Promenade/Theater Mall all aglow

MANILA, Philippines - Christmas came alive at Greenhills Promenade and Theater Mall with the recently held official Christmas lighting ceremony when Ken Chan of GMA’s Destiny Rose, Jake Vargas, Prince Villanueva and Sanya Lopez joined Music Museum Group, Inc. (MMGI) president Precy Florentino and other MMGI officials in switching on hundreds of glittery parols.

They were joined by German “Kuya Germs” Moreno, Walang Tulugan co-hosts John Nite and Sharmaine Santiago, Music Museum Group VPs Paolo Mendoza and Rosalina Mendoza.

The Christmas lighting ceremony is an annual tradition in this part of Greenhills that is enlivened by the presence of stars and entertainment personalities. The dining, shopping and entertainment enclave is best known among leisure lovers for its favorite performance venues, the Music Museum and Teatrino, the Greenhills Cinemas, the first movie theaters in the country to show movies in state-of-the-art sound technology, Dolby Atmos and its lively mix of shops and restaurants.

The lighting ceremony also touched off a series of engaging Christmas activities at the Promenade and Theater Mall. The Teatrino Film Series, a Philippine independent movie festival put together by Heneral Luna director Jerrold Tarog in September 2014, regaled moviegoers with weekend movie treats at the Teatrino up to Dec. 19.

The films that were screened were Tarog’s Senior Year and Sana Dati, Prime Cruz’s Sleepless, Ian Lorenos’ Alagwa, Alvin Yapan’s Ang Sayaw ng Dalawang Paa, Mihk Vergara’s Patintero: Ang Alamat ni Meng Patalo, Jason Paul Laxamana’s Magkakabaung, Sigrid Andrea Bernardo’s Lorna and Pepe Diokno’s Above the Clouds.

There’s also a Star Wars exhibit featuring rare Star Wars toys and memorabilia at the new Promenade Hall. Shoppers may join the X-Wing Game Tournament and witness the launch of the Darth Vader Annual #1 at the venue. Filipino comic book artist Leinil Francis Yu of Marvel Comics had an autograph-signing session for comic book fans.