Crypto firm Coinbase exploring PHL expansion

January 23, 2025 | 12:03 am

CRYPTOCURRENCY EXCHANGE platform Coinbase Global, Inc. is interested in entering the Philippine market, according to the Department of Finance (DoF).

Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto met with Coinbase Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Brian Armstrong on the sidelines of the ongoing World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland “to explore the company’s potential entry into the Philippines,” the DoF said in social media post on Wednesday.

Mr. Recto was named as Special Envoy of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. and head of the Philippine delegation to WEF.

“Coinbase, one of the leading cryptocurrency companies in the United States, initiated the meeting to convey its strong interest in expanding its footprint to the Philippines. It recognized the country’s growing digital economy and the increasing adoption of blockchain technology,” the Finance department said.

“Secretary Recto welcomed Coinbase’s interest, emphasizing the Philippine government’s commitment to fostering innovation in the financial sector. He expressed the government’s willingness to provide a robust regulatory framework that supports cryptocurrency adoption while safeguarding consumer protection and financial stability,” he added. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

Art Fair Philippines at 12: Exploring an urban garden venue

January 23, 2025 | 12:03 am

AFTER 12 years at a carpark, Art Fair Philippines is making a change by moving to Makati’s Ayala Triangle Gardens. Its 12^th edition will occupy large tents within the two hectares of the park, plus parts of the Amphitheater, Tower One, and Tower Two, from Feb. 21 to 23.

Last year, the fair welcomed 25,000 visitors over its three-day run. Its founders, Trickie Colayco-Lopa, Lisa Ongpin-Periquet, and Geraldine “Dindin” Araneta, hope to replicate that number this year.

Art Fair Philippines started in 2013, with the twin goals of widening the local audience for contemporary art and supporting Filipino artists. At the time, The Link was the “newest carpark in Ayala,” they said.

“It’s gotten a little old, so I guess it was just time for a change, time to embrace something new, and that’s what we always try to do anyway. We always try to conceptualize something new each art fair. So why not go bigger this year and just change the entire venue?” Ms. Lopa told the media at a press conference in Makati City.

Ms. Araneta added that Ayala Triangle Gardens is also a sort of “center of the community,” with many people walking, jogging, and hanging out especially on weekends, which aligns with their aim to make art more accessible.

“We wanted to find a venue that can also transform the experience of being in an art fair, and that was the opportunity that came our way,” she told BusinessWorld. “Different communities have different facilities, so you have to try to work with what’s available.”

This year, they are inviting fairgoers to walk the verdant urban park at the heart of Makati, from one end to the other. There are two entrances: along Ayala Avenue with Tower 1 as the entry point, and another along Makati Avenue which has the newer Tower 2 as the entry point.

“The art fair is mostly contained within a tent, so it won’t be that difficult. We’re trying to work very hard on our signage because, of course, this will be a new space for everyone,” Ms. Periquet said.

The fair’s talks and film screenings will be held on the 6^th and 8^th floors of Ayala Triangle Gardens Tower 2, respectively.

“The tent, the covered areas, will be a natural way of driving you either from this end to Ayala Avenue or vice versa, so we hope it won’t be too difficult,” Ms. Periquet added. “However, we recognize that the spaces are all very different because some are in this commercial area, and some are in the tent spaces down there. I think it should be exciting.”

As for access to the venue, all seven floors of The Link will be available for parking, along with other parking spaces around the Ayala Center. Seniors and PWDs can easily be dropped off at either entrance, while others can simply walk to the park from their cars or from their commute.

THE EXHIBITORS
This year’s fair will have 48 exhibitors from the Philippines, Austria, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, and Spain. They are: Amez Yavuz, Archivo 1984, Art Agenda, Art Cube Gallery, Art for Space, Art Lounge Manila, Art Underground, Art Verité Gallery, Artemis Art, Avellana Art Gallery, Boston Art Gallery, CANVAS, Cartellino, Cayón, Core Contemporary, FINE-ARTS MANILA / Zimmermann-Kratochwill Graz, Austria,

FotoMoto, Gajah Gallery, Galeria Palona, Galerie Stephanie, GALLERY KOGURE, J Studio, Kaida Contemporary, Kobayashi Gallery, León Gallery, Lopez Museum, METRO Gallery, Modeka Art, MONO8, Orange Project, Parallel +, Paseo Art Gallery, Pintô Art Museum and Arboretum, Qube Gallery, Secret Fresh Gallery, SHUKADO+GALLERY SCENA, SILVERLENS, TARZEER PICTURES, The Columns Gallery, TLYR Collective, Tomura Lee, Triangulum, Village Art Gallery, Vin Gallery, White Walls Gallery, YOD Gallery, and YSOBEL Art Gallery.

HIGHLIGHTS
This year’s edition will have specially commissioned works, gallery exhibits, film screenings, and art talks transforming the expansive venue. The concept is for a “dynamic and multi-dimensional platform that showcases the ingenuity and diversity of Philippine art.”

The ArtFairPH/Projects section will showcase a collection of curated exhibits that celebrate artistic excellence and innovation, placed in a space designed by Nazareno/Lichauco and presented by BPI. It will feature works by social realist painter Manny Garibay, mixed-media artist Manuel Ocampo, glass artist Goldie Poblador, stone sculptor Ryan Rubio, ceramic artist Jezzel Wee, and anonymous Spanish collective SpY Studio.

“We have a hand in the creation [of the future of contemporary art], but what this is is a platform or landscape for you to make your own ideas and opinions about where it’s going,” Ms. Araneta said. “The projects this year show things that are new, and artists working with various materials and formats.”

The ArtFairPH/Residencies section this year will focus on curators rather than artists. In a collaboration with the Ateneo Art Gallery, the Curator’s Grant Program, to be held over the span of three weeks, will “introduce selected international curators to the Philippine art scene.”

This year’s ArtFairPH/Talks, handled by the Ateneo Art Gallery and the Museum Foundation of the Philippines, will present discussions that dive into artists’ works and lives, art forms, artistic processes, collectors, and other aspects of today’s complex art world. One highlight is a panel discussion on collection management from a collector’s point of view, in partnership with Larry’s List, the world’s leading art market knowledge company.

Now on its third year, the ArtFairPH/Digital section, presented by Globe, will feature artist and technologist Chia Amisola’s travelling exhibit KAKAKOMPYUTER MO YAN! (That’s what you get for using the computer!). The collaborative exhibition showcases internet art and the 3^rd-World online experience.

There will also be a visual storytelling installation by motion graphics artist and engineer Isaiah Cacnio. His work, which often explore the themes of light, movement, and spatial dynamics, will transform ordinary spaces in the park into immersive environments.

Another highlight of the Digital section is a set of screenings at the Amphitheater, where animated and digital work will be set up at the outdoor tiered space adjacent to the lawn of the Ayala Triangle Gardens.

Finally, ArtFairPH/Film will present two film screenings: Kono Basho by Filipino curator-visual artist-filmmaker J. Pacena, and The F.A.T. Boys!! Episode 1: Each One Teach One by American director Drew Milo. The former comes from the Cinemalaya 2024 lineup, with a talk-back scheduled with the film’s cast. The latter was shot during a trip through the Philippines last year.

10 DAYS OF ART
Complementing the fair is the 10 Days of Art initiative, highlighting a series of events around the Makati Central Business District starting on Feb. 14. This is the lead-up to the fair itself.

Some of the public art include outdoor sculptures by Briccio Santos in Legazpi Park, an immersive and experiential installation by Kim Borja in Glorietta, and JEFRË’s Talking Heads at Circuit Makati.

Neal Oshima and Fotomoto will also transform the Legazpi Underpass and Greenbelt 3 Sunken Park into art exhibit venues, while the TLYR Collective will present works at the Paseo Villar Underpass.

A regular day pass to the fair is P750. Tickets for students, senior citizens, and PWDs with valid IDs are P500. Makati students and teachers with valid IDs get a discounted price of P300.

Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.artfairphilippines.com. Tickets will also be available at the reception area for the duration of the event. For more information, visit the Art Fair Philippines website and follow Art Fair Philippines on Instagram (@artfairph) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/artfairph). — Brontë H. Lacsamana

Companies must ensure data security when adopting AI tech

January 23, 2025 | 12:03 am

STOCK PHOTO | Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

By Beatriz Marie D. Cruz, Reporter

PHILIPPINE COMPANIES should prioritize data protection as they continue to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and applications in their operations, technology company Cisco said.

“In the Philippines, like everywhere else, companies are under pressure from their boards to innovate, use AI to help automation, to help operations, to drive productivity, to give better intelligence, and to level up the capabilities that are delivered to their customers,” Dave West, president for the Asia Pacific, Japan, and China (APJC) at Cisco, told BusinessWorld in an online interview.

However, companies lack the necessary guardrails to protect their data while utilizing the productivity benefits of AI, he said.

According to Cisco’s 2024 AI Readiness Index, only 35% of Filipino respondents said they’re fully equipped to detect and prevent unauthorized tampering with AI.

Cisco last week launched AI Defense, a self-optimizing solution featuring safety mechanisms to secure and protect companies’ data as they adopt AI applications. The tool will be available to both new and existing Cisco users in March.

“AI Defense will just help protect that (data) and ensure that those guardrails are enforced,” Mr. West said.

“Companies can be successful in securing their data, their infrastructure, their people, and then making sure that whatever AI models they decide to use are providing the information in the right ways without bias, without toxicity and other things,” he added.

Raymond Janse van Rensburg, vice-president for specialists and solutions engineering for APJC at Cisco, said companies don’t need to sacrifice safety and security when adopting AI.

“So, for the foreseeable future, we’ll be living in a multi-model, multi-cloud world, and here’s the thing about models — by definition, they’re non-deterministic,” he said in a briefing. “You’re not always going to know what the output of a model will be.”

The ever-changing nature of AI models poses increased risks, Mr. Van Rensburg said.

AI Defense provides safeguards against the misuse of AI tools, data leakage, and increasingly sophisticated threats, Cisco said. It can also detect shadow and sanctioned AI applications across public and private clouds and provide model validation and runtime security.

The tool integrates with existing data flows and is built into Cisco’s cross-domain platform, Security Cloud. Splunk customers using AI Defense can receive alerts with additional context from across the entire ecosystem.

“Fused into the fabric of the network, Cisco AI Defense combines the unique ability to detect and protect against threats when developing and accessing AI applications without tradeoffs,” Cisco Executive Vice President and Chief Product Officer Jeetu Patel said.

Mr. West said companies need to invest in upskilling and in digital infrastructure to ensure that they can take advantage of the benefits of AI technologies.

“Digitization, skilling, understanding how to leverage AI, how to interact with different AI models and agents — all of that is going to be absolutely fundamental to the success of businesses and countries.”

Bright Kindle unit finalizing deal to acquire Leyte mining firm

January 23, 2025 | 12:02 am

LISTED Bright Kindle Resources & Investments, Inc. (BKR) said its subsidiary is finalizing the acquisition of a Leyte-based iron ore mining company.

In a disclosure on Wednesday, BKR said that its subsidiary, Brightstar Holdings and Development, Inc. (BHDI), has executed a deed of exchange with Strong Built (Mining) Development Corp. (SBMDC).

BHDI will issue new common shares and assets of up to P5 billion in exchange for 100% of SBMDC’s outstanding shares.

“BHDI will acquire SBMDC for and in consideration of BHDI’s issuance of new common shares and assets of up to P5 billion in exchange for 100% of the outstanding shares of stock of SBMDC at a transaction price of up to P5 billion or P50 for every SBMDC share,” the company said.

According to the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, SBMDC has a 25-year term under its mineral production sharing agreement, with an expiration date set for July 28, 2032.

The mining company extracts iron ore and other associated mineral deposits within its 7,411.56-hectare property.

In a disclosure in May, BKR said that its board of directors had approved the planned acquisition of SBMDC through a share-for-share and property-for-share swap.

The company said that the property-for-share swap includes a condominium unit and four parking slots in exchange for shares in SBMDC.

Bright Kindle had earlier acquired a 19.9% stake in Marcventures Holdings Inc., which is involved in mining, extracting, and smelting mineral ores such as nickel, chromite, copper, gold, and manganese.

On the stock exchange on Wednesday, shares in BKR fell by 13 centavos or 9.35% to P1.26 apiece. — Adrian H. Halili

Trump’s energy and climate policies, opportunities for the Philippines

January 23, 2025 | 12:02 am

US President Donald J. Trump issued many executive orders (EO) on the first day of his second term. Below are some of those EOs that are related to energy and climate.

1. Putting America First in International Environmental Agreements. Section 3-a provides that the US “shall immediately submit formal written notification of the United States’ withdrawal from the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change… The US International Climate Finance Plan is revoked and rescinded immediately.”

2. Declaring a National Energy Emergency. It provides for emergency approvals of permits, expediting the delivery of energy infrastructure, coordinated infrastructure assistance, and more.

3. Unleashing American Energy. Section 2 provides to “…eliminate the ‘electric vehicle (EV) mandate’ and promote true consumer choice… terminating, where appropriate, state emissions waivers that function to limit sales of gasoline-powered automobiles; and by considering the elimination of unfair subsidies and other ill-conceived government-imposed market distortions…”

Sec. 5 provides for “Unleashing Energy Dominance through Efficient Permitting.” Sec. 7. is “Terminating the Green New Deal” and “All agencies shall immediately pause the disbursement of funds appropriated through the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-169) or the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58), including but not limited to funds for electric vehicle charging stations.” And Sec. 9 is “Restoring America’s Mineral Dominance.”

4. Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential. Sec. 2 provides to “expedite the permitting and leasing of energy and natural resource projects in Alaska; and prioritize the development of Alaska’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) potential, including the sale and transportation of Alaskan LNG to other regions of the United States and allied nations.” Sec. 3 provides to “rescind the cancellation of any leases within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.”

I checked some of the US’ energy numbers and compared them to the G7 nations and the BRICS+ member-countries including Brazil, Russia, India, China, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). I chose to compare the years 2016 (the end of the Obama administration), 2019 (before the COVID lockdown under Trump), and 2023 (the latest available data under Biden) for comparison. Two trends or patterns are seen.

1. In primary energy consumption expressed in exajoules (EJ), the US was nearly flat, consuming 92.6 EJ in 2016 then barely rising to 94.3 EJ in 2023. All other members of G7 — Canada, Japan, the UK, France, Germany, and Italy — had declining numbers. In contrast, all the BRICS+ countries had rising numbers.

2. In total electricity generation from different sources, the US again saw very little expansion — nearly flat — and the six other members of G7 had declining numbers. In contrast, BRICS+ countries’ numbers were rising (see the table).

Compared to its ASEAN neighbors, the Philippines’ primary energy consumption and electricity generation were very small, yet we are being bullied by the climate establishment to disallow the building of any new coal plants, which soon might extend to gas plants demonization. We should ignore this unwise lobby. We should focus on building more large conventional thermal power plants to provide us with a bigger supply of electricity at competitive prices.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR PHL
In 2023, natural gas contributed 14% of the total power generation of the country, coal contributed 62%, and the rest came mainly from geothermal and big hydro, while intermittent renewable sources like solar and wind contributed below 6%.

The US is the world’s largest LNG exporter. In 2016 or Obama’s last year, the US exported only four billion cubic meters (bcm) of LNG. By 2017 or Trump’s first year, it jumped to 17 bcm, and increased to 61.3 bcm by 2020. In 2023, the US’ LNG exports reached 114 bcm, largely due to exports to Europe as many countries there were avoiding getting LNG from Russia.

Trump’s “drill-baby-drill” policy, particularly exporting more LNG to its Asian allies and trade partners would mean stable LNG prices at low levels. The Philippines will benefit from this.

Currently there are five existing or under construction LNG power plants in the country, mostly located in Batangas. The biggest operational plant is Ilijan or the South Premier Power Corp. (SPPC), with a dependable capacity of 1,200 MW. Soon to be the biggest power plant in the country is Excellent Energy Resources, Inc. (EERI) with a capacity of 1,760 MW (440 MW for each of its four units).

Both Ilijan and EERI are owned by San Miguel Global Power (SMGP) — but with the approved partnership with Meralco Power Gen Corp. (MGen) and Aboitiz Power Corp. (AP) through Chromite Gas Holdings, Inc. (CGHI), these two LNG plants will soon be owned and operated by three of the largest energy conglomerates in the country.

So, with competition on LNG exports between the US and some Asia-Pacific nations like Australia, Indonesia, and Malaysia, plus having modern and efficient gas plants would mean cheaper power or electricity for the Philippines. This will help bring down overall consumer prices, and lower the inflation rate for 2025 and beyond.

LECTURE AND REUNION
Meanwhile the UP School of Economics Program in Development Economics Alumni Association will hold a homecoming on Feb. 7 at the school. Immediately before the reunion is the Ruperto P. Alonzo (RPA) annual memorial lecture which will be about energy.

Bienvenido S. Oplas, Jr. is the president of Bienvenido S. Oplas, Jr. Research Consultancy Services, and Minimal Government Thinkers. He is an international fellow of the Tholos Foundation.

minimalgovernment@gmail.com

Fintech firm launches blockchain-powered e-wallet DTaka

January 23, 2025 | 12:02 am

FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY (fintech) company D-Wallet Technologies Corp., which operates under the name DTaka, on Wednesday launched a blockchain-supported e-wallet with the same brand, which focuses on overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families.

The DTaka digital wallet is available first on the Huawei AppGallery.

“I think one of the key differentiators is the blockchain-powered technology [supporting] a lot of our tools within the app, so that’s a big plus. To the end customer, it doesn’t really matter what the tech is. They won’t see it, but the benefits are number one, lower fees, two, more safe and secure, and number three is we’ll be able to introduce other blockchain-related micro services,” DTaka Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel R. Samson IV said at the launch on Wednesday.

DTaka Chief Operating Officer Kristoffer Anthony S. Patron said DTaka makes remittances cheaper and faster by using stablecoins.

“The way we do it is we use blockchain so that the actual asset is transferred to stablecoins here in the Philippines and we convert it to peso. But the user won’t have to do the conversion. We automate that whole process,” Mr. Patron said.

“We want to bring remittance fees down to 3%, which is the United Nations target.”

Mr. Samson said the e-wallet will be available on other devices within the next month. They target to have an e-wallet user base of 500,000 within their first 18 months of operations.

“We are hyper-focused on OFWs and their families,” Mr. Patron said.

The company is also planning to introduce products like loans, merchant wallets, and a tokenized reward system for remittances and transactions, he said.

Most of DTaka’s services will use Web3 and blockchain technologies, Mr. Patron added.

“For the rewards, we are making sure that there are no duplicates or there is no double spending happening when you’re using your rewards under the plan. More than that, there are a lot of things that we can still do, like having a universal platform with the rewards that can work with other wallets.”

The company is also looking to partner with banks, remittance centers, convenience stores, and sari-sari stores to bring down transfer fees, expand cash-in and cash-out functions, and make remitting faster and more convenient for OFWs and their dependents.

Mr. Samson added that DTaka is studying a subscription- or fee-based model to bring down transfer costs.

“This is something that we’ve built in when we were designing our monetization plan as well,” he said. “We believe that we need to democratize the fees that users are paying for in transferring money to one another and to other banks.” — Aaron Michael C. Sy

The chef speaks: Gordon Ramsay

January 23, 2025 | 12:02 am

FOR A chef with a pop culture reputation of being a screamer, Gordon Ramsay was remarkably soft-spoken when he made an appearance in Manila on Jan. 20.

The chef, known for his multiple Michelin-starred restaurants but also his TV appearances, appeared to a diverse audience at the Newport Performing Arts Theater including a block of culinary arts students, whom he stopped and shook hands with before moving on up to the stage.

Forced to give up football after an injury as a teen, Mr. Ramsay studied at the North Oxfordshire Technical College and worked as a chef, moving to France to further his learning in his 20s. He rose through the ranks, and now has restaurants that bear his name, such as Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in London, with three Michelin stars, among other restaurants such as Hell’s Kitchen — which he announced during the Jan. 20 event that he might open here, along with three other restaurants.

“As of 6:30 tomorrow morning, we’re looking at potential three-new restaurant site here in Manila,” he said. “Maybe a Hell’s Kitchen restaurant as well.”

Mr. Ramsay was known as the hothead chef in television shows like Boiling Point, Kitchen Nightmare, Hell’s Kitchen (after which the restaurant is named), MasterChef US, and MasterChef Junior (where, unlike the other shows, his soft side comes to the fore), among many others. The stereotype of the angry chef was once occupied by Frenchmen, and stepping into those shoes marked a renewed culinary dominance for the UK (a land whose food was often disparaged).

RAMSEY RESTAURANTS IN PHL
Mr. Ramsay appeared onstage at 2 p.m., an hour late for the 1 p.m. call time. He had been visiting his restaurant at Newport World Resorts, Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill, and checking in with the staff. He mentioned that some of them have to travel four hours to go to and from work: “That means so much to me. It reminds me of myself at 22.” The restaurant has been a success since its opening in August 2024: Mr. Ramsay reported receiving 10,000 bookings in its first 30 days.

At the end of the program, Mr. Ramsay held a big check onstage with Kevin Tan, CEO of Alliance Global Group, Inc. which owns Newport World Resorts, and Nilo Thaddeus Rodriguez, Newport’s President and CEO. The resort, with Mr. Ramsay, pledged P10 million “proudly supporting sustainable food and community development in the Philippines.”

“We focus on training,” he said, responding to a question by host Issa Litton about how he keeps a tight ship. “Having that consistency is crucial for us. We have some academies now popping up around the globe.” While traditional culinary schools offer programs for two or three years, his does it with 60-to-120-day intense training.

“We have an amazing team. I run things, it’s me, but honestly, my team is incredible. They have a huge responsibility,” he said.

IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
He has recently moved on from TV to become a social media star in his own name, but for him, it’s more than just a game. “I love that intrusion from social media, because we could be in New York and there could be a guest eating lunch here at Bar & Grill, and we’ll get the feedback instantly,” he said. “We take negativity very seriously. We listen to the comments, we listen to the critics. We hold the bar high.”

Even more than that, he encourages chefs to take up space in their social media platforms. Responding to whether it’s harder to be a celebrity than a chef, he said, “They need to know how to market themselves,” pointing out that the culinary students in the audience might well become stars and have their own ventures someday. “As a professional chef, I think they’re a little bit awkward about the intrusion of social media, and so I teach all our kids: embrace it. It’s a great way of establishing confidence… looking at yourself, and judging yourself on a global platform.”

“No one gets to see the 12 hours of prep for the three-minute devour,” he said, nor the early mornings on the bus, or the midnight drives alone. “I think they deserve that platform,” he said. “What that intrusion does, it gives you such evidence. You can learn from that. We never that any of that access growing up in culinary school. Even during my time in France, at 22 years of age… we didn’t have that inter(action). It’s a plus. It’s a big advantage. You learn so much.”

ASIAN CUISINE
Speaking of stars, later in the program, a screen rose above the stage to reveal a mock-up of the MasterChef set, with four local contenders coming onstage: social media cooking star Ninong Ry (Ryan Reyes), award-winning actress (and, yes, trained chef) Judy Ann Santos-goncillo, culinary student Danica Lucero, and the Head Chef at Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill Philippines Bea Qua. They were each tasked to make halo-halo (a Filipino layered ice dessert), with their own secret ingredients. Ninong Ry made his with coco jam, Ms. Santos made hers with a black sesame polvoron (a milk powder dessert), Ms. Qua made hers with asin tibuok (a local artisanal salt), while Ms. Lucero made hers with a kamias compote (bilimbi or cucumber tree). Ms. Lucero won that day, receiving a signed jacket from Mr. Ramsay as a prize.

Mr. Ramsay discussed what he liked about Asia (hence his expansion here). “Your heritage is incredible,” he said, noting that some basic recipes take multiple generations to develop. “The culture. The complexity of Filipino cuisine. It’s so regionalized as well, which is so lovely.”

He noted that one of his recent finds was a sisig taco from Melbourne — Ms. Litton pointed out that sisig (chopped and grilled pork’s face) goes well with beer, to which he joked that Filipinos don’t like drinking — before lunch, that is.

“We evolve it, we don’t disaparage it. We respect the ingredients,” he said. He noted visiting the market in the morning (Mr. Ramsay was spotted a day after the event at Cubao’s Farmers Market with renowned Filipina chef Margarita Fores). “It’s just awash with incredible ingredients,” he said (which market he went to first, we don’t know).

“I’ve said before: Filipino cuisine for me is like a Sleeping Beauty of Asia. It’s now prominent,” he said. He noted the country’s sweet tooth, meanwhile, noting that we use evaporated milk “in pints.” “I have a very sweet tooth,” he said, remembering a white pudding he had as a child with evaporated milk and sultanas. “These little nuances always take me back to my childhood.”

OF TRENDS AND LESSONS
He also responded to a question about food trends, noting that fermentation might be big this year, but, “The gimmicky ones are the ones I pass on.”

“Understanding what’s important for you, what’s missing in your culinary program, and then focus on that,” he said. “That’s how you stay away from fad trends and get involved with… important longevity trends.”

A student asked him about the lessons that he learned in culinary school and which he still deems important today. “Get comfortable being uncomfortable,” saying that at the age of 18 to 26, one must be “the most energetic sponge.” “Understanding different cultures, crucial. Travel is obvious. Travelling to different cultures, and understanding — you never get… to speak the language, but you can speak through the food, and understanding what they’re about, and learn to master what they’re about it crucial.” — Joseph L. Garcia

Over 80% of PHL organizations hit by cybersecurity breaches in 2024

January 23, 2025 | 12:02 am

SOME 84.5% of Philippine organizations experienced an average of three cybersecurity breaches in 2024 amid gaps in third-party cyber risk management, according to a survey by cyber defense company BlueVoyant.

The report showed that 32% of Filipino respondents had “no way” of detecting cybersecurity incidents within their supply chains, slightly higher than the global average of 30%, highlighting significant visibility challenges.

BlueVoyant said around 65% of Filipino organizations either do not or somewhat prioritize third-party cybersecurity risk management, citing a survey conducted by independent market research organization Opinion Matters.

“These findings highlight that Philippine businesses continue to tackle the critical challenge of mitigating supply chain and third-party cyber risks,” William Oh, interim head of Asia-Pacific at BlueVoyant, said in a statement.

“The importance of managing risk across the supply chain cannot be understated, especially as the Philippines remains a prevalent target for cyberattacks like phishing, scam calls, and data breaches,” he added.

According to the survey, 33% of Filipino organizations conduct annual monitoring, BlueVoyant said. However, only 13% do monthly monitoring, significantly lower than Singapore’s 27%.

Meanwhile, 55% of Philippine respondents said they have no autonomous transparency in their supply chain, significantly higher than 39% globally.

The most common solutions for managing third-party cyber risks among Filipino organizations are outsource remediation, which includes working with vendors on mitigation plans (42%), followed by exchanges and market places (36%), and network scanning and penetration tests for third parties (34%).

Despite this, 90% of the surveyed Filipino organizations have increased budgets for their third-party cybersecurity risk management programs, better than the global average of 86%.

These budget increases are expected to drive third-party cyber risk maturity among Filipino organizations, Mr. Oh said.

“While increased budget allocations are encouraging, prioritization of third-party cybersecurity risk in Philippine organizations needs further consideration,” he added.

In its latest State of Supply Chain Defense report, BlueVoyant cited organizations’ increased awareness and adoption of initial strategies in third-party cyber risk management.

“Third-party risk is less of an unknown than when we started this survey five years ago. Organizations are monitoring more vendors, and reporting status to senior leadership has normalized to be in line with reporting on other security measures and risks,” BlueVoyant said.

For 2025, more organizations are seen to continue adopting and building new programs for third-party cyber risk with improved tracking of risky behaviors, it said. These will likely also be integrated into various aspects of security operations.

Third-party risk management will likely rely heavily on automation and artificial intelligence but will have a continued focus on analyst-driven decision making or a “human in the loop,” BlueVoyant added.

Opinion Matters surveyed 2,100 suite leaders on supply chain and cyber risk management from various industries. It covered 11 countries across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific, with 290 respondents from the Philippines. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

Guilherme Silva returns as JTI Philippines general manager

January 23, 2025 | 12:01 am

JTI Philippines has announced the appointment of its new general manager, Guilherme Silva, effective this month.

“I am excited to be back in the Philippines to lead a very dynamic market where JTI is now the country’s fastest-growing tobacco company in terms of market share,” he said in a press release on Wednesday.

Mr. Silva was the marketing director of the firm in 2011.

Since then, he has held leadership positions in Cambodia, Malaysia, the Western Europe Region, and most recently, he was the general manager of the Iberia cluster, which includes Spain, Portugal, the Canary Islands, Andorra, and Gibraltar, since 2020.

“I look forward to seeing how we continue to grow our portfolio and business through product innovation and consumer-centric programs,” he said.

Mr. Silva also noted JTI Philippines’ Reduced-Risk Products category with its heated tobacco product Ploom and nicotine pouches Nordic Spirit.

The firm said it “demonstrates the company’s commitment to expand its market presence and provide adult Filipino smokers with innovative and high-quality choices to satisfy their needs.”

He succeeded John Freda, who now holds the post of general manager of the Iberia market cluster based in Madrid.

JTI has been growing its presence in the Philippine market since its establishment in 2000. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

Delicious ways to welcome the Year of the Wood Snake

January 23, 2025 | 12:01 am

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FROM Lion and Dragon dances to special meals, coffees, and cakes, Lunar New Year celebrations dot the city around the close of January and the beginning of February. Here are just a few of them.

The Peninsula Manila

THE hotel will hold a traditional lucky Lion and Dragon Dance at The Lobby at the auspicious time of 10:15 a.m. — on the dot — on Jan. 29. The Lobby is also where guests can order an equally lucky Lo Hei (“lucky toss” salad). Meanwhile, guests can feast on a Chinese New Year-inspired buffet in Escolta with 12 auspicious food items.

They can also enjoy special treats from The Peninsula Boutique including edible Chocolate Mandarin Orange or Chocolate Coin trees, and the Chinese New Year Red Date with Ginger Juice Pudding flown in from Hong Kong. For inquiries, call The Peninsula Manila at 8887-2888 ext. 6694 (Restaurant Reservations), or e-mail diningPMN@peninsula.com.or visit peninsula.com.

Okada Manila

OKADA MANILA offers auspicious flavors across its signature restaurants. Indulge in Shanghainese-Chinese cuisine at Yu Lei with the “Banquet of Bountiful Blessings” at P8,800. At Red Spice, a “Fortune-Filled Feast” full of lucky flavors awaits. The limited-time spread is available at P2,800 net person with a minimum of two diners.

For a sweeter start to the year, visit The Lobby Lounge and Pastry Shop for Sweet Prosperity treats including the Mandarin Orange Entremet at P2,550 net and the creamy Milk Chocolate Iris Macadamia Petit Gateaux at P420 net. For details visit https://www.okadamanila.com/good-fortune-begins-okada-manila.

New World Makati Hotel

FROM Jan. 28 to 29, diners can indulge in Jasmine’s special all-you-can-eat dim sum menu, priced at P1,988 net for Jan. 28 lunch and P2,688 net for dinner, and on Jan. 29 for both services. This offer includes a special main dish. Jasmine also has Chef’s Recommendation and Set Menus starting at P29,788 net for a table of 10 persons, accompanied by a nian gao (tikoy) box.

This year, the hotel offers a variety of tikoy options, including a new variant, Green Tea & Rose Prosperity Harmony Two-layered nian gao. This, as well as the classic offerings Abundance Fortune Koi Fish and Fortune Prosperity Round Nian Gao are available at P1,488 net. There is also the Fortune Prosperity Nian Gao with wine, available at P3,388 net. The Lunar New Year is made even sweeter with desserts crafted to symbolize luck and longevity: Mandarin Orange Mousse Cake (a whole cale for P1,500 net), the Longevity Mandarin Orange Fruit Cakes shaped like auspicious mandarin oranges (P1,588 net for a box of six, P280 net per piece), and the Luxe Box which combines the Mandarin Orange Mousse Cake with Chinese-inspired cupcakes and a bottle of red or white wine (P3,188 net). For details visit https://bit.ly/NWMNL_CNY2025 or check the official social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram.

City of Dreams Manila

ON January 29, revelers will witness lion and dragon dances (featuring a 70-ft long dragon) performances by skilled artists from Ling Nam Athletic Association in front of the main casino entrance at 5 p.m. At the main casino lobby, an installation of this year’s Chinese zodiac comes in sapphire hues in celebration of the luxury resort’s 10^th anniversary.

City of Dreams Manila’s award-winning Cantonese restaurant, Crystal Dragon, presents a festive a la carte menu, available from Jan. 27 to Feb. 12. It is headlined by the Prosperity Abalone Yee Sang (P2,388++, good for three to four persons per serving). Completing the restaurant’s symbolic Chinese New Year specialties to usher in good fortune are: Buddha Jumps Over the Wall in Rich Golden Broth; Poached Yellow Skin Chicken with Chinese spices and Szechuan pepper oil; and Steamed Live Sea Grouper in homemade spicy “Choi Hiong” sauce, among several other dishes. Crystal Dragon is open daily from noon to 11 p.m. From Jan. 27 to Feb. 2, Nobu Manila highlights luxe Chinese New Year ala carte dinner specials featuring premium turbot and rock lobster platters for up to four persons. Alternatively, the season’s Nobu’s seven-course Omakase menu is also offered. Nobu Manila is open for dinner from 5 to 10 p.m, Sunday to Thursday, and until 11 p.m every Friday and Saturday. Red Ginger’s special ala carte menu includes a “Prosperity” salmon Curry Puff; “Longevity” Crispy Noodles with seafood and gravy; “Wealthy” Braised Pork Belly with Asia spices; “Lucky” Golden Crispy Chicken; and “Fortune” Nian Gao, which features assorted rice cake rolls served with vanilla ice cream and a fortune cookie. For inquiries and reservations, call 8800-8080 or e-mail guestservices@cod-manila.com, or visit www.cityofdreamsmanila.com.

Newport World Resorts hotels

AT THE Newport World Resort’s (NWR) Happy 8 restaurant, enjoy the Lunar New Year Set Menu, a lavish eight-course feast to ring in the Year of the Snake. Priced at P25,722 net for six to eight people, the menu features Steamed Whole Grouper, Wok-Fried Sliced Chicken with Salted Egg and Oats, and Shrimp Toast, among other favorites. For a more traditional offering, Yee Sang, the Chinese New Year’s delicacy believed to bring good luck, is also available for P1,236 net (good for 10 persons). Both are offered from Jan. 25 to Feb. 15. At the lobby of Hotel Okura Manila, Yawaragi restaurant invites guests to a Lunar New Year-themed Special Buffet, available for dinner on Jan. 28, and for both lunch and dinner on Jan. 29, with prices starting at P3,100+. For those seeking a more refined dining experience, the Japanese fine dining restaurant Yamazato offers a Lunar Bento Kaiseki from Jan. 20 to 31 for P4,500+. This bento is available for dinner from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. At Man Ho in the Marriott Manila, the tradition of Poon Choi comes to life. Known as the “Chinese casserole in a basin,” this dish symbolizes affluence and prosperity, layered with some of the finest ingredients — roasted duck, succulent seafood, fresh vegetables, and more. It’s available at P33,888+ for five people, from Jan. 20 to Feb. 20 only. At the Hilton Manila, Hua Yuan Brasserie Chinoise offers the Grand Fortune Set, a special set menu that includes Yee Sang, Double-Boiled Pork Spareribs with Japanese Conpoy, and Black Truffle Chicken Fried Rice, and is priced at P148,888+ for 10 people. The Sheraton Manila Hotel’s Oori celebrates with limited-time Lunar New Year specialties including Kimchi Mandu Jeongol, a hearty kimchi soup with homemade Korean dumplings. Priced at P1,200 net, the special menu item is available from Jan. 27 to Feb. 28.

Spread good fortune this Lunar New Year with the traditional tikoy (sticky rice cake), hampers, and sweet pastries made for sharing. Happy 8’s tikoy is available from Jan. 20 until Feb. 12 for P600 net. Man Ho at the Marriott Manila is offering a limited set of two pieces of 250gm Koi Fish tikoy in a gold tin can for P988+ and 250 gm and 600 gm Koi Fish tikoy in a premium box for P1,188+. They are available from Jan. 20 to Feb. 20. At Hua Yuan Brasserie Chinoise, choose from a range of hampers. The Deluxe Hamper, priced at P9,888+, includes tikoy, White Rabbit, truffle chocolate, a tea set, and more. For an even grander offering, the Prosperity Hamper (P25,888+) and Fortune Hamper (P45,888+) include luxurious items like Dalmore whiskey, All-You-Can-Eat Yum Cha for two, and more. For those seeking a smaller tikoy gift, the Auspicious Tikoy features two 220 gm Koi Fish tikoy and is priced at P2,488++.

At the NWR property, witness the God of Fortune all throughout the celebration paired with a lion dance, a projection light show, a Chinese instrument soloist, and more from Jan. 28 to 29. The festivities continue with more performances on Feb. 1 to 2, including the dramatic Face Changing and the Monkey King performance. Guests can also look forward to a variety of Chinese Traditional Dances from Feb. 7 to 9, including the Traditional Umbrella Dance, Ribbon Dance, and Lantern Dance.

Solaire Resort North, Solaire Resort Entertainment City

STARTING Jan. 25, Solaire Resort North’s Red Lantern presents the “Lucky Lunar Feast,” featuring two lavish set menus which include Phoenix chicken, Teow Chew-style cod fish, dried oyster, and suckling pig with Prunier caviar available from Jan. 25 to Feb. 2, starting at P4,888+ per set. An extensive dim sum selection including truffle shrimp dumplings and abalone siu mai will be available through the eat-all-you-can “Prosperity Feast” from Jan. 25 to Feb. 2, at P2,688+ per person. Both offers come with a premium traditional Yu Sheng served at every table to ensure a festive start to every guest’s meal. Red Lantern also offers Lunar Fortune Boxes, filled with symbolic foods and premium treats such as a God of Wealth-shaped tikoy, Bird’s Nest Sugar Rock, Black Truffle Abalone, and Kwei Chow Mou Tai, available from P6,888 to P88,888. Meanwhile, a selection of Chinese and global cuisines will be offered for lunch and dinner at Fresh International Buffet’s “Flavorful Fortunes” on Jan. 29 for P3,388++ per person.

Solaire Resort North will feature cultural entertainment and ceremonies at the lobby starting with the Long De Chuan Ren (LDCR) Dragon & Lion Dance Association from Myanmar and the Philippines’ Pagoda Khuan Loke Dragon and Lion Dance Association performing the traditional lion and dragon dance to ward off negative energy. There will be performances between 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Jan. 30. Meanwhile, feng shui expert Clement Chan Ting Bong will guide patrons towards balance and harmony this year on Feb. 8 from noon to 6 p.m. For inquiries, visit the Solaire Resort North website at sn.solaireresort.com, call 8888-8888, or e-mail at sn.reservations@solaireresort.com.

At Solaire in the South, there will be fortune readings by renowned Feng Shui Master Clement Chan Ting Bong, and witness the awe-inspiring Dragon and Lion dance by the Myanmar Long De Chuan Ren Dragon and Lion Dance Association at the porte-cochère on Jan. 29.

At the southern branch of Red Lantern, guests can enjoy an exclusive à la carte menu, dim sum buffet, and set menu. The meal begins with the Yu Sheng prosperity toss, and is followed by signature dishes like steamed Boston lobster, stir-fried wagyu beef, steamed live grouper, roasted whole suckling pig, and sliced Peking duck, as well as the premium dim sum selection. The celebration continues at Fresh International Buffet, where highlights include roasted pork belly, poached pork and vegetable dumplings, deep-fried tikoy, baked Chinese snow buns with BBQ honey pork, and wok-fried noodles. For a more intimate celebration, House of Zhou presents a Lunar New Year menu available on Jan. 28 and 29. The special offerings include steamed tiger prawns with glass noodles, claypot-braised pork balls, stir-fried mixed seafood with oyster sauce, and homemade Chinese cabbage dumplings. To complete the meal, guests can indulge in a special rice cake for dessert.

The resort offers Lunar New Year gift hampers filled with festive favorites including baked mango biscuits, tangerine peel five grains, premium red wine, God of Wealth-shaped tikoy, Chinese yam oatmeal, Bird’s Nest Sugar Rock, and ready-to-eat black truffle abalone. The hampers come in three options: Fortune Delights (P6,888), Tastes of Fortune (P12,888), and the Grand Fortune Box (P88,888).

For inquiries and reservations, call 8888-8888 or email reservations@solaireresort.com.

Dylan Patisserie

KNOWN for French-themed patisserie and gourmet café, Dylan Patisserie launches its limited-edition Chinese New Year Lucky Spring Cake. It features layers of rich dark chocolate mousse, almond sponge and dark chocolate sponge with feuilletine crunch, with a red chocolate spray symbolizing good fortune and luck. It is decorated with symbol of prosperity. Also available are special macarons and muffins. The cake and other treats are available at all Dylan Patisserie and Dylan Gourmet Café locations (Jupiter St., Makati; Parqal Mall,; Macapagal Ave.; SM North The Block and Scout Tuazon, Quezon City) and can also be ordered through the website (www.dylanpatisserie.com), or via Grab and FoodPanda for home delivery.

Nespresso

FROM Jan. 18 to Feb. 2, Nespresso is offering its blends packaged in a Lunar New Year-themed sleeve wrap in red and gold. Available in sets of 10 for Original blends and five for Vertuo blends. Nespresso is also reintroducing its limited-edition porcelain cups, specially designed for Lunar New Year 2025. For a limited time, customers can enjoy 15% off on all Vertuo machines when purchased with one coffee sleeve, while the Essenza Mini is available at 10% off with the purchase of one coffee sleeve. Nespresso is also offering a complimentary limited-edition red foldable tote bag with a gold monogram logo. The bag features interior pockets and is crafted from 100% recycled red polyester pongee. Customers can receive this exclusive tote with the purchase of six Original or Vertuo sleeves.

Nespresso is available online at www.nespresso.ph and in stores located at Power Plant Mall, Podium Mall, Robinsons Magnolia, One Bonifacio High Street Mall, Mitsukoshi BGC, Ayala Center Cebu, SM Mall of Asia, TriNoma, Greenbelt 5, Greenhills Mall, Shangri-La Plaza, Glorietta 4, and Alabang Town Center.

What do you do?

January 23, 2025 | 12:01 am

businessman-with-business-concept-holding-white-card — FREEPIK

A JOB TITLE that is easy to explain, like the owner and CEO even of an obscure company dealing with fire extinguishers, satisfies the curiosity of a querying acquaintance. But titles today are getting more complicated and harder to describe. That’s why status symbols are sought, requiring no further elaboration.

When asked what we do, we usually provide a job description, not necessarily the position printed on our calling card. Seldom do we answer that question with activities we do on weekends or at our leisure. (I attend to my bonsai garden at home.)

What we enjoy doing is not always related to our job, or what we do to meet our daily expenses, although the latter helps to support the former. A job with its deliverables, quotas, difficult clients, and bossy superiors, can even be a source of anxiety and pain. And yet it’s something we do again and again.

Of course, if one doesn’t currently have a job, the question of what one is doing becomes problematic. It can result in a short response — I retired last year. Worse, if a person is not yet of retireable age and is simply “between jobs,” how does he answer the question? (Right now, I’m working from home.)

Occupations (as opposed to preoccupations) are limited to activities that are compensated, never mind if adequately. Activities that may absorb us like conversations with friends, meditations on stoic philosophy, or attention to hobbies, are seldom used to describe what we do.

Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s Little Prince, published in 1943, has become a small cult work for looking at life differently: “What is essential is invisible to the eye.” The Little Prince from Asteroid B-612 may well wonder how a person can possibly be defined only by his job and how much money he makes, rather than whether he wears a hat or collects butterflies. The portrayal of a businessman as somebody who counts stars and claims them as his own gives a context of what the Little Prince thinks of the activity of making money.

Leisure, as a worthwhile activity that we do, may be a clearer way to define us and what we consider important. Anyone not hurrying off to a business meeting but to an art gallery or museum must have another kind of priority that absorbs him.

Ideally what we do for a living is enjoyable enough to spend time and effort on. The workplace can offer recognition and promoting the values one espouses. Work and play can be combined to promote a healthy life balance.

Industrialization and the dominance of economic activity (measured in the nation’s GDP) has sanctified work as a means for self-actualization, power, status, and measuring one’s contribution to the common good.

In contemporary thinking, the pursuit of leisure as a goal in itself seems too self-indulgent, permissible only upon retirement. But here again, it is one’s declining contribution and productivity that leads to the end of work, rather than the beginning of leisure. Retirement pay is intended to finance the non-productive and uncompensated joblessness, not to promote the enjoyment of leisure.

Why is ancient Greece remembered not for its workers who may have toiled to build the Parthenon but only for the product of their efforts? If any personalities survive history and are remembered for what we would now consider a leisure activity, it is the Greek philosophers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle who are remembered for ideas that shaped our humanitarian view of life. Was it their leisure activity which dealt with the meaning of life that defined what they did? Was that work as we know it? Did they get compensated for their aphorisms? And did they have a day job that enabled them to philosophize?

Work and its demands should not define what we are, or even what we do. It is our legacy and maybe the eulogies that follow us that in the end define who we are… and what we used to do for others.

Tony Samson is chairman and CEO of TOUCH xda

ar.samson@yahoo.com

BDO partners with Ashikaga Bank to support Japanese companies in PHL

January 23, 2025 | 12:01 am

BDO UNIBANK, Inc. has inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Japan’s Ashikaga Bank, Ltd. (ABL) to support Japanese businesses looking to establish or expand their presence in the Philippines.

“In a significant move, BDO Unibank, Inc. and Japan’s Ashikaga Bank, Ltd., signed a business alliance agreement through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to foster partnership that enables Japanese companies to thrive in the Philippines’ diverse markets,” the listed Sy-led lender said in a statement on Wednesday.

The MoU was executed on Dec. 23. It “aims to further strengthen the relationship between these two banks as BDO provides banking support services to Japanese business entities who are ABL customers and have existing operations or plan to build or expand their business in the country,” it said.

ABL is the 17t^h Japanese bank that has partnered with BDO. It is based in Japan’s Tochigi Prefecture and has 134 branches, including satellite offices and commercial banking services.

“Incorporated in 1895 with over 70,000 corporate clients, ABL expects to grow its roster of customers in the Philippines with new investments and business matching deals,” BDO said.

BDO’s Japan Desk was established in 2007 and has Japanese-speaking personnel to help market and service Japanese companies operating in the Philippines as well as cater to the retail needs of Japanese customers.

The bank’s net income rose by 12.47% year on year to P60.62 billion at end-September 2024.

Its shares dropped by P1.50 or 1.04% to close at P142.50 apiece on Wednesday. — A.M.C. Sy