The dust has settled and the victors stand triumphant. At the end of the most competitive Puregold CinePanalo awards season ever, “Mono No Aware” and “Limlim” took home the top prizes in their respective categories.

In the full-length category, the Japan-set drama “Mono No Aware” was far and away the most awarded film. The film landed nine awards including Pinakapanalong Pelikula, Panalo sa International Jury, Panalong Direktor for BC Amparado, Panalong Aktor for Juan Karlos Labajo, Panalong Pangalawang Aktres for Momoko Kobayashi, Best Ensemble, Panalo sa Cinematography for TM Malones, Panalo sa Editing for Edmund Telmo, and Panalo sa Sound Design for Willie Apa Jr.

“Apol of my Ai,” “Multwoh (Patay na Patay Sa’yo),” and “Patay Gutom” took home four awards each, while “Stuck on You” left with two.

Notable wins include Xyriel Manabat taking home Panalong Aktres for her comedic turn in “Stuck on You,” young Zion Cruz of “Apol of my Ai” taking home the Panalong Child Performer award, and Zanjoe Marudo winning the Panalong Pangalawang Aktor award.

In the student shorts category, “Limlim” and “Kun Hain, Bisan Diin.” found themselves in a neck-and-neck race best highlighted when Samantha Palaje and Jomarie Corro-Reyes, respectively, took home Panalong Direktor in a tie for the award. Both films ended the night with four awards each, with “Limlim” taking home the top honor of Pinakapanalong Maikling Pelikula.”

The complete list of 2026 Puregold CinePanalo award winners is as follows:

PINAKAPANALONG PELIKULA

Full-Length: “Mono No Aware”

Student Shorts: “Limlim”

PANALONG KARANGALAN MULA SA HURADO

Full-Length: “Apol of my Ai”

Student Shorts: “Kun Hain, Bisan Diin.”

PUREGOLD ALWAYS PANALO FILM

Full-Length: “Multwoh (Patay na Patay Sa’yo)” & “Patay Gutom (Dead Hungry)”

Student Shorts: “Miss Intrams” & “Pulis Dunggab”

PANALO SA INTERNATIONAL JURY

Full-Length: “Mono No Aware”

Student Shorts: “Alumahan”

PANALONG DIRECTOR

Full-Length: BC Amparado – “Mono No Aware”

Student Shorts: Jomarie Corro-Reyes – “Kun Hain, Bisan Diin.” &

Samantha Palaje – “Limlim”

PINAKA PANALONG MAIKLING PELIKULA (PANORAMA SECTION)

“The Other Side of Reality” – Zig Dulay

PANALONG AKTRESS

Full-Length: Xyriel Manabat – “Stuck on You”

Student Shorts: Jonalyn Mateo – “Ang Huling Banlaw ni Susan”

PANALONG CHILD PERFORMER

Full-Length: Zion Cruz – “Apol of My Ai”

Student Shorts: Zoey Madison Lim – “Limlim”

PANALONG AKTOR

Full-Length: Juan Karlos Labajo – “Mono No Aware”

Student Shorts: Jay Gabriel Cañada – “The Sound of K”

PANALONG PANGALAWANG AKTRESS

Full-Length: Momoko Kobayashi – “Mono No Aware”

Student Shorts: Nour Hooshmand – “Starfish”

PANALONG PANGALAWANG AKTOR

Full-Length: Zanjoe Marudo – “Apol of My Ai”

Student Shorts: Nor Domingo – “12 Shots”

BEST ENSEMBLE

“Mono No Aware”

PANALO SA MGA MANONOOD

Full-Length: “Multwoh (Patay na Patay Sa’yo)”

Student Shorts: “Ang Huling Banlaw ni Susan”

PANALONG KWENTO

Full-Length: Carl Joseph E. Papa, Yvonne Garcia – “Patay Gutom”

Student Shorts: Jomarie Corro-Reyes, William Roberts – “Kun Hain, Bisan Diin.”

PANALO SA CINEMATOGRAPHY

Full-Length: TM Malones – “Mono No Aware”

Student Shorts: Geia de Vera – “Limlim”

PANALO SA PRODUCTION DESIGN

Full-Length: Rodrigo Ricio – “Multwoh (Patay na Patay Sa’yo)”

Student Shorts: Jim Flores, Minnesota Flores, Sol Samodio – “12 Shots”

PANALO SA MUSICAL SCORING

Full-Length: Emerzon Texon – “Apol of My Ai”

Student Shorts: Lenard Kent Villanueva – “Miss Intrams”

PANALO SA VISUAL EFFECTS

Full-Length: “Patay Gutom” Animation Team

Student Shorts: Junelle Bacho Tecson, Luis Martin Mañalac – “Starfish”

PANALO SA EDITING

Full-Length: Edmund Telmo – “Mono No Aware”

Student Shorts: Brian Spencer Reyes – “Kun Hain, Bisan Diin.”

PANALO SA SOUND DESIGN

Full-Length: Willie Apa Jr. – “Mono No Aware”

Student Shorts: Hannah Gagalac – “Bumtak Sara ti Nuangen”

PANALONG AWITIN

Full-Length: “Reyna ng Quezon City” by Juana – “Stuck on You”

Student Shorts: “Game Na!” by Kier Mosquito, Edlyn Icao, John Dave Brion – “Teks Battle: Shoot Pati Pato!”

PANALONG POSTER

Full-Length: Denver Balbaboco – “Patay Gutom”

Student Shorts: Keith Ian Serfino – “Alumahan” & Eidan Maninang – “Nang Matakasan ang Tagay”

PINAKAPANALONG PROMOSYON NG PELIKULA

“When Heaven Inched Towards Earth”

PANALO SA BRAND INTRUSION

Full-Length: “Multwoh (Patay na Patay Sa’yo”)

Student Shorts: “Alumahan”

Puregold CinePanalo festival chair Ivy Hayagan-Piedad spoke on the importance of the occasion. “Each year, we gather to honor the brave artistry, and passion of Filipino filmmakers who continue to make a statement in Philippine cinema,” she said. “We proudly celebrate their achievements and we will continue to push this new voice and new perspective that move, inspire, and resonate with our panalo cinema audience.”

The Puregold CinePanalo continues to run until October 4 at Gateway Cineplex 18, TriNoma, Fairview Terraces, Ayala Malls Feliz, Ayala Malls Circuit, Ayala Malls Manila Bay and Market! Market!

Regular tickets are priced at Php250, while PWDs, senior citizens, students, national athletes, and Aling Puring and Puregold Perks cardholders can purchase discounted Php200 tickets.

A Php2,000 festival pass provides access to all seven full-length films and four sets featuring the festival’s 19 student shorts. Festival passes are available at Gateway Cineplex 18 and TriNoma.

The Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival 2026 is supported by Alaska, Angel, Argentina, Ariel, Bingo, Birch Tree Fortified, Bear Brand, C2, Century Tuna, Champion, Chuckie, Coca-Cola, Colgate, Creamsilk, Datu Puti, Downy, GoodNom Fresh, Great Taste, Del Monte, Jack’N Jill, Knorr, Lucky Me!, Maggi, Magnolia Real Mayonnaise, Milo, Monde, MY San, Nestea, Nissin, Nivea, Palmolive Naturals, Pantene, Purefoods, Rebisco, Royal, Safeguard, Sprite, Surf, Wilkins and Zonrox.

The post ‘Mono No Aware’ and ‘Limlim’ take top honors at 2026 Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival Awards Night appeared first on Lakbay Magazine.

In its final installment of the Sari-Sari Stories, Puregold releases “Pangalan,” a moving tribute to the sari-sari stores that continue to power daily life, grassroots enterprise, and community connection across the Philippines.

Following “Ways,” “The Sign,” and “The Witness,” Puregold broadens the conversation from nostalgia to economic relevance, highlighting how sari-sari stores continue to serve as accessible retail touchpoints, community anchors, and entry-level enterprises that support household livelihoods in the country.

Sari-sari stores go beyond informal neighborhood retail. They function as last-mile commerce points that respond to everyday consumer needs with proximity, familiarity, and flexible purchasing options. Their resilience has allowed them to remain relevant even as the retail landscape continues to evolve.

That economic role is matched by social relevance. At the heart of Pangalan is the idea that sari-sari stores are more than neighborhood shops: they are trusted spaces that people turn to not only for essentials, but for connection and reliability. The film captures this dual role in distinctly Filipino terms: the store as tanungan, tambayan, and takbuhan.

The narrative is reinforced by appearances of OPM artists Jhoanna Robles of BINI, Stell Ajero of SB19, and Skusta Clee, whose personal recollections reflect the deep familiarity of sari-sari stores in Filipino life. Their participation adds cultural relevance to a message ultimately anchored in enterprise, accessibility, and community-based retail.

Puregold’s focus on this segment remains rooted in mass-market demand and the practical realities of everyday consumption. By spotlighting community-based retail, the company reinforces its relevance at the grassroots level while drawing attention to the vital contribution of MSMEs to the domestic economy.

The timing is equally strategic, with MSMEs already looking ahead at the upcoming Puregold Tindahan Ni Aling Puring Sari-Sari Store Convention in May. The annual event has become a key platform for sari-sari store owners, entrepreneurs, and partner suppliers, underscoring Puregold’s enduring commitment to small business development and ecosystem growth.

Watch the full video here:

Stay in the loop. Subscribe to the Puregold Channel on YouTube, like @puregold.shopping on Facebook, and follow @puregold_ph on Instagram and X, and @puregoldph on TikTok for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

The post Puregold highlights sari-sari stores’ role in driving grassroots commerce and MSME growth appeared first on Lakbay Magazine.

Puregold carries on with its heartfelt tribute to Filipino sari-sari store owners or micro-entrepreneurs with its Sari-Sari Stories video series, the newest installment of which features a special cameo from BINI’s Jhoanna. “The Witness” is a short film that tells a tender, coming-of-age love story, one that unfolds across the years, shaped by change, constancy, and the quiet presence of a sari-sari store owner who sees it all.

Jhoanna’s cameo adds an extra layer of warmth and relatability to the narrative, underscoring the film’s message of appreciation for small business owners across the country. Affirming the role sari-sari stores play in Filipinos’ everyday lives, Jhoanna shared, “Importante na hindi mawala ang sari-sari store. Bukod sa pagiging very Pinoy, ito pa rin ang pinaka-accessible sa maraming komunidad. Iba pa rin yung may mapupuntahan kang malapit sa’yo.”

The latest Sari-Sari Story follows the budding romance between two childhood sweethearts, their youthful ardor eventually evolving—through the years—into real enduring love. The video depicts the highs and lows of their relationship, all from the perspective of a humble sari-sari store owner who witnessed them all.

Puregold Senior Marketing Manager Ivy Hayagan-Piedad echoed Jhoanna’s sentiments, saying, “Puregold has always been a proud ally of micro-entrepreneurs across the country. Through Sari-Sari Stories, we continue to uphold the role sari-sari store owners play in our everyday lives. In their communities, they bring people together by providing convenience and access to daily essentials.”

“The Witness” rides on the momentum of earlier Sari-Sari Stories installments such as “Ways” featuring SB19’s Stell, and “The Sign,” which included a cameo by Skusta Clee. The series has collectively sparked conversations online and resonated with netizens, Aling Puring members, and Puregold followers, reinforcing the remarkable part sari-sari stores play in everyday Filipino life.

As the series continues, audiences are spurred to watch for the next story, reflecting how sari-sari stores have—over time—integrated themselves into people’s lives and into the communities they serve.

Facebook Video Link: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1254850073159331

YouTube Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VucWLfCPvIk

Stay in the loop. Subscribe to the Puregold Channel on YouTube, like @puregold.shopping on Facebook, and follow @puregold_ph on Instagram and X, and @puregoldph on TikTok for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

The post BINI Jhoanna plays a cameo role in Puregold’s heartwarming tribute to sari-sari store owners appeared first on Lakbay Magazine.

The Philippine Arena pulsed with music, lights, and pure Pinoy energy as tens of thousands of music fans came together on July 5 for Puregold’s OPM Con 2025. With a sold-out crowd and a star-studded lineup of today’s biggest OPM acts—BINI, Flow G, G22, KAIA, SB19, Skusta Clee, and SunKissed Lola—the event marked a bold new milestone in Puregold’s phenomenal rise in the entertainment space.

“We’ve always believed that our connection with our shoppers goes beyond the checkout counter,” Ivy Hayagan-Piedad, Senior Marketing Manager of Puregold, shared. “We are gratified to know that through Puregold OPM Con 2025, we gave our loyal members an unforgettable celebration of Filipino music, talent, and pride on a massive scale.”

From the first beat to the final encore, the night unfolded like a love letter to the many sounds of original panalo music. Each set brought its own flavor, and the audience responded to every shift.

The crowd was as diverse as the setlist. Everyday shoppers stood shoulder to shoulder with influencers and local celebrities. It was proof that music, like Puregold, cuts across communities. Thanks to ticket redemption events held nationwide, fans traveled from across the country, while some even flew in from other parts of Asia and the UAE, just to be part of the moment.

Fans in attendance even got to enjoy a premier VIP experience that included a soundcheck party before the concert proper. On top of that, freebies overflowed from top consumer brands that included Nestle Bear Brand, Nestle Chuckie, Great Taste, Jack ‘n Jill, Cream-O, Coca-Cola, Nutriboost Kids, Nissin Wafer, Lucky Me!, Argentina, Angel, Tide, Safeguard, Cream Silk, Surf, Alaska, Doowee Donut, Del Monte Fruity Zing, Nestle Carnation, Nissin Noodles, Magnolia Cheezee, Purefoods, Champion, and Colgate.

From Luzon to Mindanao, Puregold’s OPM Con 2025 united Filipinos in a powerful celebration of identity, pride, and sound. As Piedad affirmed, “Puregold is about building meaningful experiences for the communities we serve.” And yes, more than just a concert, it turned out to be one of the most successful and talked-about music events of the year.

Stay in the loop. Subscribe to Puregold Channel on YouTube, like @puregold.shopping on Facebook, and follow @puregold_ph on Instagram and Twitter, and @puregoldph on TikTok.

The post From supermarket aisles to stadium lights: Puregold conquers the Philippine Arena with OPM Con 2025 appeared first on Lakbay Magazine.