Capturing the spirit of Pinoy Christmas with songs that will surely make its way into classic status, Christmas Starts When The Bers Begin contains two new tracks, “Halo-Halo” and “Meri Xmas 2 U,” and last year’s “Have A Merry Christmas” and “Maligayang Pasko.”

Written and produced by drummer and lead vocalist Jazz Nicolas, “Halo-Halo” is a festive reinforcement of the classic tradition with characteristically Pinoy sensibilities. It’s an upbeat tune that celebrates the Yuletide season in a way that feels home.

According to Jazz, “Halo-Halo” is a metaphorical reference to the various beliefs and traditions of Filipinos about Christmas. “There are people who believe in God, there are people who just shop, and there are people who consider it as a perfect time for receiving gifts. It all happens during Christmas, and it’s a magical feeling for everyone.”

Another new offering, “Meri Xmas 2 U” is a fun and sparkly reimagining of the Pinoy Christmas carols in one rocking shimmy treat. Complete with kundiman-charged guitars, raw percussions and tambourine sounds, and infectious vocal harmonies, the track pays tribute to the street caroling traditions in the country during the pre-pandemic times.

“This is an ode to the kids who knock on doors to sing Christmas songs,” lead vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Jugs Jugueta shares. “They rarely have real instruments with them, but sometimes when they’re lucky, they bring acoustic guitars or makeshift tools. They use cans with stretched plastic on top for the ‘drums’ and flattened tansan as tambourines. While they don’t sing in perfect tune, the happy Christmas vibe that they bring is what gets you and tugs your heartstrings.”

“Meri Xmas 2 U” is written by Jugs Jugueta, and performed by the alt-rock band with their families and friends who sang and played makeshift instruments: Jug’s wife Andie, Chino’s brother Echo, Jazz’s brother Peavey and his fiancé Antonette, and their road manager Gabs.

The 2021 AWIT Awards Winner for Best Musical Arrangement also plans to add more songs every year to complete the Yuletide-themed album. This well-curated process gives them the opportunity to create music at their own pace, while giving casual listeners something to uplift their spirits before the year ends.

As Jugs put it, “It is an ever-growing Christmas album. We released two Christmas songs last year, then we added two more this year, and we plan on releasing more Christmas songs every year! And every time we add songs, we also add elements to the album cover. It’s now streaming on Spotify and other digital platforms, but once we have enough Christmas songs, we hope to release it as a physical album on vinyl.”

Christmas Starts When The Bers Begin is part of the band’s celebration of their 25th year in the Philippine music industry, which follows the release of their original track “Eto Na (Ang Maliligayang Araw)” and the six-part series, Worms Upon A Time: An Itchyworms Podcast.

The year-long musical treat commenced with the vinyl pressing of their album, Waiting For The End To Start, which immediately sold out upon its release, the launch of “The Life I Know,” the first of its kind in the Philippine stop-motion animation music video, and the release of “Waiting For The End To Start” music video, which serves as an artistic take on the ‘dystopian future post-pandemic’ life in the Philippines.

The Itchyworms are also set to drop a mockumentary that chronicles their 25 years in the music industry at the end of the year.

“Halo-Halo” and “Meri Xmas 2 U” are out now on all digital music platforms via Sony Music Philippines. Listen to the partial batch of ‘Christmas Starts When The Bers Begin’ here.

Christmas stories or kwento are what we love most, so for this holiday season, we're sharing these five (5) things that GCash can do for you and your loved ones abroad. 

Top Dawg Entertainment’s multi-platinum selling, chart-topping and award-winning recording artist SZA has officially dropped her new single “I Hate U.”

Initially released on an anonymous Soundcloud account this year along with “Nightbird” and “Joni,” the irresistible slow jam emerged as a favorite among fans.

The track is produced by Rob Bisel, Carter Lang, thankgod4cody, and Dylan Patrice. With her soulful vocals enveloping a minimalist sonic backdrop and laid-back synths, SZA reflects on a rocky romantic relationship that seemed to have taken a toll on her emotional health.

Upon its release, the mesmerizing urban track received positive response from various music critics all around the world, with Brooklyn Vegan calling an “airy R&B” in “fine form.” It also marked an impressive performance on its first day as it debuted at No. 1 on both Spotify US and Apple Music US charts despite the surge of holiday-inspired tracks, and is predicted to place high on the Billboard Hot 100 charts next week.

Here in the Philippines, “I Hate U” is slowly gaining a foothold on the upper tier of streaming charts. The track is currently at No. 16 on Spotify Philippines top 50, and is steadily climbing on a daily basis.

“I Hate U” comes nearly a year after SZA released “Good Days” on Christmas 2020. Grammy-nominated for Best R&B song, “Good Days” quickly became SZA’s greatest gainer solo single release, peaking at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and marking her first time in the chart’s top ten as the main artist.

SZA’s latest single “I Hate U” is out now on all digital music platforms worldwide via TDE/RCA Records/Sony Music.

Filipinos in the throes of a pandemic don’t need to wait in vain as the vinyl format of Adele’s fourth studio album, 30 has now made its way to the Philippines.

Sony Music confirms that Backspacer Records, an independent record store based in Metro Manila, is the official distributing partner of Adele’s chart-topping LP, 30.

The indie record shop, which gained popularity for housing limited edition and exclusive OPM releases, as well as rare and wide-ranging international titles, will be selling an exclusive Japan pressing of the beloved album in standard black vinyl.

Backspacer Records co-founder Robert Tuazon takes great pride in carrying the British singer-songwriter’s landmark LP, which not only broke records in terms of digital sales and streaming all over the world, but also smashed physical sales performance for both CDs and vinyl this year.

“We’re grateful to Sony Music for entrusting us with this special project,” said Tuazon. “Tasha and I are excited to open our doors to music fans who have been wanting to get a copy of this remarkable pop release.”

Adele’s 30 contains two 180-gram LPs with printed inner sleeves and standard jacket. On hand copies of the vinyl can now be purchased via Backspacer Records’ official website and its physical store located at the 2nd Floor of D’ Ace Plaza in Kapitolyo, Pasig City, Metro Manila.

The global superstar’s acclaimed record is also available through Backspacer Records’ retail partners: Plaka Planet in Makati City, Stereofiles in Quezon City, and Baihaus in Cebu City.

 

New voice for your listening pleasure, teen sensation Belle Mariano introduces her glowing sound and bright artistry in “daylight,” her debut album released under ABS-CBN’s Star Pop label that is out now on various digital music platforms.

Picking up from the success of her well-received debut single “Sigurado” which now has almost 12 million Spotify streams and over 5.8 million music video views—“daylight” further establishes Belle as a pop-alternative sweetheart whose enchanting and silky voice shines with every song she sings.

Aside from “Sigurado,” the album consists of six other original songs radiating lustrous colors and offer an easy listening experience for music lovers. All produced by Star Pop head Rox Santos, some of the songs featured in “daylight” are also compositions of Belle’s fellow young artists from ABS-CBN.

These are “Rainy Days” (written by SAB), “For Your Eyes Only” (written by Trisha Denise), and “Rise” (written by Jayda). Other songs included in the album are “With You,” “Tanging Dahilan,” and “Nights of December.”

Since her breakthrough lead role in the coming-of-age romantic comedy series “He’s Into Her” this 2021, Belle has enjoyed steady success in her career. This December, she is set to star in a new Star Cinema film with her onscreen partner Donny Pangilinan in “Love Is Color Blind.”

 

After the hit love team in the series, He's Into Her, the couple will be giving another romantic chill for their fans and followers with the newest love film, directed by John Leo Garcia, as best friends Ino (Donny) and Cara (Belle). Cara is there to help him add color to his life and show him that he is not too blind to find love, despite the vision problem that prevents him from seeing vibrant colors. However, along the way, they both meet others who attempt to blur the lines of their relationship.

After an eventful year that saw her star shine even brighter, OPM’s Pop Rock Diva Gigi De Lana is celebrating the Christmas season with YouTube subscribers in her first-ever digital concert titled “Gigi De Lana: Holiday Vibes” for “YouTube Music Night” this Saturday (December 11) at 8 PM.

Gigi, together with her band The Gigi Vibes, will treat viewers to a relaxing night filled with music and uplifting stories to be streamed for free exclusively on the YouTube channels of ABS-CBN Star Music, MOR, MYX, and One Music’s YouTube channels.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy the viral sensation’s intimate performances of classic Christmas tunes, ABS-CBN Christmas ID theme songs, well-loved OPM hits, her break-up anthem and debut single “Sakalam,” and a heartwarming Moira Dela Torre medley. Gigi will also be joined by fellow Kapamilya singer Jason Dy for a touching duet.

Directed by Alco Guerrero and Marvin Caldito, “Gigi De Lana: Holiday Vibes” is produced by YouTube Music and ABS-CBN Events and line produced by Playback Productions. It will be hosted by Edward Barber and MYX VJ Samm Alvero.

Gigi’s digital concert is the third offering from “YouTube Music Night” in Southeast Asia, following Jona’s “Love, Jona Music Night” and Juris and Jed Madela’s “Hearts On Fire: Juris and Jed” in February this year.

Watch “Gigi De Lana: Holiday Vibes,” this Saturday (December 11) at 8 PM. Watch the show on ABS-CBN Star Music, MOR, MYX, and One Music’s YouTube channels.

 

Romance is in the air as SKY presents the first cinematic collaboration of the New Gen Phenomenal Love Team, Donny Pangilinan and Belle Mariano, in Star Cinema's newest offering, "Love is Color Blind," which premieres on SKY Pay-Per-View on Dec. 10 (Friday).

DonBelle is back—this time on the big screen—in their newest love film, directed by John Leo Garcia, as best friends Ino (Donny) and Cara (Belle), who are fresh off the success of their web romantic series "He's Into Her." Cara is there to help him add color to his life and show him that he is not too blind to find love, despite his vision problem that prevents him from seeing vibrant colors. However, along the way, they both meet others who attempt to blur the lines of their relationship.

Regardless of these not-so-colorful instances among them, will Ino finally find the colors of happiness and love he's looking for with Cara?

Find out how their vivid love story will unfold in the world premiere of "Love is Color Blind" starting December 10 on SKY Pay-Per-View.

Catch all of Ino and Cara's sweetest and most colorful moments together in the comfort of your homes in high-definition and commercial-free for a discounted price of P199 per pass (regular rate at P249), which comes with 48-hour access upon purchase. Avail of the pay-per-view discount promo from December 10, 2021 until January 10, 2022.

To subscribe, visit mysky.com.ph/skyppv or text SKY PPV to 23662.

For more details, follow SKY on Facebook (fb.com/myskyupdates), Twitter, and Instagram (@myskyupdates).

Per DTI Fair Trade Permit No. FTEB - 133131 Series of 2021. Standard Platform Terms and Conditions Apply.

One of the official entries in the upcoming Metro Manila Film Festival, Nelia, which starred Winwyn Marquez, officially released its movie trailer last December 1 on its official Facebook page Nelia. The film garnered more than 1,000,000 views in its first 36 hours and so far it has reached nearly 2.5 million views.

There's already a buzz from the netizens with Nelia's unique theme. A glimpse on its trailers tells about a shrouded mystery of Hospital Room 009, where Nelia works as a nurse. Apparently, all patients admitted in the room end up dead. "Is there a ghost or is there a killer in the hospital?" is a question netizens commonly ask.

The film also tackles the issue of mental health, which is a hot topic on social media these days, as the prevalence of anxiety and depression among people continues because of the ongoing pandemic. “In a way, our film is also educational because of its underlying theme on mental health disorders. Hopefully, through our film, the audience will be able to broaden their understanding of people dealing with mental health problems,” said the film's director, Lester Dimaranan.

The European Union, in partnership with the Philippine Government, launched the second phase of its Justice Sector Reform Programme: Governance in Justice (GOJUST).

With an investment of Euro 19 million (Php 1.1 billion) over a period of four years, GOJUST will support ongoing efforts by the Philippine Supreme Court, the Department of Justice, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government, to improve access to justice for all Filipinos and thus, contribute to inclusive and sustainable socio-economic development.

The overall support provided under GOJUST includes a component to help strengthen the Commission on Human Rights.

The launch took place virtually on 25 November 2021 with a keynote address by the Chief Justice of the Philippines, Alexander G. Gesmundo. Messages were also given by the Secretary of the Department of Justice, Menardo I. Guevarra, Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Eduardo M. Año, and EU Ambassador Luc Véron.

“The European Union has been a committed partner to the Philippine’s Justice Sector reform since 2006. Our engagement stems from the importance we attach to democracy, human rights and the rule of law. Also, by working with the Philippines on improving access to justice, in particular for vulnerable communities, we can improve access to all other civil, political, economic and social rights.”

“We are honored to accompany the justice sector reform efforts with GOJUST II, which has been developed in close partnership with the Supreme Court, the Department of Justice and the Department of Interior and Local Government, and will be our largest investment in this area to date,” said EU Ambassador Luc Véron.

"It will be a partnership that once more will deliver dividends where it counts most – in making justice, human rights, and the rule of law not only well-entrenched and enduring institutions in Philippine society, but also a felt reality in the everyday life of every Filipino," said Secretary of the Department of Justice, Menardo I. Guevarra.

“Composed of the DOJ, the DILG and the Supreme Court, the JSCC is both a venue and a mechanism for communication, principled cooperation and studied coordination without sacrificing institutional independence. Through the JSCC, the coordinated approach to delivering justice is the chosen platform to achieve real time satisfaction of justice needs," said Chief Justice of the Philippines, Alexander G. Gesmundo.

“We at the Department of the Interior and Local Government are honored and grateful to work again with the distinguished vanguards of justice in pursuing wider paths of improving access to justice for all Filipinos,” said DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año.

“The launching of the Justice Sector Reform Programme: Governance in Justice II or GOJUST II presents us all a greater opportunity not only to come up with reforms and timely initiatives in the delivery of justice, but also to expand the reach and fortify the foundations of what we have started to work on in the past four and a half years,” he added.

Recognizing that many issues involving justice and justice delivery originate in local communities, Secretary Año vowed that the DILG and its attached agencies will work closely with the justice sector and other stakeholders in bringing about much-needed reforms to give rise to a fairer, more effective, efficient, and accountable justice, especially in the local and grassroots level.

“While we recognize that our work may not completely reform the justice system overnight, it will certainly lock in some basic principles and lay concrete steps that we firmly believe are going to make a fairer and more just society over the long term,” the Secretary said.

GOJUST will support the development of more responsive and accountable justice services in the Philippines. It will contribute to reducing case backlogs with the automation of courts and prosecution offices among other innovations; support the coordination of justice sector agencies at national and local level (Justice Zones); and foster the use of research in the design and management of justice sector policies.

To improve access to justice – with a focus on those most vulnerable, including women, LGBTI, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and other excluded groups – the programme includes a grant mechanism. Funds will be awarded to civil society organizations and law schools with the best initiatives on rights awareness, paralegal training, policy advocacy and direct legal services, and the strengthening of the Barangay Justice System and informal justice providers.
v In line with the findings of the Gender and Social Inclusion Assessment (GESI), this new phase of GOJUST will support justice sector agencies in addressing gender inequalities in access to justice. For example, the programme will contribute to combatting violence against women and girls by increasing the barangays’ capacity to issue protection orders as mandated by the law.

The first phase of GOJUST ran from 2016 to 2020.

GOJUST is implemented through technical assistance by the British Council and logistical and grant management support from the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). The support for the Commission on Human Rights under GOJUST is implemented by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID).

 

Lampara Books has recently launched Guiding Light, a new Philippine imprint that hopes to encourage parents and families to be a good influence on their children’s journey to life.

The family-oriented and faith-based imprint aims to promote spiritual formation, values education, emotional growth, and community development through highly entertaining but transformative books written and designed by some of the world’s most promising and award-winning writers, illustrators, and personalities.

“It has always been our goal to inspire adult readers, most especially parents, to engage with their children on stories of inspiration, joy, and life lessons within a framework of Christ-centered beliefs and teachings,” says Segundo D. Matias Jr., the Chief Publisher of Lampara Books. “Our activity books create bonding moments between mom and dad with their kids through storytelling that put good values at the forefront of its principles, while inspiring everyone to become a better human being.”

For its premiere offering, Guiding Light has recently released its ‘Little Life Lessons on’ series—a collection of fun activity books that parents and their children can color, play around with, and use as a medium for purpose-driven instruction. Written in both English and Filipino, the series is made for childhood care providers and parents to help their kids learn important values in life. The ‘Little Life Lessons on’ catalog contains inspirational stories that depict kindness, obedience, respect, and love, among many others.

The motivational imprint also takes pride of its Family Bible Illustrated edition, which has 365 pages of bible stories, meditations, and prayers for the whole family to reflect on together, and The Comic Book Bible, which offers a treasury of stories, known and loved by generations of readers.
v For readers who are looking for a refreshing spin to the familiar narrative, there is Classic Bible Stories, illustrated for pictures-and-words format by talented young artist Tommaso d' Incalei. Bringing stories to life for a new generation of readers, this timeless collection will inspire people discover the meaning behind the teachings of God in an exciting and easy-to-read way. Another significant title under its banner is The Classic Children’s Bible, which is beautifully illustrated and presented to cater to a younger readership.

Other titles that are currently available at the Guiding Light website are Rhona Davies’ The Life Of Christ, strikingly illustrated to chronicle the important life events that Jesus Christ went through from his days in Galilee to joining God in heaven, and Angela M. Burrin’s Welcome To The Mass, a beautifully illustrated book that ‘explains the Mass by linking the liturgy to scenes from the Gospels.’

The classic and new titles are available at the Guiding Light official website, https://www.guidinglight.com.ph.

Ben&Ben are redefining the virtual concert-going experience with the biggest headline show of their career.

Aptly titled Kuwaderno: A Ben&Ben Online Concert, the Filipino nine-piece collective are pushing the boundaries of music shows in the new normal setting by integrating creative disciplines such as drama, dance, orchestra, and technology with a live performance. Their highly anticipated major concert will be staged at the SMART Araneta Coliseum, and will be streamed live on December 5, 2021, from 8pm to 11pm via digital streaming platform, KTX.ph.

“We can’t deny the fact that it’s the biggest project we’ve undertaken so far, and I think you just somehow know that it’s a leap of faith when the streams of guidance and providence lead you to the right people who believe in the same vision you have: To bring the music and the messages they carry to life,” the award-winning group said. “This spirit of collaboration was one of the defining themes of our album ‘Pebble House Volume One: Kuwaderno’ and it was only by natural desire that we brought the same spirit and attitude when we began working on the concert. As for the play between grand and intimate, we really wanted our listeners to relish in the grandiosity of what their support means to us. Doing a concert on this scale and bringing them closer into that bigger picture is our way of expressing immense gratitude to them as well.”

Has a celebrity or friend ever influenced you to buy certain items online? The budol is real, as one might say! As shoppers, we’re constantly on the lookout for the best product recommendations so we can maximize our money’s worth.

Now that the end of the month is just around the corner, is your shopping cart ready for the upcoming payday sale? If you’re looking for some inspiration on what to add to cart at Shopee’s Nov 30 Payday Sale, take notes from other shoppers.

According to Shopee’s data on consumer behavior and trends during payday sales, Pinoys consistently spend on essentials and other items for work and play. They tend to use their sweldo to prioritize essentials and splurge on little luxuries from categories such as home essentials, women’s fashion & accessories, health & beauty, gadgets, and mobile accessories. They love shopping for KF94 masks, window curtains, crop tops, headsets, and hair accessories—the most popular items in Pinoys’ online shopping carts every payday.

Below, check out Shopee’s top recommendations for each of these items:

To keep your family safe and healthy for the holidays, stock up on several Health Guard KF94 Masks. Its 3D foldable design makes it easier to breathe and minimizes contact with the lips, while its four-layered structure blocks harmful microparticles.