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Here’s what $500 gets you for sushi in New York City versus Tokyo

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By Kazunori Takada, Akemi Terukina and Kat Odell

JUST FIVE years ago, a US tourist visiting Japan would have paid a small fortune — close to $500 — for a ¥50,000 omakase meal at a high-end sushi counter in Tokyo. Today, the same meal will cost the visitor just a little over $300.

The notable price drop comes because of the weak yen, which has fallen around 30% against the dollar over the past five years and hit 38-year lows in July. With the lopsided exchange rate, even Tokyo’s most famous sushi restaurants now feel affordable.

At the same time, customers at top-of-the-line sushi counters in New York know it’s routine to spend $500 before they’ve even walked in the door, let alone left a tip.

The relative bargain of ordering sushi in Tokyo has not been lost on international food fans. Sushi restaurants in Tokyo have seen an influx of tourists, turning some of the oldest sushi restaurants into a melting pot. The number of visitors to Japan continues to reach record highs; in October 2024, 3.3 million people arrived in the country, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. In fact, the stream of travelers spurred some restaurants in tourist-friendly destinations to implement a two-tier pricing system. At Tamatebako, the all-you-can-eat seafood spot in Shibuya, it’s ¥9,328 yen for female residents and ¥10,428 for female tourists. Men pay ¥500 more for their respective categories.

Another plus for sushi-seeking tourists in Tokyo is the plethora of affordable options. In Ginza, a three-minute walk from one of the city’s most renowned (and pricey) sushi restaurants, Sukiyabashi Jiro, there’s an outpost of the solid franchise Kura Sushi, which serves two pieces of sushi for ¥155, or $1 — the preferred price for most Japanese diners.

In New York, the cost of a sushi dinner continues to rise, in part because of pricey real estate, labor (the city’s minimum wage just went up to $16.50), and the increasing cost of shipping pristine seafood from the other side of the world. The price of eating out nationally was 3.6% higher in November 2024 than the previous year, according to the USDA. The tab for eating out at local sushi restaurants has risen more sharply in some spots. At Sushi Noz, the vaunted Upper East Side dining room, a meal is now $550 without tax, tip, or drinks; it’s a 10% increase from a year ago, when it was $500.

Over the past year, Icca in Tribeca has raised its omakase price from $400 to $495. (Gratuity is now included; the actual increase is around $15.) Chef Kazushige Suzuki attributes the rising costs to the global proliferation of high-end sushi counters, which has led to a decline in the availability of certain seafood such as bluefin tuna, which in turn spikes prices.

But there’s a silver lining for New Yorkers: The number of good midrange counters is climbing, too. That’s thanks to local operators including Linda Wang of the Ume Hospitality Group, whose 10 sushi counters typically offer 60-minute meals for around $75. Her model is built around buying seafood in bulk and turning over seats briskly.

Still, it’s hard to ignore the value you can find in Tokyo. For a head-to-head comparison, read on and see what $500 gets you for notably good sushi in both cities.

TOKYO
Sukiyabashi Jiro

$500 gets you: Dinner for one-and-a-half customers

If you didn’t know the name, you wouldn’t guess that Sukiyabashi Jiro is Tokyo’s most famous sushi restaurant. Located on the underground level of a 64-year-old commercial building in the central Ginza district, its shop front is very simple. But Jiro has served countless celebrities, notably former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who took Barack Obama there during the former US president’s 2014 visit.

The place adheres to the traditional Edomae style, when sushi was served as street stall fast food, so the menu is simple: just raw fish. Otsumami, or drink-friendly snacks, aren’t served. But it’s so popular that if you call to make a reservation, the automated message will tell you it’s fully booked. If you get seats, the 20-piece sushi dinner starts at ¥58,000.

Ginza Kyubey

$500 gets you: Dinner for two, almost

Opened in 1935, the restaurant has been favored by local power brokers including Shigeru Yoshida, the country’s prime minister following World War II. The ¥40,000 menu includes two appetizers, sashimi, yakimono (grilled fish), nimono (a stewed dish), and 11 pieces of sushi. A multilingual chef, possibly even owner Yosuke Imada, details the selections.

Ginza Kyubey has another claim to fame: The restaurant invented a major form of sushi known as “gunkan” (seafood and rice enclosed in a round nori band), after a customer from Hokkaido asked for his sea urchin to be made into sushi.

Shutoku

$500 gets you: Dinner for at least five

Shutoku roots go back to one of Tokyo’s oldest sushi restaurants, dating back some 400 years. It’s located up a flight of stairs in Tsukiji, which for centuries was home to the city’s main fish market and handled some of the most expensive fish shipped from across the country. (In 2018, the market relocated a few miles south to Toyosu.) A meal will cycle through a series of classics such as hirame (flounder), aji (horse mackerel), and ika (squid) dusted with a few sesame seeds; less common options like gizzard shad might show up, too. The chefs add a generous amount of red vinegar to the rice, a tradition that dates to the Edo period (from 1603 to the 1860s) and turns the rice a funky colored light brown. Omakase meals range from ¥7,000 to ¥15,000.

Kura Sushi Global Flagship Store, Ginza

$500 gets you: A meal for 30 or more

For something casual — and a place to entertain small children — Kura Sushi, a block away from Sukiyabashi Jiro in Ginza, is a super option. Unlike most sushi restaurants, check-in is at a machine at the entrance which allocates a table number. Once seated, pick plates of sushi circulating on a conveyor belt, such as toro or tamago (egg), or order via a tablet or your own smartphone, which gets delivered directly to your table via a separate fast-speed belt. After eating, diners can try their luck at roulette with toys as the prize. A two-piece plate of sushi starts at ¥150.

NEW YORK
Masa

$500 gets you: Half a Hinoki counter experience

Haute sushi pioneer Masa Takayama put luxe omakase dining on the map 20 years ago when his three-Michelin-star counter opened in what’s now known as the Deutsche Bank Center at Columbus Circle. The restaurant has continued to offer the city’s highest-priced sushi. Takayama has only one seasonal menu, with bites such as stone crab with uni aioli and his signature toro tartare crowned with osetra caviar. Those who sit at the roughly nine-seat Hinoki counter will spend $950 (excluding tax and tip); in the dining room, the same meal costs $200 less.

Sushi Noz

$500 gets you: Dinner for one, almost

The six-year-old, two-Michelin-star effort from chef Nozomu Abe and owner Joshua Foulquir is a shoebox-size space that holds two counters with a total of 14 seats. The menu runs $550 (including tip but not tax), punctuated by rare seafood that’s hard to find elsewhere in the city. The 20-course meal typically begins with five seasonal appetizers, followed by nigiri such as live scallop and baby sea bream, and concludes with a daily-changing miso soup, tamago, and two desserts.

Icca

$500 gets you: Dinner for one

Kazushige Suzuki, a veteran of the New York’s now-shuttered Sushi Ginza Onodera, now helms the three-year-old Icca’s subtly Italian-accented eight-seat Edomae-rooted counter. His 21-course omakase leans heavily into appetizers with dishes like Hokkaido hairy crab and uni pasta before moving into nigiri bites, plus tamago, miso soup, and Japanese crown melon mousse for dessert for $495 (including tip). The restaurant is also known for its exceptional sake program rife with rare bottles; pairings are $220 or $280.

Shota Omakase

$500 gets you: Dinner for two

Brooklyn isn’t known as a sushi destination, which is why Cheng Lin opened his spacious 18-seat counter on a residential stretch of South 3rd Street in Williamsburg in August 2023. In fact, Shota is one of the best sushi deals in town; Lin sources premium Japanese ingredients, from sawara (Spanish mackerel) to slippery mozuku seaweed, for his $195 omakase that blends Edomae simplicity with a little innovation. If you have a bigger budget, throw in an order of rare seasonal uni from Hokkaido and black truffles to top a yuzu-miso cod hand roll and other orders.

Omakase Room by Shin

$500 gets you: Dinner for two plus two glasses of sake

As one of the city’s newest sushi entrants, sleek Omakase Room by Shin (sibling to the West Village’s Omakase Room by Mitsu) falls in the modestly priced — by NYC standards — omakase camp. The $195 (exclusive of tax and tip) omakase spans 14 courses solely dedicated to nigiri built from peak seasonal seafood helmed by Blue Ribbon Sushi vet Shin Yamaoka. Expect fish like buttery ora king salmon and a three-bite tuna series — served on rice imbued with red vinegar laced with sake lees. The meal signs out with an uni hand roll, geoduck clam miso soup, and the chef’s signature spongy tamago. Drinks options at the 14-seat counter include smooth, elegant Hoyo Manamusume junmai sakes.

Hōseki

$500 gets you: Lunch for four

Hōseki, the boîte tucked behind a velvet curtain on the lower floor of tony Midtown department store Saks Fifth Avenue, delivers a 12-course menu for $95 in 60 minutes. Morgan Adamson runs the six-seat counter’s minimalist and Edomae-inspired show, which relies on a mix of domestic and Japanese seafood. Her meals begin with a seasonal soup such as kabocha squash and carrot, then move to an appetizer like sesame-dressed Hokkaido scallop with finger limes, nine nigiri bites with Hokkaido uni and local skate, and, finally, a bluefin hand roll with shiso. Adamson works with two distinctly seasoned rices: lighter fish paired with rice imbued with a bright vinegar; fattier fish are served with rice accented with a more complex vinegar.

Thirteen Water

$500 gets you: Dinner for four and a bottle of sake

Thirteen Water proprietor Linda Wang has garnered a following for her string of shockingly affordable omakase spots that scoot diners in and out within an hour. One is Thirteen Water in the East Village, and another is a new Hudson Yards outpost. The $75 omakase is served in a charcoal-hued space anchored by a 16-seat, U-shaped counter. Chef Aaron Liu preps a nontraditional, weekly-changing 13-course menu with global seafood via a quick succession of 12 nigiri — including chutoro (medium-fatty tuna) crowned with chopped chutoro, pickled wasabi, and wasabi soy sauce — and concluding with a maki roll. Because the high-umami meal is so affordable, you can still get a 720-milliliter bottle of Born Gold junmai sake for $78. — Bloomberg

Home imprisonment

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On Tuesday, the Philippine Star ran a story from Palawan quoting Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gregorio Catapang, Jr. as saying that his office was considering home imprisonment for offenders convicted of lesser offenses. He noted that this system was already being implemented in other Asian countries.

“Their (ASEAN countries) set-up is home imprisonment, wherein persons convicted of minor offenses are brought back to their families. It is a way to address prison congestion,” Director-General Catapang was quoted as saying at a regional correctional conference in Puerto Princesa City.

He suggested that home imprisonment could be managed by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), which oversees local jails for individuals still on trial and not yet convicted. The BuCor takes over custody only after an accused has been convicted and sentenced to imprisonment.

The concept of “house arrest” is nothing new to the Philippines. However, this “accommodation” has typically been extended only to elderly or sickly detainees, as well as high-profile politicians or senior government or military officials in detention.

In other countries, house arrest or home confinement is used to keep detainees within their residences for a specified duration as an alternative to jail time. Ankle monitors are also commonly used. Home imprisonment is primarily considered a strategy to decongest prisons.

In China, house arrest or “Residential Surveillance at a Designated Location” (RSDL) was initially intended for suspects in cases involving national security, terrorism, or major bribery. However, by 2020, approximately 140,000 individuals were reportedly under “house arrest” for various crimes, including lesser offenses.

In Singapore, authorities employ the Home Detention Scheme or Home Detention Order, where eligible non-violent offenders may serve the final portion of their sentences under house arrest. This is subject to strict conditions, such as electronic monitoring and curfews. However, a minimum sentence must first be served, and the inmate must demonstrate good behavior and have strong family support.

Currently, in Myanmar, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines, “house arrest” is primarily used for political figures and high-profile individuals, mainly during investigations rather than as a jail sentence after conviction. In these countries, the use of home detention is discretionary on the part of arresting authorities. In Thailand, house arrest requires court approval.

In Malaysia, only in October 2024 was legislation proposed to allow house arrest for certain offenses. The proposed law aims to reduce recidivism and decongest prisons. It is intended only for minor offenders. However, the proposal is still to be approved by lawmakers.

In general, the main conditions of home imprisonment include movement restrictions, electronic monitoring, and regular check-ins or inspections. I believe that while under house arrest, detainees should be allowed medical and legal appointments only — not political meetings, professional activities, or business management.

More importantly, existing laws must first be amended to include home detention among the penalties not just for detainees but also for convicted individuals. Any proposed law should consider the nature of the offense and limit this “privilege” to those awaiting trial or have been convicted of non-violent crimes.

For convicts, minimum jail time should first be served, and risk of flight, criminal history, and behavior during detention should be carefully evaluated prior to transfer to home detention.

With respect to the home environment, beyond ensuring that it can support the detainee economically, socially, and psychologically, immediate family members should also be held accountable if the detainee attempts escape, commits a new crime, or violates the terms of home detention.

Admittedly, house imprisonment can reduce the government’s financial burden in terms of housing and feeding inmates. Moreover, it can improve the living conditions of detainees.

House arrest also allows offenders to maintain family ties, which can facilitate smoother reintegration into society. Additionally, it eases the strain on correctional facilities by reducing inmate populations.

However, there is no denying that public safety risks increase with the possibility of home detainees committing new crimes. The public may also perceive this “penalty” as unjustifiably lenient compared to jail time. Moreover, monitoring inmates requires government resources and technological infrastructure.

Simply put, home imprisonment is easier said than done. While it offers a viable alternative to traditional incarceration, with benefits such as cost savings and reduced prison populations, it also presents challenges related to public perception and the reallocation of resources from jail management to monitoring.

To ensure effective implementation, it is essential for policymakers to conduct more research, studies, and statistical analyses on home imprisonment. A thorough examination of its economic and social impact, as well as its overall costs, is necessary to determine its feasibility. Understanding how similar programs function in other countries, particularly in ASEAN, can help guide the development of appropriate policies tailored to local conditions.

As an initial step, a pilot program could be introduced, restricting home imprisonment to a specific list of minor offenses. By carefully monitoring and analyzing the results, authorities can assess its effectiveness in reducing recidivism, alleviating prison congestion, and supporting rehabilitation.

The program should track compliance rates, the effectiveness of electronic monitoring, and the overall success of reintegration efforts.

Furthermore, data collection on crime rates before and after implementing home imprisonment will be crucial in determining whether it contributes to maintaining public safety. If successful, the pilot could pave the way for a more extensive implementation, with necessary refinements based on empirical evidence.

Another significant issue is the perception that home imprisonment represents a government abdication of its responsibility to rehabilitate inmates. In short, it may be seen as an attempt by the government to simply pass the burden of correction and rehabilitation onto the very public that incarceration is meant to protect.

Therefore, clear guidelines, transparency, and continuous evaluation will be necessary to ensure that home imprisonment serves its intended purpose without compromising justice and public security.

 

Marvin Tort is a former managing editor of BusinessWorld, and a former chairman of the Philippine Press Council

matort@yahoo.com

Growing AI adoption may expose PHL companies to more cyberattacks

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PHILIPPINE BUSINESSES may face more cyberattacks as they continue to adopt artificial intelligence (AI)-powered solutions, with threat actors also using more advanced tools to exploit these technologies, cybersecurity company Trend Micro said.

Trend Micro Philippines Country Manager Ian Felipe said at a briefing on Monday that Philippine enterprises have improved their overall cyber hygiene, boosting investments to address cybersecurity risks and improving their teams’ skill sets.

However, firms must be aware of the risks that come with using AI-driven technologies, he said.

“It’s very important to have visibility in terms of what might and what can happen in the future when you adopt AI,” Mr. Felipe said.

Trend Micro said cyberattacks are now targeting AI agents, with criminals hijacking or misguiding these agents to exploit firms’ systems.

“When you use agentive AI, it’s basically an autonomous AI that can decide on its own, so having this kind of setup provides less visibility in terms of the actions or interactions of this AI to our systems,” Raymond Almanon, senior threat researcher at Trend Micro, said at the same briefing.

Agentive AI deploys a self-governing “agent” that can make decisions without minimal human supervision. It is expected to help automate tasks, reduce costs, and improve productivity.

According to Trend Micro, attackers are also using AI to launch faster and undetectable attacks with less tools.

“Adding to this is the unauthorized or malicious activities carried out by misguided autonomous agents, so we really need to make sure that every time we deploy an agent, there is a way for us to monitor it,” Mr. Almanon said.

He said businesses should have measures to monitor their AI agent operators to spot potential vulnerabilities.

“We have to implement robust security measures that give end-to-end visibility on agent operations and harness AI to ensure protection from vulnerabilities it creates for itself.”

With more companies using AI technologies, hackers are also likely to target AI-driven training environments, access infrastructure, and service subscriptions to steal information, Mr. Almanon added.

Many cyberattacks focus on obtaining companies’ login credentials to help them orchestrate large-scale exploits, he said. “Once info stealers get access to one of your employees’ credentials, that can be the start of a bigger attack on your network.”

AI can also be exploited to craft phishing e-mails, conduct disinformation campaigns and scams like pig butchering or investment fraud, expand the scale of cyberattacks, and target device drivers, he said.

“If you have a vulnerable driver that is installed — meaning these are pre-installed on your machine or came from another software — they can be targeted and used to execute malicious codes without you knowing,” Mr. Almanon said. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

Chinese automaker targets 1,000 monthly sales in PHL

FACEBOOK.COM/@OJPHILIPPINES

CHINESE AUTOMAKER Omoda and Jaecoo Motor Philippines, Inc. aims to achieve 1,000 monthly sales and expand its dealership network in the Philippines following its official launch on Tuesday.

“We have the intention to [increase] our dealer network. Currently, we have six, and we are going to have 24 within this year,” Omoda and Jaecoo Global Chief Executive Officer Shawn Xu said.

“With these numbers, definitely within [the first] half of the year, we will reach 500 monthly sales, and then later on, it can be 1,000 units,” he added.

When asked about the company’s optimism in launching in the Philippines, Mr. Xu said the country is one of the largest in Asia.

“The Philippines is a big country among Asian countries. So this is the reason why we established a subsidiary company here. We think that we have big potential,” he said.

“And also, we have good confidence here because other markets have already proved that we get good performance, like Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Switzerland, so definitely the Philippines will be no exception. So definitely, we have good confidence here,” he added.

On Tuesday, Omoda and Jaecoo announced their official launch in the country with the unveiling of three models: the Omoda C5, Omoda E5, and Jaecoo EJ6.

The Omoda C5 will be priced between P898,000 and P1.18 million, while the Omoda E5 will be sold at P1.5 million.

However, customers who place a deposit for the Omoda C5 and Omoda E5 until June 30 will receive P110,000 and P220,000 discounts, respectively.

“With the warm reception that the Omoda C5 and Omoda E5 received even before our official launch, we were inspired to roll out a promo for our Filipino buyers. This way, more Filipinos can experience premium automotive innovation firsthand,” Mr. Xu said.

Meanwhile, the Jaecoo EJ6, an electric sport utility vehicle, will have a starting price of P1.65 million to P1.8 million.

According to Mr. Xu, Omoda and Jaecoo sold nearly 250,000 units globally last year, driven by new products and market expansions.

“So this year, our target will be for our sales to reach half a million units,” he added.

As of the end of last year, Omoda and Jaecoo were present in 34 markets. This is set to expand to 55 by the end of this year. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

BSP launches cyber resilience council

THE BANGKO SENTRAL ng Pilipinas (BSP) has launched a council to strengthen cooperation on cyber resilience in the financial sector.

The central bank on Feb. 11 launched the Financial Cyber Resilience Governance Council (FCRGC), it said in a statement on Wednesday,

“The FCRGC aims to foster a safe, secure, and resilient financial system by promoting strong cybersecurity practices, governance, and collaboration,” the BSP said.

The council is tasked to implement the 2024-2029 Financial Services Cyber Resilience Plan, which was launched in August 2024. “This plan outlines high-level goals and strategies to maintain the integrity and security of the country’s financial system.”

“This council represents our collective resolve to strengthen our cyber defenses,” BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona, Jr. said.

Central bank data showed that nearly 60% of cyber fraud losses reported by BSP-supervised financial institutions in 2023 were due to account takeovers, identity theft and phishing.

The finance and insurance industry was the top most attacked sector in 2018 and 2020, and ranked second from 2021 to 2022, according to the IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence Index report.

The cyber resilience council will be headed by Monetary Board Member Jose L. Querubin as the group’s advisor.

Meanwhile, BSP Deputy Governor Chuchi G. Fonacier and Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP) Cyber Committee Head Sandeep Uppal will serve as the FCRGC’s chairperson and vice chairperson, respectively.

“The role of the council is clear: it is to lead the way by overseeing industry initiatives so we are on the right track in ensuring that we remain prepared to any threats that may arise,” Ms. Fonacier said.

“The council is a symbol of our unity, of our shared commitment to protect the financial system, and of our resolve to outpace and outmaneuver those who seek to undermine it,” BAP President Jose Teodoro K. Limcaoco added.

Members of the council will also include representatives from the Chamber of Thrift Banks, Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines, Philippine E-Money Association of the Philippines, BancNet, Inc., and Philippine Clearing House Corp.

“The heads of the BSP’s Policy and Specialized Supervision Sub-Sector, Technology and Digital Innovation Office, and Technology Risk and Innovation Supervision Department will also serve in the council,” the central bank said.

The council will meet quarterly to discuss success metrics and policy recommendations, as well as review cyber threat reports. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson

Dining In/Out: Fastfood and then some

Kenny Rogers Roasters offers Corn Muffin Ice Cream

LAST YEAR, fast-casual restaurant Kenny Rogers Roasters and artisanal ice cream brand Merry Moo joined forces to bring Corn Muffin Ice Cream into the retail market. The Corn Muffin Ice Cream is made with a creamy cornbread base, maize bits, and corn muffin chunks, capturing the flavor of Kenny Rogers Roasters classic cornbread recipe. This year, the Corn Muffin Ice Cream is available in even more locations — in select The Marketplace and Landmark branches. The Corn Muffin Ice Cream is one of the many versions of Kenny Rogers Roasters classic creations available in supermarkets around the metro. For more news and a guide to the supermarket locations with the ice cream, follow Kenny Rogers Roasters on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

Karayama is now in Makati

POPULAR Japanese chicken chain Karayama opened a branch at One Ayala on Feb. 15. Karayama Philippines opened its first branch in SM North EDSA five years ago. The One Ayala branch is located near the EDSA-Ayala footbridge. The story of Karayama’s famous Japanese-style fried chicken, known as karaage, began in a tiny storefront in Tokyo. Chicken is slowly marinated in a secret recipe, developed to enhance the flavor of the chicken. Each boneless piece is then breaded and fried until crisp. With its ingredients sourced from Japan, Karayama offers authentic Japanese-style Fried Chicken from rice sets to their 15-piece Chicken Mountain. Aside from the rice sets with a one-time refill of rice and miso soup, Karayama also offers Japanese rice bowls; Chicken Paitan Ramen, and Curry Rice sets. Japanese mochi and ice cream for desserts, and drinks like Cherry Blossom Fresh Fizz are also available. Exclusive promos are available when ordering via karayama.pickup.ph or Grabfood.

Panda Express has spicy new chicken

PANDA EXPRESS Philippines has just launched its newest American Chinese sweet and spicy dish — Spicy Bourbon Chicken — available for a limited time. This is a spin on the Southern American classic Bourbon Chicken. The dish contains crispy boneless chicken bites and fresh vegetables, wok-tossed in a spicy and sweet bourbon sauce all topped with sesame seeds. The dish can be paired with a big bowl of steaming white rice, fried rice, or chow mein. Spicy Bourbon Chicken is only available for a limited time at Panda Express branches, or order via takeout, drive-through, or delivery via online store order.pandaexpress.com.ph, Grab or Foodpanda.

McDonald’s gets cheesier

MCDONALD’S brings back the Cheese Dunk, a gooey cheese dip companion to their cheeseburgers. Cheese Dunk is offered in three ways: the Cheese Dunk Solo, the Cheeseburger with Cheese Dunk Meal (a classic cheeseburger and a side of cheese dip), and the Double Cheeseburger with Dunk Meal (double the beef, double the cheese, double the dunk). It is available in all McDonald’s locations nationwide, via dine-in, takeout, McDelivery, or the McDonald’s App. On Feb. 28, they’ll announce “a bold twist” to the cheese dunk limited-time offering. For more information about McDonald’s Cheese Dunk, visit McDonalds.com.ph, or follow @McDo.ph on Facebook, and @McDo_ph on Instagram.

Declining births and urbanized cities of the Philippines

On Jan. 31, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released the report, “Birth, Marriage, and Death Statistics for 2024 (Provisional, as of 30 November 2024).” I downloaded the Excel file for 2023-2024 and compared the monthly data of previous years, with 2019 serving as the baseline before the lockdowns of 2020 to mid-2022.

The number of births in the Philippines keeps declining. The monthly averages for January-May of each year declined, from 133,355 in 2019 to 100,749 in 2021 and 90,315 in 2024. This is not good. The average number of deaths per month see-sawed from 51,975 in 2019 to 63,643 in 2021, then 48,324 in 2024.

Despite the high number of reported COVID-19 cases in 2020 there were no “excess deaths” that year (an increase in the number of deaths from the previous year). It was in 2021, when COVID vaccination became mandatory, that “excess” deaths were high — there were nearly 880,000 deaths that year, or 259,400 more than in 2019 (see Table 1).

The net increase in population (births minus deaths) for the January-May period has been declining, from 81,380/month in 2019, to 37,100/month in 2021, and 41,990/month in 2024. That is not good. I have always suspected that those experimental vaccines which were made mandatory (otherwise people were not allowed to enter schools, offices, malls, etc.) have short- to long-term adverse effects on people’s health. So far this is slowly being confirmed via adverse demographic trends in the country.

ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE OF CITIES
On Feb. 7, the PSA released its report, “2023 Economic Performance of the Highly Urbanized Cities (HUC) in the Philippines.” It showed that Quezon City and Makati City are the only trillionaires, and that Davao City and Cebu City are the only non-Metro Manila cities in the top 10 wealthiest HUCs in the country.

In terms of annual growth, Puerto Princesa City in Palawan was highest with growth of 10.6% in 2023, followed by Iloilo and Bacolod cities with 10.5% and 10.0% growth respectively. I heard that the city government of Puerto Princesa was bragging about its performance — and rightly so. But I also wanted to see just how big or how small the real production in the city is.

So, I checked the PSA’s attached Excel files by region, and I compared the provincial product accounts and HUC accounts of regions in Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan), Visayas, and Mindanao. It is not a good idea to compare them (except Davao and Cebu) with the HUCs in Metro Manila, Region 3 (Central Luzon), and Region 4 (Calabarzon) which are huge and rich.

It turns out that among the HUCs in Mimaropa-Visayas-Mindanao, Puerto Princesa was the second smallest or second poorest in 2023 after Tacloban City (see Table 2).

The last time I went to Puerto Princesa City was in 2019. The tourist areas of the city are beautiful — the underground river, the white sand beaches, the small exotic islands, a zoo, a crocodile farm, and so on. But the city itself does not look “highly urbanized.”

For one thing, there are frequent blackouts so all the hotels and resorts, malls, and big restaurants have gensets. This immediately raises the cost of business. Thus, food prices, hotel rooms, and tours are not exactly cheap in Puerto Princessa. Tourist arrivals recovered to the 2019 level only in 2023.

Then, many roads are not well-paved. Many streets are dark at night — which is related to the insufficient power supply discussed above. Plus, there are many stray dogs on the road that contribute to more accidents.

Three, I read that the majority of households are not connected to a sewage system. That the water supply is intermittent during the dry or summer months. And that city’s health services are wanting, with patients and their companions having to start queuing as early as 4 a.m.

Four, flooding is frequent in many areas including the north national highway. There must be blocked waterways somewhere, while buildings were given construction permits despite the danger of flooding. There was heavy flooding again early this month, from Feb. 8-10.

I read that the political leadership of Puerto Princesa City has been controlled by one family for three decades. This is not good.

About the blackouts, Palawan does not have big power plants except the oil gensets of Napocor and some private companies.

Years ago, DMCI and other companies proposed putting up a coal plant in Palawan, but this was vehemently opposed by many environmentalists because coal is a fossil fuel. But the same environmentalists are silent about the fact that the diesel and bunker oil that run the big gensets are also fossil fuels.

And then there is the state of the Palawan Electric Cooperative (Paleco). Data from the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) showed that Paleco’s System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI) in 2023 for scheduled maintenance shutdown was 1,337 minutes (equivalent to 22 hours) while for some private distribution utilities like Visayan Electric Co. (VECO) it was only 163 minutes (three hours). When it comes to power supply instabilities, Paleco’s SAIDI in 2023 was 3,154 minutes (53 hours) while that of VECO was only eight minutes.

The city and the provincial leadership must make drastic changes in their infrastructure, energy, and other sectoral reforms.

 

Bienvenido S. Oplas, Jr. is the president of Bienvenido S. Oplas, Jr. Research Consultancy Services, and Minimal Government Thinkers. He is an international fellow of the Tholos Foundation.

minimalgovernment@gmail.com

Google Philippines ‘on alert’ for election misinformation

REUTERS

GOOGLE Philippines is “on alert” against forms of election misinformation, especially artificial intelligence (AI)-generated content and deepfakes.

“This is our first election where generative AI is mainstream. So, from this midterm election, we will learn a lot of lessons to prepare us for the presidential elections in 2028,” Yves Gonzalez, Google Philippines public policy and government relations head, said on the sidelines of a briefing on Feb. 11.

“We will definitely be on alert for these coming elections… and we will overcome the challenges by working closely with government, our users, and using (our) technology.”

According to Google’s latest Trends Data Report, the Philippines was the top country searching for “misinformation” and “fake news,” signaling growing interest in media literacy.

“For 2025, our biggest concerns are AI-generated misinformation, deepfakes. In a sense, the landscape, threats, technology are evolving, so us at Google, we also have to continue to evolve and level up ourselves,” he said in mixed English and Filipino.

Mr. Gonzalez added that YouTube’s Community Guidelines are well equipped to detect election misinformation.

The video-sharing platform mandates creators to label videos that use AI, and its own system can also detect and label AI-generated videos. Its SynthID provides a watermark for content generated through Google’s AI tools, the official said.

YouTube users can also report videos or channels with policy violations such as misleading information, hate speech, and violent or graphic content.

Confirmed violations may result in a warning, and if YouTube detects three consistent violations within a 90-day period, the channel may permanently be removed.

“But YouTube being a free speech platform, there will always be mudslinging, disagreements, allegations. So, as much as possible, YouTube will allow the free flow of discourse and discussion,” Mr. Gonzalez told reporters.

“It’s only when there is content that is violative of community guidelines that we will take it down,” he said.

YouTube’s Breaking News shelf also prioritizes authoritative news sources to avoid election misinformation, Mr. Gonzalez added.

Google has also been working with the Commission on Elections, recently conducting a literacy workshop with political parties and candidates on securing their Google accounts and using their YouTube channels effectively. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

Boracay ports to implement unified automated ticketing system

PHILIPPINE STAR/WALTER BOLLOZOS

TOPLINE Hi-Tech and Synergy Corp. (Topline Hi-Tech) have partnered with the provincial government of Aklan to establish a smart port system at the Caticlan and Cagban ports.

The new system is expected to streamline ticketing operations and boost tourist arrivals on Boracay Island, the company — an affiliate of Topline Business Development Corp. (Topline) — said in a statement.

The Smart Port System provides real-time data and analytics with robust security features through QR codes. Its unified automated ticketing system consolidates all terminal, environmental, and boat fees into a single automated transaction.

“Our Smart Port System makes accessing Boracay easier than ever by removing the traditional hassle of travel and empowering visitors to focus on enjoying their time on the island,” said Eugene Erik C. Lapasaran Lim, president and chief executive officer of Topline Hi-Tech.

Under the old system, tourists had to go through multiple queues for arrival registration and payments for boat fare, administrative, environmental, and terminal fees.

The unified automated ticketing system eliminates this process, allowing tourists to book and pay in advance through the Topline Travel App.

Tourists can also book via a pre-booking link, Topline’s automated kiosk, or a ticketing booth.

Once payment — available through cashless transactions — is completed, a QR code is generated for verification before boarding the vessel.

“With this smart upgrade, we aim to drive tourism growth in the Visayas and ensure that Boracay remains a premier destination for travelers,” Mr. Lim said.

In 2024, tourist arrivals in Boracay Island declined by 2% to 2.08 million from 2.12 million a year ago, according to the Malay Municipal Tourism Office.

The first phase of the Smart Port System will be implemented in April, in time for the summer season. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

AI ‘hallucinations’ in court papers spell trouble for lawyers

DILOKASTUDIO-FREEPIK

US PERSONAL injury law firm Morgan & Morgan sent an urgent e-mail this month to its more than 1,000 lawyers: Artificial intelligence (AI) can invent fake case law, and using made-up information in a court filing could get you fired.

A federal judge in Wyoming had just threatened to sanction two lawyers at the firm who included fictitious case citations in a lawsuit against Walmart. One of the lawyers admitted in court filings last week that he used an AI program that “hallucinated” the cases and apologized for what he called an inadvertent mistake.

AI’s penchant for generating legal fiction in case filings has led courts around the country to question or discipline lawyers in at least seven cases over the last two years, and created a new high-tech headache for litigants and judges, Reuters found.

The Walmart case stands out because it involves a well-known law firm and a big corporate defendant. But examples like it have cropped up in all kinds of lawsuits since chatbots like ChatGPT ushered in the AI era, highlighting a new litigation risk.

A Morgan & Morgan spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. Walmart declined to comment. The judge has not yet ruled whether to discipline the lawyers in the Walmart case, which involved an allegedly defective hoverboard toy.

Advances in generative AI are helping reduce the time lawyers need to research and draft legal briefs, leading many law firms to contract with AI vendors or build their own AI tools. Sixty-three percent of lawyers surveyed by Reuters’ parent company Thomson Reuters last year said they have used AI for work, and 12% said they use it regularly.

Generative AI, however, is known to confidently make up facts, and lawyers who use it must take caution, legal experts said. AI sometimes produces false information, known as “hallucinations” in the industry, because the models generate responses based on statistical patterns learned from large datasets rather than by verifying facts in those datasets.

Attorney ethics rules require lawyers to vet and stand by their court filings or risk being disciplined. The American Bar Association told its 400,000 members last year that those obligations extend to “even an unintentional misstatement” produced through AI.

The consequences have not changed just because legal research tools have evolved, said Andrew Perlman, dean of Suffolk University’s law school and an advocate of using AI to enhance legal work.

“When lawyers are caught using ChatGPT or any generative AI tool to create citations without checking them, that’s incompetence, just pure and simple,” Mr. Perlman said.

‘LACK OF AI LITERACY’
In one of the earliest court rebukes over attorneys’ use of AI, a federal judge in Manhattan in June 2023 fined two New York lawyers $5,000 for citing cases that were invented by AI in a personal injury case against an airline.

A different New York federal judge last year considered imposing sanctions in a case involving Michael Cohen, the former lawyer and fixer for Donald J. Trump, who said he mistakenly gave his own attorney fake case citations that the attorney submitted in Mr. Cohen’s criminal tax and campaign finance case.

Mr. Cohen, who used Google’s AI chatbot Bard, and his lawyer were not sanctioned, but the judge called the episode “embarrassing.”

In November, a Texas federal judge ordered a lawyer who cited nonexistent cases and quotations in a wrongful termination lawsuit to pay a $2,000 penalty and attend a course about generative AI in the legal field.

A federal judge in Minnesota last month said a misinformation expert had destroyed his credibility with the court after he admitted to unintentionally citing fake, AI-generated citations in a case involving a “deepfake” parody of Vice-President Kamala Harris.

Harry Surden, a law professor at the University of Colorado’s law school who studies AI and the law, said he recommends lawyers spend time learning “the strengths and weaknesses of the tools.” He said the mounting examples show a “lack of AI literacy” in the profession, but the technology itself is not the problem.

“Lawyers have always made mistakes in their filings before AI,” he said. “This is not new.” — Reuters

Central bank revises framework for selection of external auditors

BANGKO SENTRAL NG PILIPINAS

THE BANGKO SENTRAL ng Pilipinas (BSP) has approved the revised framework on the selection of external auditors for its supervised financial institutions (BSFIs).

“The Bangko Sentral considers the external auditing profession as partner in promoting the safety and soundness of BSFIs,” it said in a circular letter. “Through their audits and opinions rendered on Audited Financial Statements (AFS), external auditors contribute to enhancing corporate governance and empowering the public and investors to make informed financial decisions.”

BSFIs may only engage the services of those included in the list of selected external auditors, the BSP said.

“A BSFI shall only appoint an external auditor belonging to the same category or from categories higher than the category of the BSFI concerned,” it said. “The external auditor appointed by the BSFI shall likewise audit the BSFI’s trust department and its subsidiaries and affiliates engaged in allied activities.”

The external auditors will be classified into three categories, namely Groups A, B and C. They can only extend their services to BSFIs from the same category they belong to and those in lower groups.

“The external auditors’ classification shall be determined based on their track record and the results of the Bangko Sentral’s assessment of their continuing eligibility,” the BSP added.

Group A is made up of universal and commercial banks, foreign banks and branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks, trust departments and trust corporations, and digital banks.

Meanwhile, Group B consists of thrift banks, nonbanking financial institutions with quasi-banking licenses, virtual asset service providers and credit card issuers/acquirers.

Rural and cooperative banks, non-stock savings and loans associations, pawnshops, remittance and transfer companies, money changers, and foreign exchange dealers fall under Group C.

Inclusion in the list of selected external auditors for BSFIs is valid for five years or one year, as determined by the central bank.

The circular also details guidelines on audit engagement and reportorial requirements.

“The BSFI’s audit committee/board of directors/board of trustees shall ensure that the scope of external auditor work appropriately covers areas relevant to the BSFI’s operations and risk exposures,” it said.

These include the review of the adoption of the reporting framework and the assessment of the accuracy, adequacy and reliability of account records and financial reports including the review of accompanying reports to the audited financial statements submitted to the BSP.

“The Bangko Sentral, through the appropriate supervising departments, may conduct meetings with the audit committee of the BSFIs and or the external auditors as part of its supervisory activities on BSFI or annual assessment of the continuing qualification of the external auditors to be included in the list of selected external auditors,” it said.

The central bank may also “deploy its range of supervisory enforcement actions to promote adherence to the requirements outlined in this section and bring about timely corrective actions.”

The BSP may issue directives or impose sanctions on BSFIs that appoint external auditors that are not on its list.

It can also downgrade an external auditor’s category or exclude it from the list. The grounds for removal from the list include failure to comply with provisions and refusal, for no valid reason, to submit requested documents concerning an ongoing investigation, among others.

“External auditors in good standing whose validity for inclusion has expired after the audit of 2023 financial statements will be allowed to engage in the audit of the 2024 financial statements. For this purpose. external auditors in good standing refers to external auditors who are not suspended or delisted as of the date of effectivity of this circular,” the BSP added. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson

Arts & Culture (02/20/25)

Earthbound at MO_Space

TO SEE if ecological art is impactful and practical, Geraldine Javier, Marionne Contreras, and Steffi Cua are presenting their attempts to connect with the earth using natural materials in the exhibit Earthbound. Ms. Javier continues her research and documentation on the dyeing properties of Philippine plants, with the urgency of seasonal timelines already beginning to morph and shift. Ms. Contreras investigates themes of displacement and existential crises through her explorations of invasive species and plant families. Ms. Cua advocates for slow fashion by using eco-printed fabrics to make clothing designed with minimal waste and longevity. Together, their works are a call for responsible cultural expression. The exhibit is now on view at the Main Gallery and Gallery 2 of MO_Space, on the third floor of the MOS Design Building on 9th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City. It runs until March 16.

Greenhills Young Artists Festival runs this February

FROM the minds behind Ortigas Art Festival comes a fresh creative and interactive experience: the Greenhills (GH) Young Artists Festival at GH Mall. Now on view until Feb. 25 at the mall’s East Wing Atrium are emerging young artists from different parts of the Philippines, presented in partnership with Agos Studio. The theme, “Art For[ward]: Art that transcends borders” reflects the festival’s goal to amplify underrepresented voices that push art forward and shape the future. There are paintings, sculptures, and interactive art pieces by creative minds from Agos Studio, Thombayan Art Space, Thrive Art Projects, Fu Bear and Friends, University of the Philippines Diliman’s collective of student artists, and many more. Works by award-winning Filipino artists Marge Chavez, Kira Uygongco, and Rachel Anne Lacaba are also on display.

Come From Away is GMG’s first Pinoy-led show

GMG PRODUCTIONS and Stages have confirmed that they will be staging their own take on the multi-award-winning hit musical Come From Away. It will be staged at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater at Circuit Makati from June 6 to 29. Set in the aftermath of Sept. 11, Come From Away tells the true story of 7,000 airline passengers unexpectedly grounded in Gander, Newfoundland. It premiered on Broadway in 2017. The Philippine production will bring together an all-star cast: Cathy Azanza-Dy, Caisa Borromeo, Garrett Bolden, Mikkie Bradshaw-Volante, Becca Coates, Steven Cadd, Mayen Cadd, Rycharde Everley, Topper Fabregas, Sheila Francisco, Carla Guevara Laforteza, Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, Gian Magdangal, George Schulze, and Chino Veguillas. Michael Williams is set to direct, with Rony Fortich will be the musical director. Tickets will officially be available on Feb. 22 through TicketWorld, starting at P900.

CAST PH stages Othello rerun in March

CAST PH will have a rerun of its production of Othello in March. Back by popular demand, the show will return for a limited engagement with eight performances only. There will be performances on March 7, 8, 14, and 15 at 8 p.m.; and 2:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. shows on March 9 and 16. Othello will enjoy an intimate set-up at The Mirror Theatre Studio along Kalayaan St. in Makati, costing P1,000 per seat. It is a free seating event, with only a hundred audience members allowed per show. For ticket purchases, visit the link https://bit.ly/OthelloTixForm.

BenCab tapestries, sculptures, photos on view

THERE are two shows running at the BenCab Museum in Baguio this month. First is Artistproof, a combination of tapestries and metal sculptures by National Artist Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera, on display at Gallery Indigo. It is a collaboration with Abitare Internazionale, renowned for its contemporary European designer furniture and home furnishings. In the exhibit, BenCab’s existing works are printed using digital technology with high-definition precision on polyamide acrylic. Meanwhile, the metal sculptures are reinterpretations of BenCab’s paintings, made from brass and stainless steel and produced in Italy. The second exhibit is at the museum’s Sepia Gallery. It is Skywatcher, presenting his photos of the sky which he took over the course of the pandemic. Both shows run until April. The BenCab Museum is at -Km 6 Asin Road, Tuba, Metro Baguio.

PPO embarks on nine-city UK Tour in May

THE Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) is set to make history with a nine-city tour across the United Kingdom this May. Under the baton of maestro Grzegorz Nowak, it will perform in some of the UK’s most renowned concert halls in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield, and Scotland, among others. The PPO will be joined by soloists including cellist Wen-Sinn Yang, violinist Diomedes Saraza, Jr., pianist Mark Bebbington, and composer Jeffrey Ching. Audiences can expect performances of classical pieces such as Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4 “Italian”, Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake Suite, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, among others.

CCP Thirteen Artists Awards exhibit opens

THE Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) presents Creative Continuum 1970-2024, featuring archival materials, exhibition catalogs, videos, artist-designed trophies, and artworks that present selections from the history and evolution of the Thirteen Artists Awards on Philippine contemporary art. It marks the first exhibit of the year for the CCP Visual Arts and Museum Division. It will run until May 18 at the Bulwagang Roberto Chabet, in the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez, CCP Complex, Pasay City. Public programs will be held throughout the exhibit duration to allow guests to learn more about the Thirteen Artists Awards, which is now on its 54th year.

Imahica Art unveils its Backrooms Collection

THIS month, Imahica Art Gallery is featuring select works from its Backrooms Collection. The main piece is Jean Marie Syjuco’s limited edition archival pigment print on canvas From the Series “Hokusai’s Window.” Also featured are Nina Libatique’s Potential Energy, an interactive art piece that invites viewer engagement; Cid Reyes’ Woman with Guitar, Series 2, a vibrant exploration of music; and Ma. Victoria Ortega-Pollisco’s Golden Roses and Vintage Spirits, which reflects on the passage of time. Nestor Olarte Vinluan’s On Blue Sienna and Umber (A) completes the collection with its abstract study of color and texture.

Ticket prices for Into the Woods announced

THEATRE GROUP ASIA (TGA) has announced that tickets to its production of Into the Woods will range in price from P1,500 to P6,000. They will be available soon via Ticketworld. Meanwhile, more members of the cast have been announced. Onstage and online performer Joreen Bautista will be Rapunzel while singer-actor Mark Bautista takes on the role of Rapunzel’s Prince. Theater, TV, and film actor Teetin Villanueva will be playing Little Red Riding Hood. Into The Woods is coming this August at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater.

Marvel VFX specialist joins iACADEMY

TECH and design school iACADEMY has announced that Oliver Kirchhoff, a visual effects (VFX) artist, has joined its faculty. With his portfolio including works in Marvel Studios and other globally recognized productions, Mr. Kirchhoff will be teaching 3D animation and VFX. He has worked on Avengers: Endgame, Iron Man 3, Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker, and The Mandalorian.

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