LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — Farmer empowerment in the province is underway by a giant mall here.

SEEN along the stretch of the Cagayan Valley Road in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, is a billboard announcing “SM City Cabanatuan soon to rise.”

LIKE moviegoers who walk into the theater long after the screening has started, we will not understand the melodrama that is the conflict between the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and SM Prime Holdings Inc., the developer of the SM Aura Premier mall in Taguig City, unless we step back in time and understand how it began.

THE claim of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) to a parcel of land it conveyed to the city of Taguig by way of a land-for-land deal when the agency encroached on the city’s own property can be considered a phantom lien—a nonexistent claim to a piece of land now owned by Taguig, but which the BCDA is trying to enforce its ownership rights thereto. The BCDA’s posturing is as preposterous as it is unenforceable, making it a laughingstock.

MANILA, Philippines – Shoppers at the SM Store at the upscale SM Aura Premier are awed at the elegance of its Beauty Section, as well as its exciting mix of new and exclusive products.

WITH its graceful lines, design innovations and green initiatives, SM Aura Premier’s architecture has drawn thousands of shoppers to the new upscale mall. Located at 26th Street corner McKinley Parkway in Taguig City, SM Aura Premier is envisioned as a landmark in the Taguig CBD, the fast flourishing “micro-city” where prestigious multinational and local corporations, as well as embassies, consulates and cultural offices, maintain their Philippine headquarters. High-end residential buildings, international and innovative schools, technologically advanced medical centers and other attractions have also transformed the area into an ethnically diverse community.

MANILA, Philippines – After a two-week training and team bonding in Lithuania, coach Chot Reyes now looks forward to getting Gilas Pilipinas familiarized with the Mall of Asia Arena, which is the main venue of the 27th FIBA Asia Championship in August.

THE SM Group announced plans to expand its current e-payment system for cinema tickets to enable users to pay for other mall services like transport shuttles and parking.

KULTURA Filipino’s recent opening of a new store at SM Aura Premier strengthened its niche as a distinctive showcase of Filipino creativity and innovation, and as a source of everything uniquely Filipino.

BAGUIO CITY, June 17 (PIA) — A shopping mall in Baguio City unveiled the largest Philippine flag made of flowers during the Independence Day celebration last week.