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Central bank’s Q1 profit surges to P40.2 billion on higher net FX gain

THE BANGKO SENTRAL ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) net income more than doubled in the first quarter as it booked a larger net foreign exchange (FX) gain, preliminary data showed.

The central bank’s net profit surged by 122.1% to P40.2 billion in the first three months of the year from P18.1 billion in the same period in 2024, according to its income statement posted on its website.

Broken down, the central bank’s revenues slipped to P67 billion from P67.1 billion a year prior.

This came as interest income jumped by up 12.69% year on year to P60.4 billion from P53.6 billion, while miscellaneous earnings — which consists of fees, penalties and other operating income — declined by 51.11% to P6.6 billion from P13.5 billion.

Meanwhile, the BSP’s expenses went down by 3.24% to P50.8 billion in the first quarter from P52.5 billion in the comparable year-ago period.

Broken down, interest expenses declined by 17.1% to P35.4 billion from P42.7 billion.

Meanwhile, other expenses, which include net trading losses, surged by 58.16% to P15.5 billion from P9.8 billion.

These brought the BSP’s net income before FX gains or losses, income tax expense or benefit, and capital reserves to P16.2 billion in the first quarter, 10.96% higher than P14.6 billion in the same period last year.

Adding to the central bank’s overall earnings in the three-month period was a P24-billion net gain from the fluctuation in FX rates realized via its foreign currency-denominated transactions, which surged from the P3.5-billion gain recorded in the first quarter of 2024.

“Higher BSP earnings would lead to stronger finances in terms of higher capital, thereby providing greater financial ammunition to fulfill its mandate of price stability and financial stability,” Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said in a Viber message.

“This also reflects financial prudence that would help promote a more stable and stronger banking system. This would also help improve the government’s overall fiscal performance in terms of greater surplus,” he added.

ASSETS
Meanwhile, separate data showed that the BSP’s total assets grew by 2.8% year on year to P7.79 trillion at end-March from P7.57 trillion a year earlier.

International reserves made up the bulk of the central bank’s assets at P6.07 trillion, higher than P5.81 trillion in the same period last year.

Meanwhile, the central bank’s liabilities went up by 1.4% to P7.52 trillion as of March from P7.42 trillion.

These liabilities included currency in circulation, which amounted to P2.57 trillion, while deposits with the central bank stood at P1.96 trillion.

The BSP’s net worth was at P271.5 billion, while its surplus or reserves — which include its unrestricted retained earnings, capital reserves, unrealized gains or losses on investments in securities and stocks, and net income or loss from its operations — was at P211.5 billion. — Katherine K. Chan

Puregold targets to open 8 more stores by year-end

PUREGOLD.COM.PH

LISTED grocery retailer Puregold Price Club, Inc. plans to open eight new branches by the end of 2025 as part of its nationwide expansion strategy.

The supermarket chain will open new stores in Northern and Southern Luzon, as well as in other provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao, it said in a press statement on Tuesday.

The company recently opened its first Puregold branch in Zamboanga del Norte, located in Sindangan.

“Our vision is to have a Puregold branch within reach for every Filipino MSME (micro, small, and medium enterprise) and every Filipino family across the country. We want to make everyday products more accessible to them through best value pricing and greater presence,” Puregold President Ferdinand Vincent P. Co said.

For the second quarter, Puregold grew its attributable net income by 8% to P2.66 billion. Revenue climbed by 12.3% to P57.46 billion.

For the first six months, Puregold saw a 7.1% increase in consolidated net income to P5.3 billion as consolidated revenue went up by 11.6% to P109.9 billion.

Puregold stores saw a 6.4% same-store sales growth (SSSG) led by higher basket size, while S&R Membership Shopping warehouses posted 4.7% SSSG on higher traffic.

The sales boost came from the full operation of 26 new Puregold stores and four new S&R Warehouses last year, and revenues from 166 new Puregold stores and one new S&R Warehouse opened so far this year.

As of end-June, Puregold had 764 stores nationwide, which included 666 Puregold stores, 31 S&R Warehouses, and 67 S&R New York Style quick-service restaurants.

Puregold shares dropped by 1.86% or 80 centavos to P42.20 apiece on Tuesday. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

A dazzling partnership lights up the stage

MARIINSKY BALLET superstars Kimin Kim and Renata Shakirova lead Ballet Manila’s Don Quixote in a historic Philippine debut. — BALLET MANILA

INTERNATIONAL BALLET STARS from Russia’s Mariinsky Ballet will be bringing fresh fire to the home stage of Ballet Manila for a restaging of the energetic Don Quixote. The three-night affair, set for Aug. 22 to 24 at the Aliw Theater, will be headlined by renowned ballet dancers Renata Shakirova and Kimin Kim, who have danced Don Quixote together at the Mariinsky countless times.

Ballet Manila’s artistic director Lisa Macuja-Elizalde said at an Aug. 15 press conference that they chose Don Quixote to close the season for Ballet Manila’s 30th year following Ms. Shakirova’s guesting in Giselle last year.

Faced with the possibility of her and Mr. Kim starring together, the obvious choice was a ballet that they had already mastered together.

“When Kimin became available, then we could finally do this dream collaboration. For the two, this is their ‘king ballet,’” said Ms. Macuja-Elizalde, referencing the equivalent Russian term korolevsky spektakl, which refers to a ballet that best represents a dancer’s artistry.

For Mr. Kim, it was easy to say yes due to the artistic director’s close ties with his mentors back in Mariinsky. It is his first time in the Philippines, and his first time dancing with Ballet Manila.

“Lisa is a really close friend of my teachers, whom I call my parents. She invited me several times before, but due to my schedule, I couldn’t come,” he said. “Finally, I’m here!”

Ms. Shakirova added that having danced the role of Kitri countless times before has helped her discover new things in each performance.

“I can change something and find small pieces each time. With Kimin now, I think we can rehearse just a few times because we’ve been together and we’ve had really good communication,” she said.

She also expressed a fondness for the role itself: “Kitri is such a bright role, and it’s such a positive, happy ballet that definitely, if you’re a first timer, you will enjoy [it].”

Born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Ms. Shakirova joined the Mariinsky Ballet upon her graduation in 2015. Her first principal role was that of Kitri in Don Quixote.

Meanwhile, Seoul-born Mr. Kim graduated from the Korea National University of Arts. He has been a Mariinsky Ballet soloist since 2012 and a principal dancer since 2015.

He explained that, while he has performed as Basilio in Don Quixote many times before, it doesn’t mean he will do it the same each time.

“It’s better to go onstage, dance, and maybe fall. I dance differently every time because I want the audience to see a new me every time,” he said. “I can’t promise I’m going to always be good, but I can promise each performance is going to be different!”

As the final offering of Ballet Manila’s 30th year, Don Quixote brings energy to the stage. It is based on episodes taken from the famous novel Don Quixote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes. It follows Kitri and Basilio, who encounter multiple obstacles to their love: Kitri’s father wants her to marry the wealthy nobleman Gamache, then the eccentric Don Quixote mistakes Kitri for his beloved Dulcinea. It takes a lot of adventures and mischief for the lovers to finally marry.

Ms. Macuja-Elizalde described it as “one bravura number after another” and “a clap-trapper of a ballet.”

“The audience is always clapping after every variation, after every performance of a group dance, because it’s such a fiery, happy celebration on stage,” she said.

Ms. Macuja-Elizalde added that Don Quixote is a great way to show off Ballet Manila’s strength. “We have a slew of classical, neo-classical, and Filipino ballets in our repertoire. We are 42 professional dancers strong in our company, celebrating 30 years,” she said.

Don Quixote, starring Mariinsky Ballet stars Renata Shakirova and Kimin Kim, runs for three performances: Aug. 22 at 8 p.m., and Aug. 23 and 24 at 5 p.m. All performances will be staged at Aliw Theater at Star City, CCP Complex, Pasay City. For tickets, visit www.ticketworld.com.ph. — Brontë H. Lacsamana

NTT DATA launches merchant payment solutions suite ADAPTIS in the Philippines

NTT DATA Payment Services, a subsidiary of NTT DATA that is part of Japan’s NTT Group, has launched its merchant payments solutions suite ADAPTIS in the Philippines.

“In the fast-moving digital economy of the Philippines, adaptability is not just a feature, but rather, it’s a necessity. Every business, from a sari-sari store to a growing e-commerce platform, needs solutions that are intuitive, simple, secure, and scalable. ADAPTIS was built with exactly that in mind,” NTT DATA Payments Services Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sean Hesh said in a speech at the launch event held on Tuesday.

“ADAPTIS integrates our face-to-face, online, enterprise, and financing solutions into one ecosystem. It’s designed to simplify, support, and scale Filipino businesses of all sizes. More importantly, it’s a platform that believes purpose-driven innovation means no one could be left behind,” he said.

NTT DATA Payments Services is a wholly owned subsidiary of NTT DATA. The company has operations in the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand.

NTT DATA Payments Services Philippines, Inc. CEO Jay Tirona said ADAPTIS aims to improve payment services for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

“The main focus of our acceptance business is on SMEs. They have always only operated on cash… It is also very important that these micro, small and medium enterprises have access to these payment services, especially ADAPTIS because 99.5% of registered businesses are MSMEs. That’s where the growth is,” he said at the same event.

Better payment services are needed to accommodate the evolving needs of consumers, Mr. Tirona said, with the Philippines’ payment systems still lacking compared to those in other countries.

The ADAPTIS suite of services include five core offerings: ADAPTIS In-Store for retail transactions, ADAPTIS e-Commerce for online payments, ADAPTIS Financing for business growth, ADAPTIS Enterprise for payments infrastructure, and ADAPTIS VSAT (value-added services) to optimize business operations.

Mr. Hesh said these services are focused on helping small businesses build a digital footprint.

“If there is mobile phone accessibility, do SMEs have a choice of accepting digital payments without having a point-of-sale terminal? That’s where our technology comes into play,” he said.

“We also offer SME loans. We can gauge what kind of loan they qualify for based on the income coming on a daily basis.” — A.M.C. Sy

Clark airport operator LIPAD lowers 2025 passenger forecast to 3 million

CLARKINTERNATIONALAIRPORT.COM

CLARK AIRPORT OPERATOR LIPAD Corp. has trimmed its 2025 passenger volume projection to 3 million, down from a previous estimate of 3.2 million, following the government’s postponement of the complete transfer of turboprop operations from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

“We had recalibrated our estimate at the time when we were looking at 3.2 million to end this year. Based on the numbers that we have, it is now three million,” LIPAD Chief Executive Officer Noel F. Manankil told reporters on Tuesday.

LIPAD, the operator of Clark International Airport, is revising its projection to three million, Mr. Manankil said, noting that the company is expecting a full transfer of turboprops by October.

“But the recent development I think is Manila would still be keeping a total of six flights a day, that’s a push back because we were expecting a full transfer by October,” he said.

The Department of Transportation (DoTr), via the Manila Slot Coordination Committee, issued a resolution earlier this year mandating the relocation of turboprop operations from NAIA. However, Mr. Manankil said the government has deferred this order to take full effect by March 2026.

Supposedly, if the full transfer pushes through, LIPAD expects a total passenger volume of 3.3 million to 3.4 million, it said previously.

Despite revising its projection downward, the airport operator is still confident it will see higher passenger traffic than last year’s total.

For instance, LIPAD recorded a total of 1.7 million passengers in the January‑to‑June period, primarily driven by domestic traffic at 52% and international at 48%.

In 2024, Clark International Airport reported a total of 2.4 million passengers, marking a 20% increase from its 2023 passenger count. LIPAD attributed the growth to international passengers, who accounted for 65% of the total volume, while domestic passengers comprised 35%.

Meanwhile, Mr. Manankil said some airlines are planning to increase flight frequencies for domestic destinations and key international markets from Clark — one airline will add two new Southeast Asia points, while Starlux plans to open an additional point in the US.

Mr. Manankil said that LIPAD now expects to reach its pre-pandemic volume of four million passengers by 2027, amid ongoing developments of key infrastructure projects.

“It is very easy for us to ramp up. I guess if with the train, I think we can reach more than 30-40% growth. Right now, we are experiencing on average 20% growth year on year; we are hopeful with the NSCR,” he said, referring to the North‑South Commuter Railway, which is expected to begin partial operations by late 2027.

At present, LIPAD is in discussions with the government regarding its plan to develop a connector between the NSCR station in Clark and the airport terminal.

“We are discussing it. We are developing initial pegs on how it would look,” Mr. Manankil said, adding that the detailed engineering design for the plan is expected to be completed next year.

This connector would span approximately 300 meters and will feature walkways linking the terminal to the station.

LIPAD is composed of Filinvest Development Corp., JG Summit Holdings, Inc., Philippine Airport Ground Support Services, Inc., and Changi Airports Philippines (I) Pte. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Changi Airports International. — Ashley Erika O. Jose

The Philippines: A global power in seafaring

EACH YEAR, NYK Line organizes a student-exchange program called MIRAI with the Japanese government. — NYK-TDG MARITIME ACADEMY FACEBOOK PAGE

(Part 2)

To serve as a role model for other educational institutions, whether public or private, that would want to capitalize on the competitive advantage of the Philippines in supplying the world demand for seafarers (both officers and seamen), let me describe in detail the genesis and operation of the National TDG-NYK Maritime Academy (NTMA), a world-class maritime training institute established by one of the top international shipping lines in Japan — NYK — and one of the leading Philippine conglomerates, TDG Diversified, owned by one of the branches of the Delgado clan.

NTMA was established in 2007 in response to the growing demand for competent, disciplined, and globally competitive Filipino seafarers. It was the first ever maritime school put up in the Philippines by a foreign ship owner in partnership with a Filipino company. The school is guided by a strong commitment to become a “Force for Good” and live out NYK’s mission of “Bringing Value to Life.” The academy graduated its first batch in 2011.

NTMA’s programs are globally aligned and employ state-of-the-arts facilities, among which are state-of-the-art simulation equipment and digital learning tools to replicate global maritime environments. It offers a BS in Marine Transportation (BSMT) and a BS in Marine Engineering (BSMarE) aligned with Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) and NYK Line standards. It follows the dual training system through a cadet development program that ensures a seamless transition from school to vessel deployment: cadets stay for three years on campus and in their fourth year they undergo real-life onboard training in NYK’s international fleet. While in school, the cadets reside on campus in a safe and non-threatening environment that allows them to focus on their studies and learn how to interact smoothly with their fellow cadets.

Their intense preparation for officership is facilitated by the relatively small population of an annual intake of 120 to 140 students, making it possible to monitor and supervise the development and progress of each cadet. NTMA fosters a human-centered, purpose driven cadet development program in contrast to the more common regimental, militaristic approach. Thus, it is able to balance discipline with leadership, emotional intelligence, and personal accountability. The emphasis is on safety, innovation, and excellence, mirroring the standards of maritime leaders. Cadets are expected to possess so-called “exit competencies” after completing their NTMA education. These competencies — technical skills, engagement skills, and values — ensure that the graduates are fully prepared to meet the demands of the global maritime industry.

A good number of the students of NTMA come from low-income households. This is possible because of the Study Now, Pay Later scheme under which cadets may avail of financial support to cover tuition, miscellaneous expenses, and board and lodging fees while studying at NTMA. This ensures that talents and potential, not family income, determine opportunity. Repayment only begins once cadets are already earning from deployment.

I was especially struck by the fact that a large number of the graduating students in their last commencement exercises came from the Cordillera Region that has a high poverty incidence. Someone made the amusing observation that these young natives of the Mountain Provinces did not have to be familiar with the sea to become competent seafarers and ship officers. There was even the interesting question of whether they knew how to swim before they enrolled in the Academy! The point here is that there are no geographical and human limitations that cannot be overcome with effort and guidance from dedicated mentors.

NTMA is no ordinary maritime school. It is an “officer school,” which means it is meant to produce merchant marine officers and engineers and not just ordinary seamen. NTMA graduates are guaranteed employment opportunities as officers in the NYK fleet. This suggests that other educational initiatives that will try to replicate the NTMA model must look for foreign shipping companies from Japan, South Korea, the US, and Europe with whom to partner to provide the employment guarantee. In the case of NTMA, graduates must pass licensure examinations for deck and engine officers conducted by the Japanese Government. The record is an impressive 100% passing rate for NTMA graduates. They are deployed by NYK-Fil Ship Management, Inc., a crew manning agency established in 1989 and co-owned by NYK and TDG. Graduates who meet the required standards are guaranteed a career path on board NYK vessels, with starting salaries of $2,500. As they progress from junior to senior officers, they can earn as much as $8,000 to $10,000 monthly income for a typical six-month contract.

Since the school’s establishment, NTMA graduates have achieved significant progress in their careers as frontliners of NYK’s global shipping operations. To date, of its active graduates, more than 100 have already worked on board as full-fledged management level managers and engineers. In 2021, at the height of the pandemic, NTMA achieved a historical milestone when one of its graduates assumed the rank of Master Mariner (Captain), becoming the first NTMA alumnus to hold the top vessel position since the establishment of the Academy. The following year, another alumnus assumed the Chief Engineer position, the equivalent top rank in the Engine Department. As of May 2025, eight and 15 other alumni have assumed top posts as captains and chief engineers, respectively, with a growing number holding senior officer ranks. NTMA graduates are at the forefront of NYK’s more than 800 vessels.

Graduates of NTMA serve not only as seafarers or officers but can also rise through the management or technical ladder of NYK or TDG. Under a shipboard-shore-based rotation program, these graduates can be employed onboard or ashore with very lucrative compensation packages. To date, graduates have been tapped to work not only in the Philippines as crewing executives and maritime instructors but also in land-based roles in Japan, Australia, and Singapore.

Despite their humble beginnings, many of the graduates are able to assume top management positions because their education at NTMA instills the values of servant leadership, fairness, and discipline. The Academy is well known for the personalized mentoring in which the entire faculty and staff are deeply invested in the whole person growth of each cadet. There is emphasis, not only in the technical aspects of training but also in character, grit, and cross-cultural communications.

In line with gender diversity, in 2024 the Academy welcomed its first batch of 20 women cadets. This was followed by another 20 women during the subsequent academic year. There has been zero attrition for all the women cadets who joined the program.

In 2024, the Academy appointed its first woman president, January Asuncion. On July 4 this year, the Academy graduated its 14th batch, with 37 BSMT and 43 BSMarT degree holders. All of them were already licensed officers and engineers before graduating. These 80 graduates are among a total of 1,631 who have been trained by the Academy since it started in 2011.

I hope this sterling example of NTMA producing world-class officers and seafarers for the global shipping industry will be replicated by other business conglomerates, taking full advantage of the demographic dividend that the Philippines will continue to enjoy for at least the next two decades.

 

Bernardo M. Villegas has a Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard, is professor emeritus at the University of Asia and the Pacific, and a visiting professor at the IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain. He was a member of the 1986 Constitutional Commission.

bernardo.villegas@uap.asia

Peso weakens as players eye Fed gathering

BW FILE PHOTO

THE PESO weakened against the dollar on Tuesday as market players awaited the US Federal Reserve’s Jackson Hole symposium, where officials are expected to provide clues on the central bank’s policy path.

The local unit closed at P57.10 per dollar, declining by 13.5 centavos from its P56.965 finish on Monday, Bankers Association of the Philippines data showed.

The peso opened Tuesday’s session weaker at P57.05 against the dollar. Its intraday high was at P57.01, while its worst showing was at P57.18 against the greenback.

Dollars traded rose to $1.98 billion on Tuesday from $1.48 billion on Monday.

“The peso weakened due to lingering market caution ahead of potential policy signals from Fed Chair Powell during this week’s Jackson Hole symposium,” a trader said in a Viber message.

The local unit dropped as the greenback was broadly stronger early in the session before the Fed gathering, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said via a Viber message.

The US dollar made tepid gains against its major peers early on Tuesday as global markets assessed the outcome of a White House summit with European nations that could determine the next phase of the war in Ukraine, Reuters reported.

The dollar index rose 0.1% to 98.192 after US President Donald J. Trump told President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday that the United States would help guarantee Ukraine’s security in any deal to end the war with Russia.

In the afternoon, the dollar slipped as markets awaited policy cues from an annual Federal Reserve symposium later this week, where Fed Chair Jerome H. Powell is due to speak on the economic outlook and the central bank’s policy framework.

The euro and sterling hovered between modest gains and losses against the dollar and were last up about 0.2% and 0.1% at $1.1683 and $1.3520, respectively. The Japanese yen and Swiss franc ticked higher as well.

Money markets reflect an 83.6% chance of a quarter-point rate cut at the Fed’s meeting on Sept. 17, according to CME FedWatch.

For Wednesday, the trader sees the peso moving between P57 and P57.25 per dollar, while Mr. Ricafort expects it to range from P56.95 to P57.25. — A.M.C. Sy with Reuters

Filipino talent brings Shrek to life onstage

KRYSTAL KANE (left) and Jamie Wilson square off at the Shrek The Musical press conference. — NEWPORT WORLD RESORTS

FAMILIES, friends, and kids at heart have another fun musical to look forward to this year as Shrek The Musical will be hitting the stage in time for Halloween.

The Broadway comedy-fantasy musical from Newport World Resorts’ production arm, the Full House Theater Company (FHTC), will have performances at the Newport Performing Arts Theater (NPAT) from Oct. 31 to Dec. 6.

Based on the DreamWorks Animation Motion Picture and the book by William Steig, the show features the swamp world of Shrek the ogre. The high-energy show features the original book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire and music by Jeanine Tesori. The hit musical was originally produced by DreamWorks Theatricals and Neal Street Productions.

Some of the fan favorite songs from the Broadway show are “Who I’d Be,” “Don’t Let Me Go,” “The Ballad of Farquaad,” “I Know It’s Today,” and the feel-good finale “I’m A Believer.”

Veteran actor Jamie Wilson, who will be starring as Shrek, told the media at the Aug. 13 preview that the musical tells people “not to judge a book by its cover.”

“It’s about peeling back the layers. I’m glad we get a chance to do that in this fun show through these fun characters,” Mr. Wilson said.

He added that Shrek is ultimately a lovable character: “In a deeper sense, I love Shrek because he’s an everyman, and outcast just because he was born an ogre. He has to fend for himself and find his own way in the world, and he finds that he can be a hero.”

WHY SHREK?
FHTC chose Shrek The Musical as its second production of the year following the drag musical Delia D. to showcase the variety that they’re capable of.

“We want to be versatile. We haven’t done a sort of children’s musical in a while. Ushering in Halloween and moving towards Christmas, we brought back a musical that’s good for the families,” said FHTC artistic director Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo.

She also considers it a good choice in order to take advantage of the local jukebox musical market they found when they produced the very successful musicals Ang Huling El Bimbo and Buruguduystunstugudunstuy.

Krystal Kane, who will play Shrek’s fiery love interest Princess Fiona, said that her goal is to find the truth in the often-silly, fantastical material.

“Fiona is iconic and not like any other princess. She has spunk and she’s headstrong. It’s a demanding role, too,” she said.

Meanwhile, Topper Fabregas will take on the role of Donkey, who is Shrek’s sidekick and the comic relief of the show. He explained that playing a donkey once voiced by Eddie Murphy is “a lot of pressure.”

“I’m still trying to figure it out because the role is so iconic. I want to honor the character but also inject it with my own sense of humor,” said Mr. Fabregas. “I don’t usually get to play characters that take very big swings, so if I fail, I will fail miserably!”

Alongside Mr. Wilson, Ms. Kane, and Mr. Fabregas are Alfredo Reyes as Lord Farquaad and Julia Serad as the Dragon. They will be joined by an ensemble of fairytale creatures, from Pinocchio to the Big Bad Wolf, each ready to bring mischief and magic to the stage.

The show’s creative team is headed by director Dexter M. Santos, with Michael Stuart Williams and Cara Barredo as associate director and assistant director, respectively, and music director Ejay Yatco.

THEME PARK FEEL
As director, Mr. Santos said that the biggest challenge so far has been putting up a show in a way that best utilizes “the humongous NPAT theater.”

“The dream for this production is to make the kids feel like they are entering a theme park. We want to induce the ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs,’” he explained. “I am nervous about the dragon scene. It’s a chase scene and we’re trying to do something different that’s dynamic.”

He also spoke to the relevance of Shrek to the millennial generation, which can now be shared with younger audiences.

“Our notion of a hero used to be a prince. Shrek struck a chord in our generation because it broke a stereotype, that an ogre can be a hero, that even fairytale creatures were given a voice,” Mr. Santos said.

For Mr. Wilson, the goal is for kids, families, and everyone in between to go on the adventure and find themselves inspired.

“Shrek just wanted his swamp back. He didn’t know he’d fall in love, and he didn’t know he’d save the day. That’s what makes it exciting.”

Shrek The Musical premieres on Oct. 31 at the Newport Performing Arts Theater. Tickets, ranging in price from P1,500 to P4,500, are available at TicketWorld, HelixPay, and the Newport World Resorts Box Office. — Brontë H. Lacsamana

Multisectoral cooperation: A crucial complement to government’s education initiatives

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. visits Epifanio Delos Santos Elementary School in Malate, Manila. — PHILIPPINE STAR/NOEL B. PABALATE

That the Philippines has a crisis in education is a given. Millions of young Filipino learners are not getting the quality of education they deserve, with all the implications on their individual futures and the future of our nation. The lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have also exacerbated the situation. Five years later, many learners are still facing challenges due to prolonged school closures, including learning loss and digital inequity.

The government has made education a priority. The proposed national budget for 2026 allocates the largest share to education, reflecting the government’s commitment to learning continuity and quality. For next year’s budget proposal, education is also the biggest gainer, with the allocation being increased to P1.2 trillion from this year’s P1 trillion. If it is passed, the 2026 budget will meet the UNESCO recommendation that 4% to 6% of the country’s gross domestic product should be allotted to education.

Among the priorities the education budget seeks to address are infrastructure, teacher training, digital transformation, and learning recovery programs.

But it would be foolhardy to believe that there is a single, linear solution — like increasing the budget — to the education crisis. It would also be wrong to think that a single actor, the government, bears all the responsibility. Indeed, the fronts are varied, and the approaches must be multi-faceted. And if there is one guiding principle that would help provide tangible results, it is that educating a nation is not simply the job of the government. Collaboration between the public and private sectors is necessary. A whole-of-society approach is the only way we can tackle the crisis head on.

While the task of operating the public education system lies primarily with the government, it cannot do so on its own. The public sector has numerous limitations that prevent it from achieving all its objectives within a given period. This is where the role of the private sector becomes crucial. With their resources, networks, and operational capacity, private sector actors can implement and expand education initiatives at a speed and scale that government efforts alone cannot match.

Specifically, private educational institutions can help bridge gaps in capacity, innovation, and reach. They can introduce new learning models, technology-driven facilities, and flexible learning systems to complement government efforts. They can expand access to education in areas where public school capacity is limited.

Industry partners, meanwhile, can help enhance the relevance of curricula, ensuring that what is being taught is what the industry actually needs. Here, industries can help provide training opportunities, not only for specific skills and areas but also for lifelong learning.

And then, partnerships with private donors, companies, and non-government organizations can scale up programs faster than government efforts alone. These partnerships will help bring targeted interventions to both urban and rural areas especially in marginalized communities.

A bill filed at the House of Representatives by Rep. Mercedes Alvarez of the 6th District of Negros Occidental encapsulates the collaborative spirit between the public and private sector in the field of education. The Complementarity in Education bill recognizes that the public sector alone cannot meet the diverse educational needs of the population, and that private education is a critical partner in ensuring quality, accessibility, and diversity in education. It encourages resource-sharing, innovation, and capacity building between sectors.

Among its salient points: Within three years, a system will be established by the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), the Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Council to provide current and relevant information on public and private institutions, quality assessments, and career opportunities to stakeholders.

The said system will also include labor market information to help students make informed decisions on their educational and career pathways. A Partnership Board will be created, tasked to align, coordinate, and oversee strategic plans for complementarity, evaluate detrimental policies, review regulatory functions, develop a framework for assessing quality and cost-effectiveness, support research, establish dialogue mechanisms, and monitor/report on complementarity.

Grants and support programs will be created for the private sector for high-need educational programs (ECCD, Alternative Learning System [ALS]), initiatives in remote areas, industry-prioritized degrees, portable local scholarships in remote areas, and public-private partnerships (PPPs) that enhance quality and access, especially in underserved areas.

Regional compensation of teachers will be monitored so that disparities between the public and private sectors can be addressed. Complementarity will be integrated in both national and subnational plans.

The bill needs support from the people through the lawmakers who represent them.

Indeed, addressing the educational crisis by investing in quality education is a shared responsibility among government, the private sector, and the wider community, with the common goal of providing inclusive, accessible, and high-quality learning for every Filipino.

The fruits of such investment will not be apparent in the immediate term, but with sustained commitment from all sectors, we can ensure that every child, regardless of background, anywhere in the country, will be given the kind of education that every Filipino child deserves.

 

Victor Andres “Dindo” C. Manhit is the president of the Stratbase ADR Institute.

No change in September airline fuel surcharge — CAB

REUTERS

THE Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) has kept the passenger fuel surcharge at Level 4 for September, keeping airline fuel charges steady for the month.

In an advisory on Tuesday, the CAB said the passenger fuel surcharge will remain at Level 4 for the Sept. 1-30 period.

At Level 4, the passenger fuel surcharge ranges from P117 to P342 for domestic flights, and from P385.70 to P2,867.82 for international flights originating in the Philippines.

A fuel surcharge may be collected by airlines based on movements in jet fuel prices, using a benchmark known as MOPS (Mean of Platts Singapore).

For airlines collecting the surcharge in foreign currency, the applicable conversion rate is P57.13 per dollar, the CAB said.

The global average jet fuel price fell by 2% week on week as of Aug. 15 to $83.35 per barrel. Year on year, the global average price of jet fuel dropped by 12.8%, according to fuel price monitoring reports from the International Air Transport Association. — Ashley Erika O. Jose

Wise integrates with PESONet

GLOBAL cross-border payments platform Wise is now fully integrated with the country’s online payment systems as it now has access to the PESONet gateway.

This follows its integration with real-time electronic fund transfer service InstaPay in November 2024 along with direct settlement through the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) gross payment system PhilPaSS Plus.

Wise entered the Philippines in May 2024.

“This breakthrough solidifies Wise as a major player in the Philippine remittance market, now processing 12% of all inward personal remittances and transforming how Filipino families manage high-value transactions like tuition fees,” Wise Philippines said in a statement on Tuesday.

“The integration with PESONet eliminates the long-standing frustrations such as limits and delays in sending large amounts abroad. Parents can now effortlessly transfer substantial amounts for their children’s overseas education in a single transaction, and overseas foreign workers can send significant amounts home without worrying about daily caps or multi-day processing times. Through Wise, users benefit from transparent, mid-market exchange rates (the same rates seen on Google) without any hidden fees or markups.”

It said that its direct connections with InstaPay and PESONet have reduced fund transfer costs, with fees for a P50,000 transfer to a US dollar account dropping by over 10%.

PESONet is mainly used for high-value transactions and may be considered as an electronic alternative to paper-based checks, while InstaPay is a real-time, low-value electronic fund transfer facility for transactions up to P50,000 and is mostly used for remittances and e-commerce.

The value of transactions done through InstaPay and PESONet jumped by 39.5% year on year to P11.1 trillion in the first half of 2025 from P7.98 trillion, the latest data from the BSP showed.

In terms of volume, transactions made via the two clearing houses more than doubled (138.7%) to 1.58 billion at end-June from 660.7 million in the same period a year ago.

Meanwhile, the company has also partnered with the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) to integrate Wise into the National ID eVerify system, it said.

This allows Filipino users to authenticate their accounts via the Wise app or website using their National IDs — whether in card, paper, or digital format.

“With direct access to both InstaPay and PESONet, plus streamlined National ID verification, we are removing barriers to transparent, affordable international money transfers. We are committed to ensuring that every Filipino can send and receive money with ease, confidence and transparency,” Wise Philippines Country Manager Areson I. Cuevas said.

“The integration of Wise with the National ID system is a testament to the power of collaboration in driving financial inclusion. With over 88 million Digital National IDs already available for access, we are empowering millions of Filipinos — regardless of their location or background — this is a significant step towards financial inclusion, and we are excited to see the positive impact it will have on the lives of many,” PSA Undersecretary and National Statistician Claire Dennis S. Mapa said. — A.M.C. Sy

Animal Farm at 80: Why the animals really matter in Orwell’s parable about communism

A SCENE from the 2025 animated film adaptation of Animal Farm.

GEORGE ORWELL’S Animal Farm (1945) turned 80 on Aug. 17. If there’s one thing every student of history or politics knows, it’s that the novella is not really about animals. Sure, the principal characters are pigs and horses. But really, so we are told, it is about the Soviet Union and what happened to the ideals of communism under the corrupt leadership of Joseph Stalin.

Orwell himself — part of a generation of plain-speaking British authors who had not yet heard Roland Barthes’ theory of the death of the author (the idea that words speak for themselves and the author’s intentions are irrelevant) — proclaimed that this was how the story should be read.

But what if we were to take the animals in this famous tale more seriously?

Orwell wrote this short, shocking novel at a time when it was considered scientifically inadmissible for animals to be granted thoughts or even feelings. Charles Darwin’s insight in 1859, that humans are related to all other animal species, was a lost opportunity to think about how qualities of the former might be present in the latter. Instead, animal psychologists in Orwell’s time insisted more strongly than ever on the existence of a cognitive hiatus between the human “us” and the beastly “them.”

His contemporary experts in the social sciences and humanities played along with this distinction. The French anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss wrote in 1962 that animals “are good to think with” — in other words, if we interrogate human beliefs about animals, we can reveal our own deep-seated values and social patterns.

By today’s standards, and in the context of the sixth mass extinction, this seems like a regrettable statement. Contemporary multispecies studies reject the notion that animals are nothing more than a resource for humans, even a philosophical one.

By contrast, many cultures and societies around the world have traditions of interacting with animals in a manner that recognizes their personhood. People who live alongside and even hunt other species very often come to closely understand their behavior and agency.

Charlotte Sleigh is an associate professor at the Department of Science and Technology Studies at UCL.

A major UK academic project is investigating how these relationships are reflected in animal fables. Titled “Rethinking Fables in the Age of Environmental Crisis,” it fosters collaboration between scholars, artists, and writers in imagining the unique worlds of different species including horses, rats, crows, and spiders, in their fast-changing and precarious environments.

Living in an era before the comprehensive introduction of massive-scale, chemically assisted agriculture, Orwell was not so far removed from pre-industrial farming and its intimate knowledge of animals. His 1936 essay about the shooting of an elephant in Burma is filled with anguish at the suffering of a real animal.

In Animal Farm, too, the starting point is animal suffering — the cruelties of the human farmer are indisputable. As Old Major, a wise and elderly boar, warns the other animals: “You young porkers… every one of you will scream out your lives at the block within a year.”

The fable changes if we hold on to this reality throughout. It is reiterated by Orwell later on in the story, when the cruelties of Pinchfield Farm are reported to the animals. Human tyranny is the enemy of the animals, and despite the betrayal of their hopes under the leadership of the pig Napoleon, the justice of their cause is never undermined.

ANIMAL DREAMS
Orwell’s animal revolution, the overthrow of the farmer, is inspired by a pig’s dream. Old Major gathers the other farm beasts to tell them of his vision of “the Earth as it will be when Man has vanished,” and human exploitation of animals is no more. It’s the kind of description that would have the 20th century animal psychologists turning in their graves. Animals with an inner life? Ridiculous!

Any dog owner will tell you that their four-legged friend has dreams — yet for decades, we allowed scientists to tell us they did not. Dog dreams are woven into the description of forest life created by anthropologist Eduardo Kohn. In his book How Forests Think (2013), Kohn argues that all animals think and imagine their future. Their survival — that fundamental driver of the farmyard revolution — is based on the ability to do so.

In one memorable passage, Kohn describes how a monkey must interpret the sounds of the forest and use them to predict possible outcomes (innocent crash or predator?) in order to live. Kohn’s animals live in a world full of meaning. The human power to make meaning through abstract language is just one example of a universal feature of life.

Dreams recur throughout Animal Farm, but are eventually driven out by words. The animals’ commandments, written on the barn wall, are deviously amended one by one to vindicate the pigs’ corruption.

Once meaning is externalized and objectified in the written word, it is susceptible to manipulation. Words can be rewritten and with them, the past. The animals become uncertain of their pre-verbal memories. Dreams disappear from the narrative.

Research in science communication has argued that recent trends in popular natural history respond to the desire of readers to be knitted back into the meaning of the more-than-human world that Kohn and others describe. For such a reader, Animal Farm can explore animal agency — and the fallacy of human exceptionalism.

It’s surprisingly hard to find recent Western works of animal-voiced fiction for adults — perhaps because of anxiety about sounding childish. By contrast, Indigenous literature around the world is rich in animal tales. Native American Animal Stories by Joseph Bruchac (1992) has a great selection.

Contemporary non-fiction is stronger in exploring animal-centred stories. Helen Macdonald’s memoir H is for Hawk (2014) is a modern classic. Poets have also engaged with animal voices, such as Susan Richardson in Words the Turtle Taught Me (2018). And in visual arts, Fiona MacDonald of the art and research project Feral Practice asks, among other animal-centered questions, what would happen if ants curated a gallery.

 

Charlotte Sleigh is an associate professor at the Department of Science and Technology Studies at UCL.

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