December | 2020 | BusinessWorld

Couturier Pierre Cardin, 98

The designer who democratized fashion, Pierre Cardin, died on Dec. 29 at the age of 98. There is a good chance that there is at...

National Artist for Theater Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio, 90

Best known for her work with puppets and children’s theater, National Artist for Theater Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio died on Dec. 29. This was announced by...

The exceptional home for families in the south

Create timeless moments with your family at Likha Residences The home is valued now more than ever as people go out less often for work...

Enabling a clean and sustainable future

Unilever makes sustainable living accessible through its new Clean Future program Unilever Philippines (ULP) joins many companies that are responding to the widespread call for...

Perk up your living room with trendy colors for 2021

A great way to start the year is to embellish the heart of your home, the living room, into a seamless yet vibrant looking...

Be ready for the workplace of tomorrow with ASUS Expert Series

No longer a buzzword tossed around in business conferences, digital transformation has become a reality across the world. Primarily due to the need to...

BSP forecasts December inflation at 2.9-3.7%

HEADLINE INFLATION likely rose by 2.9% to 3.7% in December on the back of a quicker rise in the price of oil and agricultural products, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin E. Diokno said on Tuesday.

DTI aims for 2021 RCEP ratification

THE Trade department aims to ratify the recently signed 15-country mega-trade deal by next year.

QC extends relief for real property, business taxpayers

THE local government of Quezon City is giving an amnesty to delinquent property owners until end-March 2021.

Philippines seeks new P540-B debt from BSP

THE Philippine government is seeking a new P540-billion ($11.2 billion) loan from the central bank to aid in pandemic relief measures, Treasurer Rosalia de Leon said.

BSP won’t impose sanctions on foreign bank branches for SBL breach

THE central bank will not impose sanctions on the branches of foreign banks for the breach of the single borrower’s limit (SBL) until Dec. 31, 2021, in a bid to boost lending amid the pandemic.

ERC orders Meralco to refund P1.4 billion in excess charges

THE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) on Tuesday ordered Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) to return P1.4 billion to its customers for over-collecting some charges in their monthly electricity bill.

SEC allows staggered booking of credit losses

THE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has allowed the staggered booking of credit losses to help licensed financing companies, lending companies, and accredited microfinance non-government organizations (NGO) during the pandemic.

Greenergy ends partnership with RYM, landowners

ANTONIO L. Tiu-led Greenergy Holdings, Inc. on Tuesday announced that it had discontinued its partnership with RYM Business Management Corp. and some landowners after the termination of a memorandum of agreement (MoA).

Globe offers free data to some customers

GLOBE TELECOM, Inc. is offering 10 gigabits (Gb) of free data to selected home prepaid WiFi customers who were not able to reload their devices since the latter part of October.

Foreign currency loans down as firms cut working capital

FOREIGN CURRENCY loans slipped in the third quarter amid continued tepid business activities and stricter lending standards as the pandemic crisis stretched on.

Budget approval, dollar flows boost peso

THE PESO strengthened against the greenback on Tuesday, its last trading day for the year, backed by year-end flows and positive market sentiment on the legislation of the 2021 budget.

More banks waive fund transfer fees into 2021

MORE LENDERS are extending fee waivers for fund transfers in a bid to boost digital banking and to provide safer ways for carrying out financial transactions during the pandemic.

Duterte vetoes budget items seeking to tap gov’t agency incomes

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte exercised his veto power over parts of the P4.5 trillion 2021 Budget, his spokesman said Tuesday, noting that the rejected items mainly involve programs that sought to directly appropriate funds generated by government agencies.

DoE extends FiT application deadline for river hydro projects

THE DEPARTMENT of Energy (DoE) said it granted another deadline extension for feed-in tariff (FiT) applications by developers of run-of-river (RoR) hydropower projects, adding that it will receive applications until the 250-megawatt (MW) installation target is filled.

PSALM to hold second auction round for Pampanga property

THE Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) issued an invitation to bidders Tuesday for the second auction round of a property in Mexico, Pampanga, but did not announce a floor price.

New rice import shipment deadline seen possibly disrupting market

THE ADDED time given to rice importers to bring in their shipments is “ill-advised” and could disrupt the market for domestically-grown rice if shipments coincide with the harvest, a farmer’s organization said.

House urged to enact universal basic income, abandon austerity

THE HOUSE leadership has been asked to enact a universal basic income to serve as a safety net for workers suffering from the pandemic as well as those on the verge of being displaced by the digital transition, according to a senior legislator,

TV still most effective medium for breadth of reach — PSA

TELEVISION (TV) remained the most effective tool for reaching Filipinos among all the mass media, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Manila widens travel ban amid new coronavirus strain

PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Tuesday broadened a travel ban to 20 countries, where a more infectious coronavirus strain first reported in the United Kingdom is causing havoc.

Unauthorized COVID-19 vaccinations under probe

THE PHILIPPINE Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday said it was investigating the inoculation of some Cabinet officials and military officers against the coronavirus.

Lawmakers tagged by Duterte cry ‘witch hunt’

SEVERAL lawmakers accused by President Rodrigo R. Duterte of corruption denied the allegations against them on Tuesday.

Sulu closes borders to travelers from Sabah

THE PROVINCE of Sulu, composed of several islands in the southwestern end of the country, is closing its borders to travelers from the neighboring Malaysian state of Sabah, where cases of the new coronavirus variant have been reported.

Fewer Filipinos greeting New Year with hope — poll

MAJORITY of Filipinos are entering 2021 with hope rather than fear, though at a lower percentage than last year, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) reported on Tuesday.

India lifts ban on onion exports as prices plunge

MUMBAI - India decided on Monday to lift a ban on onion exports from Jan. 1, as prices have fallen sharply in the last...

9 tips to give yourself the best shot at sticking to new year’s resolutions

For many cultures, the dawn of the new year is marked not only with celebration, but also the opportunity for personal reflection and growth. But...

Shares end 2021 on positive note after budget signing

LOCAL shares closed in positive territory on Tuesday, the last trading day for the year, as investor sentiment was lifted by the signing of the 2021 national budget.

NBA aims to build on digital lessons from bubble

WITH the tournament bubble it had in Orlando proving to be a learning experience for it in its digital push, the National Basketball Association (NBA) aims to build on the lessons it got as it moves forward in how it presents the brand.

Tolentino reelected as PhilCycling president

ABRAHAM “Bambol” Tolentino stays as Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines (PhilCycling) president after being reelected on Tuesday.

New mom Iniong looking forward to ONE Circle return

HAVING reconsidered initial thoughts of retiring from mixed martial arts, Gina “Conviction” Iniong said she is now more determined and driven, and is looking forward to plunging back into action in ONE Championship.

A performance by David Medalla and Adam Nankervis at the 57th Venice Art Biennale

Pioneering artist David Medalla, 78

FILIPINO pioneering international artist David Medalla, whose works have been shown or installed in art capitals London, New York, Paris, Madrid, and Munich, died on Dec. 28. He was 78 years old. His death was announced by Mr. Medalla’s partner and curator Adam Nankervis, who said in a Facebook post, “David has left us to enter the dream. Dave passed away gently in his sleep in Manila today.”

Metro Manila Film Festival 2020: Just missing perfection

ALFRED Vargas had been a fine actor in his youth, and proves to be a fine producer for his film, Tagpuan. As for his acting, the Quezon City politician might benefit from returning to the ring more often.

Metro Manila Film Festival 2020: A sweet love story

THE YEAR 2020 has been horrible, but despite how bad the year has played out, the tiniest positive spark came from the surge in popularity of so-called Boys’ Love series and films in the Philippines, largely attributed to the popularity of quarantine-favorite 2Gether: The Series, a Thai series about teenage boys falling in love.

Metro Manila Film Festival 2020: Faith healing

THERE was always a sort of mysticality and otherworldliness about Father Fernando Suarez — famously known as a “healing priest” because of the many people who have testified that, yes, they were healed after taking part in the priest’s healing masses that drew thousands — and that, I think, was what Joven Tan tried to capture in his Metro Manila Film Festival entry, Suarez: The Healing Priest.

Monthly Archives: December 2020