Pokémon Champions, the Nintendo Switch version comes in April

 

The Pokémon Company has just announced that the software title Pokémon Champions which will be available for download on Nintendo Switch and mobile device (iOS/Android) in April 2026.  To watch the special video commemorating the release date announcement of Pokémon Champions and the opening video on the official Pokémon YouTube channel, click the links https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFZHyDdgMIo (Pokémon Champions 4th Trailer) and URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3WNhTqdB30 (Pokémon Champions Opening Movie).

 

Pokemon Champions

If a player plays Pokémon Champions before August 31, 2026, he can claim a Dragonite from the mailbox in-game. Additionally, if he continues to play Pokémon Champions, he can obtain a Dragoninite stone using a Battle Pass. When Dragonite holds a Dragoninite stone, it can Mega Evolve into Mega Dragonite. Dragonite can be claimed on both the Nintendo Switch version and mobile device version and through other methods. Pokémon obtained in Pokémon Champions cannot be sent to Pokémon HOME. 

To commemorate the release of Pokémon Champions, a campaign will be held within the game where players can receive a Mega Chesnaughtite, Mega Delphoxite, Mega Greninjite, and Mega Floettite stones, all valuable partners appearing in Pokémon Legends: Z-A.  By storing the Chesnaught, Delphox, Greninja, and Eternal Flower Floette a player befriends, during Pokémon Legends: Z-A in Pokémon HOME, and brings them to Pokémon Champions as visitors, he can obtain their Mega Stones from his mailbox in Pokémon Champions. A Chesnaughtite stone, a Delphoxite stone, a Greninjite stone and a Floettite stone can be claimed by bringing over a Chesnaught, a Delphox, a Greninja, an Eternal Flower Floette, respectively, can be claimed by bringing them over from Pokémon HOME to Pokémon Champions.

 

Pokemon Champions logo

The Mega Stones available in this campaign may be unlocked in the shop or other areas of the game at a later date.  Chesnaughtite, Delphoxite, Greninjite, and Floettite can be claimed on both the Nintendo Switch version and mobile device version.  However, these Mega Stones cannot be claimed when bringing over a Chesnaught, Delphox, Greninja, and Eternal Flower Floette that had been befriended outside of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. 

By linking Pokémon Champions to Pokémon HOME, a player will be able to bring certain Pokémon to Pokémon Champions as visitors, as well as send visiting Pokémon back to Pokémon HOME.  A player can also aim for the title of champion, alongside Pokémon he has befriended thus far in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, Pokémon GO, and other titles in the Pokémon series. Only Pokémon that appear in Pokémon Champions will be able to visit from Pokémon HOME.

 

Claiming procedures

Pokémon obtained in Pokémon Champions cannot be sent to Pokémon HOME. Pokémon can only be sent to a game through Pokémon HOME if they appear in that game.  If Pokémon brought over as visitors know moves that cannot be used in Pokémon Champions, you’ll need to change those moves via training.  Any training that Pokémon underwent in Pokémon Champions won't be retained when they're back in Pokémon HOME, but if they visit Pokémon Champions again, they'll arrive trained in exactly the same way as before.  If a visiting Pokémon leaves Pokémon Champions, then returns in a different form, the results of any training that Pokémon had undergone in Pokémon Champions will be wiped clean. 

The Pokémon Champions + Starter Pack for Nintendo Switch makes it easier for players to obtain lots of Pokémon and train them right from the start of the game.  Players who have the Starter Pack can:

• Store 50 more Pokémon in their Box
• Play the Battle! (Trainer Battle) song from Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! during battles
• Receive 50 Training Tickets. Each of these tickets lets a Player train a Pokémon without using VP.
• Receive 30 Teammate Tickets  Each of these tickets lets a Player recruit a Pokémon permanently without using VP.

For more photos, just click on the link below: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1lPRAzA3EOk5hAvcKox9YWrZSAMGcbsUTRAzA3EOk5hAvcKox9YWrZSAMGcbsUT

Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves to be released in 2027

 

The Pokémon Company is pleased to announce the simultaneous worldwide release of Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves games, the newest entries in the Pokémon series, on Nintendo Switch 2 systems in 2027. In this new adventure, players will be able to experience the winds and waves in a lush natural landscape as well as encounter new Pokémon, characters, and more. 

The special video trailer of Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves outlining the latest news is now available on the official Pokémon YouTube channel. To take a look at Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves | Announcement Trailer, click this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B15Ydgm6QtI.

Pokemon Winds and Pokemon Waves

The new titles, Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves, will feature an open world to explore, with beautiful windswept islands and a vast ocean with glittering waves that ebb and flow. The Pokémon that lives in harmony with this region’s lush environment have developed their own unique ecosystems. By visiting these islands, players will surely open the door to a brand-new adventure that could only be found there. 

During this adventure, players will learn to team up with all kinds of Pokémon to overcome both the difficult road ahead and even the forces of nature that block your path at times.  The players will become the main character in this adventure when they dive into the world of Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves. The outfit of their characters will differ between versions.

Pombon (top), Browt (lower right) and Gecqua (lower left)

For the players, the Pokémon will be their first partners on this adventure.  There are three Pokémon they can partner with: 

• Browt - the Bean Chick Pokémon, this Pokémon runs about energetically while photosynthesizing using the leaves on its brow. It’s lively, but it can also be a bit clumsy. Type: Grass. Ability: overgrow. Height 1' (0.3 m.).  Weight: 7.7 lbs. (3.5 kgs.)
• Pombon - the Puppy Pokémon, the area below its throat glows faintly from the heat-generating organ within its lungs. This Pokémon is guileless and friendly. Type: Fire.  Ability: blaze. Height: 1'4" (0.4 m.).  Weight: 14.8 lbs. (6.7 kgs.)
• Gecqua - the Water Gecko Pokémon, very intelligent and maneuvers shrewdly while putting on airs.  Type: Water. Ability: Torrent. Height: 1' (0.3 m.). Weight: 9.5 lbs. (4.3 kgs.). 

The latest video featured the appearance of some Pikachu with a brand-new look. Just how could these Pikachu be involved in this new adventure? Please look forward to learning more in future announcements.

Windchu and Wavychu

For more product information and updates, please go to the official Website: Pokemon.com/WindsWaves and, for more photos, please click on the link below:

https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1lPRAzA3EOk5hAvcKox9YWrZSAMGcbsUT

Savoy Hotel Manila Welcomes the Year of the Horse with a Vibrant Lunar New Year Celebration

 

On February 17, 2026, Savoy Hotel Manila will invite guests and the community to usher in the Lunar New Year with a vibrant and meaningful celebration, highlighted by the rhythmic beat of drums and the dynamic movements of the traditional Dragon and Lion Dance performance at the hotel lobby, an enduring tradition believed to bring prosperity, good fortune, and positive energy for the year ahead.

 

The traditional Dragon and Lion Dance

Open to all hotel guests and visitors, it offers a colorful and culturally rich way to welcome, at exactly 9:08 AM, the Year of the Horse. More than a spectacle, the celebration reflects Savoy Hotel Manila’s commitment to honoring traditions that bring families and communities together. Guests can witness the vibrant choreography up close, capture memorable moments, and experience the symbolism of renewal and abundance that defines the Lunar New Year.

 

Chinese Lunar New Year Lunch Buffet

Following the morning festivities, Savoy Café will host a festive Chinese New Year Lunch Buffet, from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM, featuring a thoughtfully curated spread of auspicious dishes prepared by the hotel’s culinary team. Highlights include Salmon Yee Sang, Crispy Jellyfish Salad, assorted Dim Sum, Steamed Whole Fish, Beef with Broccoli, Yang Chow Fried Rice, and a Crispy Lechon Belly Carving Station.  Sweet endings such as Tikoy, Butchi, Mango Sago, and Chinese New Year-themed desserts complete the celebratory feast.

 

Lunar New Year Journeys Stay

For those looking to extend the celebration, Savoy Hotel Manila also offers a Lunar New Year room package starting at PHP 4,700, which includes an overnight stay in a Standard Room, buffet breakfast for one, a sweet red bean pastry welcome amenity, a commemorative horse keychain symbolizing prosperity, and exclusive dining and spa discounts. 

Conveniently located near Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 via Runway Manila (with seamless access to Terminals 1 and 2 via the Skyway),  Savoy Hotel Manila, a homegrown brand under Megaworld Hotels & Resorts (MHR), the Philippines’ largest hotel operator chain, exemplifying Filipino hospitality through its signature Sampaguita Service, provides a seamless stay for both leisure and business travelers welcoming new beginnings in 2026. As the Year of the Horse begins, Savoy Hotel Manila continues to create meaningful moments—where traditions are honored, families gather, and every celebration is shared in the spirit of warmth and hospitality.

 

Savoy Hotel Manila

Savoy Hotel Manila: 101 Andrews Ave., Newport City, 1300 Pasay City, Metro Manila. Tel: +63 (02) 5317-2869.  E-mail: stay@savoymanila.com. Website: www.savoyhotelmanila.com.

Mama Sita’s Showcases Pansit Palabok and Bibingkrep at Pasinaya 2026 (Pasay City, Metro Manila)

 

Ms. Ces Gamad conducting the cooking demonstration

Last February 7, 2026, Kusina ni Mama Sita and Ms. Cecille "Ces" Nepomuceno Gamad hosted the "Kusina ni Mama Sita: Pansit Palabok at Bibingkrep" workshop during the 20^th Pasinaya Open House Festival 2026, held at the Pandayan A, Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Complex.  

CCP Pasinaya 2026

The Pasinaya is the largest annual multi-arts festival in the Philippines and a must-visit for aspiring artists and art enthusiasts.  The event featured a variety of shows, workshops, and activities across music, theater, dance, visual arts, film and literature.

 

Kusina ni Maria with Ateneo de Manila High School Arts students

During the Pasinaya, Mama Sita’s, known for creating recipes and reinventing old, traditional treats into new, exciting culinary delights, did a live cooking demonstration which was held, from 9:30 to 10:00 AM, as part of the Palihan Program which highlights various art and cultural disciplines through interactive open-house sessions. The cooking demonstration featured two iconic and well-loved Filipino dishes - pansit palabok (a savory shrimp-based noodle dish) and bibingkrep (a modern twist on the classic bibingka).

 

Pansit Palabok Mix

The demonstration reinforced the role of culinary arts in preserving and celebrating Philippine culinary heritage while making Filipino flavors more accessible to audiences worldwide.

 

Bibingkrep Rice Flour and Coconut Pancake and Crepe Mix

As the only culinary arts segment of Pasinaya, Mama Sita’s showcased the versatility and rich history of Filipino flavors, celebrating Filipino cuisine before an audience of Ateneo de Manila High School Arts Students, cultural workers, and festival-goers, emphasizing food as an essential expression of heritage, storytelling, and shared tradition.

Grand Opening of 33th PTAA Travel Tour Expo 2026 (SMX Convention Center, Pasay City, Metro Manila)

 

Mr. Jaison Yang (center) leading the ribbon cutting 

The three-day, 33th PTAA Travel Tour Expo 2026, one of the country’s biggest tourism events, bringing together industry leaders, exhibitors, and travel enthusiasts from across the Philippines, opened last Friday, February 6, to a vibrant and inspiring start, at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. The opening set an energetic tone for the expo, reaffirming tourism’s role as a strong driver of growth, unity, and pride for the Philippines.

 

Dr. Evangeline Tankiang-Manotok, Chairman of PTAA TTE 2026

The expo, organized by the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA), hopes to attract more locals and foreigners to tour around the country with affordable travel deals and packages. It will run from Feb. 6 to 8 and will host various exhibitors from airlines, travel agencies and tour operators, hotels, food concessionaires, cruise liners, insurance, and other travel-related entities. Aside from domestic travel deals, discounted foreign trips are also on sale at the event. 

Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco

Dr. Evangeline Tankiang-Manotok, the Chairman of PTAA TTE 2026, led the opening ceremonies.   PTAA President Mr. Jaison P. Yan , speaking about the power of travel and the need to love the Philippines first, stating “Gain a new perspective of the world but never forget the Philippines. Learn from others without losing who we are. Never compare our country to another; every nation has its own story, its own rhythm, its own strengths.” 

.... giving the "I Love Philippines" heart sign

Special guest, Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco delivered a powerful and heartfelt message, highlighting the dedication, collaboration, and hard work required in the tourism sector, as well as celebrating the continued success and resilience of Philippine tourism.

 

The huge crowd at the grand opening

She emphasized PTAA's role as a steadfast partner of the DOT and the vital role of travel expos in showcasing the country’s diverse destinations, cultures, and experiences, providing a platform for every region to shine and connect with travelers. She said, “Tourism is about people and so you must show up where the work matters the most.” “She also added that, “…. in the tourism industry, one needs to show up on the ground.”