Philippine National Cinema Day offers movies from P100

The first Philippine National Cinema Day on Sept. 12 will invite moviegoers nationwide to watch films at special prices ranging from P100 for regular 2D cinemas to P500 for IMAX. The rates will apply to all movies scheduled for exhibition that day, whether local or international, subject to MTRCB classifications and cinema schedules.

Advance ticket sales will begin officially on Sept. 10 at 10 a.m. through participating cinema box offices, official websites, mobile applications, and authorized ticketing platforms.

Nearly 200 cinemas nationwide are taking part, including branches affiliated with Ayala Malls Cinemas, SM Cinemas, Robinsons Movieworld, Megaworld Cinemas, Cinema 2000, Citymall Cinema, Parallax Inc./Vista, and FACI. Cinema 2000 includes the Red Carpet Theater in Shangri-La Plaza, the Fisher Mall theaters, and cinemas in Gateway, among others. Parallax Inc./Vista includes cinemas in Vista Malls, while FACI includes Powerplant and ATC Muntinlupa, among others.

Organized by the Cinema Exhibitors Association of the Philippines, the event will feature returning titles such as the Filipino classic Himala, the recent Cinemalaya award-winning film Mag-Iina, and Hollywood blockbusters including Project Hail Mary, Backrooms, Obsession, The Odyssey, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, among many others.

Araneta City marks Grandparents Day

Araneta City is honoring grandparents, or lolos and lolas, with events and offers for Grandparents Day.

Free medical checkups will be available at the Gateway Mall 1 Activity Area on Sept. 10 and 11, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. At the Quantum Skyview of Gateway Mall 2 on Sept. 13, Mama Sita’s will present a whole-day culinary competition featuring heritage dishes and family recipes.

The concert Himig ng Nakaraan, Tinig ng Kinabukasan, presented with Center for Pop Music Philippines, will be held at the Ali Mall Activity Area on Sept. 13 from 3 to 5 p.m. A chess competition will take place at the Farmers Plaza Activity Area on the same day, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., featuring chess masters Chito Garma, Angelo Young, and Marlon Bernardino.

The “PAW-manang Handog kay Lolo’t Lola: aRUNeta’s 2nd Anniversary Run” is scheduled at the Araneta Coliseum Green Gate on Sept. 13 from 6 to 9 a.m. The run is open to grandparents, children, and pets in retro outfits, and will be followed by exercise and stretching sessions led by professional fitness instructors and designed for participants of all ages.

Through the “Forever Young, Forever Fun Pass,” families can present a single-receipt purchase worth at least P3,000 from any Araneta City establishment to claim treats from participating stores.

Wawi Navarroza to discuss The Orchid Pavilion

Visual artist Wawi Navarroza will discuss her current exhibition, The Orchid Pavilion, at Silverlens, 2263 Don Chino Roces Avenue Extension, Makati, on Sept. 12 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.

The exhibition is the first part of a larger body of work titled “Double-Naveled and Triple-Tongued, A Tropical Gothic Troika.” Navarroza will be joined by guest speakers Tenten Mina and Meah Ang See, who specialize in Oriental ceramics and Philippine-Chinese history, respectively. Bahay Tsinoy will also discuss the definitions and delineations that form an integral part of Chinese heritage in Filipino identity.

Reservations may be made through frontdesk@silverlensgalleries.com.

Manila International Book Fair runs until Sept. 13

The Manila International Book Fair (MIBF), described as the Philippines’ biggest and longest-running book fair, has returned to the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, where it will run until Sept. 13.

This year’s fair carries the theme “Get Lit: Reading in a New Light” and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets for MIBF 2026 are available online through the SM Tickets website, while entrance passes can also be purchased at the venue throughout the event.

Onsite admission costs P50 for regular attendees. Students and senior citizens may enter for P35 upon presenting a valid ID.

Free improv performance at Benilde

SYSTEM: After Olafur Eliasson, a production by wrong.orchestra, will bring together practitioners from various media to explore the immersive experience of sound, both human-made and otherwise.

The event is part of the public programs for the ongoing exhibition Olafur Eliasson: your curious journey. It was organized by creative collectives wrong.institute and et alt in collaboration with the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD) and the Music Production Program of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB).

The free public event will be held on Sept. 12 at 5 p.m. at the 6/F Black Box of the Benilde Design + Arts Campus, 950 Pablo Ocampo St., Malate, Manila.

Ayala Museum offers curator’s tour and lecture

As an adjunct to the ongoing exhibition Turning Tides: Maritime Encounters and Exchanges of Power, the Ayala Museum will hold a curator’s tour with Jei Ente on Sept. 13 at 1:30 p.m. in the museum’s Main Gallery.

The tour will offer a different perspective on two defining historical clashes, the Battle of Mactan in 1521 and the Battle of La Naval in 1646. It will examine how early Filipinos negotiated alliances, resisted foreign ambitions, and influenced Philippine and global history. Admission is free with any full-access or 3F exhibition ticket.

A free public lecture with Abdulmari “Toym” Imao, Jr., dean of the UP College of Fine Arts, will follow on Sept. 13 at 3 p.m. Imao will share recollections of his formative years under the mentorship of four National Artists, including his father, Abdulmari Imao, Sr. He will also discuss the history of the College of Fine Arts, which has produced 11 National Artists.

Admission to the lecture is free and includes access to the 2F BPI exhibition.

The Notebook: The Musical runs through Sept. 20

Theater group Asia presents The Notebook: The Musical, based on Nicholas Sparks’ bestselling novel and the 2004 film adaptation starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams.

Directed by Nicholas Polonio, the musical follows the love story of Noah and Allie as it unfolds across multiple stages of their lives. Three pairs of actors portray the couple: Benedix Ramos and Sheena Belarmino as the Younger Noah and Allie; Laurence Mossman and Morissette Amon as the Middle Noah and Allie; and Rody Vera and Celeste Legaspi as the Older Noah and Allie.

The production runs until Sept. 20 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit, Makati. Tickets are available through TicketWorld and cost from P900 to P5,500.

Cinderella for young audiences

Repertory Philippines’ Repertory Theater for Young Audiences presents Cinderella: The Tale of the Glass Slipper, beginning this weekend and continuing every weekend until Dec. 13.

Directed by Joy Virata and Cara Barredo, the production was created by Janet Yates Vogt and Mark Friedman, who wrote the book, music, and lyrics. Katie Bradshaw, Ornella Brianna, and Julia Santiago share the title role, while Khalil Tambio and Radson Flores alternate as the Prince.

The show will have a performance on Sept. 6 at 3:30 p.m. at the REP Eastwood Theater, 4F Eastwood Citywalk, QC. Tickets cost P1,545 for Orchestra Center and P1,030 for Orchestra Sides, and are available through TicketWorld.

Kidtopia Mini Stations at Estancia

Kidtopia Mini Stations, an educational and interactive experience that combines play and learning, will be open at Estancia until Sept. 30.

The activities are designed to engage children and create family memories. Stations include a Kid Sensory Station and Mini Competition Stations, where children can play, learn, and meet new friends.

Shoppers must present a single receipt worth P3,000 to access the Kidtopia Mini Stations. Children will also receive a Kids Passport, which allows them to collect stamps and enjoy rewards with every visit.

Printmaking workshops at The M

The Metropolitan Museum of Manila (The M) is holding printmaking workshops every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. until November.

Open to beginners and experienced makers ages 12 and above, the hands-on workshops introduce several printmaking techniques while encouraging participants to produce original prints and experiment with color and editions.

Printmakers Ambie Abaño, Henrielle Baltazar Pagkaliwangan, Jone Sibugan, and Anton Villaruel are leading the sessions. Registration remains open. For information and inquiries, contact The M’s Education Officer, Pat Zulueta, at pat.zulueta@metmuseummanila.org.

The Metropolitan Museum of Manila is located at the MK Tan Center, 30th St., BGC, Taguig. It is open Tuesdays to Fridays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., except on public holidays.