Instituto Cervantes’ Film Fest PELÍCULA Ends with More than 6,000 Viewers

Wazzup Pilipinas!?




The 23rd edition of the PELÍCULA>Pelikula Spanish Film Festival, organized by Instituto Cervantes de Manila, concluded successfully after a dynamic week of Spanish and Latin American cinema at the Red Carpet Cinemas, Shangri-La Plaza. With over 6,000 attendees, the festival ran from October 5 to 13, 2024, offering a rich selection of different kinds of films and events that captivated the Filipino viewers.

The closing weekend saw strong audience engagement, with back-to-back full-house screenings. The Festival wrapped up on 13 October with the awarding of the Premio del Público (Audience Choice Award), which went to Dani de la Orden's Casa en llamas (2024). The film, a dark comedy about a woman’s determined yet chaotic attempt to reunite her family, captured viewers' hearts. The movie has made waves in the cinematic world, bagging several national awards and becoming the highest-grossing Catalan film of all time. The recognition that this film has received underscores the importance of supporting and promoting such works, as they reflect the cultural mosaic of Spain and highlight the unique narratives that each region brings to the cinematic landscape.

Several other films garnered significant audience support and were recognized as runner-ups, including El maestro que prometió el mar, Loli Tormenta, La llegada, Cerrar los ojos, Robot Dreams, Te estoy amando locamente, Puan, Pacarrete, and La estrella azul. Each film added depth to the festival’s lineup, reflecting the diverse stories and perspectives from Spain and Latin America.

On the last day of PELÍCULA, the Festival organisers also celebrated the success of its En Corto series, a space for cultural interaction, where local filmmaker Kyla Romero presented her short film Transients alongside her cast and crew. This series offered a platform for short films that picture different facets of the human experience. Included in the line up were: Aunque es de noche by Guillermo García López (Spain), Primetime Nother by Sonny Calvento (Philippines), and La sixtina by Juan Camilo Fonnegra (Colombia).

As the festival concludes with the publication of the official Closing video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enLb-3pGITM), audiences can look forward to the 24th edition of PELÍCULA>PELIKULA, scheduled for the first week of October 2025, continuing its tradition of showcasing the best in Spanish and Latin American cinema.

The 23rd edition of PELÍCULA>PELIKULA has been presented by Instituto Cervantes de Manila, Embajada de España en Filipinas, Shangri-La Plaza, and Red Carpet Cinemas. The festival has been held in collaboration with MTRCB, the Film Development Council of the Philippines, Teatro Real, Embajada Argentina en Filipinas, Embassy of Brazil in Manila, Embajada de Colombia en Filipinas, University of the Philippines Film Institute, De La Salle - College of Saint Benilde, CMB Film Services Inc., University of the Philippines Department of European Languages, Far Eastern University - Institute of Arts and Science, Ateneo de Manila University - Modern Languages, Meridian International College, CIIT College of Arts and Technology, Mapua University School of Media Studies, i-Academy Makati, Asia Pacific Film Institute, Kinoise PH, and SINEGANG PH. The Festival is proudly sponsored by Philippine Transmarine Carriers, Inc., Arthaland, Ayala Corporation, BOYSEN, Fundador, Terminal Six, and Barcino.

For further information on Instituto Cervantes’ activities, please visit the Instituto Cervantes de Manila website at https://manila.cervantes.es or follow Instituto Cervantes on Facebook at www.facebook.com/InstitutoCervantesManila

MPT South teams up with LRMC Plant for Life at Ipo Watershed

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As part of its commitment to environmental sustainability, Metro Pacific Tollways South (MPT South), a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), participated in the Plant for Life: Tree Planting Activity organized by Maynilad Water Services Inc. in partnership with Bantay Gubat of Ipo Watershed on September 27, 2024.

The event focused on the reforestation of the vital Ipo Watershed in Bulacan, which plays a crucial role in the water supply for Metro Manila and other parts of Cavite. MPT South, along with Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) employees and volunteers, planted a total of 800 native tree seedlings in this collective effort. This is a part of Maynilad's 2024 environmental target, which seeks to plant 220,000 trees across 660 hectares of forested land.

Arlette V. Capistrano, Vice President for Communication and Stakeholder Management of MPT South, stated, “It is an honor to help Mother Nature thrive alongside our kapatids of LMRC. Together, we can do more in protecting our environment and strengthening the consciousness of our teams that what we do is for the good of our future generation.”

MPT South’s involvement in the Plant for Life Tree Planting Activity is part of the company’s broader commitment to environmental sustainability. Through initiatives like tree planting, the company hopes to foster a culture of sustainability and inspire communities to join the mission of protecting and preserving the environment.

MPT South is a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), the infrastructure arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC). Aside from the CALAX and CAVITEX network of toll roads, MPTC’s domestic portfolio includes the concessions for the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), the NLEX Connector Road, the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), and the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) in Cebu.

Angara highlights early gains in first 100 days at ECCP Luncheon

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As he approaches his 100th day in office, Education Secretary Sonny Angara urged the support of the private sector to help bridge important gaps in the education sector during a luncheon meeting hosted by the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) on Wednesday.

“With your support, we can transform this massive system into a force for positive change. I hope you join me not just in my first 100 days, but also in hundreds more to come. DepEd may be the largest, but with partners like you, we’re certainly not the loneliest,” Sec. Angara said.

Sec. Angara noted that the Department is keen to collaborate with private organizations, particularly in areas such as laptops, resources, electrification, educational technology, infrastructures, and support for children with special needs.

“The private sector has always been our accountability partner. In a cycle of leadership changes, they help ensure that programs continue,” he noted.

The DepEd Chief also shared the progress made by DepEd in his first 100 days in office, following President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos’ directive to secure the basic services and prepare learners for work.

“We made the curriculum more flexible to maximize the learning time of students. We created a PISA Task Force to prepare our students for the upcoming international assessment. We’re assessing our reading interventions and Senior High School curriculum,” he added.

Sec. Angara further emphasized efforts to improve teacher support, including the review of the Teacher Development Plan, policy on career progression, and additional benefits, “Our teachers need policies that give them more: more time to teach, more resources for their lessons, more salary in their bank accounts. They require sturdy career progress and reliable support like guidance counselors, both currently lacking in our system.”

In addition, he underscored existing partnerships with organizations like Khan Academy, Frontlearners, iamtheCODE, Jollibee, Rebisco, and Milo, as well as international bodies such as the World Bank and UNICEF to strengthen DepEd programs.

The ECCP luncheon served as a platform for discussion between the government and the private sector on pressing national matters like DepEd’s educational initiatives emerging as a key concern for stakeholders.