Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Brittany has spent the last four decades helping shape refined living in the Philippines.

From the iconic themed neighborhoods it began building in its early years to the wellness-centric estates and leisure destinations it offers today, this seasoned developer has shown how it has evolved in step with the aspirations and rising affluence of Filipinos. Each milestone tells a story not only of changing market preferences, but also of a developer consistently ahead of them.

Global lifestyles for Filipinos

Even in its early days, Brittany has fittingly shown its expertise in building timeless, sophisticated communities inspired by some of the most beautiful cities around the world.

In Sta. Rosa, Laguna, for example, Georgia Club evokes the charm of classic American estate living within a nature-rich enclave, while Promenade draws inspiration from the English countryside, with its cobblestone paths and manicured hedges. Belle Reve introduces a French-Mediterranean interpretation of luxury, where landscaped gardens and intimate courtyards bring to life its namesake-la belle rêve or ‘the beautiful dream.’

Similarly, Portofino in Villar City introduced a new vocabulary of luxury: Italian-inspired courtyards and architectural motifs that mirrored the sophistication of Europe. Pioneering developments

Even Crosswinds in Tagaytay City was clearly ahead of its time.

Spanning 124 ha, this Swiss-inspired estate brings to the country the Alpine experience even before the market began seeking wellness-oriented escapes. This premium enclave is defined by its rolling terrains, cool climate, and over 35,000 pine trees, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a European countryside lifestyle.

Think Swiss-inspired chalets, pine-lined roads, pocket retail concepts, and view decks overlooking ridges and forests-all designed not merely for aesthetics, but rather to promote calm, renewal, and connection with nature.

Long before ‘wellness’ and ‘leisure investment’ became industry buzzwords, Crosswinds had already introduced them as integrated lifestyle concepts, proving Brittany’s ability to anticipate the next aspiration of the affluent Filipino.

Wellness-centered communities

Today, as preferences of discerning buyers evolve, Brittany continues to redefine luxury living with its latest portfolio of wellness communities and investment ready leisure developments.

As more affluent Filipinos seek for an enhanced quality of life, Brittany brings them the 26-ha Pievana in Sto. Tomas, Batangas and the 5-ha Forresta in emerging Villar City. In both projects, biophilic design, restorative spaces, and nature were given prominence in the masterplan, providing sanctuaries where residents can disconnect from urban intensity while remaining connected to modern comforts. These are low density, enriched with green corridors, walkable layouts, and integrated lifestyle components.

Lifestyle investment

Brittany has also captured the affluent market looking at homes as a lifestyle investment and legacy asset. With projects like Bern in Baguio City, Escana in Boracay Island, and Praya in Palawan, it addresses a growing preference for properties that deliver climate advantage, experiential value, and income potential. The four-tower Bern, situated along Outlook Drive, is designed by Singapore-based WOW Architects, which seeks to create a community that embraces Baguio’s breathtaking landscape. Inspired by a pine cone, Bern’s flowing curves and floating balconies echo the natural terrain ensuring each unit enjoys scenic views and fresh mountain air. In Boracay’s Station Zero, Escana Boracay offers a unique coastal lifestyle, framed by breathtaking sunsets, powdery white sand and luxury amenities. WOW Architects envisions it as a modern tropical biophilic community that allows residents to enjoy an elegant lifestyle in harmony with nature. The 21-ha Praya introduces resort-style living in Puerto Princesa City, with low density units and wellness-focused amenities that integrate comfort, sense of community and a conservation-minded design in one of the best tourist destinations in the country. No doubt, Brittany continues to redefine the essence of refined living by creating communities that go beyond aspiration-integrating wellness, resilience, and investment value into beautiful settings designed to remain timeless and sophisticated.

For Greenfield Development Corporation (GDC), wellness begins with its people. This commitment took shape last September with the launch of Fit Fridays, the company’s pioneering wellness programme at Greenfield Tower Pocket Park. It is a weekly event held at the end of the week aimed to encourage its employees to reenergize for the weekend.

With the theme ‘Live, Breathe, Move – Together for Wellness,’ the program is designed to give employees the gift of time for fitness: a break from the workweek grind to focus on health, fitness, and balance. Every Friday at 4PM, teams set aside deadlines and meetings to get together for company sponsored activities around the office that re-energize both body and mind.

Employees can choose from a variety of activities, from padel and basketball, to rooftop HIIT workouts, dance classes, runs, and obstacle courses, each one encouraging camaraderie, teamwork, and fun. The program is supported by wellness partners such as Yoli, HealthFirst, and Krieger’s, every session combines fitness with celebration, creating an atmosphere where colleagues can connect outside the workplace.

‘We believe that wellness is at the core of productivity and happiness. Fit Fridays is one of the many ways we bring this belief to life for our team,’ says Atty. Duane A.X. Santos, President of Greenfield Development Corporation. ‘Our company’s mission is to promote health and wellness in our communities and we believe it should start with our employees.’

More than a one-day event

Fit Fridays is not just a launch event but the start of a continuing wellness movement within GDC. Plans are already underway to expand the program with more classes, wellness talks, and activities that employees can look forward to week after week.

By giving its people the opportunity to reset, recharge and reconnect with each other, GDC strengthens its culture of care, building not only healthier employees but also a stronger, more motivated workforce.

A culture that extends to the community

This employee-driven wellness program also reflects GDC’s efforts to foster culture of care, balance, and belonging by supporting the employees’ physical, mental, and social well-being. It aims to create a workplace where people feel valued, healthy, and inspired- an environment that mirrors GDC’s broader philosophy: to design townships that support healthier lifestyles for everyone. Across its developments, Greenfield has made wellness a central pillar, with unique lifestyle hubs such as Play Padel, Gameville Ball Park, Obstacle Central, and Climb Central.

The same commitment is brought to life through Live Well activities at Greenfield District, a free and ongoing series of classes that welcome the public to move, recharge, and connect. From fencing and yoga to taekwondo, dance fitness, jump rope, and community workouts, Live Well ensures that wellness is accessible to all whether families spending weekends together or individuals looking for a midweek energy boost.

Wellness also thrives through the Greenfield Runners, the official running club that has grown into a supportive space for people of all fitness levels. With weekly runs at the Greenfield Tower Pocket Park, surprise drops from wellness partners, and monthly ‘Runners Rave’ socials, the club has turned exercise into both a habit and a celebration.

In Greenfield, wellness is more than an initiative-it’s a way of life.

Operations at the Talisay City Hall were suspended on Tuesday morning following a reported bomb threat, Mayor Gerald Anthony ‘Samsam’ Gullas Jr. announced in an official statement.

Gullas said the temporary suspension of work and transactions was based on the recommendation of the Talisay City Police Station as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of employees and the public.

‘For those planning to come to City Hall to transact, please refrain from doing so until we officially announce that it is safe to return,’ Gullas said in a Facebook post.

Despite the disruption, the mayor assured that certain scheduled activities, including a wedding ceremony he was set to officiate, would still proceed at an alternate location.

Authorities are now tracing the source of the threat.

Gullas issued a stern warning to those responsible, emphasizing that the city government will not take the incident lightly.

‘Authorities are now tracing the source of the bomb threat, and if this turns out to be a prank or a malicious act, we will file the appropriate legal charges against those responsible,’ he said.

The mayor urged residents to stay calm and wait for further updates through the city’s official communication channels

When he hits the club, hip-hop artist BARQ dances like no one’s watching. As he should. As anyone should. ‘I’m not afraid to have fun,’ he says. ‘You’re supposed to have fun.’

But these days, he notices, people seem frozen on the floor. The music’s hot, the lights are flashing, the beats are pumping-and it’s still not enough to get them moving. But he can’t blame them. Cameras are everywhere, and the last thing anyone wants is to wake up the next morning to an unflattering video of themselves going viral on social media.

‘I’m a frequent clubgoer, and a lot of people don’t really dance anymore. I feel sad that people are scared to have fun,’ BARQ tells Lifestyle Inquirer. ‘But I’m not gonna lie-there are lots of bullies online. I don’t know why there are people who like to hate on each other.’

Also, there seems to be a perception, he feels, that it’s lame to have fun. It’s not. What’s actually lame is ‘thinking that it’s lame to have fun.’ ‘As long as you’re not hurting anyone and doing anything reckless, you’re good,’ he says. ‘I don’t think you should be embarrassed. You shouldn’t care about what people will think.’

Groove magnet

BARQ, whose real name is Arkin Magalona, knows that it’s easier said than done. That’s why he hopes that his latest single, ‘Shake Dat Thang’-a playful throwback to 2000s hip-hop-could be that irresistible groove magnet that pulls people back onto the dance floor.

‘I came up with something fun because I want to get people dancing again. Something that lets you just let loose,’ he says of the new song, which is quite the departure from his grittier and moodier past singles, ‘MPK’ and ‘Remember.’

Written with BARQ’s good friend, R and B and hip-hop artist Kyleaux, ‘Shake Dat Thang’ was inspired by the music of Timbaland, 50 Cent, and Pharrell and the iconic music production duo he was part of, The Neptunes. These influences are undeniable from the get-go, with the tune channeling the bouncy cadence of Sean Paul’s ‘Get Busy,’ the sparse 808 drum kick of Snoop Dogg’s ‘Drop It Like It’s Hot’ (produced by The Neptunes), and even 50 Cent’s signature ‘uh-huh’ ad lib for flourish.

The music video is also a fitting homage to that era’s aesthetic: a heady club scene, flowing booze, and girls dancing in sultry Y2K ensembles. Of course, you can’t not throw in those occasional, dramatic slow-motion shots and slow pans mid-debauchery.

‘This is the first music video I did with a big team behind it, so I’m quite new to this,’ he says. Not nearly as new, though, as his first introduction for most people was his appearance in the 2005 ‘Superproxy 2K6’ music video together with his father, the late ‘Master Rapper Francis M’ as well as rock icon Ely Buendia, and his son Eon.

‘My team and I came up with the concept and then collaborated with other production companies,’ adds BARQ, who recently signed with Sony Music Philippines. ‘I’m very happy with the result.’

Childhood nickname

While he embraces his family legacy, the rapper is also determined to make a name for himself. He sets the stage for both by sticking with his stage name. BARQ is a name not readily associated with the Magalonas, but it’s not entirely divorced from his roots, as it was a childhood nickname given to him by none other than Francis M himself.

Sometimes, BARQ feels like people interact with him only because of his last name, which-he admits with a knowing pause-‘is very sad for me.’

‘I just want to be known and to be seen for who I am as a person,’ he says. But whatever pang of dismay he may have felt, he never grew to resentment, because he knows that his pursuit of a music career is also fueled by a desire to preserve his father’s legacy.

‘I just want to be known and to be seen for who I am as a person’

BARQ is always willing to perform Francis M hits in his own shows-including his favorite, ‘Kaleidoscope World’-if only to introduce his father’s music to younger people who may not be aware of the impact his work has had, especially in fostering Filipino pride: ‘Mga Kababayan Ko,’ ‘Three Stars and a Sun,’ and more.

‘Some younger people would tell me that their parents love my dad, but they don’t necessarily know him,’ says BARQ, the seventh of eight children Francis M had with Pia Magalona. ‘I would love for the younger generation to know his music because they were special, patriotic, and could hopefully inspire them to love our country.’

A great blessing

As much as he wishes to share interesting anecdotes about his father, or any valuable advice he may have received from him, the truth is, ‘I don’t remember my dad that much.’

BARQ was only nine when Francis M died of leukemia in 2009, and he wouldn’t start making music until high school. BARQ isn’t even sure whether his father ever realized that his son would one day follow in his footsteps. ‘I would like to believe that if he were still alive today, he would see me as a peer to spar with-playfully, of course!’ he muses.

Besides, if ever he has any questions about his father-about his life, journey, the struggles he endured-BARQ will always have his mother to turn to. After all, he says, his father wouldn’t be the man he is without Pia. ‘I love my mom to death and I appreciate her,’ says BARQ, who also enjoys watching his father’s archival and music videos, and would never skip a video of him whenever one appears on his feed.

But if it’s any consolation, it’s BARQ who seemingly sounds most like his father-an observation shared by a few Francis M fans. He can hear the resemblance-somewhat-but he still thinks they both have distinct tones. Nevertheless, he couldn’t be more grateful. ‘I’m happy that some people recognize my dad through me,’ he says. ‘It’s a great blessing.’

And for BARQ, there’s no better way to honor that gift than by simply making music that resonates with people. ‘That’s what music should be-it should elicit emotions from people,’ he says. ‘And if I can do that, even for just one person, then my job is done.’

Barbie San Andres made an impressive debut for Alpha Insurance to stun back-to-back bronze medalist Savouge, 19-25, 25-23, 26-24, 25-22, in the Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference on Monday at FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.

With Savouge threatening to force a decider after tying the third set at 23-all, San Andres scored the go-ahead spike before Billie Anima blocked Mark Calado to reach match point, 24-22. Shawi Caritativo’s attempt went off the mark as the Protectors opened their campaign, prevailing in two hours and 16 minutes.

San Andres and Anima also stepped up in the end game of the third as the former sent Alpha to set point twice before Anima’s block on Charlee Magpayo for a 2-1 advantage.

San Andres, who last played for the defunct D’Navigators last year, delivered 19 points, 11 excellent receptions, and nine digs. JJ Javelona and Vince Himzon had 12 and 11 points, respectively. NCAA Season 100 rookie MVP Rocky Motol chipped in 10 points and 11 digs.

‘Our mindset is that when we take the lead, we hold onto it. So when the other team starts to catch up, we remind ourselves, this is ours, we can’t let it slip away. Once we’re ahead, we tell ourselves the win is within reach, and we can’t let it go, especially during the crucial parts of the game,’ said San Andres.

Anima had six blocks to finish with eight points to start their campaign on a high note before facing Cignal on Wednesday at Paco Arena.

‘We’re trusting the process. Last conference, we really lacked preparation, but coming into this one, we had a much better buildup,’ said coach Mike Santos. ‘We also recruited some strong, talented players, so we really focused on our training this time. But hands down, Savouge is a great team. It just so happened they made a lot of errors, and we were able to take advantage of that.’

Savouge was led by Calado, who had 20 points, and Caritativo with 19, including six consecutive points midway through the fourth set only to fall short.

Norwel Sanama had 13 points, as they try to bounce back against Far Eastern University on Wednesday.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) on Monday maintained that Cebu remains a safe and open for tourism, following the magnitude 6.9 earthquake last September.

The DOT, in a statement, said major hotels, ports, and airports in Metro Cebu, particularly Mactan-Cebu International Airport, Cebu Baseport, and seaports in Santa Fe, Maya, and Kawit, are fully operational.

Likewise, hotels such as Shangri-La Mactan, Cebu; Crimson Resort and Spa Mactan; Radisson Blu Cebu; Seda Ayala Center Cebu; Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino; Quest Hotel and Conference Center – Cebu; and Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu reported no structural damage and remain fully operational.

Meanwhile, other hotels that previously reported minor damage have already resumed normal operations following inspections confirming the properties are safe for accommodation, with no guest injuries reported.

The DOT also stated that dive and island destinations like Malapascua and Gato Island remain safe for diving and island tours, citing the Provincial Government of Cebu and accredited dive operators who have already conducted marine ecosystem assessments.

‘Tourism operations across Cebu and the Central Visayas region remain business as usual, with most public areas, heritage sites, and accommodation facilities already inspected and declared structurally sound by authorities,’ the DOT said.

Hence, the DOT said it will continue with all scheduled events and activities in Cebu, affirming that the province remains safe and open to visitors following the magnitude 6.9 earthquake last September and subsequent aftershocks.

‘We, at the DOT, encourage tourism operations in Cebu not only to attract visitors to explore the island’s rich culture, history, and natural beauty, but most importantly to sustain the livelihood of our tourism stakeholders who depend on the continued vibrancy of tourism activities,’ Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said.

Meanwhile, the DOT assured that it has already conducted multiple post-disaster inspections and coordination meetings with relevant agencies, as well as local governments, to implement immediate aid to affected communities, as well as recovery programs.

All 2,062 affected tourism workers have also received food assistance, with additional emergency cash transfer and livelihood training programs now being processed in partnership with national agencies.

The DOT also assured the public that it continues its joint efforts with the Department of Trade and Industry and the Small Business Corporation in providing accessible loan facilities to tourism enterprises affected by the earthquake.

Austin Reaves scored a career-high 51 points including four clutch free throws in the final 32 seconds, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Sacramento Kings 127-120 without Luka Doncic on Sunday.

Reaves made 12 of 22 from the field and sank six 3-pointers including the 500th of his career. Reaves also had nine assists and 11 reboundsReaves is just the fourth player in the last 40 years with at least 50 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists in a game, joining Doncic, Russell Westbrook (twice) and James Harden (twice). The last time a Lakers player had 50-plus points, 11-plus rebounds and nine-plus assists was Feb. 13, 1963, when Elgin Baylor had 50 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists against the Boston Celtics.

DeAndre Ayton had 22 points and 15 rebounds for the Lakers. Rui Hachimura scored 18 points.

Doncic was ruled out before the game due to a sprained finger on his left hand and a bruised lower left leg. He’s expected to be reevaluated in about a week, according to the Lakers.

That’s another blow for Los Angeles, which isn’t expected to have LeBron James (sciatica) back until mid-November.

Against the Kings it hardly mattered the way Reaves played.

Reaves scored 15 points in the fourth quarter after the Kings took a four-point lead, including a clutch jumper that gave the Lakers a 122-116 lead with 1:48 remaining.

Zach LaVine scored 32 points to lead six players in double figures for the Kings.

DeMar DeRozan scored 21 points, Domantas Sabonis had 10 points and 14 rebounds, while Dennis Schroder added 18 points and 12 assists.

Even without their top two scoring options, the Lakers got going early and took a 10-point lead in the first quarter.

Hachimura had 10 points in the first nine minutes of the game while Ayton and Marcus Smart each scored seven points as Los Angeles led 31-21.

The Kings made seven 3s in the second quarter – three from Westbrook – to tie the game at halftime.

Up next

Lakers: Face the Trail Blazers in Portland on Monday.

Kings: Play the Thunder in Oklahoma City on Tuesday,

As the nation prepares to mark All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, Cebu Archbishop Alberto Uy has urged the faithful to reclaim the true Christian meaning of Halloween by celebrating holiness instead of ‘horror.’

In his pastoral message titled ‘Children of God, Not of Darkness,’ the Cebu prelate encouraged parents, teachers, and parish leaders to guide children in choosing costumes and activities that reflect Christian virtues.

‘Let us guide our children to dress as saints, not as demons; as angels, not as monsters,’ Uy said. ‘Let their joy reflect the beauty of holiness, not the ugliness of sin.’

All Hallows’ Eve

He reminded the faithful that Halloween originated from All Hallows’ Eve, the vigil of All Saints’ Day – therefore meant to honor the saints.

‘Sadly, through the years, the meaning has been distorted. Instead of celebrating light, goodness, and holiness, it has often turned into a glorification of darkness, fear, and evil,’ Uy said.

The archbishop stressed that holiness is not dull or lifeless, but rather joyful, courageous, and full of love-qualities that today’s youth should embrace.

‘Holiness is not boring – it is joyful! Saints were people who loved deeply, served faithfully, and lived courageously. If we want our children to have true heroes, let them look to the saints,’ he said.

Celebration of faith

Uy also called on families to use the season as an opportunity to strengthen faith and instill Christian values in young people.

‘As we celebrate All Saints’ Day, may we be inspired to live holy lives in our homes, schools, and workplaces,’ he said. ‘Let us fill our communities not with fear, but with faith; not with masks of darkness, but with faces of kindness and love.’

The archbishop ended his message with a blessing for all families: ‘May the Holy Spirit keep your hearts pure, your imagination joyful, and your lives radiant with the light of Christ.’

Across Cebu, parishes have been preparing faith-centered events and ‘Parade of Saints’ activities, reflecting Uy’s call to turn Halloween into a celebration of faith, hope, and holiness

A soldier was killed while three others were injured early Monday after two motorcycles they were riding were sideswiped by a bus along the Maharlika Highway in Lopez town, Quezon province.

According to a police report, a Goldtrans bus driven by a man identified only as ‘Robert’ was negotiating a stretch of the highway in Barangay Talolong around 12:10 a.m. when it accidentally hit two motorcycles carrying four riders.

The motorcyclists, identified only as ‘Nico’ and ‘Erwin,’ reportedly lost control of their vehicles after the impact. They and their back riders, ‘Emer’ and ‘Reynaldo,’ were thrown off their motorcycles and landed on the pavement.

All four victims-soldiers assigned to the Philippine Army’s 85th Infantry Battalion-were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. Nico, however, was declared dead on arrival, police said.

The report did not mention whether the victims were wearing helmets as required under the Motorcycle Helmet Act of 2009. It also noted that Erwin’s motorcycle had no license plate.

The bus driver fled the scene and remains at large as police continue their manhunt

Influenza-like illness (ILI), or flu, has surged to 1,161 cases in Cagayan from January to October this year, prompting provincial health authorities to urge residents to stay vigilant and take precautions against the virus.

Nestor Santiago, Provincial Surveillance Officer of the Cagayan Provincial Health Office, said in a Monday (October 27) briefing that influenza-like illness is a contagious disease caused by various viruses or bacteria that infect the nose, throat, and lungs.

‘It is important to strengthen the immune system because this is the most effective defense against the spread of the disease, especially now that the weather is changing,’ he added.

Most cases were recorded in Tuguegarao City with 231, followed by Gonzaga (185), Solana (96), Peñablanca (77), Alcala (69), and Sta. Teresita (6). The majority of patients are children aged one to ten years old.

During the same period in 2024, only 988 flu cases were reported, marking an increase of 173 cases this year.

Common flu symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, headache, shivering, muscle and joint pains, severe weakness, and vomiting, Santiago added.

‘The public is encouraged to immediately seek medical attention at the nearest health facility to avoid more serious complications,’ he said.

Health office personnel also reminded residents to avoid crowded areas and follow basic health protocols, such as washing hands, wearing face masks, covering the mouth when coughing or sneezing, and ensuring proper ventilation at home or in the office