Philippine TV/Drama, Music, and Pop-Culture thread

MANILA -- Check out some of the Halloween treats, deals, and events in the metro and beyond this year.

These are not endorsed by ABS-CBN News.

ATC'S HALLOWEEN SKELE-BRATION

Alabang Town Center (ATC) is bringing a thrilling Halloween celebration with a twist this year.

From October 27 to November 1, ATC's Activity Center is transformed into a village inspired by Dia de los Muertos, the Mexican tradition of honoring the departed.

Visitors can decorate calaveras or sugar skulls and enjoy a selection of Mexican delights. Kids are in for a special treat with a goodie bag of mixed candies, chocolates, and delightful surprises. They can also enjoy Halloween Trick or Treat around the mall at participating merchants, scheduled for October 31.

To get a village pass, customers need to have a single purchase receipt of P500 or more from any ATC establishment, excluding bills payment, services, and telecom lane. Each pass admits one child and one adult.

For participation in Skele-bration Crafts and Treats, they need to redeem a single or accumulated receipt of P2,000 or more.

Those who download the Zing app and link it with their GCash or credit card can unlock an additional Halloween treat.

FA-BOO-LOUS HALLOWEEN AT WESTIN MANILA

Kids and pet dogs can dress up in fun and colorful costumes at Westin Manila's Halloween lunch celebration and Fa-BOO-lous costume parade on October 29.

The themed Sunday lunch buffet at Seasonal Tastes features a wickedly wonderful spread alongside premium meats such as Australian Beef Rump, Turkey, BBQ Pork Ribs, Roasted Chicken, and a variety of sausages, plus an assortment of sweets, treats, and more. Lunch is served from 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Every two adults who dine at the Halloween lunch buffet are entitled to two
complimentary tickets for their children to join the Kiddie Costume Soirée in the afternoon, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Held in the ballroom foyer on the second level, the afternoon activity is offered to kids 2 to 12 years old. The program includes games, cookie decorating, costume parade, giveaways, and a 5-minute self-portrait shoot per child at the A Studios booth.

Event-only tickets are also sold at P599 per child, for those who are only joining the Kiddie Costume Soirée.

Pet dogs are invited to the Doggie Costume Paw-ty at the Lobby Lounge veranda from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are sold at P1,500 nett each, good for one dog and one pet owner, and the rate is consumable on food and drinks from the A La Bark and Lobby Lounge menus. The event will include a paw-lor game and costume parade, giveaways, and a 5-minute photo session for each dog at the A Studios booth.

More details are available at the hotel's website and social media pages.

HARD ROCK CAFE'S MOVIE FRIGHT FEST

Hard Rock Cafe is holding a Movie Fright Fest, a marathon of the creepiest flicks, until November 1.

Guests can expect to watch classic horror films, Halloween favorites, and everything in between at Hard Rock Cafe branches in Manila and Makati.

Door charge is at P395, inclusive of a beverage, from 7 p.m. onwards.

KRISPY KREME'S HALLOWEEN OFFERS
Krispy Kreme is offering themed donuts and a drink just in time for Halloween.

Priced at P65 each, the new donuts include Spooky Skeleton (dipped in dark chocolate, sprinkled with chocolate cookie crumbs, and topped with white icing, chocolate, and candy), Creepy Bat (dipped in purple chocolate coating with a dollop of black choco kreme and topped with chocolate cookie, crumbs, and candy), Halloween Jack (filled with custard, dipped in orange chocolate coating, decorated with green kreme icing and chocolate toppers), and Mr. Fangs (dipped in lime green chocolate coating, decorated and topped with dark chocolate sprinkles, white icing, and chocolate toppers).

The Midnight Mallow Kreme Soda, on the other hand, is a cauldron-inspired drink made with Mug rootbeer, with toasted mallow flavor and topped with sea salt kreme and chocolate sprinkles.

These are available for dine-in, takeout, curbside and in-store pickup, drive-thru, and delivery.

MARKS & SPENCER'S SPOOKTACULAR TREATS
Marks & Spencer has a collection of spooky and delicious snacks for trick or treat season.

Among these are the Menacing Malloweenies, Creepy Chocolate Foiled Lollipops, Fruity Creepy Carnival, Zombie Eyeballs, Sour Spiders, and HallowSCREAM Munch Mix.

These products are available at Marks & Spencer stores as well as the brand's website and Viber community.

NEW WORLD MAKATI'S SPOOKTACULAR EXPERIENCES

New World Makati has prepared a lineup of Halloween offerings, from room packages to dining experiences.

The Spooktacular Stay room package starts at P6,500 and is valid for stays from October 27 to November 5 for Superior, Deluxe, and Residence Club Deluxe rooms. It includes buffet breakfast for two adults and two children aged 11 and below, and a Halloween-themed smash cake.

Cafe 1228 will take part in the Halloween celebration on October 31 at P3,500++ per person for dinner and November 1 at P3,100++ per person for lunch. Diners can expect an upgraded buffet selection, with loot bags for all kids. Children's rate is at P1,400++.

Meanwhile, Bar Rouge will hold a Halloween party at P1,200 per person, inclusive of two drinks of choice. Attendees are encouraged to flaunt their spookiest costumes for a chance to win a special prize.

More details are available at New World Makati's social media pages.

POKEMON SLEEP'S DOUBLE CANDY RESEARCH
Smartphone app Pokémon Sleep is holding a Halloween event dubbed Double Candy Research.

The week-long event will kick off in Pokémon Sleep at the Greengrass Isle, on October 30, 4 a.m., and will end on November 6 at 3:59 a.m.

Here, users will have the chance to meet Pikachu wearing a Halloween hat, as well as many Ghost-type Pokémon such as Gastly. Those who conduct sleep research can get at least twice the usual number of candies. Also available are special missions to get Handy Candies and other items.

The timing of the event's beginning and end, as well as the daily rollover time, is based on the user's individual time zone.

RANDY'S BOOO-TASTIC HALLOWEEN DONUTS
Randy’s is offering Halloween-themed donuts in the following flavors: Frankie (matcha raised with chocolate sprinkles), Monster Eye (orange glaze with sprinkles), Oreo Spider (white chocolate glaze with Oreo cookies), Vanilla Web (white chocolate glaze with choco icing web), and Choco Web (chocolate raised with white choco web).

These can be bought per piece, or as a dozen or more. More details are available on the social media pages of Randy's Donuts.

TRICKS AND MUSICAL TREATS: A PPO FAMILY CONCERT
Everyone is invited to come in their best cowboy costumes to the Tricks and Musical Treats: A PPO Family Concert, the annual Halloween event of the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO).

It will be held on October 29, 4 p.m., at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater.

Directed and hosted by theater actress-director Liesl Batucan-del Rosario, the cowboy-themed musical adventure will also feature pre-event activities starting at 2:30 p.m. These include a musical instrument petting zoo where children can touch and experience the different musical instruments often used in an orchestra, and a trick or treat booth at the lobby.

The PPO, under the baton of Maestro Herminigildo Ranera, will teach kids how to "conduct" an orchestra. Children can meet different characters like Harmonica, Drumboy the Cowboy, Octavio, Banjo, Mandolin, Sheriff Hermie, and the PPO Rangers.

Tickets are available at TicketWorld and the CCP TIG Box Office at P500 each. More details are available on CCP's social media pages.

YOSHINOYA'S HALLOWEEN OFFERS
Japanese beef bowl chain Yoshinoya is offering free gyudon for the first 100 customers wearing Halloween costumes on October 29.

The promo is available starting 5 p.m. at Yoshinoya's Eastwood store.

Those who spend at least P500 in any Yoshinoya branch from October 30 to November 5, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., can get free Chocolate Mochi Ice Cream. This is valid for dine-in transactions only.

Two witnesses have come forward and said they saw missing beauty queen Catherine Camilon bloodied while being transferred from her car to another vehicle.

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According to Marisol Abdurahman's report on "24 Oras," the witnesses said that it was on the night of Oct. 12 that they saw one of the persons of interest who pointed a gun at them.

"Umiihi du'n sa lugar, nakita n'ung suspect natin, lumapit sa kanila, at tinutukan sila ng baril,” Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Director Major General Romeo Caramat Jr. said.

(He approached them and pointed a gun at them.)

The witnesses said before they saw the person of interest, they saw the bloodied victim being transferred by three men from her car to another vehicle.

The gunman was said to be the personal driver of another person of interest.



"Through the rogue's gallery of the CIDG, they positively identified and they were very certain about it," Caramat said as regards the gunman, whom he said was tagged because of his tattoo and physical features.



The CIDG is now looking at a love angle as a possible motive for the crime.

The CIDG official said they are gathering more evidence to build a stronger case against the person of interest. —Sherylin Untalan/RF/NB, GMA Integrated News

Michelle fails to enter the pageant’s Top 5

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine bet Michelle Dee ended her Miss Universe 2023 journey in the Top 10 during the pageant’s finals night in El Salvador on Sunday, November 19.

The 28-year-old beauty queen from Makati was the sixth candidate to be called for the Top 10, but failed to make it to the Top 5 of the pageant.

The delegates moving on to the next round of competition are: Australia, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, Thailand, and Colombia.

One of these candidates will succeed reigning titleholder R’Bonney Gabriel of the USA.

With Dee placing in the pageant’s Top 10, the Philippines is back into the semifinal round after last year’s pageant marked the country’s first early exit since 2010.

Dee was also one of the Gold winners for the pageant’s “Voice for Change” category, along with candidates from Angola and Puerto Rico. Dee’s entry focuses on autism acceptance, inclusivity, and empowerment.

The Philippines is home to four Miss Universe winners – Gloria Diaz (1969), Margie Moran (1973), Pia Wurtzbach (2015), and Catriona Gray (2018)