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By Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Reporter
LABOR LEADERS said the government has a window of opportunity to improve job quality and “decent employment” while recalibrating its trade strategy in response to the US tariffs.
Federation of Free Workers President Jose Sonny G. Matula said the US tariffs could inadvertently open doors for labor-rich economies like the Philippines, particularly in electronics manufacturing and subcontracting.
The Philippines was initially set a 17% tariff by the US, though the White House has since paused the new tariff for 90 days as delegations from countries that did not retaliate head to Washington to negotiate new rates.
In 2024, the Philippines exported $12.14 billion worth of goods to the US, over half of which ($6.43 billion) consisted of electronics.
With manufacturers looking to diversify away from China, Mr. Matula noted the opening for the Philippines to absorb some of the electronics manufacturing exiting the Mainland, describing the industry as labor-intensive with strong growth potential.
“The Philippines, being part of the global electronics supply chain, could see increased subcontracting, particularly in component assembly and semiconductor packaging,” Mr. Matula said via Viber.
To fully prepare the Philippines and its workforce, Mr. Matula urged the government to curb electricity prices, ensure a just transition to renewable energy, and cut red tape for agro-industrial development.
“We need these improvements not just to attract foreign direct investment but to proactively support our own micro, small and medium industries,” he added.
He emphasized the need to ensure that jobs created are decent work, not precarious, low-wage employment.
He called for upskilling, particularly in electronics assembly, robotics, automation, and precision engineering.
“Smart manufacturing is becoming the standard. Workers must be digitally literate, adaptable, and AI-ready. Government, employers, and labor groups need to collaborate now to align training programs with these needs,” he said.
University of the Philippines Diliman School of Labor and Industrial Relations Assistant Professor Benjamin B. Velasco said the lower tariffs will open a window for more production in the country for electronics and apparel.
“It can lead to more investment and more employment,” he told BusinessWorld via Facebook Messenger chat.
“However, the reason the Philippines got slapped lower tariffs compared to other Southeast Asian countries is that we have a lower trade surplus with the US due to the fact that we import a lot from them,” he added. “Meaning, we are a dependent and weak economy compared to Southeast Asian neighbors.”
Over 75 countries contacted the US Trade Representative to negotiate new tariffs Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.
While the initially announced tariffs remain on the books, their actual enforcement will be delayed until mid-July, pending further review and consultations.
The just imposed fare increase for the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) has been described by critics as “unfair,” “anti-poor,” and “untimely,” as the increase sparked outrage among commuters and labor groups. The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) and Bayan Muna, among others, have denounced the increase, arguing it adds to the burden of minimum wage workers already grappling with.
For its part, Akbayan threatened mass demonstrations if the Department of Transportation (DOTr) does not intervene to halt the fare increase. Others have blamed the privatization deal between the Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) and the government as the root cause of what they say is exorbitantly steep price hikes.
But in the midst of such criticism, we also need to zoom out and see the broader context: the operating sustainability of LRT-1 and the improvements that have been made since LRMC started to manage it as early as 2015.
Since the assumption of LRMC in operating the line, the LRT-1 system has become significantly more efficient and much more reliable. For one, it has made significant improvements by rehabilitating the existing system and extending the LRT-1 system at a cost of P36.3 billion. Among others, the private sector partner of the Department of Transportation has increased the number of functional light rail vehicles from 77 to 144 trains; there is almost 100% system reliability in operating LRT-1 which shows that LRMC provides continuous, smooth and safe operations to all commuters; it has updated the 40-year-old operating systems; and the biggest improvement is the completion of Phase 1 of the Cavite Extension Project, which expands LRT-1’s reach, relieving traffic congestion in the metropolis.
FARE HIKE’S SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT
This most recent fare adjustment — approved by DOTr and which took effect on April 2 — is just the second fare hike granted within the life of the agreement between LRMC and the DOTr. Based on records, LRMC has already spent sizable investments upgrading the LRT-1 system and yet it has only increased fares once since 2015. This fare hike will enable LRMC to continue with its current initiatives to further upgrade the transit system, through enhancements to station amenities, train maintenance, and infrastructure developments that will serve the riding public.
Clearly and simply put, if you don’t have enough money, you can’t sustain those improvements. Commuters, especially those who use the service on a daily basis, would once again have to deal with longer waiting times, more frequent breakdowns, and old facilities, which were the sorry state of affairs before LRMC stepped in, when fares were not calibrated correctly.
But critics say the fare increase unfairly hit poor and working-class commuters, and this misses the point about the long-term value of a good functioning railway system. In reality, it is the ordinary daily passengers of the LRT-1 service, particularly those who utilize the train as their main mode of transport, who bear the brunt of any disruption. Ordinary commuters would benefit from a more efficient LRT-1 that runs on time — and are not forced to take time-consuming, less efficient, more costly modes of transportation such as buses or jeepneys.
On a short-term basis, fare increases may be financially strenuous for passengers, but they lead to the provision of more dependable service in the long run which results in savings and decreases in costs. A reliable train network leads to less surprises in your trip time, shorter wait times, and less reliance on taxis or buses as alternative transportation, all of which lead to more predictable and cheaper commuting costs.
As previously reported, many protest groups believe privatization is also the primary reason for the fare hikes and have requested a review of LRMC’s contract. They say government control of the railway would end what they consider price-gouging. But this claim does not account for inefficiencies in the way operations are run when government-run rail systems are underfunded.
While these sectors claim that the fare hike will simply redound to serve the corporate interests of the company, the hard truth is that the added revenue will mainly directly support and sustain LRMC’s capacity and ability to provide necessary system maintenance, expansion, and service quality improvements.
Evidently, improvements would not have been possible under purely government-controlled operations, given the inefficiencies and red tape historically associated with state-run transport systems. Privatization ensures long-term investments, improved service quality, and system sustainability — something that would not be achievable under a purely government-subsidized model.
From this vantage point, the opposition to privatization is ideological, not practical. If we remove private sector participation, where will the government find the funding to maintain and expand our transit infrastructure? Relying on government subsidies alone is unrealistic and will only lead to delays, mismanagement, and a return to the inefficient, breakdown-prone system of the past.
Additionally, government-run transit systems in developing countries often suffer from mismanagement, bureaucratic bottlenecks, and political interference. LRMC, as a private operator, prides itself on working under a performance delivery framework whereby profitability is directly related to an efficient and high-quality service. This way, you can combine financial discipline with the public spirit, which guarantees that everything remains sustainable and accountable — as opposed to the slow-moving, government-run machine of the past.
It should also be noted that LRMC cannot unilaterally increase fares. Fares may change with DOTr approval and are always considered closely before being implemented. The belief that “privatization results in fare hikes” fails to take into account the role of regulatory oversight in shaping fare-setting policies and is therefore an oversimplification.
Ultimately, the government and its private sector partners walk a tightrope of sustainability and affordability.
Even at a time when the focus should be on affordability, the push toward sustainable operations is critical, and the fare increase is one of the main steps in that direction. The LRT-1 is an efficient mode of transport for many thousands of daily commuters and thus serves the purpose of decongesting the roads and reducing carbon emissions through decreased dependence on cars.
Though it may not endear the LRT-1 to the riding public, the fare increase has become necessary to maintain and improve service on the LRT-1. But to keep the LRT-1 operational, it’s not all about increases in fare; it’s about empowering the riding public with superior, agile, and responsive transport in the light of the deteriorating mass transit situation of Metro Manila commuters.
Dr. Ron F. Jabal, APR, is the CEO of PAGEONE Group (www.pageonegroup.ph) and founder of Advocacy Partners Asia (www.advocacy.ph).
US FEDERAL RESERVE policy makers worry US President Donald J. Trump’s trade policy could deal a blow to economic growth, but are signaling they will not be quick to ride to the rescue with interest rate cuts because they expect higher tariffs to boost inflation.
The minutes of the US central bank’s mid-March meeting, released on Wednesday, showed that Fed officials already felt they were operating in a thickening cloud of uncertainty that had the potential to slow consumer spending and business investment and also called for a cautious approach on rate-setting.
That was before Mr. Trump’s April 2 announcement of sweeping tariffs triggered a global stock market rout on fears of recession and a sharp rise in Treasury yields that raised alarm bells about potential financial market instability.
Mr. Trump’s stunning reversal on Wednesday, walking back a chunk of those big tariffs, ignited a powerful relief rally in stock markets. But it did little to deliver the clarity policy makers say they need to act.
“Uncertainty over trade will persist,” economists at Citi wrote after Trump abruptly lowered tariffs to 10% for many countries for the next 90 days, even as he ratcheted up levies on Chinese imports to 125%.
Some of the price and growth dynamics set in train by Mr. Trump’s earlier actions may not be reversed so quickly, including indications of slowed business investment and hiring and household spending. Fed officials have flagged early indications that tariffs were already pushing some goods prices higher.
“Risky” is how both St. Louis Fed President Alberto Musalem and Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari on Wednesday described treating tariff-driven price hikes as one-time events that central bankers can safely ignore.
Their concerns that price increases from tariffs, along with retaliation by other nations, could potentially translate into more persistent inflation appeared to have been widely shared even before Mr. Trump announced his latest, now-paused round of import duties last week.
At the same time, they worry that slowing growth could raise unemployment, a situation the Fed would otherwise want to counter with easier monetary conditions.
With just one main policy tool — control over short-term borrowing costs — the Fed could be forced to choose between fighting high inflation and fighting high unemployment, each at the expense of the other, a point policy makers including Fed Chair Jerome H. Powell have been highlighting.
The minutes of the Fed’s March 18-19 meeting showed policy makers even then were worried about the “difficult tradeoffs” they could face if inflation proves persistent but growth also slows.
Trump’s change of course underscores the message that Fed policy makers have also hammered home in recent weeks — with so much unclear about the actual policies of the Trump administration, let alone their effects, they are firmly in wait-and-see mode.
US stocks surged Wednesday afternoon to close sharply higher and financial markets pulled back on earlier bets on aggressive Fed rate cuts.
BELOW-TREND GROWTH
Policy makers mapping out their options do not see a clear path to a soft landing, in which inflation slows without a damaging recession or sharp rise in unemployment. That scenario last year seemed increasingly in reach.
As firms and households adjust to prices driven higher by the new import levies, economic growth will likely slip “materially” below trend and the unemployment rate will rise over the year, Musalem told Reuters in an interview.
“I don’t have a baseline of recession,” he said, but “I’m thinking growth is probably going to come in materially below trend,” which he estimated at around 2%.
“You’re getting risk on both sides materializing,” with higher-than-anticipated tariffs putting pressure on prices as declining confidence, a blow to household wealth from the recent sharp drop in equity markets that could depress spending, and the impact of higher prices all combine to slow growth, Mr. Musalem said.
How monetary policy responds will depend on how inflation and unemployment evolve in the coming months, whether the price shock appears to be persistent, and whether inflation expectations remain consistent with the Fed’s 2% inflation target, said Mr. Musalem, who is a voting member of the Fed’s policy-setting committee this year.
Mr. Kashkari, in an essay released early on Wednesday, said that for him, “the hurdle to change the federal funds rate one way or the other has increased due to tariffs.”
Given how critical it is to keep expectations for ever-higher prices from getting embedded in the mindset of Americans, “the bar for cutting rates even in the face of a weakening economy and potentially increased unemployment is higher,” Mr. Kashkari wrote.
But given the likely drop in investment also due to the tariffs, he said, “policy is getting somewhat tighter on its own, reducing the immediate need to raise the federal funds rate to keep long-run inflation expectations anchored.”
The Fed’s policy rate has been in the 4.25%-4.5% range since last December. Until Mr. Trump’s surprise announcement on Wednesday, markets had been betting heavily that the central bank would respond to the tariffs with a series of rate cuts starting next month.
“If you’re driving in really dense fog, there are two things you don’t want to do. And one is to step on the gas because you don’t know who’s in front of you. And one is step on the brake because you don’t know who’s behind you” Richmond Fed President Thomas Barkin told the Economic Club of Washington, D.C.
Mr. Barkin said he is most focused on the risk that consumers, exhausted by recent inflation and tapped out of the extra savings they had accumulated during several rounds of pandemic-era government stimulus, could sharply slow spending in the face of high prices. — Reuters
VIVIAN QUE-AZCONA, president of Mercury Drug Corp., passed away on April 5 at the age of 69.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, pharmaceutical company Unilab Group extended its condolences on the passing of Ms. Que-Azcona.
“She was a visionary leader and a dedicated partner who has left an indelible mark on the Mercury Group of Companies, the healthcare industry, and the country,” it said.
“We believe her meaningful work uplifted millions of lives through the years, leaving a legacy that will be remembered for generations to come.”
As the largest shareholder of Mercury Drug Corp., a drugstore chain established in 1945, Ms. Que-Azcona was instrumental in the company’s growth and success.
Under her leadership, Mercury Drug expanded its presence across the Philippines, with a network of over 1,200 stores nationwide and more than 15,000 employees. — Justine Irish D. Tabile
LONDON — US media giant Comcast Corp. has chosen an area north of London for its first Universal theme park and resort in Europe, pledging to build rides and attractions based on its movie franchises that it hopes will rival Disneyland Paris.
The group, which owns the Jurassic Park and Back to the Future movie franchises and the Harry Potter theme park license, said the park in Bedford would create 20,000 jobs during construction and a further 8,000 across the hospitality and creative industries when it opens in 2031.
It is expected to attract 8.5 million visitors in its first year, a number currently only exceeded in Europe by Disneyland Paris to the east of the French capital.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and finance minister Rachel Reeves joined Comcast bosses to announce the theme park on Wednesday.
“This will drive growth here and across the country,” Mr. Starmer said.
The Labor government has pledged to boost investment in infrastructure since it was elected last year, and Britain’s economy needs fresh momentum after the highest tax-raising budget since 1993 in October dented business confidence.
The government has pledged to speed up planning decisions and the announcement comes after it approved the expansion of Luton Airport, which is about 32 kilometers from the Universal site, boosting the area’s international connectivity.
“This (theme park) is our ‘Plan for Change’ in action, bringing investment, bringing opportunity, growth, jobs and, of course, joy to Britain,” Mr. Starmer said.
Universal has five resorts and parks, in the US states of California and Florida as well as in Singapore, Japan, and China, offering rides and attractions based on its movie franchises.
Plans for the new site include a park, featuring several themed lands, a 500-room hotel, and a retail, dining and entertainment complex.
Comcast President Mike Cavanagh showed Mr. Starmer the plan in London on Tuesday, saying he “could not be more excited” to create a Universal theme park and resort in the heart of the United Kingdom.
Comcast bought a 500-acre former brickworks in Bedfordshire, about 55 miles north of London, in 2023 and had been in talks with the government since last year. It already owns Sky, which is Europe’s biggest pay-TV business.
The theme park and resort are subject to planning permission, the government said. — Reuters
Many of us enjoy the outdoors, gardening or even tending to a small farm. But today, we feel the heat — literally — of climate change. It’s a global problem, and we often wonder how we can make a difference. Surprisingly, the answer might be right beneath our feet: the soil.
What is soil, really? Soil is the top layer of the earth where plants grow, often called the “skin of the Earth.” But it’s not just dirt — soil is alive! Just one teaspoon of healthy soil contains more microorganisms than there are people on Earth. These tiny organisms help break down organic matter and make nutrients available to plants.
About 95% of our food, directly or indirectly, comes from soil. Even 95% of antibiotics are derived from soil bacteria. Truly, soil is life.
What is healthy soil made of? Healthy soil is composed of 45% minerals (sand, silt, clay, pebbles, rocks, 25% air, 25% water, and 5% organic matter (plants, animals, and microorganisms).
The most fertile part of soil is the topsoil, especially when it contains humus, which is a dark, rich substance formed from decomposed leaves, twigs, insects, and other organisms. Humus is about 60% carbon, and it’s essential for water retention, nutrient balance, and soil structure.
THE ROLE OF SOIL IN CLIMATE CHANGE
Carbon in the atmosphere contributes to global warming. But when plants photosynthesize, they pull carbon dioxide from the air and send some of that carbon into the soil through their roots. When the soil is rich in organic matter and microorganisms, it stores or “sequesters” this carbon. This process turns soil into a carbon sink.
Unfortunately, many farming and land use practices destroy this process, including slash-and-burn agriculture, the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, tilling and plowing, illegal logging, and overgrazing by livestock. These activities kill beneficial microbes and release stored carbon back into the atmosphere.
So how do we restore soil health? These are some simple, powerful ways through which we can support healthy soil, and, in doing so, have healthy plants and even store carbon in the soil and help against climate change:
1. Compost — Kitchen scraps and yard waste can be turned into compost. This adds organic matter to soil, feeds microbes, and reduces landfill waste. Even simple segregation — separating biodegradable (nabubulok) from non-biodegradable (hindi nabubulok) waste —makes a difference. Composting also feeds earthworms, whose castings or vermicast are excellent fertilizers.
2. Mulch — A “blanket” of dried leaves or wood chips protects the soil from heat and erosion. It keeps moisture in, regulates temperature, and slowly releases nutrients as it decomposes.
3. Cover crops — Planting nitrogen-fixing crops like monggo or mung beans between growing seasons keeps soil covered, adds organic matter, and prevents erosion. Cut these crops before flowering and mix into the soil as green manure — this works like a spa treatment for soil!
4. Well-rotted manure — Animal manure from chickens, pigs, cows, goats, or rabbits, when properly composted, is a natural way to enrich the soil with nutrients and organic material.
These are some practices of what’s called regenerative farming or carbon farming — farming in a way that follows nature’s cycles and heals the land.
I used to rely on synthetic fertilizers. But since discovering natural farming — which cares for the microorganisms in the soil — in the mid-2000s, I’ve been hooked. Most of the materials are free and abundant, such as leaves, kitchen waste, animal manure. I also learned about JADAM, an ultra-low-cost organic farming system using leaf mold, or decomposed leaves, which makes one of the best soil conditioners. Nature wastes nothing.
Did you know that humans need more vitamins now than they did decades ago? That’s because our soil has lost nutrients. It’s time to put these nutrients back — and not with chemicals, but with organic matter.
Climate change is real. Carbon in the air is a problem. But carbon in the soil? That’s the solution.
Healthy soil pulls carbon from the air and locks it underground. It feeds our plants. It gives us nutrient-rich food. It holds water, prevents erosion, and helps us fight floods and drought.
Let’s respect the soil. Let’s heal it. What can you do today? Here are some examples:
– Start composting.
– Cover exposed soil with mulch and cover cropping.
– Avoid chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
– Reduce, reuse, and recycle water and electricity.
– Plant, plant, plant! Plant native trees like bamboos.
So, the next time you look down at the ground, don’t just see dirt — see hope. See a solution. See life. Healthy soil makes plants healthy. It leads to healthy people and a healthy planet!
Flor G. Tarriela is a banker by profession and an environmentalist/ gardener.
We hire a lot of people using social media and sometimes, print media depending on the position that we’d like to hire. Unfortunately, we don’t get many qualified applicants from those channels. Can we do campus recruitment instead? – Wind Flow.
There are many possible approaches to advertising job vacancies. We don’t want to exclude one in favor of another. Every approach is useful, including a referral program where you pay current employees a bonus if their recommended candidates are hired.
Much depends on the organization’s size, the significance of vacant posts, the urgency, budget limits, and media channels. Everything is useful as long as they are easy, cheap, and fast.
Prudence dictates that we not discount the other approaches, like campus recruitment. First and foremost, you must understand the objective. College recruitment is suitable only for finding entry-level candidates. You don’t hire fresh graduates to fill jobs that require years of experience.
If you intend to hire people with unique talent, or are looking for line supervisors or managers, try other solutions like job ads, in addition to your announcements on social media. But a holistic approach would require that you start with considering promotions from within.
That means giving priority to your current employees for promotion, if they’re qualified. Start by announcing the vacancies through company bulletin boards and intranet. To avoid any issues when hiring internal candidates, you should spell out in advance the job specifications, performance standards, and qualifications required of applicants.
If you’re successful in promoting someone from within the organization, the entry-level or junior posts should be easy to fill from the pool of fresh college graduates.
CAMPUS RECRUITMENT
We do college recruitment for entry-level positions, on-the-job training, and other roles that require basic knowledge, like those in information technology, mass media, accountancy, and many more.
One caveat though. If you focus on recruiting from prestigious universities, prepare to compete for applicants with major organizations. That could happen if you as a potential employer don’t possess the brand or image that people want. You must also manage the preferences of their parents.
This may not be obvious at first glance, but given the fact that social media is all around us, there’s a chance that your organization may have received negative comments from job applicants, even disgruntled employees who may have resigned out of frustration.
Aside from campus recruitment, there are many approaches you can take in hiring entry-level candidates. These include:
One, job and career festivals. Usually, these are organized by the Department of Labor and Employment during Labor Day celebrations in May. There are also occasional job fairs organized by local government units in partnership with manpower agencies and consumer goods companies.
Two, campus visits. You must be in touch with alumni associations to improve your organization’s chances of being invited to campus job fairs. Arrange for an attractive booth and marketing peripherals to catch the eye during fairs.
Three, apprenticeship programs. Many companies use this program to provide structured training and employment platform for young individuals, including graduating students, to learn a trade or profession through a combination of on-the-job experience and related instruction.
Four, social media. Employers use Facebook and other social media platforms to connect with students for possible employment opportunities. They also use the same platform to improve the company’s image by publishing employee activities and milestones.
MANPOWER AGENCIES
Some organizations rely on hiring from employment agencies or labor cooperatives. It’s advisable to do this for temporary workers to fill positions when regular employees are on maternity leave, prolonged sick leave, or sabbaticals.
It’s an excellent avenue for filling seasonal needs for manpower services. However, the qualifications and experience of such hires can be uneven. If so, it’s easy to find replacements without violating the Labor Code.
I’ve seen and interacted with a lot of working students. Many of them are temps at major firms and business processing organizations. They are a different breed. If you have the chance to hire them for regular, entry-level jobs, you don’t need graduates from prestigious universities. They’re a lot better, with none of the arrogance.
Bring Elbo’s leadership program called “Superior Subordinate Supervision” to your management team. Learn through a unique teaching methodology. For details, e-mail elbonomics@gmail.com or via https://reyelbo.com
The great Spanish artist with a Filipino heart Juvenal Sansó, has passed to eternity. He takes his place among the pantheon of stars with his artist-friends and the art collectors who have gone before him.
There have been many wonderful tributes to his genius and his art, his many awards and achievements in the international art world.
As a friend, Sansó was always kind, affectionate, thoughtful, generous, and supportive. He was brilliant and had a sense of humor that was infectious. He clowned around during pictorials with photographers. He was always modest and self-effacing about his own accomplishments.
The witty raconteur was a good writer who shared his impressions on life and art collectors. He showed his keen observation of people and the process of authentication.
Here are excerpts from a personal letter (1990) he wrote that was first published in this column in 2015.
Maestro Sansó (or “Juvi” as close friends called him) had graciously accepted the invitation to mount a solo exhibit at the Artist’s Corner of the Hotel InterContinental Manila. This writer-artist was then the hotel’s PR director who managed the gallery. It was an honor to have worked closely with him. His spontaneous comments are still relevant in today’s environment.
He remarked, “I think that you will agree on what the painter feels about before and during the presentation of one’s works to the very wide variety of collectors, pseudo-collectors and studio wanderers.”
He wrote: “I must tell you a story that illustrates this purpose… Highly knowledgeable psychologists placed a monkey in a room filled with mirrors and all kinds of things used in a house to see what this animal would do in such circumstances.
“When the scientists put their eye in the keyhole to observe… Guess what they saw? They saw the monkey’s eye observing THEM!
“This happens to all artists who show paintings to prospective buyers in any place around the world. The Philippines in not an exception.”
He wrote an aside: “(I must underline the fact that I am not speaking of Filipino collectors exclusively… for someone might be offended if he or she thinks I am talking about him or her. My observations are a result of long years of practicing my vocation and its complement: that of presenting the works to the art — lover.)
“There are basic characters in the attitudes and strategies used by both sides that have a most interesting interplay of psychologies. I shall be underlining the most atypical of cases for they will allow us to understand that [there] are, in between the extremes, the kind and normal persons who only leave a happy aura behind when they leave.
“A very interesting case is the boyfriend of a wealthy business lady who was buying some of my works and who told him to do likewise. The poor fellow was in such a tight fix that he was sweating like a squeezed sponge all over the place… The perfect case of the napasubo. I could not release him from his predicament for I didn’t know what the intentions of the lady friend were; what kind of test he was going through. When confronted with another solution, classical.
“First, he was only going to like the ‘reserved’ or ‘sold’ items in the studio. When similar works were presented, he would want them in a different size. His perspiring was getting so bountiful that I had to take my books and drawings away from this human fountain. Seeing the poor fellow suffer so much and seeing how the lady seemed to push this torture, I kept on the fence, waiting for some release. I wonder what the score at the end was! He left without buying but maybe not earning his stripes with Lady Love, of course, he promised to come back… promises, promises!
“There are many ways that I use to judge if people in the studio are seriously interested in my works or simply taking a cultural paseo with his friends either to show how they know painting or the painter. If I hear too much chatting among my visitors, I may put a painting upside down to test their attention. If the second time I do this, they still have not reacted, then I terminate the presentation saying I don’t have any finished works to show. It’s best for everyone.
“Life is too short for me to devote time to indifference…
“In the studio, more than three or four viewers at a time are to be avoided because they form sub-groups chatting among themselves or try to impress one another with their knowledge and their culture. This verbal smarty-pants ping-pong never profits the artist for he or she rarely learns anything from the show-offs except how ignorant they are and how pedantic are the ones who know a bit.
“There is, sometimes, the decoration-oriented buyer who would rather choose a mediocre artwork that goes well with the curtains and wallpaper rather than a strong piece by a better painter…”
“I have relaxed and let each collector react according to his or her cultural capacity. What is important is that he or she makes the first step and feels motivated enough to spend hard-earned money on a painting.
“If the first step was the curtain, after a while, the painting dominates and projects its inner message. Eventually the curtain is changed. The curtain has no inner message from a sensitive human being. The kids grow up with art around them and this second generation will have seen the painting ‘first’ and forgotten the curtains.
“Authenticating by the artist himself is not a problem at all… I have a dozen elephants’ memory for my own works for they are a result of emotional, technical, stylistic factors that, at a glance, they come back to me…
“The immediate members of the family may be the second choice if the artist is dead; experts, assuming that the word expert is truly legitimate, may guide the collector to select the right (authentic) pieces. A reputable gallery is a very good base too… There are some, really!
“Buying directly from the artist (an honest artist, of course) is still the best guaranty of authenticity… straight from the carabao’s mouth: or the Monkey’s eye?”
Sansó was one of the most prolific, well-loved artists. His artworks are in the major collections of international museums and distinguished families around the world. He inspired a generation of artists.
Sansó was Catalan, born in Barcelona 95 years ago. He came with his parents and sister to Manila at age four. They founded the well-known Arte Español wrought iron furniture business.
A graduate of the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts, he lived and worked in Paris for more than six decades. He traveled often but Manila was always his home. He spoke Spanish, French, and English. He used to startle people (with his piercing blue eyes) whenever he suddenly spoke in fluent Filipino!
The artist lives on in his exquisite artworks and in the hearts of the people who love him.
A blessed Easter to all!
Maria Victoria Rufino is an artist, writer and businesswoman. She is president and executive producer of Maverick Productions.
DEL MONTE PACIFIC Ltd. (DMPL) incurred a $20-million increase in its debt as part of a settlement with the lenders of its US subsidiaries, the listed food and beverage manufacturer said on Thursday.
DMPL, along with certain lenders, negotiated a settlement following an alleged default of Del Monte Foods, Inc.’s (DMFI) facility agreement signed in May 2022, the company said in a stock exchange disclosure.
“The settlement loan increases the Del Monte Pacific Group’s interest expense by about $4 million annually and raises the group’s debts by $20 million,” the company said.
“The company agreed to contribute either by equity or a subordinated loan to the subsidiary by May 5, 2025,” it added.
In October 2024, a group of lenders under the term loan agreement of DMFI signed in 2022 sued DMFI, two other Del Monte Foods Holdings Ltd. (DMFHL) subsidiaries, and certain directors in the State of Delaware Court of Chancery.
The group of lenders did not participate in the new term facility agreement completed in August 2024. DMFHL is the immediate parent company of DMFI, which is the US subsidiary of DMPL.
“The complaint alleged that certain defaults and events of default had occurred under the 2022 DMFI Facility Agreement and that as a result of such defaults and events of default, plaintiffs were entitled to remove the current directors of DMFI and two other DMFHL subsidiaries and replace those directors with the plaintiffs’ own appointees,” DMPL said.
“The defendants denied that any defaults or events of default had occurred under the 2022 DMFI Facility Agreement and vigorously contested the plaintiffs’ allegations and purported exercise of remedies,” it added.
A trial was held in mid-February, and a post-trial hearing was set for April 9. The settlement was negotiated in advance of the post-trial hearing.
“The lawsuit has now been dismissed with finality. In connection with the settlement, all indebtedness under the 2022 DMFI Facility Agreement will be retired,” DMPL said.
“In case the company decides not to provide any monetary contribution, a majority of directors on the boards of DMFHL and each of its subsidiaries would be appointed by the lenders, and certain governance changes would be put in place, and a portion of the company’s equity in DMFHL would be applied to partially pay the settlement loan,” it added.
For the first nine months of its fiscal year 2025 ending in April, DMPL widened its net loss to $92.2 million due to weaker US operations. Sales rose by 3% to $1.9 billion on higher exports of fresh pineapples and packaged products.
Nine-month net debt fell by 6.9% to $2.27 billion due to better inventory management.
DMPL shares rose by 3.21% or nine centavos to P2.89 per share on Thursday. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave
AYALA MALLS Cinemas will host the exclusive theatrical release of the horror film The Demon Disorder. It is the directorial debut of special effects master Steven Boyle. The Australian horror movie follows three brothers who are reunited after the youngest is possessed by their deceased father. Originally premiered on the horror movie platform Shudder, it is now showing only at Ayala Malls.
BRANCHING out from his career as an actor is Dylan Menor, who has just released his debut single, “Maghapon,” under Universal Records. Written by Alvin Serito of the band SunKissed Lola, the track is a serenade that starts calm and slow as it tells the story of someone drawn to another’s presence. Mr. Menor, managed by Stages Talents, has previously teased the song on fan meets and TV shows. “Maghapon” is out now on all digital music streaming platforms.
ACADEMY Award-winning actress Viola Davis is the lead in a brand-new action thriller, where she plays US President Danielle Sutton who becomes the world’s last line of defense in an international crisis. G20, now streaming exclusively on Prime Video, centers on the former military veteran as she is thrust into a deadly siege by terrorists during a global summit in Cape Town. Directed by Patricia Riggen, the thriller is out now on Prime Video.
HIP-HOP/R&B girl group XG has announced the release of their reworked single “IN THE RAIN” from their second mini album AWE. It is accompanied by a music video featuring the members dressed in sleek suits. The alternate take of the R&B-inspired track — which fuses the delicate sound of falling rain with gentle guitar melodies — injects electronic dance music elements. It is out now on all digital music streaming platforms.
The Philippines went up two places to 86th out of 170 countries in the 2025 edition of the Global Social Progress Index by nonprofit organization Social Progress Imperative in partnership with global wealth manager AlTi Teidemann. It was the country’s best performance in six years or since it placed 85th in 2018. With an overall score of 67.34 out of 100 points, the Philippines’ score was above the global average of 64.02.
