Stuff to Do (12/05/25)

Go to PPO’s special concert

CELEBRATE the season with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) in a special benefit concert. Marking the 200^th anniversary of Johann Strauss II, the program has Strauss waltzes and polkas, beloved arias, Handel’s Messiah, and highlights from Carmina Burana. Featuring soprano Katarzyna Dondalska, the Philippine Madrigal Singers, and the PPO under the baton of Grzegorz Nowak, this concert is for the benefit of The Brain Foundation of the Philippines. It takes place on Dec. 5, 7:30 p.m., at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater, Circuit, Makati. Tickets range from P1,000 to P3,500.

Shop at the Agraryo Trade Fair

ONGOING until Dec. 5 at the Quantum Skyview, Upper Ground B, Gateway 2, in Cubao, Quezon City, is the Agraryo Trade Fair: Gawang Arbo, Tatak Agraryo. This event features products made by Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organizations, showcasing a wide variety of goods from different communities.

See Hermisanto’s solo art exhibit at Kapitolyo

AT Kapitolyo Art Space, Pasig, Anihan features the works of pioneer rice artist and multimedia artist, Hermisanto. The solo show highlights his latest works in rice painting as a continuous dialogue with grain, honoring its stories, promoting Filipino identity, and the resilience it symbolizes. Much like a farmer tending to his fields through unpredictable seasons, Hermisanto’s artistic ethos centers on perseverance through adversity. The exhibit runs until Dec. 7 at Kapitolyo Art Space, 23 West Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig.

Watch folk dance performances at Rizal Park

THE Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance Company is holding Fiesta Folkloriada this year, bringing together dance companies from around the world in a vibrant celebration of culture, music, and tradition. A project of the Bayanihan Folk Arts Foundation, the festival aims to foster education, understanding, and respect among nations through the universal language of dance. It is set to happen on Dec. 6, 6 p.m., at the Rizal Open Air Auditorium of Rizal Park, Manila. It is free and open to the public.

Attend Ateneo’s alumni homecoming party

THE Ateneo Blue Eagles are invited to fly back for “One Big Feast: The 2025 Ateneo de Manila University Grand Alumni Homecoming,” taking place on Dec. 6 at the Ateneo Junior High School Covered Courts. Guest performers at the party are OPM band The Itchyworms and stand-up comedian Victor Anastacio. Hosted by this year’s Silver Jubilarians, the Ateneo High School Class of 2000, the event will donate a portion of the proceeds to the Teachers’ Retirement Fund, the AAA Order of the Blue Eagles Scholars, and the Ateneo Track and Field Team.

Join McKinley Hill’s Grand Christmas Parade

THE McKinley Hill Grand Christmas Parade is taking place on Dec. 6, 5 p.m. The parade features festive character mascots, vibrant performances, and towering giant balloons. It will go around the Venice Grand Canal Mall in Taguig.

Learn something new at Christmas workshops

THIS WEEKEND, Anko is opening its doors for a pair of creative workshops designed to help households refresh their kitchen and dining rituals with guidance from two specialists in styling and coffee. Event stylist Elena Flor Salazar of Likha by Elena and coffee expert John Tumulak of Arcana Coffee will lead back-to-back sessions at Anko TriNoma on Dec. 6 and at Anko Alabang Town Center on Dec. 7, both starting at 2 p.m. Both workshops aim to give families practical, accessible ideas they can bring straight into their Christmas gatherings. Of course, they will be using Anko’s festive collection of holiday dinnerware, glassware, décor, and coffee essentials to demonstrate.

Learn how to decorate at Mitsukoshi

THIS holiday season, Lexus brings its signature philosophy of artistry, refinement, and human-centric design to life with “Crafted for the Season: A Holiday Showcase,” a two-day experiential pop-up event at Lexus Mitsukoshi BGC, Grand Central Park, 8^th Avenue cor. 36^th Street, North BGC, Taguig on Dec. 6 and 7. On Dec. 6, at 1:30 p.m., there will be a “Christmas Ornament Making Workshop (by Pottery Sessions)” where guests will participate in hand-painting ceramic Christmas ornaments and explore color, detail, and finishing techniques that can elevate a simple piece into a refined holiday keepsake. Meanwhile, “The Art of Adornment: Christmas Tree Decorating Workshop” will be conducted on Dec. 7, at 1:30 p.m. Guests can observe set design expert Jes Dizon who will demonstrate how to thoughtfully curate ornaments, ribbons, lights, and texture to transform a space with elegance and holiday charm. Register here to sign up for a slot: https://forms.gle/ktAHGs4SSAepYLiX6.

Watch League of Legends matches on Disney+

THE 2025 League of Legends KeSPA Cup will be available to livestream from Dec. 6 to 14, exclusively on Disney+. Gamers from Korea, Japan, the US, and Vietnam, are set to battle it out across 35 matches for prize money, prestige, and bragging rights, which can be viewed across Asia, including the Philippines. The esports competition for the popular video game League of Legends, this marks the first time the events will be seen on Disney+. It is initially hosted online with later matches to take place at Korea’s Sangam SOOP Colosseum. Full match replays will be available for a limited period after each game, followed by highlight clips.

Enjoy a Christmas concert at The Pen

FROM holiday carols to music from film, Disney classics, and light opera, The Peninsula Manila marks the 40^th anniversary of its annual festive season concert with the Manila Symphony Orchestra, mezzo sopranos Cris Villonco and Yanah Laurel, and the 50-voice Ateneo Chamber Singers under the baton of Jonathan Velasco. The concert will be held on Dec. 7, from 5 to 7 p.m. at The Lobby. The first part of the concert will feature a mix of Barry White, movie musicals, light opera, Disney, and a well-loved Filipino pop classic. As tradition dictates, the second part will be filled with the familiar sounds of Christmas including the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s Messiah. Table reservations at The Lobby are available at P75,000 with a set deluxe festive merienda menu for 10. Tables for four are available at P30,000 with a set deluxe festive merienda menu. The Upper Lobby seating is available at P20,000 for tables of four with a set festive merienda menu. For inquiries on the Christmas Concert at The Pen 2025, call 8887-2888, extension 7410 (Festive Desk), e-mail diningpmn@peninsula.com, or visit the website peninsula.com.

Catch a Japanese pro wrestling champion

ON Dec. 7, the show FPW Astig, hosted by Filipino Pro Wrestling (FPW), will be headlined by global wrestling superstar Kushida. It will be the group’s last wrestling show of the year. Audiences can expect Kushida to bring his New Japan Pro Wrestling heritage and experience as a former World Wrestling Entertainment Cruiserweight champion. For this special debut, he teams up with FPW standout Cali Nueva, whose dynamic in-ring presence and breakout momentum has made him one of FPW’s rising stars. FPW Astig takes place on Dec. 7, 2 p.m., at Baked Studios, Makati. Tickets, priced at P1,200, are available via www.ticket2me.net/event/22544. Walk-in tickets are available on-site for P1,500.

Watch talented kids in a mall show

THE MKF Dynamic Star Music Studio brings together 70 kids to sing, perform, and share their talents with the public through a mall show on Dec. 7 at the Activity Area, Lower Ground, Farmers Plaza, Cubao, Quezon City.

Go to a special art exhibit

Ongoing until Dec. 10 at the Chapel Area, Upper Ground, Farmers Plaza, in Cubao, Quezon City, is Sinag: Likha Ng Pag-asa, an art exhibit held in celebration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, highlighting creative works that reflect talent, expression, and inclusivity.

Have a family-friendly evening at the theater

MANY YEARS AFTER Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in 2017, Newport World Resorts’ production company, Full House Theater Company, has returned to family-oriented productions with Shrek The Musical at the Newport Performing Arts Theater. Younger audiences will delight in the slapstick antics and fairytale creatures, while older viewers catch the clever writing, sly wordplay, and lessons embedded in the story. This allows the show to resonate as a true family experience. The musical stars Jaime Wilson as Shrek and Topper Fabregas as Donkey. Shrek The Musical is based on the DreamWorks Animation Motion Picture and the book by William Steig. It features book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire and music by Jeanine Tesori. Tickets are available at Ticketworld, Newport World Resorts Box Office, and Helixpay. They range in price from P1,500 to P4,500. For inquiries, contact Customer Care at 7908-8888 or info@fhtcentertainment.com.

Watch TP’s musical on Gregoria de Jesus

TANGHALANG PILIPINO’S (TP) newest production for its 39^th season is a groundbreaking original musical that reimagines the life of revolutionary Gregoria de Jesus through the sound of Pinoy pop music. With music by Nica del Rosario and Matthew Chang, and a book by Nicanor Tiongson and Eljay Deldoc, the show stars Marynor Madamesila and is directed by Delphine Buencamino. It is ongoing until Dec. 14, with performances at 3 and 8 p.m., at the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez (CCP Black Box Theater), CCP Complex, Pasay City. VIP tickets cost P2,000 while regular tickets are P1,800.

Bring your kids to Zootopia 2 in cinemas

DETECTIVES Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman) are back in Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Zootopia 2. Here, they find themselves on the twisting trail of a mysterious reptile who arrives in Zootopia and turns the mammal metropolis upside down. The film is directed and written by Oscar winner Jared Bush. Zootopia 2 is now in cinemas nationwide.

Attend a talk on the human conversation

AS PART of Instituto Cervantes de Manila’s ongoing commitment to  exploring the Hispanic language and culture, the Intramuros branch  will host scholar Guadalupe Ruiz Fajardo on Dec. 9, 2 p.m., for a lecture titled “How Difficult It Is to Converse (and Why That’s Fascinating).” A renowned scholar of conversation analysis and Spanish language teaching, Ms. Ruiz Fajardo teaches interactional competence at Columbia University, with decades of research on the dynamics of everyday talk and cross-cultural communication under her belt. Entrance is free. Seats can be reserved via https://forms.office.com/e/3xMY8FgtkN. For more information, visit the Instituto Cervantes de Manila website or Facebook page.