"The Menu" is deliciously bonkers!

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

No hate to anyone that didn’t like the movie but this is the exact reason why I love The Menu. Personally I’m not a huge horror person and I think the horror in the film isn’t necessarily scary but rather unnerving (which is good). 

We’ve become so precious about satire that when its value is purely fun, we see it as lesser than. Satire doesn’t need to be opaque or complex or to be good. People have forgotten how nice it is to just be entertained.

We've been so spoiled by movies like Get Out, Parasite and The Lobster, which do incredible work to add to the conversation. But it's also okay to re-up the current conversation in a different (and effective) way without having to add to it.

There are many kinds of satire, but most importantly, it’s about what the writers want to achieve with their premise and concept. The Menu is so much fun because it knows what it is and doesn’t waste time to be extra about it. It just comes in and does its job and takes a bow.

"The Menu" is such a funny dark comedy. Anya Taylor-Joy ordering a cheeseburger and saying that line after one bite was so great.

"Unfortunately my eyes were a little bigger than my stomach."

I really enjoyed this movie! Best part is I went into it expecting a completely different movie then what it ended up being and I ended up enjoying it even more.

I liked it when Hong Chau said you will eat less than you desire and more than you deserve it's true the menu really be giving me anxiety in all the right places.

"Where did you go to school?"

"Brown"

"Student loans?"

"No"

"Sorry, you're dying."

As a foodie who also loves thriller movies, "The Menu" was the perfect combination. I watched this movie last night and am still haunted. 

I’ve watched lots of mediocre fare the last few days and this one kept me invested and alert the whole way through.

Original, well-acted, weird, surprisingly moving. Blends horror & drama & comedy beautifully. Uses a single space enormously well. And keeps surprising us all the way to its last shot.  I genuinely couldn't guess what comes next. I loved it!

The movie is "delicious". It is unhinged entertainment at its finest form. It threw me for a loop but perfectly executed. Honestly! So iconic from beginning to end! It’s absolutely bonkers!!

It’s a dark-comedy thriller with a Chef’s Table theme that’s great whether you love or hate high end dining culture/media. I’m not sure what was more contrived and pretentious, the food critics and dishes in the film or the film itself.

It's one of the best films I've seen in ages. This is a polarizing film. You can say it tries too hard to be Yorgos Lanthimos, but to me it's still a fun enjoyable watch. It's one of the best comedies, but it still has the same problems as Velvet Buzzsaw and Triangle of Sadness.

Ralph Fiennes and Anya Taylor-Joy were faultless as always...I can watch Fiennes' micro facial muscles move all day. He is a true masterclass. Taylor-Joy eating a cheeseburger at the end is a real "final girl"..oooppss! sorry for the spoiler.

But damn if Nicholas Hoult doesn't steal the show at times. Hoult mansplaining to Taylor-Joy every bit of the evening is fucking hilarious. He is so good at playing a pathetic, overeager little bottom bitch to a powerful man. Hoult is so good at looking flustered. His comedic timing is such a tentpole of how perfectly paced this movie is. Every time the tension builds to a fever pitch, there he is acting like the most important thing in the world is how fucking good this food is.

Very much not what I was expecting, and the later courses got a little "eh" for my taste, but I enjoyed the hell out of this meal of a movie. Very much recommend. 

Knives Out Glass Onion and The Menu all in the same mid-tier vaguely anti rich without saying anything revolutionary cinematic universe.

The Menu is quite solid, and delivers some points much better than the preachy, smug Glass Onion...or the try-hard, indulgently naturalistic Triangle of Sadness.

I miss movies that aren’t afraid to be less than 2 hours. The Menu almost feels like one long scene, focusing on "the meal". It has tension, sprinkled with dark humor, all wrapped into a commentary about pretentiousness and class.

Now, this is a masterpiece! With such enthralling screenplay, masterful directing and a great cast, this horror satire is must-see cinema.

One of my favorite movies of the year!

UPD-CS develops automated environmentally-sustainable campus

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Communities across the Philippines could become more environmentally sustainable, thanks to the University of the Philippines - Diliman College of Science (UPD-CS) spearheading the use of automated environmental monitoring technology and regular environmental testing procedures for possible deployment nationwide.

The AirboxSense is one of several automated air quality sensors deployed within the National Science Complex by the IESM. UPD-CS scientists are looking at the feasibility of rolling out similar initiatives nationwide. (Photo credit: Eunice Jean Patron)

At the behest of UPD Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo, who prioritized the protection and preservation of UPD's natural environment in his vision for the campus, the UPD-CS led other colleges and institutions in the University in setting up sophisticated sensors for keeping an eye on the environment around the clock. The Chancellor appointed the multi-sectoral Task Force on Environmental Sustainability (TFES) to create environmental action points for a possible model for a green campus, which could then serve as the prototype for green spaces nationwide.



Real-time environmental monitoring

Two key action points determined by the expert team are the deployment in the UPD-CS' National Science Complex (NSC) of the AirboxSense system for real-time air quality reporting to the general public, and the establishment of an air and water quality monitoring network with the Diliman Environmental Management Office.

The AirboxSense was co-developed by UP and foreign university partners with funding from the Asia-India Science, Technology, and Innovation Cooperation (AISTC). “Air quality monitoring using AirboxSense in the NSC started in August 2022. It’s an initiative between the Philippines, Malaysia, and India to put up these monitoring devices for air quality control,” explained Dr. Mylene Cayetano, a professor at the UPD-CS’ Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology (IESM), a member of the UPD TFES, and the Philippine Principal Investigator for the AISTIC.

Aside from deploying automated air quality sensors, the UPD-CS also developed water testing procedures to regularly monitor the University’s creeks and streams. (Screengrab via UPD-CS Facebook page)

To complement the AirboxSense data, the IESM undertakes regular monitoring of the University’s various creeks and streams: water samples are collected at least once a month and analyzed in the laboratory to assess factors such as the presence of excessive nutrients and suspended solids, irregular pH, and alkalinity, among other parameters.



Towards a solar-powered campus

The UPD-CS also aims to lessen its ecological footprint through solar power installations throughout the NSC. By considering the optimal size and placement of solar panels, Dr. Cayetano and her colleagues were able to determine the best ways to address the campus' energy needs. Solar panels can save energy for the UPD-CS by lessening the dependency on fossil fuels during the daytime.

“Together with UPD-CS scientists Dr. Lillian Jennifer Rodriguez and Ms. Jelaine Gan, we calculated the area ng lahat ng rooftop ng CS buildings. We determined the surface area of the rooftops facing south. Then we proposed how many solar panels we need to install in CS para hindi na tayo dependent sa fossil fuels, and eventually we will transform into an efficient campus,” said Dr. Cayetano. “UPD-CS Dean Giovanni Tapang presented this idea to Chancellor Fidel, and it aligns with the Chancellor’s initiative to make UPD an environmentally-sustainable campus,” she added.



Deployment beyond UP

Going beyond the confines of the University, the UPD-CS, and the IESM collaborated with the Rotary Club of Makati on a system that reports real-time data on air quality via the Airtoday.ph website. The system was also initially designed to record and display air quality data on other areas outside the UPD, including the Lung Center of the Philippines and EDSA Muñoz.

“Picking up from this initiative, nagkakaroon ng other initiatives pa towards a smart campus and environmental sustainability,” Dr. Cayetano said. She cited the UPD Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute (EEEI) for helping automate the AirboxSense through the UP Center for Air Research (UP CARE) program. Dr. Cayetano also highlighted the Robust Optical Aerosol Monitor (ROAM) developed by Dr. Len Herald Lim of the Institute of Chemistry, which could be deployed outside UPD in the future.



Aiming for nationwide deployment

Dr. Cayetano believes that these projects are of nationwide significance: the information they gather and the data they record will greatly help organizations and institutions across the country in finding solutions to environmental issues. “These [information and data] will eventually tell the numbers. Nasaan na tayo? Nasaan ‘yung baseline? Ano ‘yung emissions natin noong walang activities dahil sa pandemic? Ano naman ‘yung increase ng emissions noong nagkaroon ng activities such as face-to-face classes and the opening of the UPD campus and offices? By knowing these, we know where to stand. By knowing those numbers, we will know how to manage the impacts on the environment of such activities.”

Through these and other initiatives, UPD’s TFES is spearheading the creation of tailor-fit approaches to environmental challenges that can be implemented outside the campus. Data collected from these initiatives can also be used by local governments and other decision-makers in managing localized environmental activities.

WWF-Philippines, BPI Foundation provide climate risk assessments and livelihood programs for vulnerable communities through years of collaboration

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The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines and the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), through its social development arm, BPI Foundation, have forged a longtime partnership to address the effects of climate change in the country.

Joint projects between WWF-Philippines and the BPI Foundation, such as the Climate Change Risk Assessment Initiative (CCRAI), Sulong Pinoy, and Project PagSibol, were recently concluded and have successfully provided climate risk assessments and livelihood projects for vulnerable communities.

Launched in 2019, CCRAI, a multi-year study, provided an assessment of the vulnerabilities of the selected cities of Tarlac, Cabanatuan, Calbayog, and Tagum, proposed bankable and SDG-linked projects, and presented the data to BPI and local government units. These cities were chosen as they are rich in natural resources but also prone to severe typhoons and flooding. Through CCRAI, the local government units now have access to the findings and thus can utilize them in formulating their Local Climate Change Action Plans.

The partnership between WWF-Philippines and the BPI Foundation also provided livelihood programs for various vulnerable communities.

According to Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources MIMAROPA Assistant Director Roberto Abrera, fishers suffered post-harvest losses, or fish spoilage occurring as they transported their catch to the marketplace. In 2015, 25% of post-harvest losses were due to fish spoilage.

Addressing this, the Sulong Pinoy project was implemented in 2020 which supported a total of 2,536 individuals from fishing communities in Bicol and Mindoro. Lagonoy Gulf and Mindoro strait tuna fishers received 50 tuna coolers, 50 transponders, two reefer vans, and seven climate-adaptive food shed farming enterprises through the project.

One of the reefer vans delivered to small-scale handline tuna fishers from the Lagonoy Gulf and Mindoro Strait in Malilipot, Albay through Sulong Pinoy. Reefer vans help fisherfolks to ensure the freshness of their produce, further securing their income.

“This is a big deal for our tuna fishers, who need to ensure the freshness of the tuna to gain a higher price in the market. Every extra peso that our partner fishers are able to earn can go a long way towards supporting them and their communities,” WWF-PH Project Manager Joann Binondo said.

To further address poverty by solving the problem of food security for the financially infirm, the partnership also launched Project PagSibol in the same year, which was able to establish 20 community-managed food shed enterprises in 11 low-income communities from Tarlac, Ormoc, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, Surigao del Norte, Lanao del Norte, Zamboanga, and Davao Occidental.

A beneficiary of Project PagSibol showing vegetable crops of the community’s foodshed. WWF-Philippines and BPI Foundation have been working closely to build sustainable food sheds and climate-resilient food production facilities that will assist low-income communities across the Philippines.

Through the initiative, a total of 499 individuals were directly engaged while 2,037 were provided with access to fresh and quality food. It also facilitated financial literacy sessions along with the creation of 10 functional Group Savings and Loan Associations (GSLAs) in these communities with a total of 1,568,000 pesos in savings.

“Our communities need to be able to take care of themselves. They understand this, and the pandemic has made this all the more apparent. These workshops are the first step in a long process towards helping our farming communities to stand up on their own two feet amid the current climate crisis,” WWF-PH Project Manager Monci Hinay highlighted. 


The partnership continues to take on the challenge of aiding food and livelihood security through community-specific programs made possible by years of assessments. The Farm to Table for Fisherfolks project, which will run until 2023, with the goal of helping the local community in Halian, Siargao.

Farm to Table For Fisherfolks, a newly-launched program of the BPI Foundation, aims to provide climate-smart facilities for fish drying and water purification to reduce fish spoilage and promote sustainable livelihood in the community of Halian, Siargao.

Though recognized as an emerging tourism spot with a marine sanctuary, the island barangay of Halian has limited access to appropriate technology to support livelihood and basic necessities such as stable and safe potable water sources. With BPI’s help, facilities for fish drying and water purification will also be built to reduce fish spoilage and increase economic and health benefits for the community. Trainings on fish catch documentation and financial literacy will also be conducted to increase the knowledge and capacities of the members.

As the Philippines continues to grapple with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, rural hunger and livelihood insecurity remain as problems that need to be addressed. WWF-Philippines and BPI Foundation continue to find solutions to #ChangeTheEnding for our environmental frontliners.





About WWF-Philippines:

The World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines is an environmental non-government organization committed to creating an impact on biodiversity protection and responding to the climate crisis - towards a safe and just recovery. WWF-Philippines works with a host of partners including national and local governments, to co-create inclusive, innovative, and interdisciplinary solutions that emphasize the role of science in the service of life.

WWF-Philippines' focus is on scaled solutions with our partners to match the enormity of the tasks required to address the urgent environmental challenges facing the present and next generations of Filipinos. Its mission is "to stop, and eventually reverse the accelerating degradation of the Philippine environment – to build a future where Filipinos live in harmony with nature."