Facebook Instagram Linkedin Twitter Youtube
Home Blog Page 10417

Philex Mining earnings drop by 49% in first nine months

Philex-mining-logo
Philex Mining attributes decrease in net income to lower grade output and production, as well as higher income taxes.

 
By Anna Gabriela A. Mogato
Philex Mining Corp. saw its net income attributable to parent company drop by 49.65% to P569.89 million in the first nine months of 2018 (as compared to P1.132 billion in the first nine months of 2017) amid its anticipated low-grade metal output and production.
In a disclosure to the Stock Market on Thursday, Philex attributed this decline to higher non-cash charges and an increase in excise tax rate.
To recall, the first package of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law increased the excise tax rates from 2% to 4% on both non-metallic and metallic minerals.
While its Padcal mine milled 4% more year-on-year to 6.53 million tonnes despite having temporarily suspend its production after typhoon Ompong caused a power outage, the company said that these ores were of lower grade compared to the previous year’s haul.
Its gold output was down by 21.95% to 48,929 ounces from 62,689 ounces in a comparative period last year, posting only P3.33 billion in revenues or 17.57% lower from a year ago.
Its copper output likewise slid from 21.9 million pounds to 20.5 million pounds. Its revenues generated from copper posted a 3.98% increment from P3.09 billion to P3.21 billion.
Eulalio B. Austin, Jr., Philex Mining President and CEO, in the same disclosure said that they are “cognizant that [their] existing ore body is challenged to deliver the desired grades due to its mature state.”
“To improve ore grades, a new mining level is being commissioned using sub-level caving mining method,” he added.
Philex mining in an earlier briefing said it has been looking for new sites and is considering underground mining, having already foreseen that it is running low in ores to mine.
“While waiting for the results of our exploration efforts, we will continue to implement operational efficiencies and cost enhancements to support our profitability,” Mr. Austin said.
Philex Mining is one of the three local units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the two other being PLDT, Inc. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp. Hastings Holdings, Inc. — a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc. — maintains interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls.

Gushcloud Philippines rocks halloween with SYNTH & STARDUST

This October 26, 2018, Gushcloud Philippines, the number one Digital Influencer Marketing Agency in the Philippines is kicking off the holiday season with a glam rock-themed Halloween event aptly entitled SYNTH & STARDUST to be held at House MNL at Resorts World Manila, Pasay. SYNTH & STARDUST brings together a roster of celebrities, influencers, clients, and media partners on a night of fashion, rock n’ roll, and revelry.

Guests can expect to dance to the sick beats of CJ the DJ from Magic 89.9, and drink the night away to House Manila’s cocktails and The BaR’s libations, and enjoy yummy bites from Booze & Chow. Lucky party-goers can also win prizes from Coast Boracay, Shinagawa Aesthetic Clinic, and iFlix. Other sponsors who will add glitz to the night are Lazada, Traveloka, Brother, The Smile Bar, Jergens, Caronia, Liese, Meg Rhythm, Biore, O Shopping, Belmont Hotel and Resorts, and Resorts World Manila.

Gushcloud Philippines, a branch of Gushcloud International, is a global influencer marketing, entertainment and talent agency, that connects audiences and brands to creators through representation and management, brand strategy and activations, marketing services, media productions, sales and distribution and signature events.  It has a network representing close to 12,000, holding an exclusive roster of more than 300, with 70% of them based in Asia, reaching out to 1 billion people around the world everyday.

With the Philippine team consisting of creative, dynamic, and driven millennials, Gushcloud Philippines prides itself in using fresh and unorthodox concepts and strategies geared towards millennial partners, clients, and talents alike.

Photo by Gushcloud Philippines

Gushcloud International currently operates in 9 offices worldwide including the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea, Japan and the United States of America. Gushcloud International aims to manage and represent the largest network of top global influencers and content creators, and is on its way to build a positive and sustainable future for the influencer and content creator industry.

QC realty tax hike cleared to proceed

By Vann Marlo M. Villegas
THE SUPREME COURT has lifted the temporary restraining order (TRO) on a Quezon City 2016 ordinance that increased the fair market values of real property for taxation purposes, saying the petitioner Alliance of Quezon City Homeowners’ Association, Inc. (AQCHAI) had no legal capacity to file the case in the first place.
In its Sept. 18 ruling, the court en banc noted that AQCHAI itself admitted that it has no juridical personality as its certificate of registration from the Securities and Exchange Commission had been revoked and it failed to register to the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board.
“Wherefore, the petition is dismissed due to petitioner Alliance of Quezon City Homeowners’ Association, Inc.’s lack of legal capacity to sue. The Temporary Restraining Order issued on April 18, 2017 is hereby lifted,” the decision read.
“Jurisprudence provides that an unregistered association, having no separate judicial personality, lacks the capacity to sue in its own name,” it stated.
Rules of court state that “only natural or juridical persons, or entities authorized by laws, may be parties in civil action.”
AQCHAI insisted that its petition should not be dismissed since it was filed by the members of its board of trustees in their “own personal capacities” by authorizing its treasurer, Danilo Liwanag, through an authorization letter, to file on their behalf.
The high court disagreed, saying it was evident in the title and the “Parties” section of the petition that the AQCHAI was the petitioner and the authorization letter indicated that the signatories “signed merely in their official capacities as Alliance’s trustees.”
“Thus, the resolution of the issues anent the validity and constitutionality of Quezon City Ordinance No. SP-2556, Series of 2016 — while indeed of great public interest and of transcendental importance — must nonetheless await the filing of the proper case by the proper party,” the decision read.
The court issued the TRO on April 18 last year.
AQCHAI had argued the hefty hike in fair market values had “no factual basis,” were “unjust, excessive, oppressive, arbitrary, and confiscatory” and resulted from a “brief one-day” consultation in November 2016 before its approval on Dec. 14, 2016.
The ordinance raised the fair market values of residential, commercial and industrial real properties by 400-733.33%, consequently raising tax payable by real property owners by 39-131%.
New assessment levels are five percent for residential and 14% for commercial and industrial lands.
Before the ordinance was enacted, these values were last adjusted in December 1995 even if Republic Act No. 7160, or the Local Government Code of 1991, requires adjustment every three years.
Many local governments fail to observe the law, however, since their officials are elected every three years. Mid-term elections are scheduled in May 2019.
The offices of the mayor, vice-mayor and treasurer of Quezon City could not be reached for comment, while an AQCHAI official declined to comment, saying he had yet to read the decision.
Latest available data from the Finance department’s Bureau of Local Government Finance showed that Quezon City was the biggest contributor to Metro Manila’s revenues last year, accounting for P15.161 billion (four percent more than P14.535 billion in 2016) or nearly a fifth of the National Capital Region’s P77.099-billion total collections.
Real property tax was Quezon City’s second-biggest tax revenue source last year at P3.431 billion, next to P9.204 billion in business tax.

BSP expands opportunities under UITFs

THE CENTRAL BANK is expanding opportunities under unit investment trust funds (UITFs) by allowing placements in government-issued debt papers.
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Deputy Governor Chuchi G. Fonacier said the Monetary Board has approved more options for UITFs to further entice investors with low risk tolerance.
“In order to maximize participation of the trust industry in the said issuance of the BTr (Bureau of the Treasury), the Bangko Sentral has expanded the allowable investments of conservative money market UITFs to include securities issued by the national government,” Ms. Fonacier told reporters.
UITFs consist of funds pooled from retail investors that are managed by a trust company or a bank’s trust department, which decide where to invest said funds.
Prior to this new rule, UITFs could be invested in bank deposits, which are relatively low-yielding compared to other instruments. Once a circular is issued, Ms. Fonacier said banks can deploy UITFs in floating-rate notes issued by the government. This comes ahead of the BTr’s planned sale of P15 billion worth of such notes.
The state is looking to issue floating-rate notes following recent rejections in regular Treasury bills and bond auctions, as rates offered for these debt papers were deemed too high compared to what the government was willing to pay.
Ms. Fonacier said market participants have expressed significant interest in the new investment instrument.
“The Bangko Sentral believes that with these developments, the industry will greatly benefit as they will be able to offer more options to their client segments and will be able to give their clients opportunities to obtain higher yield than traditional deposits and be able to grow their money,” the central bank official added.
More sophisticated UITFs allow asset managers to make bets in government-issued debt papers, tradable securities issued by foreign countries, exchange-listed securities and debt papers, loans traded in an organized market, loans from repurchase agreements, and in shares in collective investment schemes to grow an investor’s principal. — Melissa Luz T. Lopez

Employers warn of wage increase repercussions

EMPLOYERS’ GROUPS argued before Metro Manila’s wage board in consultations on Wednesday that the hefty increase in daily minimum pay for private sector workers sought by labor groups would hit businesses — especially micro, small- and medium-scale enterprises — hard and will likely cause inflation to spike further.
The National Capital Region Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board held its consultation with the management sector on Wednesday, following the one with labor groups on Monday and ahead of tomorrow’s public hearing for all affected sectors.
Representatives of almost 50 business groups and companies participated in the consultation.
In the face of consecutive overall inflation rates that have lately been hitting multiyear peaks, the Associated Labor Unions- Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) is seeking a P335 hike in Metro Manila’s P475-512 daily minimum wage for private sector workers, while another group, the Association of Minimum Wage Earners and Advocates, is seeking an even bigger P688 increase.
Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECoP) Governor Antonio H. Abad, Jr. said during Wednesday’s consultation that inflation cannot be the sole reason to increase wages.
“If we are going to increase wages mainly because there is an increase in inflation rate then the inflation rate will go down, will the wages go down? Because as far as wages are concerned if it is given, it cannot be retracted,” Mr. Abad said.
Reynaldo B. Destura, consultant of the People’s Management Association of the Philippines’ Human Resources Management Development Center, said that “[a]ny minimum wage adjustment is a driver of inflation and that has to be considered as well by the board,” since businesses will have to pass on the wage hike to customers by raising prices..
Ernie O. Cecilia, chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Human Capital and Resources & Communications Committee, agreed that increasing wages has an “inflationary effect” because “hindi lang wages umaakyat but cost of doing business umaakyat (it’s not only wages that go up but also cost of doing business).”
Mr. Cecilia, who also represented the Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines, added that drastically increasing wages could also scare investors away.
“Kumpara sa ibang bansa, napaka taas ng minimum wage natin (Compared to other countries, our minimum wages are really high),” he said, adding that foreign investors would rather invest in places like Bangladesh and Vietnam because of cheaper labor there.
“It’s like you’re telling the investors, it’s more costly in the Philippines to operate, not it’s more fun in the Philippines.”
ECoP’s Mr. Abad that “[k]ung magi-increase ka ng (If you increase the) wage, the expense of business will go up. So they will throw that back to us consumers so that they will be able to recover what they have paid for the increase in their business endeavor.”
Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. Assistant Vice-President and Advocacy and Communications Manager Ma. Flordeliza C. Leong said: “We have to strike a balance and look at the plight of enterprises who are employing 55% of the country’s work force”.
ALU-TUCP spokesman Alan A. Tanjusay told reporters after the consultations on Wednesday that employers should stop comparing the Philippines’ daily minimum wage with those of other Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members.
“Hindi dapat ilagay sa ganung equation ang ating sahod compared doon sa ASEAN countries kasi hindi namin alam ang condition doon sa ibang bansa (Employers shouldn’t compare our wages to those of other ASEAN countries since our conditions may be different).”
He said other Southeast Asian countries may have lower minimum wages but enjoy subsidies and benefits from the government — for instance to cushion against rising world oil prices — so costs are not passed on directly to the public as much as they are here. — Gillian M. Cortez

More Philippine universities join QS’ annual Asia list

THE RANKS of Philippine universities making it to the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Top 500 Universities in Asia grew to eight in the 2019 edition with the addition of the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT), according to a press statement the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) released on Wednesday.
The University of the Philippines (ranking 384th globally from 367th in the 2018 edition) topped local institutions on the list, rising in rank to 72nd in Asia from 75th in the 2018 edition.
UP was followed by the Ateneo de Manila University (115th from 95th in Asia and 651st-700th from 551st-600th globally), De La Salle University (155th from 134th in Asia and 801st-1,000th from 701st-750th globally), University of Santo Tomas (162nd from 145th in Asia and flat at 801st-1,000th globally), University of San Carlos (steady within 301st-350th in Asia), Mapua University (also steady at 401st-450th in Asia), MSU-IIT (451st-500th in Asia) and Siliman University (also 451st-500th from 351st-400th in Asia).
QS gauged Asian universities using 11 indicators, namely: academic reputation (with a 30% weight); employer reputation (20%); faculty-student ratio, international research network and citations per paper (each with 10%); papers per faculty and staff with doctorate degrees (each with five percent); as well as international students, inbound exchange and outbound exchange (each with 2.5%).
Sought for comment, De La Salle University (DLSU) sent an e-mail, saying it “acknowledges the value of different surveys that rank academic institutions worldwide using various criteria.”
“These appraisals allow us to view the institution from different perspectives.”
It noted, for instance, that “QS rankings are driven chiefly by the results of an academic reputation survey among faculty and researchers worldwide, different from other bodies that prioritize criteria like publication output, citations, internationalization of faculty and staff, etc.”
“There are many other measures that allow DLSU to take stock of its performance. There is no ‘one’ standard that can accurately measure excellence,” the university said.
“To further boost the quality and competitiveness of our public and private institutions, the commission will soon launch a project through its International Affairs Service that will assist Philippine universities to showcase their excellence to the world, promote their internationalization initiatives and increase global reputation through international benchmarking assessment of institutions using internationalization metrics,” CHEd’s statement quoted the commission’s chairman, J. Prospero E. De Vera III, as saying.
“Through this project, we expect more Philippine universities to be included in the internationalization rankings and develop programs that improve the quality of education in their respective institutions.” — Charmaine A. Tadalan

Auto industry seen to post 1st annual drop in 7 years

VEHICLE sales are expected to drop by 10-15% for the full year, as demand continues to be dampened by higher excise taxes, soaring inflation, and rising fuel prices.
“This year, down lahat. The market itself… We project 10% to 15% down,” Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) President Rommel R. Gutierrez told reporters on the sidelines of the 7th Philippine International Motor Show in Pasay City on Wednesday.
If realized, this would mark the first decline in full-year vehicle sales in seven years.
Data jointly from CAMPI and Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) showed the groups’ member companies sold 425,673 vehicles in 2017, an 18.4% increase from 359,572 units in 2016. The domestic auto industry had recorded annual double-digit growth since 2012.
“Initially, we were expecting yung down will be first quarter, second quarter lang. Pero it continued,” Mr. Gutierrez said.
The CAMPI official, who is also a first vice-president at Toyota Motor Philippines Corp., said “a combination” of negative economic factors, such as high inflation and soaring fuel prices, prevented a rebound in vehicle sales in the second half of 2018.
“I think it was inflation that really kept us. Kasi at that time it wasn’t a factor,” Mr. Gutierrez added.
Inflation surged to a fresh nine-year high of 6.7% in September, bringing the nine-month average to 5%. Prices rose by an average of 6.2% during the July to September period.
For the first nine months of 2018, vehicle sales fell 13.8% to 261,057 units, from 302,869 units sold during the same period last year. In September, 31,116 units were sold, 9.7% lower than the 34,445 units sold during the same month in 2017.
“So we hope it will increase beyond that level by the end of the year,” Mr. Gutierrez said, that car sales are starting to pick up.
The September sales figure is a 2.6% increase from the 30,313 units sold in August. It was also the second consecutive month that vehicle sales showed month-on-month gains.
Asked if this shows the market is stabilizing, TMA President and CAMPI Vice-President Dante C. Santos replied in the negative. “It’s not a recovery, it’s the habit of buying… Maraming pera ang tao, may bonuses, OFW remittances,” Mr. Santos said. — Janina C. Lim

Hard Rock Café returns under new management

In 2017, Hard Rock Café Makati City closed its doors, ending a more than 20 year run of good food and good music, but Hard Rock Café isn’t gone forever as barely a year after its disappearance, the international restaurant-bar chain has announced a comeback in Manila, with a plan to open in Conrad Hotel’s S’Maison in December.
“We plan on combining both hard core favorites of Hard Rock, at the same time creating new offerings in terms of flavor profile,” Jean-Paul Manuud, president and COO of the Bistro Group, the new franchisee of the Florida-based themed restaurant, said at a media round table on Oct. 19 in Italianni’s restaurant in Greenbelt, Makati City.
The Bistro Group is a two-decade old company which is known for bringing international and homegrown restaurant concepts such as Italianni’s, Denny’s, and Bulgogi Brothers, among others.
Hard Rock was formerly under Hard Rock Cafe (Makati City) Inc. (HRCMI), but it had to close its doors in 2017 as it faced a P22-million tax deficiency case filed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue, though the Court of Tax Appeals has ruled in favor of HRCMI.
The new S’Maison location is a 663-square meter, 223-seat affair which will “carry the trademarks of Hard Rock Café that makes it one of the most exciting, sophisticated and energetic brands in the world,” said a press release.
“Hard Rock has such a strong identity when it comes to music and entertainment, so we wanted to keep that as strong as possible [yet] amplified in the sense where we, in a local market, can introduce some flavors that are well-known to our customer base,” Steve D. Yang, Asia Pacific area vice-president of Hard Rock International’s franchise development and operations, said at the same round table.
Hard Rock’s new menu will be handled by Josh Boutwood, the executive chef of the Bistro Group.
And because music is the name of the game for Hard Rock, Mr. Manuud said they are currently in the process of scouting for bands which will cater to the Hard Rock market. The new location include enough space for a full band to play or even hold a mini-concert.
“Hard Rock is always related to rock music but the reality [it has] changed — now we talk about [how] Hard Rock is all about music, any kind of music: it could be pop, it could be rock, it could be EDM (electronic dance music). Like some of the Hard Rocks around the world, it’s not just rock — it’s everything,” Mr. Yang said.
Aside from the music, Mr. Yang noted that Hard Rock — with almost 200 branches worldwide under its name — is also one of the “biggest souvenir shops” in the world as its merchandise has always sold well in all of its markets.
And so the new branch of Hard Rock will dedicate a bit less than 20% of its space to merchandise done in such a way that “no one will miss the merchandise area,” said Mr. Manuud.
The S’Maison location is currently “50% done” said Mr. Manuud, and will employ approximately 80 staff members (some of whom were sent to the Hard Rock Café headquarters for training), a combination of new and old Hard Rock employees (60% new hires and 40% old hires).
Mr. Manuud said that the Pasay City location will not be the only Hard Rock Café in the country as in the near-term (possibly even next year), they are already planning “to grow the brand” and open in multiple locations including Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, Cebu City, and Entertainment City in Parañaque. — Zsarlene B. Chua

Service robots coming soon to malls as SM ties up with Cal-Comp

SM SUPERMALLS has tapped Cal-Comp Technology (Philippines), Inc. for the supply of customer service robots in one of its shopping malls.
In a statement issued Wednesday, Cal-Comp Philippines said it signed a partnership with SM Supermalls for the provision of its New Era AI (Artificial Intelligence) Robotic service robots.
The first service robot will be stationed at SM Megamall in the first quarter of 2019. The robot will be programmed to direct mall-goers and answer questions about Megamall shops and tenant promos. Its large screen and speakers will also provide real-time promotion with interactive map services.
“In pursuit of bringing family fun experiences for all, SM is excited to bring to customers another fun innovation that aims to transform shopping and retail experiences in the country,” Cal-Comp Philippines quoted SM Supermalls Chief Operating Officer Steven T. Tan as saying in a statement.
In an earlier interview with reporters, Cal-Comp Philippines Chief Executive Officer Simon Shen described the service robots as smart, humanoid robots featuring smart voice interactivity, facial biometrics identification, and POS systems, among others.
“Our partnership with SM Supermalls will revolutionize the local retail industry, and we are excited for the rollout of this new technology across all SM Supermalls in the Philippines. Our smart service robot’s speech capabilities will hopefully make the shopping experience more convenient for everyone, and provide the needed assistance to mall guests of all ages.” Mr. Shen said in a statement.
Mr. Shen earlier noted that the robots can also speak Tagalog as they were put up by Filipino engineers.
The company said the service robot can also be used in other industries such as retail, convenience stores, health care, and finance. The robot’s front screen can also be used for mobile advertisements and other announcements.
Aside from AI robots, Cal-Comp Philippines manufactures consumer electronics products such as calculators, electronic keyboards, LEDs, hard disk drives, and several high-end home appliance product for international brands.
Cal-Comp Philippines is the local unit of Taiwan-based New Kinpo Group, which has operations in Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and several parts of China.
The company earlier planned to raise P6.77 billion through an initial public offering (IPO) to finance its expansion in the country, but decided to back out due to market volatility. This would have funded the construction of two new manufacturing facilities, new assembly equipment, and machinery.
Cal-Comp Philippines said it will proceed with its expansion in the country despite the postponement of the IPO. The company currently has a total manufacturing space of 298,674 square meters across Lima Technology Center in Lipa, Batangas and First Philippine Industrial Park in Sto. Tomas, Batangas. — Arra B. Francia

A spooky time in the metro


HALLOWEEN is becoming more popular with each passing year and the hotels and malls are happy to jump on the bandwagon, offering everything from costume parties to trick or treat, to special Halloween-the med goodies. Here is a listing of some of what is happening in the lead up to Oct. 31.
HOTELS
Edsa Shangri-la Manila has decided to go Mexican with a El Dia De Los Muertos: A Spooky Monstercation party on Oct. 28, starting at 1 p.m. Guests can take a walk through an eerie graveyard adorned with candles and flowers, and witness the corpses become living bones at the hotel’s Marquee and Garden Wing function rooms. Tickets are P2,200 net per person, inclusive of bento snacks, access to the grand dessert buffet, and a string of activities including a magic show, a mini musical light show, a scavenger hunt, arts and crafts booths, a hair and makeup salon, face painting, storytelling, a Lego station, kiddie canvas painting, play houses, inflatables, trick or treating, a photo booth, games and raffle draws, and more. For details call 633-8888 ext. 2895 or e-mail atesl@shangri-la.com.
Marco Polo Hotel’s Vu’s Sky Bar and Lounge — located at the 45th floor of the Ortigas hotel — in partnership with Veuve Clicquot, is pouring a golden label Halloween on Oct. 26. Doors open at 8 p.m., with P599 door charge per person. For details, visit www.marcopolohotels.com.
On Oct. 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Diamond Hotel Philippines find the secret to happy-ever-after at the Once Upon a Time party. For the price of a ticket — P1,000 nett per person — one gets a take home snack box and access to the Halloween fairy-tale quests and activities, and a chance to win a Lego Grand Showcase in the grand raffle draw. For ticket inquiries, call 528-3000 ext. 8461. They are also available at onlineshopping.diamondhotel.com. Diamond Indulgence members are entitled to a P100 discount for a maximum of four tickets.
Fly or creep on over to Crimson Hotel Filinvest City, Manila as spooky creatures party on Oct. 27 at 10 a.m. and again at 1:30 p.m. A ticket (P1,100 net) gains one access to the Crimson Grand Ballroom Halloween Party, the Monsterrific Snack Buffet, the Monsters on Parade Costume Contest, photo and glam booths, Monsterzilla Activities and Games, and one goes home with a loot bag. Rates per person are at. The Feast of fright at Café Eight from Oct. 26 to 28 will serve a lunch buffet at P1,514 net with free flowing drinks; and dinner buffet at P1,729 net with free flowing drinks. Get 50% discount on the buffet with a purchase of two Halloween Monster Mash tickets. For inquiries, call 863-2222, 0998-961-3409, or e-mail alabang.cafe8res@crimsonhotel.com or cfcmevents@crimsonhotel.com.
Okada Manila celebrates Halloween with costumes and trick-or-treat activities, for ghouls of all ages, with Instagram-worthy installations, virtual reality experiences, live games and activity booths, as well as discounts and deals. From Oct. 26 to Nov. 4, the Crystal Corridor is the venue for Okada Manila’s Scare-tacular Affair. The decorations along Crystal Corridor are complemented by four different kinds of virtual reality (VR) experiences co-created with Samsung’s Intellismart Games. There will also be a timed Scavenger Hunt and a round of Throw the Hoops for prizes. To join, present receipts from any Okada Manila establishment and every P1,000.00 spend gets a ticket to a VR experience and an activity of one’s choice. Shopping and dining deals also abound — apart from special discounts from the JBL and Samsung booths, one can also enjoy great offers from Jo Malone, Lacoste, MAC, Marks and Spencer, Pinks Hotdogs, Pepper Lunch, Medley Buffet, PLAY, and more. For children, there will be two sessions of Halloween fun on Oct. 31 at Play — at 11 a.m. and again at 5 p.m. There will be a costume parade, trick or treat, and special prizes. They can make masks and witch’s hats, join games, and enjoy kid-friendly Halloween movies. The door charge is P900 for children and P300 for adults. Meanwhile, at Cove Manila indoor beach and night club, the Halloween fun will be on Oct. 28, 3 p.m. onwards when it stages Back in Time, a Halloween throwback party. The VIP pass is P1,000, while the sunset pass — which requires guests to be at the venue by 5:30 p.m. — is P500. On Oct. 31, 10:30 p.m. onwards, Grammy award-nominated Paul Van Dyk and DJ Soda will take center stage for the Halloween Haunted Party, a themed celebration of some of their best hits. Tickets are P1,500.00 (early bird) and P2,000. For details visit www.okadamanila.com.
At The Exchange, scary turns to happy on Oct. 31 as Richmonde Ortigas’ bar lounge presents “Fright Night,” an ’80s-inspired Halloween happy hour party. Be spooked by iconic creepy characters from the decade’s pop culture while enjoying the retro music and drink-all-you-can spree of San Miguel beer products, Smirnoff Mule, featured cocktail drinks, white wine, iced tea, and sodas, and binge bar chow. The Halloween Happy Hour is priced at P798 nett and run from 6 to 10 p.m. (the bar chow buffet is available until 9 p.m. only). Live musical entertainment starts at 7:30 p.m. All guests also get the chance to win hotel gift certificates in the raffle. For inquiries and reservations, call 638-7777. Richmonde Hotel Ortigas is located at 21 San Miguel Ave., Ortigas Center, Pasig City.
Shangri-La at the Fort celebrates Boni the Bull’s Royal Adventure for Halloween on Oct. 28, 1:30 p.m., at the Level 5, Adventure Zone. Children in their royal best can take part in the festivities which include a musical spectacle with a banquet of snacks and drinks. Sets of tickets are available at the Adventure Zone reception desk for P2,500 for Adventure Zone members and P3,500 for non-members. Each set includes: two tickets to enter Boni the Bull’s Adventure Zone Kingdom for one child and one adult; access to the Adventure Zone play area and the Halloween activities and games from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m.; a goodie bag; and a Trick or Treat adventure around the Shangri-La Retail Arcade at 3:30 p.m. Extra tickets for additional guests are priced at P1,500 per person. Tickets are available until Oct. 28. For details call 820-0888 or e-mail adventurezone.slfm@shangri-la.com.

Travel to a galaxy far, far away on Oct. 28, and help make a difference as The Peninsula Manila teams up with Make a Wish Foundation Philippines for a Halloween fundraiser that will help grant the wishes of children battling critical illnesses. Stay at The Peninsula Manila on Oct. 27 and 28, or dine in Escolta for Sunday Brunch on Oct. 28 and children from age 10 years old and below can sign up for The Peninsula Galactic Halloween party at The Conservatory for free. There will be a face painting session, build-your-own saber and droid classes, and the chikldren can also sign up for the saber training academy, and other fun activities. There will be two sessions to choose from: 10 a.m. to noon, and 2-4 p.m. For details call 887-2888.

Meanwhile, adults can also celebrate Halloween at The Palace Manila. It will be throwing four different Halloween parties to bring every type of Halloween fantasy come to life: XYLO’s Stellar Halloween Ball, The Island Halloween Fiesta, Revel’s sexy Masquerade Motel, and the Yes to the Future Party presented by Yes Please! XYLO’s Stellar Halloween Ball will draw astronauts, neon aliens, funky martians, and EDM  musicians BassJackers. Doors open at 10 p.m. (For reservations, call or text 0917-680-8888.) With music by Kat DJ, Funk Avy, and Knoxville, Revel gets a little naughty with the Masquerade Motel party, with a little help from Hennessy. Doors open at 10 p.m. (For reservations, call or text 0917-550-8888.) The Yes to the Future Party will feature music by Mick Martinez and Sky Dominique. Doors open at 6 p.m. (For reservations call 0917-149-7777.)  Finally, The Island Halloween Fiesta opens its doors at 6 p.m. and features Care Less Music Manila — Kingwaw, Sofia, James Reid, Nadine, Curtismith, and Astro Kidd. (For reservations, call or text 0917-689-8888.)

MALLS
It’s all treats and some tricks at Mandaluyong’s Shangri-la Plaza mall’s Spooktacular Circus where kids can enjoy trick or treating, magic shows, and more, all circus-themed. The festivities will be on Oct. 27 and 28, 1 p.m., at the Grand Atrium, East Atrium, and Luxury Lane. Children can hop aboard the Shang Holiday Express, which starts taking passengers around the Level 4 hallway fronting Muji beginning Oct. 27. For inquiries, call 370-2597/98 or visit www.facebook.com/shangrilaplazaofficial.
Judge Xia Vigor of the ABS-CBN show The Kids’ Choice will give her expert opinion as she will serve as one of the judges in the Araneta Center’s Halloween costume contest on Oct. 28. Cash prizes of up to P5,000 and other gifts are in store for the winners. Children up to 12 years old who wish to join are encouraged to draw inspiration for their “spooky” look from the movie Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween which will be shown in the Gateway Mall Cineplex, Ali Mall Cineplex, and other cinemas nationwide starting Oct. 31. The children who join the contest will be entitled to join the trick or treat around the malls and other side activities. To register, present a single receipt purchase worth P700 dated Oct. 28 from any Araneta Center establishment. Registration starts at 11 a.m. The Araneta Center will also hold a Halloween Sale from Oct. 26 to 28, with deals of up to 70% off in participating stores at the Gateway Mall, Ali Mall, and Farmers Plaza. For more updates, visit www.aranetacenter.net.
Halloween is the to play dress-up and getting stuffed to the gills with sweet treats. Both await children who join the Robinsons Malls’ Costume Contest with freebies and prizes awaiting the child with the scariest yet cutest costume. They can join the Costume Parade and the Kiddie Trick-or-Treat where they can fill their pumpkin pails with chocolates and candies. Celebrate Halloween at Robinsons Malls on the following dates: Oct. 27 at Robinsons Place Lipa, Robinsons Place Tacloban, Robinsons North Tacloban, Robinsons Place Bacolod, Robinsons Place Dumaguete and Robinsons Cybergate Cebu; Oct. 28 at Robinsons Galleria, Robinsons Metro East, Forum Robinsons, Robinsons Magnolia, Robinsons Town Mall Malabon, Robinsons Place Las Piñas, Robinsons Starmills Pampanga, Robinsons Place Angeles, Robinsons Place Ilocos, Robinsons Cainta, Robinsons Place Imus, Robinsons Place Palawan, Robinsons Place Roxas, Robinsons Place GenSan, Robinsons Place Iligan, Robinsons Otis, Robinsons Sta. Rosa, Robinsons Tagaytay, Robinsons Place Malolos, Robinsons Place Iloilo, Robinsons Place Antique, Robinsons Place Jaro, Robinsons Place Ormoc, Robinsons Place Dasmariñas, Robinsons Town Mall Los Baños, Robinsons Cebu Fuente and Robinsons Place General Trias; Oct. 29 at Robinsons Place Santiago and Robinsons Place Tuguegarao; Oct. 30 at Robinsons Place Butuan; and on Oct. 31 at Robinsons Place Antipolo, Robinsons Place Pavia, Robinsons Novaliches, Robinsons Place Pangasinan, Robinsons Luisita and Robinsons Place Naga. See the complete lineup of Robinsons Malls’ spooktacular parties and activities at www.robinsonsmalls.com.
Thrill-seeking tykes can have a spellbinding Halloween Trick or Treat Celebration on Oct. 28 at Eastwood City’s Petrified, an annual kids and pets affair. Kids can come in Harry Potter-themed costumes and enjoy activities as Eastwood City turns into a sorcerer’s realm. There are two costume contests — the Magical Robes: Kids Costume Contest and the Stupetfy: Pets Costume Contest — both of which have prizes at stake. Other activities include a magic show, pet talks, and trick or treat, where both children and pets get to haul away Halloween goodies. To join, participating children should present a P500 single purchase receipt from any Eastwood City retail partner from Oct. 26 to 28 to qualify for a Trick or Treat Map, while participating pets are required to present a valid pet pass. Magic begins at 2 p.m. The fun will be held at the Eastwood Mall Open Park at Eastwood City, Libis, QC.
Meanwhile, Forbes Town’s Wicked Woods will be open for exploration on Oct. 27. Adventure-hungry children can visit the magical forest and try the Treasure Hunt, Enchanted Obstacle Course, the VR Experience, and Mystery Box Challenge. They also get to pick their sweet poison by joining DIY activities including designing their own Halloween treats at the dessert decorating class, and more. They can join the Mesmerizing Costume Contest and the Trick or Treat Parade for a chance to win treats. To join, parents can present a P1,000 purchase receipt from any Forbes Town establishment. Registration is ongoing at Forbes Town, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig
On Oct. 28 the Boo! Halloween Kids Party will be held at Uptown Bonifacio’s Atrium, which promises to be a fun-filled day of activities such as the Monster Coloring Wall, Cotton Candy Glob, the Leprechaun Gold Hunt, and the Unicorn Glam Station. Children can join the My Little Monster Costume Contest for a chance to win prizes. To liven the monster party, a surprise Enchanted Musical performance is in store. The party ends with the Craveyard Trick or Treat, where children get to ask for candy treats at selected Uptown Mall stores. To join, present single or accumulated purchase receipt worth P1,000 beginning Oct. 15 from any Uptown Bonifacio establishments. The party will be held at Uptown Mall at Uptown Bonifacio, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig.
Over at McKinley Hill, the Venice Grand Canal will be filled with fantastic beasts inspired by the newest movie from Warner Brothers, Fantastic Beasts and the Crimes of Grindelwald. Children and movie fans alike can view the installations and activities and join the party on Oct. 28 with the Wizard’s Ball Costume Contest. Other activities include the Circus Arcanus Photo Booth, Arts and Crafts Alley, the Trick or Treat Express, and Spells and Stories with Fully Booked. To join, purchase one Fantastic Beast cinema ticket. Registration is ongoing. The party will be held at the Venice Grand Canal at McKinley Hill, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig.
Southwoods Mall is rolling out the red carpet for the cutest Little MonSTARS. On Oct. 28, celebrity wanna-be’s can join The Spook Squad Costume Contest where children and their parents get to show off their most creative movie-inspired costumes for a chance to win prizes and best dressed awards. Children can also join the Trick or Treat Activity at participating shops and dining establishments beginning 2 p.m. The costume contest begins 4 p.m. Meanwhile, children can test their wits at the Spooktacular Mansion from Oct. 29 to 31, an escape room challenge for the adventurous. To join the activities, present a minimum single purchase receipt worth P500 from Oct. 15. The events are at the Southwoods Mall at Southwoods City, Biñan, Laguna.
For a scenic yet spooktacular Halloween celebration, families can head over to Twin Lakes in Tagaytay and enter the Enchanted Forest on Oct. 28. The party starts at 4 p.m. and includes a magic show, face painting, balloon twisting, a snack buffet, and a bubble show. Trick or Treating starts at 5 p.m. To join, present a P1,000 purchase receipt from any Twin Lakes establishments.
Over at Lucky Chinatown, the focus is on animal characters such as Enchantimals, Hatchimals, and Megabloks with activities such as a matching game, DIY facemasks, a builder challenge, and roving animal rides until Nov. 3. On Oct. 28, 10 a.m., children take part in The Candy Hunt, a meet and greet with Cody of Vtech and Hatchimals, and the ExZOOtic Kiddie Paw-ty Costume Contest, wherein children are encouraged to wear animal costumes. To join, present a P500 single receipt from the merchandise selling at the Lucky Chinatown Atrium at Lucky Chinatown, Binondo, Manila.
The Ortigas Malls — Tiendesitas, Greenhills, and Estancia — celebrate with The Great Halloween Show on Oct. 28, 2-6 p.m., offering a spectacle of magic shows, acrobat exhibitions, and musical performers. A costume contest for children will be held on Oct. 28 at 5 p.m. There will also be games and trick or treating. Registration starts at 11 a.m., customers must present a minimum single or accumulated receipt worth P3,000 from Ortigas Malls from Oct. 25-28 to get one entry pass. Shop and the kids to get fun prizes from partner retailers.

Aboitiz still interested in National ID program

By Arra B. Francia, Reporter
THE Aboitiz group said it remains interested in taking part in the National Identification (ID) system, despite the Philippine Statistics Authority’s (PSA) rejection of its unsolicited proposal earlier this month.
“We are very interested in the National ID program, we will have to check when the terms of reference are released, to see if it makes sense for us to participate,” Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc. (AIC) Vice- President Jose Emmanuel P. Reverente said in an interview on the sidelines of the Philippines Investment Forum in Makati last week.
The PSA said earlier this month that it will opt for a competitive bidding for the Philippine identification system, which will help the government manage the timeline for procuring and awarding the system by year end.
A consortium led by AIC and Ayala Corp.’s AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp. submitted an unsolicited proposal for the design and development of the national ID system last August.
Under the proposal, the consortium said it will be spending P15 billion to develop the infrastructure for the national ID system. The group tapped global information technology firm Unisys Philippines to provide the security software and services, and digital transformation and workplace services, among others.
The proposed concession period was for 17 years, at which time the consortium promised to “develop and implement an expedient and comprehensive solution that will provide a safe and secure identification and benefits payment mechanism for individuals transacting with government.”
Mr. Reverente said they will still partner with AC Infrastructure and Unisys should they participate in the competitive bidding process.
The proposal to develop the country’s national ID system is in line with Republic Act No. 11055, otherwise known as the Philippine Identification System Act (PhilSys). The entire PhilSys project will require P30 billion over the next five years.
PhilSys will collect the full name, sex, date and place of birth, blood type, and address of all Filipino citizens. The system will also specify whether a person is a Filipino or resident alien.
The PSA targets to hold the pilot run for the PhilSys registration on March 2019, later than its initial goal of enrolling one million Filipinos by December. The government will prioritize poor residents, specifically senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and those receiving cash transfers.
Registered residents will be assigned a 12-digit PhilSys number that will serve as their digital identity across multiple platforms.
Starting September next year, the PSA targets to provide national IDs to 25 million residents every year until 2021.

TV-sync tech firm sees boost from Filipino viewing habits

By Denise A. Valdez
Reporter
A MARKETING technology company said the continuing patronization of Filipinos of television is boosting its business in the country, with the firm offering advertisers the technology to launch digital campaigns in sync with TV content.
India-based firm SilverPush Chief Revenue Officer Kartik Mehta said in an interview that the company’s one-year presence in the Philippines has shown exponential growth, bagging brands from clients like Unilever, Unilab and Coca-Cola.
“In terms of television viewing habits, consumers in the Philippines spend a lot of time viewing linear television… Your on-demand content which is being played on your smartphones is still not there as much as the other evolved economies across the world,” he said.
“Because of this, what’s happening is because consumers still are focusing their attention on linear television, this entire multi-screening phenomena is helping technology companies like us help brands engage with their audiences in real time,” he added.
SilverPush offers its clients a “multi-screen TV-sync solution,” or a technology that detects television content which a company may use to trigger a digital campaign in real time.
Mr. Mehta said because the technology allows its clients to run digital advertisements upon screening of a certain television content, it may be used as supplement for its clients’ own television commercials, or a counter message when it detects a competition’s commercial.
“That’s a very interesting model because advertising on television is expensive. And obviously this entire concept of multi-screening, if you just analyze our own behavior as consumers, whenever you’re watching television, what do you do? We still have our phones in our hands,” Mr. Mehta explained.
He said although Filipinos still view linear television more often than in other countries, the general behavior is still to gravitate one’s attention towards social media during ad breaks.
“Our technology helps brands run ads on digital while the consumer is not attentive to television in real time,” he added.
Looking forward, Mr. Mehta said they eventually want to tap Artificial Intelligence (AI) to recognize faces, objects and activities that flash on a television screen to prompt a digital campaign.
“Our technology is evolving to a more AI-based model which will be able to detect celebrities, faces, logos on screen. It is also able to detect emotions. Is there a celebration going on, or are people doing a high-five, or are people drinking or saying cheers? It’s able to detect all that. Brands are utilizing all these different moments through our technology to run contextually relevant messages for the consumers,” he explained.
He said the AI-based solution is now being tested in the Philippines. The firm targets to launch it for existing and would-be clients by next year.
SilverPush currently offers its solutions in 12 countries, namely India, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, South Africa, Tanzania, Ghana, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates.
Mr. Mehta said by next year, they also plan to expand to Hong Kong, Korea and Australia, and at some point, the United States.
“It’s been a conscious decision for us to kind of test and implement our innovations here in the Philippines before it spreads out to Southeast Asia. This has become our hub of innovation in Southeast Asia… We expect to see probably 300% jump in our revenues in the Philippines by next year,” he added.
He noted the company has grown 80% to 100% quarter-on-quarter the past year, making SilverPush confident it will maintain its climb in the Philippines.

1...10,41610,41710,418...12,866Page 10,417 of 12,866
© 2024 BusinessWorld Publishing.
All rights reserved.
Read our privacy guidelines
Facebook Instagram Linkedin Twitter Youtube