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Musicians release silent album to protest UK’s AI copyright changes

LONDON — More than 1,000 musicians including Kate Bush and Cat Stevens on Tuesday released a silent album to protest proposed changes to Britain’s copyright laws which could allow tech firms to train artificial intelligence (AI) models using their work.

Creative industries globally are grappling with the legal and ethical implications of AI models that can produce their own output after being trained on popular works without necessarily paying the creators of the original content.

Britain, which Prime Minister Keir Starmer wants to become an AI superpower, has proposed relaxing laws that currently give creators of literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works the right to control the ways their material may be used.

The proposed changes would allow AI developers to train their models on any material to which they have lawful access, and would require creators to proactively opt out to stop their work from being used.

The changes have been heavily criticized by many artists, who say it would reverse the principle of copyright law, which grants exclusive control to creators for their work.

“In the music of the future, will our voices go unheard?” said Ms. Bush, whose 1985 hit “Running Up That Hill” enjoyed a resurgence in 2022 thanks to Netflix show Stranger Things.

The co-written album titled Is This What We Want? features recordings of empty studios and performance spaces to represent what organizers say is the potential impact on artists’ livelihoods should the changes go ahead.

A public consultation on the legal changes closes later on Tuesday.

Responding to the album, a government spokesperson said the current copyright and AI regime was holding back the creative industries, media, and AI sector from “realizing their full potential.”

“We have engaged extensively with these sectors throughout and will continue to do so. No decisions have been taken,” the spokesperson said, adding that the government’s proposals will be set out in due course.

Annie Lennox, Billy Ocean, Hans Zimmer, Tori Amos, and The Clash are among the musicians urging the government to review its plans.

“The government’s proposal would hand the life’s work of the country’s musicians to AI companies, for free, letting those companies exploit musicians’ work to outcompete them,” said organizer Ed Newton-Rex, the founder of Fairly Trained, a non-profit that certifies generative AI companies for fairer training data practices.

“The UK can be leaders in AI without throwing our world-leading creative industries under the bus.” — Reuters

ICTSI says Mindanao terminal now running on RE

INTERNATIONAL CONTAINER Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) has started sourcing renewable energy (RE) for its Mindanao Container Terminal (MCT) operations, the Razon-led company announced on Tuesday.

“The Mindanao Container Terminal is a key gateway for the region, and reducing carbon emissions from our operations aligns with ICTSI’s broader environmental objectives,” MCT President and General Manager Aurelio C. Garcia said in a media release.

MCT, ICTSI’s business unit at the Port of Cagayan de Oro, now operates exclusively on solar energy during daylight hours.

The transition to renewables began on Feb. 14, ICTSI said, adding that power is supplied by PrimeRES Energy Corp. under the government’s Retail Competition and Open Access (RCOA) framework.

PrimeRES Energy Corp. is a retail electricity supplier focused on transformative investments and partnerships with private distribution utilities and electric cooperatives.

RCOA introduces competition in the energy sector, allowing contestable consumers — those with an average monthly consumption of at least 500 kilowatts — to choose their electricity suppliers.

ICTSI said MCT will also diversify its power sources by drawing electricity from PrimeRES’s supply portfolio, including the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, at night.

“This hybrid solution maximizes the use of renewable energy while maintaining operational stability,” ICTSI said.

In December last year, ICTSI, through its unit Mindanao International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (MICTSI), secured a 25-year contract extension to operate and maintain MCT until 2058.

MCT previously announced plans to invest approximately $100 million in infrastructure upgrades, including berth expansion and new equipment acquisitions to increase the terminal’s capacity.

At the local bourse on Tuesday, ICTSI shares declined by 0.12% to P340 apiece. — Ashley Erika O. Jose

GCash-Viamericas tie-up to let OFWs in North America send money home

BW FILE PHOTO

GCASH has partnered with US-licensed money transmitter Viamericas to let overseas Filipinos in North America remit to GCash accounts in the Philippines.

“The partnership between Viamericas and GCash empowers overseas Filipino workers (OFW) in these locations to send secure and fast remittances to their loved ones back home,” GCash International General Manager Paul Albano said in a statement on Tuesday.

“This collaboration enhances financial control for OFWs and strengthens connections with their families, making the remittance process easier than ever,” he added.

He said the partnership aims to provide fast and secure financial services to Filipinos based in North American countries and their families in the Philippines.

Joseph D. Argilagos, Viamericas co-founder and executive chairman, said the partnership lets the remittance company expand its capabilities in the Philippines through GCash.

“This partnership perfectly aligns with our mission to empower communities by providing accessible, affordable and reliable financial services,” he said. “Viamericas has multiple locations across North America, which enables ease of sending for Filipinos, wherever they are in the region.”

GCash said 81% of Filipinos own an account. It also has more than 5.2 million partners for QR merchants and social sellers, more than 339,000 cash-in, cash out outlets and more than 520 GLife partner merchants. — Aaron Michael C. Sy

The Philippine economy in 2025: Look to Taiwan

MAREN WILCZEK-UNSPLASH

(Part 3)

A very concrete example of how to avoid the threat of a global economic slowdown in 2025 is to promote very close economic relations with Taiwan.

Dr. George Manzano, an expert in international economics at the University of Asia and the Pacific opines that the Philippines could attract foreign investors (not only from the US) that are looking for other countries to use as export platforms in order to circumvent the tariffs on China. A low hanging fruit is to take advantage of the trade war to continue increasing our exports to Taiwan and attracting more Taiwanese factories to locate in the Philippines instead of China.

Already, in the first quarter of last year, the total trade between the Philippines and Taiwan had grown 12.22%, which had been valued at $1.67 billion. As reported by Myrna Velasco, Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) Taipei Trade Representative and Director for Commercial Affairs Anthony Rivera highlighted that “Taiwan serves as a source of sustainable export-driven trade and investments anchored on environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) and green manufacturing to generate more jobs in the Philippines.”

Now that Taiwan and the Philippines are usually mentioned in the same favorable breath as the closest allies of the US in the Indo-Pacific region by US President Donald Trump and his top government officials (like Secretary of State Marco Rubio), there should be efforts by both the Government and the Philippine business sector to maximize opportunities for increased trade and investment relations. Mr. Rivera emphasized that Taiwan’s investments in the Philippines ranked 8th and had been rated as having “one of the fastest growth rates among 41 countries with 523% growth in the first quarter of 2024.”

The PTIC noted the preferred destinations of Taiwanese investors are the sites being promoted by the Board of Investments (BoI), as well as the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), and Clark Development Corp. (CDC). In fact, in a road show promoting Philippine-Taiwan trade and investment relations held in Taipei on June 12, 2024, there was a Taiwanese industrialist who represented an industrial zone exclusively for Taiwanese factories in Clark. The participants in the road show emphasized the importance of the industrial manufacturing sphere spanning across sectors that also cover electronics, semiconductors and electric vehicles (EVs); then technology, media and telecommunications; health and life sciences; and modern basic needs as well as environment and climate change.

A Visiting Professor from Taiwan at the UP School of Public Administration, Dr. Eing Ming Wu, recently pointed out to me that there is an equivalent Economic Corridor that can connect Taiwan with Northern Luzon, especially Batanes, the Ilocos Region, and the Cordillera Administrative Region. Kaohsiuing, the leading industrial city in Taiwan, can transfer a great deal of its technology to this “Northern Luzon Economic Corridor,” not only in high-value electronics and semi-conductor manufacturing but also in the development of “smart cities” in which Taiwan is highly advanced.

Through the “Look South” policy of the Taiwanese Government, we can turn to this neighboring territory for financial and technical assistance, to fill whatever vacuum may result from the temporary (or in the event, permanent) significant decline in development aid from the US because of the closure of the US Agency for International Aid (USAID) that was established during the Kennedy years in the 1960s. In my opinion, this was a case of “throwing the baby with the bath water” of the Trump Administration, as we shall discuss below.

ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT AID SOURCES
Meanwhile, both the Government and the private sector of the Philippines must actively search for alternative sources of development aid, such as those we can receive from Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan among our East Asian highly developed neighbors.

As Professor Wu pointed out to me, the Philippines is geographically closest to Taiwan, the world’s most diverse and well-clustered industrial supply chain hub, a 90-minute plane ride from Manila and 91 kilometers from Batanes.

Taiwan’s industrial supply chain development is highly automated, advanced, and innovative. Each factory seems to have its own proprietary technology, with companies employing highly skilled labor, conducting independent R&D, and integrating across different fields. Its private sector benefits from a very supportive government that plays a very important role in supporting industrial development and technical advancement.

Our two territories should take advantage of our being cited by top US government officials, starting with President Trump himself, as their strongest allies in the Indo-Pacific region. Here again, we can convert the political threat from China to our respective societies as an opportunity to get closer to one another in trade and investment. It is also providential that our young and growing workforce complements very well the shortage of workers in Taiwan and their rapidly ageing population. Taiwan has one of the lowest fertility rates in the Indo-Pacific region.

As is illustrated in the case of our relations with Taiwan, the global crisis that will surely result from the tariff wars provoked by the protectionist policies of President Trump, can be transformed into an opportunity to start building up the annual flow of $15 billion to $20 billion of foreign direct investments (FDIs) that we need to accelerate our GDP growth to the higher rate of 8% or more that is needed to bring down our poverty incidence to single-digit levels by the end of the Marcos Jr. Administration.

The Philippines can serve as an alternative venue for export-oriented manufacturing enterprises seeking to avoid the higher tariffs that will be imposed by the Trump Administration on countries that have very high foreign trade surpluses with the US. Once again, the historical weakness of our export manufacturing sector can be converted into a strength as the US wages a tariff war with the major exporting nations in the Asia-Pacific region.

To make sure that the higher FDI figures will redound to the benefit of the close to 20 million Filipinos who are living in dehumanizing conditions because they are below the poverty line, we must also try our best to attract development aid from countries other than the US, just in case the closure of the USAID is permanent and development aid from the US is decreased significantly. As I mentioned above, a complete closure of USAID would be a case of “throwing the baby with the bathwater.” This is without denying that even in the Philippines, some USAID officials in the past went against the pro-life principles of Filipino culture enshrined in our Constitution by promoting the use of contraceptives that were abortifacient. This would constitute part of what President Trump refers to as “wokeism.” There are, however, numerous examples of USAID programs that have done a lot of good to Filipinos, especially the poor.

Let me list just a limited number of these programs with which I am familiar:

1. Regulatory Reform Support Program for National Development (RESPOND). This aimed to improve the regulatory quality of government agencies that would ultimately lead to enhanced competitiveness, contributing to higher levels of investment and trade, inclusive growth, and self-reliance. Within the original five-year duration of the project, the policy advocacies of RESPOND resulted in the passage of key legislation that removed or lowered the barriers to trade and investment, thereby making the country more attractive to FDIs.

2. Urban Connect. The goal of this program was to promote inclusive and resilient economic growth in nine secondary cities within the USAID City Development Initiative framework — Batangas, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro, Zamboanga, Tagbilaran, Tacloban, Puerto Princesa, General Santos, and Legaspi. I was personally involved in this program as a regional economic consultant. The information that resulted from the research provided a great deal of insights to the LGUs of Batangas, Iloilo, and Cagayan de Oro who were able to formulate very concrete plans for infrastructure development that have made them real alternatives to Manila as international and regional centers, significantly improving their attractiveness to investors, both domestic and foreign. This is especially true for Iloilo that is now an alternative to Metro Manila for real estate, tourism, and Business Process Outsourcing-Information Technology, or BPO-IT, investments.

3. Better Access and Connectivity (BEACON). This aims to promote economic growth through better information and communications technology (ICT), helping bridge the digital divide in the Philippines. Through BEACON, USAID was to improve the Philippines’ ICT and logistics infrastructure; strengthen the regulator, business, and innovation environment; and bolster cybersecurity.

4. Cities for Enhanced Governance and Engagement (CHANGE). This program sought to strengthen democratic governance in the Philippines by making local governance more responsive. It purported to strengthen the enabling environment for decentralization, improve cities’ readiness for effective citizen engagement, and building capacity for multisector collaboration and collective action. In addition to the major cities covered by the Urban Connect project, the following secondary LGUs were added: Masbate, San Fernando (La Union), Tagum, Tanay, and Victorias.

5. The Partnership for Skills, Innovation and Life-Long Learning (UPSKILL) program aimed to strengthen the Philippines’ higher education system for broad-based, inclusive growth. It aimed to support innovation and workforce development functions of Philippine higher education institutions (HEIs), faculty development, and curriculum improvements. It aimed at increasing engagements for HEIs with industry and international partners, as well as bring design-thinking concepts to HEI management and administration.

It is clear from the above small sample of developmental assistance that USAID has been extending to Philippines society that it is not fair to judge the entire organization for the woke-oriented activities that were promoted by this international organization in some countries. There is no rationale for completely stopping the activities of this international organization that has brought a lot of good to developing nations since the Kennedy Administration in the 1960s.

Hopefully, after purging the organization of the programs deemed objectionable by the Trump Administration, the US Government will continue to extend development aid to many of the poorer countries all over the world that need assistance in reducing poverty, educating their youth, upskilling their human resources and improving governance, especially at the LGU level.

 

Bernardo M. Villegas has a Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard, is professor emeritus at the University of Asia and the Pacific, and a visiting professor at the IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain. He was a member of the 1986 Constitutional Commission.

bernardo.villegas@uap.asia

Hidden for centuries, Chinese treasures finally see the light of day

BEIJING — Depicting Taoist deities in a misty landscape, a Qing dynasty lacquer panel inlaid with jade and agate is among thousands of artifacts pulled out of museum storage in China to be restored, and one day, even showcased to the world.

“The bottom layer had shifted and loosened to the point where it was in a pulverized state,” said Sun Ou, who restores inlaid lacquer artworks at the Forbidden City, the former imperial palace in the heart of Beijing.

“More than 100 pieces of inserts had fallen off and had to be reinforced again,” she told Reuters during a government-organized media tour at the cultural protection and restoration department of the Palace Museum at the Forbidden City.

The painstaking work to restore ornate treasures amassed by Chinese emperors in centuries past has accelerated in the past decade amid President Xi Jinping’s push to preserve China’s heritage and project its cultural power on the global stage.

The restoration and curation efforts come as the Palace Museum marks its 100th anniversary and prepares to open a new Beijing branch later this year in a state-of-the-art venue that could double or even triple the number of pieces on display.

Of the nearly 2 million artifacts held by the Palace Museum — from centuries-old paintings to ancient bronzeware and rare ceramics — just 10,000 are currently showcased at a time.

A Hong Kong branch of the museum opened in 2022 displaying about 900 pieces.

The Palace Museum was established in 1925 by the then ruling Republic of China government, after the last emperor of China, Pu Yi, and his household were evicted.

In the decades that followed, the museum’s collection was threatened by theft, damage, and even destruction during World War Two, a Chinese civil war, and later the Cultural Revolution.

In the early 1930s, before Japanese forces swept across China, Palace Museum authorities packed up many pieces — including imperial thrones — and moved them out of Beijing to other cities.

Then, in 1949, Chiang Kai-shek’s Republic of China government was defeated by Mao Zedong’s communist forces. As Chiang and his Nationalist Party fled to Taiwan, they took with them thousands of crates of relics that later came under the care of Taiwan’s version of the Palace Museum.

Today, the National Palace Museum in Taipei holds more than 690,000 items, more than 80% of which are from the former Qing court, the Taiwan museum said. It said the items belong to Taiwan’s government. — Reuters

Former Customs chief and businessman Alberto Lina dies at 76

ALBERTO D. LINA
ALBERTO D. LINA

FORMER CUSTOMS Commissioner Alberto “Bert” D. Lina, founding chairperson of the Lina Group of Companies (LGC), has passed away at the age of 76.

LGC announced Mr. Lina’s passing on Tuesday, though the date and cause of his death were not disclosed.

“As we mourn his passing, we celebrate a life dedicated to service, ‘pakikisama,’ and compassion. We are forever grateful to our Lord Jesus Christ for blessing us with such an extraordinary leader and mentor,” LGC said in a statement.

“The Lina Group of Companies will honor his memory by continuing his vision of excellence in service and commitment to national development.”

A memorial Mass will be held on Feb. 27 at St. James the Great Parish, Ayala Alabang Village, Muntinlupa, LGC said.

The company has requested that, instead of flowers, donations be made to causes important to Mr. Lina, such as Guiding Light Ministries of Aklan, Inc. and the Philippine Red Cross.

Mr. Lina served as Bureau of Customs commissioner twice, in 2005 and from 2015 to 2016. He was also the founder of logistics company Air21. — Ashley Erika O. Jose

Dollar firms on renewed tariff worries

REUTERS

SINGAPORE/LONDON — The dollar steadied on Tuesday, having fallen to its lowest in more than two months against a basket of major currencies a day earlier, buoyed by safe-haven flows after US President Donald J. Trump said tariffs on Mexico and Canada would proceed as planned.

Mr. Trump on Monday said tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports were “on time and on schedule” despite efforts by the countries to beef up border security and halt the flow of fentanyl into the US ahead of a March 4 deadline.

Many had hoped the top two US trading partners could persuade his administration to further delay tariffs that would apply to over $918 billion worth of US imports from the two countries, from cars to energy.

But Mr. Trump’s comments spurred a rush to safety assets like gold and US Treasuries, and helped stabilize the dollar, which has fallen some 3% from its January peak, after weaker-than-expected US economic data that stoked worries over its growth outlook.

That left the euro at $1.04672, a touch off Monday’s one-month peak hit in the aftermath of the German election, and the pound at $1.2618, just off Monday’s two-month high.

The Japanese yen, which has been boosted by market bets on further rate hikes from the Bank of Japan, was steady at 149.5 a dollar after reaching 148.5 a dollar on Monday, its strongest since mid-December.

The combination of those moves left the dollar index, which tracks the unit against six peers, at 106.60, up from Monday’s two-month low of 106.10.

“Since the last week or two, the incoming economic news from the US is really playing to this narrative that the US is kind of losing its economic exceptionalism,” said Ray Attrill, head of FX strategy at National Australia Bank. “But whenever we see a reasonable risk-off tone in equity markets… the dollar gets its sort of traditional safe-haven support.”

“Heading towards these key tariff deadlines, it’s hard to see a significant recovery in risk sentiment … and that’s going to keep defensive support for the US dollar in place,” he added.

The Canadian dollar was at C$1.4257 a dollar, its weakest in over a week, but a far cry from the C$1.4792 a dollar to which it had tumbled on Feb. 3, in the aftermath of Mr. Trump’s initial announcement of tariffs on Canada.

Options markets also hiked expectations of the volatility they expect for the Canadian dollar to their most in two weeks, but again, levels were well short of those at the start of the month.

In Europe, eyes remained on German politics, where the conservatives’ Friedrich Merz was looking to quickly form a government after winning a national election on Sunday, but faces tricky coalition talks and the prospect of an obstructive parliament after far-right and far-left parties surged.

That has left investor hopes of greater borrowing and spending, that would have a positive effect on the euro, up in the air. — Reuters

Defying China’s reckless actions in the West Philippine Sea

PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD

Just when we thought we had seen enough of China’s mischief right in our own waters, a few days ago we learned that China outdid itself yet again.

On Feb. 18, a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy helicopter performed aggressive maneuvers near a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) plane. The BFAR plane was a civilian one, conducting a lawful maritime patrol within Philippine territory. Without any provocation, the PLA helicopter harassed it, flying as close as three meters above the aircraft and endangering the lives of the Filipinos who were on board.

What reckless, hostile, and arrogant behavior. What a flat-out disregard of international law and, in fact, basic decency.

Then again, this incident is not isolated. On Feb. 11, the Australian government expressed grave concern about an “unsafe and unprofessional interaction with a PLA Air Force Aircraft.” It turns out that this PLA aircraft released flares in close proximity to an Australian aircraft which was conducting a routine maritime surveillance patrol in the South China Sea, flying in international airspace.

Rightly so, China’s acts of aerial mischief have earned it the condemnation of the international community.

For instance, Australian Ambassador HK Yu said the maneuvers of the Chinese aircraft created risks of an accident and miscalculation.

The spokesperson for the United States Department of State, Tammy Bruce, said that the US “stands with its ally the Philippines to condemn the unsafe and irresponsible actions by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLAN) to interfere with a Philippine maritime air operation in the vicinity of Scarborough Reef.”

The US described the incident as “a threat to navigation and overflight.” It reaffirmed American support for the Philippines, saying that the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty extends to armed attacks on the Philippines’ military and civilian vessels and aircraft, including the Coast Guard, anywhere in the West Philippine Sea.

And then, British Ambassador Laure Beaufils also expressed concern, stating that “these acts increase risk of miscalculation, which endangers lives.” She also urged that countries should adhere to the rule of law.

Meanwhile, South Korean Ambassador Lee Sang Hwa also said that the incident could have jeopardized the aircraft and personnel on board.

“The Embassy reaffirms its support for peace, stability, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight in accordance with international law, including UNCLOS.”

WHAT TO DO
The aggressive acts perpetrated by China are neither new nor unexpected. But the audacity that China has been increasingly showing in recent days and weeks demonstrates its extremely low regard for the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Chicago Convention, and all other international laws. Its actions show its blatant dismissal of the rules-based international order in putting its own interests supreme.

Given all this, what can a country like the Philippines do?

For the most recent incident involving our BFAR plane, the Philippines filed yet another diplomatic protest against China. Earlier, the Presidential Office for Maritime Concerns decried the “unprofessional and reckless flight maneuvers” of China’s Harbin Z-9 helicopter.

But beyond the protests for each act of aggression, we can no longer deny that a decisive, long-term stance has to be in place to deal with China’s bullying in both the maritime and aerial domains in the West Philippine Sea. It is essential for the Philippines to continuously build its external defense posture. This will ensure the security of the country, as well as its people.

We are fortunate that our security and defense officials appreciate the magnitude of the problem. We have adopted the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC) now being operationalized by the Armed Forces, which aims to develop the Philippines’ capability to protect its entire territory including its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) to ensure that the next generation of Filipinos will be able to enjoy its natural resources. The CADC allows us to defend the country’s sea lanes of communication and all of our maritime territories.

A big part of the shift to external defense mode is to strengthen and expand security cooperation with like-minded partners to defend the rules-based order. We have also been actively doing this, as can be seen throughout friendships and partnerships with countries that share our values and aspirations.

For example, the Philippines and New Zealand concluded negotiations for a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) on Feb. 18. The SOVFA is expected to reinforce security cooperation and enable stronger military ties between the two countries. Both countries are aiming to sign the agreement by the second quarter of this year.

A Visiting Forces Agreement between the Philippines and Canada is also under way.

Working with our partners in the international community, who are committed to the values of the rule of law and the orderly conduct of global affairs, is critical in addressing the emerging security threats, especially in the maritime and aerial domain.

China may continue to provoke and taunt the Philippines, but our stance remains unwavering: we will not yield to its reckless and aggressive actions. We fully understand the rule of law and the responsibilities it demands. With steadfast resolve, we defend our rights, confident that our actions are supported by our people and the broader community of responsible nations.

 

Victor Andres “Dindo” C. Manhit is the president of the Stratbase ADR Institute.

Roberta Flack, American singer and Grammy winner, 88

INSTAGRAM.COM-OFFICIALROBERTAFLACK

NEW YORK — Roberta Flack, the silky-voiced Grammy-winning singer whose sultry ballads “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” and “Killing Me Softly With His Song” topped the charts in the 1970s, died on Monday at the age of 88, her publicist said.

“We are heartbroken that the glorious Roberta Flack passed away this morning February 24, 2025. She died peacefully surrounded by her family. Roberta broke boundaries and records. She was also a proud educator,” publicist Elaine Schock said in a statement. No cause of death was given.

The classically trained pianist defied musical genres as she blended aspects of jazz, soul, pop, and R&B to create a distinctive style and became one of America’s most influential singers.

Ms. Flack revealed in November 2022 that she had been diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, and could no longer sing. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a progressive illness that impacts nerve cells and causes paralysis and death.

The singer won four Grammys and was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020. She was the first artist to win two consecutive Record of the Year trophies for 1973’s “First Time I Ever Saw Your Face” and 1974’s “Killing Me Softly with His Song.”

“In more than a half-century of making music, she’s established herself as one of the most distinctive song stylists in the pop arena,” National Public Radio said of Ms. Flack in 2020.

Ms. Flack had several No. 1 hits in the 1970s and produced 20 studio albums. Although she wrote some of her own songs and collaborated on others, she considered herself as an interpreter of the music.

“When Flack sings a song, she caresses each cadence, considering and intensifying them, the better to realize the full meaning of the lyric,” The Guardian newspaper said in 2020.

MUSICAL PRODIGY
Roberta Cleopatra Flack was born on Feb. 10, 1937, in Black Mountain, North Carolina. She was one of four children born into a musical family.

Ms. Flack started playing piano when she was nine years old, encouraged by her mother, who was a church organist. She wrote the autobiographical, illustrated children’s book The Green Piano, about her first piano, which her father rescued from a junkyard and painted.

The legendary singer finished secondary school at 15 and received a full scholarship to Howard University, where she majored in music. Initially, Ms. Flack wanted to be a concert pianist but then studied voice and aspired to be an opera singer.

She gave up her dream of attending graduate school after her father’s death and became a schoolteacher in Washington, DC.

A perfectionist, Ms. Flack taught school during the day and sang in local clubs at night. American jazz musician Les McCann heard her singing at the Mr. Henry club in Washington and helped her sign a contract with Atlantic Records.

As an African American woman growing up in the South, Ms. Flack experienced racism and segregation, as well as challenges in the 1970s music industry, which was mostly male-dominated.

Her debut album First Take (1969) included the song “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.” But the ballad didn’t become a No. 1 hit until actor/director Clint Eastwood heard it on the radio and asked her if he could feature it in his 1971 film Play Misty for Me.

Ms. Flack scored her second No. 1 hit in 1973 with “Killing Me Softly with His Song,” and her third the following year with “Feel Like Making Love.”

She also collaborated with other artists, including Peabo Bryson, author Maya Angelou, and Donny Hathaway. Their single “Where is the Love” was a top 10 hit and earned a Grammy for best pop performance by a duo in 1973. The pair also recorded other songs, including “The Closer I Get to You.”

“A great collaboration is one in which the combination of two talents creates something unique and meaningful that neither could have without the other,” Ms. Flack told Forbes in 2021.

The celebrated singer toured with jazz trumpeter Miles Davis in the 1980s and performed for the late South African President Nelson Mandela in 1999. The same year she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

She worked with the Alvin Ailey Dance Company and performed with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra.

Ms. Flack, who was an inspiration for other artists, produced and arranged her own music and worked on scores for films and television. The singer released the soundtrack album for the 1981 Richard Pryor film Bustin’ Loose.

In 2006, she established the Roberta Flack School of Music at the Hyde Leadership Charter School in New York to provide music education for children. The Roberta Flack Foundation, which she founded in 2019, also supports music and animal welfare.

Ms. Flack married jazz bassist Steve Novosel in 1966. They divorced in 1972.

After suffering from a stroke in 2016, she gave up touring two years later. A PBS documentary about her life, American Masters: Roberta Flack, was released in January 2023.

“I’ve always tried to express myself musically from a place of complete honesty in the hope that each person can find his or her own story when they listen in a way that helps them to feel their own truth,” she told Forbes. — Reuters

Duon Wayfinding targets SM and Robinsons malls

DUON.PH

By Beatriz Marie D. Cruz, Reporter

INDOOR navigation app Duon Wayfinding will start working at all SM and Robinsons malls in the Philippine capital by yearend, according to its chief executive officer (CEO).

“Throughout the course of this year, we’re looking to deploy in the major SM malls in Metro Manila, and we’re currently coordinating with them to expand the partnership,” Gabriel Anton D. Angeles, founder and CEO at Duon Technologies, Inc., said in a video interview on Feb. 13.

“We’re also right now discussing a partnership with Robinsons Malls, so throughout the year, we’ll also be deploying in Robinsons Malls,” he added.

Philippine malls have an average daily foot traffic of 200,000, with shoppers only looking for about three to five merchants out of a thousand, Mr. Angeles said.

Shopping malls have become a leisure place for Filipinos, especially on weekends. They have become a go-to location for dining, shopping, cinema, fairs and games.

But navigating malls has become a pain point for many shoppers given their size — about 20 to 60 hectares, Mr. Angeles said.

Demand for Philippine malls is expected to increase this year, with major operators redeveloping existing spaces with an emphasis on “experiential” features, according to property consultancy firm Colliers Philippines.

Another property consultant, JLL Philippines, expects 283,000 square meters of new supply in retail space through 2028.

Mr. Angeles founded Duon Wayfinding in 2018 to help Filipino shoppers navigate malls.

“We’re starting to call our malls cities and lifestyle centers, and these are huge areas that we need help navigating in,” he pointed out.

For accuracy, Duon Wayfinding features 3D maps with indoor positioning technology, and its navigation pointer follows users around. This helps provide accurate directions when looking for shops, restaurants and other key areas inside malls. It also helps users find automated teller machines, toilets and trash cans.

The app also leads people with disabilities to nearby ramps and elevators.

The app was recently updated to include emergency evacuation protocols such as fire exits, Mr. Angeles said.

Duon Wayfinding addresses the limitations of navigation apps, which are restricted to outdoor locations. It also relieves mall security guards of the additional burden of shoppers asking them for directions.

“We found out that it’s actually some sort of pain point for them,” Mr. Angeles said, noting that about six people ask guards for directions every 10 minutes.

Duon Wayfinding also allows offline and off-site navigation. To ensure that its maps are updated, the company deploys account managers once or twice a month for regular updates.

Eventually, Mr. Angeles targets having real-time updates on the app.

To stay profitable, Duon Wayfinding is looking to provide vouchers and coupons through brand partnerships. This would also keep the app free, he added.

It is also developing “gamification” features to increase user engagement and help promote local brands in a fun and engaging way.

The app is only available for SM North Edsa in Quezon City, as part of its pilot test. As it expands across the Philippine capital, Duon Wayfinding is looking to hit 500,000 users this year.

The company also plans to make the app available for SM and Robinsons Malls outside Metro Manila.

In the medium term, Duon Wayfinding is looking to extend its navigation features in casinos, hospitals, airports, theme parks, hotels and transport hubs.

It is also in talks with several local governments seeking to feature local landmarks and businesses on the app.

Duon Wayfinding can be downloaded for free on Android and iOS devices.

Lazada expands operations in Mindanao

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

E-COMMERCE PLATFORM Lazada announced the expansion of its operations in Mindanao, aligning with the region’s ongoing efforts to drive digitalization and economic growth.

“We are committed to delivering the best price and best experience to buyers, sellers, and brands, and we are proud of our expanding presence and ecosystem across the country,” said Carlos O. Barrera, chief executive officer of Lazada Philippines, in a statement on Tuesday.

About 84% of Filipinos in Mindanao said they feel optimistic about their improving financial situation, according to private credit reference firm TransUnion.

“Pioneering platforms like Lazada are keen to support this growth and empower the e-commerce ecosystem through strategic initiatives,” it said.

The region has been pushing for digitalization and innovation as part of the Mindanao Development Authority’s 10-point economic recovery agenda.

During its launch on Feb. 20, Mindanao-based sellers, press, and content creators were introduced to Lazada and were given best practices for maximizing the platform. This comes ahead of Lazada’s 13th Birthday Sale in March.

Lazada also introduced its “Barato sa Lazada” campaign, which offers delivery in as fast as four days and up to P120 off on shipping for a minimum spend of P199. It also includes Mindanao-exclusive deals and vouchers, as well as easy, free returns.

The platform unveiled special seller packages for local businesses, including a 0% platform commission fee for 90 days, a 0% promo pass for the first 30 days, a dedicated store consultant, 100% sponsored solutions credit, and 8,000 complimentary seller coins.

Lazada has also opened a new office on the 6th floor of the Regus-Felcris Centrale Mall in Davao City.

Local sellers can visit the office for onboarding, attend workshops and seminars, join campaigns, and enroll in seller programs and other platform-sponsored solutions.

The platform also noted improvements in its return and refund policy, offering 30-day free returns — twice the industry standard — as well as an easy refund process with expanded categories for “change of mind” returns.

The Philippine digital economy is expected to grow to as much as $150 billion in gross merchandise value by 2030, up from $31 billion in 2024, according to a report by Google, Temasek, and Bain & Co. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

RCBC’s 2024 net income hits P9.5 billion

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

RIZAL COMMERCIAL Banking Corp. (RCBC) posted a net income of P9.5 billion last year, with net interest income growth of 26% and consumer loans expanding by 40%, it said in stock exchange filing on Tuesday.

The publicly listed bank did not disclose fourth-quarter figures, income growth for the year or a financial statement.

Net income growth without the nonrecurring gains in 2023 was 13.6% year on year, “as core business maintains momentum,” it said in a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange.

“We have grown our consumer loan portfolio at blistering speeds, surpassing the industry,” the listed Philippine lender said. “This complements our portfolio strategy while ensuring strong engagement with our customer base as their primary bank.”

Data analytics and digital enhancements have become key drivers for the bank’s core income growth last year and would remain to be its priorities this year, RCBC President and Chief Executive Officer Eugene S. Acevedo said in the statement.

The Yuchengco-led bank’s net interest income rose 26% to P42.5 billion for the full year, driven by a 14% increase in loan volumes and better yields.

Total loans rose 17.2% to P709.7 billion, 40% of which were consumer loans that grew 40%.

“Credit card receivables increased by 48% in 2024, as cards in force increased by 21% and billings increased by 41%,” RCBC said. “Secured consumer loans — mortgage and auto — increased by 30% in 2024.”

Meanwhile, total deposits reached P1.02 trillion, 52.6% of which were current account and savings account deposits.

RCBC’s total assets expanded by 9.8% to P1.4 trillion last year, translating to a 13.7% five-year compounded annual growth. Total capital was P158.5 billion.

The bank’s capital adequacy ratio stood at 16.08%, while common equity Tier 1 ratio was 13.53%.

As of December, the lender had a total consolidated network of 465 branches, 1,482 automated teller machines (ATM) and 8,426 ATM Go terminals nationwide, it said.

RCBC’s shares rose 0.59% or 15 centavos to closed at P25.65 each. — Aaron Michael C. Sy

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