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BoI OK’s 27% more investment pledges

THE BOARD of Investments (BoI) approved 27.4% more committed investments last semester from a year ago, fueled especially by power projects, the agency said in a press release on Wednesday.

BoI, which accounts for bulk of such pledges among the seven major state investment promotion agencies tracked by the Philippine Statistics Authority, said it approved P304.4 billion worth of such proposed projects last semester, compared toP238 billion in 2018’s first half.

Investment pledges are different from foreign direct investments tracked by the central bank which represent actual capital flows.

Domestic investments made up more than three-fourths of the total value of projects approved by BoI at P235.6 billion, up five percent from P223 billion a year ago, while foreign pledges grew nearly fivefold to P69 billion from P14 billion.

Singapore remained the biggest source of foreign pledges with P35.4 billion, followed by the Netherlands with P9.2 billion, Thailand’s P8.5 billion, Japan’s P5.8 billion and the United States’ P2.4 billion.

Power projects accounted for bulk of BoI-approved committed investments last semester at P192.4 billion, 77.8% more than the year-ago P108.2 billion.

Calabarzon, just south of Metro Manila, continued to be the number-one investment location with P201.2 billion, followed by Central Luzon (P27.7 billion), Metro Manila (P11.3 billion), Cagayan Valley (P8.7 billion) and Central Visayas (P7.7 billion).

Traffic crisis measure filed anew in the Senate

A MEASURE that will give President Rodrigo R. Duterte “emergency powers” to address worsening traffic and congestion in key cities for up to two years has been filed anew in the Senate.

Senator Francis N. Tolentino — a former chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority — has filed Senate Bill No. 213, or the proposed “Special Emergency Powers Act,” to authorize Mr. Duterte, through a traffic crisis czar, to declare “a national emergency” amid worsening traffic and congestion in Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, Davao City and Cagayan de Oro among other highly urbanized cities.

‘A NATIONAL EMERGENCY’
“The traffic congestion crisis must be considered a national emergency due to its detrimental effects on life, economy and productivity,” Mr. Tolentino said in the bill’s explanatory note.

Mr. Tolentino consulted Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade on the matter on Wednesday.

“Na-file na natin. ‘Yung dating bill, sa pakikipag-ugnayan sa kagalang galang na secretary, nalagyan natin ng ibang detalye na wala dati (We have filed the bill. Upon consultation with the honorable secretary, we have added details that were not in the previous measure),” Mr. Tolentino told reporters following his meeting with Mr. Tugade.

Mr. Tolentino said that the new provisions he introduced in his version included a push for alternative work arrangements like flexible work hours even in government offices in hopes of reducing the need to use streets at peak hours.

The proposed law is among the 28 legislative priorities pitched by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council to the 17th Congress that ended last month. The House of Representatives was able to pass its proposed “Traffic Crisis Act of 2017. Makiisa. Makisama. Magkaisa.” on third reading, while its counterpart in the Senate failed to get second- and third-reading approval by the June 3 adjournment.

If enacted, the bill will designate the Transportation secretary as traffic crisis czar for up to two years. Among others, he will be authorized to engage in direct contracting, repeat order and other alternative modes of procurement for priority projects during that period.

Moreover, the government will have authority to take over the operation of public utility vehicles — even as franchises will remain with owners — and open private roads for public use while the law is in force.

Local governments, for their part, may implement, construct, repair, restore, rehabilitate, improve or maintain land-based transportation infrastructure projects approved by the traffic czar under this law. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

POGOs, BPOs to fight for limited office space in Metro Manila

THE Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) industry is expected to unseat the Information Technology and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) sector as the top office space occupier in Metro Manila by the end of the year, according to Leechiu Property Consultants (LPC).

In a press briefing on Wednesday, Leechiu President and Chief Executive Officer David Leechiu said that the POGO industry is projected to take up 450,000 square meters (sq.m.) of office space in Metro Manila by the end of 2019.

This will be driven by faster site selection process and the effect of Administrative Order No. 18, which noted that applications for office space within Metro Manila with tax incentives for BPOs will no longer be considered.

“We think that the POGO industry will overtake the BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) sector. For the first time in 19 years, the BPO sector is going to be number two,” Mr. Leechiu said.

In the first half of 2019, the IT-BPM still led the demand for office space in Metro Manila at 244,000 sq.m., with POGO take-up at 242,000 sq.m.

“Even with this moratorium in Manila, everyone now is scrambling to fight to lease the last 150,000 sq.m. of PEZA space in the market and right now, especially in Makati, they are competing now… for the same space,” Mr. Leechiu said, identifying the building as Century Diamond Tower owned by Century Properties Group, Inc.

At the current pace that the industry is growing, Mr. Leechiu said demand from the POGO industry is seen to grow at a faster pace compared to BPOs.

POGOs continue to prefer the Bay Area, with 139,000 sq.m. of office space taken up in the first half. These companies also took up office space in Makati City (46,000 sq.m.), Quezon City (40,000 sq.m.), Ortigas (9,000 sq.m.) and Alabang (8,000 sq.m.).

Mr. Leechiu said once supply in the Bay Area is depleted, POGOs are seen to move to Quezon City, competing with IT-BPM industry.

Outside Metro Manila, POGOs have expanded to Laguna, occupying 46,000 sq.m. of space; 37,000 sq.m. in Cebu; 34,000 sq.m. in Clark, Pampanga; and 13,000 sq.m. in Cavite. Total employee count is currently at 354,000, bulk of which are Mainland Chinese.

The increase in Chinese workers has also fueled the leasing demand for residential condominiums in Metro Manila.

““Rental rates have seen an increase of up to 80% from three years ago in the Bay area. Prices of Studio units have increased from P18,000 in 2015 to P32,000 per unit per month in 1H 2019. One bedroom units have gone from P25,000 back in 2015 to P55,000 per unit per month while a two bedroom unit’s price rose from P55,000 to P90,000 per unit per month,” the LPC report stated.

Phillip Anonuevo, LPC executive director for commercial leasing, said they expect the POGO industry to add around 50,000 employees every year — “that is probably 10,000 to 15,000 units of apartments.”

On the POGOs’ growth forecast, Mr. Leechiu said that it will depend on government policies on regulating the industry.

“Depends how fast we allow them to grow here. The problem is not them, the problem is us. We’re the ones slowing them down because we need to regulate, we need to understand what it means, we need to see who they are, who need to know them, but the moment we have this familiarity with them, we will embrace them,” he said. — Vincent Mariel P. Galang

SMPC seeks lifting of cease order on coal trading

SEMIRARA Mining and Power Corp. (SMPC) said on Wednesday that it is in talks with the Energy department for the lifting of the cease and desist order on its coal trading activities after issues arose when a buyer failed to produce the required accreditation.

“Kindly be advised that today and in order not to interrupt SMPC’s ongoing operation and renege on its contractual commitments to its coal buyers, SMPC have requested reconsideration of the DOE Order and that the implementation thereof be held in abeyance pending resolution of the alleged violation, and allow SMPC to proceed and continue its current trading activities and operations,” the Consunji-led listed company told the stock exchange.

This was in reply to the stock exchange’s query on July 9, 2019 relating to the letter of the Department of Energy (DoE) dated July 4, 2019.

It said the DoE letter reminded the company about a department order dated June 4, 2019 citing a violation of Department Circular No. DC2012-05-0006 or Guidelines on the Accreditation of Coal Traders and Registration of Coal End-Users.

SMPC was directed by the DoE to submit its verified answer allegedly for illegal coal trading operation in Pulupandan Port, Pulupandan, Negros Occidental within 30 days from receipt of the order or until July 7, 2019.

It was also ordered to cease and desist its coal trading activities and operations until further notice by the DoE.

The company narrated the background of the case, which started on May 23, 2019 with the supply of Semirara coal to a buyer. The trial shipment of 4,768.73 metric tons (MT) was aimed at tapping additional market with representation on the part of the buyer that it has submitted and applied for a coal accreditation certificate with the DoE on April 5, 2019.

Under the rules, the DoE will issue the certificate of accreditation and/or registration or reject the application within 15 working days from receipt.

“Unfortunately, on shipment date, the buyer was unable to submit the said accreditation as it was still pending” with the DoE, SMPC said. “Thereafter, SMPC discontinued its supply and any trading with said buyer.”

On July 5, 2019, SMPC said it had submitted its verified answer to the DoE with a prayer for the immediate lifting of the cease and desist order/suspension and for the non-imposition of any administrative fine.

It added that an ongoing discussion with the DoE seeks to have the matter resolved immediately.

On Wednesday, shares in SMPC closed lower by 1.08% at P23 each. — Victor V. Saulon

Developer Ortigas sets P12-billion capex

The Galleon is a mixed-use, two-tower project that will soon rise in Ortigas Center. — HANDOUT

By Vincent Mariel P. Galang, Reporter

ORTIGAS & Co. is allocating around P12 billion for capital expenditures (capex) this year, the bulk of which will be used for the development of a new mixed-use project in Ortigas Center.

Jaime E. Ysmael, president and chief executive officer of Ortigas & Co., said this year’s capex is 33% higher than the P9 billion it spent in 2018.

“I think in the next couple of years, we’ll see P12 to P15 billion in capex, for the next five year as we pursue expansion plans,” he said during a briefing on Wednesday.

The property firm is investing P11 billion for its new office, retail and residential project called The Galleon. The high-end development is located along ADB Avenue, across the Asian Development Bank (ADB) headquarters. It will be accessible to two Metro Rail Transit (MRT) stations, transport terminals, and malls.

“A lot of the financing will come from pre-selling because we already own the land… any gaps… will be funded via income generated from other projects or borrowings, but we are confident that this particular project will self-funding,” Mr. Ysmael said.

“This particular parcel of land, we believe is ideal for development and sale because of its location and its unique attributes,” he added.

The Galleon will be developed in two phases, the first will be an office tower, while the second will be a residential building.

The Offices at The Galleon will be launched on July 21. It is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2025. The residential condominium will be launched early next year.

“The Galleon will ‘set sail’ this year beginning with the office building that sustains our momentum in our growing office portfolio… We believe this will offer something new to investors and end-users who place a premium on convenience, accessibility, sustainability,” Mr. Ysmael said.

The Offices at The Galleon will have 31 office levels, and five levels of basement parking. Unit sizes ranges from 75 square meters (sq.m.) to 111 sq.m. for inner units; 113 sq.m. to 195 sq.m. for corner units; and 498 sq.m. to 526 sq.m. for penthouse units. Prices range from P20.9 million to P184.3 million. The first two floors will be dedicated for food and retail establishments.

Ortigas & Co. is pursuing Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) Silver accreditation for The Galleon, which is also expected to be compliant with Green Building Code.

Pag-IBIG Fund grants P4.5 billion in socialized housing loans in 1st half

THE Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG Fund) said it has granted P4.52 billion worth of socialized housing loans to 11,894 members in the first six months of 2019.

In a statement, the Pag-IBIG Fund said this amount represents close to 30% of the total number of housing loans provided by the agency during the January to June period.

A record-high 41,746 housing loans totaling P37.07 billion was granted by the Pag-IBIG Fund in the first half.

“Socialized housing is designed especially for minimum and low-wage workers. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte directed that there be government programs catering to this underserved sector, hence, we have this housing program that is suited for their financial capacity. This is the essence of the BALAI (Building Adequate, Livable, Affordable and Inclusive) Filipino Communities Program of the government’s housing sector towards providing decent shelter for every Filipino family,” Eduardo D. del Rosario, chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) and Pag-IBIG Fund Board of Trustees, said in a statement.

Pag-IBIG Fund provides socialized housing loans up to P580,000 for a 32 square-meter residential unit in a horizontal housing project. Under the affordable housing loan program, Pag-IBIG Fund offers the lowest interest rate in the market of 3% per annum. As a tax-exempt agency, Pag-IBIG subsidizes the low interest rate.

“Our charter allows Pag-IBIG Fund to offer the lowest rates for home loans of minimum and low-wage workers. And aside from keeping our interest rates low, we also reduced the insurance premiums of our home loans. As a result, qualified borrowers under this program will pay an affordable monthly amortization of only P2,445.30 for a socialized housing loan worth P580,000,” Pag-IBIG Fund Chief Executive Officer Acmad Rizaldy P. Moti said.

Megaworld allots P350M for Iloilo transport hubs

MEGAWORLD Corp. is investing P350 million for transport hubs at the Iloilo Business Park, which is set to open this year.

In a statement Wednesday, the listed property developer said it is expecting to open the Iloilo Business Park Transport Hubs this year, which will be composed of two terminals — each for departures and arrivals.

“We aim to provide world-class and convenient service in land transport for the local and international travelers in and out of Iloilo City. Hopefully, this will serve as a model for other transport hubs in the region,” Megaworld Head of Estate Management Jose Arnulfo Batac said in the statement.

The two 4,000-square meter terminals will be located at the Megaworld Boulevard at the Iloilo Business Park, which sits across the Festive Walk Mall. Aside from its transport purposes, it will serve as a semi-commercial space with its own food park to match the air-conditioned facility.

The project aims to complement the first premium point-to-point (P2P) service in Western Visayas that the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Region 6 is set to launch today.

The P2P service will have its main hub at the Iloilo Business Park, and will have around 106 buses plying routes to the Iloilo Airport, Roxas Airport, Kalibo Airport and Caticlan Airport (Boracay).

“We thank the LTFRB Region 6 for this partnership, and we hope that we are able to contribute to the success of this modernization campaign for the betterment of the country’s transport industry,” Mr. Batac said.

“All of our townships, especially those in urban centers, serve as convergence points of motorists and commuters. Thus, we integrate transport hubs in our developments to meet the transport needs of the local community,” he added.

Megaworld secured the government’s approval of the transport hub project in March, wherein an ordinance released at the time, the Iloilo government said the hubs may be used for free by public utility jeepneys that cover the city loop and taxis for picking up and dropping off passengers.

The Andrew L. Tan-led firm is allocating P65 billion for capital expenditures this year, which will fund its residential, office and mall projects across the country.

Its attributable profit grew 16% in the first three months of 2019, driven by an increase in revenues from its residential, leasing and hotel businesses. — Denise A. Valdez

Unisys sees open banking gaining ground in PHL

By Karl Angelo N. Vidal
Reporter

UNISYS CORP. expects open banking in the Philippines to accelerate as banks start to unlock their potential and amid the receptive behavior of Filipino clients towards new technology.

“As bankers understand what open banking can do for them and understand more about what it is and what it means, this will accelerate,” said Ian Selbie, Unisys Asia-Pacific solutions director on financial services, said in a recent chance interview. “Our research has shown consistently in the Philippines…that consumers are open to new things.”

Open banking allows financial institutions to connect with customers, merchants, and other financial institutions through the use of application programming interface (API) or a programming code that sends data between software platforms.

Mr. Selbie said open banking in the Philippines is more advanced than perceived.

“Banks (in the Philippines) consider themselves to be behind other banks in the region, but I believe it’s not showing the whole picture,” Mr. Selbie said, pertaining to a study conducted by financial technology Finastra, where the Philippines was tagged as a laggard among Asia-Pacific economies in terms of open banking readiness.

“Banks are thinking open banking is what they do in the UK or Australia where the regulator comes along and tells you to do this,” Mr. Selbie said.

“I know that banks are working with APIs, working closely with fintechs, creating ecosystems. It’s just that they don’t know or realize what they’re doing is open banking.”

He cited Ayala-led Bank of the Philippine Islands which partnered with mobile wallet GCash and online shopping website Lazada to allow clients to top up money from their bank accounts.

“This is what I call real open banking. It’s something you do to create better service for your customers and be more competitive. It’s not because the regulator told you to do,” Mr. Selbie said.

He added that open banking in the Philippines will accelerate as Filipinos trust their banks with their personal data.

In the 2019 Asia Pacific Banking Insights study of Unisys, 42% of Filipino respondents said they trust banks with their personal information, double the 21% who said they are comfortable with sharing their data with the government.

“Filipinos trust their banks. That’s something you can use to your advantage and forming partnerships,” Mr. Selbie said.

“Once the banks get aligned with that and once they realize what’s possible, this (open banking) will accelerate in a way what’s happening in Singapore, UK or Australia… I think we’ll see the banks starting to say this is actually a good thing.”

Demand for term deposits up as BSP doubles offer volume

BANKS’ DEMAND for term deposits rose on Wednesday as the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) doubled the amount on offer.

The BSP received P83.825 billion in tenders for its term deposit facility (TDF) yesterday, well above the P60 billion placed on the auction block. This is also higher than the P67.548 billion worth of bids received last week for a P30-billion offer.

Broken down, bids for the seven-day papers totalled P27.82 billion, above the P20 billion for auction and more than the P25.42 billion in tenders last week versus the BSP’s P10-billion offer.

Banks sought yields amounting to 4.5-4.6% for the one-week term deposits, the same margin seen in the previous week. Still, the average yield settled at 4.5466%, lower than last week’s 4.5537%.

Meanwhile, the 14-day papers received P33.365 billion in tenders versus the P20 billion placed on the auction block. This is also more than the P22.095-billion bids received last week for the P10 billion on offer.

Accepted yields settled between 4.5% and 4.6588%, narrower than the 4.5-4.6999% margin seen a week ago for the two-week term deposits. This resulted in a decline in the average rate to 4.5931% from 4.6129%.

The 28-day term deposits, on the other hand, received P22.64 billion in tenders, also more than the P20 billion up for grabs and last week’s bids worth P20.033 billion against the P10-billion volume auctioned off.

Returns sought by banks ranged between 4.5% and 4.75%, steady from last week’s margin. The average rate for the one-month deposits declined slightly to 4.6407% from the previous week’s 4.6347%.

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

The BSP’s Monetary Board last month kept rates unchanged on expectations of steady inflation and economic growth and as it monitors the impact of recent monetary adjustments.

The central bank left the interest rate on the BSP’s overnight reverse repurchase facility untouched at 4.5%. The interest rates on the overnight lending and deposit facilities were likewise held steady at five percent and four percent, respectively.

Sought for comment, BSP Deputy Governor Francisco G. Dakila, Jr. said on Wednesday: “Mayroon talagang mga (There are really) changes [in demand]. We predicted it.”

BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno has said the increase in demand for the TDF is partly attributable to excess liquidity caused by recent reductions in banks’ reserve requirement ratios (RRR).

After a 100-basis point (bp) RRR cut across all banks last May 31, the BSP trimmed the reserve ratios of universal and commercial lenders and thrift banks by another 50 bps last June 28 to 16.5% and 6.5%, respectively.

Another 50-bp reduction will be implemented on July 26 to finally bring the RRR of big banks to 16% and thrift banks to 6%, which completes the phased cuts the BSP announced in May. — R.J.N. Ignacio

The Medical City says shareholders elect ‘well-balanced’ board of directors

THE Medical City (TMC) has voted what the institution called a “well-balanced” board of directors during its annual stockholders’ meeting, which was participated in by 93% of shareholders either physically or by proxy.

In a statement on Wednesday, TMC said its stockholders had chosen doctors and management professionals to sit on the board along with three independent directors. The annual meeting was held on Tuesday at the hospital’s Augusto Barcelon Auditorium.

“The recently held elections, with its record stockholder participation, effectively puts to rest any questions on the legitimacy of TMC’s Board and management team,” it said.

Jose Xavier Gonzales was appointed as chairman of the board, while Dr. Eugenio Jose F. Ramos, was appointed president and chief executive officer. Dr. Augusto P. Sarmiento, the remaining original founder of TMC when it was set up in Malate, Manila, was voted into the board as chairman emeritus.

The voting of the board members came as a minority group of stockholders “with less than 1% ownership, led by ex-TMC CEO Dr. Alfredo R.A. Bengzon, had been trying to prevent stockholders from holding elections by pursuing cases with both the regional trial court and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the past year,” the institution said.

However, it said in a court resolution dated June 6, 2019, the Court of Appeals denied the petition of Dr. Bengzon, and instead called on TMC to hold its annual stockholders’ meeting as mandated by its own by-laws, while at the same time calling on the SEC to ensure an orderly election.

Voted in as independent directors were Gregory L. Domingo, former secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry; Dr. Michael L. Tan, chancellor of the University of the Philippines; and Salvador G. Tirona, president of Lopez Holdings Corp.

The other directors who were voted in are Dr. Beatrice J. Tiangco, Dr. Ruben G. Kasala, Dr. Rafael S. Claudio, Thomas Smith Jr., Martin Eric Robinson, Jonathan Richard Lewis, Ramon Ricardo Gutierrez, Russel Low Shyian, and Wai Keong Soh.

During the annual meeting, stockholders also voted to ratify changes in the institution’s by-laws to comply with the Revised Corporation Code, which seeks to improve corporate governance and protect minority shareholders. — Vincent Mariel P. Galang

The passing of seasons

By Joseph L. Garcia, Reporter

THE seasons are here to remind us of our place in the universe. Spring, summer, autumn, and winter occur due to the Earth’s axial tilt, and humankind’s existence revolves around this cosmic phenomenon. The seasons also remind us of the passage of time, how things that blossom will die someday, and, perhaps, be reborn in the future.

Conrad Manila’s C Lounge pays tribute to the changing of seasons with Perfect Pair, a weekly degustación showing off seasonal ingredients paired with exquisite wines. This month, the C Lounge is showcasing chili peppers, and we can’t wait for next month’s offering of chocolate. Previous months have seen ingredients like coriander in the spotlight.

Apparently, the thrust for seasonality is a global initiative by the Hilton Group, as part of its #EatDrinkHilton campaign. “Every month, we choose to highlight one seasonal product,” said Clement Huguet, Director of Food and Beverage of Conrad Manila.

BusinessWorld attended one such dinner. The menu changes every Wednesday, and for dinner last week, we were presented with an appetizer of chilled papaya salad and tandoori chicken with sweet chili sauce and a watermelon reduction. This was paired with a 2014 Mouton Cadet Sauvignon Blanc from Bordeaux, from the Baron Philippe de Rothschild estates. The pairing almost provided a shock, injecting a colorful freshness to the ingredients.

The main course was a blackened salmon with nam cham chili dressing with avocado mango micro salad. Each of the ingredients gave balance to each other: the tart mango and the spicy chili gave life back to the fish, while the avocado slice tempered the whole affair. This was paired with another exquisite offering from the Rothschild estates, a Cadet d’Oc 2013 Pinot Noir, which gave the otherwise light dish some depth and gravitas. The meal ended with a light dessert of warm prosecco sabayon of wild berries with a butter cookie serving as the spoon. The exquisite wines and the carefully prepared dishes all cost the sum of P1,450 nett — factoring in the wines, it’s quite a bargain. The meal is available from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. every Wednesday.

Conrad Manila’s C Lounge is located at Seaside Boulevard corner Coral Way Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City. For more information, call 833-9999.

From Hong Kong to Macau and back

By Michelle Anne P. Soliman, Reporter

HONG KONG has always been a popular vacation destination among Filipinos. Shopping districts, food hubs, the Victoria Harbour, and Disneyland are some of the destinations that come to mind.

According to data from the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), there were 894,821 Filipino tourist visits to Hong Kong in 2018, an increase from 705,319 in 2013 attributed to the economic stability of Philippines and an increase in flight capacity.

In an e-mail to BusinessWorld, HKTB Regional Director for South East Asia Raymond Chan said that “family focus” is what makes the Philippines a unique tourism market.

It was this writer’s second time to visit Hong Kong during the media familiarization tour hosted by the HKTB from May 6 to 10. Here are new places, activities and ways to travel around the city:

THE TRAMORAMIC TOUR
While walking is a common way of exploring the city, traveling via tram offers tourists a chance to appreciate the picturesque urban landscape.

The Hong Kong TramOramic Tour is a one-hour ride on a 1920s-style open-top tram. Our tour began at the Causeway Bay Terminus and ended at the Western Market Terminus.

While aboard the tram, passengers learn the history of the city and the current lifestyle of locals through an audio guide (there are eight language options, including Mandarin, Korean, Spanish, and Russian). Despite the rain during our tram ride, we still opted to stay at the upper deck to better see the city landmarks and the busy streets. The TramOramic Tour also includes free Wi-Fi, on-board videos, and a picture gallery of past and present Hong Kong.

For more information, visit https://www.hktramways.com/en/tramoramic or email: tramoramic@hktramways.com.

OCEAN PARK SEAL ENCOUNTER
The room temperature was 15 degrees Celsius when we arrived at Ocean Park Hong Kong’s North Pole Adventure. Fifteen harbor seals were swimming on one side of the pool.

It was the second day of our visit and two writers (including myself) were accompanied by two Ocean Park employees to participate in the Seal Encounter program.

Prior to the encounter, we were led to a locker room where the staff gave a lecture on the various species and behavior of seals, and the threats of unsustainable environmental activities to their existence.

Before we went out to meet with the seals, we had to wear two full-body layers of protective waterproof gear and a life vest. Cellphones and other gadgets were not allowed in the pool area. We were told that if we accidentally dropped these devices in the water, the seals could mistake them for fish and immediately swallow them.

The water felt very cold even with the gear on. We were assisted and made to sit on the side of the pool while maintaining the safety posture — arms crossed below the chest. We met a harbor seal named Lisa, whose fur felt like smooth baby hair. We were allowed to touch only her back and stomach since other body parts, such as the head and tail, are sensitive. Afterward, we had our photos taken with the seals and we also fed them raw sardines. When we waved goodbye, the seals did the same by waving their flippers accompanied by splashes of water.

The seal encounter accommodates four participants per tour. For more information, visit https://www.oceanpark.com.hk/en/park-experience/get-closer-to-the-animals/seal-encounter.

HONG KONG-ZHUHAI-MACAU BRIDGE
It was a rainy afternoon when we went on a 45-minute drive to Macau through the newly constructed 55-kilometer Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge which connects Hong Kong to cities throughout the Greater Bay Area of southern China.

The bridge, which opened in October 2018, is the first major combined road-and-tunnel sea-crossing in the Greater Bay Area, spanning the sea from an artificial island near Hong Kong International Airport to Macau and the mainland Chinese city of Zhuhai.

Immigration processing is required at both ends of the trip at the passenger clearance building. A closed road permit and vehicle insurance which are valid in the three cities is a requirement for cars that will go on the bridge.

“With the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge bridge, we would like to showcase and promote the places around the Greater Bay area that are accessible and convenient for tourists to visit,” Mr. Chan, the HKTB regional officer, wrote to BusinessWorld.

For more information, visit https://www.hzmb.gov.hk/en/.

OLD MACAU WALKING TOUR
This hour-long tour takes you from Rua do Visconde Paco de Arcos to the Ruins of St. Paul’s on Rua de Sao Paulo.

The narrow cobblestone streets of old Macau are lined with preserved two-story buildings, which are either residences or small shops. The distinct structures are painted wooden double doors with multiple locks, and windows textured with oyster shells.

European and Eastern architecture merged as we arrived at the busy streets of Senado Square — a shopping hub with a variety of brands, Chinese street food vendors, and fresh flower stalls.

We ended the walking tour by climbing the steps to the Ruins of St. Paul’s Church, which was completed in 1644 after it caught fire in 1595 and 1601. The Church was again destroyed in a fire in 1835 and only its faÇade was left. Listed as part of the Historic Centre of Macau, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Ruins are covered with carvings of flowers, celestial bodies, and Chinese inscriptions.

For more information on the walking tours, visit http://en.macaotourism.gov.mo/plan/walking_tours.php?id=1334.

THE XIQU CENTRE
At the junction of Canton Road and Austin Road West in Tsim Sha Tsui at the West Kowloon Cultural District stands the Xiqu Centre. The 28,164-square-meter lantern-like theater which opened in January stages Cantonese operas and Chinese traditional theater.

The eight-story building houses a 1,050-seat Grand Theater, a 450-square meter Atrium, the Tea House Theatre, a seminar hall, and eight studios. Its other facilities include a tea house and a souvenir shop.

Inside the Tea House Theater, viewers sit on armchairs with small side tables. Dim sum and tea (which remained warm as it sat in its metal cup compartment) were served as we watched a show by the Tea House Rising Stars Troupe. The 90-minute program includes a musical number using traditional Chinese instruments, narration by a moderator about the art form, and two opera excerpts.

The excerpt of the Cantonese opera that evening was a story of a female ghost who visited her living lover at his home to warn him of a murder plot against him. The actors, dressed in traditional gowns, sang in distinctly high-pitched legato melodies.

For information, visit https://www.westkowloon.hk/en/home.

HONG KONG DESIGN DISTRICT
To provide tourists with a different way to explore the city, the Hong Kong Design Centre launched Design District Hong Kong (#ddHK) — a three-year creative tourism project spanning 2018–2021 in the Wan Chai district.

A component called #ddPaintHKWALLS features over 30 murals by local and international artists. It was done to position Wan Chai as an “open-air design district gallery.” The public spaces include the Morrison Hill Swimming Pool, Tang Shiu Kin Victoria Government Secondary School, and VTC Tower.

“We looked into the buildings, whether they’re historical or privately owned. If it’s historical, we cannot touch the walls. We also needed to find the consent of the district council (before doing the artworks),” Design District Hong Kong project consultant Sam Lam told BusinessWorld during the walking tour, of how the locations where chosen.

“We are not doing an art project. We are doing placemaking which means we want to create community engagement,” Ms. Lam said.

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