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Filipino Times
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Filipino Times
Manny Jacinto to visit PH to promote ‘Freakier Friday'
Filipino-Canadian actor Manny Jacinto is set to visit the Philippines to promote his upcoming film Freakier Friday, the sequel to the 2003 hit movie Freaky Friday. In a video interview with Filipino-American journalist Yong Chavez posted on the CBO Channel's X account, Jacinto confirmed the visit. 'Hi, Philippines! I will be coming to visit to promote the film, Freakier Friday. I hope to see you guys there soon,' the actor said. The actor added that he is currently practicing speaking in Tagalog, something he says he 'always' does. As of writing, no official date has been announced for the visit. It is also unclear if other cast members will be joining him. In Freakier Friday, Jacinto plays Eric Reyes, a chef and single father leading man of Lindsay Lohan. The film marks a major role for Jacinto following his performances in The Good Place, Top Gun: Maverick, The Acolyte, and Trese. Jacinto was born in the Philippines and raised in Vancouver, Canada. He has expressed interest in working with Filipino writers and producers for future projects. He is also set to appear in the upcoming thriller films The Knife and Balestra.
Eater
20 hours ago
- Business
- Eater
Famed Filipino Food Cart Baon Kainan Is Transforming Into a Restaurant
is a freelance food and drink writer in Portland, Oregon. She's worked in food media since 2018, with a particular focus on small businesses that have been largely left out of mainstream media. When Ethan and Geri Leung moved from Seattle to Portland to open Baon Kainan in 2021, their Filipino food cart was an instant success. It earned Eater Portland's Best New Cart Award that year thanks to its playful comfort food dishes like kare kare fries. Now, after four years and a few location moves, the Leungs will close the food cart on July 25 and open a restaurant on September 3 at the Lovely Rita space in The Hoxton hotel in Old Town. This will be a six-month residency for now, with the possibility of extension. Along with the move, Baon Kainan, whose name refers to food packed for a trip or for school or work, is getting a new concept and a new name: Pamana, which means legacy in Tagalog. 'Pamana always stuck, because at the end of the day, what we do is for our family and what we learned from them, and that's how we keep a lot of our stories and our culture alive,' says Geri. 'And I think that's what we were doing at Baon — and now we get to do it on a more expanded level.' Geri draws inspiration from her family's tattered green binder, which includes recipes from her adoptive dad's mother who lived in South Carolina and her mother's first forays into cooking so-called American food. She also takes ideas from her childhood growing up in a military family in Italy. Ethan, meanwhile, will draw from his mother's recipe journals and his mixed Filipino-Chinese heritage. Pamana will initially be open for brunch only. Some dishes will be revamped from Baon Kainan's existing brunch menu, like bistek and eggs. Rather than the braised beef served on the cart and packed into paper boxes, they'll cook whole steaks to temperature — an homage to one of Ethan's favorite dishes that his mom would make for him. Other dishes draw from memories of cooking together as a family. The tortang talong, or eggplant omelet, is an unconventional take on the classic dish, served extra-crispy in a twist that Ethan's mom and Geri devised together one day in the kitchen. The cart's popular chewy ube bibingka dessert will be revamped into pancakes, offering that same bouncy texture in pancake form accompanied by a drizzle of creme anglaise. One of the couple's favorite childhood snacks, turon — hot, crispy banana lumpia — is the inspiration for French toast topped with saba bananas and jackfruit. Molly J. Smith Baon Kainan was known for its collaborative spirit, working with other food carts and hosting a Filipino-inspired breakfast sandwich pop-up, Balong, which has since opened its own brick-and-mortar shop. Pamana will keep its collaborative culture going by serving Balong's pan de sal with garlic butter or coffee butter. They'll also use Balong's pan de sal for breakfast sandwiches stuffed with longanisa, and make pan de sal fried chicken sandwiches with gravy for dipping — a tribute to Filipino fast food chain Jollibee, which holds a particularly special place in Geri's heart. 'Jollibee has been a way for me to connect with my family in the Philippines, because I actually didn't get to meet my Filipino side until I was in my mid-20s,' says Geri. 'But the one thing that me and my cousins and my godsons and my goddaughters could actually connect on was we both love Jollibee.' Lovely Rita will continue to operate its coffee program to accompany Pamana's food. Brunch will be dine-in only to start, served on the hotel's main floor — but eventually, food will be available for take-out and even room service. After settling into brunch service, the restaurant will eventually begin offering dinner, likely in the fall. The Leungs are quiet about dinner menu details for now, but word is that the cart's pancit will make a return. In the meantime, the Leungs are excited to build community in their Old Town location. 'We have our friends at Deadstock Coffee, Goodies Snack Shop, Barnes and Morgan, all doing amazing things — we want to be in a place where we can uplift each other, too,' says Ethan. With Pamana, they'll be adding a new brick-and-mortar to the city's Filipino food scene, which has seen massive growth this year. 'We're taking up space in the Hoxton, Sunrice is opening their spot on Williams, Balong opened up in Fubonn, we got a Jollibee out in Hillsboro,' says Ethan. 'It's really cool to see — and I think there's going to be more,' says Geri. Molly J. Smith / EPDX
The Star
4 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Can Singapore maintain its ‘exclusive' concerts going forward?
IN the snaking lines for Lady Gaga merchandise at the Singapore Sports Hub's foyer in May, one could hear a smattering of Tagalog and Vietnamese, Thai and Hindi, and mainland Chinese Mandarin among the chatter. It was a smorgasbord sampling of fans from Asia and beyond, who had descended on Singapore for Lady Gaga's only shows in the region. As with Taylor Swift's runaway success of sold-out shows in March 2024, the Republic had once again managed to work out such a deal – making sure that Lady Gaga performed only there. Besides the economic boost, this strategy of securing international superstars for Singapore-exclusive shows could fuel the country's aspirations of being a global entertainment epicentre – and is one that should be pursued for as long as possible. Swift set a high bar, With six shows that sold over 300,000 tickets, Swift's concerts – combined with British band Coldplay's six shows in January 2024 – injected up to S$450mil (RM1.5bil) into the Singapore economy, bringing in high international visitor arrivals, hotel occupancy rates and tourism revenue, according to private-sector estimates. Economists estimated that Gaga's concerts have generated as much as S$150mil in tourism receipts but it appeared that tickets took longer to sell. The rise in business during the week of the Gaga shows was far less pronounced than when Coldplay and Swift were in town in 2024. While Gaga also has a smaller and niched following, 2025 has also been a slow year for business due to the shaky global economy. Still, paradoxically, tourism experts say the climate of global economic uncertainty could encourage spending on such one-off events. Associate Professor Kuan-Huei Lee, director of programmes, business, communication and design at the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), said: 'During periods of crisis and economic uncertainty, individuals may increase their spending on emotional or aspirational goods and experiences that they perceive as 'once-in-a-lifetime' events, such as a Lady Gaga concert.' Can the formula be repeated? Lady Gaga's recent run of shows marks the second time in two years that a major international act has chosen Singapore as its only regional stop. However, pulling off such 'once-in-a-lifetime' events on a regular basis could be a challenge. Not only is it contingent on mega artistes' touring schedules and attracting them to Singapore, but other countries in the region could also emulate the Republic's strategy. But observers agree that Singapore is well placed to keep the momentum going. Several key factors make it a preferred choice in the region, noted tourism expert Benjamin Cassim, senior lecturer at the School of Business at Temasek Polytechnic. These include the availability of hospitality and tourism infrastructure for travelling artistes, their teams and visitors attending the concerts, as well as venues with a proven track record that are equipped to deliver in terms of size and technical support. Accessibility is another element, including the ease of getting to Singapore, and travelling within it safely, with an efficient public transport system that is close to venues. Cassim noted that the Republic has already established itself as a premier entertainment and sports events destination, not just within the Asia-Pacific region, but also globally. 'A major catalyst for this transformation is probably the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix event that Singapore started hosting in 2008,' he said. The F1 Singapore GP's consistently stacked and high-quality off-track entertainment line-ups – with concerts by A-listers, built around the marquee race event – have been a template that has since been imitated by other F1 races around the world. 'The more concert and entertainment events Singapore hosts, the more experience the relevant stakeholders get at honing their craft,' said Cassim. 'This increases our levels of expertise to successfully deliver top-notch events.' For concert promoters as well, Singapore is a reliable choice, though it is the most expensive in the region. It costs about 25% to 30% more to stage a concert here, compared with other places in the region such as Seoul, Bangkok and Jakarta, noted Zaran Vachha, co-founder of independent touring company Collective Minds. 'Bringing someone like Lady Gaga here costs millions of dollars, and at that level, they don't want things to go wrong,' he said. 'And in the region, despite it being the most expensive, Singapore is the least risky place to do that – in terms of everything from securing venues, licensing, approvals and visas (for artistes and crew), to (ensuring) ticket demand. 'It's a safety net for both promoters and artistes.' Securing the next big fish While Singapore has a first-mover advantage in this space, and the ability to make it happen again, it should pursue this 'Singapore-exclusive' strategy for as long as it can before others catch up. 'Replicating Singapore's advantages as a tourist destination is challenging,' said SIT's Prof Lee, noting that organising such events involves well-oiled coordination between the public and private sectors – the government, venue operators, lodging and logistics. She added: 'As neighbouring countries continue to lag behind in competing with Singapore, it is crucial for Singapore to secure exclusive agreements. 'These should align with fan travel patterns, capitalise on logistical strengths, integrate additional activities for tourists to enjoy outside the concert, and closely observe emerging competitors in the region to adapt and adjust.' In 2024, Singapore hit a record S$29.8bil in tourism receipts, driven largely by visitors from markets such as China, Indonesia and Australia, said the Singapore Tourism Board (STB). Between January and September 2024, tourism receipts showed that spending grew across all categories, led by the sightseeing, entertainment and gaming category, which increased by 25 % to S$4.6bil. STB's outlook for 2025 is even more bullish, with expectations of receiving 17 million to 18.5 million international visitors, bringing in S$29bil to S$30.5bil in tourism receipts, surpassing 2024's numbers. After 2024's sold-out shows by Taylor Swift and 2025's run of shows by Lady Gaga, perhaps Singapore should angle for its next big fish in 2026. With such marquee concert events in the year attracting top tourism eyeballs and dollars, and with Singapore shifting priorities to quality tourism instead of quantity in terms of visitor numbers, the Republic must strike while the iron is hot – and continue on its rodeo run to lasso the highest stratosphere of superstars in the world. There is a very limited list of such stars, and one Beyonce Knowles-Carter – currently on her reportedly 94% sold-out run of Cowboy Carter shows around the US and Europe for 2025 – happens to be on it. — The Straits Times/ANN
The Star
6 days ago
- General
- The Star
Not all types of palms are created equal
Oil palm is such an important edible oil tree crop for the world. We all know oil palm is called 'sawit' in Malaysia and Indonesia, but ever wondered where this punchy little word came from? What's in a name? Fuelled by curiosity, I dove into some etymological sleuthing. The results? As rich and tangled as a fruit bunch – thorny, colourful and full of surprises. One theory traces sawit to the Javanese phrase 'sak wit', meaning one tree trunk. A fitting nod to the palm's upright stance. Folklore even tells of a majestic tree that towered over a village in Indonesia, inspiring its name – Sawit. Now that's a name with deep roots! Then comes another twist from the Indonesian dictionary: 'sawitan', referring to matching outfits. Could this reflect the oil palm fruits' synchronised ripening – either in their reddish-nigrescens charm or the virescent variety's orange glow? Fashionable indeed. Now here's the poetic angle: in old Javanese, sawit can mean 'necklace' or 'thread'. Imagine it – oil palm as a strand connecting lives and livelihoods across generations, draped like a legacy over the shoulders of South-East Asia. But wait – Tagalog brings in a wild card. Sawit there means 'non-stop chatter' (yes, verbal diarrhoea!). Apt for a crop that fuels heated talk: costs, taxes, trade wars, EU Deforestation Regulation, sustainability – you name it, sawit stirs the pot. And just when you think the word has run dry, along come the acronyms. SAWiT or South Asian Women in Tech, or South African Wine Industry Trust. From palm oil to IT and wine, this word truly spans the globe. A spiky connection: Oil palm versus snake fruit Did you know oil palm is called Kelapa Bali in Indonesia? Don't ask me why –even Google throws up its hands. But here's a fun twist: in Bahasa Sunda, it's affectionately known as salak minyak. Just don't confuse it with salah minyak (wrong oil), because in this case, the name fits beautifully. Why? Just look at an oil palm fresh fruit bunch. Spiky, reddish, tightly packed – basically a snake fruit (salak) that hit the gym and bulked up into an agri-industrial powerhouse. Add minyak (oil), and boom! You've got the perfect metaphor for this tropical titan. Now, salak isn't just some cute name. It means 'silver' in Sundanese, a nod to its shimmering, scaly skin. Like oil palm, snake fruit hides value beneath armour – both are nature's barbed treasures. Salak, native to Indonesia and Malaysia, is a close cousin in the palm family. Its snake-like skin grabs your attention, but inside? Sweet, tangy flesh that's both refreshing and a little astringent, depending on the variety. But beware the hard seeds – crunch at your own risk. The parallels with oil palm are uncanny: both are spiky, misunderstood and brimming with utility. Oil palm powers global food and industry; salak satisfies with its exotic, natural sweetness. Calling oil palm salak minyak isn't just poetic – it's a tribute to palm family resilience. But salak's legacy isn't just botanical – it's also geographic. In Malaysia, the name crops up in Salak Tinggi, Salak South, Kampung Salak, even the Salak Expressway. It's practically a postcode celebrity. Beyond Malaysia? Mount Salak looms in West Java. There's a Salak town in North Sumatra, a Salak village in Iran, and even one in northern Cameroon. Who knew this prickly fruit would plant its name across continents? So next time you see a sawit bunch or a snake fruit, pause. Beneath the spikes lie stories of strength, sweetness, and an unexpected global journey. Kelapa Sawit: A town with ghosts Did you know there's a town in Johor called Kelapa Sawit? Tucked along the Jalan Kulai–Air Hitam road, this quiet 'pekan' traces its roots to the 1950s Malayan Emergency, when Chinese villagers were relocated into New Villages. Today, it's a Hakka cultural gem, where time slows down and Singaporeans flock in on weekends for rustic charm and food trails. But not all is calm beneath the sawit canopy. Back in the 1990s, I heard of planters' whisper about the town's police station – dubbed one of Malaysia's most haunted lockups. Whether they were pranking me or not, the tales were chilling. Detainees, they claimed, were tormented by eerie presences, with some so scared they wet themselves. Ghosts from the Emergency or World War II? Who knows. But the haunted reputation stuck. Honestly, this place could outshine escape rooms – imagine a 'One Night Behind Bars' ghost-tourism dare. Eat your heart out, Ghostbusters! The sawit name pops up everywhere – Bukit Sawit, Sawit Seberang and across kampungs and plantations in South-East Asia. It's more than just oil palm; it's folklore, economy and identity rolled into one prickly package. Oil palm or palm oil? Here's a confession that might ruffle a few journalistic feathers: I get twitchy when people mix up oil palm industry with palm oil industry. Yes, I know – it sounds nitpicky. But trust me, the difference matters. The oil palm industry refers to the upstream side – plantations, planters, smallholders and estate work. It's where the real toil happens, from seed to fruit bunches. The palm oil industry kicks in downstream – refineries, oleochemicals, packagers – the glossier, processed side of the chain. Palm oil mills? They're the midstream bridge, turning fruit bunches into crude palm oil. Not quite upstream, not quite downstream. Somewhere in between with an identity crisis. So when we talk about Malaysia's plantation sector, what's the right label? My vote: oil palm industry. That's where the ecosystem begins. It powers everything else. Without upstream, there's no golden oil downstream. Now for pet peeve number two: misidentified oil palm trees in the media. You're reading a story about oil palms and – bam! – a date palm photo appears. It's like writing about elephants and showing a mammoth. What's next? Koala piece with a kangaroo pic? And artificial intelligence (AI)? Don't get me started. Some generated 'oil palm estate' images look like tropical Minecraft – bizarre fruit clusters, sci-fi trees and pristine fields straight out of an 1980s arcade game. Real estates are muddy, sweaty and full of heart. We don't float on sleek drones – we slog through rain and blazing sun. Why this matters Here's a quick botany refresher. The palm family (Arecaceae) has 2,600 species. But only Elaeis guineensis — the African oil palm – is the high-yielding, oil-churning, tropical superstar that fuels the global edible oil market. Date palms and coconut trees? Beautiful, but not in the same productivity league. Media missteps – wrong photos, wrong terms – may seem small, but they shape perception. If we want people to understand oil palm, we need accuracy in language and visuals. It's time for more media familiarisation, some Oil Palm 101, and also better AI prompts. So, next time you spot a date palm masquerading in an oil palm article, know this: someone's palms got crossed. Let's honour the industry by getting it right – because palm oil products don't just grow on trees. They grow livelihoods and they deserve to be seen clearly and respectfully. Joseph Tek Choon Yee has over 30 years experience in the plantation industry, with a strong background in oil palm research and development, C-suite leadership and industry advocacy. The views expressed here are the writer's own.
Filipino Times
6 days ago
- Health
- Filipino Times
Philippine Bureau of Animal Industry launched nationwide ASF awareness campaign
Philippine Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Animal Industry (DA-BAI) has recently launched a nationwide information dissemination project to raise public awareness about African Swine Fever (ASF) to provide more valuable information to our hog raisers. BAI commissioned New Perspective Media (NPM) Group, a 360-degree media, marketing, PR & communications agency, to lead the development and production of the campaign's audio and video materials, designed to educate the public on ASF prevention and control, particularly among backyard hog raisers and small-scale farmers. A key component of the campaign was a television commercial (TVC) in English and Tagalog, which was developed, translated, and dubbed into four major local dialects, namely Ilocano, Visayan, Ilonggo, and Bikol, to ensure accessibility and understanding in various regions across the Philippines. To reach wider audiences, a well-known Filipino blogger, Chan-Chan, was also tapped to serve as the face of the campaign and host of the TVC. He is widely recognized in the industry for creating engaging and informative content related to hog raising, making him a fitting choice to connect with the campaign's target audience. The campaign also included an animated version of the BAI's educational comic 'Super Pig,' which presents ASF-related content in a fun and simple storified format. Vince Ang, Chief Operating Officer of NPM Group, said: 'We have closely worked with DA-BAI to create materials that truly reflect the experiences of those most impacted by African Swine Fever. Our focus was on delivering important useful information in clear, easy to understand, using local languages and engaging formats, to equip farmers and communities with the knowledge they need to prevent ASF's spread and safeguard their animals and livelihoods.' ASF is a highly contagious viral disease that affects pigs, causing severe illness and often death. While it does not affect humans, it poses a significant threat to farmers and the swine industry. As ASF continues to affect parts of the Philippines, preventing its spread relies on increased public awareness and cooperation. The materials created through this project complement DA-BAI's ongoing efforts to promote biosecurity and responsible hog-raising practices across the country. The DA-BAI is a government agency responsible for protecting and promoting the country's livestock sector, as well as to safeguard animal health.
