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Two K-Pop shows coming in November


NOVEMBER will see two major K-Pop groups make Manila their stop in their respective world tours: Winner and iKon.
The four-member ensemble of Jinu, Seunghoon, Mino, and Seungyoon who make up the Winner boy group have made their mark on the K-pop scene since their debut in 2014 with hits like the R&B-influenced “Really Really” and “Everyday,” to the sophisticated “Fool.” Winner has embarked on its first world tour, with the Philippines as one of the stops.
PULP Live World brings Inner Circles: Winner 2018 Everywhere Tour in Manila on Nov. 10, 7 p.m., at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The group released a debut album, 2014 S/S which topped the Billboard World Album Chart, and the group was named 2014’s Best New Artist at the MNet Asian Music Awards, 2015 New Artist of the Year at Gaon Chart Music Awards, and Rookie Artist of the Year at 2015 Golden Disc Award.
In 2017 Winner released the Fate Number For album with tracks “Really Really” and “Fool” which both topped the seven major music charts in Korea. The album also debuted at No. 3 in Worldwide iTunes Chart and No. 1 on iTunes Chart in 24 countries.
The group has released its second studio album entitled Everyd4y, and the single from this album, “Everyday,” has taken top spots on three major music shows in Korea.
IKON TOUR
iKON will be holding its first solo concert in the Philippines when it’s iKON 2018 Continue Tour stops in Manila on Nov. 11, 7 p.m., at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The group’s members — B.I., Bobby, Jinhwan, Ju-ne, Chanwoo, Yunhyeong, Donghyuk — will perform their hit tracks, “Return,” “Welcome Back,” and more.
iKON debuted in 2015 with the album Welcome Back which topped the Gaon Album Chart and had number 1 singles like “My Type,” “Apology,” and “Dumb & Dumber.” The group received awards from various Korean Music Charts and Japan awards shows.
iKON’s second studio album, Return, was released this year, and the single, “Love Scenario,” has dominated digital music platforms, and topping the Billboard Korea K-Pop 100 Chart. The digital release of the single “Rubber Band” has also been making a buzz online.
Both tours are presented by PULP Live World.
Tickets to Inner Circles: Winner 2018 Everywhere Tour in Manila range in price from P1,500 (Upper Box B) to P12,500 (VIP Seated). Tickets to iKON 2018 Continue Tour range in price from P1,500 (Upper Box B) to P12,500 (VIP Seated). For more show information, visit www.pulpliveworld.com.

What to see this week

3 films to see on the week of October 26-November 2, 2018
Mission Kathmandu: The Adventures of Nelly & Simon

Mission Kathmandu: The Adventures of Nelly & Simon

THIS animated movie follows novice detective Nelly Maloy, who, along with an ambitious research assistant Simon Picard she meets in anthropology class, travels to the mountains of Kathmandu with the goal of proving the existence of Abominable Snowman. Directed by Pierre Greco and Nancy Florence Savard, it features the voices of Sylvie Moreau, Guillaume Lemay-Thivierge, and Rachid Badouri. “Designed for a very young audience, the story proves very predictable and very light which exploits only very minimally the folklore of the tales and legends surrounding this animal half-man half-monkey,” writes Charles-Henri Ramond in FilmsQuebec.com
MTRCB Rating: G
An Interview with God

An Interview with God

JOURNALIST Paul Asher returns from covering Afghanistan with his life falling apart — a troubled marriage and personal crisis. His faith is challenged when he interviews someone who claims to be God. Directed by Perry Yang, the film stars Brenton Thwaites, Yael Grobglas, David Strathairn, Charlbi Dean Kriek, Hill Harper, and Bobby Di Cicco.
MTRCB Rating: PG
Rampant

Rampant

BY the studio that did Train to Busan, the film follows Korean Prince Lee Chung who returns home after he was taken hostage by the Qing Dynasty. As a trained martial artist, he is tasked to fight the mysterious creatures plaguing his country. Directed by Kim Sung-hoon, it stars Hyun Bin, Jang Dong Gun, and Jo Woo-jin.
MTRCB Rating: R-13

Curated tours


ACCLAIMED as the Philippines’ Last Frontier, Palawan is so blessed with marvels of nature that it is home to not just one, but two UNESCO World Heritage sites: The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park and Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park.
Astoria Palawan, is located in a eight-hectare mango orchard fronting the Sulu Sea within the City of Puerto Princesa.
Guests can use the hotel as a jump-off point to tick items off their Palawan bucket list. Explore the Underground River on the Western side of the island; go North to El Nido for some island hopping and snorkeling in saltwater lagoons; hop to the Northwestern side for Astoria Palawan’s curated Port Barton Tour.
The resort also offers convention facilities, restaurants, a beach and pool area, a bar, comfortable rooms, and an eclectic ambiance.
And then there’s the waterpark. The Palawan Waterpark by Astoria, located just next door, is expected to be one of the highlights of staying in the resort. It is a one hectare area filled with giant slides, a wave pool, a lazy river ride, and splash pods.
Astoria Palawan will also organize four days/three nights private tours that highlight the best of what the province can offer.
It’s newly launched Port Barton Tour includes a day at San Vicente to go island hopping, snorkeling, swimming, fish feeding, and more; a private tour of a white sand island 20 minutes away from Astoria by boat; dinner on a boat sailing around Puerto Princesa Bay; and a kayak fireflies tour, among other activities.
Astoria Palawan’s tour reservation officers can plan a whole week with memorable, fun activities, according to Astoria Palawan General Manager Joy Suarez.
For details visit www.astoriapalawan.com.

MoBiLET, more than just a wheelchair

The issues revolving around societal aging has spurred the growth and development of geriatric Assistive Devices (AD), which include wheelchairs and supportive instruments for the elderly. While these address the critical matters of aging and emphasize the enhancement of physical aids, nominal attention has been given to the psychological aspects.
Single Person Transport Design (SPTD), the developer of MoBiLET—an innovative electric-powered, personal-mobility device—seeks to highlight the importance of product design that helps boost the level of self-motivation of the elderly. Set to participate in the upcoming Eco Expo Asia in October 2018, SPTD intends to utilize the platform as a medium to strengthen their brand positioning and bring greater exposure of their latest product and rental schemes in the Start-up Zone to potential investors and buyers.

Empowering the Senior Population
In correlation to an aging economy, the natural progression brings about a detrimental suite of mobility-related difficulties, which typically results in social isolation and low self-esteem. One of the most common solutions for overcoming these maneuverability problems is the usage of wheelchairs. However, due to the negative connotations of disability linked to these wheelchairs, most users are resistant towards it. Arnold, Chief Innovation Officer (CIO) and founding member of SPTD said, “Many people refuse to use wheelchairs due to its unfavorable image. Why not attempt to change that?”
SPTD holds the strong belief that as compared to solely enhancing physical attributes, the quality of life for seniors can be better cultivated through the fostering of their mental wellbeing. Introducing MoBiLET in 2014, it aims to eliminate the adverse perceptions associated with wheelchairs and transform it from a basic type of transportation into a form of artistic self-expression.
Aside from its artfully-striking designs, MoBiLET also features several customizable options, including seat, cushion and color choices for the clients to express their creativity through device personalization, allowing users to convey their thoughts in bold visual statements.
Designed with sturdiness and usability in mind, MoBiLET boasts greater structural adaptability, flexibility and safety standards than traditional wheelchairs. With a space-efficient turning radius of only 65cm, it allows users to move easily within tight spaces. Equipped with a medical-grade stainless steel frame reinforced with automotive-grade glass fiber casing, the device remains lightweight despite its augmented durability. MoBiLET comes with inbuilt internal control and suspension mechanisms that provide stability even when traveling on slopes or uneven surfaces. MoBiLET-BUBBLE, the next model of the MoBiLET is now in the R&D stage. It is equipped with a driving assistance system to perceive surroundings and avoid obstacles by installing multi-sensors.
SPTD believes that every individual deserves fair and equal rights to optimal living conditions, regardless of physical differences. A step further than a rehabilitative aid, Arnold defines the MoBiLET as a tool for empowerment that fuels the innate adventurous spirits of users.
Accelerating Product Promotion & Diversifying Business Models at the HKTDC Fair
Having participated in several fairs previously with interactions towards multiple audiences including the elderly, health care workers and local tech developers, Arnold commented, “It’s good for marketing as we can offer interested parties on-site device testing. By allowing them to use the MoBiLET directly, the conversion rate is considerably higher as opposed to simply displaying promotional videos.
At the Eco Expo Asia, where both B2C and B2B trading platforms showcased the latest green products and technologies, SPTD took the opportunity to network with shopping mall owners, community centers and NGOs for collaboration on a shared wheelchair rental scheme to establish a unique indoor transport network. As part of the SPTD’s vision, they envisage a future in shopping malls where anyone, not just the elderly, can hire a MoBiLET device at any indoor access point. While the business model may hold similarities to current bicycle-sharing operations, the distinguishing factor lies in the fact that MoBiLET can be used indoors, while bicycles cannot.
The station of the rental scheme, which serve the function of user registration, wireless activate/deactivate MoBiLET& charging
Leveraging on the possibilities offered through the Eco Expo Asia, Arnold is considering the further expansion of SPTD’s rental scheme. In this expanded model, the MoBiLET can be used outdoors and function as a short-term transportation system that prides itself on being an affordable, accessible and greener alternative mode of commute. SPTD’s ultimate goal is to magnify awareness of environmental issues by promoting the use of personal mobility vehicles and reducing the general reliance on private cars.
Empowered by HKTDC’s initiatives, SPTD will strive to continually upgrade and reinvent itself in its strive to improve the public’s perception of transportation for the physically-challenged through MoBiLET, a revolution on wheels.
Welcome to Eco Expo Asia for more start-up opportunities.
Date: Oct 25th to Oct 28th, 2018 (Thursday to Sunday)
Venue: AsiaWorld-Expo, Hong Kong International Airport, Lantau, Hong Kong
Register HERE for your free admission e-badge.
More startup business opportunities await at the HKTDC Hong Kong Electronics Fair 2018 (Autumn Edition) which will be held from Oct 13th to 16th 2018 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The fair features over 3,700 exhibitors from around the globe, providing a valuable chance to make meaningful connections with leading tech developers, suppliers, and business partners. Register HERE to save HK$100 admission fee.

Money and our faith

ACCORDING to Greg Laurie, money is a very important topic in the bible. It is the subject of nearly half of the parables of Jesus Christ. It is covered in one out of every seven verses in the New Testament. The Bible offers 500 verses on prayer, fewer than 500 verses on faith and more than 2000 verses on money. And 15% of everything Jesus taught was on the topic of money and possessions — more than his teachings on heaven and hell combined.
I would not have a way of personally validating this claim, but I am inclined to believe in Laurie’s presentation. Clearly, a number of parables offer a lot of lessons about our finances. Jesus communicated to the community in terms they understand best which is through material possessions, although oftentimes the message offers deeper meanings.
Whenever I teach about the concept of time value of money in finance, I enjoin my students to reflect upon the parable of the talents and how the return of the same number of talents by one servant who merely hid what was assigned to him totally displeased his master. Talent, by the way, was a unit of currency in those times. While the parable can be interpreted in many ways, at its core the master expected that the money should have been deposited at the least with bankers and earn some interest. Inflation, opportunity cost and uncertainty are the rationale for money’s time value and this parable underscores this concept.
In the book, Your Money Matters written by Gary Inrig, he cited parables Jesus shared in his ministry on earth which involved financial examples and how we should view money and wealth. One of those is the parable of the shrewd manager or the dishonest steward. Some of the gems from that parable are as follows: we must recognize the limits of wealth because at the end of the day, when we die, we cannot bring anything from this world. Money is powerful but limited, temporary and temporal.
On the contrary, money is valuable when used to meet the needs of the less fortunate and when helping others with their needs. The Lord calls us to use money shrewdly, but for eternal reasons.
Faithfulness with money is primarily an issue of character. Present wealth is really a very little thing. In fact, it is not ours at all. We are stewards, not owners. If we use our present possessions as if they belong to us, we are acting exactly like the dishonest manager. We are owners of nothing, stewards of everything. What we possess is to be used to further the master’s purposes and goals. The primary value of earthly wealth is that it is a tool to train us to handle “true riches,” which refers to the affairs of the kingdom. This includes opportunities to serve the Lord in furthering His purposes on earth.
Shrewd disciples recognize that stewardship of money prevents bondage to money. We can serve God with money, but we can never serve God and money. We can only have one master and it’s quite easy to be slaves of materialism if we will not have control over it. There is no partial discipleship to Jesus and there is no part-time employment by money. Imagine how you can change money into an ally.
One of my staff comes from a different Christian faith. She shared with me her perspective about these parables and how she sees money from the bible’s viewpoint. She quotes from Ecclesiastes which asserts that money is a protection just like wisdom. The only difference is that wisdom preserves the life of its owner. One may have money and can use that to buy all sorts of luxuries in the world but when sickness comes, can the luxuries preserve his life? Not at all. But if one secures money and saves part for emergencies and contingencies, it may be deployed to address sickness in life. That we can consider wisdom in using one’s wealth.
She stressed that being rich is not bad, rather being obsessed to be rich is. For both rich and poor can be victims of greed if they will not put into proper perspective their viewpoint about money. “Money is the root of all sorts of injurious things and those determined to be rich has been led astray from faith and have stabbed themselves with so much pain.”
Investing money, creating a business, working to make a living — all these things are not bad in itself. It becomes bad when it takes the center stage of our lives and we forget our faith. We only need enough to be happy or to survive this life for “even when a person has an abundance, his life does not result from the things he possesses”.
Determining how much is enough is left to us but the our motives should be guided. Jesus used money to illustrate life lessons because people can relate to it. Yet he extended his message loud and clear — money is as good as we are in this world. The measurement of our real worth is not counted by our material possessions. It is how we use our knowledge of finance to make a positive difference in this world where money is a means for a more noble, eternal purpose.
 
Benel D. Lagua is Executive Vice-President at the Development Bank of the Philippines. He is an active FINEX member and a long time advocate of risk-based lending for SMEs.

How PSEi member stocks performed — October 25, 2018

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Thursday, October 25, 2018.

 
Philippine Stock Exchange’s most active stocks by value turnover — October 25, 2018

Comparative time to export, import in Southeast Asia

Comparative time to export, import in Southeast Asia

Customs bureau considering 12% hike in collection target for 2019

THE BUREAU of Customs (BoC) is considering a P670-billion collection target in 2019, 12% higher than the P598 billion target set this year.
“In 2017, our target was P481 billion. By 2018 it became P598 billion. By next year it will be P670 billion. Every time collections increase by the hundreds of billions. We are positive (of reaching the target) due to the reforms,” Customs Deputy Commissioner Edward Dy Buco said during a panel discussion at the Tax Management Association of the Philippines general membership meeting on Thursday.
“The targets at present were also high because of the ‘Build, Build, Build’ program of the President,” added Mr. Dy Buco.
He said that the BoC’s one-strike policy has been the most effective measure so far in curbing corruption while raising revenue.
“Once there is a verified report on a Customs official, administrative action is taken against that Customs official basically by relieving him from his post,” he said.
He said that the BoC’s collections hit record levels about one or two months after the one-strike policy was implemented in October 2017.
He added that personnel in ports that have been below target were relocated to other ports while others were relieved.
He said that the increased deployment of CCTV and x-ray machines at 17 ports has also helped shore up its collections.
“Addressing corruption really increases revenue collection,” Mr. Dy Buco said.
The Bureau of the Treasury reported earlier this week that BoC revenue grew 27% year-on-year to P51.1 billion in September, the eighth consecutive month the agency had beaten its targets.
In the nine months to September, the Customs bureau generated P434.6 billion, up 34%, and exceeding its P417.5 billion target by 4%.
The latest results represent 72.68% of the full-year target.
However, among the reasons for higher BoC collections were the weaker peso and high global fuel prices. Mr. Dy Buco also noted that web-based software that facilitates appraisals of imported goods with zero human contact will be rolled out this year, which will also curb collusion between customs officials and traders. — Elijah Joseph C. Tubayan

Sugar lobby wants 6-month fuel excise freeze

THE Confederation of Sugar Producers’ Associations (CONFED) of Negros and Panay urged the government to extend the suspension of excise tax for fuel in order not to increase the production cost of sugar.
In a statement, CONFED said, “We appeal to President Rodrigo R. Duterte to extend the suspension in behalf of the 5 million direct and indirect stakeholders of the sugar industry.”
The Department of Finance (DoF) has announced the suspension of the excise tax under the second phase of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law for at least three months, as a response to rising inflation.
“While we are certainly grateful for this move, we hope that the DoF will continue suspending, not just the excise tax on fuel but the implementation of the entire second phase of the TRAIN law,” CONFED said.
“We fear that further implementing TRAIN 2 which will raise again the levy on fuel by P2 after a three-month reprieve will lead to higher production cost, (and) huge losses for the sugar industry,” CONFED added.
CONFED noted that fuel is a primary need for the industry from start to finish with mechanization under way to enhance the industry’s global competitiveness.
Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Board Member Emilio Bernardino L. Yulo who represents the planters said that he hopes the suspension will be extended until the industry has recovered from the effects of TRAIN 2.
“Part of our mandate in SRA is to encourage mechanization of farms to make them more efficient and globally competitive. How can our sugar planters, particularly the small farmers and agrarian reform beneficiaries that comprise over 80% of sugar producers, continue to compete when they have to contend with high cost of fuel?” Mr. Yulo said.
“While we are happy with the recent decision of the DoF to suspend the hike in oil excise tax, we hope that the suspension will be beyond the three-month reprieve but at least for six months to a year, or until the people fully recover from the effects of the implementation of TRAIN 1,” he added.
Separately the SRA said it authorized 17 companies to import 150,000 metric tons (MT) of sugar this year.
These companies are: ED&F Man, All Asian, Universal Robina Corp., San Fernando Eric Commercial, Delmax, Sweet Crystal, Interbrev, Bee Crescent, Sucden, Oro Allado, Busco Sugar, Coca Cola, Pepsi Cola, Nestle Philippines, Victorias Milling Co. Inc, Commodity Carrier, and Sweet Crystals.
Out of the 150,000 MT approved for importation this year, only 149,950 MT was taken up by the 17 importers, leaving a 50 MT balance. — Reicelene Joy N. Ignacio

SEIPI announces partnership to expand presence in France

THE Semiconductor & Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation, Inc. (SEIPI) will soon partner with a group of tech start-ups in France to expand its presence in the country’s internet of things (IoT) market.
In a statement Thursday, SEIPI said the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Angers French Tech (AFT) is a means of gaining a bigger foothold in the IoT market.
“SEIPI is in an aggressive mode to promote the Philippines as a reliable partner with inherent technical capabilities to take on the opportunities in global markets. We are part of a significant value chain and the Philippines is a prime mover in the Internet of Things,” SEIPI President Dan C. Lachica said in the statement.
SEIPI noted that France is one of the Philippines’ fastest growing export markets for goods and services.
Last year, France was the Philippines’ 16th largest trading partner, with total bilateral trade valued at $1.73 billion or 1.05% of the total.
During the period, France was the 13th largest export market accounting for 1.18% of total Philippine shipments. As an import source, it was 17th, accounting for 0.96% of the total.
This week, SEIPI, along with various government agencies, arrived in France for a series of business matching activities with French counterpart Alliance Electronique.
The mission to promote the industry forms part of SEIPI’s Product and Technology Holistic Strategy (PATHS) road map.
SEIPI is projecting investment in the sector to rise to $1.5 billion by 2020; $3 billion by 2025; and $5 billion by 2030.
By 2020, the industry is also expected to employ a total of 5.5 million workers directly and indirectly, up from the current work force estimated at 3.2 million.
Under the road map, SEIPI will also be targeting to bring export revenue from electronic products to $40 billion by 2025 and $50 billion by 2030.
Electronics exports in 2017 hit record $32.7 billion, up 11%. — Janina C. Lim

Aboitiz unit Therma South suspends supply to Davao co-op

DAVAO CITY — Therma South Inc. (TSI), a subsidiary of Aboitiz Power Corp. (AboitizPower), said it suspended its delivery of power to the Davao del Norte Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Daneco) starting Sept. 1, claiming the co-op owes it P256 million.
In a statement, AboitizPower said part of the unpaid amount represents penalties and interest since 2016.
“As much as we want to help provide power to the member consumers of Daneco, we also have to make sure that our capability to serve our other customers in Mindanao is not affected,” said AboitizPower Assistant Vice-President Benedick M. Salvador.
The company said it will resume the delivery of the contracted 15-megawatt (MW) monthly supply to the cooperative “once all outstanding obligations including the required security deposit are paid and covered.”
Daneco is one of the 23 distribution utilities that contracted power from the 300-MW TSI coal-fired power plant in Davao, which started operating in 2015 during the power crisis in Mindanao.
The cooperative, which has total debts of P2.1 billion to various suppliers, has yet to make a statement on the TSI cancellation.
In July, Mario Angelo M. Sotto, National Electrification Administration (NEA) project supervisor for Daneco, said the cooperative will be able to pay its debts within the next two years.
NEA has assigned a group to supervise the cooperative following a management dispute involving two factions, one aligned with NEA and the other with the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA).
The two groups were both asserting the right to collect monthly fees from consumers. The Court of Appeals has ruled in favor of NEA. NEA Administrator Edgardo B. Masongsong earlier said the CDA-affiliated group can only account for about 5% of the 197,880 household connections.
Mr. Sotto said that in May, Daneco’s collection efficiency hit 98%.
A March report from the cooperative, a copy of which was obtained by BusinessWorld, showed collection efficiency was 61% and systems losses were at 20.1%, above the 13% maximum level allowed for cooperatives. — Carmelito Q. Francisco

Senator calls for full suspension of fuel excise tax hike

SENATOR Paolo Benigno A. Aquino IV on Thursday hopes that the government will cancel the excise tax hike on fuel called for under tax reform in order to provide relief from rising prices.
“Now that we know that (the suspension) will be for three months, I’m hoping that they really suspend the excise tax. Why? Because clearly, the additional taxes to petroleum products have pushed the prices of goods upward. If we suspend (for three months), it will be hardly be felt by our countrymen,” he said during the Kapihan sa Senado media forum.
“(Then) they will add more taxes. Isn’t it our goal to really lower the prices of goods? So first of all, we hope it will be suspended, period and secondly you can find this in the Bawas Presyo bill, the excise tax that was added in 2018 should be rolled back,” he added.
He said this was a clearer and more specific solution for addressing inflation, which hit 6.8% in September. Malacañang earlier this month decided to suspend the scheduled increase in fuel excise tax in 2019. During a Senate hearing on Wednesday, Finance Undersecretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua said the government may suspend the 2019 fuel tax hike for “three months at most.”
Mr. Aquino appealed to the government to no longer collect excise taxes from petroleum products because fuel significantly affects food prices and transportation. He said diesel was a vital commodity for farmers, fishermen, and manufacturing companies. Instead, the senator said the administration should pursue reforms in the Bureau of Customs (BoC) collections and in government spending.
“All of these are better options in looking for government revenue than imposing excise taxes on petroleum which affects our food and other goods,” he said.
He also hoped that senators also consider a joint resolution filed by the minority on Oct. 11 urging Congress to amend some provisions of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law and enforce the excise tax rates of fuel under Section 148 of the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) instead.
“I think this is something we can all work on. There are a number in the majority who are taking a look at this… We’re hoping that we can all come together, and really address this through a joint resolution, and through directly amending the TRAIN law, which is the bill we filed last time,” he said. — Camille A. Aguinaldo

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