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Phinma Petroleum withdraws from Leyte exploration project

PHINMA Petroleum and Geothermal, Inc. (PPG) has withdrawn from a service contract that sought to explore the possibility of geothermal energy in Leyte, the company told the stock exchange on Thursday.
The energy exploration company, a unit of Phinma Energy Corp., said it would recognize a loss of P32.7 million for the write-off of its share in expenditures incurred so far in Service Contract No. 51 (SC 51) in Eastern Visayas.
“This is equivalent to 22% of the Company’s total assets as of March 31, 2018,” the company said.
PPG has also informed the Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday that it had notified the Department of Energy (DoE) of its withdrawal from SC 51.
The company has a 6.67% participating interest in SC 51, but the stake could have been adjusted to 33.34% upon the DoE’s approval of the withdrawal of its original operator Otto Energy Investment Ltd., a unit of Australia-listed Otto Energy Ltd.
Otto Energy on May 5, 2014 notified PPG and the other partners in the consortium that it had elected to withdraw from SC 51, a move which is subject to DoE approval.
On June 28, 2014, the Filipino partners requested the DoE to suspend exploration for a phase of the project from the date of Otto Energy’s withdrawal and until the approval of the company’s participating interest to the locals.
In March and December last year, the Filipino partners reiterated their intent to carry on with the exploration of SC 51. They further signed a deed of undertaking to pay the outstanding financial obligation of Otto Energy amounting to $124,763.
Otto Energy started in April 2012 a 100-kilometer seismic program in the town of San Isidro, Leyte to pick the optimum location for the drilling of exploration block’s prospect. — Victor V. Saulon

Marvel icon Stan Lee in $1-B lawsuit against the company he started

LOS ANGELES — Comic books legend Stan Lee is suing the entertainment company he cofounded for damages topping $1 billion, accusing bosses of trying to steal his image, according to court documents filed Tuesday.
The complaint, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court and published by several US entertainment media outlets, alleges that POW! Entertainment CEO Shane Duffy and cofounder Gill Champion failed to fully disclose to Lee details of the firm’s 2017 sale to Camsing International.
The entertainment icon contends that they took advantage of him at a time when he was despondent over the death of his wife Joan and suffering from macular degeneration, a condition affecting the eyes.
The 95-year-old co-creator of many superhero characters, including Black Panther and Spider-Man, alleges he was duped into signing a fraudulent agreement that gave POW! exclusive rights to his name, identity and likeness.
According to the lawsuit, Lee was unable to read the document due to his eye condition, and he doesn’t remember anyone reading it to him, suggesting that his signature may have been forged, copied or induced.
“In addition, POW! took control of Lee’s personal social media accounts, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, thereby impersonating Lee before a combined 15 million followers worldwide,” the complaint reads.
There has been no response from POW! Entertainment to the lawsuit. But in April, the company issued a statement expressing concern for Lee amid reports that he was the victim of elder abuse.
“We at POW! Entertainment take great pride in our continuing work to create exciting new Stan Lee content and characters as well as safeguarding the legacy of the greatest storyteller of our time,” the statement said.
“We are also fans and share the heartfelt admiration and love of the community who have voiced their sincere concern for Stan’s well-being.”
There were more negative headlines when it emerged last month that Lee was being sued by massage therapist Maria Carballo for sexual assault and battery. She accuses him of inappropriate touching and misconduct during two sessions last year in Chicago.
Lee’s attorney Jonathan Freund has denied the allegations to the Chicago Tribune newspaper.
Lee has faced a similar claim before. In January, the Daily Mail reported on allegations of sexual assault and harassment by nurses who cared for Lee at his Los Angeles home.
Lee’s representatives denied those allegations. — AFP

Goldman aims to preserve pre-IPO culture, even as partnership dwindles

WASHINGTON — Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. has launched a global training initiative to safeguard the tight-knit culture it developed as a private partnership, even as the bank marks its 19th year as a publicly traded company.
Bank leaders, including Chief Executive Officer Lloyd Blankfein and his deputy, Chief Operating Officer David Solomon, have been anchoring 2-1/2-hour sessions with managers across the globe since September, focused on improving culture and employee conduct, executives involved with the effort told Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence.
Since the 2007-2009 financial crisis, regulators have put a strong emphasis on improving corporate culture and employee behavior in a bid to reduce risk across the system.
Some 2,500 employees are expected to participate in the mandatory exercise known internally as the “Chairman’s Forum” by the time it concludes later this year, the executives said.
The sessions recreate everyday workplace scenarios to encourage senior staff to think about how they should behave when faced with tough decisions and conflict, including with respect to client transactions. Stephen Scherr, CEO of Goldman Sachs Bank USA, which houses the bank’s consumer and corporate lending businesses, has led two of the gatherings so far.
Instilling uniform cultural values has gotten more difficult as Goldman has grown from the private firm with 5,000 employees Scherr joined in 1993 to the global banking institution with 30,000 employees that it is today, he said.
“When I look back over 25 years, I don’t think the themes that are being covered in these more organized sessions are frankly very different than those that were pervasive early on,” said Scherr. “What has changed is that at a purely practical level we’re a much bigger organization.” Goldman Sachs listed on the New York Stock Exchange in May 1999.
The bank has maintained its partnership program, but partners now represent less than 2% of total staff.
Goldman took a hard look at its culture following the financial crisis, when its image was tainted by claims it misled investors over profitable mortgage trades and a former employee who wrote a book accusing bank executives of calling clients “muppets.”
Following that review, an internal committee released a report in 2013 reiterating a set of core business principles established by former CEO John Whitehead that focused on integrity, trust and putting clients first.
The training sessions build on that effort, especially as Blankfein enters his 13th year as CEO and prepares to eventually hand the reins over to Solomon.
Goldman executives said they are trying to make the training sessions relevant to real situations managers encounter. Sessions begin with video case studies that lead to interactive group discussions.
Blankfein makes an appearance at the start of each session by video, telling managers to foster a culture in which employees see it their “individual responsibility to raise issues that they are worried about.” — Reuters

Best superhero movie of the year


By Noel Vera
Video Review
Psychokinesis (Yeom-Iyeok)
Directed by Yeon Sang-ho
Netflix
I KNOW, I know, I know, I know — if you’re sick of the genre as I am you probably don’t want to hear about yet another super-powered protagonist, let alone the first ever to come out of South Korea.
Yet I think Yeon Sang-ho’s Psychokinesis (Yeom-Iyeok, 2018) is different. Or different enough to be worth a look.
Lemme tell you first what the movie’s not: it’s not an overblown, overproduced, overlong megaproduction with over a dozen hyperjuiced characters battling over the fate of the world; it does not feature smart-alecky dialogue expertly designed to defuse skepticism and cynicism by adopting its own skeptical cynical attitude (the movie is committed to its own cheesiness); and it’s not stuffed to the gills with state-of-the-art digital effects (the effects — when they’re not blessedly practical — are barely passable, as if the filmmakers had other priorities than making their work look professionally slick).
What it is is a parable of failed fatherhood seeking redemption. Seok-heon (Ryu Seung-ryong) walked away from his wife and child years ago; he’s even come up with an explanation for his act, thinking they wouldn’t want to be associated with a loser like him. The past few years he’s worked as a security guard, supplementing his meager income with a little theft on the side; along the way he sips from a mountain spring enriched by Essence of Meteorite, and somehow gains telekinetic powers.
The first time Seok-heon hears from his estranged (now full-grown) daughter Roo-mi (Shim Eun-kyung) she’s doing well: she and her mother have developed a particularly tasty Korean fried chicken (KFC — a thing in Korea that has apparently spread worldwide), and their hole-in-the-wall has grown into a popular local draw. Unfortunately, a gang-affiliated construction company wants to buy the store’s location cheap for its own large-scale office development project; while defending their little eatery against an assault by hired thugs, Roo-mi’s mother is killed. Which is how Seok-heon got updated on his daughter’s life: she felt he at least deserved a call, if little else.
Does Seok-heon use his newfound powers to defend Roo-mi’s tiny establishment against corporate greed? Not really — when father and daughter attend a neighborhood association meeting in response to the recent violence, Seok-heon’s advice is to not risk their necks and just leave; he’s just conceived the idea of supporting them both by using his powers to perform onstage magic tricks, and to hell with the others. The man means well but his thickheadedness becomes a constant source of frustration for Roo-mi.
Seok-heon eventually gets the message: Roo-mi is serious about defending her little chicken joint; the message hits home especially hard when it dawns on him that idealistic lawyer Kim Jung-hyun (Park Jung-min) — who provides the neighborhood association with free legal advice — may be in love with his daughter. Seok-heon has landed himself in a situation many a wayward dad may find familiar: he has to earn back his daughter’s trust by being more enthusiastic about her cause than her wannabe boyfriend, at same time he has to re-establish his role as father and guardian when there’s already a potential rival in the horizon (which brings to mind a popular online meme “Rules to Remember When Dating My Daughter No. 9: I’m Not Afraid to Go Back in Jail.”)
The movie has its share of digital and practical SFX but easily the single most effective effect is Ryu Seung-ryong’s face as Seok-heon, Roo-mi’s father. Where most superheroes are boyishly pretty or craggily heroic — at most sporting a goatee or the odd mustache — Seok-heon’s face is nakedly, unrelievedly commonplace, with jowls that lend him a melancholy Droopy Dog expression. He’s about as far from a superhero as one can possibly imagine with all the accompanying human vices, from pride to greed to cowardice (Though strangely not lust — the only woman in his life apparently is Roo-mi). Unlike, say, a Henry Cavill or a Chris Evans, his demeanor does not immediately suggest courage or confidence; he has to grow into the role painfully, in fits and starts.
Also love the movie’s villain (skip the next two paragraphs if you plan to watch!). When we first meet the construction gang it’s being led by President Min (Kim Min-jae), an odious corporate suit whose swagger is easy to loathe; turns out that behind Min is the more highly placed Director Hong (Jung Yu-mi) — a hilariously foulmouthed, unpredictable charmer who acts the perfect luncheon host one moment, and morphs into gleeful sociopath the next.
For all its virtues, the movie is hardly an example of elegant storytelling — the implied rivalry between Seok-heon and his wannabe son-in-law is never really developed; we fail to see the promised confrontation between the two most significant male figures in Roo-mi’s life. Likewise Director Hong is presented as a more prosperous alternative daughter to the stubborn Roo-mi (Hong is, in effect, Roo-mi with an unlimited credit line and absolutely no moral inhibitions whatsoever) and that possibility is barely even suggested before it’s summarily dropped.
But who cares? What matters is that Yeon Sang-ho (who also directed the underrated zombies-on-rails thriller Train to Busan) drags the superhero and his overblown adventures back down to Earth where they firmly belong, his characters flawed and believable, his villains funny and unpredictable, his tragicomic adventures human and modestly scaled. Best superhero movie of the year — of the past several years? Absolutely.

A buffet of fitness


By Michelle Anne P. Soliman
Fitness event
FitCon MNL|5
May 18 to 20
Green Sun Hotel,
Chino Roces Ave. Ext.,
Makati City
HEALTH AND FITNESS programs, sessions on the new physical exercises, and workshops on fitness entrepreneurship come together in the rebranded FitCon MNL|5 this weekend at Green Sun, Makati City.
The fitness event organized by Dynamic Duo — founded by Rica Rodriguez and Divine Masinsin — returns for its second year with new activities for athletes, coaches, instructors, and fitness enthusiasts.
Over 60 workshops and 28 master classes facilitated by 15 experts from around the globe will be held during the three-day event. The activities include sessions on nutrition, sport science, the business of personal training, physique transformation, cooking healthy, more efficient workouts and sports practices, and workout programs for special populations. Three keynote speakers — Philippine fitness icon Vivian Zapanta, author and diet coach to the stars Nadine Tengco, and Glenn Ang, founder/director of RAW Active Singapore — will conduct workshops.
An expo hall will also be open to the public for the first time. It will highlight the latest trends in the industry. The hall’s activity center will showcase hourly master classes on bodyART, bosu, kamagon, piloxing, stott pilates, surge, TriggerPoint foam rolling, yoga, and Zumba. Participants may opt to attend on all days, specific days, or specific classes or workshops.
With over a decade of experience in the fitness industry of the United Arab Emirates, Ms. Rodriguez and Ms. Masinsin aim to share their knowledge with their countrymen. “We’ve been to fitness conventions around the world and they’ve always taught us so much for us to use in our careers,” Ms. Rodriguez was quoted as saying in a press release. “We wanted to bring the same to the Philippines and see the local fitness industry become globally competitive,” she said.
“Every year, there’s a new exercise or a breakthrough in sports science. Constantly learning and upskilling is necessary for anyone in the industry if you don’t want to get left behind,” Ms. Masinsin said in the press release.
There are many misconceptions about health and fitness. “People think they need to look good before they can be fit. That’s a big misconception. When we say fit, we want you to be fit for you,” Ms. Rodriguez said during a press conference at Kerry Sports Manila in Shangri-La The Fort, Taguig. Ms. Masinsin added that it is wrong to think that one has to “die in the gym” to keep fit. “The reason why you’re working out is because you want to live outside,” she said.
Ms. Rodriguez noted that not only diet and weight loss but also cardiovascular fitness and methods for living better that should be considered when it comes to fitness. She said that the main idea behind FitCon MNL|5 is to help participants learn how to take care of themselves, how to live properly, learn about nutrition and discover which routines and workouts are effective for each individual.
This year, FitCon MNL|5 will be held in partnership with TV5 in spreading awareness of the local fitness industry as well as educating the public about health and wellness. “Even if the event is only once a year, we are trying to get as much information as possible so that we can disperse it to the members of the communities in the Philippines that are affiliated or want to get into sports and fitness,” ESPN 5 anchor Amanda Fernandez said at the press conference.
For more information on schedules, workshops or for other inquiries, visit www.fitconmnl.com, e-mail info@dynamicduoinc.com or leave a message on the Facebook page www.facebook.com/FitConMNL/.

How PSEi member stocks performed — May 17, 2018

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Thursday, May 17, 2018.

What to see this week

5 films to see on the week of May 18-25, 2018

Deadpool 2


WISECRACKING mercenary Deadpool joins forces with three mutants — Bedlam, Shatterstar and Domino — to protect a boy from the all-powerful villain. Directed by David Leitch, the film stars Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin, Julian Dennizon, Zazie Beets, and T.J. Miller. The film garnered a score of 86% on the Rotten Tomatoes film aggregate site. The Washington Post’s Michael O’Sullivan writes: “It is a fairly brilliant sendup of comic-book action movies, as well as also being an excellent example of one.” The Chicago Sun-Times’ Richard Roeper opines: “Deadpool 2 is wicked, dark fun from start to finish, with some twisted and very funny special effects, cool production elements, terrific ensemble work — and for dessert, perhaps the best end-credits ‘cookie’ scene ever.”
MTRCB Rating: R-16

Early Man


FROM NICK PARK — the creator of Wallace and Gromit — comes this animated comedy set in the prehistoric times about a tribe of displace primitive hunters who challenge the invading bronze-makers to a soccer game in hope to win back their home. The film features the voices of Eddie Redmayne, Tom Hiddleston, Maisie Williams, Timothy Spall, and Richard Ayoade. The Atlantic’s David Sims writes, “It’s just about the biggest cliché one could imagine for a British animated feature. And yet like any Park film, it’s pretty charming, the kind of kids movie that finds the right mix of slapstick humor and intelligent storytelling to keep everyone in the audience happy.”
MTRCB Rating: PG

Terminal


ASSASSINS are out on a sinister mission; a sick teacher; an enigmatic janitor; a troubled waitress — lives intertwine in this tale of a mysterious criminal mastermind bent on revenge. Directed by Vaughn Stein, the film stars Margot Robbie, Mike Myers, Simon Pegg, and Matthew Lewis. Rolling Stone’s Peter Travers gives the movie zero stars and writes, “There isn’t a single spark of originality in this whole pointless exercise in neon-lit nilhilism.” And yet, the Chicago Sun-Times’ Richard Roeper writes that “it’s one fantastically loopy journey. This is a highly stylized, beautifully photographed and seriously weird noir mystery.” Rotten Tomatoes gives it a 24% rating.
MTRCB Rating: R-16

Home Invasion (a.k.a. Keep Watching)


INTRUDERS force a family to play “Kill. Or be Killed.” The family then realize that the game is being streamed live worldwide. Directed by Sean Carter, the movie stars Bella Thorne, Chandler Riggs, Natalie Martinez, Ioan Gruffud, and Matthew Willig. Todd Gilchrist of BloodyDisgusting.com writes, “At barely 90 minutes, Keep Watching is thankfully brief, hustling through its expository introduction towards some empty suspense and poorly photographed violence.”
MTRCB Rating: R-13

Kasal


AS STAR CINEMA’s 25th anniversary movie, Kasal centers on public school teacher who questions her decision to marry a candidate for mayor in Cebu. Then, her ex returns in the province wanting her back. Directed by Ruel S. Bayani, it stars Bea Alonzo, Paulo Avelino, and Derek Ramsay.
MTRCB Rating: PG

Agri-agra reforms pushed

farmers
Farmers walk along the slopes of fields with their harvests. — AFP

THE CENTRAL BANK is backing proposals to amend a law setting credit quotas for the farming sector amid poor compliance, as it eyes to accommodate infrastructure financing and other alternatives in order to boost lending.
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Deputy Governor Chuchi G. Fonacier said authorities are wrapping up a study towards increased compliance with the Republic Act 10000 or the Agri-Agra Reform Credit Act, as well as other modes of credit that will boost banks’ compliance with the required lending.
Signed in 2010, the law mandates banks to allot at least 10% of total loanable funds for agrarian reform beneficiaries, and 15% for farmers and fisherfolk.
Banks only extended a total of P573.7 billion in agri-agra loans in 2017, just half the P1.034 trillion they should have lent to the sector, according to BSP data.
The Agri-Fisheries Alliance yesterday called for reforms in agricultural credit, with sector leaders asking for greater flexibility on lending to allow greater agri-financing. Among their proposals include lumping the agri-agra lending provisions into a 25% blanket requirement for lending to agriculture, which they said will provide more leeway for banks to help out the sector.
Ms. Fonacier said the central bank is in favor of such proposals, adding that there could be other forms of lending which may be deemed compliant with the provisions of the law.
“There may be investments in strategic areas like infrastructure and farm-to-market roads [which may be considered]… BSP welcomes that kind of idea as it will also help banks comply with the Agri-Agra law,” the BSP official said in a briefing yesterday at the University of Asia & the Pacific.
“That will take amendment but we’re favoring a study to have flexibility in the allocation of the entire 25% lending,” Ms. Fonacier added, noting that this would have to go through the legislative mill as the existing law is “very explicit” about the allocations.
Lenders prefer to pay penalties for non-compliance rather than lend to the so-called “risky” segment. In particular, banks only lent 1.05% of their portfolio for agrarian reform, a far cry from the 10% standard. Meanwhile, loans to farmers were higher at 12.83% but still short of the 15% requirement.
Banks are given several options to meet the required lending. Direct compliance involves extending credit lines to qualified borrowers and the purchase of eligible loans from other financial firms.
Meanwhile, alternative methods include investing in duly-declared eligible debt instruments, investing in the special deposit accounts of BSP-accredited rural lenders, wholesale lending to rural banks, granting rediscount loans to other banks covering farm loan credits, and the extension of loans for public infrastructure for the benefit of the farming sector.
For its part, the state-owned Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) noted that they are planning to issue bonds to be auctioned to other banks in order to help these lenders meet the required lending.
LANDBANK President and chief executive officer Alex V. Buenaventura said, however, that they still need to ramp up their own agriculture-related loans before they can issue “Small Farmers Corporative Bonds” for other lenders to avail of as alternative means for compliance. — Melissa Luz T. Lopez

National Museum of Natural History: A focus on biodiversity

Text and photos by Michelle Anne P. Soliman

At the Taft Avenue end of Manila’s Rizal Park one sees the neoclassical building, originally designed by architect Antonio Toledo in the 1930s, now sporting a modern glass dome. Atop the eight pillars of the main entrance is spelled out the building’s new name: the National Museum of Natural History. The third building of the National Museum Complex in Manila, it officially opens its doors to the public today, just in time to mark the celebration of International Museum Day.
“We always try to do something significant and high profile in solidarity with museums around the world,” said National Museum director Jeremy R. Barns, noting that it will be a limited opening since some galleries are still being readied for view. “We just do not want people to wait any longer to get a taste of what we are doing here and to see all of the interesting specimens and exhibits that are ready.”
The completion of the National Museum Complex was enabled with the enactment of Republic Act 8492, also known as the “National Museum Act of 1998” by former President Fidel V. Ramos. As stated in Sec. 4, the law provides the “permanent and exclusive site” of the institutions to be: the National Museum of Fine Arts (the former Executive House building) which houses the paintings and sculptures of Filipino visual artists and national artists; the National Museum of Anthropology (the former Department of Finance building) which houses archeological and ethnological artifacts; and the National Museum of Natural History (the former Department of Tourism building) which houses the flora and fauna collections. With the appropriation of the buildings, Sec. 6 of the said law provides objectives that the museum be an “educational institution,” a “scientific institution,” and a “cultural center.”
Mr. Barns told BusinessWorld that the Department of Tourism (DoT) turned over the building to the National Museum just in 2013, completing the law enacted in 1998.
WHAT’S IN STORE
While the National Museums of Fine Arts and Anthropology have Juan Luna’s Spoliarium and Fragment 22 of the Berlin Wall as their respective centerpiece exhibits, the Natural History museum has the preserved remains of Lolong, one of the largest crocodiles ever measured (6.17 meters). At a press conference on May 10, Mr. Barns said that the replica of the saltwater crocodile which is currently displayed at the museum will be turned over to the Department of Natural Resources (DENR) on May 22 which is the International Day for Biological Diversity. Meanwhile, the crocodile’s mounted skeleton is displayed at the museum’s Ayala Hall while the original preserved body will go on view at a later date.
Meanwhile, the museum’s central plaza has on display the tooth and bones of a rhinoceros philippinensis which were found at an archeological dig at Rizal, Kalinga and dated to be 709,000 years old. Showing signs of butchering, the remains pushed back the date of known human habitation of the archipelago by a considerable degree — earlier the date was set at 67,000 years ago, based on human remains found in Cagayan’s Callao Cave.
“We are very fortunate in that due to the richness of our natural resources, the Philippines is considered by many experts to be one of the most biodiverse regions in the world. All features of Philippine natural history, from our mountains to our reefs, will be highlighted in the 12 galleries in the National Museum of Natural History,” National Museum chairman Ramon R. Del Rosario, Jr. told BusinessWorld in an e-mail.
The museum has interactive displays per gallery.
“After a visit to the National Museum of Natural History, guests should take away an enhanced appreciation of our rich biodiversity. Through this world class museum, [we] hope that all Filipinos can take enhanced pride in the beauty of the Philippines and in being Filipino,” Mr. Del Rosario, Jr. added.
BUILDING AND INTERIOR DESIGN
In 2013, the National Museum Board of Trustees initiated a competition among five architects to propose a design for the building’s restoration. The project was awarded to the collaborative team of Dominic Galicia Architects and Periquet Galicia, Inc.
As Antonio Toledo’s building is one of the rare examples of a large-scale architectural remnant from the American Colonial period, the restoration’s principal designers decided to keep authentic elements from the original Neoclassical design including the exterior facades, the marbled entrance hall, and the staircases and iron grilles.
“As designers, we first learn what we can about the architectural shell — its character and style, its context, its placement on its site and how its original designer had resolved the particular issues it had presented. Then, we choose how to respond, which could be in a number of ways,” said Periquet Galicia, Inc. principal designer Tina Periquet in an e-mail to BusinessWorld.
She said that their team decided on a design concept that preserved the previous neoclassical design and that the original structure be “whole and unified.”
“The collaboration covered most elements of the interior spaces — space plans, spatial contouring, detailing, lighting, material and finish specification, and integration of ducts and engineering systems into the ceiling and wall treatments.” Ms. Periquet said. “As the project was essentially an adaptive reuse of the interiors of an existing building, the interior design was an integral part of the project from the start. The timeline for interior design thus began and ended with the architectural design and construction. The project took about four and a half years to achieve substantial completion.”
Adding an element of the modern to the classic building is the atrium’s dome which is held up by a structure that is called the “Tree of Life.”
“One of the important elements that really stood out to us in the Galicia/Periquet proposal was the concept of the Tree of Life as the centerpiece the museum,” said Mr. Del Rosario about choosing the winning concept. “The double helix and the symbolic importance of the tree were unique.”
The conceptualization of the Tree of Life was also a collaborative effort of both teams. The structural engineering of the Tree of Life was provided by Nippon Steel, a Japanese steelmaking and fabrication company.
The elevator housed at the trunk of the Tree is the main access to the various floors of the museum. “The center of the Tree of Life marks the exact center of the entire museum. Aside from carrying the dome, the trunk of the Tree of Life houses the glass elevator that takes the visitor from ground floor to the 5th Floor, where the exhibits begin. There are other ways to travel throughout the museum, but the Tree of Life elevator is the ceremonial processional way to do so,” said Dominic Galicia, principal architect of Dominic Galicia Architects, about the Tree’s function.
Among the other areas in the museum are: the Hyundai Hall, which is the museum’s formal entrance hall; the Ayala Hall, which occupies the second and third floor spaces above the ground floor and which is meant for special functions; and the ramp structure behind the Tree of Life called the Green Wall which displays local species of tropical plants in a pictorial collage.
MOVING FORWARD
Mr. Barns hopes that visitors come to appreciate the efforts of the National Museum in promoting the wealth of Filipino biodiversity and history. “We need focus on the National Museum [complex] and its potential. We’ve been really working hard to turn the perception around that it’s not worth visiting, or it’s boring, or not appealing, and really make it into a dynamic institution that people find fascinating; and visitors from all over the world want to come and see,” he said, stressing the institution’s value as a source of national pride, for education, science and research, and art appreciation.
“We will continue to keep working at making this a world class natural history museum that can rank with the great natural history museums around the world. We [are] excited to do our part to promote science, environmental causes, and responsible stewardship of our islands and waters,” Mr. Barns said.
The National Museum of Natural History is located at T.M. Kalaw St., Rizal Park, Manila. Admission is free.

TV makes film a ‘vintage genre’ says Travolta at Cannes

CANNES — Television is making cinema a “vintage genre,” John Travolta said Wednesday at the Cannes film festival, lamenting that films were “not as sought after” as before.
Travolta, 64, was in Cannes for the premiere of his film about notorious New York mafia boss John Gotti — a family affair in which Travolta is the mob don, his wife Kelly Preston is Gotti’s wife Victoria, and their daughter Ella plays Gotti’s daughter Angel.
The Grease and Pulp Fiction star, who brought his whole family to Cannes, went from jet black to grey for Gotti, which is directed by Kevin Connolly.
Rapper 50 Cent tweeted a picture of Travolta dancing with him on-stage at the post-premiere party.
The actor, who shot to fame as a disco king in tight shirts and bellbottoms in the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever, seemed to be getting into the groove.
A planned photo call was canceled the next morning.
Addressing film students during a masterclass later Wednesday, the actor, who played O.J. Simpson’s lawyer in an American true-crime series in 2016, said television had shaken up Hollywood.
“It’s not so good for us who have established ourselves in human drama on the big screen, because they’re not as sought after, those dramas and types of movies.”
“We’re trying to hold onto a kind of vintage genre on the big screen. Even with Gotti, we’re looking at a throwback to the type of movie I became famous on,” he added.
“The old rules where, if you’re in TV you shouldn’t do film, and if you’re on stage you shouldn’t do film, have gone right out the window. It doesn’t mean anything anymore.”
Travolta has a strong connection with the Cannes film festival, where he made his comeback from a post-Grease slump in 1994 with Pulp Fiction.
The cult classic won the festival’s top prize, the Palme d’Or.
After that, Travolta said: “I could write my ticket for the kind of movies I wanted to do. The Pulp Fiction explosion gave me 24 years of choice.” — AFP

20-year-old series shows why it works


By Alexander O. Cuaycong
and Anthony L. Cuaycong
WITHOUT fail save for a brief interlude at the turn of the millennium, the Atelier series has churned out a game every single year since 1997. Even as Atelier Marie: The Alchemist of Salburg proved to be a critical and commercial hit, it’s fair to argue that Gust did not anticipate the title to be just the first in a beloved franchise. That said, the developer has taken nothing for granted; improvements that strengthen the brand overall have come with every succeeding release. And, in this regard, Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings is no exception; it carries its name proudly, for the most part meeting expectations of fans via a healthy blend of combat, exploration, and creativity, with a light-hearted story weaving all the elements together.
In Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings, players follow the titular Marlen twins in their quest to become experienced alchemists. Stumbling upon a painting that leads to another world where rare minerals abound, the two resolve to use the opportunity to go on adventures and hone their alchemy in hopes of one day running the best atelier in their country. All told, it’s a grand if straightforward culmination of the outstanding Mysterious Trilogy.
To players long familiar with the Atelier series, Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings provides essentially the same visual experience as its predecessors; the art style is instantly recognizable, imbibing a colorful, vibrant, and bright atmosphere. And for all the seeming shallowness of its premise, it manages to hew closely to the theme set in previous games. In fact, it’s near flawless, ably capturing the mystery and beauty of the many environments Lydie and Suelle get to explore.
And explore the Marlens will in Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings. From the town they live in to the many different locations the painting exposes them to, they are given myriad things to do. The open-world setup from Atelier Firis: The Alchemist and the Mysterious Journey is gone, making way instead to a pick-a-map style of gameplay akin to that of Atelier Totori: The Adventurer of Arland. Nonetheless, each map is detailed, and brings with it a bevy of enemies to fight for experience and reagents to collect for alchemy. Meanwhile, the turn-based combat mechanics haven’t changed, a boon in light of the gentle learning curve. Parenthetically, choosing from among party members, using items, and attacking with skills are all standard fare for veterans of — and easy pickups for newbies to — the series.
In any case, the real fun is provided by Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings via its alchemy mini-game. Players are enjoined to use and process materials into potions or food. Said materials can be acquired — by purchase or by defeating monsters in certain locations on the map — and combined with reagents to produce powerful items. While the concepts of alchemy and synthesis might seem intimidating at first glance, it’s actually easy to understand, even for newcomers to the series.
Parenthetically, there’s something cathartic about creating, and then using, potions, weapons, and crystals, all of whose efficacy is dependent on the proper blending of ingredients. The only real downside is that better materials are hard to find and drop only from more dangerous enemies. In any case, Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings brings about a comfortable rhythm of exploration, combat, and alchemy. Neither pressuring nor particularly difficult, it’s a relaxing way to spend an afternoon with the Nintendo Switch on hand.
On the flipside, the hybrid console’s version of Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings suffers from technical concerns that prevent players from enjoying it to the fullest; it doesn’t run particularly well, displaying frame rate issues despite the lower graphical requirements. Meanwhile, the combat and the story won’t surprise anyone, and might at times feel rote and mundane. And the alchemy mini-game, by far its best inclusion, relies on grinding, a task not everyone will be happy to perform.
All told, Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings is a good buy for the Switch. It’s definitely not for everyone; not all those new to the Atelier series will enjoy its plain story, straightforward mechanics, and seemingly underwhelming graphics. For longtime followers of the franchise, however, the latest release provides more of the same old, same old — which is to say more of what it has done best over the last two decades and change.

Your Weekend Guide (May 18, 2018)

Baby Shark at the mall

THE energetic Baby Shark craze continues on May 18, 6 p.m., at the East Atrium of the Shangri-La Plaza mall. The viral “Baby Shark song” and dance is coming to the mall for an interactive performance and a meet-and-greet with the Baby Shark characters. For inquiries, call 370-2597/98 or visit www.facebook.com/shangrilaplazaofficial.

Comedy nights

COMEDY MANILA presents Funny Fridays: Endless Laughter at 8:30 p.m., on May 18 at the Teatrino at Promenade, Greenhills, San Juan. For tickets (P500) and schedules, visit TicketWorld (www.ticketworld.com.ph, 891-9999).

Changing Partners restaged

PETA Theater Center and RedMunkey have restaged Changing Partners: The Stage Musical which has performances until May 20. The story explores love’s universality and a relationship’s downward trajectory. Directed by Rem Zamora, it stars Agot Isidro, Jojit Lorenzo, Anna Luna, and Sandino Martin, with Poch Gutierrez on cello and Vincent de Jesus on piano. For tickets and schedules, visit TicketWorld (www.ticketworld.com.ph, 891-9999).

Ding, Ang Bato!

DE LA SALLE College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) presents Ding, Ang Bato!, a dance musical by Benilde’s Arts and Culture Cluster’s dance program based on Mars Ravelo’s superhero character Darna. Performances are ongoing until May 25 at DLS-CSB’s SDA Theater. The show features Christine Crame as Darna, and Natasha Cabrera as Valentina. For tickets (P500) and schedules, visit TicketWorld (www.ticketworld.com.ph, 891-9999).

Sa Wakas the musical

THE re-run of Sa Wakas: A New Pinoy Rock Musical, featuring the songs of Sugarfree, has performances at the PowerMac Center Spotlight theater at Circuit Makati until May 26. Co-written by Andrei Nikolai Pamintuan and Mariane Abuan, with musical arrangement by Ejay Yatco, the musical brings together the world of pop rock and theater. For tickets and schedules, visit TicketWorld (www.ticketworld.com.ph, 891-9999).

The Lion King

THE international touring production of The Lion King has performances at the Theatre in Solaire until May 27. Winner of over 70 major international theater awards, it features lyrics and music by Elton John and Tim Rice including the songs “Circle of Life” and the Oscar-winning “Can You Feel the Love Tonight.” For details, visit thelionking.ph. For tickets and schedules, visit TicketWorld (www.ticketworld.com.ph, 891-9999).

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