In the Know

Ajinomoto umami culinary challenge

MANILA, Philippines - Every year since 2009, the Ajinomoto Umami Culinary Challenge (UCC) gathers the Philippines’ most creative and innovative culinarians. The event is now one of the country’s biggest intercollegiate culinary competitions.

This year, UCC attracted thousands of visitors and hundreds of HRM and Nutrition students from 51 Universities and Colleges.

Distinguished judges during the event included chefs Bruce Lim, Dino Datu, Sau del Rosario, Rosebud Benitez and nutrition experts Dr. Veritas Luna, Dr. Zenaida Narciso and Joan Sumpio. There were four competition categories that included the Best Filipino Umami Dish, Umami Bento Meal, My Eat Well, Live Well Plate and My Own Umami Creation.

La Consolacion College-Manila won the Best Filipino Umami Dish category with a Capampangan delicacy called sale bun utik (duck egg’s nest), and an Ilokano specialty called dinengdeng bouquet with crisp.

The task for the competitors in the Umami Bento Meal category was to come up with a Japanese-Filipino “fusion” bento meal. The 3rd place winner was De La Salle University-Dasmariñas with their sinigang rice burger with rellenong bangus maki, ginger calamansi sauce and fruit tartlet. Colegio de San Lorenzo bagged the 2nd place with their wayō bento. The top team was Rogationist College from Silang, Cavite with their Bento Seafoods Galore.

MSA’s academic learning program for summer

MSA Academic Advancement Institute has designed various academic programs for summer to help students sustain their learning and avoid mental relapse.

MSA is offering various levels of Merlene Math more popularly known as Singapore Math and English refresher courses for pre school to college students.

Review courses for entrance in UP, Ateneo, La Salle, UST and other colleges will be offered in all MSA branches this summer. An in-depth mastery program  for students entering the new K-12 curriculum will also be offered where they can choose a specific subject or combination of subjects to study in advance.

Visit www.msainstitute.com or call 925-7544/929-9145 or 929-9159  for inquiries.

DOT launches The Big Davao Fun sale

The Department of Tourism-Davao Regional Office (DOT-XI) launches The Big Davao Fun Sale, bringing together seven of Davao City’s biggest shopping centers in what is touted as the country’s first citywide shopping festival scheduled on March 14 to April 16. The sale will offer best-value deals with as much as 80 percent off on the widest range of products: from dining, local crafts, fruits, and flowers (March 14-April 16); health and beauty (March16-13); electronics and gadgets (March 24-30); home and travel (March 31-April 6); to fashion and active lifestyle (April 7-16).

The Big Davao Fun Sale will also feature a food festival organized by the Restaurants Association of Davao Inc. Shoppers will also have a chance to win raffle prizes such as iPhone 5 units, all-expense paid trip, and cash prizes.

For more details, visit www.facebook.com/TheBigDavaoFunSale, e-mail the organizers at dotr11@gmail.com or organiczar@gmail.com, or call 0928-9718988.

Bayan at Batas national essay writing winners

“Bayan at Batas,” a legal advice radio program (aired every Sunday over DZRB Radyo ng Bayan 738 khz on the AM band) awarded the winners of its 3rd National Essay Writing Cup for High School Students. Those who won were Scott Lee Chua of Xavier School Greenhills, third place for his piece “A Letter to a Great, Great Lolo”; Karin Shana Bangsoy of Small World Christian School Baguio, first place for “Yesterday’s Dream”; and Christine Beatrice Bautista Itchon of St. Mary’s School Cagayan de Oro, second place for “One Wish.” They received medals and cash prizes, as well as trophies for their respective schools. Entries to the contest and the winning essays will be published in a book, a copy of which will be placed in a time capsule to be opened in 2114. To listen to past episodes of the program, go to www.bayanatbatas.podbean.com. For more information, check out www.facebook.com/BayanatBatas.

McArthur Club exclusives for on-the-go execs

Captains of industry can now bask in five-star luxury in the middle of Manila’s historical quarter with the Manila Hotel’s MacArthur Club Exclusives package. Available until April 30, the promotion allows guests to experience the Hotel’s first-class service with its high-end business facilities.

The package includes accommodation in either a superior deluxe room or a sunset suite on the MacArthur Club Floor. Guests can make full use of the facilities available at the MacArthur Lounge, which include high-speed internet access, conference rooms and 24-hour butler service.

Executives booked via this package will enjoy their complimentary breakfast for two at the Lounge’s dining area, as well as high tea (3-5pm) and cocktails (6-8pm).

For inquiries and reservations, call 527-0011 local 1175 to 1179 or email resvn@manila-hotel.com.ph.

Trumpets playshop summer 2014

Enrollment is now open for kids, teens and adults who want to reload on their acting, singing, dancing, modeling, and speaking chops at Trumpet’s Playshop.

Kids ages 4 to 12 will enjoy Playshop’s trademark Children’s Theater and Children’s Musical Theater classes.

Teenagers who are looking to sharpen their performing techniques can try Playshop’s Musical Theater classes for Teens.

Kids and teens whose feet just can’t kick back and chill can groove their way into Playshop’s Streetdance classes, mentored by none other than The Maneouvers.

College students and busy professionals can enjoy summer 2014 the Playshop way by joining Musical Theater for Adults, Modeling and Starpower classes.

Classes begin on April 7 at The Podium, Global City and Alabang and other satellite venues.

Visit www.trumpetsplayshop.com for full course descriptions. Call 636-2842 and 0917-5864177 or drop by TRUMPETS MusicAdemy (5th Level, Shangri-la Plaza Mall) for inquiries.

Pasinaya goes the extra mile

In celebration of its 10th anniversary this year, the CCP Pasinaya Open House Festival on March 16, Sunday, extends its reach and boundaries beyond the CCP Complex to include other cultural sites such as the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, National Museum, Bahay Tsinoy, Casa Manila, Museo Pambata and 1335 Mabini.

The expansion of Pasinaya, according to CCP artistic director Chris Millado, makes Manila and Pasay the most creative places on earth, at least for a day. “We hope to infect the whole city with this spirit of creativity,” Millado said.

More than 3,000 artists and 300 institution-based, community-based and school-based artistic groups will participate in the 2014 CCP Pasinaya.

Pasinaya at the CCP begins at 7:30 am with the Marine and Bugle Team heralding the festivities. This will be followed by the official opening ceremonies and street parade.

At the Pasinaya partner institutions, performances and various cultural activities start at 2 pm. Art jeepneys will ferry audiences to partner museums for free.

For more information, call 832-1125 local 1607.

Virgin labfest 10 writing fellowship program

The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) is now accepting applications for the Virgin Labfest 10 Writing Fellowship Program which will be held on June 24 to July 6. The Virgin Labfest 10 Writing Fellowship Program is a project of the CCP Artist Training Division of the Arts Education Department.

The Virgin Labfest 10 Writing Fellowship is a two-week mentorship program on the study and practice of dramatic writing for the stage, for college students and young professionals 29 years old and below. The fellows will take part in lectures, discussions, and workshops. They will be given access to this year’s festival plays and selected rehearsals, and participate in the Talkback and Interaction with playwrights, directors and actors. The Fellowship Program will culminate in a staged reading of the fellows’ works.

Deadline for submission of requirements is on May 15. For inquiries, visit www.culturalcenter.gov.ph, e-mail ccp.artist.training@gmail.com, or call 832-1125 loc 1605.

SSS steps up overseas campaign

The Social Security System (SSS) collected P2.8 billion in contributions from overseas Filipino workers (OFW) from January to November 2013.

The number of OFW-members surpassed 923,000 last year, bolstered by the agency’s sustained campaign to attract migrant workers by highlighting the value of SSS coverage, promoting reactivation of SSS membership, and setting up foreign representative offices in countries with high OFW populations.

SSS reminds OFWs of changes in the Social Security and Flexi-fund programs caused by the new contribution schedule that took effect in January. Starting this year, OFW contributions range from P550 based on the P5,000 minimum monthly salary credit (MSC) for OFWs, to a maximum of P1,760 per month, in line with the new P16,000 MSC ceiling and 11 percent contribution rate. T

In line with existing Flexi-fund guidelines, any amount not lower than P200 paid on top of the maximum monthly SSS contribution of P1,760 starting with the applicable month of January 2014 is automatically credited as Flexi-fund savings.