Hi,

We Filipinos are well-known for our hospitality. We welcome our guests, attend to their needs, and ensure that we leave a lasting impression. This unique trait emanated in the refurbishing of Laperal Mansion, one of the historic houses in the Malacañan complex and formerly used as the residence of Presidents Corazon Aquino and Fidel Ramos. Today, the famed mansion will serve as a guest house for foreign heads of state and government visiting our shores. Diplomats assigned in the Philippines toured the historic houses in the complex and an exclusive look into the newly renovated Laperal Mansion right before the commemoration of the anniversary of the 1986 People Power.

Other newsletter highlights this week:

• Cult-favourite fashion hub Halohalo unveils its first brick-and-mortar store at Power Plant Mall
• This Filipino E-learning platform has created a library of free online courses that everyone can contribute to
• 5 Dried Flower Shops in Manila: FlowerStore PH, Floral Notes, and more
• National Museum of Natural History presents ‘Faces and Flora’ photography exhibition by Jan Mayo

Cheers,
Franz Sorilla IV
Assistant Digital Editor, Tatler Philippines

To much anticipation, and about a decade since it first established its presence at art fairs and online, Halohalo is finally ready to open its first physical store. Making its home in a brightly lit spot on the second floor of Power Plant Mall, the brick-and-mortar space marks a fresh beginning for the popular fashion and lifestyle hub. 

Here’s a look inside the soft opening of Halohalo’s first-ever physical store.

Everyone is entitled to education, but for hundreds of millions of people around the world, education comes as more of a privilege than a right. This disparity has prompted individuals such as Felix Veroya to take significant steps towards bridging the educational divide. Ask Lex PH Academy (Alpha), which Veroya started in 2016, is an online learning platform that helps users upskill and get accredited in areas from engineering to data analytics and design strategies.

Ask Lex PH Academy aims to promote education through its pandemic-born banner project, Project EskwelaJuan.

Flowers are a beautiful addition to an otherwise dull space–they bring vibrance, colour, and a touch of nature with every vase they fill. The only downside of keeping flowers at home is its short-lived beauty. These floral arrangements are often difficult to keep fresh, especially when exposed to prolonged heat or direct sunlight. 

Here are shops that offer a variety of bouquet arrangements and colours.

It all began with a grand idea—something original that would highlight what the Philippines could offer. But no, it wouldn’t work to have a photojournalistic concept or landscape or wildlife photography, for what Jan Mayo realised he needed was something innate to him, unique, and personal. It led him to a workable yet ingenious concept as it attempted to marry art and science. What followed was the photographer’s dedication to his craft, the power of the creative community at his back, and sheer faith in the exoticism and distinct beauty of the Philippines.

Jan Mayo breathes life anew to Philippine native flowers exhibited at the National Museum of Natural History.