Rose Pharmacy’s 1st wellness festival draws crowds, turns into a celebration in Cebu

CEBU CITY – Rose Pharmacy’s first mall event, a Carnival-Themed Health and Wellness Festival held on April 29 - 30, 2026 at the Atrium of Robinsons Galleria Cebu, drew more than 600 mallgoers of families and health enthusiasts to experience an engaging mix of wellness education, entertainment, and exclusive offerings.

“Seeing families come together to learn, engage, and prioritize their health made this event truly meaningful. This festival reflects our ongoing commitment to empowering communities through accessible and enjoyable healthcare experiences,” a company spokesperson shared.

The two-day event transformed the venue into a lively carnival space of making healthcare more accessible, Rose Pharmacy delivered an immersive experience that encouraged attendees to take a more active role in their well-being.

Festivalgoers enjoyed a wide array of activities, including interactive supplier booths, exclusive promos, product highlights, festive food selections, and live entertainment performances that kept energy levels high throughout the event.

Informative health and wellness talk also took center stage, featuring experts who shared practical insights on preventive care and healthy living, which drew strong participation from the Cebu community, with many families and individuals taking part in the various activities and learning sessions.

The event’s accessible format — combining fun and education — helped create a welcoming space where health could be both understood and celebrated. As one of the country’s leading drugstore chains, Rose Pharmacy continues to champion initiatives that promote preventive care and healthier lifestyles, particularly across the Visayas and Mindanao.

The success of the Health and Wellness Festival underscores the company’s dedication to building stronger, healthier communities through innovative and inclusive programs. Founded in Cebu in 1952, Rose Pharmacy is one of the Philippines’ leading drugstore chains and a trusted provider of quality, affordable medicines in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Mezzo Hotel shines at 9, unveils month-long deals

CEBU CITY – Mezzo Hotel Cebu celebrates its 9th Anniversary this May with “Shine at Nine: ETCHing Excellence Through Time,” a month-long campaign filled with exclusive offers, dining experiences, and summer activities. The initiative aims to reward loyal guests while driving new bookings from international travelers and locals, corporate partners, and travelers.

At the same time, the hotel elevates its daily atmosphere with curated food and beverage offers, leisure activities, and interactive experiences—creating a lively and celebratory environment across all outlets.

Promotional highlights include room offers with “Sparkling Stays” -- Guests can enjoy significantly reduced room rates when they book within May 1–31, 2026, with stay dates valid until December 31, 2026. Rates start as low as ₱1,999 per night for a Superior Room (room only), with options available across all room categories including Deluxe, Suites, and the spacious Barkada Room—ideal for group stays.

Social Event Packages “Exclusive Banquet” -- perfect for celebrations and corporate functions, banquet packages start at ₱800 per person for a minimum of 100 guests. Clients can secure their events by booking and paying a 20% deposit until May 31, 2026, with event dates valid through December 2026. Smaller gatherings are also accommodated with flexible packages at Café Mezzo.

Food and Beverage offers, “Culinary Shine” -- dining guests can indulge in 20% discounts on food and beverages throughout May at Café Mezzo and Piscine. Highlights include a Last Friday Buffet on May 29 at a special rate of ₱799 per person, and a birthday treat where May celebrants receive a complimentary petite cake with a minimum spend.

Summer Sunshine Experiences, “Dip N’ Dine” -- promo offers pool access and dining perks for only ₱500 for two persons.  Sip & Paint session with Cebuano Contemporary Artist Jean Govinda on May 23, provides a creative escape combining art, refreshments, and relaxation in a vibrant setting, for only P1,499 per person.

A Celebration of Growth and Gratitude

“Shine at Nine” reflects Mezzo Hotel’s journey of continuous growth, innovation, and dedication to service excellence. As the hotel celebrates this milestone, it remains committed to delivering memorable stays, meaningful experiences, and outstanding value for every guest.

With a full calendar of promotions and activities, Mezzo Hotel invites everyone to be part of this milestone celebration—where every moment shines and every experience is etched with excellence.

For inquiries and reservations: +63 (32) 231 0777
📧 reservations@mezzohotel.com www.mezzohotel.com Facebook and Instagram: @mezzohotelcebu www.mezzohotel.com. (Photos: Mezzo Hotel/FB/Google Images)

 

Caja Kitchen Cebu unveils Mother’s Day Buffet Offerings for 2026

CEBU CITY— A warm and heartfelt dining experience awaits families looking to celebrate the most important woman in their lives.  In every home, there is a quiet strength that holds everything together—a presence that nurtures, sacrifices, and loves without measure. 

This Mother’s Day, Caja Kitchen Cebu invites families to gather around the table and honor that unwavering love with a thoughtfully curated buffet experience designed to celebrate every mom.

Set in the heart of Cebu, Caja Kitchen Cebu creates the perfect backdrop for meaningful celebrations, where heartfelt conversations meet a generous spread of well-loved dishes. This year’s Mother’s Day offering is crafted to transform simple gatherings into lasting memories, combining comforting flavors with a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

Guests may enjoy special buffet offerings across select dates:

●May 8–9, 2026 – Php 688 per person (Regular Dinner Buffet)

●May 10, 2026 – Php 748 per person (Lunch & Dinner Special Buffet)

The Mother’s Day special on May 10 features an enhanced spread, perfect for marking the occasion with an elevated dining experience shared among family members.

Caja Kitchen Cebu offers convenient venues for diners through its two accessible locations: Capitol Site +63 32 505 3333/ +63 917 624 1455; North Reclamation- +63 32 230 6777 and +63 917 624 1840.

Whether it’s an intimate gathering or a full family reunion, Caja Kitchen Cebu provides a space where every mother can feel truly appreciated. With its signature blend of hearty cuisine and inviting ambiance, the restaurant ensures that each celebration becomes a meaningful tribute to the love and dedication mothers give every day.

This Mother’s Day, go beyond the usual and create moments that linger—with good food, shared laughter, and heartfelt gratitude at Caja Kitchen Cebu.

 

Lunch served at the 48th ASEAN Summit, truly Filipino

MACTAN NEWTOWN-- Curious what lunch was like for the ASEAN Prime Ministers, Presidents and the delegates at the 48^th ASEAN Summit on May 8 at the Mactan Expo, Mactan Newtown in Lapu-lapu City?

“The brief was deceptively simple: create a dining experience worthy of Royalty, Prime Ministers and Presidents!” For Chef Marco and Kate Dychangco- Anzani, this wasn’t about excess or theatrics. It was about identity, through a Filipino lens, refined, elevated, unmistakably world-class. It was a big task, Kate told Manila Standard.

She said that at ASEAN’s Presidential Summit, where leaders of Southeast Asia would gather under one roof, diplomacy would be conducted not just through speeches and policy—but through the quiet, powerful language of food.

For Chef Marco, he was hesitant at first.  He didn’t want to do it, but Kate assured him that his global technical, refined and elevated technique would guide him well.  The couple made the menu together, masculine - feminine. Filipino Purist vs Modern Contemporary, Kate described it.

“By dawn, the kitchen was already alive. A brigade of chefs moved with precision—no shouting, no chaos, just a kind of focused elegance,” Kate shared.  “The menu didn’t read like a lunch/dinner—it reads like a diplomatic script,” she added.

Kate recalled that the menu had been months in the making. If there was anything that the Food and Wine Festivals revealed to them, was access to local ingredients throughout the entire Philippines.  All the flavors of it.  The Menu was going to be a culinary journey of the Philippines.

What the lunch spread looks like

Kate shared that lunch began quietly. Artisanal bread and butter, but this wasn’t a filler. Brown grain Cordillera bread, warm and grounding, paired with crab fat (aligue) butter--rich, indulgent, distinctly Filipino. It was the opening line: “We know who we are.”

“Then we served a poached lobster medallion, resting on cauliflower espuma and wild asparagus. It looked like a painting. Ocean and Garden: The Pearl of the Orient,” Kate described the dish with precision.

The room shifted from the diplomatic conversation to the sea:  Adlai risotto, creamy with sea urchin, lifted by coconut cream and pili nut pesto. Finished with the humble squash flower- crispy and subtle.  A humble grain, elevated to presidential level. This was strategy—taking something local and making it impossible to ignore, Kate bared.

By the time the Chef Duo of Flavors arrived, conversations had softened. Bukidnon Kitayama Beef on smoked eggplant—deep, complex, confident. Lapulapu fish (Cebu) on sweet potato, string--delicate, balanced, intentional. Two proteins, two stories. One message: Harmony.

And then, the dessert. Not one, but a sweet bite trio, each piece carrying memory and reinvention: Cannolo di turon—Filipino street food dressed in couture; Kalamansi bonbon—from Bohol bright, sharp, unforgettable, and Maja blanca rosquillos cheesecake—heritage turned into art.

“No one rushed. No one spoke immediately, because this wasn’t just food, it was positioning,” Kate said, adding that somewhere between the aligue butter and the kalamansi bonbon, something important had happened: “The Philippines didn’t just host the summit. It defined it.”

As the last plates were cleared and the final glasses pulled out, the kitchen exhaled. No applause, no spectacle—just the quiet satisfaction of knowing they had delivered something rare-- a table where Southeast Asia didn’t just meet. It connected.

By noon, agreements had been softened, tensions eased, alliances warmed—not just by negotiation, but by shared experience. They had done more than serve a meal. It had hosted a moment in history, Kate proudly beamed. (Photos & First-hand Narrative from Kate DyChangco-Anzani/FB)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cebu to implement P20 Rice Project via FTI Kadiwa Centers

CEBU CITY – The Cebu Provincial Government is set to implement the P20 Rice Project, a national initiative designed to provide vulnerable and marginalized sectors with consistent access to affordable rice through a memorandum of agreement (MOA) signed on April 29, between the Capitol and the Food Terminal
Inc. (FTI).

Governor Pamela Baricuatro on behalf of the provincial government and FTI President and CEO Joseph Rudolph Lo sealed the corporation of capping the price of rice at P20 per kilo.  The realization of the agreement was made possible through a resolution authored by Seventh District Provincial Board (PB) Member Caesar Baricuatro.

The P20 Rice Project aims to alleviate the financial burden on low-income families and ensure regional food sufficiency. Beyond immediate relief, the partnership reinforces the decentralized authority granted by the Local Government Code of 1991.

This legislative support builds upon previous provincial efforts to maintain food security, such as the Deed of Donation for rice sacks facilitated by PB Member Nelson Mondigo during calamities that hit Cebu in 2025.

According to Baricuatro, the agreement empowers the Provincial government to take a proactive role in food security and social equity, ensuring that national agricultural policies are executed with local precision and direct accountability to the constituents.

FTI-KADIWA Centers serve as the official distribution hubs across the province and acts as the project’s logistical backbone, utilizing a community-centered approach to ensure that subsidized rice reaches the intended beneficiaries without delay, FTI CEO said.

Food Terminal Inc., is a Government-Owned and Controlled Corporation (GOCC) under the Department of Agriculture (DA) committed to enhance food processing and distribution networks throughout the Philippines.

This collaboration with Cebu marks a significant step forward in making essential staples more accessible to every Filipino household, Baricuatro said. (Photos: Capitol PIO)

ATGA launches Australian Table Grapes PH season in Cebu

CEBU CITY – The Australian Table Grape Association (ATGA) launched the 2026 Australian Table grapes season in Cebu with a live cooking demonstration held at The Marketplace Robinsons Galleria Cebu, bringing the Australian Table Grapes experience directly to Filipino shoppers.

“The Philippines continues to be one of our most important and valued export markets, and this event brings Australian grapes even closer to our consumers. Cebu is another key region where we want to grow with the support of our partners in the Philippines.,” said Jeff Scott, CEO of the Australian Table Grape Association (ATGA), in his opening remarks at the event on April 17, highlighting the importance of the Philippines market to the Australian Table Grapes industry.

Scott said Australian table grape exports to the Philippines have grown steadily in recent years, with the country consistently ranking among Australia’s top export destinations for the category. ATGA expects that momentum to continue in 2026, supported by strong supply, an expanded variety mix, and growing Filipino demand for premium imported fruit.

This activation is part of the 2026 campaign that features in-store sampling, eye-catching displays, digital and social media activity, and point-of-sale materials designed to help shoppers identify Australian-grown grapes and learn more about the different varieties available this season.

Scott said that ATGA is the peak industry body representing Australian table grape growers. It is dedicated to advancing the interests of its members through advocacy, research, and marketing initiatives that promote the quality and sustainability of Australian Table Grapes.

Australia’s 2026 table grape season is underway with strong export momentum, especially to Asia.  After trade restrictions were lifted, Australia can now export 130+ grape varieties to markets like Japan and the Philippines, up from just Crimson Seedless, Red Globe, and Thompson Seedless before, Scott bared.

Philippines access, it is the first country allowed to use cold treatment in transit for pest control for table grapes, citrus, cherries, apples, pears, and kiwifruit, Scott said that trade briefings across five to six Asian countries show demand is set to be exceptionally strong again this season. Last year exports grew 300 percent from 3,500 tonnes to nearly 10,000 tonnes, he added.

Australian Table Grapes showcases recipes at the event

Chef Celina David showcased the versatility of the fruit through three recipes — the savory Trio Queso Nacho Grape Pico, the sweet Woodland Panna Cotta with Rosemary Balsamico, and the refreshing Sparkling Twilight Grape Velvet Lassi.

“This program is a great way for us to share the sweetness and story of Australian Table Grapes to Filipino families here in Cebu,” said Jesse White, International Marketing Manager, Australian Table Grapes Association.

The Australian grapes season launch at Robinson Galleria Cebu drew strong engagement from shoppers, media, retail partners and key opinion leaders, with ATGA leadership in attendance further reinforcing the industry’s commitment to on-ground consumer engagement.

The event had free tasting of new-season varieties like Sweet Globe, Autumn Crisp, Cotton Candy; meet-the-grower or trade rep segments; promos/discounts on Australian grapes in the supermarket section; cooking demos or pairing tips and photo ops and giveaways. (Photos: MBCNewman)