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Victoria Court reveals secrets on popular themed suites for Valentine’s Day
Anyone who’s been inside these themed suites can attest that the beauty is in the details. From the Red Light, Green Light guns to the MRT train hand railings and color schemes, the rooms are designed accurately. Maybe too accurately.
Love motels are an open secret to us, and over the years, Victoria Court has been unveiling one themed room after another. You may have heard of their Squid Room suite at the height of the show’s popularity (pandemic doom, we feel you) or their juicy and sweaty nudge to Filipino daily commute (and JAV chikan) with their MRT-inspired room.
Anyone who’s been inside these themed suites can attest that the beauty is in the details. From the Red Light, Green Light guns to the MRT train hand railings and color schemes, the rooms are designed accurately. Maybe too accurately.
After all, aren’t guests the ‘main character’ of their fantasies?
Speaking of getting into your main character era, who isn’t planning a spicy, steamy experience this Valentine’s Day? Whether we hide it or not, it’s been a long-standing tradition for Victoria Court to create an adult playground for love and intimacy this time of the year.
Victoria Court Owner Atticus King weighs in on how they’ve turned the drive-in motel chain’s themed suites from ideas into guests’ short-lived realities: “I had a professor once say, a room is a room is a room. With that in mind, we thought about how important it is to go beyond that, we wanted to give them an experience they couldn’t just get anywhere and that would make a mental mark and become a core memory. “Remember that time we went to VC…”
Yes, how could one forget a rendezvous night spent with their partner trying to live happily ever after? Victoria Court’s Ever After room in Pasig can do just the trick. The room’s jacuzzi is their biggest one yet, and you can literally float on it without touching the sides of the tub. Talk about real happy endings, right?
You’d also be surprised to know which themed rooms are well-suited to the Filipino taste. “We have the most number of suites in our Panorama Branch in Pasig. There, our top 10 busiest rooms are CLOY, Chips, Squid Room, Oval Office, Venice, Bachelor’s Pad, Moulin Rouge, Cirque, 50 Shades, and yes, Princess Jasmine,” Chief Operating Officer Sam Pineda reveals.
We’re not here to gatekeep on other steamy perks these rooms have to offer. “Aside from custom-built jacuzzis, we have rooms with playful additions like places to strap folks in. Our Homerun and Casting Couch rooms in Pasig are good examples,” Pineda adds.
Of course, behind each themed room is a story of how it came to be. “It’s a combination of looking at what is trending, what is underserved, and what we think looks fun. When we built the Oval Office room, my father [the late Archie King] said I’d end up losing my visa because it was a replica of the Oval Office but my selling point was how often can you say I’ve partied in the Oval Office? The room was a hit when we launched it and I didn’t lose my visa,” King explains, laughing.
But how exactly does the motel chain decide which fandom or Netflix show will turn into the next themed suite? “We have several recipes but to be honest, sometimes themes we think will be a big hit just do okay and others that are okay do exceptionally well. We always listen to our guests and we try to design themes to make their crazy fantasies real,” King says.
Even then, Victoria Court has moved away from its public perception of being a mere ‘biglang-liko’ or place for illicit affairs to a hotel chain that hosts (wholesome) parties and offers an award-winning food menu.
“The bigger suites are typically what end up hosting parties (and some couple stays). For couple stays, we find that while some regulars have a favorite room, others prefer not to use a room they’ve already seen – and that’s what’s beautiful about it,” Pineda explains. “You can choose or you can just go for any and be (pleasantly) surprised!”
Guests, despite being discreet, aren’t shy to offer a thought or two about these rooms. “We’ve received great feedback from either camp, with some loving the variety, while others have a favorite jacuzzi, enjoying the special effects, the tantra chair, or even something as simple as preferring rooms with more mirrors.” Pineda says.
Not all themed rooms are here to stay, though. But some rooms are classics and crowd-favorites that guests will always come back to now and then. “When we see a certain theme starting to look dated, we decide whether to reinvest to upgrade it or what we fondly like to call belo and make it fresh again or we take a vote on what new theme we can reintroduce.”
But more than rooms to play out fantasies is a vision to create an adult Disney experience for King: “I think our product will continue to evolve to serve couples looking for an experience that will bring them right to the edge of their comfort zone and inject that feeling of adventure.”
Well, folks, it’s time to head over to the nearest Victoria Court branch this Valentine’s Day and see their themed suites for yourself. You’ll never know what you’ll find there–a newfound fantasy or a tantalizing experience that will keep you on your toes, craving for more.
Product Showcase
Sun Life appoints Bianca Ilibasic as Managing Director, Sun Life Global Solutions
She will lead SLGS across India and the Philippines, providing strategic direction to multi-functional teams spanning Technology, Operations, Analytics, Actuarial, HR, Finance, and Risk & Compliance.
Sun Life has appointed Bianca Ilibasic as the Managing Director for its global capability centre, Sun Life Global Solutions (SLGS). She previously served as Vice President & Chief Operations Officer, Sun Life Asia.
In her new role, Bianca will lead SLGS across India and the Philippines, providing strategic direction to multi-functional teams spanning Technology, Operations, Analytics, Actuarial, HR, Finance, and Risk & Compliance. Her mandate is to further scale SLGS as a high-impact, enterprise capability supporting Sun Life across 28 markets.
During her time in Asia, Bianca advanced straight-through processing, accelerated digital adoption, and shaped a forward-looking AI roadmap to drive business growth — strengthening shared platforms and enabling scalable outcomes.
Commenting on the appointment, Laura Money, EVP and Chief Information and Technology Innovation Officer, Sun Life, said, “Over the past four years, Bianca has been a driving force behind operational excellence and digital transformation, leading with clarity, courage, and a deep commitment to our Purpose. Advancing our AI roadmap and scaling impact across common platforms, Bianca has been consistently delivering results while building strong, empowered teams. She is a visionary, insights driven leader who brings energy, heart, and ambition to everything she does, and I could not be more thrilled to see her step into this role.”
Reflecting on the opportunity, Bianca added: “I am excited to begin this new chapter. Sun Life Global Solutions is more than a capability centre — excellence, innovation, and dedication are consistently demonstrated via brilliant, passionate teams across India and the Philippines who support our Purpose and our Clients every single day. What excites me most is the opportunity to build on our foundation and deepen partnerships, accelerate transformation, and relentlessly focus on outcomes that truly matter to our Clients.”
Bianca’s appointment marks a defining moment for SLGS, strengthening its role as both a strategic engine for enterprise value and a platform where empowered teams can shape what’s next for Sun Life. We look forward to everything Bianca and the SLGS team will achieve together.
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Manulife continues legacy of service in PH with Impact Week 2026
All five Manulife organizations in the Philippines—Manulife Philippines, Manulife China Bank Life Assurance Corporation (MCBL), Manulife Investment Management and Trust Corporation (MIMTC), Manulife Business Processing Services (MBPS), and Manulife IT Delivery Center (MITDC)—held activities that advanced environmental, educational, and social causes.
Manulife hosted its inaugural Impact Week, a global volunteer initiative designed to strengthen well-being, build social connection and unite teams through purpose-driven community action.
All five Manulife organizations in the Philippines—Manulife Philippines, Manulife China Bank Life Assurance Corporation (MCBL), Manulife Investment Management and Trust Corporation (MIMTC), Manulife Business Processing Services (MBPS), and Manulife IT Delivery Center (MITDC)—held activities that advanced environmental, educational, and social causes.
“Manulife’s Longevity ambition is about helping people live longer, healthier, and more financially secure lives—and we believe that starts with strong, resilient communities,” said Rahul Hora, President and Chief Executive Officer, Manulife Philippines. “Impact Week brings this to life by mobilizing colleagues across our Philippine entities to volunteer at scale, working side by side with our community partners and reinforcing the shared purpose that strengthens long-term well-being. Through these collective actions, we are creating immediate impact and helping build a more sustainable and inclusive future for the communities we serve.”
Results and Highlights from Impact Week 2026
During Impact Week, more than 1,200 colleagues participated in volunteering activities, logging more than 4,700 volunteering hours.
Beyond the numbers, Impact Week strengthened connection across teams, bringing colleagues together around shared purpose and reinforcing a culture of inclusion.
- Ongoing tripartite impact: As part of a tripartite collaboration with the Corazon Sanchez Atayde Memorial Foundation (CSAMF) and Haribon Foundation—combining Manulife’s community investment commitments, CSAMF’s financial literacy program, and Haribon’s biodiversity and environmental work—Manulife Philippines, Manulife China Bank Life (MCBL), and Manulife Investment Management and Trust Corporation (MIMTC) led the on-ground activities in Infanta, Quezon Province.
- Supporting financial resilience through Peso Smart: Volunteers supported Peso Smart Pinoy (PSP) through challenge-based activities in Brgy. Alitas, Infanta, culminating in a graduation ceremony recognizing PSP participants and their progress toward greater financial confidence. Peso Smart is a financial literacy program that has reached more than 4,000 learners across 18 schools nationwide since 2017,
- Contributing to a healthier planet: Volunteers, together with Haribon Foundation and the Alitas Farmers Folks Association (AFFA), planted 2,500 mangrove seedlings, advancing the Ridge-to-Reef Reforestation Initiative and adding to Manulife and Haribon’s total of more than 31,000 trees planted since 2023.
- Prioritizing health and well-being: Volunteers partnered with Rise Against Hunger Philippines and Waves for Water Philippines to support food security and water, sanitation, and hygiene initiatives. Together, they packed 17,700+ rice meals, rescued 1,200+ kg of surplus food, distributed 500 hot meals, produced 3,300 mushroom bags for livelihoods, assembled 150 water filtration kits, and developed 100+ concepts for food bank and mobile kitchen initiatives.
- Supporting community education: MITDC delivered its Code4Future program to 28 young learners from St. Martin de Porres Kid’s Home—using coding and creativity to build problem-solving skills and digital confidence.
Extending Impact Together
In addition to the company organized activities, individual colleague teams across the Manulife organizations were supported in leading their own volunteer initiatives with local non-profit partners. For each eligible team-led initiative, Manulife provided a $1,000 donation to the partner organization, extending the reach of Impact Week.
“The most meaningful work is often personal. At Manulife, volunteerism grows when people are trusted to lead on the causes they care about,” said Ardhi Siregar, Chief People Officer, Manulife Philippines. “That’s why we empowered our teams to identify a community impact need, choose a local non-profit partner to collaborate with, and lead the effort themselves—with team grants helping extend that impact through added support where it matters most. That sense of ownership and purpose is what fuels deeper engagement and inspires our colleagues to drive impact that endures.”
With more than 13,000 volunteering hours logged across all Philippine entities in 2025, Impact Week 2026 reflects Manulife’s growing culture of service in the communities where it operates and stands to make a difference.
Volunteering: A Longevity Driver Impact Week aligns closely with the work of the Manulife Longevity Institute, a global research, thought leadership, innovation, advocacy, and community investment platform that will help people thrive at every age. The Institute’s work will support Manulife’s Impact Agenda strategy as our always-on commitment to drive better outcomes for our customers, our communities, and the world we share. We believe collective action can accelerate change and, by collaborating with like-minded partners, we can make a meaningful impact.
Product Showcase
Manulife launches GoalReady health solutions
GoalReady for Health combines investment-linked savings with critical illness and life protection—helping customers build their funds while protecting their goals if a serious illness strikes.
Manulife Philippines and Manulife China Bank Life (MCBL) today announced the launch of Manulife GoalReady for Health, an investment-linked savings plan with comprehensive critical illness and life insurance coverage.
GoalReady for Health combines investment-linked savings with critical illness and life protection—helping customers build their funds while protecting their goals if a serious illness strikes. Designed for Filipinos who want to stay on track with their long-term goals, it helps manage the potential financial disruption caused by health setbacks.
As more Filipinos plan for longer lives, staying on track with their life goals increasingly means being prepared for rising healthcare costs, prolonged illness, and the financial strain health setbacks can place on families. The plan addresses the growing gap in financial preparedness for health emergencies among Filipinos. The recent Manulife Asia Care Study revealed that about four in five Filipinos believe their financial wellbeing has great impact on their health span (both physical and mental) and lifespan.
The financial stakes are steep: A study on the economic impact of cancer in the Philippines found that Filipino patients spend an average of ₱181,789 out-of-pocket within the first year of diagnosis, highlighting the significant financial burden of treatment. Yet Filipinos remain financially underprepared for these possibilities. According to latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, Filipinos’ household out-of-pocket for medical expenses stood at 42.7%, while a recent Manulife study found that 33% of Filipinos feel they have insufficient insurance coverage.
GoalReady for Health enables customers to build a dedicated pool of savings for future health needs through professionally managed, investment-linked fund options designed to support long-term goals. At the same time, it provides built-in critical illness protection, helping customers stay on track with their plans even when a serious health event occurs.
“Many Filipinos work hard to build toward their goals, but a serious illness can quickly turn years of progress into an unexpected financial burden. Manulife GoalReady for Health brings together critical illness protection and investment-linked savings for future health needs, helping customers stay financially prepared while protecting what they’ve worked hard to build,” said Rahul Hora, President and Chief Executive Officer, Manulife Philippines.
“With Manulife GoalReady for Health, we want Filipinos to move forward with confidence, knowing that a health shock need not become a financial setback—so they can focus on recovery while keeping their savings and life goals on track, and live better for longer,” Hora added.
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