Lifestyle
Celebrate the love of Pokémon at PokeCon PH 2024
Happening between September 6 through 8
The love for Pokémon is alive and well in the Philippines. Whether it’s the mainline games on Nintendo’s consoles or Pokémon Go, fans of the iconic franchise will always have something to enjoy. If you’re one of the multitudes of Pokémon fans in the country, PokeCon PH 2024 is coming!
The three-day celebration will happen between September 6 through 8 at Ayala Malls Market Market. As always, there is something for everyone.
Before the event, there will be a Pokémon Unite Philippines Community Masters 8 tournament on August 31 and September 1. A PokeCon Cup for the Video Game Championship will take place on August 31 at Hobby Stadium to determine the competitors for the semi-finals on September 7.
During the event itself, attendees can go to activities for Pokémon Go, the trading card game, and trivia. If you don’t want to participate in the more intensive activities, attendees can go through all the art and merchandise exhibitors throughout the event.
A middle ground between playing games and simply attending is an interactive Doodle Wall. There is also a PokeSnap photography workshop for taking the best photos of Pokémon. Also, any plushie owners can participate in the Bring Your Pokémon Plushie activity.
PokeCon PH 2024 is between September 6 to 8 at Ayala Malls Market Market.
SEE ALSO: Pokémon Legends: Z-A will bring us back to Pokémon X and Y
Entertainment
Netflix does the unthinkable: Mayweather-Pacquiao II set for September
Streaming globally on the app
Netflix has done the seemingly impossible: a Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao mega fight rematch is set for September 19. It will stream globally on Netflix with no additional cost for standard subscribers.
The historic bout will be the first-ever boxing match to be held at The Sphere, the 20,000-seater modern indoor venue in Las Vegas known for its immersive, 16K wraparound LED display.
Arguably two of the greatest icons in boxing history, Floyd “Money” Mayweather (50-0, 27 KOs) and Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao (62-8-3, 39 KOs), will square off in an official, professional rematch.
The development comes on the heels of Mayweather announcing coming out of retirement an almost decade-long hiatus.
Meanwhile, it will be Pacquiao’s first professional fight since July 2025 when he and Mario Barrios fought to a majority draw. At the time, he also came out of a four-year retirement.
During the span, both fighters have been active in exhibition boxing matches. Notably, Mayweather fought against Tenshin Nasukawa and Logan Paul, whose brother Jake popularized novelty exhibition boxing matches. Pacquiao, for his part, fought against DK Yoo and Rukiya Anpo.
Interestingly, both Mayweather and Pacquiao
The upcoming rematch follows the two protagonists’ 2015 “Fight of the Century” wherein Mayweather outpointed Pacquiao via a unanimous decision.
A rematch had been sought for so long, especially with both fighters having encounters with each other numerous times.
Full details regarding undercard and ticket availability will be announced in the coming weeks.
Netflix taking over sports broadcasts
The Mayweather-Pacquiao rematch comes just a few days after Netflix announced a Ronda Rousey-Gina Carano MMA super fight.
This match is a collaboration between the streaming giant and MVP promotions, which is co-founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian.
On the other hand, the upcoming boxing slate in September is primarily more of a broadcast for Netflix.
The platform has actively been getting into broadcasting premier sporting events, including the Canelo Alvarez-Terence Crawford fight last year.
Unlike pay-per-views (PPV), Netflix does not require extra payment for viewers to be able to watch such sporting events. A standard subscription to their platform is already enough.
Accessories
IQOS x Isabel Santos turns heated tech into a cool, design statement
A limited-edition collaboration where product innovation meets contemporary Filipino art.
IQOS unveiled its latest collaboration with contemporary Filipino visual artist Isabel Santos.
Titled Curiosity Without Limits, the partnership places product design and personalization at the forefront, using art as the medium that reshapes the experience.
When hardware becomes a canvas
On a Friday night in Makati, RCBC Plaza felt less like a business address and more like a portal. The third floor glowed in deep blues and music echoed through concrete walls.
Inside, a crowd gathered not for a board meeting, but for something far more immersive. At the center stood a curated installation of IQOS devices and limited-edition accessories wrapped in Santos’ signature visual language.
Her works, known for their fluid motion, layered forms, and bold interplay of blue, teal, and bursts of warmth, extended beyond framed canvases and into physical objects people could carry.
Hand-painted IQOS devices, tote bags, pouches, luggage tags, and magnetic snap wallets were displayed like collectible pieces rather than merchandise.
Personalization as part of the ecosystem
Beyond display, the event emphasized interaction. Legal-age IQOS club members were given access to on-site customization stations, where devices could be personalized with exclusive Isabel Santos designs.
The process turned a familiar tech ritual into something participatory, aligning with the broader theme of curiosity driving experimentation.
A digital sensory wall responded to movement, animating Santos’ artwork through ripples and waves.
Nearby, a sketch station allowed guests to draw digitally. Guests were able to see their creations projected in real time onto a large screen. The experience reinforced IQOS’ positioning at the intersection of product innovation and experiential design.
Design meets contemporary culture
Isabel Santos, known for her motion-driven compositions and layered abstractions, unveiled and signed a central artwork created exclusively for the collaboration.
Her ability to translate emotional rhythm into visual form brought dimension to IQOS’ structured aesthetic.
The partnership was announced by PMFTC Inc., the Philippine affiliate of Philip Morris International, framing the initiative as a design-led project for legal-age nicotine users who would otherwise continue to smoke.
While IQOS devices are engineered around heated tobacco technology, the collaboration highlighted how design can influence perception and experience. The devices remained technologically consistent. What evolved was the narrative around them.
Beyond the launch
IQOS is positioning its hardware not only as a technological alternative, but as a lifestyle object shaped by collaboration and customization.
The IQOS x Isabel Santos collection extends to participating IQOS boutiques nationwide. Select locations in Bonifacio Global City, SM Mall of Asia, and Glorietta offer personalization services for a limited time, with a dedicated in-store installation unveiled at the Glorietta boutique.
Entertainment
Neon Genesis Evangelion is getting another anime series
Nier’s Yoko Taro is helming the project.
For an anime franchise that surely belongs in greatest-of-all-time lists, Neon Genesis Evangelion seems to thrive on controversy. From the polarizing ending of the original series to the controversial introduction of Mari Makinami in the Rebuild trilogy, there’s a lot to talk about between Evangelion fans. Now, the series has something new coming. Neon Genesis Evangelion is getting yet another series.
Most recently, the Rebuild of Evangelion completed its arc of rebooting the entire franchise with a more conclusive ending. It was a near conclusion, especially for those who grew dissatisfied with the previous attempts’ endings. Now, an upcoming series might take the franchise to new grounds.
To celebrate the franchise’s 30th anniversary, Neon Genesis Evangelion is getting a new series helmed by Nier’s Yoko Taro, which you might also know as the guy who wears a creepy moon on his head. Kazuya Tsurumaki, who directed the Rebuild films, will return to direct some episodes. Series creator Hideaki Anno is, unfortunately, not writing this story.
Right now, no one knows what story the series will tell. The franchise is notorious for retelling the same story over and over but with different endings. It’s unclear whether the upcoming series will do the same, tell an entirely new story, or pick up where the series left off.
SEE ALSO: Crunchyroll Winter 2026 anime season lineup and schedule
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