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11th Davao Culinary Cup opens at SM Lanang

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BY KHADIJAH SALACOP/CMU Intern

THE 11TH Davao Culinary Cup drew over 200 participants representing culinary schools, hotels, restaurants, and food-related companies across Mindanao on Thursday, June 18, at SM Lanang Premier. 

The opening ceremony featured a cultural performance by the Kalumon Performing Ensemble, setting the stage for the three-day culinary event that brings together aspiring chefs, culinary students, industry professionals, and hospitality stakeholders from across the region.

Organized by SM Lanang and the LTB Philippines Chefs Association, the annual competition continues to serve as a venue for participants to showcase their culinary skills while gaining exposure to industry standards and professional practices.

In his welcome message, Russel D. Alaba, senior assistant vice president for marketing of SM Supermalls Mindanao, highlighted the event’s role in nurturing culinary talent and supporting the growth of the region’s food and hospitality industry.

Joining the opening program were renowned chefs and judges from across the Philippines and abroad, including Chef James Antolin, Chef Brando Santos, Chef Buddy Trinidad, Chef Chris Balane, Chef JA Ventura, Chef Jerome Valencia, Chef Mia Yan, Chef Mike Yap, Chef Norbert Gandler, Chef Penk Ching, and Chef Waya Wijangco, who will oversee the various competition categories throughout the event.

Following the formal opening, competitors took to the floor to begin contests covering a range of culinary disciplines, including cooking, baking, pastry, and other specialty categories.

The first day also featured culinary demonstrations by guest chefs, including a U.S. beef cooking demonstration by Chef Jeramie Go of Pilgrim Restaurant, allowing participants and visitors to observe professional techniques and industry trends firsthand.

Now in its 11th year and eighth season, the Davao Culinary Cup has become a gathering point for schools, restaurants, hotels, and culinary organizations across Mindanao, providing a platform for both aspiring and established culinary professionals to exchange ideas, develop their craft, and showcase their talent.

The competition runs until June 20, with participants vying for top honors before a panel of local, national, and international culinary experts.

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Business

Hotelogix secures BIR Certification to help Philippine hotels achieve tax compliance

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With this certification, Hotelogix becomes one of the few cloud-based Hotel PMS providers to meet the stringent fiscal requirements mandated by the Philippine government

Singapore – Hotelogix, a globally leading provider of cloud-based hospitality technology solutions, announced its recent certification by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) in the Philippines. With this, Hotelogix aims to empower hotels across the Philippines to streamline their tax filing processes, reduce administrative burdens, and remain compliant with mandatory government regulations.

The BIR is the Philippines’ national agency under the Department of Finances, which is responsible for assessing and collecting all internal taxes, fees, and charges, and enforcing all forfeitures, penalties, and fines related to them. It mandates that businesses, including hotels, issue BIR-compliant official receipts, maintain accurate books of accounts, and submit timely tax filings. In recent years, the BIR has intensified its push toward digitalization, requiring all types of hotels to adopt certified systems that ensure transparency, traceability, and real-time reporting.

“Becoming BIR-certified is a strategic milestone in our journey with hotels across the Philippines,” said Aditya Sanghi, CEO of Hotelogix. “It means that the same solution they already trust to run day-to-day operations can now also underpin regulatory compliance. We want to give hotels the confidence to grow, knowing that compliance, governance, and guest service are all supported by one modern, secure, and future-ready system.”

Hotelogix is a leading cloud PMS provider in the Philippines with over 10,000 active users and 15,000+ keys. Several growing hotel groups, including Global Officium Limited Inc (GOLI), Enable Hospitality, Araw Hospitality Group, Astoria Hotels and Resorts, Azalea Hotels and Residences, The Henry Hotels, etc., trust Hotelogix to power their operations and growth. With BIR certification, hotels using Hotelogix will be able to issue proper tax documents, file accurate tax returns, and financial statements in accordance with the BIR mandate. This milestone further reinforces Hotelogix’s leadership position and paves the way for increasing adoption as hotels nationwide prioritise compliance and digital transformation.

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Business

MEGAWORLD’S 9M INCOME UP 14% TO ALMOST P18B AS OFFICE, MALLS, HOTELS HIT DOUBLE-DIGIT GROWTH

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MANILA, Philippines — Property giant Megaworld recorded a strong net income for the first nine months of 2025 as it grew 14% to almost P18-billion, mainly driven by the solid performance of the company’s core businesses, particularly its mall and office leasing, residential, as well as hotels.

Consolidated revenues, meanwhile, increased 8% to P64.41-billion

Leasing revenues reached P16.24-billion, growing 15% from the same period last year.

This was led by Megaworld Premier Offices, which continued to outperform the industry, as its revenues climbed to P11.14-billion, reflecting a growth of around 16% year-on-year.

The growth in the office leasing business was fueled by sustained rental escalations, renewals, and new take-ups from expanding BPO firms, as well as traditional multinational companies.

During the period, Megaworld closed nearly 140,000 square meters in new office leases and almost 120,000 square meters in renewals, reaffirming the strong preference for strategically located office spaces within integrated townships that offer better convenience, accessibility, and work-life integration.

Megaworld Lifestyle Malls, meantime, generated P5.10-billion in mall leasing revenues, up 13% from a year ago, as foot traffic and consumer spending continued to grow across key mall developments. This performance was supported by the sustained momentum in retail activities and continued tenant expansion, particularly in food, fashion, and home categories.

Over the nine-month period, Megaworld opened and expanded new store spaces that cater to some key international and lifestyle brands, particularly in Uptown Bonifacio, ArcoVia City, Eastwood City, and even in Lucky Chinatown.

Hotel operations under Megaworld Hotels & Resorts, on the other hand, recorded P4.13billion in revenues, marking a 13% increase year-on-year.

The segment continued to benefit from higher room rates, increased business and leisure travel, and the additional room inventory from newly opened hotels, such as Grand Westside Hotel, the country’s biggest hotel in terms of room keys.

Meanwhile, real estate sales rose 6% to P40.24-billion, supported by stable sales takeup and continued construction progress across multiple residential developments in Metro Manila and the provinces.

Among the strongest contributors during the period were the residential projects in Uptown Bonifacio, ArcoVia City, Maple Grove in Cavite, and The Upper East in Bacolod.

“Our year-to-date performance continues to reflect the strength of our recurring income portfolio and the sustained demand across our residential and hotel offerings,” says Lourdes Gutierrez-Alfonso, president, Megaworld Corporation.

“Even as we navigate mixed market conditions, we remain focused on delivering longterm value through innovation, operational efficiency, and township-led growth,” she adds.

During the period, the company also marked its entry into the ultra-luxury residential market with the launch of the Megaworld Luxe Collection.

In September, Megaworld also declared cash dividend amounting to around P0.094 per share, reinforcing its commitment to delivering shareholder returns.

In addition, the company launched a share buyback program in August 2025 to repurchase up to P2.0-billion worth of its outstanding shares. These capital return initiatives reflect the company’s strong cash position and confidence in its long-term growth strategy.

Currently, Megaworld has 36 township developments all over the country and a land bank covering around 7,000 hectares.

Before the year ends, Megaworld is expected to launch another new township development outside of Metro Manila as part of its continued expansion in the provinces.

The company also targets to grow its office gross leasable area (GLA) to two million square meters and its retail GLA to one million square meters by 2030.

These targets will bring Megaworld’s total leasing portfolio GLA to three million square meters in the next five years.

Megaworld remains to be one of the largest real estate companies in the Philippines, with total assets now reaching around half a trillion pesos as of end-September 2025. This reflects the strength of its balance sheet and the company’s continued investment in highvalue developments.

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Business

Robinsons Land Breaks Ground on Grand Summit Pangasinan, Bringing Upscale Hospitality to Northern Luzon

by Contributor
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Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC) recently held the groundbreaking ceremony for Grand Summit Pangasinan—its first Grand Summit property in Northern Luzon. Set within the growing Robinsons Place Pangasinan complex in Calasiao, the seven-story hotel is scheduled to open by 2027 and will cater to both business and leisure travelers. The property will be operated by RLC’s hospitality arm, Robinsons Hotels and Resorts (RHR).

The ceremony on July 8, 2025 was graced by Mayor Patrick Agustin Caramat and Vice Mayor Kevin Roy Quinto Macanlalay of the Municipality of Calasiao, who welcomed the project as a boost to local tourism and economic development. They were joined by top executives from RLC and its partners, including Mybelle V. Aragon-GoBio, President and CEO of Robinsons Land; Barun Jolly, Senior Vice President and Business Unit General Manager of Robinsons Hotels and Resorts (RHR); Annalyn Yap, Vice President of RHR; Ronald Paulo, Senior Vice President for Construction Management at RLC; Albert Yu, Principal Architect of ASYA Design; and Mario Rossi, President of Advanced Foundation Construction System.

Once completed, Grand Summit Pangasinan will be a full-service hotel featuring 100 rooms—including deluxe rooms, junior and executive suites ranging from 38 to 116 square meters. Amenities include an all-day dining restaurant, lobby lounge, outdoor pool and bar, fitness center, spa, ballroom and meeting rooms.

Strategically located along the Dagupan–Urdaneta Road and just 15 minutes from Dagupan City, the hotel will offer easy access to many of Pangasinan’s cultural and natural attractions. Nearby destinations include the centuries-old Saints Peter and Paul Parish Church and the revered Basilica of Our Lady of Manaoag. For those willing to venture farther, the iconic Hundred Islands National Park and the scenic beaches of Cape Bolinao—both within a 2- to 3-hour drive—offer unforgettable coastal escapes.

In a previously released statement, Aragon-GoBio said the project reflects RLC’s continued commitment to regional growth. “Our developments across Northern and Central Luzon reflect Robinsons Land’s long-term vision of inclusive growth. By seamlessly integrating our businesses across retail, residential, hospitality, offices, and logistics, we aim to foster thriving communities and contribute to broader national progress.”

Jolly also focused on the importance of Calasiao’s location in RLC’s hospitality strategy. “Northern Luzon continues to evolve as a dynamic hub for travel and commerce, and Calasiao stands out as a place where local character and regional connectivity come together,” he said. “We purposefully design our hotels to reflect the unique energy of the places they rise in—and in Calasiao, we saw the perfect opportunity to create something that speaks to both leisure and business travelers.”

The Pangasinan hotel joins the growing Grand Summit portfolio, which includes the flagship property in General Santos City and a forthcoming at NUSTAR Resort and Casino in Cebu.

The project reinforces RLC’s broader presence in Northern Luzon, where it operates malls, residential communities, and office spaces in key provinces. In Pampanga, the company is also developing the 216-hectare Montclair Destination Estate in Porac—an integrated development featuring homes, retail, offices, green open spaces, and hotels.

With Grand Summit Pangasinan, Robinsons Land continues to expand its hospitality footprint and deliver thoughtfully designed destinations that elevate local tourism and support inclusive progress.

Photo:

From Left – Aaron Yu, Architect and Design Director of ASYA Design, Engr. Ronald Paulo, SVP of Robinsons Land Corporation Construction Management, Hon. Kevin Roy Quinto Macanlalay, Vice Mayor of Municipality of Calasiao, Pangasinan, Mybelle GoBio, President and CEO of Robinsons Land Corporation, Hon. Patrick Agustin Caramat, Mayor of Municipality of Calasiao, Pangasinan, Barun Jolly, SVP and Business Unit General Manager of Robinsons Hotels and Resorts, Annalyn Yap, Vice President of Robinsons Hotels and Resorts, Lourdes Lucido, Director of Projects and Design of Robinsons Hotels and Resorts, Engr. Benjie Ramos of Advanced Foundation Construction, Ar. Albert Yu, Principal Architect of Asya Design.

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