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Filipino fans of “Friends” have the chance at recreating their favorite scenes from the popular series with the arrival of “The Friends Experience” in the Philippines.

After hitting over 30 locations in the United States, Europe, and Australia, the Experience makes its Asian debut in Manila at The Space at Solaire in Parañaque.

Aptly subtitled “The One in Manila,” “The Friends Experience” takes fans through recreated sets from the “Friends” show that starred Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, Matthew Perry, and Matt LeBlanc.

Iconic sets include the iconic orange couch and fountain from the show’s intro, Joey and Chandler’s living room, Monica’s kitchen, and of course, Central Perk.

There are photo opportunites beside the purple door with a yellow frame, the hallway in between the two apartments, and re-enacting Ross’ attempt to “pivot!” a couch on the stairs.

Outside of recreated sets are props from the show like clothing pegs of each character, several signed scripts, Pat the Dog, and the turkey Monica wore over her head.

Detailed across the walls are numerous quotes and outtakes from the show, kicked off by messages from “Friends” showrunners David Crane and Marta Kauffman.

Fans will be most eager to read the full 18-page (back-to-front) letter Rachel wrote to Ross after snapping photos at her different hairstyles, and the full dating history of the main cast.

At the end of the Experience and open to all Solaire visitors is a retail store selling exclusive merchandise and mementos from fans’ visits like set photo opportunities.

Some items fans might want to get their hands on are stuffed toys of Marcel, The Chick, and The Duck; a necklace of the yellow frame; and clothes bearing “How you doin?” or “He’s her lobster!”

“The Friends Experience: The One in Manila” runs until November 30 at The Space at Solaire in Parañaque, courtesy of GMG Productions.

Singapore and Philippine-listed Del Monte Pacific Ltd. (DMPL) intends to raise as much as $600 million through a private placement aimed at addressing capital deficit following the deconsolidation of its US business.

DMPL said the company’s management is looking at an equity raise through private placement at Del Monte Philippines Inc. (DMPI).

The size of the offering will be announced by the company, but the estimated amount of funds to be raised from the share placement is eyed between $500 million and $600 million.

A share dilution is expected as part of the planned equity raise, but DMPL is expected to maintain a controlling interest in DMPI.

The equity raise through private placement at DMPI ‘aims to reduce the group’s leverage and address the capital deficit resulting from the recent impairments relating to the US business.’

DMPL’s management expects the equity raise to help unlock value and enhance the group’s overall valuation.

DMPL said that DMPI’s balance sheet has the capacity to support the proposed capital raise, which is seen helping reduce financing costs, replacing higher-interest debt with equity that carries a lower dividend yield.

The company also said that considering the overall market sentiment in the Philippines and the group’s current position, an initial public offering is not a viable option at this stage and it is instead looking at private placement as the fastest way to raise equity at present.

US subsidiary Del Monte Foods Holdings Ltd. and certain subsidiaries have commenced voluntary Chapter 11 proceedings in the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey on July 1.

DMPL said the US business had been deconsolidated and its results presented as discontinued operations.

It said that the move ensures that uncertainties in the US operations do not affect the company’s continuing core businesses.

Much retailing now involves consumer reviews.

Yet most consumer-review systems are fatally misleading.

No purchase verification. On TripAdvisor, *anyone with an email can review any establishment* without verification. TripAdvisor claims it can detect bulk fabrication, but it has no safeguards against a few people opening 20 email accounts with which to plant 20 false reviews, enough to destroy or boost most restaurants.

‘Readers’ Choice’ awards are no better. A well-known magazine once named my hotel one of ‘Asia’s 25 Best Resorts,’ a distinction easily worth hundreds of thousands. A jealous competitor only needed to invest $100 for a few subscriptions through which to submit false reviews the following year. At the rarefied Best 25 level, very few negative reviews were needed to nudge us off the list.

Reviewer qualification. For a useful review about a restaurant in London, would you believe someone whose only previous review was of a Jollibee, or an experienced diner with reviews in many cities and countries? Yet every review system practices this foolish form of democracy, giving equal votes to everyone without considering past experience or diligence in reviewing.

The Michelin irrelevance pitfall. Michelin operates an ‘expert rating’ system. Anonymous reviewers judge restaurant food (not service, not ambience). Except they don’t. I have patronized literally hundreds of Michelin-starred restaurants around the world, from French Laundry to Maaemo to Odette (see https://plantationbay.com/dining/restaurants), and think it’s at best Hit-or-Miss. Michelin reviewers seem obsessed with ‘prettiness’ and ‘strangeness,’ but ignore the qualities that diners really care about – taste, memorability, repeatability. ‘Did I enjoy eating this? One week after, can I still remember it? Do I want to eat it again in this lifetime?’ Michelin doesn’t seem to care, so long as it looks ‘creative.’

Michelin has wandered into rating hotels now. I recently stayed at a Two-Michelin-Key hotel (a very rare accolade) in the US and it had one mediocre restaurant and a view, no other facilities to speak of, and a badly-furnished room. I wrote to a Three-Michelin-Key property with a question about their rooms and no one even bothered to answer me. Does Michelin fact-check their reviewers? Do the reviewers simply crib their ratings from TripAdvisor and Booking.com?

‘Gaming’ Amazon. Selling a $100 item? Choose Amazon’s ‘Individual Plan’ – commission $0.99 per item. Now get 10 confederates to ‘buy’ one. (With ‘merchant/vendor fulfillment,’ no need for actual shipment.) 10 five-star verified reviews for just $10.

‘Gaming’ Booking.com. A few hundred reviews are enough to give a hotel lots of credibility. Suppose rooms cost $100. A hotel lines up 300 ghost travelers to book one-night stays on Booking.com/Expedia. They don’t need to actually go there; the hotel just records that they did. At 17 percent commission, the shady hotel pays $5,100 for 300 glowing reviews, which can easily draw several hundred thousand dollars’ worth of real bookings, AND influence ‘expert reviewer’ systems by a psycho-persuasion technique called Anchoring. (Look it up). Talk about ‘Return on Investment.’ One hotel I observed was open barely a few months but quickly amassed over a thousand mostly five-star reviews. (A quality hotel is lucky to get 50 legitimate reviews a month).

Brand-name bias. Most people won’t give a chain hotel a super-low rating, because they may need to use that chain again. People also don’t badmouth celebrity-backed establishments, fearing to contradict popular opinion. Such businesses are thus largely shielded from the lowest grade ranges. No such constraints protect stand-alone properties or small brands. Brand-name bias is real and it dis-favors smaller, less-famous businesses.

‘Average’ is nonsense. An ‘average’ encompasses widely-varying views. Take Coca-Cola. Many people love it, but others might give it 1/10 on health or political grounds. Speculatively, Coke’s worldwide satisfaction average might be just 7/10, suggesting Coke is a mediocre brand. But obviously it isn’t, and 7/10 is a poor predictor of how any specific person will feel about having a Coke.

The ‘Karen’ bias. Calculating an ‘average’ gives disproportionate influence to nasty narcissists. Imagine a hotel with 10 reviews. Eight of those are 9/10. Two are 1/10 – one guest was fined for smoking, and another tried but failed to get a discount over a fabricated complaint. Both ‘get even’ by posting 1/10 reviews. This hotel has 80 percent highly satisfied customers; if YOU are not a jerk, YOU are likely to be highly satisfied, too. But the ‘average’ is 7.4, which is low enough that many travelers will remove it from consideration. The two nasty Karens were able to out-vote the eight happy customers.

Correcting this would be simple: instead of the ‘average score,’ report the ‘median’ (midway point between the upper and bottom halves), and the ‘mode’ (most frequent individual score). In the above example, the hotel’s median and mode would both be 9.0.

In summary, most ratings systems are unwittingly deceptive, and are easy to exploit for fraud and extortion.

What to do?

Whether for an Amazon or a Booking.com, require that an account be open for at least (say) six months, with at least (say) six different actual orders and reviews, before any reviews by that account become ‘live’; and further require a threshold continuing expenditure and review activity, otherwise the past reviews are deleted. We can quibble over the numbers, but the intent is to make it harder to fake verified reviews.

Ignore the top 10 percent and bottom 10 percent of scores as a quick way to compensate for Brand-name Bias. Or give users the option to select this as a filter.

Proactively investigate anomalies, and demand criminal penalties for ratings tampering and false reviews in whatever form. Lobby with legislatures accordingly.

For its own long-term reputation, Michelin needs to overhaul its criteria, and review the honesty and competence of its reviewers.

Emasculate internet blackmailers brandishing fabricated complaints and unreasonable demands, simply by reporting median and mode instead of average.

Manuel González is the owner of Plantation Bay Resort and Spa in Cebu.

Around P2 million worth of counterfeit insecticides in Valenzuela City and Tondo, Manila were confiscated by the National Bureau of Investigation recently.

The NBI said 13,412 canisters of fake Bao Li Lai aerosol insecticides and 3,042 canisters of counterfeit Big Bie Lai insecticides were seized at an establishment known as EveryJuan Shop and its warehouses.

The operation stemmed from a complaint filed by the registered trademark owners, who reported the widespread sale of counterfeit versions of their products.

Following surveillance and test-buy operations, the NBI confirmed the illegal activities and secured search warrants from the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 46.

Complaints will be filed against the owner of the establishment for trademark infringement under Republic Act 8293, the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines.

The Philippine Sports Commission has opened a door of opportunities for Filipino athletes by hooking up with Elite Link, the first-ever database app in Philippine sports.

PSC chairman Patrick Gregorio on Monday together with Elite Link launched the groundbreaking mobile app that will serve as the main hub and community aimed at fostering friendship, connections, network, scholarship and national team opportunities for undiscovered athletes.

In Elite Link, athletes from across the archipelago and even those based abroad can sign up and create their own profile and backgrounds with video highlights of their chosen sports to serve as their resume for a shot at a university scholarship, sponsorship or national team call-up.

While the TBA Studios’ “Bayaniverse” trilogy revolves around three different historical characters, an argument can be made that the franchise can be considered the Emilio Aguinaldo trilogy, given the direct roles the country’s first president has in all three films.

Mon Confiado portrays Aguinaldo in all three movies, including the upcoming entry “Quezon” which stars Jericho Rosales as the titular second president of the Philippines.

In fact, the film will depict Quezon’s rise to power as an attorney, governor of then-Tayabas, the lower and upper houses of Congress, and the highest seat in the country.

History buffs will know that Aguinaldo was Quezon’s biggest rival in the 1935 presidential election, which will also be depicted in the movie, adding another layer of knowledge about Ka Miong.

However, individuals have begun viewing Aguinaldo as a villain rather than a hero, amplified by the antagonistic role Confiado portrays Aguinaldo in the first “Bayaniverse” movie “Heneral Luna,” which softens a bit in the follow-up “Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral.”

At the press conference for “Quezon” last October 7 at the historic Manila Hotel, Philstar.com asked Confiado how he balances his performances of Aguinaldo with the public’s historical perception of the latter, and in doing so marrying the two.

Confiado acknowledged the controversial perception of Aguinaldo in “Heneral Luna” which led to many questions about his heroic status.

“Noong ginampanan ko character ni Aguinaldo sa ‘Heneral Luna,’ hindi ko siya tinitignan as kontrabida,” Confiado said, a sentiment he shares across all his “villanous” roles.

In embracing Aguinaldo, he learned of the first president’s positive aspects like being a revolutionary against the Spanish and Americans, as well as waving the Philippine flag to declare the country’s independence.

In contrast though, as Confiado points out what director Jerrold Tarog (who helmed all “Bayaniverse” films) does in the franchise, all our heroes are only human.

“‘Yun ang maganda kasi pinapakita ang lahat ng flaws nila, lahat ng kapalpakan at pagkakamali,” Confiado added.

The actor also said that Aguinaldo’s loss in the revolution and eventual capture by the Americans made him an even more complicated individual.

Confiado said he still found it a blessing to portray Aguinaldo and expressed his hope that “Quezon” would be a hit at the box office so that TBA Studios would walk back their decision to end the “Bayaniverse” at three movies.

“Baka kainin ni Ma’am Daphne [Chiu] ang sinabi niya na huli na ‘to, gusto ko bawiin niya,” Confiado teased as he embraced the producer seated beside him.

Confiado quipped that if TBA Studios wanted to make another movie about a president, there is a huge likelihood that Aguinaldo will be present.

Aguinaldo passed away in 1964 a month shy of his 95th birthday – meaning he lived during the presidencies of Quezon, Sergio Osmeña, Jose P. Laurel, Manuel Roxas, Elpidio Quirino, Ramon Magsaysay, Carlos P. Garcia and Diosdado Macapagal.

Benjamin Alves, who will reprise his role as a young Quezon, previously told Philstar.com that there is a character in “Quezon” that could serve as the next central character of a potential future entry.

After confirming that the said character does not appear in the official trailer, Alves advised that audiences stay for the duration of the film.

Alves reiterated Confiado’s quip that the cast aims to make TBA Studios reconsider its decision about ending the “Bayaniverse” franchise.

“Gusto namin mamroblema na humihingi ang tao for a next one, and that’s only possible for [if] people enjoy the film and they have an opinion on it,” Alves said, adding that while his specific character may not be around anymore, at least he will be supporting as a viewer.

Starring with Confiado, Rosales and Alves in “Quezon” are Karylle, Romnick Sarmenta, JC Santos, Angeli Bayani, Bodjie Pascua, Joross Gamboa, Ketchup Eusebio, Jake Macapagal, Therese Malvar and “Game of Thrones” star Iain Glen as Leonard Wood.

Arron Villaflor and Cris Villanueva will also reprise their roles as the fictional character Joven Hernando at different ages.

“Quezon” will hit Philippine theaters nationwide beginning October 15.

Corruption is a pervasive and long-standing problem in both the public and private sectors in the Philippines, according to the US State Department’s latest annual investment climate report.

The Philippines ranked 114th among 180 countries on Transparency International’s 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index, a rank it has held since 2019.

The State Department report cited observations from various organizations, including the World Economic Forum, placing ‘corruption among the top problematic factors for doing business in the Philippines.’

Last February, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) removed the Philippines from its grey list, citing the country’s progress in strengthening measures on anti-money laundering and in combating financing of terrorism.

The State Department’s Investment Climate report is intended to help US companies make informed business decisions by providing up-to-date information on the investment climates in more than 170 countries and economies.

It is prepared by economic officers stationed in diplomatic posts around the world.

In the Philippines, stakeholders report inconsistent regulatory enforcement. Some US investors describe business registration, customs and immigration processes as burdensome.

The report identified the Bureau of Customs as one of the most corrupt agencies in the country.

Customs processes, in particular, can present challenges, with the US embassy in Manila receiving reports from US businesses about overly invasive searches, inconsistent customs charges and solicitations of ‘facilitation fees’ or bribes by some customs officials.

The report also noted the Philippines’ complex, slow, redundant and sometimes corrupt judicial system, which inhibits the timely and fair resolution of commercial disputes.

Foreign investors describe the inefficiency of the judicial system as a significant barrier to investment. Investors often do away with filing cases in court because of slow and complex litigation processes and fears of corruption.

In 2003, the Philippines ratified the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the only legally binding universal anti-corruption instrument.

Five Filipina executives are included in Fortune Magazine’s 100 Most Powerful Women in Asia for 2025.

Martha Sazon of Mynt, Anna Ma. Margarita Bautista Dy of Ayala Land Inc., Lynette Ortiz of Land Bank of the Philippines, Lourdes Gutierrez-Alfonso of Megaworld Corp. and Ana Maria Aboitiz-Delgado of Union Bank of the Philippines are on this year’s list.

The business leaders were cited for their ‘measurable impact, strategy reach and capacity to shape the future.’

Sazon, ranked 37th, serves as president and chief executive officer of Mynt, the company behind e-wallet giant GCash, which has over 94 million users.

Dy, who became the first female president and CEO of Ayala Land in 2023, ranked 69th.

Ortiz, the 11th president and CEO of Land Bank of the Philippines, ranked 72nd.

Alfonso, Megaworld’s president and CEO, ranked 92nd.

A certified public accountant, Alfonso has been with the property giant since 1990, holding various positions.

‘We thank Fortune Magazine for naming Megaworld president and CEO Lourdes Gutierrez-Alfonso as one of the 100 ‘Most Powerful Women in Asia’ once again this year. Alongside female leaders in various fields across Asia, we celebrate the power of women who drive excellence, innovation and inspiration, not just in their respective fields, but also in the communities and organizations they serve,’ Megaworld said.

‘We salute our leader and all these women across Asia for their exemplary achievements that are worth emulating,’ it added.

At 94th place is Delgado, president and CEO of UnionBank.

Delgado is a fifth-generation member of the Aboitiz family.

Fortune Magazine’s Most Powerful Women in Asia 2025 recognizes 100 women across Southeast Asia, Greater China, India, Japan, Korea and Australia, with honorees including CEOs and C-suite leaders of large companies, as well as regional champions and founders of high-growth ventures.

‘As in prior years, our evaluation emphasizes company scale and health, career momentum, influence, innovation and contributions to social impact; final placement reflects both current clout and future trajectory,’ Fortune Magazine said.

Strong demand for its maiden bond issuance has prompted Toyota Financial Services Philippines Corp. (TFSPH) to shorten the offer period of its maiden bond issuance.

The automotive financing and leasing arm of conglomerate GT Capital Holdings Inc. said that it decided to cut short and close on the second day of the offer period for its P2 billion maiden bond public offering due to strong investor demand from both institutional and retail clients.

The offer period was originally set to run from Oct. 6 to 13.

TFSPH’s maiden bond offering will be issued in up to two series comprised of two-year bonds due 2027 (Series A bonds) and three-year bonds due 2028 (Series B bonds).

The Series A Bonds and Series B Bonds will carry a fixed interest rate of 5.7725 percent and 5.9418 percent, respectively, with issue and listing date scheduled on Oct. 21.

Proceeds will be used by the company to further diversify its funding sources and support its anticipated asset growth.

It will also enable the TFSPH to tap a wider investor base, targeting both institutional and individual investors.

First Metro Investment Corp. and ING Bank N.V., Manila Branch acted as the joint lead arrangers and bookrunners for the transaction and are also the selling agents together with Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co. and BPI Capital Corp.

TFSPH, which is 40 percent owned by GT Capital and 60 percent owned by Japan-based Toyota Financial Services Corp., is the exclusive provider of Toyota-branded financial solutions in the Philippines.

It offers retail and leasing products to customers as well as inventory financing to dealers nationwide.

Sen. Erwin Tulfo will serve as the acting chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, Senate President Tito Sotto said.

While Tulfo was not among the five named senators considered to succeed Sen. Ping Lacson, Sotto said on Wednesday, October 8, that the rules automatically allow Tulfo to serve as acting chair.

“Erwin is the vice chairman. Therefore, in the absence of the chairman, he automatically becomes chairman,” Sotto said in an ambush interview, adding that appointing him in the meantime does not require a plenary decision.

The first-time senator was assigned vice chair of the Blue Ribbon Committee, a panel responsible for investigating government officials and agencies for alleged wrongdoings.

In a statement, Tulfo thanked Sotto and the rest of the Senate for their trust in him and expressed hope that a permanent chair would be appointed soon. He also recognized how the committee investigation is a matter of public interest.

“Batid ko po na maraming kababayan natin ang umaasa sa komiteng ito na imbestigahan ang lahat ng mga nagsamantala sa pera ng bayan ano pa man ang katungkulan nila sa pamahalaan o kulay ng politika,” he said.

(I am aware that many of our countrymen are counting on this committee to investigate all those who took advantage of public funds, regardless of their position in government or political affiliation.)

During Lacson’s short stint as chair, several past and dismissed Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials have come forward to admit facilitating the kickback scheme allegedly involving lawmakers in flood control projects.

He announced his resignation over the weekend after some senators of the majority bloc complained about how the investigation was led.

This, however, was cleared up and threshed out in a majority caucus held on October 1, according to Sen. Kiko Pangilinan.

Sen. JV Ejercito also confirmed not harboring any untoward feelings against Lacson, despite being one of those who expressed frustration.

Sotto said that if the members of the majority bloc were complete in the caucus they held on Wednesday, they would have appealed to Lacson to keep the chairmanship.

“We are not discounting any of the five na pwede namin makausap na pwede maging chairman ng Blue Ribbon. As a matter of fact, most of us, kung present lahat, they would like to appeal to Senator Lacson,” Sotto said.

(We are not ruling out any of the five who we may talk to and who could become chair of the Blue Ribbon Committee.)

However, Lacson said stepping down was his “final answer.”

The senators being considered for the post include Risa Hontiveros, Pia Cayetano, Raffy Tulfo, JV Ejercito and Kiko Pangilinan.

Raffy, Erwin’s brother, and Ejercito have declined the chairmanship position. Pangilinan as well.

Sotto also said that “at the moment” the five senators do not want to assume chairmanship of the Blue Ribbon committee, primarily because they already hold two to three major committees.

“So what they’re saying is that they don’t have time for it right now,” he added.

The Blue Ribbon hearings have been suspended “until further notice” since Lacson announced his resignation. Sotto said hearings will resume once Erwin “comes back.”

He explained that the reason for such a congressional break is so that “committee hearings continue.”

“The Blue Ribbon is always alive eh. That’s the only committee with motu propio powers eh,” he said.

Asked if Erwin would be the permanent chairman, Sotto said it should be decided upon in the plenary and by the acting chairman himself.