#YourPadToSuccess: OPPO Pad SE coming to the Philippines soon

Tweet

Leading global smart device brand OPPO is gearing up to launch the OPPO Pad SE in the Philippines.The device is set to empower Filipinos who want to achieve success, whether it's in their budding careers or in academics.

The OPPO Pad SE, is packed with innovative features, offers productivity on-the-go and an immersive entertainment experience.

Designed for your everyday success

Long days demand long-lasting devices and the OPPO Pad SE is built to push your productivity to the next level while offering comfort with its massive 9,340 mAh, the largest in its price point.

Ideal for catching up with work or winding down after a long day, the OPPO Pad SE features a large 11-inch LCD Eye-Care Display with a 16:10 aspect ratio and up to 500 nits of brightness. Its Matte Display Variant has an Anti-Reflective Matte Display which gives its users a paper-like reading and writing experience.

Crafted for smart and seamless experiences

If you value efficiency and maximizing your device’ tools to accomplish more, the OPPO Pad SE is just the right tablet for you. It supports real-time file transfers, drag-and-drop file sharing, and seamless app switching with features like Content Sync and App Relay.

You can also complete tasks with ease and channel your creativity with Google Gemini integrated into the OPPO Pad SE. From generating content to providing real-time assistance, its AI tools offer smart support for work, planning, and more.

Be ready to be more productive

Prepare yourselves to have a more optimized daily experience with the OPPO Pad SE, available soon in Starlight White and Twilight Blue across all OPPO’s e-commerce platforms and stores nationwide!

Stay tuned for more details about the OPPO Pad SE and visit OPPO Philippines’ official website at www.oppo.com/ph, Facebook and TikTok pages.

International ballet stars showcase a mesmerizing Swan Lake for Ballet Manila’s Pearl Year

Tweet

Time and experience shape dancers into artists, and for Katherine Barkman, San Francisco Ballet’s First Soloist, her homecoming to Ballet Manila is both a tribute to her roots and a testament to her growth. Returning to the stage where her professional journey began, she takes on the challenging dual role of Odette and Odile in Swan Lake, alongside one of the ballet world’s most celebrated names: Esteban Hernández, principal dancer of San Francisco Ballet.

More than just a guest artist—Esteban Hernández is a phenomenon. A trailblazer from Guadalajara, Mexico, Esteban trained at The Royal Ballet School and rose to global acclaim for his technical brilliance and expressive storytelling. As a principal dancer of the San Francisco Ballet, he has captivated audiences worldwide. Filipino audiences first witnessed his charm and virtuosity as Basilio in Don Quixote 2023. Now, he returns in a role of royal gravitas—as Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake.

“Esteban is the complete package,” says Ballet Manila’s CEO and artistic director Lisa Macuja Elizalde. “Last year, his performance as Basilio was simply perfect. But Siegfried is a very different character—elegant, noble, restrained. He has been a principal dancer for quite some time now, so his depth of experience, technique, and artistry will work all very well for him as Prince Siegfried.” She adds, “Esteban and Katherine have already danced Swan Lake together, so I think that they will, as a principal couple, be very effective in their roles.”

For Katherine, this return is deeply personal. Once a principal dancer of Ballet Manila, she trained under Macuja Elizalde for over three years before joining The Washington Ballet and later the San Francisco Ballet. Now taking on Swan Lake’s duality with deeper insight, she reflects: “With experience comes more fearlessness. I take more risks—I would rather my dancing be exciting to watch than safe and predictable.”

A former principal dancer of Ballet Manila, Katherine trained under the guidance of Lisa Macuja Elizalde herself for over three years, before moving to Washington Ballet, and eventually, San Francisco Ballet.

Now back to where her professional ballet career began, Katherine reflects on her growth as she embodies the dual role of Odette (White Swan) and Odile (Black Swan): “I feel like my approach to the characters has shifted the most,” recounts Katherine. “With experience comes more of a fearlessness. I take more risks – I don’t worry so much if it’s perfect or not. I would rather my dancing be exciting to watch than safe and predictable.”

While Katherine has already previously worked with Esteban, sharing the same stage together once again, this time for Ballet Manila, is a special moment for her. She shares, “Esteban is an amazing partner and someone I just love working with. It’s rare to dance with someone who challenges and encourages you in such an honest way. I was happy Ballet Manila got to experience his Don Quixote - but I’m just so excited I can be here this time and share Swan Lake together.”

With her strong foundation from Ballet Manila, Katherine approaches the demanding dual role with deep awareness, relying on her technique to convey the proper emotions for each character. “If there’s one thing I truly believe, it is that technique is to be used to express emotion. Every step should say something.”

For Lisa Macuja Elizalde, having played the role of Odette and Odile during her prima ballerina days gives her full awareness of how intricate it is to mount a full-length Swan Lake. “It is a very Russian ballet, so the dancing needs to be technically strong and artistically sound. But our dance company practices the unique Vaganova training, so the over-all strength of the legs and backs of the dancers are developed by the technique, allowing the dancers to hold poses well, jump high and turn fast. This is ingrained and practiced with the dancers in daily class and translates into everyone, especially the swan corps de ballet, moving as one onstage.”

On Ballet Manila’s Pearl Year, Macuja made sure to pull all the stops to cast two pairs of powerful main leads. Aside from Katherine and Esteban, audiences will see another take on the main characters with Ballet Manila’s principal dancer Abigail Oliveiro portraying Odette and Odile and San Francisco Ballet’s company artist Nathaniel Remez playing Prince Seigfried.

She also looks forward to the chemistry of Abigail and Nathaniel, adding “What I am also excited about is Nathaniel’s impending partnership with Abi. She will learn and grow so much in her interpretation of Swan lake when she explores the choreography with a new partner like Nathaniel who, height wise, is perfect for her.”

Catch all performances from Katherine Barkman and Esteban Hernandez on May 30, 2025 at 8PM, May 31, 2025 at 5PM, and June 1, 2025 at 5PM, and matinee performances with Abigail Oliveiro and Nathaniel Remez on May 31, 2025 and June 1, 2025 at 1PM.

All performances will be staged at Aliw Theater, Pasay City. For tickets, visit www.ticketworld.com.ph.To learn more about Ballet Manila and its shows, visit www.balletmanila.com.ph

"Streamlined II" highlights the enduring legacy of National Artist Arturo Luz

Tweet

Renaissance Art Gallery proudly presents the second iteration of “Streamlined: The Art of National Artist Arturo Luz” at the Art Center, SM Megamall. Curated by artist-critic Cid Reyes, the “Streamlined II” exhibition showcases Luz's rich and enduring legacy, highlighting his unwavering commitment to impeccable design and disciplined use of color.

In 1951, distinguished art and literary critic Recaredo Demetillo noted, “I must draw attention to the work of Arturo Rogerio Luz. His forms are alive and distinguished; he understands abstraction and austerity, the sense of space and balance. He distorts with intuitive rightness and grace. In other words, he is a real artist.”

At just 17 years old, Luz, declared National Artist in 1997, was already exploring painting and was drawn to form's simplicity and essential nature.

His first work was a portrait of his mother, the renowned interior designer Rosario Dimayuga Luz. As a figurative painter, Luz was inspired by Mexican artist Rufino Tamayo, known for his spare and elongated forms.

This influence led Luz to develop his own vocabulary of shapes using plastic lines. He also drew significant inspiration from Swiss artist Paul Klee, who famously described line as “taking a dot for a walk.” This inspiration culminated in Luz's linear depictions of cyclists, musicians, and carnival performers, including acrobats and jugglers, as well as still lifes featuring boxes, Oriental ceramics, jars, bowls, and shells.

By limiting his choice of subjects, Luz could delve into the elegance of visual simplicity, precision, and spatial balance. He began to favor non-traditional materials such as burlap and laminated plywood, and at one point even used broken tiles to create a mosaic for a church altar floor.

Eventually, Luz transitioned to pure abstraction through collage, which compelled him to create compositions without representational subjects. This allowed him to focus on the planar qualities of form and surface and the visual tension that arises from achieving a perfectly balanced composition.

In the early 1980s, Luz expanded his subject by traveling throughout Asia and India. His experiences during this pilgrimage inspired many works that featured imaginary landscapes filled with temples, palaces, fortifications, and battlements — all transformed into linear symphonies of monochromatic tones accented by earthy colors like chrome yellow, dark mustard, cardinal red, burnt sienna, bronze, and brown.

Arturo Luz also demonstrated his administrative skills in the 1980s by managing his eponymous Luz Gallery, the Museum of Philippine Art, the Metropolitan Museum, and the Design Center of the Philippines.

Of paramount significance is Luz's transformation of the native artistic sensibility from festive and flamboyant to restrained and dispassionate.

A limited edition monograph with design and layout by Dopy Doplon and photography by Wig Tysmans will be available to accompany the exhibit.

“Streamlined II” runs from June 3 until June 16 at the Art Center, SM Megamall, 4/F Bldg. A at the corner of EDSA and Julia Vargas Avenue, Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila.

Website: renaissanceartph.com

Instagram: instagram.com/renaissanceartph

Facebook: Renaissance Art Gallery

#renaissanceartph

#renaissanceartgallery

“Save from Extinction: Save Them, Save Ourselves” Campaign

Tweet

The “Save From Extinction” campaign launched by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) aims to protect the six critically endangered animal species endemic to the Philippines – the Philippine eagle, tamaraw, dugong, Philippine cockatoo, pawikan (marine turtles), and Philippine pangolin.

Committed to protecting these remarkable creatures and their habitats, SM with BDO through platforms, are taking concrete steps to raise awareness and drive action through posters, videos, and fundraising booths in its malls that ensure their survival for future generations.

(In the photo) TV host RJ Ledesma, SM Prime Chairman of the Executive Committee Hans Sy, SM Supermalls Assistant Vice President for Marketing Hanna Carinna Sy, DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga, SM Supermalls President Steven Tan, and with the fashion show models, from the Girl Scouts of the Philippines among others.

SM with BDO Unibank is inviting everyone, from eco-conscious advocates to young animal enthusiasts, to support the cause in style.

There are exciting cuddly toys from Toy Kingdom. SM has expanded its offerings to include chic new shirt designs from Kultura and a children’s apparel line from SM Fashion, merchandise lineup includes t-shirt designs for both adults and children in several colors, with each product highlighting one of the six endangered animals. Canvas tote bags featuring the animals are also available for purchase.

Merchandise is available in select Kultura and Toy Kingdom branches: SM Podium, SM Mall of Asia, SM Aura, SM North EDSA, and SM Makati.

Turn compassion into action and join the fight to save endangered wildlife. Join the fight to save wildlife by purchasing your own “Save from Extinction” merchandise.

Shakira Yu FVP and head of Branch experience, BDO Unibank

A key partner in the campaign, Banco De Oro (BDO) Unibank, Inc., is leveraging its vast nationwide network to support the campaign, offering donation channels through its ATMs and branches nationwide as well as through the BDO Online app.

This integration makes it easier for the public to contribute, extending the reach of the campaign to thousands of communities.

DENR has also partnered with wildlife conservation groups to safeguard these animals, such as the Forest Foundation Philippines, Katala Foundation, Philippine Eagle Foundation, World Wide Fund for Nature–Philippines, D’Aboville Foundation, and the Zoological Society of London.

All collected funds will go to the partner NGOs dedicated to the conservation of these species.

For more information, visit www.smsupermalls.com/save-from-extinction

.

PonteFino Hotel & Estates: 20 Years of Glorious Legacy in Batangas City

Tweet

A legacy in Batangas City is the most premiere hotel in the province since founded in 2024, PonteFino Hotel. More than just a hotel, it is a famous landmark in Batangas City and an institution for the grand celebrations of milestone events for both public and private entities. It carries the local vibe in terms of closely knit friendships and families, and business partnerships that last a lifetime. PonteFino Hotel is a prestigious destination for locals and an ideal destination for business travelers.

PonteFino is a real estate trailblazer dedicated to developing townships in emerging cities outside Metro Manila. Its projects have been recognized by industry experts as key contributors to unprecedented regional development in the Philippines. One of its flagship projects, PonteFino Estates in Batangas City, is a master planned 18.5-hectare mixed-use luxury township located just 100 kilometers south of Metro Manila.

2024 marks a significant milestone for PonteFino as it celebrates its 20th anniversary with PonteFino Hotel, its anchor development in PonteFino Estates, an 18.5 hectare mixed-use township in Batangas City, recognized as the most luxurious estate in Southern Luzon. Since its establishment in 2004, PonteFino has played an essential role in shaping Batangas City into a dynamic and thriving community. Over the past two decades, the company has transformed a bold vision into a prominent development known for its high-quality residential offerings and its commitment to fostering a strong community. From premium homes to commercial lots and spaces, PonteFino Hotel and Estates has become a fundamental contributor to the region's development and prosperity.

On April 25, 2025, PonteFino Hotel formally launches another milestone development – the launch of the latest dining destination in Southern Luzon – Pastorelli.

The PASTORELLI Story

Since PonteFino Hotel was founded in 2004 as the most premium hotel in Batangas City, it has been offering delectable native cuisine to local and foreign guests alike. Located in a luxurious 18-hectare mixed-use estate, PonteFino Hotel is now reinventing itself with the introduction of a new dining destination that is set to transform the Batangas culinary experience with PASTORELLI.

PASTORELLI opened its doors to the public on March 8, 2025 for breakfast, lunch and dinner, serving a wide array of well-curated dishes inspired by an international flair and its signature Batangas menu items and local favorites from 20 years ago.

PASTORELLI was named after Atty. Antonio Pastor, member of a prominent family in Batangas City, from whom PonteFino bought the land where the hotel is now built on. Atty. Pastor, apart from being a lawyer, is also a renowned musician who enjoyed a colorful journey as a pianist and singer at a famous Italian restaurant in New York during his younger days. There he was given the nickname, Pastorelli, as coined by the Italian restaurant owner.

Today, Pastorelli opens its doors to guests with a new and elegant interior, that offers an awe-inspiring view of its newly renovated swimming pool and water park, finely curated menu options from local and international cuisines, refreshing drinks and delicious desserts.

Its culinary expert, Chef Stephen George Bustamante, has revolutionized the PonteFino Hotel dining experience with Pastorelli, creating exquisite dishes from the PonteFino Hotel signature items, Batangas specials, to modern and international entrees. His extensive experience in the culinary world, hails from over 20 illustrious years in the U.S.A. from San Francisco, Red Wood and San Mateo in California, after graduating from the California Culinary Academy in 2002 as an Associate of Occupational Studies in Culinary Arts. Chef George returned to the Philippines in 2016 and joined as Executive Sous Chef for Sentro 1771 until 2020. Afterwards, he joined the team that opened One World Deli as Corporate Executive Chef in 2020. In 2024, he joined PonteFino Hotel as Corporate Executive Chef and assumed the role as Vice President for the Food and Beverage Group, then opened Pastorelli on March 8, 2025.

Pastorelli is open for breakfast service from 6:00 am to 10:00 am, lunch from 11:30 am to 2:20 pm, and dinner from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm. The restaurant is also open for private functions. For reservations, you may visit www.pontefinohotel.com, Facebook: HotelPonteFino Instagram @HotelPonteFino or call: 09159641026 09175055214.

PonteFino Estates

On the real estate front, PonteFino offers a diverse array of properties for lease and sale. The Arcade is a premier commercial establishment ideal for offices and retail spaces, while The Mansions—an upscale townhouse development—features neo-Victorian architecture and has gained attention as the backdrop for BINI’s music video "Cherry on Top." Additionally, Accent Crest offers modern Asian-designed townhouses with environment sustainability features. PonteFino Estates is also the home of the first PEZA-registered I.T. business park – THE FORUM, a 4.26-hectare commercial complex with office, retail and commercial lots for sale with the Shophouses, and Commerce Walk for commercial and office spaces for lease.

So, why invest in Batangas City, specifically in PonteFino? The region is a growth hub and center for learning in Southern Tagalog, with over 100 multinational corporations and a robust workforce—6,000 graduates yearly. Batangas City is also recognized as the 6th largest source of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), among the top 10 emerging cities for IT & BPM, and one of the 25 Digital Cities. It's an investment destination poised for growth and opportunity.

To top it off, for 20 years, PonteFino has always been and will always be one of the driving force of Batangas City’s growth and development in terms of economic and social progress. It’s strategic location and commitment to excellence have made it a hub for businesses and a prime location for investors.

With its continuous expansion, PonteFino is set to contribute to the City’s enhancement regarding its infrastructures and elevate the standard of living of its residents – Bridging Life and Leisure.

#PonteFinoEstates #PonteFinoBatangasCity #PonteFinoEstatesBatangasCity

#PonteFinoHotel #PastorelliPonteFinoHotel #PonteFinoPastorelli #PastorelliBatangasCity