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Raimondo assures labor rights will be a US investor priority

MARIANNE BERMUDEZ/PPA POOL PHOTO

LABOR GROUPS said they received assurances from US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo that US investors in the Philippines will respect workers’ rights and comply with international labor standards.

Public Services Labor Independent Confederation President Annie E. Geron told BusinessWorld on the sidelines of a briefing on Thursday that the labor groups raised the issue of contractual workers in the workforce to Ms. Raimondo in a March 12 meeting. 

Ms. Geron said the groups also brought up the practice of “red-tagging,” which the security forces use as a pretext for labor crackdowns, alleging union connections with the Communist movement.

“(Ms. Raimondo) told us that she will see to it US companies in the Philippines adhere to the labor rules implemented in our country, such as the International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention No. 190 or the elimination of violence and harassment in the workplace,” Ms. Geron said.

“Ms. Raimondo stated that she is ‘very concerned’ about the problematic state of the Philippine labor rights situation,” the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) said in a press release. 

“Ms. Raimondo also promised to raise the issue with US companies operating in the Philippines of alleged anti-union practices, the TUCP said, citing methods like the transfer of production and orders to non-union operations,” TUCP said.

They also brought up the role of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict in red-tagging.

Ms. Geron said 69 labor leaders, organizers, and activists were killed in 2023.

“No one gets investigated or punished for the killings,” Ms. Geron said. 

Ms. Raimondo was quoted as saying that the Biden administration pursues “worker-centered policies.” — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Digital payment solutions seen to boost small firms

REUTERS

PAYMENT SOLUTIONS for small businesses must be geared towards digitalization to make their transition to cashless more seamless, according to Visa.

“For small businesses, getting paid and receiving money in a safe, secure way is extremely important to their operations,” Gareth Parrington, Visa’s Head of Commercial Money Movement in South East Asia, told reporters in a roundtable interview on Wednesday.

“We’re looking to support businesses in that digitization journey and help make it more simple to accept payments, both online and face-to-face. There’s a real shift that’s taking place in the Philippines,” he added.

According to Visa’s Consumer Payment Attitudes study, one in three Filipino consumers expect that the Philippines will become a cashless society by 2030.

The study also showed card payments usage stood at 70% while mobile wallet usage was at 87%, the same as cash transactions.

“Post-pandemic, we saw a huge shift of small businesses. This is the same for the Philippines as well, moving to online,” Mr. Parrington said.

He said that small and micro businesses are looking for solutions that cater to customer usability and are simple and intuitive.

“If we think about that, a lot of the time, small businesses and their softwares and applications have been at the back of the queue. Their products and solutions may have not had the same level of investments as the consumer solutions,” he said.

“Now, we’re seeing the shift in consumerization, and our partners are starting to think about how they can really develop the user experience, make their solutions easy and intuitive.”

Mr. Parrington said small and micro businesses in the Philippines present opportunities for payment providers.

“They currently produce around 36% of GDP (gross domestic product). I think the opportunity is to grow, help businesses transact, and do business more effectively,” he said, noting that their share in economic output could go as high as 60% if they can expand their businesses.

Latest data from the Department of Trade and Industry showed 99.59% of total businesses in the country are micro, small, and medium enterprises, with 90.49% falling under microenterprises.

“The biggest need that a small business owner has is their working capital, getting money in quicker, being able to pay suppliers. Small businesses want to concentrate on their operations,” he added.

Mr. Parrington said a collective effort between the public and private sectors is needed to boost digitalization.

“It requires partnerships across the ecosystem. From a Visa perspective, anything we can do to increase acceptance and enable more businesses to become digitized helps because people then can transact in a safe way.”

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) wanted to digitize 50% of retail transactions by end-2023 and earlier said it was confident the target was met amid increasing use of online platforms for transactions.

For its part, Visa Foundation last year pledged $100 million to support small and micro businesses in Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation countries over five years, including the Philippines.

“We’ve got a pledge in terms of digitization of small and micro businesses, that’s globally. 67 million (businesses) is how many we’re looking to digitize. We’ve passed 50 million now,” Mr. Parrington said.

“We make our investments in the products and solutions that we have, making them easier to use. Contactless payments are a big thing that we’ve rolled out in the Philippines. You’ll see from the consumer payments that we’ve noticed the growth there,” he added.

He cited various solutions to support small businesses, such as rapid seller onboarding and digital issuance of cards and credentials.

“Digital wallets and embedding credentials into mobile phones to make them more safe and secure, they’re investments that we’re making in the ecosystem that we can bring with our partners to the Philippines as well to help grow the digital landscape.”

He also cited low-hanging fruit such as the provision of a business debit card to help business owners separate their personal expenses.

“It becomes very confusing and difficult to run your bookkeeping, understand your cash flow position if you’re paying for things with your consumer cards. One of the easiest products that we have is a business debit card, so that we can start making business payments from your business bank account very simply and easily,” he added. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson

The Kate Middleton mess should terrify brands on social media

TOM SOPER PHOTOGRAPHY-WIKIMEDIA.ORG

A BIG POWERFUL organization with a carefully manufactured image gets embroiled in a conspiracy theory about one of its most beloved and valuable brand ambassadors. To try to quell the uproar, said organization takes to its social feeds. But when those posts turn out not to be the full story, the conspiracy mushrooms, sparking even more intense scrutiny and mass intrigue.

We are, of course, talking about Kensington Palace’s Kate Middleton crisis (because who isn’t). But the British monarchy is essentially a massive global brand — there’s a reason it’s known as The Firm — and the mess it finds itself in right now should be a warning to any business that thinks it can control its own messaging.

What turned the most casual royal watchers into crazed professional internet sleuths is the now-infamous photo that was posted by the Prince and Princess of Wales’s handle on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday. The image of Middleton with her three children was meant to quell questions over the health of the princess, who hadn’t been seen in public since December. Instead, the obviously doctored photo only set off more alarm bells. The explanation that Middleton had been the one to alter the image was about as likely as a C-suite executive claiming they had just logged on to the company’s corporate Instagram account to casually touch up a post.

Much of the analysis of the photo and the ensuing uproar focused on how this episode is an early taste of what’s to come as AI and deepfakes feed into our post-truth world. But the erosion of society’s faith in its biggest institutions (including the British crown) started long before such technologies existed. And conspiracy theories, like the ones that have been swirling around the princess’s disappearance, are more likely to take hold when people are looking for some sense of control and certainty when the world’s long-established norms and power structures are in flux.

Recognizing that they can seem out of reach and out of touch, brands have taken to social media to meet their consumers where they are. The younger generation of the royal family has done the same, attempting to show a side of itself that has long been hidden behind all the pomp and circumstance. But when you attempt to regularly engage with an audience in order to come across as accessible, it only amplifies the decision to go silent when things take a turn.

We do not know what’s going on with Middleton, and she has a right to her privacy. But the family has put itself in the uncomfortable position of straddling a space between new and old media, laying out the expectation that it will talk to its followers directly and candidly through X and Instagram. But in this moment of crisis, it has fallen back on the old way of doing business — official releases and explanations that make vague references to “personal matters” and “ private appointments.”

The royal family has learned the hard way what every big company brand should already know: If you’re going to play on social media and court an engaged and active audience, you better know what you’re doing. A sophisticated following will parse your every move and pull apart your every post. It’s dynamic and fun when times are good, but not so much during a crisis. Your audience, however, will expect to hear from you on both occasions. If you stay quiet, they will fill the vacuum with their own TikToks and tweets and Instagram posts. And if you dare lie to them, they will sniff it out immediately, further degrading whatever trust and goodwill you have managed to build.

This episode made me think of my past coverage of the vegan food delivery service Daily Harvest, which is a useful case study of the “live by social media, die by social media” phenomenon. It’s a small company that managed to build an impressive following during the direct-to-consumer boom of the 2010s. But when one of its products sickened hundreds of people, the startup was criticized for taking too long to send out any sort of clear update on Instagram and other platforms, where it was in regular conversation with its customers. Just as social media amplified its brand on the way up, it also amplified its failings and acted as a forum for its very online customer base to share theories (some of them of the conspiratorial variety) of what had made them ill.

In this case, it’s a key brand ambassador who is having the health problems — we just don’t know of what variety or how severe. The “Where’s Kate” crisis has been felt more acutely in large part because of the unusual level of transparency King Charles III has provided into his own health. Why has The Firm been relatively open about the king’s condition while remaining so vague about Middleton’s? It’s likely a function of the way the royals run their press operations, with each couple having their own team. This is akin to every member of the C-Suite running their own communications apparatus — which they often do. But this is a reminder that in times of crisis, a failure to have one overarching strategy will reveal an organization’s internal conflicts and dysfunction to the public.

Social media can be a powerful tool for institutions trying to restore and build trust. But it can just as quickly destroy it. With the photo debacle, the royals have been caught peddling mistruths online in an attempt to quiet the ones spreading about Middleton. The best thing for any brand to do when faced with this kind of crisis of confidence is to tell the truth and own up to its mistakes; the problem is, it will now be that much harder to believe them.

BLOOMBERG OPINION

Entertainment News (03/15/24)


Glorietta to hold coffee and group therapy activities

FOR Women’s Month this March, Makati’s Glorietta Mall has launched a campaign titled, “How She Blooms: A Tribute to Thriving Women.” It will run from March 15 to 17 with a series of activities geared towards empowering women. One of the highlights of the campaign is a special Coffee and Group Therapy session focused on the topic of “compassion fatigue.” It will be hosted by Mind You, a mental health organization dedicated to improving access to mental health services. Registration is required via this link: https://forms.office.com/r/vFzkuCmCaN. Glorietta will be offering discounts on mental health sessions through the Mind You app, along with 10 complimentary sessions. Over the weekend there will also be art sessions, Pound workouts, and a workshop on essential oils.


Craft fair for female entrepreneurs

THE “Lokalakalan: Kultura, Kababaihan, at Kabuhayan Fair,” which will be held on March 15 to 17, is Security Bank’s way to honor and celebrate women. To be held in two locations — Makati’s Power Plant Mall and Muntinlupa’s Alabang Town Center — the craft fair is organized by female entrepreneurs from the Community Crafts Association of the Philippines (CCAP). The association is known for showcasing traditional crafts by community-based artisans and organizing capacity-building workshops on product development, design, and effective marketing strategies. The fair will showcase bags and accessories, garden and patio decor, home decor, homeware, artwork and prints, and ornaments. Customers with a Security Bank Credit or Debit Card can get up to 36 months on regular installments for a minimum spend of P3,000.


Cookbook launch, summer bazaar, cat adoption

MID-MARCH is filled with events at Quezon City’s Araneta City, starting with the launch of chef Tatung Sathou’s Young Chef’s cookbook on March 16, 3 p.m., at the Quantum Skyview, Gateway Mall 2. The chef will be there to sign copies, and children can join basic cooking activities. From March 16 to 17, the ground floor of Manhattan Parkview will host a summer bazaar. On March 17, at the Farmer’s Plaza activity area, the community volunteer group The City Cats of Cubao will hold a full-day adoption drive for healthy stray cats in Cubao. For more information, visit Araneta City’s social media pages.


Paella Gigante returns to Ayala Malls

A well-loved culinary spectacle returns at the Greenbelt 3 Park in Makati. After a pandemic hiatus, the Paella Gigante will once again be cooked, this time on March 16 at 4 p.m. Spanish dance and music will also be performed while an authentic Spanish paella is cooked on a giant paellera. Guests are encouraged to come in their most colorful attire. Tickets are now available for P500 at the Greenbelt 3 Cinema Ticket Booth, and all proceeds from the event will be contributed to Sociedad Espanola de Beneficencia (a charity aimed to improve the well-being and quality of life of indigent and elderly Spaniards and Filipinos). For inquiries, call 843-0742 or e-mail info@senfil.org.


Art in the Park 2024 opens on Sunday

THE AFFORDABLE art fair, Art in the Park, returns this coming Sunday, March 17, at the Jaime Velasquez park in Makati City from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. This edition gathers over 60 exhibitors representing galleries, art collectives, independent art spaces, and student groups to present a vibrant showcase of diverse talents and to offer an opportunity for fair-goers to engage, interact, and immerse themselves in Filipino creativity. As in previous years, Art in the Park 2024 features special exhibits by Filipino artists handpicked by the fair’s organizers. This year they are abstractionists Pepe Delfin and Clarence Chun, and multimedia graphic artist Demi Padua. There will be several dining options, and musical performances by Any Name’s Okay and Soulful Mood throughout the day.


LEGO launches ‘Play Unstoppable’ campaign

THE GOAL of the LEGO Group’s “Play Unstoppable” campaign is to inspire girls to explore and express their creativity without limits. The toy company previously conducted studies that showed that while 76% of young girls feel confident in their creativity, that number declines as they get older. LEGO will hold a series of “creativity caravans” around Metro Manila — in Toy Kingdom, Toy Express, Toys R Us, and LEGO stores — throughout March, which will be open to girls ages four to 15. Upon arrival, the girls can register on-site to receive a free LEGO Polybag set which they can play with at the activity area and take home for free after. For more information, check out LEGO’s official social media pages.


Newport World Resorts hosts Manila Coffee Festival

FROM March 15 to 17, Newport World Resorts will play host to this year’s Manila Coffee Festival (MCF) and “KapeTalks,” a series of in-depth discussions advocating the Philippine’s coffee culture and natural heritage. Spread across the three-day coffee lifestyle event, it is crafted to connect coffee makers, growers, and environmental spokespersons to all who enjoy a good cup. This year, the MCF returns to the MGBx Convention Hall at the Marriott Manila. Headlining KapeTalks is Kingson Sian, President and CEO of Newport World Resorts. Other speakers include environmental advocate and coffee enthusiast Howie Severino who will talk about his approaches to sustainability; culinary heritage advocate Dr. Kathleen Apilado who will discuss artisanal sea-salt making practices; and mambabatok Ammin Acha-ur who will talk about the thousand-year-old tradition of indigenous stick-and-thorn tattooing. The MCF is also setting the stage for homegrown talent in music and art. The Performance Theater will feature OPM stars such as Jikamarie, Leanne & Naara, Rangel, and more. Tickets are available at https://mcf24.helixpay.ph/. The Expresso Pass grants unlimited access to the full three days of the festival for P850, while a P350 regular pass can be used for any one day of the festival. A discounted rate of P200 is available for students, senior citizens, and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) upon presentation of valid IDs at the festival venue. For more information on the Manila Coffee Festival, visit https://www.newportworldresorts.com/manila-coffee-festival-2024


Viu PH releases new Tagalog-dubbed series

VIU PHILIPPINES is offering five new Tagalog-dubbed series with remarkable female characters this March. These are the Korean dramas My Lovely Liar, The Escape of the Seven, Something in the Rain, and Missing: The Other Side 2; and the Chinese drama Be Together. From mystery dramas to fantasy thrillers, the Tagalog-dubbed selection is available for free on Viu. The platform offers over 100 Asian titles dubbed in Tagalog and Bisaya. Viu can be downloaded via the Apple Store, Play Store, or www.viu.com.


Spence Lee drops new album

SPENCE LEE has released an album under EarDrummers and 88rising. Titled S.H.O.T.T.A., which stands for “Soaring High Over the Turbulence Always,” the album offers listeners a glimpse into Mr. Lee’s multidisciplinary art. Along with the album, he also released a new video for the track “SRT” featuring Slim Jxmmi of Rae Sremmurd. His new songs tackle themes of faith in God, ego, pride, anger, love, loyalty, friendship, the growth mindset, self-improvement, and confidence. It blends live instruments such as pianos, guitars, and bass with soulful melodies, produced by Mike WiLL Made-it among others. S.H.O.T.T.A. is now available on all streaming platforms.

Keppel Philippines dissolves investment holding unit CSRI

LISTED property developer Keppel Philippines Properties, Inc. announced on Thursday the dissolution of its subsidiary CSRI Investment Corp.

CSRI Investment, an investment holding business, was dissolved on Jan. 31, Keppel Philippines Properties said in a stock exchange disclosure.

Apart from CSRI Investment, Keppel Philippines Properties maintains another subsidiary, Buena Homes, Inc., which also operates in the investment holding sector.

Keppel Philippines Properties is engaged in property development through its associates and joint venture.

Its completed residential and commercial developments include the Palmdale Heights residential development in Pasig City and the Podium Complex mixed-use development in Ortigas.

In December last year, BDO Unibank, Inc. completed its takeover of the combined 50% stake in SM Keppel Land, Inc. owned by Keppel Philippines Properties and Opon-KE Properties, Inc.

With the completed acquisition, BDO now owns the Podium Complex, which consists of BDO’s Corporate Center Ortigas, West Tower, and Podium Mall.

Keppel Philippines Properties shares were last traded on March 6 at P6.47 apiece. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Monthly wages rise for Region III domestics

OFFICIALGAZETTE.GOV.PH

THE Central Luzon regional wage board has approved an increase in the monthly wage for domestic workers to at least P6,000, the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) said.

More than 126,000 domestic workers are expected to benefit from the P1,000 to P1,500 increase, as approved by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board, which issued Wage Order No. RBIII-DW-04. The new pay scale takes effect on April 1.

The P1,000 increase applies to those working in cities and first-class municipalities in Central Luzon, while P1,500 will be added to other municipalities.

“The increase considered the results of a survey and public hearings, as well as the needs of domestic workers and their families, the employer’s capacity to pay, and the existing socio-economic conditions in the region,” according to a DoLE statement.  

On March 12, the National Wages and Productivity Commission confirmed the pay order after it had been submitted for review by the regional board.

The last wage order for domestic workers in Central Luzon came into effect on June 20, 2022. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana 

Moody’s Ratings: Philippine banks’ profits to remain stable

BW FILE PHOTO

PHILIPPINE BANKS’ profits are expected to remain stable this year as increased interest earnings from loans to retail and small and medium enterprises (SME) could be offset by higher provisioning and funding costs, Moody’s Ratings said.

“In terms of profits, we expect this to be largely stable. Any further uptick to NIMs (net interest margins) will be limited due to higher funding costs,” Moody’s Financial Institutions Analyst Clarabelle Tan said in a webinar on Thursday.

“Meanwhile, the higher yields from SME and retail loans will be partially offset by a mild increase in provisioning costs,” she added.

Philippine banks will be supported by strong economic growth, Ms. Tan said.

“The overall outlook for the Philippines’ banking system is stable and this is really underpinned by the strong economic growth which will be much higher than its Asian peers, and thus we have the operating environment improving,” Ms. Tan said.

An increase in retail and SME loans could also affect banks’ nonperforming loans (NPLs), but the overall ratio is expected to be at just 3.2% to 3.5%, she added.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ expected rate cuts could also support banks’ asset quality, Ms. Tan said.

“We expect the rate cuts in the second half of the year will also support any repayment capacities, and the banks’ high loan loss provision coverage will provide sufficient buffers against loan losses,” she said.

“Meanwhile, we expect the impact of interest rate cuts will be lagging while cost of funds will come down first and this is because if we look at the loans balance sheets, typically their deficits reprice faster than loans and hence we expect a more pronounced compression of NIMs in 2025,” Ms. Tan noted.

She added that banks could face asset quality risks from agricultural loans due to the El Niño weather event, even as their exposure to the sector remains limited.

Lenders’ capitalization is also expected to stay strong, Ms. Tan said.

“Funding and liquidity will remain robust as deficit growth will keep pace with the modest loan growth at about 2%,” she added. — A.M.C. Sy

The challenge on the fast track

ISABELLA FISCHER-UNSPLASH

Sleep is precious. Every living organism needs sleep to thrive in the environment. For human beings, one needs it for our well-being. A life of quality and productivity. However, there are many people who are sleep-deprived for several reasons.

What is it like to be on the fast track?

Working round-the-clock and traveling around the globe are exciting but they have health hazards. Constantly changing time zones while juggling multiple executive duties are physical activities that accelerate the ageing process and raise stress levels.

Everything has a price, it seems. Sometimes, the price of the perks of success and frequent travel may have its own hidden cost: the loss of sleep.

Sleep is a commodity that cannot be bought, borrowed, traded, or stolen. Time was when (as infants and toddlers) we had bountiful hours of blissful sleep. As soon as the lights dimmed, or as soon as dusk set in, carefree children floated easily to dreamland — soaring on clouds and flying over rainbows. Sleep was what we needed to grow tall, bright, healthy, and strong.

Growing up deprived us of quantifiable hours of sleep, we discovered. As we acquired responsibilities and privileges in adulthood, we also began to accumulate emotional, mental, and physical baggage. A complicated lifestyle and challenging work environment translate into pockets or waves of anxiety and woeful hours of sleeplessness.

Hormonal changes wreak havoc on the internal clock and gentle patterns of healing slumber.

As we grow older chronologically — not necessarily mentally or emotionally — we begin to miss the habit of easily falling asleep at night.

Perhaps we have had too much work, food, or drink. Most likely, we have simply forgotten to switch off the mechanisms that drive us to compete and achieve. We don’t know when or how to stop worrying.

Instead of dreaming, we are fretting about a thousand things — major problems and inconsequential details. We are anxiety-ridden, full of angst or burnt out.

We try all kinds of remedies — whatever it is that motivates or pushes us to the brink of yawning. We rely on exercise, warm milk (it works because of tryptophan), a good book, TV and movies (not the news, please), counting sheep, praying the rosary, and some natural or prescribed anti-anxiety pills.

Insomniacs and jet-lagged victims, take heart! There is a natural food supplement — melatonin — a pill with the hormone that induces sleep. The hormone is produced by the pineal gland of the brain.

Throughout our early life, we produce melatonin in abundant quantities. As we age (chronologically), the production of this hormone decreases. This explains the difference between the easy sleep of babies and the insomnia (and senescence) of older persons. Melatonin keeps our cells from ageing and disintegrating. The hormone is secreted in response to the amount of light that hits our eyes. Doctors say that melatonin keeps us in sync with the circadian rhythms — of the day and the changing seasons.

It sounds reasonable enough — to desperate insomniacs.

Skeptics caution people not to pop pills indiscriminately. They should refrain from experimenting with supplements that do not have any record of long-term beneficial effects.

Cellular biologists, however, have discovered that melatonin has another important basic function — “to protect oxygen-based life from the side effects of oxygen.” The process of oxidation corrodes our cellular membranes and damages our DNA. As we metabolize oxygen, free radicals are generated — slowly destroying our cells. This weakens our minds and causes degenerative diseases (such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, and serious heart problems as we age.)

Although our bodies produce enzymes to protect certain cells — melatonin is supposed to produce enzymes that inhibit oxidation — we also need vital nutrients such as vitamin C and beta carotene, which are known antioxidants, to provide extra protection to certain cells.

Melatonin is still in demand a decade after it first came out in health food stores. There have been multiple marketing claims — it eases insomnia and jet lag, turns back the ravages of time, boosts the immune system, and extends life. But the pills or capsules come in a jar that says, “no proven therapeutic claims.” Caveat emptor.

Some doctors still prescribe it to help patients sleep better.

On a personal level, it works 75% of the time (3 mg to 10 mg) depending on the mood. If one is too anxious or burnt out, it might not be as effective. When one is in a state of peace or relaxation but cannot fall asleep, one pill would suffice.

Based on research and personal experience, healing sleep is still a function of one’s psychological and physical well-being.

The beneficial effects for people on the fast track could be the mélange of a natural hormone with a strong psychological suggestion that induces sleep!

(Contrary to the famous quote, “To sleep, perchance to dream,” this writer has a different creative rhythm. I dream — even before I fall asleep.)

 

Maria Victoria Rufino is an artist, writer and businesswoman. She is president and executive producer of Maverick Productions.

mavrufino@gmail.com

Gwyneth Paltrow’s next step in wellness journey: finding calm

GWYNETHPALTROW.COM

LOS ANGELES, March 13 (Reuters) — Actress and entrepreneur Gwyneth Paltrow has felt the intense glare of the Hollywood spotlight from a young age. And by her own admission, Ms. Paltrow tends to worry — a lot.

“I get stressed out quite easily, so I have to work a lot to stay calm,” she said in an interview.

“Being in the public eye is like an extra layer of stressor that luckily most people don’t have to experience because it can be very wearing, but I think I’ve had a lot of maturity and development around not really engaging with those projections.”

Ms. Paltrow’s latest collaboration with meditation app Moments of Space is part of that self-love journey, the 51-year-old said.

“At this point in my life I really know who I am. I’m friends with myself and I don’t spend any time thinking about what other people think about me because I don’t find it beneficial. So, anything I can do to kind of strengthen my relationship with myself is really valuable to me.”

The artificial intelligence-powered app focuses on an eyes-open approach to meditation, allowing users to engage with the world while meditating.

Ms. Paltrow, who runs the lifestyle and wellness company Goop, was drawn to the project because she felt it was missing from her brand.

“I suppose what I really liked about it was I never knew that there was such a thing as eyes-open meditation,” she said. “I knew that when I took a walk through the woods by myself, I felt I could go into a kind of meditative state but I didn’t know that there was an actual practice you could do along with it.

“I’m doing it right now and I’m still able to formulate thoughts and talk to you but I’m able to sort of tap into this reservoir of calm,” she said, demonstrating the practice during the interview.

Paltrow has not acted in nearly four years. Is she on a hiatus or has she retired from Hollywood?

“I definitely could not pursue it right now, my day job is just way too all-encompassing,” she said. “I couldn’t, not with my job here at the company, but I think I’ve learned at this point to never say never.” — Reuters

Alsons records 22% surge in 2023 income

ALCANTARA-LED Alsons Consolidated Resources, Inc. (ACR) said on Thursday that it saw a 22% jump in its 2023 net income to P2.29 billion, driven by higher power demand.

The company’s revenue grew by 3% to P12.4 billion last year, Alsons said in a stock exchange disclosure.

“Alsons’ strong financial performance last year is attributed to the growing power demand in Mindanao. Aside from this, our participation in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market in Mindanao has opened additional revenue streams for the company, contributing to our financial growth,” ACR Deputy Chief Financial Officer Philip Edward B. Sagun said.

The company plans to diversify its portfolio this year.

“Looking ahead, Alsons remain optimistic about its growth trajectory, particularly considering the expected increase in power demand to support the Philippines’ projected annual economic growth of 6.5 percent through 2028,” the company said.

Alsons is developing three renewable projects consisting of the 14.5-megawatt (MW) Siguil Hydro Power Plant in Sarangani, the 37.8-MW hybrid Siayan Hydro-Solar Power Plant in Zamboanga del Norte, and the 42-MW Bago Hydro Power Plant in Negros Occidental.

In 2023, Alsons marked its entry into the Visayas market with the groundbreaking of a 95.2-MW baseload backup power plant project in Ubay, Bohol.

The project will serve as a backup electricity source if the province gets isolated from the Visayas grid during calamities or natural disasters.

The company’s portfolio consists of four power facilities with a total capacity of 468 MW. It serves more than eight million people across 14 cities and 11 provinces.

The company seeks to increase its renewable energy capacity to support the Energy department’s target of 35% renewable energy mix by 2030 and 50% by 2040.

On Thursday, Alsons shares rose by 19.61% or 10 centavos to 61 centavos apiece. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

MPower renews supply deal with Pioneer Highlands South

MPOWER, the local retail supplier of Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), said it has renewed its supply deal with Pioneer Highlands South Condominium Corp. (PHSCC).

“We have a very strong partnership with PHSCC for more than a decade now and remain committed to being part of their growth and success,” Meralco First Vice-President and Head of MPower Redel M. Domingo said in a statement on Thursday.

PHSCC owns and manages Pioneer Highlands South Condominium in Mandaluyong City, a mixed-use condominium comprising Tower 1, its residential tower and Globe Telecom Plaza, its commercial and office tower.

The company was among the first batches of customers that signed up with MPower under the Retail Competition and Open Access implemented in 2013.

Meralco’s controlling stakeholder, Beacon Electric Asset Holdings, Inc., is partly owned by PLDT Inc.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has an interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera

Time to hold people accountable for lockdowns

ISABELLA FISCHER-UNSPLASH

It’s practically straight out of Monty Python.

After years of terrorizing people about the “deadliest virus ever,” the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new guidance, declaring that those who tested positive for COVID-19 need not isolate for five days.

In other words, COVID is to be treated “exactly the same as a flu or other respiratory illness.” Thus, “per the new guidance, coming down with a COVID variant — which a few short years ago would have meant two weeks of self-quarantine, multiple rounds of testing, and a fear of imminent death — should now be handled by staying home when sick, practicing good hygiene, and improving indoor air quality.” (“CDC Revises COVID Guidelines, Says to ‘Treat It Like the Flu’”; Valuetainment.com, March 2024)

“Ah,” but COVID apologists will say, “the reason for is because vaccines made COVID safer.” That is a lie contradicted by many commentators, including yours truly, most recently in my column, “The fact-checkers were wrong: Vaccines can harm people” (March 8, 2024).

Another egregious lie was that COVID-19 “does not discriminate,” which was used to justify the locking up of everyone in their homes for years. This was soon exposed.

An article in The Guadian about a then-new book, The Year the World Went Mad: A Scientific Memoir by Mark Woolhouse, a professor of infectious disease epidemiology at the Usher Institute in the University of Edinburgh College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, opens by saying:  “There was a distinctive moment, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, that neatly encapsulated the mistakes and confusion of Britain’s early efforts to tackle the disease, says Mark Woolhouse. At a No. 10 briefing in March 2020, cabinet minister Michael Gove warned the virus did not discriminate. ‘Everyone is at risk,’ he announced.

“And nothing could be further from the truth, argues Professor Woolhouse, an expert on infectious diseases at Edinburgh University. ‘I am afraid Gove’s statement was simply not true,’ he says. ‘In fact, this is a very discriminatory virus. Some people are much more at risk from it than others. People over 75 are an astonishing 10,000 times more at risk than those who are under 15,’” wrote The Guardian.

“We did serious harm to our children and young adults who were robbed of their education, jobs and normal existence, as well as suffering damage to their future prospects, while they were left to inherit a record-breaking mountain of public debt,” The Guardian quotes Professor Woolhouse. “All this to protect the NHS from a disease that is a far, far greater threat to the elderly, frail and infirm than to the young and healthy.” (“Britain got it wrong on COVID: long lockdown did more harm than good, says scientist”; The Guardian, Jan. 2, 2022)

And the incredibly damaging effects of the lockdowns have been well documented. According to the Washington Policy Center, one meta-analysis involving 18,000 studies found “that lockdowns reduced mortality in the United States and Europe by only 0.2% on average. They also looked at forced shelter-in-place, which reduced mortality by only 2.9% on average.

It said: “The researchers had this final conclusion: ‘While this meta-analysis concludes that lockdowns have had little to no public health effects, they have imposed enormous economic and social costs where they have been adopted. In consequence, lockdown policies are ill-founded and should be rejected as a pandemic policy instrument.’” (“Comprehensive Research Finds That Lockdowns Don’t Work,” Washington Policy Center, Feb. 3, 2022; citing Herby, Jonas & Jonung, Lars & Hanke, Steve, 2022, “A Literature Review and Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Lockdowns on COVID-19 Mortality,” Studies in Applied Economic 200, The Johns Hopkins Institute for Applied Economics, Global Health, and the Study of Business Enterprise. See also “COVID Lockdowns Were a Giant Experiment. It Was a Failure”; The Intelligencer, Oct. 30, 2023).

Another study was even more succinct: “Many original predictions are broadly supported by the research data including: a rise in non-COVID excess mortality, mental health deterioration, child abuse and domestic violence, widening global inequality, food insecurity, lost educational opportunities, unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, social polarization, soaring debt, democratic backsliding and declining human rights. Young people, individuals and countries with lower socioeconomic status, women and those with pre-existing vulnerabilities were hit hardest.” (“How Did the COVID Pandemic Response Harm Society? A Global Evaluation and State of Knowledge Review (2020-21),” Kevin Bardosh, University of Washington; University of Edinburgh – Edinburgh Medical School; May 22, 2023).

All that — the economic and human devastation — simply because policymakers wanted to exercise authoritarian power and refused to acknowledge that a virus with a 99% survival rate has practically no effect on healthy teens or younger and of moderate effect on healthy 50-year-olds or younger.

And this is on top of the fact that the lockdowns were, in all likelihood, illegal (see my column, “Is this lockdown even legal,” Sept. 16, 2021).

Furthermore, it is utterly disingenuous to claim that when the pandemic started nobody knew lockdowns were ineffective and harmful — experts had been shouting that fact from the beginning. There is a commonsense reason why “lockdowns have not been used to such a large extent during any of the pandemics of the past century” (see Herby, et.al., above).

It is surely time to hold people accountable for this incredibly disastrous policy.

Foreign corporations should study the possibilities of bringing a suit for damages before the International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID; see my column, “Foreign investment damages under lockdowns,” BusinessWorld, Nov. 12, 2020).

For Filipino citizens and private entities, they may likely sue the national or local government, individual government officials, even private establishments, whether it be businesses, schools, or residential condominiums, for damages incurred due to illegal and unjustified COVID measures, including lockdowns, mandatory vaccination, and even mask requirements. The constitutional prescription that no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law or be denied the equal protection of laws is applicable to all and the responsibility of all.

That responsibility has been further legislated specifically in the Civil Code, particularly Articles 19, 20, 26, and 32. The penal code also provides for criminal proceedings where private individuals, without authority of law, coerced people to do things or stay in a place against their will (see “illegal detention,” “unlawful arrest,” or “grave coercion,” Articles 267, 268, 269, and 286, respectively of the Revised Penal Code) or where government officials, without authority of law, coerced people to do things or stay in a place against their will (see “arbitrary detention,” “violation of domicile,” “interruption of religious worship,” Articles 124, 128, 132, respectively, of the Revised Penal Code)

Bottomline, those responsible for the incredible loss or damage to life, liberty, property, the national economy, individual livelihoods, and people’s futures should be held to account. All for what? For a measly “0.2%” benefit just so some people could satisfy their lazy dictatorial tendencies through never-ending lockdowns.

 

Jemy Gatdula read international law at the University of Cambridge. He is the dean of the Institute of Law of the University of Asia and the Pacific, and is a Philippine Judicial Academy lecturer for constitutional philosophy and jurisprudence.

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