TOYCON 2014: The Philippine Toys, Hobbies and Collectibles Convention

The Philippine TOYCON: The Biggest Pop Culture Event in the Philippines celebrates its 13th year.

What's bigger than dinosaurs? Giant robots. What's bigger than giant robots? Godzilla. What's bigger than Godzilla? Freakin' outer space! Where a bunch of aliens are busy guarding the galaxy.

There's nothing that can compare with bigness. But sometimes, even the thought of "bigness" is an understatement when you find something that can contain all these things and add in a huge dose of fun and thrills. Prepare for the biggest one yet! It's time for TOYCON 2014!!

The Philippine Toys, Hobbies and Collectibles Convention, or TOYCON as it's more widely-known, is Asia's biggest and longest running convention for collectibles, toys, anime, comics, cosplay, gaming and anything and everything related to hobbies and collections. The convention has been ongoing since 2002 so it is now on its 13th year of thrilling fans and aficionados alike. It is, simply put, the biggest pop culture event in the country.

This year's TOYCON will highlight the 75th Anniversary of DC Comics caped Crusader, Batman with a huge Batman display area, a life size Batpod, a kids' activity area and a gallery of art and collectibles of the Dark Knight Detective.

Also catch the Samurai X fever as Warner Brothers previews the Rurouni Kenshin live-action film trilogy Parts II and III with a display of original costumes from the sensational Japanese hit movie.

Get ready to be blown into space with Marvel's latest epic movie, The Guardians of the Galaxy with awesome displays, sneak peeks at the movie's behind-the-scenes, special fan activities, and the Marvel roster of superstar artists.

The TOYCON also gives you the biggest gathering of toy collections with the following prominent toy exhibits -- The G.I. Joe 50th Anniversary exhibit, Philippine Lego users Group exhibit, the Coca-Cola Collectibles exhibit, One Sixth Republic and Pinoy Sixth Scale collectors exhibit and the awesome Toycon Gallery exhibit area which showcases the best of the local toy group community.

The TOYCON also features the biggest in Cosplay with the Philippine Finals of the World Cosplay Summit happening at the event and TOYCON's own Cosplay Universe unleashes a barrage of individual and group cosplayers led by Asia's Cosplay queen, Alodia Gosiengfiao.

Gaming takes center stage also at the TOYCON with the biggest game companies, like Level-Up, War Gaming, Cherry Credits and Uplink releasing their top games.

And off course, TOYCON would not be complete without the biggest exhibitor floor of all pop culture merchandise in terms of apparel, collectibles and memorabilia, graphic novels and comics, cosplay paraphernalia, and toys, toys, TOYS!

The Philippine TOYCON 2014 will be held on June 20-22, 2014 at the SM Megatrade Halls 1, 2 and 3, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City.

This is co-presented by Collectibles Unlimited and the SM Megatrade Halls, and sponsored by Maxi Collector, Toy Kingdom, Toy Empire, Warner Brothers Pictures and Pacific Licensing. With special thanks to Big Boys Toy Store, Great Toys, Arigatoys, Authority Hoodie, Otaku Asia, War Gaming, Uplink, Level-Up, Cubizone, Canon, Level-Up, Cherry Credits, CIIT, Loctite, and Resorts World Manila. With media partners, ABS-CBN, Flip Geeks, Reimaru Files, WheninManila.com, Chalk Magazine, Manila Bulletin, Philippine Star and 99.5 PLAY FM. Also supported by Anime Alliance and World Cosplay Summit.

Tickets are now on sale at SM Tickets (www.smtickets.com)

For more information on schedule of activities and event details please visit:

www.toyconph.com

www.facebook.com/toyconph

13th Philippine TOYCON

June 20-21-22, 2014

Megatrade Halls 1-2-3, SM Megamall

Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila, Philippines

10am-9pm

Ticket price: PHP 130 per day

Buy your tickets in advance via SM Tickets.

visit: https://www.smtickets.com/event/details?event_id=2485

For press and media coverage

email us at toyconph@gmail.com

REEL DEAL: America Ferrera's Astrid All Grown Up In "Hot To Train Your Dragon 2"

America Ferrera stars alongside Jay Baruchel in “How Tot Train Your Dragon 2,” the second film in the animated 3D trilogy about a young Viking called Hiccup and his dragon, Toothless.  As the thrilling story unfolds, Hiccup has an unexpected meeting with an extraordinary woman who shares his passion for dragons - his mother Valka (Cate Blanchett).  Also starring in the film are Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse,T.J. Miller and Craig Ferguson.

Baruchel voices the story’s intrepid hero while Ferrera plays his feisty girlfriend, Astrid.  Five years on from the original 2010 film from DreamWorks Animation, we find Hiccup enjoying life as an explorer. But his dad, Stoick, the mighty Chieftain of Berk (Gerard Butler), thinks his son needs to shape up and take his responsibilities as a future leader more seriously.  There is currently peace on Berk, where humans and dragons are living happily.

Jasmine Curtis Smith Watches "Jasmine" The Series Pilot With Her Fans

Jasmine has been very busy promoting her new series for TV5 titled "Jasmine" which is also a partnership with Ace Saatchi & Saatchi and Unitel.

This mystery drama known to be a unique series featuring the real life situations of stars and their stalkers, the dark and dirty politics behind showbiz, an the involvement of many people when one falls out of place. With rivalry and jealousy with fellow artists becomes ugly and puts her into awkward and sad situations, a masked stalker emerges  with the name "Maskara" with passion to do everything in his power to get to his admired celebrity.

Back-to-school Fashion with BUM UnivarsiTee

Going back to school doesn’t have to be a stressful tale or a sad story of summer’s ending. It doesn’t have to be boring either. Make going back to school an exciting one! Dress up and express yourself with BUM Univarsitee.

BUM’s back-to-school campaign “BUM Univarsitee” encourages students and the young bloods to rise above the norm and express themselves with school-proper yet colorful and stylish fashion. School time doesn’t have to be dull and dreary so when it’s time to meet up with school friends, gear up by wearing items from the BUM Univarsitee collection.

Cinema One Announces Final Ten Films For Upcoming Cinema One Originals Festival

Now celebrating its 20th anniversary of constantly supporting the growth of the local film industry, Cinema One has finally announced its selection of ten films for the upcoming Cinema One Originals Festival.

On this special year, Cinema One has chosen to allocate a budget of P2-million for the production of these ten selected films, all carefully chosen out of numerous submissions upon its call for entries during the festival’s previous year.

The ten films chosen were those by directors Jay Abello, Nash Ang, Kanakan Balintagos, Sigrid Andrea Bernardo, Eduardo Dayao, Alec Figuracion, Antoinette Jadaone, Malay Javier, Paolo O’Hara, and Remton Siega Zuasola.

XSTIG: Bid and Win All You Want at Yoobids.com (And Get a Free Code Here!)

Want to shop for awesome gadgets with only P1.00 or less? Yes, YOO can! At Yoobids.com, shop, bid and take home the item that you want for impossibly low prices. Yoobids.com is an online bidding site that gives you the biggest value for your money. Your spare change can definitely go places.

How? It’s as fun and easy as playing you favourite game online. Compete with other shoppers across the nation by bidding on gadgets, gift certificates and other good deals on your favourite brands and other establishments.

Skil Celebrates 90th Anniversary With "May Tiwala Ako!" Campaign

Leading power tool brand Skil kicks off its 90th anniversary with a celebratory campaign dubbed “May Tiwala Ako”, a tribute to its loyal users who have placed their trust in the brand. The campaign centers on building long-term relationships with the brand’s consumers and pays homage to its real users which include the professional workers, freelancers, small scale businesses, and tradesmen.

Readers Digest Trusted Brands 2014 Survey

WHICH BRANDS DO FILIPINOS TRUST MOST? 

In an ever changing world of preferences, and with the ongoing shift in the relationship revolution between companies and their consumers, is there still such a thing a BRAND LOYALTY?

On its 16th year, Reader’s Digest conducts its annual Trusted Brands Survey in recognition of the companies that have consistently maintained excellent products and service to earn them a Platinum or Gold award. 

The grand awarding ceremony will be held on Wednesday June 4, 2014, at the CROWNE PLAZA MANILA  Gracing the event will be Readers Digest Asia editor in chief Sue Carney and Readers Digest Group Advertising Director for Asia Pacific, Sheron White as well as the top executives of the winning brands. 

Mystery, Drama, and Stalkers WIth TV5's New Series 'Jasmine'

It's been a while since we had a mystery-drama serye in TV, and Ace Saatchi and Saatchi, Unitel and TV5 have come up with a breakthrough series starring Jasmine Curtis Smith as... uhm..."Jasmine". But don't belittle the simplicity of the title because it brings a great cast of unique characters, an interesting story, and an approach that is similar to american series which can uplift Pinoy TV series. 

BSP Governor Opens First Philippine Retail Investment Conference

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando M. Tetangco, Jr. stressed the continued positive outlook of the economy during his opening speech at the inaugural of the Philippine Retail Investment Conference.

The conference organized by CFA Society Philippines is part of a global series of events to promote Putting Investors First Month in May aimed at increasing awareness and uniting investment professionals to place investor’s interests first above all others. More than 500 people are expected to attend the event at SM Aura, Bonifacio Global City.

“As we welcome an integrated ASEAN economy, we expect greater opportunities to open up for retail investors,” says April Lee-Tan, CFA, president of CFA Society Philippines. “In order for us to fully realize our economic potential, investors must be able to trust their investment professionals to treat them honestly, competently, and ethically. CFA Society Philippines organized this conference to teach investors best practices, investment risks and their rights so that they will be smarter decision makers.”

The conference gathered together senior regulators, local and international investment professionals, and advisors to address common issues facing retail investors.

A highlight of the conference is a panel discussion on how to avoid investment scams with Hans Sicat, president of the Philippine Stock Exchange; Vida Chiong, deputy insurance commissioner of the Insurance Commission; Atty. Gerard Lukban, secretary of the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission, and Atty. Romeo Mendoza, Jr., general counsel of the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation.

“We are proud of the series of investor awareness activities organized by CFA Society Philippines, including the Financial Fitness Fun Run in February and ringing the closing bell at the Philippine Stock Exchange. To raise our commitment to the local investment community, CFA Institute and CFA Society Philippines will co-host the Philippine Investment Conference in October to highlight investment opportunities to professional investors in this exciting economy,” says Charles Yang, CFA, chair of the board of governors of CFA Institute, who delivered the conference’s closing address.