On the hustling and bustling avenue of Aguirre, in BF Homes Parañaque, rises another addition to the fine array of dining establishments in the dynamic residential area — Manang's Chicken, the phenomenal Filipino fast-food outlet which has found its nest in the burgeoning gourmet haven, taking with it along its best-selling double deep-fried crispy chicken, with Manang's top secret soy-garlic sauce.
Armed with its legendary success of opening nine outlets in the short span of 12 months, Manang's Chicken ruffles its feathers for its dining establishment in a residential area. With a brand that has caused a consumer commotion among students, yuppies and mall-goers from its humble beginning as a stall in Mercato Centrale, Bonifacio Global City, just a year ago, Manang's Chicken has found a suitable address for its comfort brand of Filipino-inspired fast-food favorites.
With its revitalized menu that highlights the cravings for Filipino comfort food, Manang's Chicken adds noodle (Fried Pancit and Cheezy Spaghetti), delectable sidings (Chips and Dips, coleslaw and macaroni salad), convenient sandwiches (Crispy Chicken Sandwich and Ultimate Crispy Chicken Burger), healthy fish options (Manang's Fish Fillet) and divine dessert (premium dairy sundaes) to its hallmark main dishes of irresistibly crunchy Garlic Pork Liempo Rice Meal, comforting Sesame Beef Stew Rice Meal, and of course, Manang’s famed Chicken and Rice Meals. All these, and more awaited the long queue of diners in its BF Homes branch, as Manang’s Chicken offered a buy-one-take-one promo on all its chicken rice meals on their opening day, causing a momentous crunch for their star-powered launch.
Aside from the glorious chicken were the glitzy personalities that formally opened the store. GMA 7 Survivor Philippines alumni and showbiz hunk Ervic Vijandre, eternally beautiful and graceful Cory Quirino, dynamic Las Piñas Rep. Mark Villar, and hardworking Rep. Edwin Olivarez of the first district of Parañaque and council members Bong Benzon and Beng Amurao joined Manang's Chicken's vibrant president and CEO Jill Gerodias-Borja for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. This was followed by much fanfare and of course fanciful chicken consumption.
"Ever since our stall in Mercato Centrale, we have been receiving countless requests from our fans in the south to open a store near them. And we are happy that we can now answer that request, while we offer a quick substitute to home-cooked meals for the village residents here," explains Jill Gerodias-Borja on her rightful southern expansion.
And as the sun set on Manang's Chicken's ninth branch at the famous Aguirre Avenue in BF Homes Parañaque, it has been cackled and crowed that Manang's Chicken is the best new addition to the famous food avenue of the south. And sure as the cock roost and the hens lay, Manang's Chicken is the bound to churn out home-style, Filipino-inspired comfort food for the healthy diners south of the metro.

Rene Puno's 57th birthday celebration
Zulueta, Puno and Associates (ZPA) managing law partner, Renato "Rene" Puno celebrated his birthday party in the company of loving relatives and good friends. Together with his charming wife Ann and his children Renee, Yago and Luis, Puno entertained his many guests from the diplomatic, political, business, legal, social and fashion sectors. The mix of personalities included Honorary Consul for Angola Helen Ong, accompanied by her devoted daughter Marian Ong, Gov. Joe Zubiri and his lovely wife Vicky, Qatar Airways country manager Abdallah Okasha, ZPA lawyers Tony Zulueta, Deo Marco, Cres Mayor and Miguel Herrera, People Asia magazine editor-in-chief Joanne Rae Ramirez and husband, media and advertising executive Ed Ramirez, Zee lifestyle magazine's Eva Gullas, columnist Donnie Ramirez, socialites Mayenne Carmona, Marivic Vasquez and Jojo Zabarte, and top designers Ito Curata and Lulu Tan Gan.
The excellent Chilean and South African wines and bubbly Moets accompanied the exquisite Mediterranean food fare prepared by top chef Neil Ramos, which included a carving station of luscious leg of lamb and specially prepared stuffed turkey. Ann's delicious homemade cakes were also served to the delight of the dessert gourmets in the crowd.
To Rene Puno, may you continue to be blessed with a healthy life and loyal friends, and the love of your endearing family!

An encounter with the best dressed
Everything is running like clockwork for the biggest charity event in the campaign against cancer — the 2012 Best Dressed Women of the Philippines Annual Awards Ball.
Led by style icons Ching Cruz and Carolyn Tan, this year's 2012 Best Dressed Women awardees are Bernie Montinola-Aboitiz, Tootsy Echauz-Angara, Ana Amigo-Antonio, Grace Barber-Baja, Sheree Jane Bangayan-Chua, Elizabeth Siy Co, Joteen de Jesus-Jimenez, Kathleen Lior-Liechtenstein, Aziza Mondoñedo, Pinky Puno and Agile Zamora.
Held every September for the past nine years, the glamorous fashion-for-a-cause event was conceptualized in 2004 under the tutelage of Madame Imelda Cojuangco to raise funds that will help put the many advocacies — particularly those affecting society's impoverished sector — of the Philippine Cancer Society (PCS) into reality. Spearheading the annual fund-raising activity are PCS board chairman, Dr. Roberto "Bobby" Paterno, and 2012 Best Dressed event chairman Angola consul Helen Ong.
Over afternoon tea at the upscale dining haven Society Lounge in Makati, the lovely awardees together with this year's "Ambassadors for Life" met with the 2012 Best Dressed organizing and selection committee and the PCS board to fine-tune details in the run-up to the September gala.
The 9th Best Dressed Annual Awards Ball is set for Sept. 26 at 6:30 p.m. at the Rizal Ballroom of the Makati Shangri-La Hotel.

The greatest comic opera of all takes the stage
Imagine a bashful starlet saddled with a slimy agent who also happens to own the film studio she works at. Throw in a star-struck (and lustful) nobleman and a hairdresser with a flair for intrigues, and you have the spicy ingredients of The Barber of Seville, arguably Rossini's most popular opera with its abundance of fun, catchy melodies and inventive orchestrations.
Described as everything from absurd and touching to witty, hilarious and irresistible, The Barber of Seville enthralled the Filipino audience to the tills at the Cultural Center of the Philippines last July 13, the gala night, and July 14, the second showing.
Fittingly, this most acclaimed of Italian operas marks the triple celebration of the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Italy, the 60th anniversary of Rustan's (with its reputation for pioneering Italian merchandise in the Philippines) and the 50th anniversary of the Philippines Italian Association which promotes cultural exchange between the Philippines and Italy. Rustan's, the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the official hotel sponsor The Peninsula Manila (which is always supportive of the arts and culture), in cooperation with the Embassy of Italy, all joined hands to make this operatic gala possible together with one of the major sponsors, Metrobank Card, with cooperation of Resorts World Manila, Megaworld and One Mega Group Inc.
Bringing the varied charters to life on the CCP Main Theater stage were distinguished Filipino and Italian cast comprised of acclaimed Filipino artistes — premier soprano Rachell Gerodias, tenor par excellance Arthur Espiritu (the second Filipino to perform  at the La Scala in Milan) and US-based baritone Andrew Fernando. The visiting Italian contingent were made up of renowned and multi-awarded barotines Mario Cassi and Marco Filippo Romano.
They all worked under Italian director Antonio Petris (who is also the set and costume designer), with Rugerro Barbieri, former music director and principal conductor of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, as guest conductor  The Manila production of The Barber of Seville is for the benefit of the Philippine Italian Association Endowment Fund, which supports not only cultural events but also the Sister Handmaids of Charity and the Servants of Charity, two charitable institutions run by Italian missionaries, devoted to the care of the sick, elderly, special children, abandoned and malnourished children.
An additional beneficiary will be the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra's historic friendship tour of the United States in 2013.