Yoshinoya Beef Gyudon Eating Grand Finals gets going

It’s “burp or bust” as Yoshinoya, the country’s most popular fast-food chain that specializes in all-time favorite Japanese culinary fare, holds the Grand Finals of its ever-popular “Yoshinoya Beef Gyudon Eating Contest” that happened February 23 at the New Glorietta Activity Center in Makati City.

And as promised, the grand finals will not be short in excitement and competitive gastronomic spirit as a total of Twenty Eight (28) contestants from all around Metro Manila, who competed in several qualifying stages held at various Yoshinoya stores for the past month, duke it out to eliminate each other. The objective is to find out who is “the best among the best” and ultimately crown the newest “Yoshinoya Beef Gyudon Eating Contest Grand Champion.”

LAKBAYAN: Philippines’ AirAsia introduces new customer-friendly services with new hotline and cash payment partners

Philippines’ AirAsia, the low cost carrier with the youngest fleet, today announced significant changes in its customer call center. Starting February 25, Philippines’ AirAsia’s new customer hotline number will be 742ASIA or 742.27.42.

“To provide optimum customer care service for our guest, AirAsia is launching two new significant innovations. We have a new customer hotline that is easy to remember and we are also rolling out our cash payment partner with 7-Eleven store for our passengers who want to avail of our online promo and other privileges but would like to pay in cash instead of using their credit cards,” AirAsia Inc. Commercial head Freddy Herrera said.

AirAsia’s payment partner service provides the convenience of using cash when paying for AirAsia promo fares and other online purchases at www.airasia.com.

REEL DEAL: Stoker - Mia Wasikowska SPOTLIGHT

MIA WASIKOWSKA: INNOCENCE ENDS IN “STOKER”

The highly-anticipated thriller “Stoker” starring Nicole Kidman, Mia Wasikowska and Matthew Goode tells of the bizarre coming-of-age of India (Wasikowska) as she enters womanhood written by Wentworth Miller and filmed by Park Chan-Wook.

Helmed by Korean director Park which is also his debut movie in English, the movie introduces India Stoker as she loses her beloved father and best friend Richard (played by Dermot Mulroney) in an unexplained car mishap on her 18th birthday.  Upon her father’s demise, India’s life is suddenly shattered in their very secluded estate.   Left with her unstable mother Evie (Kidman) and Uncle Charlie (Goode), her father’s brother who mysteriously showed up during her father’s funeral, India experiences an unraveling of herself that surprises and frees her at the same time.

She’s Only Sixteen opens for Motion City Soundtrack

This March 9, at the SM City North EDSA Skydome, internationally-renowned pop punk band Motion City Soundtrack, composed of Justin Pierre (vocals/guitars), Joshua Cain (guitars), Matthew Taylor (bass), Jesse Johnson (Moog), and Tony Thaxton (drums), is performing for their Filipino fans for the first time. This event is made possible through CNCA Media Concepts, together with Redstone Productions.

REEL DEAL: Jason Clarke SPOTLIGHT

“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” Casts “Zero Dark Thirty” Breakout Actor Jason Clarke

Jason Clarke, whose marked, riveting performance opposite this year’s Golden Globes’ best actress Jessica Chastain in “Zero Dark Thirty” has officially signed on to star in 20th Century Fox’s “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.”

Clarke whose role in “Zero Dark Thirty” as the gritty torturer opened possibilities for him within Hollywood arena as a potential leading man in the upcoming Fox’s tentpole franchise “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.”

Directed by Matt Reeves, ““Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” is set 15 years later after “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” previously starred in by James Franco.  Though the plot is tightly under wraps, www.hollywoodreporter.com reports that the movie’s plot deals with the human scientists who are struggling to survive alone in San Francisco where the most memorable battle scene took place in “Rise” between man and ape struggling for freedom from both knots.

Noel Cabangon's Song is now a Children's Book!

We all know how Noel Cabangon has influenced a lot of Filipinos with his nationalistic and smooth songs that has become hits through the years and his crusade for a better Philippines. In his song "Ako'y Isang Mabutin Pilipino" which have been part of the inauguration of President Aquino. Now will continue its message of change beyond the song into a simple yet encouraging phrases with colorful illustrations by Jomike Tejido and published by Lampara Books. 

Pinoy YouTube star Mikey Bustos holds concert on Feb. 24

This is it, pancit.  Our “Pinoy Boy” and YouTube star Mikey Bustos is holding his first solo concert on February 24, 2013 (Sunday) at the Metro Bar in West Avenue, Quezon City.

The concert entitled, “Surviving Manila” will showcase Mikey’s wit and singing talent plus the powerful performances of his special guests “La Diva” member Jonalyn Viray and Protégé finalist Lovely Embuscado.

“The concert is going to be like my [YouTube] tutorials except that it’s live and on-stage and, of course, with a lot of singing,” said Mikey.

Alden Richards and Louise delos Reyes return to primetime TV with MUNDO MO’Y AKIN

Riding high on the success of their love team, Kapuso Network’s most promising talents Alden Richards and Louise delos Reyes set off to charm and seize the hearts of Filipino viewers once more via the compelling series MUNDO MO’Y AKIN.

This latest project serves as another launching pad for Alden and Louise to showcase not only their undeniable chemistry on screen but also their acting chops.  They first captured viewers’ interest with their previous projects in the network including the afternoon drama Alakdana and the phenomenal series One True Love, which propelled them to stardom.

XSTIG: Canon PIXMA kicks off 2013 with new all-in-one office printers

Canon PIXMA, the number one inkjet printer brand in the Philippines for 2011 and 2012, starts the new year with a fresh line-up of business multifunctional printers: the MX927, MX527, MX457, MX397, and Ink Efficient E610.  These printers offer not only print, copy, scan, and fax, but also various printing solutions that will suit the specific needs of any productive home office.

The PIXMA MX897, MX527 and MX457 have wireless printing capabilities.  Users can directly connect to various printing options such as PIXMA Cloud Link (except for the MX457) and Creative Park Premium services, and from there, browse through a series of templates and stationeries through the printer’s LCD screen and print them immediately.  They also offer Google Cloud Print and Apple Airprint in which users can print documents mobile by connecting to the printer through their smartphones or tablets.

ABS CBN News Unveils Halalan 2013 Digital Tools

ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs has launched the all-new Halalan 2013 and the Bayan Mo iPatrol Mo (BMPM) microsites alongside the upgraded version of the COMELEC Halalan mobile application that will enable Filipinos to be vigilant and proactive citizens this election season.

“All the information you need to know about the elections will be available online on the ABS-CBN News Halalan 2013 microsite. We invite everyone to become partners with us in patrolling these elections through the new BMPM microsite. We have also made it easier for the public to get information and share information through the newly improved COMELEC Halalan 2013 application,” said Anna Rodriguez, head of News Digital Media.