Wine appreciation classes offered next week

September 5, 2019 | 12:06 am

THE Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET), the largest global provider of wines and spirits qualifications, is set to hold several events in observance of Wine Education Week which runs from Sept. 9 to 15. This is the first global initiative of WSET and it coincides with the program’s 50^th anniversary.

Wine Education Week is a international events that promote WSET’s mission to arm wine consumers as well as trade professionals with greater knowledge that can be very useful and stimulating at the same time.

In Manila, the Wine Story Academy, which is Manila’s first Approved Program Provider of WSET qualifications, will be holding a series of events — including food and wine pairing, tastings of regionally themed wine flights, and wine classes — to educate wine enthusiasts. Serving as venues for the events are Wine Story and Planet Grapes.

On Sept. 11 and 12, the walk-around tasting will be held in Planet Grapes, Shangri-La Plaza Mall from 7-9 p.m., with tickets priced at P1,000 per person. Old World wines from Italy, Spain, Germany, and Portugal will be featured on Sept. 11 in the event entitled “Old World Wines: A Taste of Tradition.” On Sept. 12 it is “New World Classics” with selections from Argentina, Australia, the US (California), Chile, New Zealand, and South Africa.

On Sept. 13 and 14, the events will be held at Wine Story, Shangri-La Plaza Mall. There will be “Tour de France” walk-around tasting on Sept. 13, 7-9 p.m., featuring a wine flight from the wine regions of Bordeaux, Champagne, Burgundy, Alsace, and the Rhone Valley. Tickets are P1,200.

On Sept. 14, there will be a day-long event called “WinEd: Wine Appreciation through Education.” Back-to-back wine classes will be held hourly from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. There will also be interactive wine games and activities for budding as well as seasoned wine enthusiasts. These activities will be followed by a “wine career chat” at 7 p.m. about wine-related careers, with a panel of professionals representing various fields such as culinary, sommelierie, media, education, and retail. There are limited seats available at “WinEd: Wine Appreciation through Education.” A ticket costs P1,500.

Visit https://www.winestory.com.ph/wine-mastery/wined for more details and to book.

The Wine Story Academy event series is being held in partnership with Schott Zwiesel stemware exclusively distributed by Garden Barn, Inc. in the Philippines.

PHL records highest number of phishing victims in the region

September 5, 2019 | 12:05 am

By Denise A. Valdez
Reporter

THE PHILIPPINES recorded the highest number of users victimized by online phishing attacks in the first half of the year, a report by cybersecurity firm Kaspersky said.

In a statement, the Russia-based company said it recorded more than 14 million phishing attempts in Southeast Asia during the January to June period, of which 1.5 million were directed to the Philippines.

While the highest number of attacks were detected in Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia, which posted an 11 million combined phishing attempts during the period, the Philippines showed the highest number of successful phishing attacks.

“In Kaspersky’s phishing statistics for the first half of 2019, it shows the Philippines has the highest percent of phishing victims at 17.3%. The growth posted is a whopping 65.56% higher compared with the data for the same period last year at 10.449%,” it said.

Phishing is a kind of cyber attack that tries to direct users to websites that attempt to extract private information from a browsing device.

“This old but effective threat is real in Southeast Asia and shows no signs of fading anytime soon. The region is composed of many young and highly-mobile populations and admit or not, we need to educate them on the risks of basic attacks like phishing,” Kaspersky General Manager for Southeast Asia Yeo Siang Tiong said in the statement.

Aside from the Philippines, Kaspersky said Malaysia also saw an increased number of phishing victims to 15.829% of users in the first semester from 11.253% last year. Indonesia jumped to 14.316% from 10.719%, Thailand to 11.972% from 10.9%, Vietnam to 11.703% from 9.481% and Singapore to 5% from 4.142%.

“[A]s long as individuals will continue to let their guards down when using the internet, we can be sure that we’d keep on counting phishing victims again and again,” Mr. Yeo added.

Information that are extracted from phishing attacks are often sold in the dark web, Kaspersky said. These information could range from credit card numbers to passwords that would grant access to bank accounts and other financial records.

“It’s seriously alarming that phishing tricks are still very effective… Our latest data proves that we really need to work on turning the internet users in the region into well-informed and meticulous recipients who would be able to recognize such fraudulent ancient tricks,” Mr. Yeo said.

Bohol-Panglao airport can now handle night flights

September 5, 2019 | 12:05 am

THE Bohol-Panglao International Airport can now start accommodating flights at night, according to the Department of Transportation (DoTr).

In a statement yesterday, the department said the Bohol gateway began operating flights up to 10 p.m. on Sept. 1. This comes after the DoTr upgraded the airport’s navigational equipment to allow it to handle planes landing at night.

The airport’s operating hours have been extended to 16 hours (6 a.m. to 10 p.m.) from 12 hours (6 a.m. to 6 p.m.), allowing the gateway to handle more flights.

“The more flights we can accommodate, the more benefits we can offer to our air passengers. This has always been the focal guidance of Secretary Art Tugade — to enhance the connectivity, mobility and comfort of the Filipino people,” Jim C. Sydiongco, director general of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, said in the statement.

Having more flights at the airport is also seen to help bring down airfares, making Bohol a more attractive tourist destination for travelers.

“The improvements we made here at (the Bohol-Panglao International Airport) will ultimately impact on regional economic growth and development. That is what our President meant when he told us to give Filipinos a comfortable life,” Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said.

The Bohol-Panglao International Airport was opened in November and is now the main gateway to the Bohol island, replacing Tagbilaran Airport. It is designed to handle 2 million passengers annually.

The private sector is seeking to take over the operations and maintenance of the gateway, with Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc. having an unsolicited proposal being reviewed by the National Economic and Development Authority. — Denise A. Valdez

Playing with your food

September 5, 2019 | 12:05 am

WERE WE really born just to eat, mate, then die? How about having a little fun? A two-time World Champion of Pizza Acrobatics (in 2001 and 2002) shows us how we can play with our food, have fun, and live well at the same time.

Pasqualino Barbasso hails from Sicily, once the sister nation of Naples (the home of pizza, but don’t say that to the other regions) under the Bourbons as the Kingdom of Naples and the Two Sicilies. He worked as a pizzaiolo (that’s the Italian term for a pizza chef) at his family’s pizzeria in Cammarata in Sicily. When he’s not touring, he still works there.

Don’t underestimate the power of boredom, because that’s how Mr. Barbasso found his talent. “I started in the beginning, just for myself, because I felt a bit bored,” he said. “You make pizza after two, three hours, it will become a little bit boring.”

The charming and smiling chef performed for guests during a luncheon at Marco Polo’s Cucina on Aug. 29, showing his manipulation of dough: juggling up to three balls of it, kneading it as a full circle then spinning it above his head, catching it from his legs — really, it’s quite a show, especially when you’re as easy to impress as this reporter. But does it change the pizza? BusinessWorld got a taste of his Piemontese (beef, tuna, mozzarella, capers, anchovies), Mediterranea (eggplant, sun-dried tomato, mozzarella, basil powder), Arrotolata (artichokes, parma ham, cherry tomatoes, arugula leaves), and Grand Fume (smoked salmon, burrata, arugula leaves, cherry tomatoes) pizzas. Well, the topping are sublime, and have the whiff of freshness that you don’t get in a boxed pizza. Furthermore, the dough had a smoky taste on the outside, but an overall softness and chewiness on the inside. Bravo!

For all the fun and games in making his pizza — at least, it looks fun: Mr. Barbasso had to wipe off his perspiration after the physical exertion of manipulating dough, so it’s less a game but more of a performance — has it added any value at all to the pizza? He says that it doesn’t, but does add a caveat: “If you treat the dough in a bad way, you damage the rising.”

For his performances, he uses a special kind of dough, one that doesn’t need any raising, but in his hometown, the dough he tosses about eventually gets served to the guests, amid much clapping. To him, a good pizza dough is one that has been raised for 24 hours, and has been “opened” (we gleaned it means along the line of kneading) by hand. “Never use a rolling pin, because you damage the texture of the dough,” he said.

Italians and Americans can fight all day about which nation makes the best pizza, but he says, “There isn’t a best pizza in the world. There are different kinds. The difference would be the skill of the maker.”

Okay, so Mr. Barbasso can toss dough, but can he make a good pizza? Our bet says yes, but then he says, “You don’t play with pizza if you don’t know how to play.”

“It’s always more important to make a good pizza. If you don’t know how to prepare a good pizza, better not start with the acrobatics.”

While Mr. Barbasso leaves on Sept. 5, his creations will be available at Cucina until Sept. 15. — Joseph L. Garcia

Start-ups sell Spotify-like apps to offset your carbon footprint

September 5, 2019 | 12:04 am

SALLY ROGERS took public transport, bought locally-grown food and looked for sustainable products out of concern for the environment in San Francisco. Then she realized all that was being undone by her need to travel.

Her solution was to subscribe to Project Wren, one of a new breed of climate-centric start-ups offering consumers a way to offset greenhouse-gas pollution. In a nod to the music and video streaming providers Spotify Technology SA and Netflix Inc., they offer a web-based tool to quantify individual carbon emissions and then make regular payments into projects that will absorb those emissions.

“They’ve eliminated that feeling of hopelessness I used to get once I understood my carbon emissions,” said Rogers, founder of a marketing agency that helps join consumer brands with product influencers. “The biggest impact on my carbon footprint was my desire to visit friends and family in other parts of the world.”

The so-called climate-streaming services are capitalizing on the instinct of millennials to be good to the environment and look for solutions on the internet — or their mobile phones.

These companies are jumping into a $200 million-a-year carbon offsetting industry that, until recently, has focused mainly on businesses instead of consumers. Established incumbents include British oil major BP Plc. and ClimateCare, a former unit of JPMorgan Chase & Co.

“There’s lot of consumer demand for affordable action on climate change that isn’t in the form of traditional political activism,” said Ben Stanfield, co-founder of Californian start-up Project Wren. “A lot of people are frustrated with how local and national governments are dealing with the problem.”

His operations help offset pollution by planting trees that absorb carbon dioxide or by installing solar panels or handing out cleaner cook stoves in developing nations. The service applies those savings to the carbon emitted from everyday life including flying or driving.

Offsetting has been used for more than a decade by firms including Citigroup Inc. and UBS Group AG to minimize their environmental impact. JPMorgan offsets all its business air-travel, and the consulting company PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP has matched its emissions with forest protection. Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. is among numerous airlines that has introduced carbon programs to fund environmental projects.

Another service called Chooose charges less than $10 a month for a subscription plan that helps direct money into renewable energy projects. The Oslo-based company also provides gift cards and company-branded merchandise too (sustainable and environmentally-friendly of course).

Its founder, Andreas Slettvoll, left a high-flying legal job in the Russian fossil-fuel industry to tackle climate change.

“If I had continued that for my entire life, nobody would have come to my funeral,” Slettvoll said in an interview. “Even if you live in a cave, you still have an unavoidable carbon footprint. We are actively trying to go out of business by solving this problem.”

In California, Stanfield launched Project Wren about two months ago with co-founders Mimi Tran Zambetti and Landon Brand. With a monthly subscription tailored to your carbon footprint, it already has about 500 subscribers.

For those who want to offset on the go, the OffCents mobile app can automatically detect and calculate your carbon emissions whether you’re traveling by car, plane or train. Through their phones, users can then decide how much to spend on carbon credits.

“It’s an app that rewards you for avoiding and offsetting travel,” said Howard Jaslow, who started OffCents after leaving Blackstone Group Inc. about three years ago.

The offset business is still a fraction of the international carbon market, a sector valued about €144 billion ($159 billion), according to financial data provider Refinitiv. — Bloomberg

Maynilad allots P6 billion for sewer lines in Las Piñas

September 5, 2019 | 12:04 am

MAYNILAD Water Services, Inc. on Wednesday said it is allocating more than P6 billion for the installation of 30 kilometers (km) of sewer lines in Las Piñas City this year.

In a statement, the west zone concessionaire said the 30-km conveyance will be implemented in the fourth quarter. This project is part of an planned 80-km sewage system for Las Piñas.

Maynilad said it will use a “trenchless” method for the project to lessen the impact of pipe diggings on traffic.

The sewage system, once completed by 2021, allow Maynilad to “catch wastewater generated by some 600,000 customers in 20 barangays in the city, and convey it to the Las Piñas Water Reclamation Facility for proper treatment.”

Construction on the Las Piñas facility began in March this year and will be finished by 2021. The facility will comply with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) Water Quality Guidelines and General Effluent Standards of 2016 (DAO 2016-08).

“We are determined to do our part in ensuring the proper treatment and disposal of wastewater in our concession area. Our commitment is such that we have allotted the largest portion of this year’s capital expenditure budget to wastewater management for programs aimed to protect the health and sanitation of our customers and the environment,” Maynilad President and CEO Ramoncito S. Fernandez was quoted as saying.

Maynilad is also installing sewer lines in Valenzuela, Cavite City, and Barangays Cupang and Tunasan in Muntinlupa City.

In August, the Supreme Court upheld fines totaling close to P2 billion on Maynilad, Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) and east zone concessionaire Manila Water Company, Inc. for violations of an environmental law.

The case stemmed from the fine of P29.4 million imposed by the DENR for non-compliance with the clean water law due to the concessionaires’ failure to finish sewerage projects by May 2009.

Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which has a 52.8% interest in Maynilad, is one of three Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT, Inc. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls.

Yields on term deposits mixed

September 5, 2019 | 12:04 am

YIELDS ON term deposits ended mixed on Wednesday despite strong demand, with investors holding on to their cash as they remained cautious over geopolitical issues.

The central bank received bids amounting to P76.055 billion for its term deposit facility (TDF) on Wednesday, well above the P40 billion it wanted to sell.

However, this amount was still lower than the P76.753 billion in bids the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) received last week against an P80-billion offering.

The seven-day papers received P24.905 billion worth of bids, higher than the P10 billion on offer as well as last week’s tenders which totalled P19.228 billion versus the P20-billion offering.

Accepted yields for this tenor ranged from 4.3% to 4.992%, a wider margin compared to last week’s 4.25-4.74% range. This caused the average rate to settle at 4.4141%, 7.11 basis points (bp) lower than last week’s 4.4852%.

Meanwhile, the 14-day deposits fetched total tenders worth P22.98 billion, more than double the P10 billion offered by the central bank. However, this declined from the P24.322-billion in bids received for the tenor last week for a P20-billion offer.

Banks asked for returns ranging from 4.4% to 4.5%, a narrower margin versus last week’s 4.375%-4.6% band. The average yield for the tenor clocked in at 4.4352%, down 7.03 bps from the 4.5055% fetched at the last auction.

On the other hand, demand for the 28-day papers hit P28.17 billion yesterday, filling the P20 billion offered by the BSP but dropping from the P33.203-billion worth of bids seen last week, which was for a P40-billion auction volume.

Yields sought by lenders fell between 4.4% and 4.5922%, a narrower range versus last week’s 4.375%-4.7%. The tenor’s average rate stood at 4.495%, 1.18 bps higher than the 4.4832% logged last week.

“Local participants broadly remained cautious, flocking toward the shorter 7- and 14-day tenors amid lingering market caution on trade tensions between the US and China and ahead of key monetary policy decisions from the European Central Bank, US Federal Reserve and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas this month,” a trader said.

“The aforementioned major market movers contributed to the strong bids on the shorter tenors and the rise on the longer 28-day tenor,” the trader added.

The TDF is the central bank’s primary tool to shore up excess liquidity in the financial system and to better guide market interest rates.

BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno last week said the central bank is looking to cut benchmark rates by another 25 bps before the end of the year.

The central bank has cut interest rates by a total of 50 bps so far this year to 4.25% for the overnight reverse repurchase rate, 4.75% for overnight lending and 3.75% for overnight deposit.

The BSP’s Monetary Board will have its next policy meeting on Sept. 26. — LWTN

Marco Polo Ortigas Manila goes Italian

September 5, 2019 | 12:04 am

LA VITA ITALIA does not stop as Marco Polo Ortigas Manila’s restaurants and bars continue to celebrate the country with special treats this September. Guest chef Pasqualino Barbasso’s special gourmet pizzas are available exclusively in house from 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Italian confections are also available for a post-meal dessert, an afternoon break, or just-because. Café Pronto is serving Panforte and Tiramisu to keep the day sweeter until Sept. 18. A Tiramisu smoothie is also available until the end of September. Connect Lounge serves Verde Chiaro Sour and Dolce Cassis until Sept. 15 while Vu’s Sky Bar and Lounge offers classic Italian cocktails, such as a special house-blend Limoncello and barrel-aged Negroni. Both drinks can be enjoyed with the second round on the house for the whole month of September.

PLDT, Google partner for MSMEs online listing

September 5, 2019 | 12:03 am

THE ENTERPRISE arm of PLDT, Inc. has entered a partnership with Google Philippines to offer an online business listing for micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

PLDT Enterprise said in a statement Tuesday it is teaming up with the tech giant to have a verified Google My Business listing for MSMEs on the Google website.

“We are committed to driving inclusive growth for the Philippines’ digital economy. One way to achieve this is through upskilling MSMEs with effective digital tools such as Google My Business,” Google Philippines Country Marketing Head Gabby Roxas was quoted as saying in the statement.

With the added function through Google, PLDT said MSMEs will be easily searchable online, therefore tapping new customers.

“As MSMEs account for the majority of the country’s listed businesses and employ a sizeable portion of the workforce, it is important that they are provided with the necessary opportunities,” Mr. Roxas added.

Aside from the added Google function, PLDT Enterprise is offering a new business plan designed specifically for MSMEs. This offer includes fiber internet connection, a business landline and a customer hotline, which the company believes are important tools for MSMEs to scale.

MSMEs that will subscribe to the specially designed plan may be easily registered to Google My Business through a verification code that PLDT will provide.

“Our partnership with Google Philippines is a testament to how PLDT is constantly looking for ways to broaden our services and provide our customers with relevant and timely technologies,” First Vice-President and Head of Enterprise Core Business Solutions Jojo Gendrano said in the statement.

“As customers further embrace digital, the fundamental challenge for micro and small businesses would be how they could participate in this online economy to compete and grow their business,” he added.

For his part, PLDT Senior Vice-President and Head of Enterprise Business Groups Jovy Hernandez said the partnership with Google is in line with the company’s goal of enabling entities such as MSMEs in boosting the country’s economy.

“Through Google My Business and PLDT’s unique position as its trusted verifier, our subscribers will be able to create an easily accessible business profile that will enable them to stand out online and better engage customers,” he said.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Denise A. Valdez

Solar panels to be installed at NLEX toll plazas

September 5, 2019 | 12:03 am

NLEX Corp. on Wednesday said it is installing solar panels on six toll plazas along the expressway, as it boosts the use of renewable energy in its operations.

In a statement, the company said the Balintawak Barrier, Bocaue Barrier, Mexico Toll Plaza, Angeles Toll Plaza, San Fernando Southbound Toll Plaza, and Karuhatan Interchange Toll Plaza will be equipped with grid-tied solar power system.

This will be in addition to the Meycauayan Southbound Toll Plaza, where solar panels were first installed in 2018 and is now operational.

“We have since incorporated sustainable energy in our business operations as we already have solar-powered devices such as closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, emergency call boxes and roadway lighting. This time, we’re implementing it in our toll plazas not only to generate energy savings, but more importantly, to lessen our carbon footprint,” NLEX Corp. President and General Manager Luigi L. Bautista was quoted as saying in a statement.

The installation of solar panels on six toll plazas is expected to be completed by end-2019.

“The solar power project is estimated to produce more than 430 KWH of electricity annually which is equivalent to 108 tons of recycled wastes and more than 5000 tree seedlings grown for 10 years,” the company said.

BPI raises $300 million via ASEAN green bonds

September 5, 2019 | 12:03 am

BANK OF THE Philippine Islands will issue $300 million in green bonds as part of its medium-term note program. — *BW FILE PHOTO*

BANK OF THE Philippine Islands (BPI) will issue $300-million in ASEAN green bonds, which will be part of its medium-term note (MTN) program.

The bank said in a disclosure on Wednesday that it priced the issue at 99.641 with a re-offer yield of 2.577% on Sept. 3.

The senior unsecured fixed-rate bonds, which will mature by Sept. 10, 2024, will carry a coupon of 2.5% per annum to be paid semiannually.

The bank said the proceeds from the issuance will be used to fund green projects eligible under BPI’s Green Finance Framework.

BPI said the offering was over four times oversubscribed, with the order book allocated mostly to Asia and the rest to Europe.

“By investor type, more than half of the offering was allocated to asset managers and fund managers, around one-third to banks, financial institutions and private banks, and the remainder to insurance companies, pension funds and other investors,” BPI said in the statement.

The transaction is expected to be settled on Sept. 10. The bonds will be listed on the Singapore Exchange.

This issuance is another drawdown from its $2-billion MTN program, the bank said.

BPI Capital Corp. is the sole global coordinator for the transaction. Meanwhile, BPI Capital, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Citigroup, Credit Suisse, Mizuho Securities and UBS are the joint lead managers and bookrunners.

The bank last Friday said it will issue its first two-year, 100-million Swiss franc-denominated, negative-yielding green bond, proceeds of which will be used to fund environmental projects also under its Green Finance Framework.

It priced on Aug. 29 its first ASEAN green bond amounting to 100 million Swiss francs at 100.040% with a re-offer yield of -0.02%.

This is the first Swiss franc-dominated issue out of the Philippines carrying an annual coupon rate of 0.00%.

The bonds will be issued on Sept. 24 and are due on Sept. 24, 2021.

The Swiss franc-denominated issue will also be drawn from its MTN program.

BPI’s Green Finance Framework was launched in June, providing guidelines for any green bonds or loans issued by the bank including the evaluation and selection of eligible projects, management of proceeds, and reporting, among others.

The lender established its $2-billion medium-term note program in June last year.

In its maiden drawdown from the MTN, BPI raised $600 million in August last year via five-year senior unsecured fixed-rate bonds quoted at 4.25%.

The Ayala-led lender posted a net income of P7.01 billion in the second quarter, up 46.8% from a year ago.

BPI shares closed at P87.75 apiece on Wednesday, gaining 75 centavos or 0.86%.

Cooking class offered as part of Thai food promo

September 5, 2019 | 12:03 am

THE CAFÉ — the interactive show-kitchen restaurant of Hyatt Regency Manila, City of Dreams — will feature Thai Guest Chef Siriluck Lekkwan of Grand Hyatt Macau for the Thai food promo entitled “A Taste of Thai,” from Sept. 9 to 22. As part of the promotion, she will conduct a cooking class on Sept. 13 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at The Café.

For the Thai culinary promotion, which is staged with Thai Airways and the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Ms. Lekkwan will prepare her specialty dishes, among them a myriad of classic Thai fare such as Green Papaya Salad, Thai Royal Dumplings, Deep-fried Sea Bass with Chili and Tamarind Sauce, Green Curry Chicken, Prawn Cake with Sweet and Sour Sauce, and Mango Sticky Rice.

Her cooking is rooted in the traditional fare of her hometown, Bangkok, where she first learned from her earliest culinary mentor, her grandmother, a local chef who cooked in the royal kitchens of King Rama V. Over the years, Chef Lekkwan’s dishes are described as “refined yet comforting; exquisite yet homey.”

“A Taste of Thai” is available at dinner, 5:30 to 11 p.m. and brunch on Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Café’s dinner buffet is P2,088 net, Sunday to Thursday. and at P2,538 net, Friday and Saturday. Prices are inclusive of a regular beverage package of free-flowing local beer, juices, coffee and tea. The Sunday Brunch buffet with regular beverage package is P2,799 net; or with an alcohol package of free-flowing sparkling wine, local beer and selected cocktails for additional P200 net.

Every diner of the Thai food promotion is entitled to one raffle ticket per visit, for a chance to win two Thai Airways round trip tickets to Bangkok, with a three-day and two-night stay at the Grand Hyatt Erawan.

For reservations, call 691-1234 extension 1163, e-mail TheCafe.Reservations@hyatt.com, or visit hyattregencymanilacityofdreams.com.