Facebook Instagram Linkedin Twitter Youtube
Home Blog Page 4494

60,000 Filipino children die yearly due to poor public services — UN

By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Reporter 

MORE THAN 60,000 Filipino children die yearly before their fifth year, according to a United Nations (UN) body, citing lack of access to maternal and child nutrition services in the Philippines.

The UN agency cited poor public services for women and children globally — a situation that could lead to the deaths of almost 59 million children and youth before 2030.  

“In the Philippines, over 60,000 children die annually before their fifth birthday because of complications of premature birth, intrapartum complications, and infectious disease,” the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME) said in a report.  

More than 25,000 Filipino babies are stillborn every year, it added.  

The report said 60% of Filipino children who die before their fifth birthday are newborns, “pointing to a need to improve health and nutrition outcomes for both mothers and babies.”  

The Philippines, whose healthcare system is among the worst in the world, “needs to increase access to quality maternal and child health and nutrition services, achieve full vaccination of all children,” UN IGME said, adding that the government should deliver on its commitments to ensuring good health and nutrition “through the first 1,000 days of life so that children will not only survive, but thrive.”  

PREVENTABLE TRAGEDY
Globally, about five million children died before their fifth birthday and about 2.1 million people aged 5 to 24 years lost their lives in 2021, according to the report.  

It said premature birth and complications during labor are the leading causes of death for children aged 1 to 5, it added.  

Citing a separate report, the UN body said 1.9 million babies were stillborn in 2021.  

More than 40% of stillbirths occur during labor, which could be preventable when women have access to quality care throughout pregnancy and birth.  

Infectious diseases like pneumonia, diarrhea, and malaria pose the biggest threat to babies who survive past their first 28 days, according to the UN body.  

“Tragically, many of these deaths could have been prevented with equitable access and high-quality maternal, newborn, adolescent and child healthcare.”  

The government should boost investment to improve primary healthcare for women and children, Vidhya Ganesh, UNICEF director of the Division of Data Analytics, Planning and Monitoring, was quoted as saying.  

“Every day, far too many parents are facing the trauma of losing their children, sometimes even before their first breath,” she said. “Such widespread, preventable tragedy should never be accepted as inevitable. Progress is possible with stronger political will and targeted investment in equitable access to primary healthcare for every woman and child.”  

The report said there were some positive outcomes, citing a lower risk of death across all ages globally since 2000.  

“The global under-five mortality rate fell by 50% since the start of the century, while mortality rates in older children and youth dropped by 36%, and the stillbirth rate decreased by 35%,” it said. “This can be attributed to more investments in strengthening primary health systems to benefit women, children and young people.”  

Gains, however, have reduced significantly since 2010, the UN body lamented, noting that 54 countries “will fall short of meeting the Sustainable Development Goals target for under-five mortality.”  

It warned that if quick action is not taken to improve health services, almost 59 million children and youth will die before 2030, and nearly 16 million babies will be lost to stillbirth.  

“It is grossly unjust that a child’s chances of survival can be shaped just by their place of birth, and that there are such vast inequities in their access to lifesaving health services,” Anshu Banerjee, director for Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing at the World Health Organization, was quoted as saying.  

“Children everywhere need strong primary healthcare systems that meet their needs and those of their families, so that — no matter where they are born — they have the best start and hope for the future.”  

HIGHEST RISK OF CHILDHOOD DEATH
Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 56% of all under-five deaths in 2021, making it the worst place for children.  

“Children born in sub-Saharan Africa are subject to the highest risk of childhood death in the world — 15 times higher than the risk for children in Europe and Northern America,” the report read.  

“Nearly half of all stillbirths happened in sub-Saharan Africa. The risk of a woman having a stillborn baby in sub-Saharan Africa is seven times more likely than in Europe and North America,” it added.  

Southern Asia came in second, accounting for 26% of all under-five deaths two years ago.  

The UN body said mothers in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia endure the painful loss of babies to stillbirth at an exceptional rate, with 77% of all stillbirths in 2021 occurring in the two regions.  

“Access to and availability of quality healthcare continues to be a matter of life or death for children globally,” it said. “Most child deaths occur in the first five years, of which half are within the very first month of life.”  

Gina Lollobrigida: From post-war film legend to artist

ITALIAN film icon Gina Lollobrigida poses near two of her sculptures in her villa in southern Rome, Dec. 7, 2006. — REUTERS

ROME — Gina Lollobrigida, who has died at the age of 95, shot to fame in the 1950s as a sultry Mediterranean sex symbol, then became a photographer and sculptor after stepping away from the movie world.

“La Lollo” as she was affectionately known in Italy, died in a Rome clinic, her former lawyer, Giulia Citani said.

At the height of her fame in the 1950s and 1960s, Ms. Lollobrigida was an internationally recognized epitome of Italian post-war cinema, rivalled only by Sophia Loren.

Tempestuous and impulsive by nature, she made headlines again in 2006, when, at age 79, she announced that she would marry a man 34 years her junior. She later called off the wedding, blaming the media for spoiling it.

“All my life I wanted a real love, an authentic love, but I have never had one. No one has ever truly loved me. I am a cumbersome woman,” she told an interviewer when she was 80.

Born to a working-class family in a poor mountainous area east of Rome, she studied sculpture then got her break in the film world after finishing third in the 1947 Miss Italia beauty contest. (The winner that year was Lucia Bose.)

One of her earliest performances was as Gemma, the unhappy adulteress in the 1953 film by director Mario Soldati The Wayward Wife (La Provinciale).

She burst to fame in Italy with the leading roles in two Italian comedies by Luigi Comencini — Bread, Love and Dreams, and Bread, Love and Jealousy.

WORLD’S MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMAN
A role opposite Humphrey Bogart in John Huston’s 1954 film Beat the Devil, sealed her worldwide fame and in 1955 she made what became one of her signature films, The World’s Most Beautiful Woman.

She was also directed by other film luminaries such as Rene Clair and Carol Reed.

But despite playing opposite other American stars such as Humphrey Bogart, Rock Hudson, Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis and Frank Sinatra, becoming one of the most recognizable cinema icons of the 1950s and ’60s, she never clicked with Hollywood and preferred to work closer to home, making films throughout the 1960s with directors such as Mario Bolognini.

Perhaps her last well-known movie was Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell, a farce by director Melvin Frank which also starred Phil Silvers, Peter Lawford, and Telly Savalas. In it, she played Carla, an Italian woman who had affairs with three American soldiers during World War II and meets them all again during a squadron reunion 20 years later.

Born on July 4, 1927, Ms. Lollobrigida fled the rural area of her birth with her family during World War II and was later sent to the Academy of Fine Arts in the capital to complete her education.

She first earned her living as a model for fotoromanzi, the photographic novels avidly read in Italy, using the stage name Diana Loris.

Ms. Lollobrigida accompanied her success on the screen with a hectic, often turbulent life that provided a rich source for Italian paparazzi and gossip writers.

She tried to guard her private life, retreating to an isolated villa on Rome’s ancient Appian Way, which was decorated with her own sculptures and paintings as well art she collected on her world travels.

In 1950 she married Yugoslav emigré doctor Milko Skofic, who became her manager. They couple had one son, Milko Junior.

They separated after nearly 17 years, and Ms. Lollobrigida said later she had no intention of remarrying. “Marriages are boring and almost always like funerals, and couples so often restrict each other too much,” she said.

WANTED TO MARRY YOUNGER MAN
However in 2006, when she was 79, she announced her intention to marry Javier Rigau, a Spaniard 34 years her junior with whom she had a confidential close friendship for years.

Months later, she called off the wedding, saying that the media coverage had ruined her life with “endless attacks, slander and violence.”

She blasted the Spanish media for attacking Mr. Rigau as an opportunist.

“In a way I feel responsible that he (Rigau) suffered all this because he is linked to me,” she told Reuters in an interview. “I am more used to having falsehoods written about me.”

During a trip to the United States, she asked the American Congress to pass stricter laws protecting the privacy of people from intrusion by the media.

“The law must stop the media from continuing this absurd behavior,” she said at the time.

Last September, she failed in a bid to win a seat in the Italian parliament for a leftist political party at national elections.

A spokesperson for Sophia Loren, a superstar diva in her own right in Italy’s heady post-war years, said Ms. Loren, 88, was “very shocked and saddened” by Ms. Lollobrigida’s death.

“La Loren” and “La Lollo” had an ongoing rivalry in the 1950s and 1960, much of it encouraged, and some say even at least partly invented, by publicity agents.

“Farewell to a diva of the big screen, protagonist of more than half a century of the Italian film history. Her charm will remain immortal. Ciao Lollo,” Italian culture minister Gennaro Sangiuliano wrote on Twitter.

When she stopped making films, Ms. Lollobrigida developed new careers as a photographer and sculptor and was also a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and its Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Between 1972 and 1994 she published six books of her photographs, including Italia Mia (My Italy), The Philippines, and the Wonder of Innocence, photographs of and for children.

“Children with their big wide-open eyes question us. Their looks should help us to forsake selfishness that undoubtedly leaves our hearts quite bare,” she wrote in its introduction.

In 1975 she made a documentary film Portrait of Fidel Castro, and for years was surrounded by rumors that she had an affair with the Cuban leader.

One of her last appearances was a cameo in an Italian film in 2011.

In her later years she returned to her first love, sculpting, keeping a summer home in the Tuscan city of Pietrasanta, an artist’s colony where she kept a sculptor’s studio and worked with sculptors such as Bottero.

In an interview with Reuters in the Rome villa in 2006, she complained about intrusive photographers, saying they were still trying to invade her privacy.

She had a one-woman show in Pietrasanta in 2008 and dedicated it to her friend, the late opera singer Maria Callas.

Exhibitions of her marble and bronze statues were also held in Paris, Moscow, and the United States.

When asked how she felt turning 90 in 2017, she said it was feeling like “30 plus 30 plus 30.”

In 2013, when she was 85, an auction of her jewelry by Sotheby’s in Geneva fetched $4.9 million and set a record for a pair of diamond and pearl earrings, which sold for $2.37 million. The proceeds went to stem cell research.

“Jewels are meant to give pleasure and for many years I had enormous pleasure wearing mine,” she said. “Selling my jewels to help raise awareness of stem cell therapy, which can cure so many illnesses, seems to me a wonderful use to which to put them.” — Reuters

Century Properties plans to offer P3-billion retail bonds

THE board of directors of Century Properties Group, Inc. has approved a plan for the listed property developer to offer fixed-rate retail bonds worth up to P3 billion.

In a disclosure to the stock exchange on Tuesday, the company said that the board approved the offering with a principal amount of P2 billion and an oversubscription option of up to P1 billion.

The bond offer will consist of Series A, B and C due in 2026, 2028 and 2030, respectively. It is the second tranche of Century Properties’ P6-billion shelf-registered debt securities program.

In 2021, the company filed the P3-billion initial tranche of the debt program to refinance maturing debt and bankroll capital expenditures for ongoing projects.

In a special board meeting on Monday, the board also approved a decision to apply for the registration and licensing of the bonds with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the listing with the Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp.

Century Properties’ board also approved a plan to redeem P3 billion preferred shares of the company by July 10 at P100 apiece, which upon redemption will not be considered retired and may be re-issued.

“The company shall issue a separate ‘Notice of Redemption’ by publication and by mail accordingly,” the firm said.

Century Properties has six subsidiaries, namely: Century Communities Corp., Century City Development Corp., Century Limitless Corp., Century Properties Management, Inc., Century Destinations and Lifestyle Corp., and PHirst Park Homes, Inc.

On the stock exchange on Tuesday, shares in the company climbed by 0.015 or 3.85% to P0.405 apiece. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

Arts & Culture (01/18/23)

DALAWANG Madame Bukid by Corinne de San Jose — SILVERLENSGALLERIES.COM

Exhibits at Silverlens Manila

TWO exhibitions are on view at Silverlens in Manila until Feb. 11. Corinne De San Jose’s “Lazy Projectors” is composed of a sound installation, outmoded audio and video systems, digital video, and cyanotypes. She transformed the main gallery space into a multi-sensorial theater to bring to life the lost silent film Dalagang Bukid, considered the first film produced and directed by a Filipino. Information about the actual film remains scarce: it follows the story of a young flower vendor, Angelita (played by Atang de la Rama), as she is forced to marry a local loan shark. It was released with subtitles in English, Filipino, and Spanish. Atang de la Rama had to sing the song “Nabasag ang Banga” in person during its theatrical run. These seemingly isolated bits and fragments of information become De San Jose’s entry points into crafting new works to create an atmospheric, immersive setting. Meanwhile, Mark Andy Garcia’s “Chasing Sunsets” is also on view until Feb. 11. Mr. Garcia is known for his layered, textured landscapes that connect geographies as places of spiritual belonging that make sense of the non-material. “Chasing Sunsets” is his second solo exhibition at Silverlens. Silverlens Manila is at 2263 Don Chino Roces Ave. Ext., Makati.

POC offers opera classes, new show

THE PHILIPPINE Opera Company (POC) will open the Young Artists’ Series (YAS) 2023-2024 season with I Love OPPA-RA! on March 11, 6 p.m., at the Opera Haus in Makati. I Love OPPA-RA! is a re-imagined show where some of the K-dramas like Penthouse and Vincenzo, to name a few, will be showcased. The YAS started in October 2012 as a soiree held every third Wednesday of the month featuring the Young Artists of Philippine Opera Company. The program is designed to nurture, train, and develop the next generation of classical singers. It provides a professional training ground for young singers in the art and craft of stage performance. For inquiries, call POC at 0917-645-2946. For more details, visit www.facebook.com/PhilippineOperaCompany. 

Korean Cultural Center marks the Lunar New Year

ON JAN. 21, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Korean Cultural Center (KCC) will be welcoming the Lunar New Year with Korean traditions, games, and food. Seollal (Lunar New Year) is one of the most important holidays in Korea where families get together. To celebrate Korean-Philippine friendship and relations, and to introduce Korean traditions of the Lunar New Year, the KCC will bring six Korean traditional games and activities for the public to enjoy, with the chance to win prizes. The event is open for everyone of all ages and interests. Visitors can try traditional Korean games such as Ddakji, a game which involves flipping another player’s card, which became famous after Gong Yoo played it in Squid Game. Meanwhile, the game Tuho involves throwing an arrow inside a pot, a game of accuracy and precision that needs concentration skills. Jegichagi is similar to the Filipino game sipa — just kick and keep the shuttlecock in the air as long as possible. And Yunnori is a traditional Korean board game. All participants will be given a stamp card at the entrance which they will use to complete and experience all the traditional Korean games. After playing all the games, participants will do a sebae, which is a traditional Korean bow during New Year to elders, which they can do while wearing a hanbok if they choose. After this, they get a chance to win prizes such as a gift certificate or Korean culture items! The prizes are on a first come and first served basis while supplies last. Visitors can then go to the Cooking Classroom for a hearty bowl of Tteokguk, a rice cake soup Koreans usually eat during the Lunar New Year. The KCC is at 59 Bayani Rd., Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Tickets to the Art Fair available

TICKETS are now available for the Art Fair Philippines which will be held this year at The Link in the Ayala Center, Makati from Feb. 17 to 19, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Day passes are P450 and are available at https://artfairphilippines.com/afp2023/visitorinfo.php. Concession tickets — which will only be available on site — are P350 for students with valid IDs and senior citizens and PWDs, while Makati students will valid IDs pay P200.

Andrei Solmirano exhibits at ArtTablado

ANDREI Solmirano started painting at the age of 10 during weekends, holiday breaks, and when she got home from school. From a musically inclined family, she also loved singing, and that muse overpowered the other and she pursued singing as a part-time career. Painting took a backseat as she took on various jobs in the corporate world. But in 2020, she took up the brush again.That led to the opening on Jan. 16, at Robinsons Land ARTablado in Robinsons Galleria, of Andrei Solmirano’s exhibition titled Yadah to the King: Celebration through Art and Music. For this self-taught artist from Caloocan City, art has become an expression of her faith and an “invitation for others to lift their eyes and experience God’s love and goodness.” Yadah to the King is a collection of artworks that celebrate God with images of lions (for the “Lion of the tribe of Judah to display His absolute authority and power over all creation,” abstracts, and florals. Ultimately, what Andrei Solmirano aspires for her art to be able to do is admirable.

ARDP auditions for Agnes Locsin’s Encantada

ALICE Reyes Dance Philippines (ARDP) will be holding auditions for a production of National Artist for Dance Agnes Locsin’s Encantada. The auditions will be held on Jan. 27 and 28, 2 to 6 p.m. at the Metropolitan Theater Dance Studio. Male dancers should wear a fitted black shirt and dance shorts, while female dancers should wear black leotards and black tights or fitted black shorts. Dancers are to bring their resumes, vaccination cards, water bottles, and towels. Mask-wearing is to be observed. The auditions will also serve as a masterclass under Ms. Locsin. Sign-up at https://forms.gle/vPohSg44nFFCnvXi6. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/ARDancePH. 

Janelle Marahay paints flowers

JANELLE MARAHAY, an aspiring lawyer, saw the need to help women even as a child. “There is a need to educate women, especially those on the margins, on what their rights are, and what protections they have under the law against abuses and discrimination.” To cope with the stress of law school, she started painting. For this self-taught artist, painting became a means of escape from the uncertainties and terrible things happening in 2020. Selling her artworks provided much-needed funds to get her through law school, and art gave her the outlet to be creative while going through the grueling process of studying law. Flowers as a subject encapsulate her aesthetic. “In reality, flowers are beautiful yet fragile. Portraying them on canvas feels like defying nature: to paint flowers that never wither,” she said in a statement. An exhibit of her works, All Abloom, opened on Jan. 16 at Robinsons Land ARTablado in Robinsons Antipolo. The show is on view until Jan. 31. In her latest pieces, the artist portrays the “complexities, the falls, the flourishings” of being a woman.

Virgilio Almario releases revised edition of poetry book

NATIONAL Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario has released a revised edition of Jose Corazon de Jesus: Mga Piling Tula. Edited by Mr. Almario and published by San Anselmo Press, the collection features over 200 pages of De Jesus’ Tagalog poems, including the popular “Ang Pagbabalik,” “Ang Pamana,” “Ang Manok Kong Bulik,” “Ang Bato,” “Barong Tagalog,” and the poem-turned-patriotic anthem “Bayan Ko,” among other works. Jose Corazon de Jesus was a writer-performer who was dubbed as the Philippines’ “poet of the 20th century,” and “first king of poetry jousts (Balagtasan).” Mr. Almario has made tweaks to the 1984 edition (e.g. spelling, choices of poems, etc.) in order to make the collection more relevant and appealing to contemporary readers. Jose Corazon de Jesus: Mga Piling Tula is available through the Facebook page of San Anselmo Publications, Inc., and through Shopee.

Megawide says P2.8-B offering proceeds used for various projects

MEGAWIDE.COM.PH

MEGAWIDE Construction Corp. on Tuesday said it has utilized P2.77 billion from the net proceeds of its 2020 preferred share offering for various infrastructure projects.

From the net offering proceeds of P4.33 billion, the company has released P2.77 billion, the listed construction company said in a regulatory filing on Tuesday.

“Balance of the offering proceeds as of Dec. 31, 2022, is P1.56 billion,” it noted.

As of Sept. 30, Megawide has utilized P77.87 million for the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) multi-use development, P133.49 million for the expansion of pre-cast and other ancillary business, P816.13 million for the expansion of MCIA under a concession agreement, P883.40 million for the development of Cebu Integrated Transport Hub, and P331.56 million for general corporate purposes.

For the quarter that ended Dec. 31, 2022, the company released P144.20 million for the expansion of pre-cast and other ancillary business and P383 million for the development of the Cebu Integrated Transport Hub.

The MCIA mixed-use development project involves the construction of a 400-room hotel, a meeting, incentives, conference, and exhibition facility, and a travel retail concept to complement the airport’s features.

Megawide also expects that the demand for pre-fabricated construction materials will rise under the new normal. Hence, the company is expanding its pre-cast plant capacity to approximately 40,000 cubic meters per month (cu/m/month), from the current 13,000 cu/m/month, in different locations in the country.

The company also has a proposal to extend its existing concession agreement in MCIA by another 25 years. It involves the takeover of the airside facility, rehabilitation of the existing runway and taxiways, construction of an additional full-length parallel taxiway, and development of additional rapid exit taxiways and runway holding positions.

At the same time, the proposal involves the construction of a second parallel and independent instrument runway, as well as the construction of Terminal 3.

Megawide is also developing a modern public market and an integrated multi-modal transport hub in Cebu.

The project involves the redevelopment of the existing public market, including the construction of a new wholesale market, new night market, and other lifestyle commercial establishments, land transport, and ferry terminals, among others. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Gov’t upsizes T-bond award amid strong demand

BW FILE PHOTO

THE GOVERNMENT upsized the volume of the Treasury bonds (T-bonds) it awarded on Tuesday amid strong demand as investors were looking for high-yielding instruments to park their cash.

The Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) raised P49 billion from the reissued 20-year papers on Tuesday, higher than the original P35-billion program, as bids for the offering reached P133.947 billion.

The bonds, which have a remaining life of 19 years and 10 months, were awarded at an average rate of 6.525%, with accepted rates ranging from 6.49% to 6.6%.

The average rate of the paper was 148.7 basis points (bps) lower than the 8.012% quoted for the series when it was last offered on Nov 22, 2022 and also 160 bps below the 8.125% coupon for the issue.

It was also 54.45 bps lower than the 7.0695% quoted for the same bond series but 10.2 bps higher than the 6.423% seen for the 10-year tenor at the secondary market prior to the auction, based on PHP Bloomberg Valuation Service Reference Rates data provided by the BTr.

“The Auction Committee decided to fully award the reissued 20-year Treasury bonds (FXTN 20-25) at today’s auction… The bonds were 3.8 times oversubscribed, attracting P134 billion in total tenders compared with the P35-billion offering, which prompted the committee to double the allocation for non-competitive bids,” the BTr said in a statement on Tuesday.

“With its decision, the Committee raised P49 billion, bringing the total outstanding volume for the series to P76.6 billion,” it added.

A trader said in a Viber message the offer was met with strong demand as the market is looking for investment outlets yielding above 6%.

“Investors tried to catch up with the recent rally… [there was] fear of losing an opportunity to invest,” the trader said.

Meanwhile, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said in a Viber message that demand for long-tenored government securities continued to be boosted by appetite for higher yields.

Mr. Ricafort added that the issue’s average rate eased on expectations of slower tightening by both the US Federal Reserve and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) following dovish signals from officials and slower US consumer inflation in December.

The US consumer price index (CPI) slipped by 0.1% last month, the first decline since May 2020 and coming from a 0.1% rise in November.

On an annual basis, the CPI increased 6.5%, easing from the 7.1% print seen in November 2022.

The data bolstered bets that the Fed will deliver smaller rate hikes as early as its first meeting for the year, which will be held from Jan. 31 to Feb. 1.

The Fed increased borrowing costs by 425 basis points (bps) last year.

Meanwhile, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Felipe M. Medalla last week said the central bank is likely to raise benchmark rates by 25 or 50 bps at its meeting on Feb. 16 as it still needs to anchor inflation expectations.    

The BSP hiked rates by 350 bps in 2022 in its fight against inflation.

The BTr plans to raise P200 billion from the domestic market in January, or P60 billion through Treasury bills and P140 billion via T-bonds.

The government borrows from domestic and external sources to finance its budget deficit, which is capped at 6.1% of gross domestic product this year. — A.M.C. Sy

Rephrase your New Year’s resolutions to keep them

PIXABAY

NEW YEAR’s resolutions fall to the wayside around this time. To avoid being a statistic on Quitter’s Day, one must reformulate their resolutions into specific, measurable, and approach-oriented statements, experts say.  

Quitter’s Day, said to be the day when most people quit on their New Year’s resolution, falls on the second week of January. Strava, a social network for athletes, studied 800 million user-logged activities in 2019 and deduced that the second Friday of January was the day motivations begin to decline for those who made resolutions at the start of the year.  

“In order for us to be able to keep our resolve in doing our New Year’s resolutions, it would be helpful to just think of one goal that will be doable and keep it simple. We also need to come up with specific action steps that will help us achieve our goal,” said Myrlinda Rose A. Ngo, a psychologist and counselor at the Well-Being Center of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.  

Those who want to lose weight, Ms. Ngo said in a Jan. 11 e-mail, can phrase their goal as “I am going to lose three kilos and maintain a weight of 45 kilos.” They can further break this goal down into action steps:  

  1. I am sleeping every day at 10 p.m. so I can have at least six to seven hours of sleep.  
  2. I am not eating any junk foods but I am allowing myself to eat a small piece of my favorite chocolate once a week.  
  3. I am exercising or doing Fitness Walk at least 30 minutes to an hour every Monday, Friday, and Sunday at 6 a.m.  
  4. I am lessening my intake of processed food such as canned goods and noodles but I will eat two pieces of hotdog (or any comfort food) twice a month.  

“If we are able to do our action steps for 21 days without skipping a beat, then our goal becomes a habit which leads to personal growth,” Ms. Ngo added.  

Rephrasing one’s goals to make it approach- instead of avoidance-oriented (i.e., “I will start to…” instead of “I will quit…”) ups the chance of these goals being reached, said Per Carlbring, a psychologist at Stockholm University in Sweden.  

Mr. Carlbring co-authored a study, published December 2020 in the peer-reviewed journal PLoS ONE, that found that 58.9% of those with approach-oriented goals considered themselves successful a year after making their resolutions, compared with 47.1% of those with avoidance-oriented ones.  

In a Jan. 13 e-mail, Cat C. Triviño, co-founder and speaker of MindNation, a Singapore-based well-being company with a mental health app, said that “it’s okay to revisit old resolutions — but rephrasing them to be more relevant and realistic excites and encourages us to keep with these goals.”  

“You can work with a psychologist or a wellbeing coach to help you craft better resolutions, too!” she added.  

Most resolutions involve either diet or exercise, and people tend to make the same resolutions year after year.  

Seventy-four percent of Filipinos said they will change to better themselves in the new year, per a December 2022 survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS). Health (31%) is the most common focus of personal betterment in Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon, added SWS. — Patricia B. Mirasol
 

UPS Healthcare launches specialized shipping in PHL

US-BASED UPS Healthcare launched a highly specialized shipping service for patient-critical, time- and temperature-sensitive shipments in the Philippines.

According to the firm, the shipping service’s track and trace technology, and global quality system are well-suited to meet today’s complex logistics demands for the pharmaceutical, medical device, and laboratory diagnostic industries.

“Visibility and traceability are essential to prioritizing the life-saving medications our customers ship, and their customers need,” UPS Healthcare President Wes Wheeler said in a press release.

“The difference between life and death for patients often hinges on the ability to quickly ship and precisely track, monitor and locate medications,” he added.

The shipping service has three levels available globally, with UPS Premier Gold now present locally. It will offer acceleration and “first-in first-off” prioritization.

Package labels of the shipping service will also have mesh sensors which will allow near real-time monitoring and narrow visibility down to three meters within the UPS network.

UPS Premier can expedite the recovery process for packages that need special handling. It also has the capacity for same-day redelivery.

“The entire process is overseen 24/7 by live agents with intimate knowledge of the shipment’s requirements ensuring medications remain compliant, preventing spoilage and loss of product, and reducing costs associated with reshipments,” said UPS Healthcare.

UPS Healthcare is a healthcare logistic provider which has more than 11 million current good manufacturing and good distribution practice-compliant healthcare distribution space globally.

Its services include inventory management, cold chain packaging and shipping, storage and fulfillment of medical devices, and lab and clinical trial logistics. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

Philippines ranks 32nd in military strength list

The Philippines climbed 19 places to land at 32nd spot out of 145 countries in the 2023 edition of Global Firepower’s Military Strength Ranking.

AMRO'S ASEAN+3 GDP growth and inflation rate forecasts

BPI expects merger with Robinsons Bank to boost income, revenues

BW FILE PHOTO

BANK of the Philippine Islands (BPI) expects its net income to climb by 5-6% and its revenues to rise by around 7% once its planned merger with Robinsons Bank Corp. takes effect, its top official said.

“Robinsons Bank is expected to expand BPI’s key balance sheet metrics by between 6.5%, maybe 7%. As mentioned over the past years, Robinsons Bank has been really steadily growing its deposit and loan books at a pace much faster than industry,” BPI President and Chief Executive Officer Jose Teodoro “TG” K. Limcaoco said in a special stockholders’ meeting on Tuesday.

Shareholders of the Ayala-led bank owning 79.69% of total outstanding stocks approved the planned merger on Tuesday.

Mr. Limcaoco said the main advantage Robinsons Bank has that was factored into the projected revenue growth is its customer base’s strong digital adoption, with over 35% of their retail clients enrolled in its online app.

“So, we think that Robinsons Bank can potentially add about 7% to our revenues, and 5 to 6% to our net income,” he said.

Mr. Limcaoco added that the merger is expected to immediately improve BPI’s industry ranking in terms of deposits to second place from third currently.

He noted that Robinsons Bank’s current and savings (CASA) ratio of 83% is higher than BPI’s by 4% and it has “manageable asset quality,” which is not seen to have a negative impact on BPI’s.

The official said they see growth opportunities in Robinsons Bank’s lending book, including in the housing, salary, motorcycle and teachers loan segments and its “unique” credit card portfolio, and that he expects these to help in achieving BPI’s target to have consumer credit comprise 30% of its loan portfolio.

“They have a significant portion of their loan book as consumer loans, but really, their loan book is about 6% of the combined loans of BPI and Robinsons Bank. So, if the merger in and of itself will not really bring us to our aspirations of 30% consumer loans, what we will be doing is taking some of their products, some of their approaches, utilizing their ecosystem,” Mr. Limcaoco said.

He added that the merger is expected to take effect on Jan. 1, 2024 as they still need to secure some approvals from government agencies.

BPI booked a net income of P10.1 billion in the third quarter of 2022 amid higher revenues.

This brought the bank’s bottom line for the first nine months of 2022 to P30.5 billion, backed by higher revenues and lower provisions for loan losses.

BPI’s shares dropped by P2.10 or 1.87% to close at P110.30 apiece on Tuesday. — AMCS

Dior names K-pop star Jimin global brand ambassador

PARK JI-MIN aka Jimin of BTS — INSTAGRAM.COM/DIOR
PARK JI-MIN aka Jimin of BTS — INSTAGRAM.COM/DIOR

PARIS — French fashion house Dior on Monday named K-pop star Jimin a global brand ambassador, broadcasting the tie-up on social networks with images of the BTS singer in sporty looks with an outdoor flair, designed by Kim Jones.

The move comes as European luxury houses look to tap into the global popularity of K-pop stars, particularly with younger shoppers.

The LVMH-owned label has also forged links with K-pop star Jisoo, of Blackpink, drawing crowds of screaming fans to Paris when she attends the label’s runway shows.

Jimin, 27, whose full name is Park Ji-min, is one of the seven-member group BTS, which sparked a worldwide K-Pop frenzy with catchy, upbeat music and dance moves following its debut in 2013.

South Koreans have become the world’s biggest spenders per capita on personal luxury goods, splashing out an average of $325 a year, according to analysts at Morgan Stanley.

The bulk of household wealth in the country, 76%, is held in the real estate market, while housing prices increased considerably in the past couple of years, noted the analysts. — Reuters

KonsultaMD offers diabetes screening package 

KONSULTAMD, a health app that connects AC Health’s healthcare provider network and Globe’s digital solution ecosystem, offers a diabetes screening package for individuals who are suspected to have diabetes or are experiencing its symptoms.  

The all-in-one screening package includes at-home lab tests necessary in the screening for diabetes: fasting blood sugar, complete blood count, creatine, lipid profile, urinalysis, and HBA1c (or glycated hemoglobin). It also includes a video consultation with a doctor for the interpretation of the said lab tests.  

“We recognize the difficulties many people experience in finding the right tools to address their health problems. So we are helping them take the first step in achieving a healthier lifestyle,” said Cholo A. Tagaysay, KonsultaMD chief executive officer, in a Jan. 11 press statement.  

 “This new offer is perfect for those who may be at risk of diabetes or are experiencing symptoms consistent with diabetes,” he added.  

The package is P3,999 and comes with a one-month unlimited Concierge access, which is a service within the app where a customer representative handles all appointments and bookings. Input the code KMDDiabetes on the app’s homepage to talk to a customer representative.  

1...4,4934,4944,495...13,354Page 4,494 of 13,354
© 2024 BusinessWorld Publishing.
All rights reserved.
Read our privacy guidelines
Facebook Instagram Linkedin Twitter Youtube