decision at the Manny Pacquiao vs Timothy Bradley 2014 Rematch

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Filipino Champ Manny Pacquiao won by unanimous decision at the Manny Pacquiao vs Timothy Bradley 2014 Rematch - WBO Welterweight Championship April 13, 2014 held on MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao gets back at Bradley to reclaim WBO title via unanimous decision, 116-112, 116-112, 118-110.

#Pacquiao vs #Bradley 2 : Vindication 
You Manny Pacquiao is definitely a #CHAMP #PacquiaoBradley2 Cheers!!!

(Photo by Associated Press) 

ICON Manila with its first Entertainment and Design Conference in the Philippines

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Top design artists from major animation studios such as Disney Animations, Universal Studios, and Warner Brothers are coming to Manila in July this year to break down the design process for students and professionals working in the entertainment design industry.

ICON Manila announces its International Entertainment and Design Conference 2014. It will be the first event of its kind in Asia, featuring top professionals in animation and concept design for feature film, television and games. 

Speakers at the conference have decades of tenure and are esteemed members in their fields of expertise. All have relevant experience working with industry giants such as Walt Disney, Universal Studios, Nickelodeon, Warner Brothers, Sony Animation Pictures, and Marvel Productions among the others.

“The conference targets students and professionals alike,” shares Armand Serrano, Entertainment and Design Conference organizer, who has worked on animations like Lilo and Stich, Brother Bear and Mulan. “With our impressive line-up of top industry leaders, our objective is to present a progressive view through the entertainment design process and impart new ideas that will ultimately strengthen Asia’s impact on the industry.”

ICON Manila is a paid conference under ICON for Missions, a newly formed non-profit organization based in Eastvale, California. “By hosting various conferences all over the world, its purpose is to raise money to fund their Christian mission and humanitarian aid in needy communities,” says Sam Tanner, Executive Director of ICON for Missions.

The Entertainment and Design Conference will be held on July 3, 2014 at the SMX Convention Center. 

For more details on the conference speakers, schedule, and tickets, visit www.iconmanila.com. 

Media partners are Adobo Magazine, Animation Council of the Philippines (ACPI), FleishmanHillard, ABS-CBN, Lifestyle Network, Hero, ANC, Portfolio MNL, Silver Drawing Academy, Ideal Media Entertainment, Online CG Master Academy, CTN Animation eXpo, Schoolism Education Evolved, and CHAVO Animation Studios.

ICON's ENTERTAINMENT DESIGN CONFERENCE 2014 is a conference for professionals and students in the entertainment design industry. This conference details the design process for those working in animation, film, games, advertising, fine arts and other forms of visual media. Conference speakers have decades of proven experience in their fields of expertise. Their combined knowledge in this one event will help further Asia's impact on the entertainment design industry.

Air Asia Airlines historical partnership with Elabram Systems Group

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Elabram Systems Group (ESG) with office in the Philippines, recently signed a partnership agreement with Air Asia Airlines. ESG became the first corporate partner of Air Asia Philippines (AAZ) & that historical signing was attended by the Commercial Head of AAZ Gerard Penaflor, Corporate Sales Executive Michelle Ann Lopez, Elabram Systems Associate Director Engr. Joel Nuesca, Business Administration Manager Anna Liza Valdez & Marketing & Branding Manager Engr. Grace Bondad Nicolas & done at AAZ office in Manila. 

Air Asia Philippines Commercial Head Mr. Gerard Penaflor & Elabram Systems Group Associate Director Engr. Joel Nuesca

According to ESG Managing Director Mikel Yaw who was in Malaysia during the contract signing, the event is an awesome breakthrough for both companies. Since one of the solutions offered by ESG is Talent Acquisition & Deployment (TAD), the services under AAZ can be utilize & beneficial for ESG. 

According to ESG Marketing & Branding Manager Engr. Grace Bondad Nicolas, "Elabram Systems Group is already 15 years in the Telecommunication Industry globally & 5 years in the Philippines & expanding, we are focusing too to partners with stable & growing companies such as AAZ & with this partnership, it will be beneficial for both companies. The two companies are both with headquarters in Malaysia.