DoT urges Iloilo City accommodation providers to secure accreditation

January 15, 2019 | 12:07 am

ILOILO CITY — Annual festivals such as this city’s Dinagyang prompt peak seasons for the hotel industry, and small and medium-scale facilities also stand to cash in on the tourist influx, especially if they have government accreditation, according to the local tourism office.
“We encourage them to be accredited by the DoT (Department of Tourism) so that we can also help them promote their services,” City Tourism Officer Florence King H. Erlano said last week.
Mr. Erlano noted that as of the second week of January, 50% of about 4,300 hotel rooms in the city were already reported booked for the Dinagyang Festival 2019 weekend on Jan. 25-27.
Hotels in the city proper are the most in-demand since these are near the five judging areas of the Dinagyang’s main event, the Ati tribes’ streetdance competition.
“Once the area in city proper is fully booked, tourists and can guests can still look for other hotel rooms located in Jaro (district) and Iloilo Business Park in Mandurriao,” Mr. Erlano said.
Among the major hotels in the city are international chain Marriot, and local brands Seda, Richmonde, Hotel 101, and Go Hotels.
“We are expecting more guests, including foreigners, this year because we had a lot of successful promotions last year through various local and international media,” he added.
In anticipation of the increased demand for accommodations and as part of the festival preparations, the City Tourism Office inspected all registered facilities, including those without a DoT accreditation yet.
“The department had been conducting inspection for the issuance of the tourism license. During the investigation, we were able to check their facilities and room and until now we haven’t received any complaints regarding the servicing of these unaccredited hotels,” Mr. Erlano said.
Earlier, the DoT Western Visayas office said MV Pacific Venus, a cruise ship from Japan carrying 400 tourists, will make a stop in Iloilo to join the Dinagyang Festival highlights.
DoT Regional Director Helen J. Catalbas said the visit is significant because it means the city passed the cruise ship’s standards.
The ship’s executives came to the city in January 2018 to inspect tourism facilities as well as hospitals and banking access.
“The standards of Japanese tourists are very high and we have met the standards already. During the inspection, they were impressed, that is why they decided to push through with the cruise ship arrival in January (this year),” Ms. Catalbas said. — Emme Rose S. Santiagudo

First Gen, EDC included in list of world’s 200 greenest companies

January 15, 2019 | 12:07 am

FEDERICO R. LOPEZ — PHOTO BY VICTOR V. SAULON

FIRST GEN Corp. and Energy Development Corp. (EDC) have been included in Carbon Clean 200, the list of the world’s top 200 biggest and greenest companies, the Lopez-led firms said on Monday.
“Being the only Philippine companies on the list is a strong recognition of our commitment to not invest in coal and to make RE [renewable energy] more accessible to the Filipinos to help drive a low-carbon economy for the country,” said Federico R. Lopez, chairman and chief executive officer of First Gen and EDC, said in a statement.
Carbon Clean 200 ranks companies based on the size of their revenues from clean energy sources. The latest list was released in the third quarter of 2018.
First Gen ranked 113^th with $632 million in estimated clean energy revenues in 2017. EDC took the 139^th slot with around $494.72 million during the same period.
This was the first time for First Gen to make it to the Carbon Clean 200, and EDC’s third time on the list.
First Gen is the country’s leading clean and renewable energy producer with 3,490 megawatts (MW) in installed capacity. Its subsidiary EDC is one of the world’s largest geothermal producers and the country’s leading renewable energy company with an installed capacity of 1,471.8 MW.
EDC said it holds the distinction of being a carbon-negative company, that is, the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) it absorbs is far more than the level of CO2 it produces.
“On an annual basis, EDC helps the country avoid 6.7 million tons of CO2 emissions through its pure RE operations and comprehensive watershed management program,” the company said.
The Lopez group said the Carbon Clean 200 list undergoes an update twice a year, based on total clean energy revenues that Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) rates. The initiative is jointly launched by non-profit organization As You Sow of the USA and market research group Corporate Knights of Canada.
To qualify for inclusion in the list, a company must have more than $1 billion in market capitalization and generate more than 10% of its total revenues from clean energy sources.
The Carbon Clean 200 list excludes oil and gas companies and utilities that generate less than 50% of their power from renewable sources, as well as coal companies. — Victor V. Saulon

Captain Marvel advance tickets may shatter series record

January 15, 2019 | 12:06 am

ADVANCE-TICKET sales for Walt Disney Co.’s Captain Marvel are off to a strong start, a sign of pent-up demand for the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first film with a female lead.
Since advance tickets went on sale on Jan. 7, Captain Marvel has done brisker business than Deadpool 2, Black Panther, and Venom, according to Atom Tickets. And the movie could eclipse Avengers: Infinity War for total presales, the company said. Fandango, another ticket supplier, said sales ranked among the top three Marvel pictures.
Disney is hoping to duplicate the success of last year’s Black Panther, whose majority-black cast resonated with audiences. This time around, the MCU franchise is breaking different ground. With Brie Larson starring as Captain Marvel, a woman will get top billing for the first time in a series that has spanned 21 films.
Major studios have come under criticism for the lack of diversity in front of and behind the camera. While a recent University of Southern California study showed gains for African-American men, women continue to struggle to get jobs in the entertainment industry. Men accounted for nearly three-quarters of the producers for the top 300 movies released from 2016 to 2018, according to the annual report from the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative. Women of color accounted for just 1.6%.
The recent Golden Globe Awards provided a platform for women to call out those disparities, with winner Regina King vowing to make her production staffs 50% female. — Bloomberg

Woodlands Point offers luxurious log cabins

January 15, 2019 | 12:06 am

AN EXCLUSIVE community featuring ski resort-style log cabins can be found in Tagaytay Highlands.
Launched in 2008, Woodlands Point features 32 units on a 12-hectare low-density neighborhood. Only six units are still available for sale.
The luxury log cabins are sized from 239 square meters (sq.m) to 320 sq.m., with prices ranging from P47 million to P60 million.
The units are built using Western red cedar, a type of wood that originated from Canada.
The log cabins feature high ceilings in their living and dining areas that allow for natural light and ventilation. Each unit also has large windows to allow homeowners to enjoy the surrounding pine trees and mountain views.
Each unit also has a semi-furnished kitchen, which includes a refrigerator, cooking range, and a range hood.
“For those who seek a sanctuary for unforgettable weekend getaways or a treasure to cherish for a lifetime, a log cabin by the countryside remains second to none. Settle seamlessly in luxury mountain resort living at Woodlands Point in Tagaytay Highlands, in the comforts of a log cabin home you’ve always dreamed of,” the company said.
Last year, Belle Corp. revealed plans to develop three to four new projects in Tagaytay Highlands, in time for the project’s 25^th anniversary.
Currently, the 1,500 hectare property has 27 projects, which makes up less than 50% of the whole area.
The master-planned community is also undergoing rehabilitation of its facilities and properties. In December, the Japanese, Spanish, and Filipino restaurants reopened at Tagaytay Highlands. New coffee shops are scheduled to be opened this year, as well.
Tagaytay Highlands is known for its themed communities. Aside from Woodlands Point, the premier mountain resort development of SM Group also has Asian-contemporary-themed garden suites and villas named Horizon Terraces; a community that offers the views of Taal Lake and Midlands fairways called Sycamore Heights; and the tropical resort community Vireya.
The premier mountain resort development is located in Tagaytay, which is 90 minutes away from Metro Manila. — Vincent Mariel P. Galang

MICT gets four new hybrid gantry cranes

January 15, 2019 | 12:06 am

THE four new hybrid rubber-tired gantries were delivered at the Manila International Container Terminal last Jan. 9. — *COMPANY HANDOUT*

INTERNATIONAL Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) said it recently received four new hybrid rubber-tired gantries (RTG) for its flagship port, the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT).
In a statement on Monday, the listed port operator said the eco-friendly RTGs are part of its long-term goal of adhering to environmental efficiency in its operations.
“Seen to reduce carbon emissions by 40% and noise levels at the container yard, and up to 60% better fuel economy-these hybrids reaffirm the Company’s efforts in minimizing the impact of port operations at its Manila flagship,” it said.
The four Mitsui Li-ion Hybrid RTGs are part of its order of 16 from Japan-based Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. These have smaller diesel engines and a 200kVA Li-ion battery, which would help improve the carbon footprint of MICT.
The remaining 12 hybrid RTGs are expected to arrive within the first half of the year, together with two super post-Panamax quay cranes.
ICTSI started managing the MICT in 1988 when it was awarded the 25 + 25 years concession for the port.
Aside from MICT, ICTSI also operates several ports within the country and outside, such as in Asia Pacific, Africa, Americas, Europe and Middle East.
The Razon-led firm is currently aiming to make its operations across the ICTSI group eco-friendly by acquiring port tools with less carbon footprint and using energy-efficient cargo handling equipment and vehicle fleets.
“As we continuously drive economic growth in our home operations, ICTSI will always be at the forefront of innovation with ports equipment and adaptive technology that ensures increasing productivity while reducing carbon footprint,” ICTSI Global Corporate Head Christian R. Gonzalez said in the statement.
ICTSI posted a 2.66% increase in its attributable net income at $153.29 million for the first three quarters of 2018, due to a 10% jump in revenues from port operations at $1 billion. — Denise A. Valdez

Dating, mental illness, and a self-help addiction are the stuff of comedy for Liz Miele

January 15, 2019 | 12:05 am

START 2019 right with a bellyful of laughs and a side of existential crisis thanks to US comedian Liz Miele.
She will have a one-night show on Jan. 17 at Johnny B. Good in Glorietta 3, Makati City.
Ms. Miele’s show, titled Self-Help Me, focuses on her extensive travels around the world, how her dating behavior has changed now that she’s in her 30s, and her struggle with mental illness and her self-help addiction.
“A friend defined my comedic style as ‘self-deprecating storytelling’ like that,” Ms. Miele said in a press release.
“I pay attention to things that piss me off, confuse me, make me sad, make me concerned, make me excited. I usually follow my extreme feelings and dissect why I feel that way and through understanding myself and [my] motives I come up with a lot of jokes,” she explained.
She started watching comedians like George Carlin at the tender age of 13 and writing jokes to show to friends before starting to do stand-up at 16.
At 16, she started taking the train to New York City from New Jersey and doing stand-up there every weekend. When she hit 18 she moved to New York for college and started performing nightly.
At 22 she appeared on Comedy Central’s Live at Gotham and most recently appeared on the channel’s This Week at the Comedy Cellar and in Hulu’s Coming to the Stage, among other shows.
She also recently released her debut comedy album, Emotionally Exhausting, on iTunes and Amazon which features her joking about “Feminist Sex Positions” which went viral in 2014 and currently has more than a million views.
This might be her first time performing in the Philippines, but Ms. Miele has enough experiences with Filipinos — her roommate is Filipino and so is her brother-in-law — to expect a really good romp and audience.
“They both have big laughs and they think I’m funny so I’m hoping they are like them!” she said.
Liz Miele’s Self-Help Me will be held on Jan. 17, 8 p.m. (doors open at 6 p.m.), at the Johnny B. Good in Glorietta 3, Makati. The show is hosted by Alexio Tabafunda with Red Ollero and Andren Bernardo as opening acts. For tickets, which cost P1,000, call 0920-971-7055 or 0917-570-3057 or contact Ticketworld (www.ticketworld.com.ph).

App makes payment of real property tax easier

January 15, 2019 | 12:05 am

PAYMENT of real property tax (RPT) will now be a little easier, thanks to an app.
Pinnacle Real Estate Consulting Services, Inc. partnered with tech firm Togetech, Inc. to offer RPT assessment and payment services for property owners through the Moneygment mobile application.
The two companies signed the contract last Jan. 8 in Makati City.
Officials from Pinnacle and Togetech said property owners, especially overseas Filipino workers, can settle their RPT on time without lining up at the city or municipal offices.
“We saw that many of our customers are paying for their properties and we wanted to be able to assist them in making it easier for them to pay their RTP payments regardless of where they are,” Togetech Chief Executive Officer Ma. Jessica M. Palmiano said.
Michael R. Mabutol, president and managing director of Pinnacle, said the company has been offering the service for large companies, and saw a demand for this on a retail level.
“Real property tax payment is one of the most, overlooked tax and obligation as property owner. So, when we sat down with Jessica, I’m happy to learn that… Togetech has developed an application that could help citizens, Filipinos to maximize the use of technology and at the same time, just being in the comfort of their home and pay their real property tax obligations,” Mr. Mabutol said.
Launched in February 2018, Moneygment is an app that helps self-employed professionals, freelancers, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME), homemakers, and OFWs with financial transactions such as payment of bills and government obligations.
For the payment of RPT, Moneygment users have to first get their properties assessed by providing information such as the title number and owner’s full name. Users have to submit the relevant documents via email and pay a P500 processing fee.
After the tax assessment is completed, users can make payments via bank transfers or at 7-Eleven stores, among others.
Users will then be given an official receipt once the transaction is completed.
Moneygment app’s RPT service is currently available only in Metro Manila and Cebu. Pinnacle and Togetech are targeting to expand the service in more areas in northern and southern Luzon and Davao within the year.
Togetech is a mobile app development company focusing on the development of financial technology.
Pinnacle is a homegrown real estate brokerage and consulting firm that provides services to both local and foreign buyers, and real estate lenders. The company primarily offers services like real estate management and brokerage, real estate closing and advisory services, and non-performing loan (NPL) asset management. — Vincent Mariel P. Galang

Maynilad help sought for Manila Bay cleanup

January 15, 2019 | 12:05 am

By Victor V. Saulon, Sub-editor
THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has asked Maynilad Water Services, Inc. to participate in the cleanup of Manila Bay, including the company’s help in bringing quick results within the stretch of land facing the sea, the top official of the company said.
“They are seeking our assistance especially in the technical side. He wants to get immediate impact into the Manila Baywalk — the one kilometer from the Manila Yacht Club up to the [US] Embassy,” Maynilad Chief Executive and President Ramoncito S. Fernandez said in an interview on Monday.
He was referring to Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu, who has initiated the rehabilitation of the bay, similar to what his office had done to popular island destination Boracay.
“He’s trying to find immediate solutions to prevent or to clean up the discharge of the three points — sa (at the) Manila Yacht [Club], sa may (near) Malate Church, ‘tsaka sa (and at the) US Embassy,” he added.
Mr. Fernandez was answering questions on the sidelines of the 10^th International Water Association three-day conference on efficient urban water management at the Marriott Hotel in Pasay City.
He said Mr. Cimatu had mentioned that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) had assigned heads of specific esteros to monitor and “police” the creeks that lead to the Manila Bay.
“The secretary also recognizes that the informal settlers in the esteros are very significant contributors to the pollution. And we also emphasized to him and he saw it himself that the water discharged from our [Maynilad] wastewater treatment plants are clean but it is being thrown into a very, very dirty estero,” Mr. Fernandez said.
Separately, Mr. Cimatu said in an interview that he had talks with local government units (LGUs), through the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, to address the issue.
“[This is] government-funded, but there will be some, like for example, there will be some companies that will be lending their equipment, providing some assistance to us, in terms of lending some of their experts,” Mr. Cimatu said when asked about Maynilad’s participation in the project.
“The accountability of the local government is they are allowing informal settlers to be staying in esteros,” he said, adding that local officials had been allowing the structures in no-build zones such as esteros, “giving them electricity, giving them water.”
Maynilad is the largest private water concessionaire in the Philippines in terms of customer base. It is the concessionaire of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) for the west zone of the greater Manila area.
Maynila Baywalk is within Maynilad’s concession area, which is composed of Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas and Malabon all in Metro Manila, and some portions of the cities of Manila, Quezon and Makati.
The company also serves Cavite City, and the towns of Bacoor, Imus, Kawit, Noveleta and Rosario, all in Cavite province.
“Ang sinasabi niya (What Mr. Cimatu was saying is) since Roxas Boulevard is under Maynilad concession he is seeking our immediate help… But definitely sabi namin sa kanya (we told him), Manila Bay is coming from San Juan River, from Pasig, from Parañaque River etcetera, so he recognizes that both Manila Water and us are solution providers to the whole concession,” Mr. Fernandez said.
Manila Water Co., Inc., the east zone concessionaire of Metro Manila, provides water and used water services to Mandaluyong, Pasig, San Juan, Marikina, Pateros, Taguig, Makati, the southeastern part of Quezon City and San Andres and Sta. Ana in Manila, including several towns of Rizal province.
“But he also recognizes that LGUs are also very, very important part of the clean up of Manila Bay,” Mr. Fernandez said.

Barbie’s new best friends: S. Korean boyband BTS

January 15, 2019 | 12:04 am

MATTEL INC., maker of Barbie and Hot Wheels toys, is turning to a Korean boy band for help luring the new generation of kids.
Mattel will create a toy line inspired by the seven-member pop group BTS that includes dolls, collectible figures, and games, the El Segundo, California-based company announced at the Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair last week.
BTS, whose name is drawn from Bangtan Sonyeondan or “Beyond the Scene,” is one of the best-selling music acts in the world. Last year, BTS became the first Korean pop group to top the Billboard album charts in the US, and sold out a concert at New York City’s Citi Field.
Thanks to a loyal fan base known as the #Army, the group’s economic value is estimated at more than 4 trillion won ($3.6 billion), according to the Hyundai Research Institute. Asian retailers reported double-digit increases in customers for books and albums around the release of the group’s Love Yourself: Tear.
Some large companies are beginning to see commercial potential for BTS — and the growing power of Korean pop culture more broadly. Carmaker Hyundai Motor Co., messaging app Line and the sneaker brand Converse are all working on new products with BTS.
Mattel could use the lift. Its stock fell 35% last year after slumping 44% in 2017. One of two leading toymakers in the US, the company hired a new chief executive officer last year and is attempting to become a broader entertainment company that turns its best-selling toys into TV shows and movies. — Bloomberg

How to burn $4.6 million in 10 days in Hong Kong housing market

January 15, 2019 | 12:04 am

A MYSTERY buyer has forfeited a HK$36 million ($4.6 million) deposit after walking away from plans to buy a home in Hong Kong’s most prestigious neighborhood.
The sale fell through just 10 days after the unidentified person agreed to buy the three-bedroom house with swimming pool and private garden in Mount Nicholson on the Peak for HK$722 million, according to a government document.
A house in the same development last year sold for almost HK$1.4 billion, making it Asia’s most-expensive property on a per-square-foot basis.
Since then, an almost 15-year bull run that made Hong Kong infamous for having the world’s least affordable property market has petered out. Fallout from the U.S.-China trade war, rising borrowing costs and a volatile stock market have weighed on home prices, which are down about 8 percent from their August peak.
The slump may worsen, with Capital Economics forecasting home prices will fall about 30 percent over the next five years, including a 15 percent slump in 2019, according to a note published Thursday. — Bloomberg

Importers warn of looming cement shortage

January 15, 2019 | 12:04 am

THE Philippine Cement Importers Association (PCIA) warned of a looming cement shortage within the next two months, amid concerns over proposed government measures to protect the local cement industry.
“With the Build, Build, Build infrastructure program of the national government, a supply shortage is imminent and will persist through the short term as it will take domestic cement manufacturers at least three years to finish an integrated manufacturing plant,” PCIA said in a newspaper ad published on Monday.
PCIA earlier said local cement plants are producing some 26 to 28 million metric tons (MT), which is insufficient to meet domestic demand at 31 to 32 million MT.
“This supply gap is expected to become worse within the next two months as a number of independent importers have temporarily suspended importations in the wake of plans to impose a safeguard tariff,” the group added.
“By February, the shortage will become more acute as China and Vietnam — the principal sources of Philippine [cement] imports — will shut down their cement plants for an extended period in celebration of the Chinese lunar year.”
The PCIA is scheduled to meet with officials of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) today.
“PCIA and other cement importers are appealing to government policy makers to reconsider plans to impose a safeguard tariff on cement importation at this will prejudice the greater interest of the Filipino people,” the group said, saying it has no legal basis.
“It is ironic that a safeguard tariff is being contemplated when domestic cement manufacturers have neither sought protection nor re their operations in danger of serious injury, or even remotely, face the threat of serious injury,” it added.
Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez assured that there will be no cement shortage as imports are still allowed.
“There is no curtailment nor permits required,” he said in a mobile message.
The DTI launched in September 2018 an investigation aimed at determining whether imports from 2013 to 2017 brought injury to the domestic industry.
The agency’s preliminary investigation showed cement imports surged to 3 million MT in 2017 from 3,000 MT in 2013.
At present, cement shipments enter the Philippines at zero duty. — Janina C. Lim

New seasons of HBO, Cinemax original series premiere

January 15, 2019 | 12:03 am

NEW seasons of four HBO and Cinemax original series — True Detective, Strike Back, Crashing, and High Maintenance — are premiering on HBO Go, HBO, and Cinemax this month.
The third season of the crime series True Detective, starring Oscar winner Mahershala Ali, kicked off yesterday, Jan. 14. The third seasons of Crashing and High Maintenance will premier back-to-back on Monday, Jan. 21. The 6^th action-packed season of the Cinemax Original Series, Strike Back, which was filmed entirely in Malaysia, will premiere on Saturday, Jan. 26. All series will have a same day encore the same evening, with new episodes premiering at the same time weekly.
The eight-episode new season of True Detective tells the story of a macabre crime in the heart of the Ozarks, and a mystery that deepens over decades and plays out in three separate time periods.
Created by Nic Pizzolatto (The Magnificent Seven, Galveston), the series stars Mahershala Ali (Moonlight, The 4400) as Wayne Hays, a state police detective from Northwest Arkansas. Carmen Ejogo (Selma, The Purge: Anarchy) and Stephen Dorff (The Power Of One, Backbeat) also star.
Strike Back’s 10-episode sixth season follows the explosive escapades of Section 20, an elite, multinational, covert special ops team, as it spans the globe fighting a vast web of interconnected criminal and terrorist activity.
Returning cast includes Warren Brown (Luther), Daniel MacPherson (A Wrinkle In Time), Alin Sumarwata (Sea Patrol) and Jamie Bamber (Battlestar Galactica). Yasemin Kay Allen (Water and Fire) also star.
Created by and starring Pete Holmes (Comedy Central Presents: Pete Holmes), the eight-episode third season of Crashing finds Pete reinvigorated — and no longer crashing on people’s couches — as he reenters the NYC stand-up comedy world following his college tour.
Executive produced by Pete Holmes, Judd Apatow, Judah Miller, and Igor Srubshchik, the series draws on Holmes’ own experiences as a comedian, providing a nuanced, hilarious look at the state of comedy today.
Created by Katja Blichfeld and Ben Sinclair, the nine-episode third season of High Maintenance profiles everyday people whose stories of success, failure, love and loss intersect across New York, while delving deeper into personal life of The Guy (played by Mr. Sinclair), who is spending less time on his iconic bicycle and more time in “Steve RV,” a set of wheels gifted to him last season.