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Trump and Biden shift focus to general election rematch as Haley fights on

STOCK PHOTO | Image by Isabella Fischer from Unsplash
MANCHESTER, New Hampshire — Donald Trump and Joe Biden attacked each other on Wednesday as they prepared for a likely general election rematch in November after Trump’s win in New Hampshire’s Republican presidential primary made his White House nomination increasingly likely, although his last remaining rival Nikki Haley vowed to stay in the race.
Former Republican President Trump’s back-to-back wins in nominating contests put him on an almost certain path toward a general election contest with Democratic President Biden. Both turned their fire on each other after Trump’s New Hampshire victory over Haley on Tuesday night.
Mr. Biden’s reelection campaign issued a statement saying it is “now clear that Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee,” and repeated warnings that the former president is a threat to democracy.
Mr. Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social to repeat unfounded allegations that Mr. Biden and his Justice Department were engaged in political persecution, following the multiple criminal indictments of Trump last year.
But Ms. Haley, who served as Trump’s UN ambassador and is now his sole opponent for the Republican nomination, pledged to take that race to South Carolina, which votes on Feb. 24, and beyond.
In a speech to supporters in South Carolina on Wednesday night, Ms. Haley said US voters deserved a better option than a Biden-Trump rematch, “and we’re going to give it to them.”
She also repeated her challenge to Mr. Trump to debate her. “Bring it Donald, show me what you got!” she declared to cheers.
The Republican nominating race has months to go, but Mr. Trump is seeking to knock Haley out and become the presumptive nominee quickly.
In South Carolina, Trump, Mr. 77, will be looking to embarrass Ms. Haley, 52, by defeating her in her home state. Ms. Haley is aiming for an upset delivered by voters who twice elected her as governor.
Ms. Haley has three rallies scheduled in South Carolina in the coming days, and her campaign released two new ads as part of a $4 million ad buy in the state.
One attacks Mr. Biden, 81, as “too old” and Mr. Trump as “too much chaos,” and calls a reprisal of the 2020 election a “rematch no one wants.” The other says she delivered “thousands of jobs, lower taxes, tough immigration laws” as governor from 2011 to 2017.
Republicans have largely coalesced around Mr. Trump, however, putting pressure on Ms. Haley to drop out. Mr, Trump has racked up endorsements from most of South Carolina’s leading Republican figures. Opinion polls show him with a wide lead there.
HARD PRESS
Over the last several weeks, South Carolina US Representative Joe Wilson, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, and South Carolina Speaker of the House Burrell Smith have been calling state legislators and other local officials to push them to endorse Mr. Trump, according to two people with knowledge of the calls.
Trump senior adviser Jason Miller touted a new website focused on attacking Ms. Haley, haleyfacts.com, which criticizes her for her plan to scale back Social Security entitlements to keep the program solvent and for proposing a gasoline tax hike when she was governor.
Ford O’Connell, a Republican consultant based in Florida and a former Trump surrogate, said he expected the Trump campaign to pull out all the stops now against Ms. Haley.
“The plan in South Carolina is to embarrass Nikki Haley. The key is to make sure that the donors don’t fund her any further,” Mr. O’Connell said.
Joel Tenney, a Christian evangelist who was part of Mr. Trump’s faith coalition in Iowa, said he planned to travel to South Carolina next week as a volunteer to help target the state’s large base of evangelical voters.
Mr. Trump has remained popular with that voting bloc, winning a majority of white evangelicals as part of his commanding victory in Iowa earlier this month.
Ms. Haley has said she has a better chance of beating Mr. Biden than Mr. Trump, who faces multiple criminal charges, including for his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss.
Mr. Biden, who won the Democratic primary in New Hampshire after voters wrote his name in on the ballot, was endorsed by the United Auto Workers on Wednesday.
“Instead of talking trash about our union, Joe Biden stood with us,” UAW President Shawn Fain said in a fiery speech that referred to Trump as a “scab.”
Mr. Trump is the first Republican to sweep competitive votes in both Iowa and New Hampshire since 1976, when the two states cemented their status as the first nominating contests.
Tuesday’s vote was the first one-on-one matchup between Mr. Trump and Ms. Haley, after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, once seen as Trump’s most formidable challenger, dropped out on Sunday and endorsed the former president.
Ms. Haley, who placed third in Iowa and lost to Mr. Trump by 11 percentage points in New Hampshire, refused to bow out.
“This race is far from over,” Ms. Haley told supporters at a post-election party in Concord, challenging Trump to debate her.
At his own party in Nashua, Mr. Trump opened his speech by mocking Haley, calling her an “imposter” and saying: “She’s doing, like, a speech like she won. She didn’t win. She lost. She had a very bad night.” – Reuters

No new taxes this year, says Recto

PEOPLE ride a trolley on a train track in Manila, Philippines, July 6, 2023. — REUTERS

By Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson, Reporter

FINANCE SECRETARY Ralph G. Recto said on Wednesday that he does not plan to introduce new taxes as elevated inflation remains a “most urgent concern.”

At a press briefing, the new Finance chief said he will not pursue his predecessor’s proposals to tax junk food and increase excise taxes on sweetened beverages.

“There are no plans of imposing additional new taxes. I think our first job is to collect what is on the table. That’s why we are planning with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Bureau of Customs (BoC) commissioners to improve efficiency,” Mr. Recto said.

Amid the current economic challenges, he said the government should not rely solely on implementing new or additional taxes.

“Inflation is high. When you impose taxes, that is also inflationary. So, I don’t think that now is the time to impose very high taxes,” Mr. Recto added.

Inflation remains elevated amid rising food and energy costs. In 2023, full-year inflation stood at a 14-year high of 6%. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) sees inflation easing to 3.7% this year.

Mr. Recto said the Department of Finance (DoF) is currently in the process of “tweaking” the current tax proposals to take into account these inflationary pressures. These fine-tuned tax proposals will be presented before the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council by Thursday, and to senators by next week.

“The fine-tuning (of these tax proposals) will be on what is fairer, number one. What is easy to collect, number two. What is practical. That’s how we’re looking at it,” the Finance chief said.

Mr. Recto said there are no plans to impose any new consumption-based taxes for at least this year.

He is not keen on pushing for a tax on junk food and an increase in excise taxes on sugary drinks, which were proposed by then-Finance Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno.

“I don’t think that’s on the table… Those two proposals were in one proposal which was scrapped by the DoF and I don’t intend to put it back,” he said.

Mr. Recto also said the DoF is tempering the proposed hike in motor vehicle user charges, which was approved on third reading at the House of Representatives in December.

“Today, 50% or thereabouts of vehicles are unregistered. If you impose higher taxes, maybe more vehicles will not register. I think we have to temper some of these increases because like I said, they’re also inflationary,” he added.

Meanwhile, Mr. Recto also said that he supports the current version of the military and uniformed personnel (MUP) reform, which requires only new entrants to contribute to the pension fund.

“The government has a social contract with our MUPs. And based on the law, we promised them a certain pension. So, I think the government should respect that,” he said, noting the Senate version reflects that stance.

“What we can do for the reform is all new entrants, for example, by Jan. 1, 2025, will have a different pension system similar to what civilians have, that they will contribute now to, let’s say, the Government Service Insurance System. There will be a contribution system moving forward,” he said.

Mr. Diokno had previously pushed for requiring all MUPs to contribute due to the risk of a “fiscal collapse” from the current system.

Instead of raising taxes, the Finance secretary said the department will be focusing on optimizing the performance of the BIR and BoC through “creativity, transparency, and efficiency in tax and customs administration.”

“We have to increase our revenues by 15% this year. That’s part of the plan, to be able to finance the National Development Plan or to finance the budget for that matter and to follow our fiscal consolidation plan,” he added.

The DoF said it is targeting to raise P4.3 trillion in revenues this year. Broken down, the BIR is expected to generate P3 trillion, the BoC is tasked to collect P1 trillion, and the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) is expected to raise P300 billion.

Mr. Recto called on the BIR to expedite the implementation of the Ease of Paying Taxes Act; ensure efficient taxpayer service and intensify its tax enforcement and compliance efforts.

To further boost revenue generation, he said that both agencies must “put an end to corruption” and accelerate digitalization programs.

ADDRESSING INFLATION
Inflation remains the “most urgent concern” that the government must address, Mr. Recto said, citing growing geopolitical tensions and trade restrictions.

“It’s imperative that we find ways and means to reduce inflation. Now, there are two ways of doing that. One is the Monetary Board, to address demand inflation… the other is the response of the government, particularly in food and agriculture. We have to increase our productivity in agriculture to address inflation,” he added.

Mr. Recto took his oath as a member of the Monetary Board on Monday, filling the last spot on the central bank’s seven-member policy-making body.

The Monetary Board will hold its first policy meeting this year on Feb. 15. The benchmark rate is currently at a 16-year high of 6.5%, after the BSP hiked rates by 450 basis points since May 2022.

“I’m not saying that the central bank will reduce interest rates, but if inflation does go down, then naturally, the central bank will reduce interest rates,” Mr. Recto said.

‘MANAGEABLE’ DEBT
Mr. Recto said he is “not that much concerned” about the current level of the National Government’s (NG) outstanding debt.

“It’s not the size of the debt, but your ability to pay (that is important). Nominally, the debt looks high (but) it’s roughly 60% of gross domestic product (GDP), but which is very manageable,” he said.

The NG’s total outstanding debt hit P14.51 trillion as of end-November. Debt as a share of GDP stood at 60.2% at the end of the third quarter, still slightly above the 60% threshold considered by multilateral lenders to be manageable for developing economies.

“I think we’re on track to bringing that debt-to-GDP ratio down. But I don’t think we should sacrifice growth in the process. I think the best way to grow the economy, or the best way to raise revenue, is to grow the economy and to expand the tax base. So, we will endeavor to do that,” he said.

Asked about his thoughts on calls for Charter change, Mr. Recto, a former congressman and senator, said that he supports the rationale behind the push to open up more segments of the economy.

“Frankly speaking, that is a prerogative of Congress. If you look at the Constitution, the Executive branch has no role there. Having said that, there are segments in society that think that you need to further liberalize the economy. That’s why they’re pushing for amendments in the economic provisions of our Constitution. I support that initiative,” he said.

“Personally, I’ve not gotten instructions from the President, but I think the President, to attract more investments, would be amenable to amend the Charter, to liberalize further the economy,” Mr. Recto added.

Economic czar backs move to return to pre-CREATE regime

Office of the Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Secretary Frederick D. Go — PHILIPPINE STAR/KRIZ JOHN ROSALES

PRESIDENTIAL INVESTMENT adviser Frederick D. Go said he is making it a priority to address investor concerns by implementing reforms such as restoring the power of the investment promotion agencies (IPAs) to grant incentives and simplifying value-added tax (VAT) rules for locators in economic zones.

The head of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs (OSAPIEA) on Wednesday said he is spearheading reforms and programs to make sure the Philippines becomes globally competitive.

In particular, Mr. Go said his office is working with Congress to tweak provisions of the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) law and Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law.

“Both laws have generated serious concerns for foreign direct investors, particularly exporters, and I have put this on top of our to-do list. So, we are working with Congress to bring back certainty in our laws, providing confidence to investors of predictability and firm implementation of policies that protect their investments,” he said at the Ease of Doing Business Briefing organized by the Anti-Red Tape Authority.

Mr. Go said he wants to give back IPAs their “powers” over locators in their economic zones, in order to “protect companies from regulatory inconsistencies and ambiguities and excessive bureaucracy and red tape.”

“This will reduce the processing time for incentive applications and revert us back to the pre-CREATE regime,” he added.

The House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday approved the CREATE MORE bill, which amends provisions of the CREATE law. The bill seeks to reinstate the power to grant tax incentives to IPAs, which was removed under the CREATE law and transferred to the Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIRB).

Mr. Go said his office will work with Congress to clarify and simplify VAT zero-rating rules for locators in economic zones.

“We’re working with Congress to address the ambiguity on the coverage of VAT zero-rating incentives, ensuring that the law is clearly worded to avoid room for conflicting interpretations by the implementing agencies,” he said.

“This will streamline the advisory process by limiting required documents and reasons for denial to those specified by law and allowing claimants the opportunity to request for reconsideration before a final decision is made,” he added.

Another issue being prioritized by OSAPIEA is the clarification of transitory provisions under the CREATE law.

“For this, we are also working with Congress to explicitly state that the non-income tax-based incentives, particularly VAT zero-rating and VAT and duty exemption, are not subject to the sunset period and that registered business enterprises may enjoy them for as long as they are registered in good standing with an IPA,” Mr. Go said.

Mr. Go said he is also considering a sunset period of 12 years for enterprises to enjoy pre-CREATE incentives.

At the same time, Mr. Go said that his office will also pursue other reforms to address long-standing issues in Customs administration to curb smuggling, reduce misdeclaration, and prevent the entry of substandard goods.

“Through the proposed implementation of green border inspection and digitalized invoicing, we hope to institute a proper and efficient oversight of tradable goods coming into the country,” he said.

The OSAPIEA is also looking into several reforms to boost listings and participation in capital markets.

“We have since taken action on various recommendations to reduce frictional costs, improve ease of doing business and boost the Philippine stock market through a whole-of-government approach,” Mr. Go said.

The OSAPIEA is considering proposals to reduce sales tax, harmonize withholding taxes, and cut broker’s commissions, he added.

For the Philippines to secure much-needed investments, Mr. Go said it is important to “harmonize inter-agency activities.”

“My office has identified our priority sectors. First, mining, particularly nickel and copper; second, semiconductors or microelectronics; third, agriculture; fourth, steel and fifth, the pharmaceutical industry,” he said. — J.I.D.Tabile

First Islamic banking unit in Philippines set to open

The first Islamic banking window in the Philippines will soon be operational this month in Cotabato City. — REUTERS

By Keisha B. Ta-asan, Reporter

THE PHILIPPINES’ first Islamic banking unit will soon be operational this month in Cotabato City, an official from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said.

BSP Deputy Governor Chuchi G. Fonacier said there are a lot of players, both foreign and domestic, that are interested in setting up an Islamic bank or an Islamic banking unit (IBU) in the Philippines.

“(The BSP) already granted an Islamic banking license to a particular branch that will open soon in Cotabato. I think, within this month, it will open,” she said, adding that the bank will be releasing more details soon.

In July last year, Ms. Fonacier said one traditional lender has been given license to do Islamic banking for a particular branch in Mindanao.

Before the Monetary Board gave its first IBU license, the Philippines only had one Islamic bank. This is the state-owned Al Amanah Islamic Investment Bank, which is a subsidiary of the Development Bank of the Philippines and created by a presidential decree in 1973.

At the same time, Ms. Fonacier said a branch of a foreign bank is also interested in doing Islamic banking in the Philippines to cater to the unserved Muslim market in Mindanao.

The central bank has been encouraging lenders to get into Islamic banking after the sector was opened to new players.

In April 2022, the BSP issued Circular No. 1173, which approved the modified minimum capitalization requirement for conventional banks with an IBU.

The goal of the circular was to provide flexibility in licensing an IBU of qualified traditional banks and give more Filipinos access to Shari’ah-compliant banking products and services.

Under the guidelines, conventional commercial banks or subsidiary banks of a universal bank that meet the minimum capital requirement for their respective banking category are allowed to operate an IBU within a transitory period not exceeding five years.

BSP Deputy Governor Francisco G. Dakila, Jr. earlier said there are at least five foreign banks that are exploring the establishment of either a stand-alone Islamic bank or an IBU in the Philippines.

Amendments and reforms to Islamic banking licensing, Shari’ah governance, and taxation have been instrumental in attracting more players into the sector.

The government also issued policies to implement the Islamic Banking Law and the provisions on Islamic banking under the Bangsamoro Organic Law.

Last month, the Shari’ah Supervisory Board (SSB) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) conducted its first board meeting to discuss how to further promote Islamic banking transactions and products in Mindanao and in the rest of the country. 

The SSB was formed to implement the shared mandate under Republic Act No. 11054, or the Bangsamoro Organic Law, to boost Islamic banking and finance in the BARMM and to complement the BSP’s Shari’ah Governance Framework for Islamic banks and Islamic banking units

“The SSB is a convergence of expertise in Islamic jurisprudence and contemporary finance. It will strengthen Shari’ah oversight on Islamic banking and finance while complementing existing conventional governance frameworks,” BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona, Jr. earlier said. 

Islamic banking is based on the principles of Shari’ah Law. In Islamic banking, interest is prohibited, while in conventional banking, interest is the main source of income.

Products from Islamic banks or IBUs are usually asset-backed and involve trading or renting of assets, while conventional banking treats money as a commodity and lend it against interest as its compensation.

In 2022, the Bureau of Internal Revenue issued Revenue Regulation 17-2020, which states that Islamic banking transactions and other conventional transactions should be taxed equally.

“By applying the same regulations to conventional and Islamic banks — with supplemental guidelines for the unique features of Islamic banking — the BSP enables a level playing field that allows Islamic banks to thrive and serve all Filipinos,” the central bank had said.

BSP targets to complete a blueprint for cross-border payments this year

ASEAN.ORG

THE BANGKO SENTRAL ng Pilipinas (BSP) is targeting to complete a blueprint for instant cross-border payments this year, which is expected to be one of the more affordable multinational remittance services in the market, according to an official.

“The BSP is working on cross-border payments. We will be completing the blueprint of this scheme this year,” BSP Deputy Governor Mamerto E. Tangonan said.   

The central bank is targeting to implement cross-border payment connectivity in the next two years as it seeks to keep up with its Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) peers.   

In March last year, the BSP and four other central banks in the region announced they will connect their domestic instant payment systems (IPS) through the Bank for International Settlements’ (BIS) Nexus Project.

The Nexus, a prototype developed by the BIS Innovation Hub Singapore Centre, connects payment system operators with the Eurosystem’s TARGET Instant Payment Settlement (TIPS), Malaysia’s Real-time Retail Payments Platform (RPP) and Singapore’s Fast and Secure Transfers (FAST).

In November 2022, the BSP signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with other central banks in the ASEAN region to strengthen collaboration on regional payment connectivity (RPC).

The RPC is expected to contribute to accelerating economic recovery and promoting growth as it aims to foster a more inclusive financial ecosystem by enabling fast, seamless, and cheaper cross-border payments across the region.   

The cooperation will include a number of modalities, including quick response (QR) code and fast payments.

According to Mr. Tangonan, Filipinos who have their own domestic e-wallet accounts or bank accounts, will be able to send money in local currency to a counterparty in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia.

“We have a large Filipino community based in Singapore. We anticipate that this will bring a lot of benefits for them because we’re working to make this one of the least expensive cross-border remittance service in the market,” he said.

He also said cross-border fund transfers may start first with person-to-person (P2P) transactions, before the BSP can do merchant payments.   

For merchant payments, Mr. Tangonan said that if a Filipino goes to another country in the ASEAN region, there would be no need to convert pesos into other currencies. 

“If you buy from merchants or if you pay restaurants (in another country), you can scan their QR codes,” he said. “You can use their standard QR code (even if) you’re using a Philippine account in your mobile app, and you’ll be able to pay.”

Tourists from other countries who are visiting the Philippines would also be able to scan the BSP’s QR Ph, he said.   

“We’re going to start regional, but the outlook is global. This is a solid stepping stone for us to be able to reach and offer this network service to other regional payments networks,” he said.   

He added that the countries in the Middle East, North America, and Europe are hosts of large Filipino communities which would be able to benefit from cross-border payment services.   

PROJECT AGILA
Meanwhile, Mr. Tangonan said the Philippine central bank will assess and publish a report on Project Agila, the BSP’s wholesale Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) pilot project that was previously known as Project CBDCPh.

“We’re doing this because wholesale CBDC presents to us huge opportunities for even increasing the safety and efficiency of large value payments,” he said.   

“In our previous assessment, (there are) huge benefits that can be gained from using wholesale CBDCs for cross-border payments. I’m talking large value payments and not just P2P remittance,” he said.   

Last year in September, the BSP designated Hyperledger Fabric as the distributed ledger technology for Project Agila. The central bank has said that the technology will allow data and transactions to be recorded, shared, and synchronized across a distributed network of different participants.

There are six financial institutions participating in the pilot project: BDO Unibank, Inc.; China Banking Corp.; Land Bank of the Philippines; Rizal Commercial Banking Corp.; Union Bank of the Philippines; and Maya Philippines, Inc.

Meanwhile, the observing financial institutions for the succeeding stages include Citibank N. A. Manila, China Bank Savings, Wealth Development Bank Corp., and SeaBank Philippines, Inc.

Mr. Tangonan also said the BSP is working with the Bureau of Treasury to increase the efficiency of access to government securities, corporate bonds, or other similar securities.   

“Our goal is (every) small amount… will be within the reach of Juan and Maria,” he said. “(CBDCs) will broaden access to government securities, which is good for the government, the issuer, and also good for the public because they can earn more from their savings.”

CBDCs are issued as central bank liabilities. Since 2021, the BSP has been reviewing use cases for wholesale CBDCs, as well as the potential risks and use of CBDC payments among financial institutions.

The BSP earlier said it sees opportunities from CBDCs, such as being an additional option for monetary policy action, boosting competition and innovation among financial industry players, and improved financial inclusion. — Keisha B. Ta-asan

Food trends in 2024: Asian, plant-based, and nostalgic food are in, but inflation may hit choices

GRILLED CHIPOTLE ISAW and Wings

MOST of San Miguel’s partner chefs agree: Asian styles, plant-based food, European indulgence, Filipino comfort food, and nostalgic dishes will be popular across the board for 2024 and beyond. However, tighter budgets due to worldwide and local inflation may also influence cuisine over the coming months.

During a luncheon on Jan. 18, the San Miguel Foods Culinary Center (SMFCC), as well as the beverage arms of the San Miguel food conglomerate (San Miguel Brewery, Inc. and Ginebra San Miguel) announced SMC’s food trend forecast, which it does every three years. To come tweeze out the trends, SMC picked the brains of chefs they have worked with through the years, aside from insights developed within the company.

San Miguel organized the trends into five branches: sustainable dining, health span wellness, borderless global flavors, retro revival and “newstalgia,” and little luxe.

These are in line with predictions from their six partner chefs, who appeared in videos throughout the luncheon; namely: Emelita Galang, the brains behind the eponymous Pampanga-based culinary school; mother and son chef team Sylvia and Ernest Reynoso Gala; chef Gene Gonzalez, of Cafe Ysabel fame; pastry chef, cake decorator, and TV host Heny Sison; and Cebu-based food consultant Rose Marie Lim.

THE FIVE TRENDS
According to a company release, “Sustainable dining is not just about what you eat; people are becoming more aware of how their choices impact the environment, and may result in food waste… Under sustainable dining is the climatarian diet, which emphasizes low environmental impact, promotes plant-forward choices, and highlights the use of local and seasonal ingredients.”

Also part of the Sustainable Dining trends, according to SMC, is the increasing availability of plant-based and lab-grown food; the use of sustainable seafood alternatives that incorporate ingredients such as mushrooms, soy, seaweed, fruits, vegetable oils, and starches; eco-friendly packaging; and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for “efficient and ecological food production, by predicting harvest periods and minimizing food waste.”

“Health Span Wellness” involves making sure that the older generation lives a longer, disease-free, productive life. “[C]onsumers are choosing better-for-you foods… The trend gravitates towards a plant-forward approach, featuring mushrooms, botanicals, florals, exotic fruits, tropical flavors, protein alternatives, and fermented foods,” said the company release.

“Borderless Global Flavors” is the increasing popularity of cuisines from different cultures and regions, including what is known as “third-culture cuisine” — “new dishes inspired by multiple cultures, especially by those who grew up outside their parents’ cultural backgrounds.”

This trend includes the increasing use of local ingredients, and the introduction of “unique combinations like sweet-bitter and sour-umami.”

According to the SMC, “Retro Revival and Newstalgia” is the “embrac[ing of] yesterday’s trends to find comfort, familiarity, and safety, especially after the pandemic.” This includes the “revival of retro-themed foods and flavors… beloved brands and feel-good favorites from childhood.” “Newstalgia” meanwhile, is “a growing interest in creating new memories or nostalgic versions with updated twists.”

“Little Luxe” has to do with indulgence and self-care, said the company release. “It aims to elevate everyday experiences by transforming simple ingredients into global flavors.”

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY
Ms. Galang predicted that food trends will be influenced by pandemic recovery schemes, which means reopened borders for tourism. This is in agreement with Mr. Gala’s own prediction that tourists will bring in their own influences, “and blend it in with our own local produce and cuisine.”

Ms. Galang, Ms. Gala, and Ms. Sison (all three of whom have their own eponymous culinary schools) uniformly agree that Japanese and Korean food will still be a huge influence in the Philippines due to the enduring popularity of their pop culture. Ms. Sison though predicts that more obscure Japanese dishes will come to the fore, like their version of pasta, and Ms. Gala adds that we might be seeing more food from other Asian neighbors like Taiwan and Singapore. Mr. Gonzalez and Mr. Gala both think that Indian and Middle Eastern flavors might tickle more palates this year.

Mr. Gala expects to see more Filipino desserts on menus (such as puto and suman — both kinds of rice cakes), a trend his mother also supports.

He also predicts that Filipino food will be having a greater influence on foreign soil, thanks to the Filipino diaspora (he pointed to Filipino restaurants entering the mainstream abroad). On that note, Mr. Gonzalez sees more imaginative Filipino food trending this year, predicting that more attention will be given to regional tastes and ingredients.

For Ms. Sison’s part, she and Ms. Lim both see a resurgence in comfort food — Ms. Sison expects pineapple upside-down cake and other recipes in that culinary family making a comeback, taking cues from orders she has been receiving.

Ms. Sison and Ms. Lim both predict that plant-based food will also become more popular.

Meanwhile, Mr. Gala and Ms. Lim both raised the point of the rising cost of food: Ms. Lim expects that this will lead to smaller portions in restaurants, and that there will be less food waste (with recipes making use of what had once been considered scraps), while Mr. Gala thinks that there will be rise in recipes using leftovers.

NEW DISHES
For San Miguel’s part, they concocted recipes based on their own trend predictions, as well as new products.

To emphasize sustainable dining, for example, they developed a recipe for Hipong Kabute with Tajin Pickled Mango and Yuzu Soy Glaze (sort of like a tempura, but with juicy mushrooms substituting for the shrimp).

They also presented new items in their plant-based Veega line, which now includes vegan variations (previous iterations of their products had been made with eggs). This is in line as well with the wellness trend they predicted (hence Ilocos-style empanada — turnovers — made with Veega Adobo Flakes).

To represent borderless culinary influences, they looked to a less-tapped branch of European cuisine: the Balkans. So, during the lunch they had dishes like Banitsa, a savory pastry filled with their luncheon meat (which now comes in a square can), and local kangkong (water spinach).

As for tapping into nostalgia, San Miguel came prepared with dishes like a pares pancit (the noodle dish now made with their ready-to-eat Purefoods Heat & Eat Beef Pares), and a great surprise, Grilled Chipotle Isaw, made using Magnolia’s Streat Sarap Chicken Isaw — chicken intestines — a new product.

For dessert, they served Halo-Halo Bingsu-Style (a Korean ice-based dessert), pan de regla croissants (croissants stuffed with red-dyed bread pudding like the local bakery favorite), and kamote bicho-bicho (a fried dough dessert) made with sweet potatoes with cinnamon hot honey.

“San Miguel Food and Beverage (SMFB) is a key player in the food and beverage industry, and as such, we continuously strive to stay ahead of the trends,” said Llena Tan-Arcenas, San Miguel Foods Culinary Services Manager in a statement. “While we focused on five specific upcoming trends, what is common and timeless to all, is an emphasis on quality and the ability of food and beverages to give delight — which are all hallmarks of San Miguel products.” — Joseph L. Garcia

SMC unit advances in 1,200-MW supply bid for Meralco

UNSPLASH

SAN MIGUEL group’s South Premiere Power Corp. (SPPC) is advancing to the post-qualification stage after the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) declared its bid to supply 1,200 megawatts (MW)  as the most favorable.

“The bids and awards committee for power supply agreements named South Premiere Power Corp. as the best bidder after submitting the lowest offer for Meralco’s baseload requirement,” the listed power distributor said in a statement on Wednesday.

“SPPC offered a total levelized cost of electricity rate at P7.0718 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for the entire 1,200-MW requirement,” Meralco added.

SPPC is the administrator of the natural gas-fired power plant in Ilijan, Batangas.

Meanwhile, the unincorporated joint venture of Limay Power, Inc. (LPI) and San Roque Hydropower, Inc. (SRHI), one of the three bidders, put forward the second most competitive proposal, offering a rate of P7.1006 per kWh for a capacity of 150 MW, Meralco also said.

First NatGas Power Corp. (FNPC), led by the Lopez Group, offered a rate of P8.4489 per kWh.

“Except for the offer of FNPC, all other offers received were below the P7.1538 per kWh reserve price set for this competitive selection process (CSP),” Meralco said, citing the bids and awards committee.

The committee is “set to conduct a post-qualification evaluation and submit its recommendation and report to Meralco’s Board of Directors for approval of the best bid as the winning power supplier prior to the issuance of a notice of award,” the power distributor also said.

SPCC, LPI, and SRHI are subsidiaries of San Miguel Global Power Holdings Corp., the power arm of listed conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC).

“All contracts resulting from this CSP will be subject to the regulatory proceedings of the Energy Regulatory Commission,” said Lawrence S. Fernandez, Meralco bids and awards committee chair.

The CSP, a government-mandated transparent bidding process, aims to select the least-cost of electricity supply.

Meralco said that the resulting 15-year power supply agreement (PSA) from this CSP will cover its future capacity requirements, “including the 1,000 MW (net) supply that was covered by its PSAs with change in circumstance cases that are pending resolution.” — S.J. Talavera

French cognac celebrates Chinese New Year

HISTORIC French cognac brand Hennessy (its initial “H” forms part of the LVMH name, which should give you an idea of the brand’s image), is participating in the Lunar New Year celebrations, a predominantly Asian holiday.

On Jan. 18, Hennessy opened its Year of the Dragon Experiential Pop-Up in Greenbelt 5 in Makati to private guests. It was opened to the public the next day and will continue to operate until Feb. 11, the day after Lunar New Year on Feb. 10.

The pop-up stocks limited edition bottles by artist Yang Yongliang, available in V.S.O.P, X.O., and Paradis variants. There are also gift-wrapping and engraving stations for the bottles, and activities like calligraphy workshops, fortune telling, and fan and lantern painting throughout the month.

Hennessy cocktails with Chinese zodiac themes (Dragon, Snake, and Rooster) will also be available, but one must register to enter the booths through ph.hennessy.com.

“I think this place right here is a perfect example of how Hennessy can differentiate itself,” said Maxime Touzeau, Hennessy’s Global Education and Training Manager in a group interview. “[W]e form meaningful partnerships with artists or associations, and that is a good way for us to differentiate ourselves and for people to come and discover the brand and new facets [about the brand].

She pointed to the collaboration with Yang Yongliang, noting that he works in both traditional Chinese art and digital art.

“And again, the blend of new or modern art and ancient art is a great echo to Maison Hennessy because we work in the exact same way, preserving and maintaining the old-time tradition while always looking forward to tomorrow and new techniques,” she explained.

The Hennessy Pop-up is at Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati. One must register to enter through ph.hennessy.com. — Joseph L. Garcia

Atomic bomb blockbuster Oppenheimer leads Oscar nominations; Gerwig, Robbie, DiCaprio snubbed

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

BEVERLY HILLS, California — Oppenheimer, the epic film about the World War II race to build the first atomic bomb, landed a leading 13 Oscar nominations on Tuesday and cemented its role as frontrunner for the prestigious best picture trophy.

The three-hour drama directed by Christopher Nolan outpaced gothic comedy Poor Things, another best picture contender that scored 11 nominations for the film industry’s highest honors.

Both movies will compete with feminist doll adventure Barbie, Leonard Bernstein biopic Maestro, and Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, about the 1920s murders of members of the Osage Nation in Oklahoma, among others.

Mr. Nolan, a best director nominee, said it was “a real thrill” to see Oppenheimer pile up so many nominations.

“I think it’s a great year for movies, and it’s a real honor to be included,” he said in an interview.

One of Hollywood’s most acclaimed filmmakers, Mr. Nolan has never had a film win best picture at the Academy Awards.

Oppenheimer is considered the favorite for the top prize this year, based on early awards season wins and polling of experts by the Gold Derby website. The movie was distributed by Comcast Corp.’s Universal Pictures.

The remaining best picture nominees were American Fiction, The Holdovers, Past Lives, The Zone of Interest, and French film Anatomy of a Fall.

Barbie, last year’s highest-grossing movie, received eight nominations, including supporting actress for America Ferrera — who gave a memorable monologue about the challenges of womanhood — and supporting actor for Ryan Gosling. Voters passed over lead actress Margot Robbie and director Greta Gerwig.

Oppenheimer secured a lead actor nomination for Cillian Murphy, who played scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer, and for supporting cast Emily Blunt and Robert Downey, Jr.

With Barbie and Oppenheimer in the mix, the Oscars telecast on March 10 will showcase two big-screen blockbusters. The films collected nearly $2.4 billion combined in a summer box office battle dubbed “Barbenheimer.”

FIRST-TIME NOMINEES
Ten of the 20 acting contenders were first-time nominees. Among them were Native American Killers of the Flower Moon star Lily Gladstone, and Jeffrey Wright and Sterling K. Brown for American Fiction, the story of a Black writer fed up with book publishers pushing stereotypes.

Killers of the Flower Moon actor and past Oscar winner Robert De Niro received a supporting actor nomination for the movie.

Emma Stone nabbed a best actress nod for her role in Poor Things as Bella, a woman who goes on a journey of self-discovery after being raised from the dead. “I am forever thankful for the opportunity to play Bella and see the world through her eyes,” said Ms. Stone, another previous Oscar winner, who was also nominated for best picture as a Poor Things producer.

SNUBBS
Director Greta Gerwig and actress Margot Robbie, the women who helped make Barbie the runaway box office success of 2023, failed to land directing and lead actress Oscar nominations on Tuesday.

Their omissions sparked a sharp reaction from Barbie actor Ryan Gosling, who earned a best supporting actor nomination and lauded Ms. Gerwig and Ms. Robbie’s “talent, grit and genius.”

Leonardo DiCaprio, the lead actor in director Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, was also passed over by Hollywood’s film academy in that category.

Barbie and Killers of the Flower Moon did snag two of the 10 best picture nominations, though they face formidable competition from the awards season frontrunner, Oppenheimer, which led Tuesday’s Academy Awards nominations with 13 nods.

Ms. Gerwig landed a nomination for best adapted screenplay for Barbie, along with her husband, Noah Baumbach. The movie, which earned over $1.4 billion at the worldwide box office in 2023, snagged eight nominations in total, and Ms. Robbie is credited as a producer for the best picture nod.

Mr. Gosling, who played Ken opposite Ms. Robbie’s Barbie, said he was “extremely honored” by his nomination for best supporting actor, but added, “There is no Ken without Barbie.”

“And there is no Barbie movie without Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie, the two people most responsible for this history-making, globally celebrated film,” Mr. Gosling said in a statement.

“No recognition would be possible for anyone on the film without their talent, grit and genius,” he added. “To say that I’m disappointed that they are not nominated in their respective categories would be an understatement.”

Also not making the Oscar nomination cut was Past Lives star Greta Lee, who was vying for a best actress nod for her role in the romantic drama set in Seoul, South Korea, and New York.

Joining her, Ferrari actress Penelope Cruz did not receive a nomination for her supporting role in the high-speed racing drama despite good reviews for her performance.

Bradley Cooper was left off the best director list for Maestro, though he was nominated for best actor for starring in the film as composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein. Mr. Cooper also was snubbed in the directing category for 2018 best picture nominee A Star is Born.

Among the overlooked films, The Color Purple, the musical adaptation of the 1982 book and the 1985 film, was almost completely shut out of the 2024 Oscars race, receiving only one nomination.

Danielle Brooks received the movie’s sole Oscars nod for best supporting actress, while American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino was snubbed for the best actress nomination.

Winners of the gold Oscar statuettes will be chosen by the roughly 11,000 actors, producers, directors and film craftspeople who make up the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

The organization added more women and people of color to its ranks after the #OscarsSoWhite uproars of 2015 and 2016, and it increased membership from outside the United States. This year, votes came in from a record 93 countries.

Late-night talk show’s Jimmy Kimmel will for the fourth time host the Oscars ceremony, which will be broadcast live on Walt Disney’s ABC. — Reuters

Oscars 2024: full list of nominees

By Danielle Broadway

LOS ANGELES, Jan 23 — The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Oscars nominations on Tuesday. Winners of the 96th Academy Awards will be announced at a live, televised ceremony from Hollywood on March 10.

The following is a full list of nominees.

Best Picture
American Fiction
Anatomy of a Fall
Barbie
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro
Past Lives
Poor Thing
The Zone of Interest
Oppenheimer

Best Actor
Bradley Cooper, Maestro
Colman Domingo, Rustin
Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers
Cillian Murphy, OppenheimerJ
effrey Wright, American Fiction

Best Actress
Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon
Sandra Huller, Anatomy of a Fall
Carey Mulligan, Maestro
Emma Stone, Poor Things
Annette Bening, Nyad

Best Director
Jonathan Glazer, The Zone of Interest
Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things
Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer
Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon
Justine Triet, Anatomy of a Fall

Best Supporting Actor
Sterling K. Brown, American Fiction
Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon
Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer
Ryan Gosling, Barbie
Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things

Best Supporting Actress
Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer
Jodie Foster, Nyad
Da’Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers
Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple
America Ferrera, Barbie

Best Adapted Screenplay
American Fiction
Barbie”
Oppenheimer
Poor Things
Zone of Interest

Original Screenplay
Anatomy of a Fall
The Holdovers
May December
Past Lives
Maestro

Best Animated Feature Film
The Boy and the Heron
Elemental
Nimona
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Robot Dreams

Best Animated Short
Letter to a Pig
Ninety-Five Senses
Our Uniform</i >Pachyderme
War is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko

Best International Feature
Io Capitano, Italy
Perfect Days, Japan
Society of the Snow, Spain
The Teachers’ Lounge, Germany
The Zone of Interest, United Kingdom

Best Documentary Feature
Bobi Wine: The People’s President
The Eternal Memory
Four Daughters
To Kill a Tiger
20 Days in Mariupol

Best Documentary Short
The ABCs of Book Banning
The Last Repair Shop
Nai Nai & Wai Po
The Barber of Little Rock
Island in Between

Best Original Score
American Fiction
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things

Best Original Song
“It Never Went Away,”
American Symphony
“I’m Just Ken,” Barbie
“What Was I Made For?,”Barbie
“The Fire Inside,” Flamin’ Hot
“Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People),” Killers of the Flower Moon

Best Sound
The Creator
Maestro
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Oppenheimer
The Zone of Interest

Best Production Design
Barbie
Killers of the Flower Moon
Napoleon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things

Best Live Action Short
The After
Invincible
Knight of Fortune
Red, White and Blue
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar

Best Cinematography
El Conde
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro
Oppenheimer
Poor Things

Best Makeup And Hairstyling
Golda
Society of the Snow
Maestro
Oppenheimer
Poor Things

Best Costume Design
Barbie
Killers of the Flower Moon
Napoleon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things

Best Visual Effects
The Creator
Godzilla Minus One
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Napoleon

Best Film Editing
Anatomy of a Fall
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things

ACEN completes acquisition of US wind project 

STOCK PHOTO | Image from Freepik

ACEN Corp.’s joint venture company UPC Power Solutions LLC has concluded the acquisition of the 38-megawatt (MW) Chestnut Flats wind project in Altoona, Pennsylvania, the renewable energy company announced on Wednesday.

In a stock exchange filing, the Ayala-led energy company said that UPC Power Solutions has successfully bought the leasing rights for the wind project from EDF Renewables North America.

“EDF Renewables will continue to provide asset management and operations and maintenance services,” ACEN said.

UPC Power Solutions is a joint venture involving ACEN, Pivot Power Management, and UPC Solar & Wind Investments LLC. It was established in April 2022, focusing on acquiring operating wind projects in the United States.

“The addition of this high-quality renewable asset will support our long-term strategy to build a diversified fleet of operating wind projects,” UPC Chief Executive Officer Tim Rosenzweig said.

“Our investment in Chestnut Flats will create economic opportunity and maintain jobs in the local community,” he added.

This acquisition marks ACEN’s ninth project and the second mergers and acquisitions closing in 2023.

With the latest acquisition, UPC Power Solutions’ operating renewable energy portfolio has grown to over 170 MW across multiple states in the United States.

Currently, ACEN has approximately 4,430 MW of attributable capacity spanning the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, and Australia.

At the local bourse on Wednesday, shares in ACEN went up by four centavos or 0.97% to close at P4.18 apiece. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera

RFM sees 14% rise in income, expects to finish P1.5-B capex projects in Q1

RFM Corp. saw its profit surge by 14% to P1.2 billion in 2023, driven by robust sales, the listed food and beverage company said on Wednesday, citing its preliminary unaudited net income report.

In a regulatory filing, RFM said that its 2023 net income marked an improvement from the P1.07 billion net income in 2022, attributed to higher margins resulting from improved cost of raw materials like wheat and milk.

Sales in 2023 increased by 7% to P20.7 billion because of higher demand in the milk, pasta, flour, ice cream, and bread categories, the company said.

“The hefty raw material price increases seen in 2022 and early 2023 reversed through the year and helped RFM margins to recover although inflation dampened consumer demand to an extent,” RFM Chief Executive Officer Jose Ma. A. Concepcion III said. 

The company has allocated P1.5 billion as a capital expenditure (capex) budget for projects in its breadline and milk categories.

“RFM continues to invest in its future growth as it completes this first quarter of 2024 important capex projects in breadline and milk totaling P1.5 billion,” Mr. Concepcion said.

“This capex, alongside the regular payment of dividends, were all funded by internally generated cash and RFM parent company has no bank loans,” he added.

The company, he also said, expects “continued growth in top line and single digit growth in income” for 2024.

“There is greater competition in the ice cream sector but improvement in margins is seen on most business segments with the softer prices of raw materials coming in 2024 compared to early 2023,” he said.

“Our Selecta Milk brand is also seeing sustained growth over the years and we are supporting this with new capex and innovations, like what we are also doing with our new Fiesta carbonara sauce,” he added.

Shares of RFM closed unchanged at P2.90 apiece on Wednesday. — R.M.D. Ochave 

The Best Gastropub in the UK is the Unruly Pig in Suffolk

THE UNRULY PIG has reclaimed its top spot as Britain’s best gastropub. The drinking establishment, which has a classic pub vibe and a forward-looking menu in a 1500’s-era Suffolk inn about 100 miles northeast of London, won the accolade in the 2024 Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropub awards, unveiled Monday.

The No. 1 position is not unfamiliar to the Unruly Pig: It was the top-ranked place on the list in 2022; last year it fell only to second place.

Chef-owner Dave Wall and executive chef Karl Green serve inspired dishes such as hare Wellington and parsley soup with smoked eel and lardo alongside a short list of beers and a longish list of wines. The eight-year-old gastropub, which last year fell to second place behind Parkers Arms (No. 7 this year), also ranked in the top 100 best dining spots in the UK for the 2023 Estrella National Restaurant Awards.   

The Cornish Arms in Devon took the No. 2 spot this year; chef John Hooker specializes in tweaked classics such as ham hock Scotch eggs with beer-infused onions. Third place went to noted UK chef Paul Ainsworth’s Mariners in Rock.

In London eight gastropubs nabbed honors, starting with the highest-ranking Red Lion & the Sun in Highgate (No. 6). Also representing London is the new entry the Parakeet at No. 36; the place is known for chef Ben Allen’s live-fire cooking, including a recently released option for Sunday roast.

But the bleak outlook for pubs took its toll on some high-profile spots. High inflation forced the closure of at least one spot in 2023’s top 20: The Cadeleigh Arms, in Tiverton, Devon, was No. 17 last year.  Soon after winning its award, it shut its doors because of its skyrocketing energy costs — an almost 500% increase, from £600 to £3,500 for one its final bills, reported The Morning Advertiser, the industry publication that launched the awards 16 years ago.

Other awards included special recognition to the Yorkshire-based chef Andrew Pern, whose pub, the Star in Harome, burned down in 2021 as the result of a suspected arson attack. Last year Pern relaunched the business, and it’s No. 8 this year.

The One to Watch award was won by the Bulls Head in Derbyshire; chef Mark Aisthrope took over the place in 2016. Chef of the Year went to Daniel Smith of the Fordwich Arms (No. 4) and the Bridge Arms (No. 15), both in Kent; the Bridge Arms was also the highest new entry on the list.

“We are seeing some new pubs from cities like Birmingham and Manchester rather than smaller villages,” says Ed Bedington, editor of The Morning Advertiser, which is owned by William Reed, Ltd., the company that also presents the myriad World’s 50 Best lists.

The awards are voted on by a group of food critics and journalists, chefs, and restaurateurs across the UK. The awards don’t have a specific definition for the term “gastropub,” but it essentially fuses the concept of a classic, drinks-forward British pub with an inspired menu. The model has been embraced by chefs as a less expensive alternative to opening up their own fine-dining spots.

Ironically, the place that kicked off the gastropub trend, the Eagle, which opened in London in 1991, fell off this year’s top 50 list; it ranked No. 48 last year. On the full list below, last year’s rankings are listed in parentheses; restaurants that newly made the top 50 this year are marked with a double asterisk.

The Top 50 Gastropubs in the UK

1. The Unruly Pig, Woodbridge, Suffolk (2)
2. The Cornish Arms, Tavistock, Devon (12)
3. The Mariners, Rock, Cornwall (11)
4. The Fordwich Arms, Canterbury, Kent (9)
5. The Sportsman, Seasalter, Kent (4)
6. The Red Lion & Sun, London (10)
7. Parkers Arms, Newton-in-Bowland, Lancashire (1)
8. The Star Inn, Harome, Yorkshire**
9. Freemasons at Wiswell, Wiswell, Lancashire (3)
10. The Hand & Flowers, Marlow, Buckinghamshire (8)
11. Heft, High Newton (43; Highest Climber)
12. The Harwood Arms, London (13)
13. The Angel at Hetton, Hetton, Yorkshire (6)
14. The Rat Inn, Anick, Hexham, Northumberland (26)
15. The Bridge Arms, Canterbury** (Highest New Entry)
16. The Dog at Wingham, Canterbury, Kent (29)
17. The Shibden Mill Inn, Halifax, Yorkshire (14)
18. The Gunton Arms, Norwich, Norfolk (46)
19. The Pack Horse, Hayfield, Derbyshire (18)
20. Pyne Arms, Barnstaple, Devon (19)
21. The Coach, Marlow, Buckinghamshire (15)
22. The Beehive, Great Waltham, Essex (16)
23. The Broad Chare, Newcastle (44)
24. The Edinburgh Castle, Manchester**
25. The Three Horseshoes, Batcombe**
26. The Baring, London (23)
27. The Kentish Hare, Tunbridge Wells, Kent (5)
28. The Pipe & Glass, Beverley, Yorkshire (27)
29. The White Swan at Fence, Fence, Lancashire (7)
30. The Longs Arms, South Wraxall, Wiltshire (28)
31. The Bull & Last, London (33)
32. The Black Bear Inn, Usk, Wales (42)
33. The Dog & Gun Inn, Skelton, Cumbria  (39)
34. The Woolpack, Stroud**
35. The Barrington Boar, Barrington**
36. The Parakeet, Kentish Town, London**
37. The Masons Arms, Knowstone, Devon (24)
38. The Abbey Inn, Byland**
39. The Black Bull, Sedbergh, Cumbria (35)
40. The Cadogan Arms, Chelsea**
41. The Bulls Head, Craswell**
42. The Loch and the Tyne, Old Windsor, Berkshire (32)
43. The Guinea Grill, London (22)
44. The Dew Drop Inn, Hurley**
45. The Killingworth Castle, Wootton**
46. Canton Arms, London (25)
47. The Double Red Duke, Cotswolds**
48. The Duncombe Arms, Ashbourne, Staffordshire (41)
49. The Scran & Scallie, Edinburgh  (38)
50. The Bull, Charlburya**

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