Netflix has picked up a number of recent films from the Philippines. Courtesy Netflix
Netflix has picked up a number of recent films from the Philippines. Courtesy Netflix
Netflix has picked up a number of recent films from the Philippines. Courtesy Netflix
Netflix has picked up a number of recent films from the Philippines. Courtesy Netflix

9 Filipino films and series to stream on Netflix: from 'Aurora' to 'Amo'


Evelyn Lau
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Kris Aquino, John Lloyd Cruz and Lea Salonga have been paving a path to the world's stage for Filipino stars for years.

Now, thanks to them and many more, there's plenty of entertainment from the Philippines to enjoy across the world, including here in the UAE on Netflix.

There's everything from action thrillers to romance dramas, featuring a new generation of stars, such as Anne Curtis, Sue Ramirez and Bea Alonzo.

Here are eight films and one TV drama to watch on the streaming platform:

'The Girl Allergic to Wifi' (2019)

The film stars Sue Ramirez, Jameson Blake and Markus Paterson. It follows what happens after an internet-obsessed teen develops a rare illness, which forces her to move to a remote town where she must learn to navigate her relationships without technology.

'Dead Kids' (2019)

The Netflix Original is based on a true story. The Filipino thriller tells the tale of a group of teenagers who plot to kidnap the school bully. However, inevitably, things go wrong in the process. It was directed by Mikhail Red and the film stars Kelvin Miranda and Vance Larena.

'Goyo: The Boy General' (2018)

The historical biopic stars Paulo Avelino in the title role of General Gregorio del Pilar, and focuses on the final months of the young general who died during the Battle of Tirad Pass in the Philippine-American War. It features an ensemble cast that includes Carlo Aquino, Mon Confiado, Epy Quizon, Gwen Zamora and Empress Schuck.

'Buy Bust' (2018)

The action-thriller stars Anne Curtis as a rookie police officer in the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency. She’s tasked with being part of a team that’s summoned to conduct a drug bust in a Manila slum, although her intuition tells her it may be a trap. When they realise the mission has been poorly executed, they must find a way out.

'Eerie' (2019)

This action-horror film was directed by Mikhail Red and stars Bea Alonzo and Charo Santos-Concio. It's set in the all-girls Catholic school, Sta. Lucia Academy, and shows a caring guidance counsellor investigating the suicide of Erica, one of the students, after many claim they are being haunted by her ghost.

'For the Broken Hearted' (2018)

The film tells three interwoven stories that tackle the pain of being heartbroken, moving on and finding the courage to love again. It is directed by Digo Ricio and features Yassi Pressman, Sam Concepcion, Marco Gumabao, Louise delos Reyes and Shy Carlos.

'Aurora' (2018)

This horror-thriller film from Yam Laranas, starring Anne Curtis, follows a woman named Leana who lives with her younger sister Rita on an island. After a passenger ship crashes nearby, they decide to find the missing dead for bounties. However, Leana soon starts to have strange visions of the corpses of the missing passengers.

'Maria' (2019)

Maria is a former cartel assassin who betrays her employers and fakes her own death in order to start a new life. When her former colleagues discover she’s alive and has a new identity, they try to find her and return her to her former self. Directed by Pedring Lopez, the film stars Cristine Reyes, Germaine De Leon and KC Montero.

'Amo' (2017)

The drama crime series focuses on the Philippine Drug War and high school student Joseph, who is looking to expand his drug operation. However, it turns out he isn’t the only family member involved in illegal activity, as his police officer uncle also profits from corruption. While leading a double life, Joseph runs into trouble and needs help from his family members to cover his tracks. Fun fact: this is Netflix’s first original series from the Philippines.

Dubai Bling season three

Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

Rating: 1/5

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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

Abu Dhabi GP schedule

Friday: First practice - 1pm; Second practice - 5pm

Saturday: Final practice - 2pm; Qualifying - 5pm

Sunday: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps) - 5.10pm

From Zero

Artist: Linkin Park

Label: Warner Records

Number of tracks: 11

Rating: 4/5

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Who was Alfred Nobel?

The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.

  • In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
  • Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
  • Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

Company profile

Company: Rent Your Wardrobe 

Date started: May 2021 

Founder: Mamta Arora 

Based: Dubai 

Sector: Clothes rental subscription 

Stage: Bootstrapped, self-funded 

Company profile

Company: Eighty6 

Date started: October 2021 

Founders: Abdul Kader Saadi and Anwar Nusseibeh 

Based: Dubai, UAE 

Sector: Hospitality 

Size: 25 employees 

Funding stage: Pre-series A 

Investment: $1 million 

Investors: Seed funding, angel investors  

F1 drivers' standings

1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 281

2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 247

3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes 222

4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull 177

5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 138

6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull 93

7. Sergio Perez, Force India 86

8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 56

The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5