Are you tired of spending the holiday season alone? Do you get a bad case of FOMO, or fear of missing out, whenever you scroll through your friends’ eventful life updates over the Christmas break?
If so, we feel you. It’s surprisingly easy for the holiday blues to overshadow your moments of celebration and festivity these days.
Photo: Ken Guevara
However, you don’t have to feel left out and isolated every Christmas for the rest of your life. This month, In Real Life (IRL) Manila is making sure that you won’t spend the season of giving alone, but surrounded by new friends and potential romantic connections. The social club is hosting an exciting dating event for best friends seeking a special someone for the holidays.
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If you’ve spent the last few years asking Santa Claus for a fruitful love life on Christmas, IRL Manila’s Pitch-a-Friend party is your chance to make those wishes come true. On December 6, 2025, from 7:00 PM onwards, single Filipinos aged 25 to 35 can hype each other up for a fun-filled night where holiday sparks will surely fly.
Here’s everything you need to know about IRL Manila’s Pitch-a-Friend Christmas Party, and why you should bring your best friends and ride-or-dies along this Saturday at the Sunny16 Lab and Café in Quezon City:
Modern Dating With a Twist
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Pitch-a-Friend is taking your “2025 plot twist” to a new level with an interesting spin on icebreakers and small talk. You and your plus one’s creativity will be put to the test as you introduce and pitch each other to a room full of your fellow singles in hopes of finding a match in the crowd.
This isn’t your typical case of reto, matchmaking, or trusting your instincts to set your peers up. At Pitch-a-Friend, you go all out. That means preparing spiels, making elaborate slideshow presentations, wearing costumes, and even showcasing your bestie’s hidden talents to ensure that they end the night with a potential partner.
The Origins of Pitch-a-Friend
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IRL Manila may be new to the local dating scene, but the relationships it has built throughout the year continue to grow and reach new heights.
The social club’s founders, Mark Armas and Tatyana Gonzaga, were inspired to host Pitch-a-Friend nights in the Philippines after coming across the same idea from a community of singles in New York City.
“We wanted to hold Pitch-a-Friend events here in Manila when we saw an Instagram reel from a group called Pitch & Pair NYC,” Mark and Tatyana recalled. “[The video] showed people pitching their single friends to a room of other singles using slideshows.”
Mark found the concept “really fun and unique” after harboring his own frustrations with online dating apps. From there, he, Tatyana, and their friends brought Pitch-a-Friend to Manila. Their first party in August this year was a hit, and now, they’re about to host their third get-together this Saturday in the spirit of Christmas.
More Pitches to Come
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IRL Manila’s Pitch-a-Friend parties are making a case for fostering close connections face-to-face in a world full of dating apps and fast-paced digital spaces. The social club hosted its first dating event on August 3, 2025, at Bar 143 in Quezon City, and it was a huge success. Three months later, IRL Manila held its second party for singles on November 7, 2025, at the Sari Sari Bar in Makati City.
This December, the Pitch-a-Friend Christmas Party has become IRL Manila’s most anticipated dating event yet. Its poster has gotten over 300 likes and 900 shares on Instagram. Several single Filipinos are also tagging their friends as they look forward to the extra special night.
Moving forward, IRL Manila aims to hold Pitch-a-Friend events every month across various venues and cities nationwide. Mark, Tatyana, and the whole team share a goal of creating unique experiences for everyone, not just those in the realm of modern dating.
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Who will you be spending the holiday season with this year? Let us know in the comments below!
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