Escape to either Boracay, Cebu, Manila, Tagaytay or Iloilo and enjoy discounted voucher stays up to 50% off across the 11 properties of Megaworld Hotels and Resorts starting September 30 – October 2, 2022 during the 33rd Philippine Travel Mart at the SMX Convention Center.
Drive, fly or sail to your next destination and stay where you’ll feel most at home. Catch all the properties of Megaworld Hotels and Resorts and enjoy at least 50% discount on accommodation vouchers in the 33rd Philippine Travel Mart happening on September 30 until October 2, 2022 at the SMX Convention Center Manila, Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City.
The Philippines’ largest 100% homegrown hotel management brand gives you more reasons to shop for stays and travel again this year or in 2023. Find yourself in the National Capital Region with properties like Belmont Hotel Manila and Savoy Hotel Manila located right across the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 or at the newly opened Kingsford Hotel Manila that’s only eight minutes away from both local and international airport through the NAIA Express Way. Stay in Hotel Lucky Chinatown closest to Binondo, the oldest Chinatown in the world. One can also enjoy a night or two at the Eastwood Richmonde Hotel or Richmonde Hotel Ortigas where you’re at the center of the City’s Commercial and Shopping districts. If in case you’d like to stay in style while you bond with nature, why not book a weekend at the breathtaking Twin Lakes Hotel with a perfect view of Taal Lake visible from all its rooms.
To add to your list, escape to the Newcoast in Boracay and enjoy a tranquil island vacation with Belmont Hotel Boracay and Savoy Hotel Boracay. If you’re up for a taste of history and culture, explore Iloilo and find respite in Richmonde Hotel Iloilo located at the heart of the Iloilo Business Park. You should also consider enjoying the sites, sounds, and flavors of Cebu from its beaches, shopping opportunities, and foodie delights while you rest and power up in Savoy Hotel Mactan Newtown.
Wherever you plan to go may it be in Boracay, Cebu, Manila or Iloilo, surely there’s something to experience and a place for you in MHR’s 6 brands, 11 properties, and 4,000 room keys that’s all waiting for you.
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The dining scene at Okada Manila is abuzz as the resort continues to expand its offerings to food enthusiasts. To add to its roster of restaurant choices, the five-star property recently reopened its beautiful and elegant Italian restaurant, La Piazza Ristorante Italiano. The restaurant is located along the Pearl Wing’s Crystal Corridor and has a spectacular view of the property’s iconic The Fountain. Guests can now once again savor a delightful Italian dining experience with a new menu.
An all-new well-curated menu
La Piazza Ristorante Italiano has spruced up its menu, featuring a combination of elevated Italian staples and the restaurant’s all-time classic dishes. From scrumptious appetizers to delectable main courses, flavorful steaks and decadent desserts, the restaurant offers a gastronomic journey for discerning palates.
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Fresh on the menu is a marvellous selection of aperitivi (aperitifs) such as prosciutto e melone (Parma ham, cantaloupe, gorgonzola and walnuts), salumi (salame, prosciutto crudo, mortadella, prosciutto cotto, etc.), burrata, guazetto di mare (prawns, mussels and red chilies) and more. There are also two kinds of zuppe (soups), namely the rich crema di zucca (pumpkin soup) and the robust zuppa di mare (fish and seafood soup).
For the main course, check out La Piazza Ristorante Italiano’s dalla griglia (from the grill) menu that includes tomahawk, T-bone, tenderloin, rib-eye and striploin steaks, carrè d’agnello (rack of lamb), grilled Iberico pork rack, gambero (prawns) and aragosta (lobster) with appetizing sides. For those who prefer the classics, the restaurant has pollo arrosto (roasted chicken), spigola al cartoccio (Chilean seabass), and veal Milanese (breaded veal escalope), among others. There is also a mouthwatering selection of spectacular fresh pasta dishes and popular pizza varieties that remain crowd favorites.
Not to be missed is an assortment of decadent desserts at La Piazza Ristorante Italiano, like diplomatico (puff pastry, sponge cake with chamomile ice cream), panna cotta, tsokolate tart, tiramisù, and raviolo fritto kesong puti e miele, a unique dessert with some Filipino fusion.
The restaurant serves an interesting variety of wines and cocktails to complement each meal. Drawing attention from wine connoisseurs is La Piazza Ristorante Italiano’s collection of the most premium and sought-after wines. Each bottle is carefully selected, preserved, and displayed at the restaurant’s exclusive wine cellar.
Dining Preferences
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La Piazza Ristorante Italiano has two main dining areas to cater to diners’ preferences. Upon entry, there’s the Trattoria, which is accentuated with high tables and barrels and a bar and makes for a more relaxed and casual setting. A few steps away is the luxurious Ristorante, a beautiful dining area adorned with stunning Swarovski crystal chandeliers hanging on a high Gothic ceiling and sophisticated accents and plush seating perfect for a romantic date or an intimate get-together with friends or family. For private dining, there are three function rooms, which can accommodate ten people each and twenty to twenty-two guests if combined.
The Restaurants at Okada Manila
The Restaurants at Okada Manila is a roster of Okada Manila’s signature restaurants that offers guests unforgettable and exciting dining options. Serving up traditional classics alongside innovative culinary creations, it offers guests to taste an array of the world’s flavors: the center of local and international gastronomy at MEDLEY BUFFET; traditional Japanese grill / kushiyaki at ENBU; oriental flavors at RED SPICE, which specializes in Cantonese cuisine; Korean barbecue and more at GORYEO; and Filipino staples at KIAPO and the soon-to-open SINAG.
About Okada Manila
Touted as Manila’s grand icon, Okada Manila is known for its top-tier facilities and services. As a premier destination for hospitality and entertainment, the integrated resort has 993 exceptional accommodations ranging from 55-sq.m. deluxe rooms to 1,400-sq.m. villas complemented by extraordinary amenities such as the Retail Boulevard, the one-of-a-kind Cove Manila nightclub and indoor beach club, The Gardens by Manila Bay, an exciting array of dining options, a 3,000-sq.m. spa, and the world’s largest multi-color dancing and musical fountain.
Located just 10 minutes from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Okada Manila is just a few hours of air travel from neighboring China, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong. It sets the new gold standard for five-star luxury with its many distinct innovations that combine advanced technology, top-class amenities, environment-friendly architectural planning, and world-class entertainment options, all delivered with the kind of exemplary service that personifies the unique blend of Japanese hospitality and Filipino warmth.
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At 62, after having undergone significant digital transformation for the past years, RCBC continues to evolve and leverage on emerging technologies that make banking more accessible, intuitive and customer-centric.
The next generation of bank customers are digital natives, and they expect their banks to keep up with their rapidly evolving financial needs. Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) may be 62 years old now, but the business heads behind all those successful years are determined to lead an enterprise-wide digital transformation to prove that the Bank is truly a partner for generations.
The Yuchengco-led RCBC has reaped awards over the years to show its ability to meet modern expectations. For three years in a row, RCBC took home Asiamoney’s top digital bank awards including Best Digital Bank and Best Bank for Digital Solutions. The winning streak continues, and from the past year it received almost 100 accolades from various local and international award-giving bodies. The transformation and continuous evolution touched all areas of the bank, and recognized RCBC as Best Corporate Bank, Best Retail Bank, Best in Cash Management and Best SME Bank among others.
RCBC President and CEO, Mr. Eugene S. Acevedo is at the helm of the bank’s digital transformation journey.
“We have been leading transformative growth from within so we can serve our customers’ banking interests and needs throughout the different stages in their lives and businesses. This means driving innovation, culture and processes to deliver the best customer experience,” says RCBC President and CEO Eugene S. Acevedo.
Banking for the Future Generation
If there’s one lesson everyone learned from the pandemic, it is that innovation is no longer an option. While the bank has invested in emerging technologies, building an agile workforce remains the crucial link to drive digital transformation. This meant recreating a mindset that is digital and customer-centric.
“As the bank undergoes digital transformation, we recognize that the success of this initiative depends on the strength of an inclusive people transformation cornerstone,” says Rowena F. Subido, Head of Human Resources.
The efforts to provide the best customer experience is a nonstop undertaking. For one, branch banking continues to enhance in-branch experience by incorporating self-service terminals to enable faster and efficient transactions. It has allowed customers to transition from their traditional habits by slowly introducing them to another way of banking that saves them time and effort, and at the same time, provides more meaningful interaction with the branch personnel.
“Before, a digital channel was seen to support the Bank’s physical channels. Now, branches become a fulfillment center for the Bank’s online channel and a way to provide a full omni-channel experience,” shares Richard Lim, Head of Retail Banking Group.
Jane Mañago, Head of the Wealth Management Group, says, “The next gen of high net worth clients – the Gen Y, Gen Z and Millennials – look at wealth differently, and they all have a great preference for digital channels and digital interactions. At the same time, they want high touch consultations with relationship managers for the more complex decisions.”
“This hybrid engagement model of blending simple and convenient digital tools with human advice and customer service ensures that we adapt to the changing expectations of the clients – that we partner with them now and through the coming generations in managing and growing their wealth,” Mañago continues.
Dr. Robert Ramos, Head of Trust and Investments Group, and Raul Ruiz, President of RCBC Securities, also see more preference among investors to transact digitally. Currently, RCBC already has one of the most advanced solutions in investing and trading online. Further improving their current platforms will provide a more seamless and better customer experience.
RCBC Credit Card President Arniel Ong sees the increasing shift of retail credit and payments into digital transactions. As such, leveraging various ecosystems to enable digital payments would be highly essential. Ong states, “RCBC will continue to play a huge role in driving this and will take advantage of upcoming developments in open banking and finance, alternative data, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to increase financial inclusion and provide credit to more customers in the market.”
On the sustainability front, the bank continues to be committed to uphold social and environmental responsibility in all its business activities, and stays at the forefront in driving sustainable finance initiatives.
RCBC Treasurer Alberto Pedrosa shares that RCBC remains committed to environmental and sustainable financing. The bank, a pioneer in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) debt capital markets issuance, will continue working with its partners in raising funds with ESG commitments and further improve its framework for investing bank funds. “We will continue to provide our clients with investment products within both and global ESG frameworks with top insights into macroeconomic trends and provide best execution for foreign exchange, fixed income and derivative solutions, whether it be on traditional or digital platforms,” Pedrosa adds.
On the lending side, Elizabeth Coronel, Head of Corporate Banking Group, says the bank is taking on an active role in the transition to a net-zero carbon economy by mobilizing capital to continue to grow its green and sustainable portfolio specifically in the areas of power, renewable energy, water and sanitation, physical and tech infrastructure, communications connectivity among others.
“The future is bright from the loans perspective,” says Bennett Santiago, Head of the Credit Management Group. He adds technology has enabled automation of key credit processes that results in agility in decision making with reliance on data analytics to support credit decisions. With this, the bank can serve untapped markets by tapping on both traditional and non-traditional data, and benefiting from a technology enabled early warning framework to minimize risks.
Atty. Ramil De Villa, Head of Consumer Lending Group, agrees with this and underscores that digitization opens a lot of opportunities in the secured consumer business where shifts in industry and customer dynamics will be driven by the speed of data-driven consumer portfolio building.
The same is true for the SME sector. Ma. Angela Tinio, Head of the SME Banking Group, says incorporating digitalization in their processes has enabled clients to have faster access to credit. “By providing them with a platform that integrates all the financial and non-financial services, we get to empower our clients with solutions that provide new ways of conducting business,” Tinio adds.
More Filipinos will indeed get into digital banking, including those that are in markets that have been previously untapped by financial services. Lito Villanueva, Head of the Digital Enterprise and Innovations Group, says, “We will continue building a digital-first nation that is financially inclusive. A nation where people are free to achieve their dreams without barriers. No one will be left unbanked and underserved. In RCBC, we are committed to making a sustainable and inclusive digital economy happen.”
Rizal Microbank President Raymundo Roxas says that harnessing innovative lending methodologies will produce impactful and sustainable results for clients and local communities.
“RCBC shall be in the forefront of advancing financing especially in the countryside. Rizal Microbank, as a thrift bank subsidiary of RCBC, shall actively participate using appropriately designed products for micro and small enterprises including those in the agricultural sector,” Roxas shares.
There is so much to be excited about RCBC’s continuing partnership with the new generation of banking customers. And as echoed by all the other business heads in RCBC, the beauty of it is that with inclusivity in the mix, every Filipino will hopefully have their own bank accounts someday to make a sustainable, digital-first economy happen.
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A MEAT VENDOR at the Marikina Public Market. — PHILIPPINE STAR/ WALTER BOLLOZOS
By Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson, Reporter
MEAT TRADERS asked Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to cut the tariff on imported pork for the next five years to ensure food security and cool inflation.
In a letter, the Meat Importers and Traders Association said the African Swine Fever (ASF) remained a risk to the industry. The outputs of major pork-producing regions in the world, including those in Europe and North America, have also dropped by as much as 3%, they added.
“We appeal to Your Excellency to issue a new executive order and reinstate the import duty rates on pork of 5% in-quota and 15% out-quota for a duration of five years,” the group said in the letter, a copy of which it sent to reporters on Thursday.
The Philippines imposes a lower in-quota duty on a minimum quantity of imported farm products as part of its commitment to global trade. Volumes outside the quota are charged a higher tariff.
“The conditions that warranted the issuance of Executive Order (EO) 134 still exist today, and in fact has gotten worse for the Philippines as well as for the global landscape,” the importers said.
They were referring to a similar order issued by former President Rodrigo R. Duterte in May last year, when pork prices soared as a local ASF outbreak disrupted supply.
In April last year, he signed EO 128, which lowered the import duty on fresh, chilled or frozen pork to 5% from 30% for in-quota and to 15% from 40% for out-quota purchases for three months.
A month later, he signed EO 134, which lowered the duty to 10% in-quota and to 20% out-quota for the first three months. From the fourth to the 12th month, the tariffs were raised to 15% and 25%. He also raised the pork in-quota volume almost five times to 254,210 metric tons (MT).
Mr. Duterte extended the 15% and 20% duties until yearend before stepping down in June.
The British Chamber of Commerce Philippines backed the meat importers’ plea, saying it would boost pork trade between the Philippines and Britain.
“It’s important to build long-term business opportunities between the Philippines and Britain,” Executive Director Chris Nelson said by telephone, noting that the pound’s depreciation against the peso would make British exporters more competitive.
He also said the Philippines has become Britain’s second-most important market for pork outside China.
“We have time and again responded to the Department of Agriculture’s plea to import meat and augment local supply in times of shortage, most recently in 2021,” the pork importers said in their letter to Mr. Marcos.
“But how can the Philippines compete for supply if other countries have reduced or even eliminated theirduties completely while we maintain ours at 15% and 25%, or worse still, revert to 30-40% by Jan. 1?”
The meat importers said the Philippines would continue to struggle with sporadic outbreaks for which no solution exists, apart from mass culling and slaughter.
“And even if a vaccine with a high efficacy rate were to be commercially available by next year, it would still take our domestic pork industry at least five years to build our herd back up to pre-African Swine Fever levels,” they added.
‘SAD REALITY’ The traders also cited rising input costs, logistics problems and the peso’s continued depreciation against the dollar.
“Closer to home, our Asian neighbors, and even New Zealand, have responded by reducing their tariff on pork and in some cases also poultry. US pork now has duty-free access to South Korea,” they added.
In July, Vietnam also cut its most favored nation (MFN) tariff rate on frozen pork imports to 10% from 15%.
“No one questions the need to strengthen and develop local agriculture,” the importers said. “A certain level of self-sufficiency is necessary to achieve food security. But the sad reality is Philippine agriculture has not kept pace with population growth.”
Local farmers could increase output to feed 110 million Filipinos given time and the needed state support. “However, this clearly cannot be achieved overnight, and our country must rely on imports at least in the short to medium term to augment supply.”
The Tariff Commission this month said it was reviewing a plea by the Philippine Association of Meat Processors, Inc. to keep the MFN tariff of 5% on mechanically deboned meat of chicken and turkey, which is a key ingredient in processed meats.
In January last year, Mr. Duterte signed EO 123, which modified the rates of import duty on certain agricultural products.The tariffs on mechanically deboned chicken and turkey were cut to 5% until Dec. 31 from 40%.
THE PHILIPPINE Transportationdepartment has awarded contracts for the Metro Manila Subway Phase 1 and South Commuter Railway projects.
A notice of award was issued on Sept. 23 to Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co. Ltd. for the contract to build the Anonas and Katipunan stations as well as tunnels of the country’s first underground rail system.
The contract package is worth P21.14 billion ($360 million) plus 14.95 billion yen (P6.08 billion), for a total of P27.22 billion, according to the document posted on the website of the Procurement Service Office under the Budget department.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency still needs to concur with the award, while the contractors must submit the required documents, based on the rules covering Japan’s official development assistance loans, Transportation Undersecretary Kim Robert C. De Leon said in the notice sent to Sumitomo Mitsui Managing Executive Officer Hitoshi Yamaji.
The Philippines and Japan signed in March 2018 the first tranche of the P355.6-billion loan for the 36-kilometer (km) underground railway that will run from Mindanao Avenue in Quezon City to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City.
Notices of award were also issued for four contract packages of the South Commuter Railway Project, which is financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
The joint venture of Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd. and Dong-Ah Geological Engineering Co. Ltd. of South Korea recently won three contracts.
The South Korean joint venture won a contract to build an 8.5-km railway viaduct, including elevated stations in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.
Mr. De Leon said the contract, which is worth P14.49 billion plus $109.65 million, was awarded on Sept. 16. Six other bidders lost.
The same South Korean joint venture beat five other bidders for a contract covering a 12.8-km railway viaduct structure, including elevated stations in San Pedro, Pacita, Biñan and Santa Rosa in Laguna province.
The contract is worth P21.62 billion plus $124.19 million.
Another contract the joint venture won is the package for a 10.28-km railway viaduct and elevated stations in Cabuyao, Banlic and Calamba in Laguna worth P19.73 billion plus $126.13 million. Six other bidders lost.
Meanwhile, the joint venture of South Korea’s Lotte Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd., Turkey’s Gulermak Agir Sanayi Insaat ve Taahhut AS and the Philippines’ EEI Corp. was awarded a contract to build a depot and 0.5-km road worth P15.91 billion plus $21.33 million.
They beat five other bidders including DM Consunji, Inc. and the joint venture of Megawide Construction Corp. and Chun Wo Construction & Engineering Co. Ltd., according to a separate document from the same state website.
Megawide and its joint venture partners from Japan, Tokyu Construction Co. Ltd. and Tobishima Corp. signed in May a contract for the Manila subway. The package covers the construction of underground stations in Ortigas North and South as well as the tunnels connecting the two.
Megawide and its joint venture partners Dong Ah and Hyundai Engineering of South Korea also won the contract for the first package of the Malolos Clark Railway project in 2020.
On Thursday, Megawide said it had opened another precast plant in Taytay, Rizal. “The new plant will increase the company’s overall precast production capacity,” it said in an e-mailed statement.
“The plant can produce over 35,000 cubic meters of precast annually, adding to Megawide’s current production capacity of 96,000 cubic meters, making it the leading precast manufacturer in the country,” the company said.
PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. and US President Joseph R. Biden hold a bilateral meeting on September 22, 2022 in New York, USA. — OFFICE OF THE PRESS SECRETARY
PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s visit to the United States last week could yield almost $3.9 billion (P229 billion) in investments from several sectors including manufacturing, according to the presidential palace.
The business agreements and commitments could generate 112,285 jobs, it said in a statement on Thursday.
The estimates exclude potential investments from several American companies that Mr. Marcos and trade officials met while in New York, it said. “Some companies had expressed interest in considering new or further investments in the country, but their plans have yet to be firmed up.”
The investment pledges include those from the information technology and outsourcing sector, the palace said.
Mr. Marcos, who started his six-year term with protectionist pronouncements, on Wednesday said the Philippines is open to foreign investors, vowing to simplify business processes and cause the passage of investor-friendly legislation.
He also reaffirmed his push for public-private partnerships, saying both parties could leverage their resources.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said last week the Philippine economy would likely grow by 6.5% this year, citing increased domestic demand. This was higher than its 6% estimate months ago.
At the meeting of ADB governors in Manila on Thursday, Mr. Marcos said the country aims to develop an economy that is “green, sustainable, truly climate-resilient and responsive to people’s immediate needs.”
“While many things remain uncertain, one thing’s for sure — we can no longer return to the way things were,” he said in a speech. “It’s time for us to work together to bring about an even better normal.”
Mr. Marcos recognized the ADB’s efforts to ease the effects of the coronavirus on the Philippines, saying it had given the country a $3-million grant for medical supplies.
He also cited the lender’s quick-disbursing budget-support facility, which he said had helped countries in mitigating the “severe economic shocks caused by the pandemic.”
“It is through the bank’s assistance that we were able to push forward with projects in areas such as infrastructure, social reform and community development, and governance and institutional development,” he added.
Mr. Marcos said he expects the state’s relationship with the ADB would grow stronger in the coming years “to nurture development here in our country.”
Corruption, cronyism and debt greatly contributed to the country’s economic problems especially in the last years of the regime of the late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos — Marcos Jr.’s father — according to think tank Ibon Foundation.
Critics have accused the Marcoses of living lavishly in the presidential palace while Filipinos suffered from a collapsing economy, which declined by 7.3% in 1984 and 1985.
Debt under the elder Mr. Marcos ballooned to $20 billion in 1980 from $2 billion in 1972, the year Martial Law was declared. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza
A SCENE from the fantasy series Maria Clara at Ibarra — YOUTUBE.COM/GMANETWORK
THE PAST and present merge in GMA Network’s new fantasy series Maria Clara at Ibarra which premieres on Oct. 3.
Maria Clara at Ibarra is based on National Hero Jose Rizal’s two novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, but unlike previous dramatic adaptations of the story, the series has fantasy and time travel aspects. It follows Maria Clara “Klay” Infantes (played by Barbie Forteza), a 21st century nursing student who overlooks her history lessons. When her professor gives her a magical copy of the Noli and Fili, she is transported back to the 1880s and meets the characters of the novels.
The story shifts between scenes set in the present and the Spanish colonial period, and tackles the socio-political and economic situation of that time.
“[Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo are genius works because the issues faced by the main character is parallel to the issues at present…],” director Zig Dulay said in English and Filipino, during a press conference held on Sept. 23 at Barbara’s Heritage Restaurant in Intramuros, Manila.
Suzette Doctolero, the shows’ head writer and creative consultant, said the series has a feminist slant.
“At that time, hindi pa ipinag-aaral ang ang mga babae (women were not sent to study),” Ms. Doctolero said. “When I became a head writer at GMA, I knew that all my writing [projects would] lean on feminism.”
“With this, the stand of [Klay’s character] on education at that time when education was not available to women, was clear to me. There needed to be a stand about it,” she said.
The show stars Dennis Trillo as Crisostomo Ibarra, Julie Anne San Jose as Maria Clara, Rocco Nacino as Elias, Tirso Cruz III as Padre Damaso, Juancho Triviño as Padre Salvi, Gilleth Sandico as Doña Victorina, Lou Veloso as Professor Torres, David Licauco as Fidel, and Andrea Torres as Sisa. National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee serves as content development consultant for the series.
In the show, the main character, Klay, gets to interact with and be among the characters of Rizal’s two novels. She is challenged by the social norms of the past and gets to share 21st century practices and ideas.
Ms. Forteza — who studied in an alternative learning system in high school — said playing the role of Klay gave her the opportunity to immerse herself in the novels.
“…I will get to learn it now, portray it, and enter the word of [Noli and El Fili],” Ms. Forteza said in English and Filipino, adding that she is thankful to have access to what she missed as a student.
In preparation for the role, Mr. Trillo looked through online sources for how his character should look like. “I saw man variations, and I had options [for the look]. It was also important to study the script well to see the dynamics of merging past and present,” Mr. Trillo said in English and Filipino.
Preparations for the roles also included reading beyond the two novels and training with a Spanish language coach.
By watching the series, the show’s director Mr. Dulay hopes that the audience “gives importance to history” and that the show “elevates the conversations on love for country.”
“They will not only be entertained, but they will also learn,” Mr. Dulay said of Generation Z, which is its primary target audience. “It will not only end with learning. Similar to Klay’s character, action will be taken regarding issues she is faced with.”
The series’ theme song, “Babaguhin Ang Buong Mundo,” is performed by Julie Anne San Jose.
Maria Clara at Ibarra premieres on Oct. 3 on GMA Telebabad after 24 Oras.— Michelle Anne P. Soliman
A SCREENSHOT of Kanye West from his music video Runaway — YOUTUBE.COM/KANYEWEST/
WHEN Ye — the artist formerly known as Kanye West — stated during a recent podcast that he doesn’t read books, some people questioned whether he was sending the wrong message to children.
Those questions took on more importance in light of the fact that Ye recently launched Donda Academy, a private educational venture named after his late mother, Donda West, who was herself an English professor.
As a rap artist, author, and academic, I would never argue that reading lots of books is the only path to gaining knowledge or showing intelligence.
After all, I created the first-ever peer-reviewed hip-hop album published by a university press. For my doctoral dissertation in 2017, I made a rap album and resisted any calls to submit a formally written explanation of the work.
Even as a former high school literature teacher, I never believed the only way — or even the primary way — for people to demonstrate intellect was through reading books. I think that performing a freestyle — that is to say, writing and reciting seemingly spontaneous rap lyrics on the spot — requires levels of intelligence that are often overlooked or racistly cast off as “natural talent” that don’t require studying or practice. For instance, the mind-blowing 10-minute freestyle that rapper Black Thought performed live on New York radio station Hot 97 in 2017 is a master-class demonstration of brilliance that is a result of years of study and practice.
In some ways, you might say Kanye West and I are on the same page. Where I disagree with Ye, however, is in his total dismissal of reading books, which he likens to “eating Brussels sprouts.” Rap music is a lot of things, but it includes quite a bit of reverence for literature.
Books have a high place in hip-hop. As I’ve pointed out in the various book chapters that I’ve authored on different aspects of rap music — and in the classes that I teach — a wealth of lyrics that contain direct and indirect references to a rich array of literary works. These works span multiple millennia and originate from across the globe.
And long before the book-hating controversy, I once referred to Ye as potentially being hip-hop’s Jay Gatsby, a reference to the central character of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel The Great Gatsby, because of the striking parallels that I saw between their lives. The novel contains teachable comparisons to “Graduation” in its use of the flashing-lights metaphor for hope and desire for wealth and class.
While Kanye West professes a disdain for books, the same cannot be said of many of his predecessors and contemporaries.
For instance, in 1996, Tupac Shakur released his 1996 album The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory under the alias Makaveli — a variation of the name of author Niccolò Machiavelli. Machiavelli’s 16th-century works The Prince and Discourses on Livy could offer interesting insights into the album and the creative process that Tupac undertook during the final period of his life. For example, Machiavelli famously details his observations on obtaining and keeping political power in The Prince. Similarly, Tupac ends his album by talking about his own ascendancy of sorts, shouting out “soldiers with military minds” and detailing foretold rules of war.
What follows is a brief overview of other notable instances in which rap artists refer — either directly or indirectly — to influential literary works written by authors from around the world and throughout the ages.
BLACK STAR’S 1998 SINGLE ‘THIEVES IN THE NIGHT’ This song name-drops and quotes Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye. The hook of the song borrows and revises the quote from the novel:
“… for we were not strong, only aggressive; we were not free, merely licensed; we were not compassionate, we were polite; not good, but well behaved. We courted death in order to call ourselves brave, and hid like thieves from life.”
NONAME’S 2021 SINGLE ‘RAINFOREST’ This song directly names the 1961 book The Wretched of the Earth by psychiatrist and political philosopher Frantz Fanon. It is a lyrical allusion to the ongoing effects of colonialism.
KXNG Crooked and Joell Ortiz’s 2022 song “Heat Wave”
Crooked makes a passing reference in this song to Plato’s philosophical text Symposium, in which characters, including the philosopher Socrates, compete performing improvised speeches. Plato isn’t exactly writing about rap battles, but there are similarities.
KENDRICK LAMAR’S 2015 ALBUM TO PIMP A BUTTERFLY There are interesting parallels to Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man throughout the album. The insistent reference to “yams” on the song “King Kunta” evokes the scene from the 1952 novel in which the narrator encounters a vendor selling yams, which remind him of home, so he eats them until they make him sick.
THE ROOTS’ 2004 ALBUM THE TIPPING POINT This album borrows its name from a 2000 Malcolm Gladwell book. Gladwell describes a tipping point as “the moment of critical mass, the threshold, the boiling point.” The album cover features a photo of a young Malcolm X, presumably at a tipping point of sorts, before he becomes a world-famous Muslim minister and eventually co-authors the influential 1965 The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley.
COMMON’S 2000 ALBUM LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE This album takes its name from the 1989 novel by Mexican author Laura Esquivel. The book uses magical realism to convey the emotions of the main character, Tita, to the people who eat the food she makes while being a caretaker for her mother, which prevents her from fulfilling her true desires.
The album also features a song called “A Song for Assata” that features audio from an interview Common did with exiled Black freedom fighter Assata Shakur, author of the 1989 book Assata: An Autobiography.
DEAD PREZ’S 2000 ALBUM LET’S GET FREE This album features many literary illusions and influences. Notably, the lyrics of the song “We Want Freedom” begin with the words, “I Ching,” which is the name of an ancient Chinese text. The group’s logo comprises a symbol, hexagram 46, used in the text that represents the word “army.” Group member stic.man says the symbol is meant to represent “forward motion, progress and adapting in our lives.”
RAPSODY’S 2019 ALBUM EVE All the titles of the songs on this album are the names of noteworthy women. “Eve” is the first woman named in a major work of literature — the Bible — and several of the other women mentioned are authors, including “Oprah,” “Myrlie,” “Michelle” and “Maya.” The song named for Maya Angelou focuses on themes in Angelou’s work and also quotes from her writing.
Perhaps Kanye West’s recent remarks about reading will inspire some thoughtful conversation about how American society views reading and determines intelligence. If they do, the archives of hip-hop — whether in book form or music — offer an abundance of ways to take those conversations to greater depths.
A.D. Carson is an Assistant Professor of Hip-Hop at the University of Virginia.
THE SECURITIES and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued guidelines that will allow corporations to resolve intra-corporate disputes through arbitration without going to court.
“The commission on September 19 issued SEC Memorandum Circular No. 8, Series of 2022, which provides for the guidelines on arbitration of intra-corporate disputes for corporations,” SEC said in a press release on Thursday.
“The guidelines operationalize Section 181 of Republic Act No. 11232, or the Revised Corporation Code of the Philippines (RCC), which states that an arbitration agreement may be provided in the articles of incorporation or bylaws of a corporation,” SEC added.
Section 181 of the RCC provides that an arbitration agreement may be provided in the articles of incorporation or by-laws of a corporation.
The guidelines provide the minimum provisions of the arbitration agreement that a corporation may execute, the place of arbitration, the procedure for the appointment of arbitrators, the composition and powers of the arbitral tribunal, and disclosure requirements, among others.
The rules define arbitration as a voluntary dispute resolution process in which arbitrators, appointed or in accordance with the rules, resolve a dispute by rendering an award.
According to the guidelines, a domestic corporation may provide an arbitration agreement in its articles of incorporation or bylaws or in a separate agreement.
The agreement must state the number of arbitrators, the designated independent third party, the procedure for the appointment of the arbitrator or arbitrators, and the period within which they should be appointed.
The guidelines state that “disputes that involve criminal offenses and interests of third parties shall be excluded from arbitration.”
The SEC said that when an intra-corporate dispute is filed with a regional trial court despite the adoption of an arbitration agreement, “the court shall act in accordance with the rules of procedure that the Supreme Court may promulgate to implement Section 181 of the RCC.”
The place of arbitration is presumed to be in the Philippines unless stated otherwise or under a relevant law if it is outside the country.
“Prior to arbitration, parties must comply with alternative forms of dispute resolution, such as negotiation or mediation, as prescribed under the agreement,” it said.
The arbitration will proceed after a designated independent party has appointed arbitrators. However, the SEC may appoint should the parties fail to appoint the arbitrators as specified in the arbitration agreement.
The guidelines provide that the arbitrators must be accredited by the Office for Alternative Dispute Resolution under the Department of Justice or the SEC or by organizations accredited by any of the two.
“A person who has been approached for his or her possible appointment as an arbitrator shall disclose any circumstances likely to give rise to justifiable doubts as to his or her impartiality or independence to the case,” the SEC rules said.
However, arbitrators may be challenged should there be doubts about their impartiality or independence.
The arbitral tribunal has the power to rule on its own jurisdiction and arbitration agreement and has the power to grant the necessary interim measures “to ensure enforcement of the award, prevent a miscarriage of justice, or otherwise protect the rights of the parties.”
“Interim measures include preliminary injunction directed against a party to arbitration and preliminary attachment against property or garnishment of funds in the custody of a bank or third person, among others,” the SEC added.
Under Section 181 of the RCC, the final arbitral award is considered a commercial arbitration award and will be executed in accordance with the rules of procedure promulgated by the Supreme Court. — Justine Irish D. Tabile
LOS ANGELES — Grammy-winning rapper Coolio died on Wednesday after being found unresponsive at a friend’s Los Angeles home, the New York Times reported. He was 59.
Coolio, born Artis Leon Ivey, Jr., was best known for his 1995 single “Gangsta’s Paradise,” from an album of the same name.
That song, a massive hit featured in the film Dangerous Minds, won a Grammy Award for best rap solo performance the following year.
The rapper died at about 5 p.m. pacific time (8 p.m. EDT) at a local hospital, his manager Jarez Posey told the Times. Mr. Posey told the paper that Mr. Ivey had earlier been found unresponsive in the bathroom of a friend’s home.
There were no immediate reports on the cause of death. — Reuters
CEBU LANDMASTERS, Inc. (CLI) sold 85% of the first phase of its economic housing project in Puerto Princesa, Palawan in less than a week, the listed property developer said on Thursday.
“We are very pleased that our first venture in Luzon is a success. This shows that there is indeed a broader market for our bestselling housing brand Casa Mira beyond VisMin (Visayas-Mindanao),” CLI Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jose Soberano III said in a stock exchange disclosure.
He added that the company “is gaining traction beyond our regions of focus.”
The first two buildings of Casa Mira Towers Palawan have 480 units and were able to generate P1.2-billion reservation sales from the expected P3-billion sales of all of the development’s seven towers.
Economic housing projects are provided to moderately low-income families with lower interest rates and longer amortization periods.
The Palawan project has projected gross revenues of P6 billion with phase one set for completion in the last quarter of 2025.
According to the disclosure, the majority of Casa Mira’s buyers are overseas Filipino workers and professionals from nearby localities who want to invest in Palawan.
“This is a strong indicator of important factors that appeal to investors: the development’s value proposition of giving more and its location being close to tourism sites in Palawan,” the firm said.
The development is situated in a 2.09-hectare property offering 20-square meter (sq.m.) studio units and one-bedroom units with up to 32 sq.m. at contract prices ranging from P2.3 million to P5 million.
“It will be operated by CLI Property Management to ensure security and efficient services,” the firm said.
Casa Mira Towers Palawan will be the 15th community to carry the Casa Mira brand. To date, there are close to 18,000 Casa Mira units throughout cities in the Visayas and Mindanao.
“The very high sales take-up of Casa Mira Towers Palawan clearly shows that there’s a lot of opportunities in Palawan and we’re looking at how we can further serve the markets in the area,” Mr. Soberano said.
On Thursday, shares of CLI climbed by 9 centavos or 3.91% to P2.39 apiece. — Justine Irish D. Tabile
IN CELEBRATION of National Artist for Cinema Ishmael Bernal’s birth month, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Arthouse Cinema presents one of his masterpieces, a film that serves as a social commentary and a bold reflection on the realities of the struggles of the Filipino. Pagdating sa Dulo is about a bourgeois filmmaker who seeks out a stripper to act in his film, subsequently catalyzing her career as an actress. It shows how stardom, glamor, and wealth can contribute to the corruption of one’s soul. The film will be shown at the CCP Tanghalang Manuel Conde on Sept. 30, 2 p.m. The film screening is free to the public. Everyone is advised to wear a facemask upon entering the premises and bring a vaccination card/certificate (e-copies are allowed). Find out more about CCP’s protocols here:https://bit.ly/CCPNewNormalProtocol2022.
EastSide performs at Newport
MINDANAO’s EastSide Band will have a two-night concert at Newport World Resorts’ The Grand Bar and Lounge and Bar 360. The six-piece band take the stage of The Grand Bar and Lounge on Sept. 30 at 10:15 p.m. and at Bar 360 on Oct. 1, 11:15 p.m., for a minimum cover charge of P1,000 consumable on food and drinks. Since uploading their first cover video in 2018, the EastSide Band has steadily grown its online audience, earning them a performing stint at ABS-CBN’s ASAP Natin ‘To, and a back-to-back concert with the band Music Travel Love in Cagayan De Oro City.
CCP presents ballet Pulso Pilipinas II
THE CULTURAL Center of the Philippines (CCP) presents Pulso Pilipinas II: Alay Nina Alice at Agnes as the second part of the CCP Dance Series (LIVE!) 2022, happening on Sept. 30, 8 p.m. (Gala Night), Oct. 1, 3 and 8 p.m., and Oct. 2, 3 p.m., at the CCP Main Theater. The mixed program presents selected iconic works of two living National Artists for Dance — Alice Reyes and Agnes Locsin. This production will feature Ms. Locsin’s Igorot, Moriones, and Eliasat Salome, as well as Alice Reyes’ Carmina Burana. Participating artists are the Alice Reyes Dance Philippines, Guang Ming College Hiraya, and UE Silangan Dance Troupe, and Teatro Baile de Cavite. For tickets, contact ARDP ticketing officer Bonnie Guerrero on Viber at 0915-412-2152, or TicketWorld athttps://premier.ticketworld.com.ph/shows/show.aspx…, and the CCP Box Office at 8832-3704. For more information, visitwww.facebook.com/ARDancePH.
Concert focuses on music of Troy Laureta
AWARD-winning Filipino-American musical director and record producer, Troy Laureta, presents a multi-singer concert that features performers from the US and the Philippines. Loren Allred stars alongside Regine Velasquez in the concert, East Meets West: A Troy Laureta Experience, at the Newport Performing Arts Theater on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, 8 p.m. Also performing at the concert will be Matt Bloyd and Cheesa, Ogie Alcasid, Jona, Jed Madela, and Adah Leosala. Tickets are available atTicketWorld.
Italian film festival returns to cinemas
THE ITALIAN Film Festival in Manila returns to the cinema, with screenings daily until Oct. 2 at the Venice Cineplex Cinema, Venice Grand Canal Mall McKinley Hill in Taguig City. The film festival will feature seven films: 3/19 by Silvio Soldini, which deals with the theme of immigration; A Chiara by Jonas Carpignano; the eccentric comedy Il Silenzio Grande (The Great Silence) by Alessandro Gassmann; L’Arminuta (The Return), which has received awards in festivals all over the world; America Latina by the D’Innocenzo brothers, which is a disturbing portrait of the Italian countryside; and the comedies Una Notte Da Dottore by Guido Chiesa and Lasciarsi Un Giorno a Roma (Breaking Up In Rome) by Edoardo Leo. Two films will be screened each on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 (both in the late afternoon and evening). On the last day, Oct. 2, the two screenings will both be in the afternoon. A special screening will also be held on Sept. 30 at De La Salle University Manila. All screenings are free and open to public on a first-come, first-served basis.
Phil-Korean festival returns onsite
THE 31st Philippines-Korea Cultural Exchange Festival returns onsite on Sept. 30 at the Aliw Theater, CCP Complex, Pasay City. Presented by the United Korean Community Association (UKCA), the Korean Embassy, and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the festival returns to the stage after two years of online celebration. The audience can experience some of the best of Korean and Filipino culture and its collaborations through special performances and booths featuring Korean food, beauty, and different industries. The performers include the Korean group Jinmyung, a traditional Korean percussion quartet, Filipino musician Celso Espejo, P-Pop girl group KAIA and Filipino singer MONA. The 2021 Philippines-Korea Cultural Exchange Festival winner will also perform live on stage for the first time since winning the title. Nine finalists composed of Filipinos and Koreans will also showcase their talents on stage in vocal and dance performances. Gates will open at 1 p.m., performances will start at 6 p.m.
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