NEWS
Plan epic watch parties this February with new titles from Lionsgate Play
January 30, 2024 9:15 p.m.
Mark your calendars as Lionsgate Play unveils must-watch titles hitting their platform this month – from suspenseful thrillers and gripping true crime docu-series to heartwarming comedies and everything in between. It’s an entertainment-packed February, perfect for planning that barkada binge or organizing an indoor date night with that special someone. Check out what’s new on Lionsgate Play this month.
Mark your calendars as Lionsgate Play unveils must-watch titles hitting their platform this month – from suspenseful thrillers and gripping true crime docu-series to heartwarming comedies and everything in between. It’s an entertainment-packed February, perfect for planning that barkada binge or organizing an indoor date night with that special someone. Check out what’s new on Lionsgate Play this month.
Top picks for the month
The Rental (Film) – Release Date: February 2
Dave Franco’s directorial debut is a slow-burn edge-of-your-seat thriller meant to scratch at the viewer’s paranoia. It follows two couples who retreat to an oceanside getaway which quickly turns into a nightmare vacation when they discover that their Airbnb host might be spying on them. Tensions also rise as hidden resentments and secrets begin to surface among the four old friends. The Rental stars Jeremy Allen White, Dan Steves, Alison Brie, and Shiela Vand.
Midsommar (Film) – Release date: February 9
Ari Aster’s Midsommar has cemented itself as one of the most iconic films in its genre. The horror-thriller features a young American couple traveling to Northern Europe to visit a rural hometown’s fabled Swedish mid-summer festival. What starts as an idyllic escape descends into a nightmare as they get tangled in the community’s violent and sinister pagan rituals. Midsommar stars Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, Will Poulter, and William Jackson Harper.
Deadbeat Seasons 1-3 (Series) – Release date: February 9
Those in the mood for a comedy binge will find what they need in Deadbeat, a hilarious supernatural series following the misadventures of Kevin, a medium for hire. Across Deadbeat’s seasons, Kevin juggles attempts to solve various ghosts’ unresolved problems while dealing with his messy personal life. Occasionally, he gets help from his best friend-slash-drug dealer, Roofie. Deadbeat stars Tyler Labine, Kal Penn, Brandon T. Jackson, and Cat Deeley.
Wrong Man Seasons 1-2 (Series) – Release date: February 16
Wrong Man is a docu-series that sheds light on the devastating consequences of wrongful convictions. It investigates the criminal convictions of people who claim their innocence: A Black man sentenced to death for the alleged brutal murder of a babysitter in 1984, a woman convicted of the kidnapping and murder of her ex-boyfriend’s wife and infant son, another woman accused of beating someone to death, and more. More than being an interesting watch for true crime enthusiasts, Wrong Man teaches viewers about the importance of due process and the fight for human rights within the legal system.
More exciting content this month
Insomnia (Series) – Release date: February 2
Norwegian thriller Insomnia follows a group of strangers who wake up and find themselves trapped in a building, forced to play a game called “Insomnia.” As it turns out, the illegal game is a costly form of entertainment held once a year in an exclusive casino for the rich who place bets on the players.
Knowing (Movie) – Release date: February 9
In Knowing, Nicholas Cage plays MIT professor John Koestler who discovers a mysterious list of numbers that somehow correspond to past and future world disasters. Convinced the sequence predicts future tragedies, John sets out to decipher the list and prevent the ultimate catastrophe.
Pulse (Movie) – Release date: February 16
Pulse, the American remake of Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Japanese horror film, Kairo, delves into a world of digital horror. It centers around a computer hacker who accidentally channels a mysterious wireless signal and awakens a terrifying evil that starts to take over the world.
Bite Me Seasons 1-2 (Series) – Release date: February 16
Three die-hard gamers discover their town is overrun by zombies in American comedy-horror Bite Me. Threatened with a zombie apocalypse, the trio realizes they must use their gaming skills to survive, rescue their friends, and ultimately save the world.
Soul Survivors (Movie) – Release date: February 16
After surviving a fatal car accident that killed her boyfriend, college student Cassie is haunted by guilt and terrifying supernatural visions. Cassie spends time in limbo, torn between the land of the living and the afterlife, where she believes her lover is trapped. Her friends Annabel and Matt attempt to help her cope with her grief, but somewhere along the way, Cassie begins to doubt their intentions.
Aside from these exciting titles, Lionsgate Play is also set to release Fear the Nighton February 2 and Power Book III: Raising Kanan on February 23.
Catch these must-watch movies and series plus more only on Lionsgate Play on PLDT Home!
NEWS
SmarTrade Talks Financial Literacy with Future Business Leaders at National Teachers College
7:28 p.m. July 11, 2025
SmarTrade, a leader in empowering Filipinos with comprehensive financial education, trading insights, and market strategies, continues its university outreach initiatives to help young individuals make informed financial decisions and develop essential skills for their futures.
The company was at the National Teachers College (NTC) in Mendiola for the school’s “The Professional’s Playbook in Action” Leadership Series where Ed Saguibo, SmarTrade’s Head of Learning and Development, was invited as guest speaker for the special segment “LEFT BRAIN FOCUS: Financial Precision”.
Saguibo’s talk, attended by Business Administration students, focused on the timely and relevant topic of “Quantitative Decision Making and Identifying Poor Decisions in Financial Choices,” a critical area of knowledge for future professionals navigating today’s increasingly complex financial landscape. He emphasized how data-backed decisions can positively impact personal and business finances, providing technical insights combined with real-life scenarios and common decision-making pitfalls to offer practical tools that students can immediately apply.
“It’s not just about making smart decisions, it’s about making informed ones. When students learn how to analyze numbers and spot red flags in their financial behavior early on, they are better prepared to lead successful financial lives, whether as entrepreneurs, professionals, or investors,” said Saguibo.
This is SmarTrade’s third campus engagement for the year under its nationwide campaign P.A.R.T.N.E.R. Summit (Profitable Alliances: Reshaping Trading Networks for Endless Rewards), which aims to promote financial literacy and readiness among students and young professionals. The campaign is built around a vision of equipping Filipinos with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate and thrive in the trading and investment world. By incorporating school engagements, SmarTrade continues to lay the groundwork for a financially empowered generation.
“We’re proud to bring this advocacy to institutions like the National Teachers College,” said Joyce Mayo, President and CEO of SmarTrade. “Education is at the core of what we do, and through our P.A.R.T.N.E.R. campaign, we aim to go beyond trading to build a community of financially literate Filipinos. These students are the future, and it’s our role to help shape that future through opportunity and learning.”
To inquire on how your college, university, or student organization can be part of the P.A.R.T.N.E.R. Summit campaign, email events@smartrade.com.ph. To learn more about SmarTrade and its services, including free training sessions and personalized coaching, visit www.smartradeph.com or follow their official Facebook and Instagram pages.
NEWS
Political Pump makes waves at PH Blockchain Week
7:30 a.m. July 10, 2025
In a sea of short-lived hype cycles token launches, Political Pump is emerging as a cultural movement for the next generation of crypto enthusiasts. Showcased at Philippine Blockchain Week 2025, the platform brings a new, safer frontier for meme coin lovers, one where you can buy, hold, and sleep soundly.
Political Pump is not just another meme coin, it’s a decentralized collectible platform where political figures meet blockchain in a unique blend of satire, scarcity, and community governance. Each politician-based micro memecoin has a fixed supply and is launched without presales or insider allocations. True to the spirit of decentralization, 100% of liquidity is burned, ensuring fair, transparent, and tamper-proof tokenomics. It’s not just a token. It’s a conversation. A collectible. A piece of digital history.
(Photo from Philippine Blockchain Week: Jose Manuel Torres, Co-Founder of Political Pump)
“This isn’t just another meme coin. It’s a statement,” said Jose Manuel Torres, Co-Founder of Political Pump. “We launched without presales, private allocations, or team-controlled wallets. Every coin is market-driven, with all liquidity burned, ensuring there’s no room for manipulation. No secret deals, no backroom games—just pure, transparent crypto play. We don’t believe in governance tokens or centralized control. We believe the people should speak through the free market.”
From left to right: Chezka Gonzales, Vice President of Blockchain Council of the Philippines and Co Founder of Philippine Blockchain Week, Donnalyn Bartolome, multi-talented Filipina personality, Jose Manuel Torres, Co-Founder of Political Pump Political Pump piqued interest and stood out alongside other noteworthy innovations and meme coin activations at Philippine Blockchain Week 2025, a true celebration of culture, technology, and community-led finance. If you missed out, learn more by visiting www.politicalpump.com.
NEWS
Makati Business Club believes Customs chief Nepomuceno can reform, modernize agency
5:39 p.m. July 26, 2025
In a strong show of confidence from the country’s premier business group, Makati Business Club (MBC) Executive Director Rafael “Apa” Ongpin praised Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno during a recent high-profile interview, calling him a man of “great integrity” and a capable leader poised to reform and modernize the agency.
“We discussed him in Makati Business Club. Quite a few members are familiar with him — apparently, he came from the private sector. He has a good reputation,” Ongpin said, speaking on behalf of the business community’s early impressions of the newly appointed Customs chief.
Ongpin commended Nepomuceno’s intelligence and openness to innovation: “Apparently he’s very bright, he’s very up to date with technology — and he has great integrity. So, we have high hopes for this guy, Mr. Nepomuceno.”
Commissioner Nepomuceno, who previously held key roles in both government and the private sector, has been widely expected to bring a more results-oriented and transparent leadership style to the BOC. The endorsement from the MBC — an influential voice in Philippine economic policy and governance — adds momentum to ongoing reform efforts at Customs, long seen as a critical chokepoint in trade facilitation and anti-smuggling operations.
Observers note that such public praise from the business sector underscores the importance of trust and modernization in government institutions.
Commissioner Nepomuceno, meanwhile, has previously vowed to lead the BOC with transparency, digitalization, and accountability as top priorities.
SmarTrade Talks Financial Literacy with Future Business Leaders at National Teachers College
Political Pump makes waves at PH Blockchain Week
Shell empowers Filipino SMEs thru award-winning Fleet App
