Recently the City Government of Las Piñas achieved another tremendous honor as it emerged as the grand winner in the 2025 Metro Manila SubayBAYANI awards ceremony, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
The city government of Las Piñas was named as grand winner in the 2025 Metro Manila SubayBAYANI award which honors local government units that exemplify excellence, innovations, and accountability in local infrastructure governance.
Las Piñas City Mayor April Aguilar said the cities of Parañaque and Pasig also received an award during the ceremony held at the Manila Hotel on Oct. 7, organized by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)-National Capital Region (NCR).
Aguilar said the recognition affirms the city government’s commitment to transparent, efficient, and community-centered implementation of infrastructure projects that continue to uplift the lives of its residents and promote sustainable urban development.
She said the SubayBAYANI grand award underscores the city’s consistent excellence in infrastructure management and progressive governance.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Are you happy that the City Government emerged as the grand winner in the 2025 SubayBAYANI awards?? Does the latest award make you trust Mayor April Aguilar even more?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently in the City of Las Piñas, the dredging and desilting project – a partnership between San Miguel Corporation (SMC) and the City Government – was launched and it is a part of the corporation’s Better Rivers PH program which can reduce the risk of flooding, the City Government announced via social media.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the social media post of the City Government. Some parts in boldface…
The City Government of Las Piñas, led by Mayor April Aguilar, formally launched the Dredging and Desilting Project in Las Piñas and Zapote River along C5 Extension, Barangay Pulanglupa Uno in partnership with San Miguel Corporation’s Better Rivers PH initiative.
The activity marks a major step toward improving flood control, restoring ecological balance, and ensuring long-term river rehabilitation in the city.
Present during the site inspection were Congressman Mark Anthony Santos, CENRO Head Engr. Cezar Perillo, City Engineer Mike Aguilar, City Administrator Reynaldo Balagulan, City Agriculture Head Dr. August Michael Basangan, and Councilor Henry Medina.
Representing San Miguel Corporation were Mr. Jimmy Lu, Vice President and Overall Project Manager of SMC Better Rivers PH, and Atty. Cynthia de Castro, Government Affairs and Advocacy Group Manager. Also in attendance were Gat Anthony Concepcion from the DENR Manila Bay Coordinating Office, along with Barangay Captains Guada Rosales of Pulanglupa Uno and Eduardo Robles of Elias Aldana.
Mayor Aguilar emphasized that dredging and desilting are crucial to the city’s flood mitigation efforts and environmental protection goals.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Are you happy that the City Government and SMC teamed up for the dredging and desilting project? How often is your local community hit by flooding whenever heavy rain happens?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently Las Piñas City Mayor April Aguilar received a prestigious award related to healthcare and being a top public servant, the City Government announced via social media.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the social media post of the City Government. Some parts in boldface…
Congratulations to Mayor April Aguilar for being honored with the prestigious Gawad Galing: Global Award of Excellence in Healthcare, receiving the recognition as Top Public Servant in the Allied Health category. This accolade celebrates exceptional individuals who have made remarkable contributions to the healthcare sector in the Philippines and beyond.
The award, which highlights both healthcare professionals and visionary leaders driving improvements in health services, recognizes Mayor April’s transformative initiatives in making healthcare more accessible, efficient, and high-quality across the city.
Mayor April’s administration has set a new standard for local government-led healthcare programs, proving that innovation, dedication, and compassionate governance can transform public health delivery. The award further cements her reputation as a trailblazer in public service and a champion for the welfare of her constituents.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Are you happy having April Aguilar as the mayor of the city?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Welcome back fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs!
I finally did it! After having seen it many times on home video, cable TV, local TV and DVD, I finally viewed Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind inside the local cinema here in the Philippines. I saw it on September 17 at SM Cinema inside SM Southmall in Las Piñas City. This was also the first time in two years since I last saw any movie inside the cinema (I last saw Sound of Freedom).
An old movie poster of Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind.
For the newcomers reading this, Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind was part of the Studio Ghibli Fest 2025 which was exclusive to SM Cinema (the largest cinema chain in the country). While the said fest ended on September 16, there were still screenings of Studio Ghibli anime feature films shown in SM Cinema branches from September 17 to 23.
I paid P275 (US$4.72 according to the foreign exchange as of this writing) for my SM Cinema ticket and it includes a free drink. I entered the cinema carrying my ticket, drink and popcorn feeling excited and nostalgic to see Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind on the big screen for the first time ever. What was shown was the English-subtitled version with Japanese voiceovers (Sumi Shimamoto as Nausicaä, Gorô Naya as Yupa, Yoshiko Sakakibara as Kushana, Yôji Matsuda as Asbel, and more)
We were only seven people inside the cinema and there were lots of vacant seats beside, behind and in front of me. I was sitting very comfortably waiting for the screening to begin. At the same time, nobody had a noisy smartphone during the screening. As for me, I deliberately turned my smartphone off to ensure no communication-related distractions would happen.
Eventually Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind finally started playing on the big screen. After the short animated opening scene, the music by Joe Hisaishi started playing as the opening credits went on. At that moment, I was immersed into Hayao Miyazaki’s anime classic immediately and I knew I made the right decision to see it inside the theater.
As the film went on, I adjusted myself to reading the subtitles while maintaining focus on the plot as well as the development of characters. Visually, the film turned out to be really spectacular on the big screen even though it had no computer-generated images at all (note: it is purely hand-drawn animation that was done with so much hard work by Miyazaki and the animators). With the higher resolution on the big screen, I saw a lot more tiny visual details here and there and the facial expressions of the characters became more lively than before. Very clearly, Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind is meant to be seen in the movie theater.
The sense of visual scale in scenes like this one is best viewed on the big screen in the movie theater. (photo source – IMDB.com)
There is nothing like exploring a very polluted forest filled with huge, mutated insects. (photo source – IMDB.com)
After about two hours – the end credits includes animated scenes showing what happened after the climax – of watching, I left the cinema feeling very satisfied and entertained even though I saw Miyazaki’s 1984 masterpiece many times over the decades. The fact that the English-subtitled version was shown gave me an idea of what Japanese moviegoers saw inside their cinemas in 1984, and I can say that the Japanese voiceovers were engaging to listen to. The big screen experience alone made watching Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind worth it.
That being said, I want to express out loud to local movie theater operators reading this to consider showing more of the classic anime feature films as well as classic motion pictures during film festivals or special theatrical events. Personally, I want to see Casablanca, Macross: Do You Remember Love?, Metropolis (2001), Tron, Total Recall (1990) and Akira in the local cinemas.
I am very glad to have seen the 1984 classic anime movie inside the movie theater.
Going back to Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind, I am very glad to have seen inside the cinema and if ever your local cinema will have it screened, I encourage you to go for it. There is absolutely no way that that the screens of your smartphone, your tablet, your PC monitor and your high-definition TV could match the grand visuals of Miyazaki’s film on the cinema’s big screen. Truly the cinema is better than streaming.
If you wish to join a group of movie enthusiasts and talk about cinema, cinematic trends, Blu-ray releases and more relevant stuff, visit the Movie Fans Worldwide Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/322857711779576
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently in the City of Las Piñas, eight hundred locals availed of free food and water when the local feeding program occurred in Barangay Daniel Fajardo and no less than Mayor April Aguilar was present, the City Government announced via social media.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the social media post of the City Government. Some parts in boldface…
Through the initiative of Mayor April Aguilar, Vice Mayor Mel Aguilar, and the City Council, an auxiliary feeding program was held in Madrigal Covered Court, Barangay Daniel Fajardo to support the health and nutrition of children and families in the community.
A total of 800 beneficiaries received nutritious pork steak rice topping and bottled water that were carefully prepared and distributed with the help of Barangay Nutrition Scholars. The program was spearheaded by the Las Piñas City Nutrition Office under the leadership of OIC and City Nutrition Action Officer Dr. Julio P. Javier II.
Barangay Captain Dolphy Cristobal, together with Kagawads Melvin Cristobal, Irish Alinigue, Bernard Abersosa, Archie Casimiro, Bhong Ello, and Rodelyn Gonzales, joined the activity to show their support.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Has the City Government feeding program reached your local community recently?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently in the City of Las Piñas, local police officers apprehended a man who turned out to be the 2nd most wanted person in Davao del Sur, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. He was arrested for murder.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
Authorities from the Las Piñas Police Warrant and Subpoena Section (WSS) arrested Davao del Sur’s No. 2 most wanted person in the municipal level in 2022 during the conduct of a manhunt operation against wanted fugitives.
Las Piñas City Police Chief Col. Sandro Tafalla identified the suspect as Jesan, 37, a laborer wanted for the crime of murder in Davao del Sur. He was arrested along Narra Street, Barangay CAA, Las Piñas City.
Tafalla said members of the Malalag Municipal Police Station coordinated with the Southern Police District and notified members of the Las Piñas City Police WSS conducting a manhunt operation against wanted fugitives for the arrest of Jesan.
He said Jesan was arrested by virtue of a warrant of arrest issued by Judge Marivic Trabajo Daray of Digos City, Davao del Sur, Regional Trial Court Branch 18, for the crime of murder on May 31, 2022, with no bail recommended.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Are you concerned that there could be wanted persons from the provinces hiding in the city?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently in the City of Las Piñas, the City Government celebrated the 10th anniversary of its local program for solo parents at the Aguilar Sports Complex and Mayor April Aguilar personally distributed rice to the participants, according to the LGU’s social media post.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the City Government’s social media post. Some parts in boldface…
Las Piñas City celebrated the 10th anniversary of its Solo Parents program with a vibrant gathering at the Aguilar Sports Complex in Barangay Pilar.
With the theme “Solo Parent na Rehistrado, sa Gobyerno Tiyak na Protektado,” the event drew 800 participants and highlighted the city’s commitment to provide care, recognition, and protection for solo parents.
A key moment was the launch of the Solo Parent Purchase Booklet. The City Social Welfare and Development Office, led by Ms. Lowefe Romulo, detailed the qualifications, registration requirements, and benefits for solo parents which include a comprehensive package of social protection services, educational support, automatic PhilHealth coverage, and a 10% discount on essential needs such as baby products and prescribed medicines for children aged 6-years and below.
Each participant also received 3 kilograms of rice personally distributed by Mayor April Aguilar.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Are there many solo parents in your local community right now?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
For the first time ever, I saw Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind inside the cinema at SM Southmall in Las Piñas City, and I can say it was an immersive experience to replay Hayao Miyazaki’s classic. To make things clear, I saw Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind a number of times since the mid-1980s starting with the bad English version Warriors of the Wind. I eventually saw the anime feature film in its uncut form on DVD (with the new English dub from Disney).
This leads me to my next point… Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind was released three times on Blu-ray disc format over the past several years. The first was from Disney in 2011. Six years later, a 2nd Blu-ray release came from Shout! Factory which had a newer scan of the film and improved picture quality over the Disney Blu-ray.
The 2017 Blu-ray of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind from Shout! Factory.
In 2020, Shout! Factory released Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind in Steelbook (Blu-ray.com describes the picture quality as follows: “Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind has received a top-notch video-presentation with a high bit-rate encode from Gkids. The encode is of a new remaster of the film. This is a much better video-presentation than that of the original Disney Blu-ray released in North America. Colors are significantly better and more accurate to the original animation cells.”)
As the Steelbook Blu-ray of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is the most recent release, posted below for your reference are the technical details from its Blu-ray.com page.
Video
Codec: MPEG-4 AVC (35.00 Mbps)
Resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Audio
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Japanese: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 2.0
Note: French track is (192kbps)
Subtitles – English, English SDH, French,
Discs –Blu-ray Disc, Two-disc set (1 BD-50, 1 DVD)
Packaging – SteelBook, Inner print, booklet
Playback – 2K Blu-ray: Region A
What caught my attention is the fact that – as of this writing – the 2020 Steelbook Blu-ray of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is only a few Dollars higher than that of the 2017 Blu-ray. As a Blu-ray movie collector, I see a really good deal with the Steelbook Blu-ray at its current price. Both the 2017 and 2020 Blu-ray versions of the classic anime feature film carry a booklet. There is a choice that both Studio Ghibli fans and casual anime fans can take advantage here.
This is what the 2020 Steelbook Blu-ray of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind looks like.
At this stage, I can only wonder if Studio Ghibli has plans to produce and release a 4K Blu-ray ofNausicaä of the Valley of the Wind someday. Perhaps if more than enough fans and 4K Blu-ray collectors would get together to express their demand for it, Hayao Miyazaki and his studio would be aware.
If you have decided to buy the 2017 Blu-ray of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, click here. If you want the 2020 Steelbook Blu-ray version, click here.
If you wish to join a group of movie enthusiasts and talk about cinema, cinematic trends, Blu-ray releases and more relevant stuff, visit the Movie Fans Worldwide Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/322857711779576
Recently in the City of Las Piñas, around eight hundred local residents availed of the services from a medical vision involving the Aivee Group, the City Government confirmed via social media.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the City Government’s social media post. Some parts in boldface…
Mayor April Aguilar, together with Vice Mayor Mel Aguilar and The Aivee Group led by Dra. Aivee Aguilar, brought premium medical care to the community through the “Aivee Beyond Borders” free medical mission held at the Equitable Covered Court, Barangay Talon Kuatro. Around 800 Las Piñeros benefited from the activity, receiving expert consultations, treatment procedures, post-procedure medicines and creams, as well as follow-up guidance.
The event also became a celebration of community spirit, with free meals and treats shared by the City Nutrition Office and Potdog, plus giveaways from The Aivee Group and the Las Pin̈as LGU. A raffle was likewise held, made possible through the generosity of sponsors including Unilab Foundation, Omni Med Hub Corporation, Vanguard, Siklab, and Ms. Maribel Mijares.
Joining Mayor April were Congressman Mark Anthony Santos, Councilor Alelee Aguilar, and special guest Mika Salamanca, PBB Celebrity Collab Big Winner, who all came together to show support for the beneficiaries.
Mayor April reiterated her commitment to bring quality health services closer to the people.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Do you wish that another medical mission involving the Aivee Group will be held again in the city soon?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently in the City of Las Piñas, the City Government formally deployed more than one hundred fifty beneficiaries of Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) to do a series of activities to combat dengue, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
The city government of Las Piñas announced that over 150 beneficiaries of Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) will be deployed to conduct cleaning operations in different communities and schools to fight dengue.
Las Piñas City Mayor April Aguilar said the TUPAD program against dengue is a collaborative effort between the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), City Health Office (CHO), and the Department of Education (DepEd).
Aguilar said the beneficiaries will help clean the community, clear potential mosquito breeding sites, and the school surroundings to prevent students from being infected with the mosquito-borne disease, and also to fight and reduce dengue cases in the city.
Beneficiaries are set to work for 24 days and will receive P695 per day, or a total of P16,680 compensation for their work.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Does your local community have a serious dengue problem right now?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Author Carlo Carrasco 