What to see this week

May 10, 2019 | 12:03 am

8 films to see on the week of May 10 — May 16, 2019

Long Shot

WHEN the US Secretary of State Charlotte Field (Charlize Theron) decides to run for president, she hires journalist Fred Flarsky (Seth Rogen), who she used to babysit, as her speech writer — to the dismay of her trusted advisors. Sparks fly and things turn dangerous. Directed by Jonathan Levine, the film also stars O’ Shea Jackson, Jr. and Andy Serkis. The New Yorker’s Anthony Lane writes, “The filmmakers needn’t fret too much, since Long Shot actually works. True, its effect is already fading by the time you head for the exits, crunching through dropped popcorn as if through fallen leaves, but while the movie lasts you buy into its blend of chemistry and calculation.” The movie is a hit with the 223 critics counted on Rotten Tomatoes which gave the film a score of 82%.

MTRCB Rating: R-13

After

BASED on the Wattpad love story turned best-selling novel by Anna Todd, the movie follows Tessa, a studious high school student who falls in love with the mysterious Hardin. Directed by Jenny Gage, it stars Josephine Langford, Hero Fiennes-Tiffin, and Selma Blair. The Wrap’s Robert Abele writes, “Langford has an appealing vibe, but her doormat character is so poorly written it’d be tough for anyone to sell how blind she is. Fiennes Tiffin, on the other hand, mistakes looking medicated for mysteriousness. The other half of the time he acts as if he has a mark to hit, or an object to focus on off-camera.” Film review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes gives it a 15% rating.

MTRCB Rating: R-13

Incoming

AFTER THE International Space Station has been turned into prison, a terrorist group has been sentenced to serve their time there. The leader escapes and enlists the others to transform the station into a missile aimed at Moscow. Directed by Eric Zaragoza, the movie stars Scott Adkins, Aaron McCusker, and Michelle Lehane. “Scott Adkins’ physical presence is an irreplaceable asset to a production, and it’s therefore all the more tragic when it’s wasted,” writes Ed Travis of Cinapse.

MTRCB Rating: R-13

J.T. Leroy

BASED on a true story, the film follows a young woman who plays Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy, a mysterious persona created by her sister-in-law, in public. Directed by Justin Kelly, the film stars Kirsten Stewart, Diane Kruger, and Laura Dern. Vulture’s David Edelstein writes, “I don’t mean to suggest that what happened in the shadows between a famous actress and an awkward but increasingly smitten impostor isn’t lurid and entertaining on its own. It just feels… marginal. The great J.T. Leroy movie would have this perspective but so much more.” Rotten Tomatoes gives it a 57% rating.

MTRCB Rating: R-13

Dreadout: Tower of Hell

AN INDONESIAN FILM adapted from a PC game based on a survival horror game of the same name by the Bandung-based Digital Happiness, Dreadout: Tower of Hell serves as a prequel to the game. It follows a group of friends work to increase their popularity on social media by uploading their daily adventures. One day, the group breaks in an abandoned apartment and end up in a magical world. Directed by Kimo Stamboel, this Indonesian movie stars Caitlin Halderman, Jefri Nichol, and Marsha Aruan. “Unfortunately, Stamboel’s own paper-thin screenplay basically served more of an excuse to create a scene after scene of students running and screaming,” writes Casey’s Movie Mania’s Casey Chong.

MTRCB Rating: R-13

Tayo Sa Huling Buwan Ng Taon

FOUR YEARS after Ang Kwento Nating Dalawa (2015) became a cult favorite, the film’s director Nestor Abrogena has come up with a sequel. Tayo Sa Huling Buwan Ng Taon follows the lives of Sam (Nicco Manalo), an aspiring filmmaker, and writer Isa (Emmanuelle Vera) five years after the end of Ang Kwento Nating Dalawa. Five years after Isa left for the US, she returns with her new boyfriend to settle down in the Philippines and then meets Sam again. Isa and Sam try to be friends despite their interrupted romance five years ago, but in the process they have to deal with coming to terms with their feelings for each other and everyone around them. The film also stars Anna Luna and Alex Vincent Medina.

MTRCB Rating: PG

S.O.N.S. (Sons of Nanay Sabel)

SABEL, a mother of five boys, puts her children up for adoption. Years later, she reunites with her sons and makes amends, trying to be a supportive mother to all of them. Directed by Dado Lumibao, it stars Ai Ai de las Alas and the Ex Battalion hiphop dance group.

MTRCB Rating: PG

Man and Wife

A MARRIED couple is torn between their love for each other and the problems of their respective families. Directed by Laurice Guillen, the movie stars Gabby Concepcion and Jodi Sta. Maria.

MTRCB Rating: PG

General Motors in negotiations to sell idled Ohio plant

May 10, 2019 | 12:03 am

WASHINGTON/TORONTO — Under pressure from President Donald Trump, General Motors Co said on Wednesday it was in talks to sell an idled northeast Ohio plant to a cash-strapped electric truck-building company.

The No. 1 US automaker also said it would invest $700 million in three other plants in Ohio — a state important to Trump’s re-election chances in 2020 — and maintain some operations at a Canadian factory that had been slated to close by year end.

The decisions came after GM faced months of criticism over its plan announced in November to close five North American plants and cut 15,000 jobs. GM’s decision to close the small-car assembly plant in Lordstown, Ohio, had become fodder for Trump and several Democratic presidential candidates.

Trump, who disclosed GM’s plans for Lordstown in a Wednesday tweet, said the deal with Cincinnati-based Workhorse Group Inc will require the approval of the United Auto Workers union. However, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine expressed caution.

“This is a step, but we have a long way to go,” DeWine told reporters. He also cited Workhorse’s ongoing efforts to win a truck supply contract with the US Postal Service as a key step.

Loveland, Ohio-based Workhorse is a small electric truck and drone startup that has reported losses totaling almost $150 million since its launch in 2007, according to the company’s financial documents. It had just $2.8 million in cash on hand at the end of March and reported first-quarter sales of $364,000.

UAW OPPOSES DEAL
Workhorse and a newly formed entity, in which Workhorse holds a minority stake, would initially employ “hundreds” at the plant building a commercial electric pickup truck, Workhorse officials said. As recently as 2016, GM employed 4,500 people at the plant and in March cut the final 1,500 jobs when production of the slow-selling Chevrolet Cruze ended.

Of the 2,800 hourly employees affected by the plans to end production at the four U.S. plants, 1,350 have accepted transfers to other GM plants, the company said. At Lordstown, about half of those employed when production ended have transferred elsewhere.

GM also said on Wednesday it will invest $700 million and add 450 jobs at its Toledo, Parma and Moraine, Ohio, operations. “Great news for Ohio,” Trump tweeted.

GM is not reversing the bulk of its restructuring efforts, including its decision to slash 15 percent of its salaried workforce and end vehicle production at three North American plants, including Lordstown. Last week, GM ended production at a plant near Baltimore that built transmissions.

GM Chief Executive Mary Barra said Workhorse “could help preserve Lordstown’s more than 50-year tradition of vehicle assembly work.”

The UAW said on Wednesday in a statement GM should add a new product at Lordstown “and continue operating it,” adding it would continue with its federal lawsuit against GM to protect the contractual rights of its members. Workhorse officials said they intend to work with the union, but a previously unionized plant it bought from Navistar in 2013 now operates with a non-union work force, according to the company’s annual report.

The fate of the Lordstown plant has been a big focus of Trump’s. He spoke to Barra earlier on Wednesday before the Detroit company announced its plans in Canada.

Trump in June 2017 advised workers in nearby Youngstown, Ohio, that factory jobs were not leaving. “Don’t move, don’t sell your house,” he said.

It likely would take at least a year before the plant, which halted production in March, could reopen after a deal was reached, Ohio’s governor, DeWine, said.

“This potential agreement … will help solidify the leadership of Workhorse’s role in the EV community,” Workhorse CEO Duane Hughes said in the GM statement, referring to electric vehicles.

Workhorse shares jumped 190 percent to $2.45 on the news, while GM’s shares were almost unchanged, down 5 cents at $38.48 in late afternoon.

CANADIAN PM: ‘GOOD NEWS’
Separately, GM and the largest union representing Canada’s auto workers have reached a deal to partly rescue an Ontario assembly plant by turning it into a parts-making facility, the automaker said in a statement.

The transformation of GM’s Oshawa site, which would also be used to conduct advanced vehicle testing, would save 300 jobs and have “the potential to grow and generate significant additional jobs in the coming years,” GM said.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the announcement “good news for our autoworkers.”

Canadian union Unifor, which had fiercely opposed the shuttering of the plant, had previously said the closure was contrary to a contract that stipulates there would be no plant closure.

“There are 300 families that are better off than they would have been in December,” said Unifor President Jerry Dias in Toronto. — Reuters

PTT Philippines to open 30 fuel retail stations this year; new CEO takes over

May 10, 2019 | 12:03 am

By Victor V. Saulon, Sub-Editor

PTT Philippines Corp. targets to open at least 30 new fuel retail stations this year, bringing its year-end total to around 192, as the company maps its expansion plans under its new president.

“End of last year we had 152, then now we have 162, then this year [we plan to open the] same [number] as last year — 30-something stations more,” said Thitiroj Rergsumran, PTT Philippines’ new president and chief executive officer, in a press briefing in Taguig City on Thursday.

Mr. Rergsumran said of the existing fuel stations, around 30% are company-owned, while the rest are dealer-owned. He said the cost of putting up a fuel station varies depending on factors such as the cost of the land or lease.

This year, the local unit of Thailand’s leading fuel brand is setting aside a capital expenditure of P500 million, which he said approximates the same budget as last year. The capex, which is a rolling figure revisited every six months, will be allocated largely to build fuel stations.

Aside from the stations, PTT Philippines plans to open 15 Cafe Amazon branches to add to its existing 11 coffee shops, mostly in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

“It’s a growing business,” Mr. Rergsumran said about the café brand that the company brought in from Thailand in 2016.

Danilo Alabado, president and chief executive officer of PTT Philippines Trading Corp., said the company was able to meet its target fuel sales of 900 million liters last year.

In the local currency, the sales volume translates into P28 billion, up 27.3% from P22 billion in 2017. The PTT Philippines officials declined to disclose the company’s net income figures.

“We are more particular in sales volume,” Mr. Alabado said, adding that the figure presents a number that excludes fuel price fluctuations.

He said the company targets sales of 1 billion liters this year.

On Thursday, PTT Philippines announced the appointment of Mr. Rergsumran as its new president and CEO, replacing Sukanya Seriyothin who has led the local company since November 2014.

Mr. Rergsumran’s appointment took effect on May 1, 2019 as Ms. Seriyothin ended her tour of duty in the Philippines to return to PTT Oil and Retail (PTTOR) head office in Bangkok, Thailand. PTTOR is the parent company of PTT Philippines. He previously served as marketing director for PTT Philippines for four years.

“We will continue to strive further to sustain if not exceed all the efforts that my predecessors had started,” he said, adding that the focus will remain to achieve PTT’s mission and vision in the Philippines.

“Our expansion will continue on both our oil and non-oil businesses and we are confident that we can achieve our growth because of the strong support from our head office in Thailand, especially now that Khun Sukanya (Ms. Seriyothin) has already joined our international marketing,” he said in a statement issued during the briefing.

Cryptocurrency traders looking at blacklist to keep scammers at bay

May 10, 2019 | 12:03 am

THE BIGGEST cryptocurrency traders are calling time on the horde of con artists and criminals that have flocked to their largely unregulated market.

Firms including DRW Holdings Inc.’s Cumberland crypto unit, Mike Novogratz’s Galaxy Digital Holdings and Ripple discussed creating a blacklist of counterparties known to renege on trades or engage in nefarious activities, at a gathering Tuesday in Chicago. An alternative suggestion was to establish an accreditation of firms in good standing as approved by a loose association of crypto businesses known as the Crypto OTC Roundtable Asia, or CORA.

While the decade-old crypto market has attracted top technologists and developers, as well as a flock of former Wall Street traders, it has also been a magnet for scammers and criminals. As if to make the point, at the same time as the crypto traders were meeting in Chicago, Binance, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, discovered hackers had stolen 7,000 Bitcoins worth about $40 million, which briefly sent the digital-token market down about 3%, before it recovered.

“A community-wide effort to improve compliance standards would prevent liabilities that might stem from trading with bad actors or dealers that trade with bad actors,” said Darius Sit, a Singapore-based managing partner at crypto trading firm QCP Capital, who helped organize the CORA meeting. “A self-governance initiative like this is also something that regulators are keen to see.”

Another suggestion at the Chicago gathering, which saw traders from 35 digital assets firms huddle in a monochrome conference room with black walls and no windows, was a common standard for verifying customer identities and source of funds. Further ideas included having CORA disseminate information on counterparties that have defaulted on derivatives trades.

CORA and the traders made no firm decisions on a blacklist or a whitelist and will discuss in further forums how to proceed with ideas raised at the event. The first CORA gathering took place in Singapore in January.

“The definition of a bad actor is elusive,” and there could be numerous idiosyncratic reasons, such as a processing error at a crypto bank, that could cause a counterparty to technically default on their obligations, said Vishal Shah, senior trader at Greenwich, Connecticut-based digital assets hedge fund Cipher Technologies Management LP, who attended the gathering. “Such occurrences are unique and frequent, making a standardized implementation of a blacklist tough. There is also the question of legality, and on the cover, it looks more sinister than its intent.”

TRUSTED TRADING
The event, which drew traders from Singapore to San Francisco, highlighted the common will among the big players in crypto to impose standards from traditional finance on their immature market. It also made clear that there is much still to do to establish an ordered and trusted trading environment, especially in the over-the-counter derivatives contracts CORA is focused on.

The willingness of the trading firms to work together toward some common standards bodes well for the future, said Yoshi Nakamura, a senior member of Galaxy Digital’s trading team who was in Chicago on Tuesday. While progress is slow, CORA and initiatives like it help build bridges between crypto assets and mainstream finance, said Nakamura.

“It’s important to crawl, walk, jog and then run, and we are now off our knees and on to our feet,” said Nakamura. “It’s important to create the bridge and it’s important to keep working on it.” — Bloomberg

Your Weekend Guide (May 10, 2019)

May 10, 2019 | 12:02 am

Himig ng Bayan

A CONCERT honoring the National Artists for Music, Himig ng Bayan, will be held on May 9, 8 p.m., at the Main Theater of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) in Pasay City. The concert, a project of the CCP, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, PAGCOR and the Filipino Heritage Festival, will include the opening of the exhibit Hundred Women: Hundred Ways at 6 p.m. at the Main Theater foyer. For tickets, e-mail heritagemonth@yahoo.com.ph or www.culturalcenter.gov.ph.

Halo Halo Tayo!

AN original play with original music, Halo Halo Tayo: The Delicious and Colorfully Complex Filipino Soul will be presented at the GSIS Theater, Pasay City at 4 p.m. on May 10. The play is directed by Sonia Roco, with music by Franklee Lorenzo, lyrics by Mike Coroza, set design by Oliver Roxas, and multimedia works by Jay Batoon. It is anchored on “The Gifts in the Filipino Psyche” by Rose Maria Yenko, chairperson emerita of the Carl Jung Circle Center. For inquiries, call 859-0395 and 479-3588, or e-mail theatre@gsis.gov.ph.

The Dresser

REPERTORY Philippines presents The Dresser, a Ronald Harwood play set during the bombing of London in World War II as a touring theater company prepares for production of King Lear. Sir, a tormented but brilliant thespian, arrives on set in a delusional state. Norman, his loyal dresser, does all he can to ensure that the show goes on. The play, directed by Loy Arcenas, stars Audie Gemora, Teroy Guzman, Tami Monsod, Jaime del Mundo, Jeremy Domingo, and Justine Narciso. There are performances on weekends from May 3 to 26, with 3:30 and 8 p.m. at Onstage Theater, Greenbelt Mall 1, Paseo de Roxas St., Makati. Tickets (P1,200 and P1,500) are available through TicketWorld (891-9999, www.ticketworld.com.ph) and at the gate.

Wim Wenders films

THE Goethe-Institut presents the works of the acclaimed German filmmaker Wim Wenders who, along with Herzog and Fassbinder, was a principal member of the New German Cinema of the 1970s. Nine award-winning Wim Wenders feature films and a documentary will be screened for free every weekend at 4 p.m. until May 26 at the Cinematheque Centre Manila. To be screened this weekend are The American Friend on May 11 and Nick’s Film Lightning on May 12. Admission is free on a first-come, first-served basis. There will also be subsequent screenings in the Cinematheque Centre in Davao from June 3 to June 30. Details will be announced soon. For more information about the Wim Wenders Retrospective, visit www.goethe.de/manila.

Music and pets at Tiendesitas

TIENDESITAS combines good food and great music with its Themed Nights at Tiendesitas Food Village every night at 2/F Food Village from 8 to 10 p.m. Performing on weekends are DJ Cherry Summer and DJ Allen Hernandez (Saturdays) and Cinnamon Sundays and DJ Owki (Sundays). Performing on other days are Tiende with Rain Ft. Emert Tan and DJ Owki on Mondays; Huff N Puff and DJ Owki on Tuesdays; Gat Dang Crooks and DJ Owki on Wednesdays; and WeTheOldSchool and Wand with DJ Hipolito and DJ Anakin on Thursdays. Meanwhile, pet lovers can join Pets in the City on May 11. Dress up your pets in their summer outfits and join the summer-inspired pet show. The event also highlights pet care learning sessions, discounts on grooming services, and pet products, food and accessories bazaar.

Greens, drones at Industria

INDUSTRIA hosts a Green Market on all Sundays of May with organic and fresh produce and food stuff. As part of its drone competition, called Game of Drones: Third Flight, which will be held on May 25, Industria will host a Drone Photo and Video Tutorial on May 11, and Drone Racing 101 by FPV racers on May 16.

Wells Fargo creates new unit focused on regulatory compliance

May 10, 2019 | 12:02 am

WELLS FARGO & CO is creating a new unit tasked with satisfying U.S. regulatory requirements, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters.

Derek Flowers, who has been with the San Francisco-based bank for more than two decades, will become head of strategic execution and operations and will focus on the bank’s regulatory priorities, said the memo, sent by interim chief executive Allen Parker on Wednesday.

In his current role as chief credit and market risk officer, Flowers would have had frequent contact with regulators.

The new unit, whose creation was reported earlier on Wednesday by the Financial Times, will be charged with working through the more than a dozen regulatory consent orders the bank is operating under — agreements between regulators and the bank that it will work to satisfy certain requirements. It will also implement new business and risk-management processes.

Parker has said he wants to “redouble” the bank’s efforts to satisfy and exceed regulatory expectations.

Regulators have demanded change from Wells Fargo after employee whistleblowers revealed it had opened potentially millions of unauthorized accounts in 2016. Internal and regulatory probes have since discovered other issues in each of the bank’s primary segments, resulting in billions of dollars in fines, penalties and an unprecedented cap on its balance sheet by the Federal Reserve.

The bank has said it is committed to compensating all customers affected by its actions and has so far payed out tens of millions of dollars.

However, regulators including the Federal Reserve, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have publicly criticized the bank’s progress within the past month.

Wells Fargo has added more than 1,000 jobs to its risk management team and plans to add an additional 1,300 employees this year to help strengthen its compliance efforts, it has said. — Reuters

Robinsons Land nets P1.8B in Jan.-March

May 10, 2019 | 12:02 am

ROBINSONS Land Corp. (RLC) recorded a 19% growth in attributable profit during the first quarter of the year, on the back of strong real estate sales and improving hotel revenues.

In a regulatory filing, the Gokongwei-led property developer said net income attributable to the parent reached P1.83 billion, higher than the P1.54 billion it posted in the same period a year ago.

Revenues, meanwhile, stood at P6.78 billion, seven percent higher than the P6.36 billion it realized in the first quarter of 2018.

“Robinsons Land continues to post strong earnings from organic growth as well as from our expansion programs. We look forward with much enthusiasm to the improvement of our performance in the coming months,” RLC President and Chief Executive Officer Frederick D. Go said in a statement.

The listed firm operates five divisions, namely commercial centers, residential, office buildings, hotels and resorts, and industrial and integrated developments.

The commercial centers segment accounted for 46% of RLC’s revenues at P3.14 billion, representing a nine percent year-on-year growth. This can be attributed to same-mall rental growth of seven percent, as well as the contribution of new malls such as Robinsons Place Ormoc, Robinsons Place Pavia, Robinsons Place Tuguegarao, and Robinsons Place Valencia.

RLC ended March with a total mall leasable space of 1.5 million square meters (sq.m.) housing more than 9,000 retailers.

For the residential segment, revenues dropped seven percent to P1.97 billion amid steady sales take-up of P3.7 billion. The company said the decline was due to the timing of revenue recognition. It plans to launch a total of four projects this year, namely Sapphire Bloc Phase 2, Galleria Residences Cebu’s third tower, and Cirrus and Sync Communities in Pasig City.

The office buildings division’s topline grew by 30% to P1.12 billion from revenues of P865 million in the same period a year ago. RLC had a total of 20 operational sites covering 523,000 sq.m. of net leasable area.

RLC’s hotels and resorts unit booked revenues of P521 million, boosted by the operations of Summit Galleria Cebu and Summit Hotels Magnolia in addition to the contributions of newly opened hotels.

Meanwhile, the industrial and integrated development division generated P30 million in revenues after turning over its first logistics facility in Sucat, Muntinlupa with a total leasable space of 33,000 sq.m.

RLC also noted that its project in China’s Chengdu province has already sold out all 795 units, with revenues seen to be recognized within the year.

The company spent a total of P3.6 billion in capital expenditures during the quarter, out of its P27-billion allocation for the entire year.

Shares in RLC fell 3.35% or 80 centavos to close at P23.05 each at the stock exchange on Thursday. — Arra B. Francia

SSS salary loans increase in 2018

May 10, 2019 | 12:02 am

THE SOCIAL Security System (SSS) disbursed more than P30.5 billion in salary loans in 2018, as it saw a jump in releases through electronic means.

In a statement on Thursday, the state-run pension fund said more than P30.5 billion in salary loans were released to over 1.8 million member-borrowers last year, 5.3% higher compared with the disbursements in 2017.

Of the total loan releases, about 166,000 members or 9.22% of the total received their loans through the Quick Card of UnionBank of the Philippines, Inc., more than triple the 55,835 borrowers in 2017.

“Over the years, we have seen that more members opt to receive their salary loan proceeds through electronic means since they do not have to wait for their checks to be delivered to their houses or offices and go personally to the bank to encash the check,” SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Aurora C. Ignacio said. “We have decided to further expand the program of salary loans through UBP Quick Cards by allowing more kiosks in additional branches nationwide.”

The pension fund’s Salary Loan Releases Thru-the-Bank Program allows UnionBank to release funds to member-borrowers through Quick Card, an automated teller machine card linked to a UnionBank savings account or through an existing checking or savings account.

A total of 16 SSS branches have been offering this disbursement program since 2015: Diliman, Makati-Gil Puyat, Pasig Shaw, Makati-Ayala, Kalookan, Mandaluyong, Manila, Alabang, Bacoor, Biñan, Dagupan, Baguio, Cebu, Iloilo, Davao, and Cagayan de Oro.

What to do with a command-and-control manager

May 10, 2019 | 12:01 am

Our department head is an old jerk whose management style is command-and-control. He keeps a close watch on what we’re doing almost every day as if we’re a bunch of elementary kids. We hate our jobs that give us no fulfillment, enjoyment, or the freedom to be creative. Many of us are planning to leave, except that there are not too many opportunities around us. Please write something about command-and-control and I will find a way of putting a hard copy of your column in the suggestion box. — Being Hopeful.

The following story has been told so many times and in various ways from different sources, except for the ending. There is much speculation concerning what heaven and hell will be like. At times, we talk of hell describing both situations – being jobless and with a job but working in a hellish work environment.

In the story, a man who was allowed to see heaven and hell. He was first taken to hell and into a room in the middle of which there was a large pot of stew. The stew smelled delicious, but all around this pot there were people who were starving almost to death.

They all held spoons in their hands that had unusually long handles which reached all the way to the pot. But because the spoon handles were longer than their arms, they were unable to return the spoons filled with stew to their mouths.

The suffering was terrible and continuous with no solutions in sight.

The man was then taken to heaven. Heaven was identical to hell. The room and the pot of stew in the middle was the same, and the spoons were the same. But the people in this room were well-fed and joyous. The visitor was perplexed. As he watched the people in this room, he immediately learned the difference. The people had spoons that would not allow them to feed themselves, so they fed each other.

What does this mean for your particular situation? If you and your colleagues are suffering in a difficult work situation, then what if — all of you cooperate with one another to take a united stand against the unreasonable command-and-control style of your boss? If you act as one, it would be difficult for your boss to refute all complaints.

“United we stand, divided we fall” is a familiar and oft-repeated phrase that can well apply to your case. Therefore, it’s better for all of you to act as one against your department boss. Arrange for a meeting with your boss and you as the facilitator. Organize a department meeting with your boss and all of your colleagues in attendance.

If this fails, then proceed to the next step.

If you are in a unionized work environment, use the grievance machinery of your organization to file a complaint against that particular department head. Otherwise, you can simply write a formal petition to the CEO giving specific details about the management style. That’s assuming that your company does not have a whistle blower program. Whatever approach you take, be clear about your complaint and that you have already exhausted all means to resolve the issue with the boss.

Be ready with particulars and all the reasons you think such a style is unhealthy in any organization. When you file a complaint, give specific examples on how you and your colleagues have been treated badly by your boss.

Of course, you can have a clipping of this article and have it deposited in your suggestion box so that management sees it. The trouble however is the suggestion box is operated by an equally-outmoded human resource department that may be at a loss on what to do with it. Further, the suggestion box is often treated as an ineffective form of receiving complaints, much less employee ideas. At times, you’ll get poison letters that accuse people in the organization without any concrete evidence.

Besides, command-and-control has been considered an ineffective management style since the end of the war, after it was used extensively by the military for practical reasons. John Landry, writing for Harvard Business Review, cites the case of Iron Mountain CEO Bob Brennan. In his article, “Breaking the Command-and-Control Reflex,” Landry writes: “(T)op-down leadership no longer works well for companies. But he (Brennan) believes that too many of his managers still operate in a ‘command-and-control reflex.’”

“They’re a lot like he was earlier in his career: good at holding subordinates accountable but bad at setting clear expectations. When subordinates aren’t sure what the boss really wants to accomplish, they don’t feel safe, and true delegation is impossible. Instead of acting autonomously, they hang around the boss and try to do whatever pleases him at the moment.

“To discourage the command-and-control reflex, Brennan puts a lot of energy into hiring. He looks for people who are open-minded and aware of their own foibles. Those are the ones more likely to encourage autonomy and collaboration even at the cost of control. He especially tries to screen out people who are self-centered. But he acknowledges the difficulty: ‘I’m interviewing people for positions of power. So there’s an alpha dimension to their personality that comes with the package.’”

In conclusion, there’s no other way but for you and your colleagues to take the bull by the horns. Be direct and to the point. But be courteous, diplomatic, and respectful to your boss, no matter how difficult it is. I can’t guarantee that he will change overnight.

What’s important is he has received the message and all of you are serious about it.

ELBONOMICS: Expect the best from worst people and prepare to be surprised.

Send anonymous questions to elbonomics@gmail.com or via https://reyelbo.consulting

Mother’s day at the mall (05/10/19)

May 10, 2019 | 12:01 am

Robinsons Magnolia

TURKISH appliance brand Beko celebrates mothers with a free makeup session and tutorial, fresh baked pastries and coffee, and a lot of goodies on May 10 at Robinsons Magnolia. Beko aims to showcase its new products.

BGC

THIS Mother’s Day, celebrate mom and give her a very special treat she will remember on May 12. BGC is staging Hey, Momma! by Mommy Mundo to treat moms to a whole day of fun activities. Meanwhile, moms can nurture their kids’ passion for arts and music with fun activities at YouthStock!, a Coachella-inspired event for tweens, on May 11 and 12. It will be a weekend of art activities, musical performances, and loads of fun.

Shangri-La Plaza

SHANGRI-LA PLAZA mall has lined up three ways to celebrate Mother’s Day. First, share any photo or video with a heartwarming message for mom on the mall’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages with the hashtags #ThankYouMom and #MomsDayAtShang, and tag @Shangri-La Plaza until May 10. Five promotion winners will get to give their mothers a pair of peach pearl earrings from Misaki Monaco and a skincare set from Adore. Then there is Isang Pasasalamat, a Mother’s Day series of tribute performances. The Consortium of Voices will be going around the mall at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. At 7 p.m. at the Grand Atrium, enjoy a performance by the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra, led by musical director Gerald Salonga, and the Philippine Madrigal Singers with choirmaster Mark Anthony Carpio. Finally, there is the Mommy’s Day Out Shopping Exhibit at the East Atrium from May 10-12. Cookies from Tochi Desserts will be given away free from 12:30-3:30 p.m. and 5-8 p.m. on May 12. Take a souvenir photo to remember the moment at the special Mother’s Day photo booth at the 2/3 Level, East Wing. For inquiries, call 370-2597 or 98 or visit www.facebook.com/shangrilaplazaofficial.

Ortigas Malls

SHARE special MOMents with Mom for every minimum purchase wrth P2,000 from any Ortigas Mall establishment made from May 6 to 12. At the Greenhills VMall Lobby, there will be a spa party, a perfume making workshop, and a Sweet Serenade. At Tiendesitas, there will be a Super Mom Work Out, a soap-making workshop, and a Bazaar for Moms by Moms. At Estancia, there will be caricature sketching, a bento-making workshop, Mommy Talks and more.

Eastwood City

EASTWOOD CITY is holding Beautiful MOMents, a full month of beauty, shopping, wellness and dining offerings from participating establishments. Guests can also find gift ideas at the Mother’s Day Fair which is ongoing until May 12 at the Central Plaza. From May 10 -11 join Metro.Style’s Metro Mom’s Day Out full of empowering talks, activities and surprises at the Eastwood Mall atrium. On May 12, catch all-girl jazz trio Baihana at the atrium. For details, visit www.megaworld-lfiestylemalls.com.

Lucky Chinatown

AT Lucky Chinatown, there is the A Lot to Like Mother’s Day Fair and the Glow Like Mom wellness treats which is ongoing until May 12. On Mother’s Day, the mall will hold FurMama Love, an event for pet lovers with 1 Day Pet Pass registrations, Philippine Canine Club registration, and free vaccines for pets. The event will also feature the recital of Lucky Chinatown’s summer kiddie workshoppers dedicated to Mom. There will also be a performances by JBK Serenades. For details, visit www.megaworld-lfiestylemalls.com.

Venice Grand Canal

AT McKinley Hill’s Venice Grand Canal, Mother’s Day deals will be available from May 10 to 12. Then on May 12, Artsy MOMents will be held at the ground floor of Venice Cineplex, and Joey G will perform live at 7 p.m. at the Ponte de Amore Bridge. For details, visit www.megaworld-lfiestylemalls.com.

Uptown Bonifacio

AT Uptown Bonifacio, all kinds of mothers are being celebrated until May 12. Apart from All For Moms dining and shopping deals at partner establishments, there is the Weekend Market at the Parade from May 8-12, a Shop For Mom fair with gift ideas from May 9-11, and Moms Who Bloom flower pop ups from May 10-12. Then on May 12 catch the FoxLife Mother’s Day event called the League of Extraordinary Moms: Year 3. For details, visit www.megaworld-lfiestylemalls.com.

Forbes Town

FORBES TOWN celebrates Mother’s Day from May 10 to 12, starting with the All For Our Kween wellness and dining deals and the Mom’s The Bomb Weekend Fair. For details, visit www.megaworld-lfiestylemalls.com.

Southwoods Mall

SOUTHWOODS MALL’s Mother’s Day celebrations run from May 8-31, starting with the It’s A Mom Thing gifts and specialty fair at the Atrium. There are Mom’s Specialties with exclusive promos and discounts at participating establishments. Then on May 12 there will be a Do-It-Yourself workshop. For details, visit www.megaworld-lfiestylemalls.com.

San Lorenzo Mall

SAN LORENZO MALL is holding a Mom’s Favorite Fair until May 10 and offers Thank You Mom deals until May 12 at participating establishments. Grand MOMents, where inspiring moms share real-life stories on motherhood, will be held on May 12, 3 p.m., and at 5 p.m. there will be a Momma Ramps kiddie fashion show. Finally from May 17 to 28, mothers can attend the MOM-preneur fair for home based businesses. For details visit www.megaworld-lfiestylemalls.com.

Twin Lakes

AT Twin Lakes, discounts and promos from select establishments are being offered until May 12. Then from May 10 to 12, sweets, flowers and gift items can be found at the Mom’s Favorites fair. On May 12, Twin Lakes will host Mom’s Playlist at 5 p.m. onwards featuring live music. For details, visit www.megaworld-lfiestylemalls.com.

Festive Walk Mall

AT Festive Walk Mall in Iloilo, experts will be giving parenting tips on May 11 to 12, including a New Mom’s guide to postnatal life, the stages of motherhood, Mom’s self care tips, and Mompreneurship. For details, visit www.megaworld-lfiestylemalls.com.

Araneta Center

ACTRESS Jodi Sta. Maria will take part in MOMentous: A Memorable Mother’s Day at the Araneta Center on May 12 at the Gateway Mall activity area. Ms. Sta. Maria will perform a special number and join a cooking demo facilitated by Professional Academy for Culinary Education. Among the activities for this weekend is a talk on “The Solo Parent Act of 2000” with Carina Javier, president of Federation of Solo Parents in Luzvimin Inc. — United Solo Parents of the Philippines (FUSPP), at the Gateway Mall. Participating mothers will also get free skin analysis, hair styling, and foot and hand massage. The “Solo Mom’s Bazaar,” which will showcase products like organic rice and coffee, will be held at the Gateway Mall from May 12 to 18 as part of Araneta Center’s CSR activity in partnership with FUSPP. For details visit Araneta Center’s website.

Manila Water 1st quarter earnings slide 27%

May 10, 2019 | 12:01 am

MANILA WATER Co., Inc reported a 27% fall in first-quarter net income to P1.23 billion, in part as the water concessionaire factored in the impact of the water supply shortage within its service area starting in March.

“In all, Manila Water net income margin for the period stood at 24%,” the Ayala-led company said, adding that excluding the effects of the water supply shortage, core net income grew 22% to P2.1 billion.

Revenues rose by 8% to P5.1 billion, driven by the higher tariff during the quarter in its Metro Manila east zone concession along with the improved growth of its business outside the Philippine capital, Manila Water told the stock exchange on Thursday.

“However, this growth was partially offset by the voluntary, one-time Bill Waiver Program to help alleviate the inconvenience of all customers and to those severely affected by the water shortage in the Manila concession,” the company said.

Operating expenses jumped by 39% to reach P2.5 billion, driven by higher costs and expenses. This was due to the provision for the financial penalty imposed by the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) amounting to P534 million, which the company has decided to pay.

Manila Water said it continues to make progress on its service recovery efforts.

As of May 8, the company has achieved 98% water availability of at least 8 hours at 7 pounds per square inch (psi), or at ground floor level. It has also reached 72% 24-hour water availability at 7 psi.

The company’s continuing work on various distribution solutions seeks to address pocket areas of less than 8 hours of supply.

Its Cardona water treatment plant has been producing 50 million liters per day (MLD) and deep wells have augmented the Angat Dam water supply with production of 30 MLD. Cross-border flows are at 16 MLD, the company said.

Outside the Manila concession, its subsidiary Manila Water Philippine Ventures, Inc. (MWPV) reported a 7% rise in first-quarter profit to P174 million. Growth in this segment was led by MWPV’s business-to-business arm, Estate Water, which recorded gains in its customer base through the takeover of new estates and key accounts.

Estate Water’s net income stood at P93 million, 166% more than the previous year. But other domestic subsidiaries in Clark, Laguna, and Boracay registered lower earnings for the period due to a slowdown in demand and higher operating costs.

Manila Water Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. (MWAP), which houses the company’s investments in the region, more than doubled its earnings to P135 million with the full recognition of the acquisition of Eastern Water Resources Development and Management Public Co. Ltd., or East Water, in Thailand, coupled with additional income from MWAP’s industrial park water supply operations at PT Sarana Tirta Ungaran in Indonesia.

The operating subsidiaries in Vietnam, namely Thu Duc Water and Kenh Dong Water, posted lower income contribution due to lower demand.

On Thursday, shares in Manila Water dropped by 2.27% to close at P21.55 each. — Victor V. Saulon

Governance in the design and use of new technologies

May 10, 2019 | 12:01 am

Technology is becoming a key component of many organizations nowadays as a response to disruptions coming from start-ups and other emerging competitors. This is compounded by the emergence of the “true digital native consumers,” the Generation Z, who were born wielding and using only digital tools.

But technology is not perfect. In March 2018, the first reported fatal crash involving a self-driving Uber car killed a woman on a street in Tempe, Arizona. Artificial intelligence (AI) such as an autonomous vehicle can indeed go wrong, and it raises the question of who to blame for such mishap.

If autonomous cars become the norm in the coming years, whose responsibility is it when an accident happens? The AI software provider could be liable for buggy software, car manufacturers for faulty design, the service center for poor servicing of the vehicle, or even the owner of the autonomous vehicle for failing to update the software from the manufacturer.

Take another example — the recent report of CNN which headlined that “AI is hurting people of color and the poor.” It cited several examples like: “A recent study by Joy Buolamwini at the M.I.T. Media Lab found facial recognition software has trouble identifying women of color. Tests by The Washington Post found that accents often trip up smart speakers like Alexa. And an investigation by ProPublica revealed that software used to sentence criminals is biased against black Americans.”

Bias in these situations stems from how the writers of the algorithms forget certain variables such as race or gender. Hence, I agree that “Addressing these issues will grow increasingly urgent as things like facial recognition software become more prevalent in law enforcement, border security, and even hiring.”

Similar to AI, the ethical consequences of blockchain technology can be just as diverse and wide-ranging. The growing popularity of blockchain as a digital distributed ledger technology has the potential to provide secure and immutable digital identities of distributed and sequenced information or transactions in various industries such as financial services, logistics, and healthcare. But these digital identities open important questions about control and privacy of data.

The newness of blockchain with its most popular use case, cryptocurrency, and the lack of regulatory oversight opens this technology to scams and unscrupulous businesses. One high profile case is Onecoin which was exposed as a Ponzi scheme and reportedly stole millions from duped investors who believed they were getting in early on what would become the “next Bitcoin.”

While the novelty of blockchain technology may give rise to certain groups taking advantage of people’s ignorance, other technologies intentionally lure its users by using entertaining applications only to capture personal data. This can be gleaned from how Filipinos are willing to give their detailed information just to be entertained.

Many apps, once downloaded and accepted, reads your browser history, checks your phone calls, remembers your location, listen to your microphone, and watches you through the camera — a blatant breach of your privacy. The same goes for most entertaining apps such as those that tell your celebrity look-alike or quiz apps that tell you what your super powers are.

While these technologies and other emerging ones present huge benefits for society, there are patently ethical issues that come out faster than how regulators and industry groups can react. There is a need for an ethical framework that will guide in the design and usage of these new technologies.

We propose a three-step Technology Ethical Design Framework. The first step is to understand the desired outcome of the use of the technology and clearly define the approach to achieve the outcome.

The second step is to design and simulate implementation of the technology in multiple scenarios to reveal the impacts of design alternatives on the defined outcomes and on the people affected by the design.

The final step is the maintenance phase that involves periodically revisiting the first two steps to ensure that the technology is still achieving its objectives and desired outcomes.

This governance model which can be implemented by regulators and industry groups should be inclusive and community-based and may involve other professions and experts other than technologists. Experts in the field of philosophy should be an integral member of the governance committee to allow thorough questioning of the technology’s potential societal impact, such as ethical dilemmas posed by AI.

Ultimately, the governance of emerging technologies should consider the desired outcomes to people and society while mitigating the ethical risks.

Reynaldo C. Lugtu, Jr. is President & CEO of Hungry Workhorse Consulting, a digital and culture transformation firm. He is the Chairman of the Information and Communications Technology Committee of the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines. He teaches strategic management in the MBA Program of De La Salle University. The author may be emailed at rey.lugtu@hungryworkhorse.com

1...11,02511,02611,027...14,247 Page 11,026 of 14,247