Rising Together: URC Flour Launches ‘SUGOD BAKERY’ to Empower Filipino Bakers

 

Universal Robina Corporation (URC) Flour is officially igniting a new era for the local baking industry with the launch of SUGOD BAKERY, a high-impact nationwide campaign dedicated to the growth, modernization, and triumph of Filipino bakers. Positioned as a transformative movement rather than a mere program, SUGOD BAKERY is designed to bridge the gap between time-honored traditions and modern excellence. This ambitious initiative serves a dual-purpose mission: equipping community bakers with cutting-edge technical skills while fueling their businesses with the world-class flour products that have made URC a household name.

A Festival-Powered Revolution in Baking

In a one-of-a-kind implementation, URC Flour is taking the SUGOD BAKERY campaign to the heart of the Philippines' most vibrant celebrations through strategic partnerships with Local Government Units (LGUs). This collaboration brings innovative baking solutions and essential upskilling directly to local bakers in their own provinces. The campaign will travel nationwide, activating its high-energy presence in Naga, Cagayan de Oro, Zamboanga City, and throughout Quezon in Lucban, Sariaya, and Lucena.

SHAPING THE FUTURE OF LOCAL BAKING

Beyond providing high-quality flour products, URC Flour is dedicated to being a true business partner. By sharing professional tips and strategic recommendations for expansion, URC FLOUR aims to equip local bakeries with the tools they need to grow from neighborhood favorites into thriving enterprises.

Fueling the Future of the Filipino Bakeshop

SUGOD BAKERY transcends the typical workshop by offering a comprehensive support ecosystem that addresses every facet of a baker’s journey. The campaign brings industry experts directly to these festival hubs to share the latest trends in innovative recipes and efficient production methods, ensuring local bakers stay ahead of a rapidly evolving market. More than just baking, URC Flour offers practical tips on food safety, pricing, and marketing to help you run a more profitable bakeshop. By combining these professional insights with direct education on URC’s premium flour portfolio, the campaign ensures that every loaf of pandesal and every pastry produced meets the gold standard of quality, ultimately uplifting the livelihoods of the entrepreneurs who serve as the nation’s food industry backbone.

"At URC, we believe our growth is fueled by the success of our local bakers, which is why the launch of SUGOD BAKERY marks our evolution from a mere supplier into a dedicated business partner. We aren't just selling flour; we are investing in the

people who use it. By delivering premium products, modern technology, and technical expertise directly to our provinces, we are committed to providing the tools every Filipino baker needs to elevate their craft and build a more profitable, prosperous, and sustainable future,” shared Naida Ebora, Commercial Director, URC Flour Division.

PARTNERS FOR GROWTH URC Flour believes that the success of a bakery is built on more than just the quality of the ingredients—it’s built on the growth of the hands that knead the dough. With the SUGOD BAKERY program, the company reiterates its position of being “We are partners for growth for bakeries nationwide.”

With the nationwide roll-out of SUGOD BAKERY, URC Flour reinforces its position as an industry leader driven by innovation and community impact. As the campaign reaches these key regions, bakers can expect a hands-on partner ready to help them rise to new heights.

Colores de Verano 3: A Celebration of Color, Community, and Contemporary Filipino Art

 

For the third consecutive year, the vibrant collective Artistica PH returns with Colores de Verano 3, a group exhibition that captures the warmth, energy, and diversity of the Filipino creative spirit. Held at the LRI Pavilion on the second floor of the LRI Design Plaza along Nicanor Garcia Street (formerly Reposo Street), the exhibit runs from May 5 to May 30, 2026.

Strategically located between SM Jazz and St. Andrew the Apostle Parish, the venue offers an intimate yet dynamic setting for art lovers and collectors to engage with a wide array of works. The exhibit is open to the public from Mondays to Saturdays, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, making it accessible to both casual visitors and serious collectors.

Maita Fernandez' artworks

At the heart of Colores de Verano 3 is a celebration of color and medium. The show features an eclectic mix of artworks executed in watercolor, acrylic, oil pastel, and mixed media—each piece reflecting the unique voice and technique of its creator. From delicate washes to bold textures, the exhibit showcases how Filipino artists continue to push creative boundaries while remaining rooted in cultural expression.

One of the featured artists this year is Maita Fernandez (who I'm so proud of, as she's also my second cousin), whose work adds a distinct perspective to the collective narrative. Her pieces stand alongside those of fellow Artistica PH members, forming a cohesive yet diverse visual dialogue that invites viewers to interpret themes of summer, emotion, and identity. She's honored and grateful to have her works featured in Colores de Verano 3 alongside an inspiring roster of artists and guest artist/critic Cid Reyes.

The Artists’ Reception, scheduled for the afternoon of May 9, is an invitation-only gathering that offers a more personal encounter with the artists behind the works. It serves as a space for conversation, appreciation, and deeper insight into the creative processes that shape the exhibit.

For those who wish to preview the collection, an online catalog is available via QR code, providing a convenient way to explore the artworks ahead of a visit. As of this writing, two pieces have already been sold—an encouraging sign of the exhibit’s resonance with collectors and audiences alike.

Now in its third year, Colores de Verano continues to grow not just as an annual exhibition, but as a platform that nurtures artistic collaboration and visibility. Through the consistent efforts of Artistica PH, it stands as a testament to the thriving contemporary art scene in the Philippines—one that is colorful, evolving, and deeply connected to its community.

Araneta City marks Mother’s Day with weeklong 'Her MoMents' celebration

 

Araneta City, the City of Firsts, is marking Mother’s Day with a weeklong lineup of activities that puts the spotlight on mothers—from community-driven markets to wellness experiences and family-oriented events.

From May 7 to 10, the City of Firsts will host a series of on-ground activations across its malls, offering Araneta City-zens different ways to celebrate and spend time with the women at the center of their families.

“Mothers hold together not just families, but entire communities,” said Marjorie Go, Vice President for Marketing of Araneta City. “We want to have a City-wide celebration that will allow families to bond in ways that are meaningful to them, whether that’s through shared experiences, simple moments, or supporting local communities.”

Well Mama Expo (May 7 to 10)

The celebration opens with the Well Mama Expo at Quantum Skyview of Gateway Mall 2, featuring products and services focused on mothers’ health and well-being. The expo brings together wellness brands offering food options, self-care products, and services that support a more balanced lifestyle. There will also be a raffle and freebies for all participants.

Dining raffle promo (May 8 to 10)

A special treat awaits moms at World Kitchens, a destination for global flavors located at Level 4 of Gateway Mall 2. Diners who reach a minimum spend of P5,000 may join the raffle for a chance to win dining vouchers and a staycation at Novotel Manila Araneta City. This is a perfect gift not just for mothers but also for the entire family.

Mother's Day Market (May 8 to 10)

In partnership with POP QC, Araneta City will host the Mother’s Day Market at the General MacArthur Avenue activity area of Ali Mall. The market will feature products from Quezon City-based solo parents, persons with disabilities, persons deprived of liberty, and small business owners. The market highlights grassroots entrepreneurship while offering shoppers a more purposeful way to find gifts.

For Tiny Hands and Mommy Expo (May 8 to 10)

At the activity area of Gateway Mall 1, mothers can enjoy a brief pampering experience. There will be a glam station where makeup artists will pamper them with quick makeovers to help them rediscover their confidence. Mother's Day is their time to shine and feel empowered.

Run with Moms (May 10)

The aRUNeta Run Club will hold a special fun run on Mother's Day. Join morning runners and joggers as they sweat it out around Araneta City and exercise Zumba-style at the Green Gate of Smart Araneta Coliseum. Mothers will receive special items from partner brands to help them stay beautiful and protected this summer season.

Kitchen Queens (May 10)

Moms are invited to the activity area of Farmers Plaza, where they can learn new recipes and cooking techniques! In partnership with Mama Sita's, a cooking show and forum will take place, where mothers can enjoy live cooking demonstrations and connect with other mamas.

Mommies on the Move (May 10)

At Ali Mall, mothers and their cute babies are invited to dress up in their best Hawaiian costumes and shake their hips in a tropical celebration. Exciting prizes from partner brands await the best-dressed mothers and babies.

“At the City of Firsts, we look at Mother's Day more than just a seasonal event,” Go added. “It’s an opportunity to create spaces where mothers feel seen and appreciated, and where families and communities are brought together.”

The Virgin Labfest XXI: Hubo’t Hubad unwraps the human soul with 12 ‘virgin’ scripts

 

The Virgin Labfest (VLF) officially comes of age in its 21st edition, stripping down all pretense of innocence while showcasing the bold Filipino voice and spirit. As it nurtures emerging and established playwrights, directors, actors, and designers, it revels in the artistic and creative desires expressed through fearless storytelling.

Guided by the theme Hubo’t Hubad, this year’s VLF reflects on the many ways people reveal themselves. It invites audiences to engage with works that expose layers of identity, memory, and vulnerability.

Offering a deeper understanding of the human experience, the country’s theater festival of untried, untested, and unstaged one-act plays returns with 12 “virgin” scripts this June 3 to 28, 2026, at the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez (CCP Black Box Theater).

Unrestrained tales of the human experience

Featuring new works by eight “virgin” playwrights and four returning playwrights, VLFXXI: HUBO’T HUBAD elaborates on the unbridled truths of humanity’s essence after blooming into a passionate community of untold narratives over the last two decades.

Anthony Kim Vergara’s PASSWORD123, PILIPINAS321 centers on Blackteam, an underground cyberspace operation disguised as a technical support center. With his cousin leading the team’s troubling methods, the lead character questions his chosen path as a cybersecurity expert and as a Filipino.

A reporter is about to receive an international award in HUMAN RIGHTS STORY OF THE YEAR by Elijah Felice Rosales. At her farewell party, a former colleague declares she does not deserve the recognition.

PATAYIN ANG MGA SUROT by Floyd Scott Tiogangco occurs on the last night of Rodrigo Duterte’s presidency. While an Oplan Tokhang operation unfolds, tension builds as a couple conducts their own extermination of bedbugs.

A wounded fighter stumbles into a small Marawi hospital in Neil Arkhe Azcuna’s BALOS. Because of his arrival, four medical workers must decide between staying silent to save lives and speaking up to risk everyone’s refuge.

In Alab Usman’s HARAM, three queer Muslims struggle to manage faith and love across borders and barriers.

A former nun turned Philosophy professor and Gab Mactal’s LUALHATI meet again. Their memories of faith and romance emerge on the last night of the wake held at the Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn convent.

Dustin Celestino’s ELEHIYA is an impressionistic montage of conversations of fathers and sons that could have taken place but did not.

A former womanizer meets the love of his life in SHE’S ELECTRIC by Ron Evangelista. However, his friends make a discovery that leads to an insightful discussion on the sexual and philosophical nature of relationships.

Faith Ferrer Lacanlale’s BETAMAX follows a woman who begins to see “human pigs” after a minor road accident. As she ascends to madness, the darkness surrounding her family is brought to light.

A grieving family turns back time with a virtual archive of memories in FOOTPRINT by JEROM CANLAS. While they scramble to make sense of a tragedy, their unspoken feelings inflict a much harsher truth.

Set in Tarlac, two strangers uncover an unexpected connection by exchanging tales of love and disappointment within the walls of a rage booth in John Lapus’ TAKSYAPO!. 

Gerald Manuel’s BUHAGHAG follows a young lady who is haunted by a long-haired enigma that corners her into choosing between self-preservation and self-destruction.

In addition to the new plays, VLFXXI: HUBO’T HUBAD revisits three stories from last year’s edition: Ade Valenzona’s POLAR COORDINATES, Rolin Cadallo Obina’s THE LATE MR. REAL, and Siege Malvar’s PRESIDENTIAL SUITE #2.

Valenzona’s POLAR COORDINATES follows a confused student after he fails his Math exam. With the fate of his fragile family and strange feelings for his tutor piling on, he struggles to carve his own path.

Obina’s THE LATE MR. REAL takes place in an isolation facility during the COVID-19 pandemic. With a wall separating them, an estranged couple reexamines the clashing views that led to their marriage’s failure.

A senator is accused of money laundering in Malvar’s PRESIDENTIAL SUITE #2. While she recovers from a heart attack, her children rally for the best course of action to salvage their reputations.

Peeling off innocence and refining raw talent

True to its core of celebrating both budding and veteran playwrights, VLFXXI: HUBO’T HUBAD continues to nourish its garden of talent through its educational components: Staged Readings, Writing Fellowship Program and Showcase, Theater Talks, and Playwrights’ Fair.

Script submissions from VLFXXI come to life through stripped-down reading performances in Staged Readings. Jose Victor Torres’ MGA TATSULOK, M. Manalastas’ THE DEVOURED, Dingdong Novenario’s MANANG, Rafael Jimenez’s SUOR, Juan Ekis’ KASAL(ANAN), and Jay Fernandez’s ANG HULI take the stage.

The VLF Writing Fellowship Program, a two-week mentorship on dramatic writing for the stage headed by award-winning playwright Glenn Sevilla Mas, culminates in a thrilling showcase. The Taiwan International Play Reading Festival (TIPR) will also hold a special staged reading of Ihot Sinlay Cihek’s HOW ROMANTIC: A GUIDE TO MODERN PANGCAH LIFE, alongside the National Art Centre’s PRISON DANCER.

A forum series on the creative processes behind theater, Theater Talks will feature TIPR with speaker Cheng-Han Wu. Jin Yim and Cui Yin Mok of the Asian Producers’ Platform share their insights, together with Shizuoka Performing Arts Center’s Takuya Maehara.

Meanwhile, VLF founder and Palanca-awardee Rody Vera, Liza Magtoto, and Glenn Sevilla Mas host Playwrights’ Fair, peeking into the minds of veteran playwrights. Guest speakers Tanya Lopez, Dessa Quesada-Palm, and Sari Saysay explore the essence of Visayan theater, herstories, and settings in the nation’s current artistic landscape.

Uncovering new narratives charged with immense thirst for artistry, VLFXXI: HUBO’T HUBAD shows are scheduled at 2 p.m. matinee and 8 p.m. gala, while its educational components are slated at 5 p.m. from June 3 to 28, 2026. Tickets are priced at Php800 (regular) and Php1000 (premium), available for purchase at the CCP Box Office and Ticket World.

For more updates on the festival schedule and ticket-selling, visit the official pages of VLF, CCP, Tanghalang Pilipino Foundation Inc., and Writers’ Bloc across Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.

Mang Inasal Spicy Pork BBQ is here to stay

 

Mang Inasal, the Philippines’ Grill Expert, has made the Spicy Pork BBQ a regular menu item in all its over 600 stores nationwide, effective May 1. 

 

Available for dine-in, take out, drive thru, and delivery, the Spicy Pork BBQ is the latest addition to Mang Inasal’s line of hot, savory dishes that include the Spicy Chicken Inasal Paa and Pecho.

“The Mang Inasal Spicy Pork BBQ was initially intended as a limited time offer. But we acknowledge that a specific segment of our customers often ask for the spicy versions of our Ihaw-Sarap bestsellers,” said Mang Inasal president Mike V. Castro. “For them, it is not enough to simply dip their food in siling labuyo-infused toyomansi and chicken oil sawsawan. They crave the spicy kick that our expertly grilled meat offers which they enjoy with unli rice and unli sabaw.”

The Mang Inasal Spicy Pork BBQ is available as a rice meal with two-sticks. It may also be enjoyed in Family Size with 10 sticks or Party Size with 20 sticks. 

Want more Mang Inasal exclusives NOW? Visit https://manginasal.ph for the latest news, https://manginasaldelivery.com.ph for delivery deals, and follow Mang Inasal on social media for more Ihaw-Sarap and Unli-Saya updates!