BINALOT Festival Mall is now OPEN!

We were invited to attend yesterday the grand opening of Binalot at the Festivall Mall Alabang yesterday. We were asked to be at the venue around 9am but since I know Festivall Mall opens at 10am so we left our home at 9am and arrived at 10:15am which is just the right time.

Binalot Banner

We were walking at the carpark going to the entrance of Festivall Mall when we saw the Binalot Mascot, Mang Bina together with the media men and other people. They stopped for a little while at the carpark to shoot a segment for Franchise TV so we had the chance to take photos before they entered the mall. 

Catherine's first time in Alabang

Binalot President, Franchisee, Binalot Mascot, Emcee at the carpark

Balloon releasing as part of the grand opening

Sophia with Binalot mascot

Cathy with Binalot mascot

After our picture-taking, we went in the mall and headed into the Foodcourt of Festival Mall. The Binalot guys and staffs were just right behind us so we were in the right track.

Binalot @Festival Mall Foodcourt

Binalot opened its 40th branch, its one of the franchise branches. 
Binalot has 5 company owned branches. The Binalot mascot is called as Mang Bina.  
The Binalot President, Rommel Juan was also present at the opening. Binalot is a Filipino restaurant owned company.

Binalot president and Binalot mascot

The event started with the ribbon cutting together with the Binalot President, the Binalot Franchisee John and his wife, and the Festival Mall owner.

Ribbon cutting

There was also a blessing during the grand opening event. 
We also participated in the candle lighting at the blessing.

Binalot Blessing

Sophie during blessing

Cathy during blessing

After the blessing, there was a pasabog of candies and coins as part of the blessing tradition. 
I also joined the pasabog, I got candies and coins with me. It was a handful of candies.

Blessing and "pasabog"

"Pasabog"

I find it amusing that they also have the Panatang Makabinalot. 
Its like the counter part of the Panatang Makabayan.  Joy Fabian (Marketing Manager of Binalot) recited the Panatang Makabinalot during the event.

Panatang Makabinalot

Joy reciting the Panatang Makabinalot

There was also a toast of red wine. It was a toast for the success of the opening event.

Let's toast for success!

After the wine toast, the emcee announced that we can start to eat and avoid starving. 
There were a lot of food for everyone. The Binalot favorites were served in bilao which were:
Bistik Walastik, Tapa Rap Sarap, Pork Bongga Longganisa, Is That You Pork BBQ, 
No Bones Daing na Bangus, Itlog na Maalat at Kamatis, and Pancit Canton.

Binalot favorites in bilao

My plate with Binalot food

We also had the chance to had a pose together with the Binalot president and Binalot franchisee. There were only 4 food bloggers who attended the event since its a bit far. We live in Sampaloc, Manila but I know an accessible way going to Alabang so distance is not a problem to us. We were also asked by Joy Fabian (Marketing Manager of Binalot)  where do we live and they were surprised to know that we go the extra mile for the grand opening of Binalot at the Festivall Mall Alabang. 

Binalot President, Franchisee, Binalot Mascot with bloggers

We had the chance to speak personally to the Binalot President, Rommel Juan. 
He mentioned how Binalot created livelihood to the people in Nagcarlan, Laguna wherein they cut the banana leaves for Binalot. He also invited us to join him the next time he will be going there. He is a great guy with a good heart :)

Everyone enjoying Binalot food

The administration staffs of the Festivall Mall were also invited during the opening so there was a long queue yesterday for the food. It was a great food event!