CTP to develop residential community in Laguna

July 19, 2022 | 12:03 am

CHAN TOEI Properties, Inc. (CTP) recently started work on its first subdivision project in Cabuyao City, Laguna.

The partnership between Prime Eastern Spring Holdings, Inc. (PESH) and Toei Housing Corporation of Japan held a groundbreaking ceremony for Hana Garden Villas on May 24.

The project is located at Nuvali Boulevard corner Canlubang Golf Road in Cabuyao City.

“We are proud and happy to have entered into a partnership with a prestigious and highly successful Japanese company, none other than TOEI. Toei Housing Corporation and its mother company, IIDA Group Holdings Co., Ltd., are leaders in Japan for ready-built homes,” CTP Chairman Jose Mari Chan said in a statement.

CTP is primarily owned by the Chan family-led PESH with investments from Toei Housing.

“Toei came to the Philippines and decided to establish Chan Toei Properties because we saw that the Chan family shares the same vision. We will do our best to provide ‘houses that make people happy’ and a ‘lively lifestyle’ to many Filipino families,” CTP Director Takamasa Sashida said.

Hana Garden Villas will feature well-designed homes infused with Japanese technology and engineering principles. Buyers can choose from homes with three and four bedrooms.

The soon-to-be-built exclusive community will feature connecting parks, activity areas, a playground, an infinity pool, a designer clubhouse and underground utilities.

“It is indeed the combined vision of the Chan family and Toei to marry Japanese construction and engineering principles with work by some of our best and most experienced local designers, to create communities that showcase the best of both worlds,” Mr. Chan said.

CTP tapped Joel Luna Planning and Design (JLPD) for master planning, Leandro V. Locsin Partners (LVLP) for home concept designs, Jorge Yulo Architects and Associates (JYAA) for amenities design, CLARQ Design Studio for landscaping, and Rannie Ison of R.S. Ison and Associates (RSIA) for site engineering. Mikael Yap of FOYA Architects is the architect on record for the homes.

ERC clears First Gen unit’s power supply deal with Meralco

July 19, 2022 | 12:03 am

THE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has given final approval to the power supply agreement between First NatGas Power Corp. and Manila Electric Co. (Meralco).

Lopez-led First Gen Corp. said in a press release on Monday that the decision is for the joint application for final authority to supply Meralco’s energy requirement, which was filed in March 2018.

The company said that along with the approval, the ERC also affirmed the applicable rates under the provisional authority granted in its June 2018 order, subject to modifications and conditions.

In the application filed by both parties, it was said that the power supply agreement aims to ensure continuous and reliable electricity for Meralco’s customers.

The target commercial sale date was on Jan. 26, 2018 and the target end of the contract is on Feb. 23, 2024 as may be extended.

The offered price was P3.7742 per kilowatt-hour with a two-part tariff structure consisting of fixed and variable costs.

The contract has an approximately 414-megawatt (MW) capacity, with natural gas as the power generation source.

As stated in the application, if the ERC final approval “is issued but not in a form and substance satisfactory to the seller,” any time within 12 months from the date the ERC application is filed, the seller may immediately terminate the agreement.

The application also stated that the seller must give a commercial sale date notice within 10 business days after the receipt of ERC’s final approval.

First Gen said that its subsidiary First NatGas is evaluating the ERC decision.

First NatGas is the owner of the 414-MW San Gabriel combined-cycle natural gas-fired power plant in Santa Rita, Batangas.

First Gen is a subsidiary of First Philippine Holdings Corp. and is the Lopez group‘s power generation arm. It primarily uses clean and indigenous fuels such as natural gas, geothermal energy from steam, hydroelectric, wind, and solar power.

The company earlier said that it has 3,495 MW of installed capacity in its portfolio, which accounts for 19% of the country’s gross generation.

Its shares ended higher on Monday by 4.45% or 70 centavos to P16.42 apiece. — Justine Irish DP. Tabile

Thor: Love and Thunder rules again as Where the Crawdads Sing beats expectations

July 19, 2022 | 12:03 am

Chris Hemsworth in Thor- Love and Thunder (2022) — Chris Hemsworth in Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

LOS ANGELES — Marvel’s Thor: Love and Thunder managed to fend off three new nationwide releases to remain the No. 1 movie in North America.

Though ticket sales for Thor cratered in its second weekend, falling by 68% to $46 million from 4,375 theaters, the latest installment in Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe easily towered over a trio of newcomers: Sony’s literary adaptation Where the Crawdads Sing, Paramount’s animated Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank, and the Focus Features period drama Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris. After 10 days on the big screen, Love and Thunder has generated a sizable $232 million at the domestic box office.

For Thor, the fourth superhero adventure to spotlight Chris Hemsworth as the Asgardian god with abs that won’t quit, a concerning 68% decline is signaling the movie is not breaking out beyond the comic book empire’s (still very robust) fanbase. Though Love and Thunder will certainly end its box office run with a tidy sum, it’s not ideal for a film of Thor’s size and scope to lose the majority of its audience after opening weekend. It’s one of the biggest second-weekend drops in MCU history next to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which tumbled 67% in its sophomore outing. (Disney’s Strange sequel film went on to earn a mighty $411 million domestically). By comparison, recent Marvel entries like Eternals dipped 61% and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings fell 52%.

Among newcomers, Where the Crawdads Sing easily scored the best start. The page-to-screen adaptation debuted in third place with a better-than-expected $17 million from 3,650 cinemas. That’s an impressive start for this kind of movie, especially at a time when television has become a haven for literary favorites. And Sony spent just $24 million to produce the film so it won’t be impossible to turn a profit.

“In past years, dramas of all kinds were a workhorse genre,” says David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research. “But attendance patterns have changed and most of these stories are now produced for the small screen. That makes this opening particularly good.”

Critics and audiences had vastly different reactions to Where the Crawdads Sing, which holds a bleak 36% on Rotten Tomatoes but a solid A- CinemaScore from moviegoers. With positive word-of-mouth, however, the movie has the potential to stand out to people who aren’t familiar with the best-selling book by Delia Owens. Olivia Newman directed the movie, which centers on a young girl named Kya (starring Daisy Edgar-Jones from Normal People and Fresh), who grows up alone in a North Carolina marsh and later is engulfed in the murder trial of a former love interest. Reese Witherspoon produced the movie, which features a new song from Taylor Swift called “Carolina.”

Paws of Fury, on the other hand, failed to match expectations. The family friendly movie, which took inspiration from the 1974 Mel Brooks film Blazing Saddles, landing at No. 6 with a dismal $6.25 million from 3,475 North American locations. It’s the rare blemish for Paramount, who has otherwise enjoyed a stellar box office run with The Lost City, Scream, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and, of course, Top Gun: Maverick. Luckily, Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Animation do not have too much on the line as they acquired the PG Paws of Fury for $10 million.

Though ticket buyers seemed to like Paws of Fury, which scored an A- CinemaScore, the film struggled to hold its own against Universal and Illumination’s Minions: The Rise of Gru, which landed in second place on box office charts with $26 million from 4,114 theaters. After three weeks of release, the Minions sequel has remained the de facto choice for family audiences and has grossed $262 million to date. The movie has generated another $270 million at the international box office, taking its global tally to $532.7 million.

The weekend’s final newcomer Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris opened in ninth place, generating $1.9 million from 980 theaters. The charming and well-reviewed period drama is aiming to serve as counter-programming against this summer’s biggest blockbusters. As expected, opening weekend ticket buyers were comprised mostly of adult women, with 81% of audiences above 30 years old and 71% female. eOne financed Mrs. Harris, which stars Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread) as a widowed cleaning lady who travels far and wide in search of the perfect Dior dress.

Elsewhere on domestic box office charts, Top Gun: Maverick took fourth place, scoring $12 million from 3,292 screens. In its eighth weekend of release, ticket sales fell a scant 23% decline. With $617 million in the bank and no signs of slowing down, Top Gun: Maverick will soon pass Star Wars: The Last Jedi ($620 million) and The Avengers ($623 million) to rank among the top 10 highest-grossing films in domestic box office history. The longevity of Maverick’s box office run cannot be understated. Since opening in theaters over Memorial Day weekend, the film has remained in the top five on weekend charts and hasn’t dropped more than 40% on a weekly basis.

Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis rounded out the top five with $7.6 million from 3,305 venues. The Warner Bros. movie, which follows Elvis Presley’s rise to become the king of rock and roll, has grossed $106 million to date, an impressive tally for a musical biopic. Elvis cost $85 million to produce, so it’s not out of the red yet. — Reuters

National Chess Federation to hold Age Group Championships

July 19, 2022 | 12:03 am

IN SEARCH of future national team mainstays and Grandmasters (GM), the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) is holding the National Age Group Championships presented by Malolos Mayor Christian “Agila” Natividad slated to open on Tuesday at the Robinsons Place Malolos.

Reigning national junior ladies champion Mhagie Gerriahlou Sebastian will be the player to beat in the premier girls Under 18 (U18) section while the other marquee participants are Ruelle Canino in the U14 and Antonella Berthe Racasa in the U16.

The six-day event will consist of the top 12 finishers in the online national elimination and semifinal rounds from different regions in the country in the boys and girls U12, U14, U16 and U18 categories.

The top three in each division will represent the country in the international meets including the ASEAN Youth Championships tentatively scheduled in Bangkok, Thailand this year.

“We’re hoping to produce future masters and national team players in this batch,” said NCFP chief executive officer GM Jayson Gonzales.

Other notable players seeing action in the event backed by the Philippine Sports Commission, Malolos City, Philippine Olympic Committee and NCFP president/chairman Butch Pichay are Lexie Grace Hernandez, Jerome Angelo Aragones, Rinoa Mariel Sadey, and Kaye Lalaine Regidor, among others. — Joey Villar

Globe, property firms push for wider adoption of built-in broadband in developments

July 19, 2022 | 12:02 am

Makati-skyline-yearender-011819 — PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

GLOBE Telecom, Inc. and several property firms are pushing for wider adoption of built-in broadband connections in developments.

“Connectivity is a basic requirement of buyers that can be a differentiator for the property business. What we envision is when a customer steps into a property, he is ready to connect just like electricity and water are readily available. And it’s great we’ve gotten this far in terms of our partnerships, because, like Globe, they are also customer-centric. We are no longer just talking to a blank wall,” Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu said at the company’s Globe’s RISE to the Next Level event on July 11.

Globe has been pursuing innovative ways to provide connectivity as part of its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Executives from ASEANA Holdings, Inc., Cebu Landmasters, Inc., Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC), and the Victor Consunji Development Corp. agreed that built-in connectivity makes good business sense.

“It’s not too late with property. It’s all about finding a base solution. I’ve never heard a ‘no’ from Globe. When I call and say we have a problem with a certain property, they’d say ‘okay we have something to address that,’” said John Richard Sotelo, RLC senior vice-president.

Delfin Angelo Wenceslao, CEO of DM Wenceslao Group which is developing Aseana City, said the company has worked with Globe to ensure space for telco property is allocated at the planning stage.

“Digital infrastructure should no longer be optional, it’s a necessity. Everything that helps us to achieve this, we are open to more collaboration in the future,” Mr. Wenceslao said.

Isabela Rep. Faustino A. Dy V said he will refile a bill that would require property firms to allot space in their developments for telco and other information and communication technology infrastructure.

“We will be refiling this in the 19^th Congress. I want to stress that telco service is actually a utility and therefore a necessity similar to how power and water should be treated,” Mr. Dy V said at the same event.

URC aims to cut water, energy use in sustainability goals

July 19, 2022 | 12:02 am

UNIVERSAL Robina Corp. (URC) said that it is looking at reducing its energy and water usage and is promoting responsible sourcing of key ingredients for its products.

In a press release on Monday, URC said that it plans to reduce the amount of energy and water it uses in manufacturing its products by 30% against its 2020 baseline and that it is now looking for ways to responsibly source ingredients like palm oil, potatoes, and coffee beans.

The company said that it is aiming to achieve plastic neutrality through plastic waste collection, recovery, diversion initiatives, and collaborative projects that include community engagement and linking with local recyclers.

“Through efficient management of resources, and a consistent commitment to always give back, we aim to make lasting concrete changes on an institutional level, in a way that affects all operations, and demonstrates our resolve as a world-class manufacturer,” said URC President and Chief Executive Officer Irwin C. Lee.

To further achieve its aimed sustainability, URC has recently been named as regional co-chair for the Alliance to End the Plastics Waste which is a nonprofit organization that promotes solutions that reduce and avoid environmental pollution from plastic waste.

It is also an investor and strategic partner of Planet First, a purpose-led European growth investment platform dedicated to developing solutions to address sustainability challenges.

Mr. Lee said that 2021 presented a rehash of 2020’s challenges with various crises that left the global economy and the world climate feeble.

“The difference now, aside from an increased sense of urgency, is a greater amount of experience with which URC can face the odds — and we are now setting our sights on greater ambitions towards more sustainable futures,” Mr. Lee added.

URC said that it is now pivoting to make renewable energy take up a bigger share in its power use by installing solar panels at several of its facilities in the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.

It is said to use manure, agricultural and food waste, and other organic materials as a renewable energy source.

The company also launched projects as part of its community support specifically in the areas of livelihood, sustainable farming, food availability, and security.

These projects include its agro-industrial group’s Kabalikat Village Hub, flour division’s Flourish Pilipinas, sugar and renewables division’s Project SALIG, and its sustainable potato program.

“In the coming years, we will continue to build upon our heritage of sustainable success through the programs and targets laid out in this sustainability report: from reducing our environmental impact all the way to achieving 100% quality and food safety certifications for our products,” Mr. Lee said.

At the stock market on Monday, shares in URC ended higher by 1.23% or P1.40 to finish at P114.80 apiece. — Justine Irish DP. Tabile

Gov’t partially awards Treasury bill offer

July 19, 2022 | 12:02 am

THE GOVERNMENT partially awarded its offer of Treasury bills (T-bills) at higher rates following the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) surprise 75-basis-point (bp) hike last week.

The Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) raised P12.9 billion from its auction of T-bills on Monday, lower than the P15-billion program, even with bids reaching P33.52 billion or more than twice the planned amount.

Broken down, the Treasury made a full P5-billion award of 91-day securities as the tenor attracted P16.62 billion in bids. The average rate of the tenor went up by 44.7 bps to 2.323% from the 1.876% fetched at the previous auction. Accepted rates ranged from 1.850% to 2.750%.

The government also raised P5 billion as planned from the 364-day debt papers, with bids reaching P8.02 billion. The average rate of the one-year tenor climbed by 27.7 bps to 3.258% from the 2.981% seen at last week’s auction, with the yields on the awarded bids within the 3% to 3.423% band.

Meanwhile, the BTr borrowed just P2.9 billion from the 182-day debt papers out of the P5-billion program, even with total tenders reaching P8.89 billion. The tenor’s average rate went up by 17.6 bps to 3.083% from the 2.907% fetched for a full award last week, with the government accepting offers ranging from 2.99% to 3.148%.

At the secondary market prior to Monday’s auction, the 91-, 182- and 364-day T-bills were quoted at 1.9413%, 2.6167%, and 2.8709%, respectively, based on the PHP Bloomberg Valuation Reference Rates published on the Philippine Dealing System’s website.

“As expected, markets asked for higher rates following the 75 bps off-cycle hike by BSP,” National Treasurer Rosalia V. de Leon told reporters in a Viber message.

“Another 50 bps is also now being put on the table as the Fed (US Federal Reserve) turns more aggressive, with a possible full percentage point [rate hike] to be delivered during the next FOMC (Federal Open Market Committee) [meeting],” Ms. De Leon added.

Asked why the Treasury made a partial award of the six-month paper, the official said a full award would have caused the tenor’s average rate to rise to 3.32%, which would already be higher than that for the one-year T-bill.

Traders likewise said the BSP’s surprise move last week caused T-bill rates to rise on Monday.

The first trader said the auction result was “quite expected given the adjustment in policy rates.”

“We may continue to see short-term rates adjust higher,” the first trader added.

“T-bill result [was] as expected with BSP raising policy by 75 bps last Thursday. This uptick of about 50 bps in the 91-day and 27 bps in the one-year paper is in line with what we expected. Although the range of high and low is wide, we should see this narrow in the next couple of weeks,” the second trader said.

The BSP unexpectedly raised its benchmark interest rates by an all-time high 75 bps on Thursday and left the door open for further tightening amid growing risks to inflation, which already reached a near four-year high in June.

BSP Governor Felipe M. Medalla said the “significant” hike was due to signs of “sustained and broadening price pressures” as well as spillover effects from aggressive tightening in other countries, such as the United States, amid global inflation concerns.

On Friday, Mr. Medalla said he would not rule out another interest rate increase in the Monetary Board’s August review, although the need for a 50-bp hike at that meeting is “much less now” following their off-cycle move on Thursday.

Headline inflation was at a near four-year high of 6.1% in June, exceeding the central bank’s 2-4% target for a third straight month. This brought the first-half average to 4.4%, still below the BSP’s full-year forecast of 5%.

Meanwhile, US consumer prices jumped by 9.1% annually in June, the fastest in more than 40 years, data released last week showed. This fueled bets of an even bigger hike by the Fed at its July 27-28 review following the 75-bp increase made in June.

On Tuesday, the BTr will auction off P35 billion in 10-year Treasury bonds (T-bonds) with a remaining life of nine years and 11 months.

The Treasury is looking to raise P200 billion from the domestic market in July, or P60 billion through T-bills and P140 billion via T-bonds.

The government borrows from local and external sources to help fund a budget deficit capped at P1.65 trillion this year, equivalent to 7.6% of gross domestic product. — Diego Gabriel C. Robles

Actress Julianne Moore to head Venice Film Festival jury

July 19, 2022 | 12:02 am

LONDON — Oscar winning actress Julianne Moore will head the main competition jury at this year’s Venice Film Festival, organizers said on Friday.

Ms. Moore will be joined in deciding this year’s winners by French director Audrey Diwan, who scooped the festival’s Golden Lion award last year for her film Happening, Iranian actress Leila Hatami, Italian director Leonardo Di Costanzo, and Nobel Prize winning author Kazuo Ishiguro.

Argentine director and screenwriter Mariano Cohn and Spanish filmmaker Rodrigo Sorogoyen will complete the international jury, which assigns the festival’s main competition awards, including the Golden Lion.

The 79^th edition of the festival, held on the lagoon city’s Lido island, will run from Aug. 31 to Sept. 10. — Reuters

Cone NBA gig as assistant to Allen in Summer League

July 19, 2022 | 12:02 am

Cone-(2) — GIN Kings head coach Tim Cone — PBA MEDIA

It’s tremendous, indescribable how great it was. I don’t have words for it.

DECORATED mentor Tim Cone could not be grateful enough for his National Basketball Association (NBA) Summer League stint for the Miami Heat with hopes of instilling the valuable learnings to his Barangay Ginebra club in the PBA — sooner or later.

Triumphant in his homecoming after missing time for the Gin Kings, the PBA’s winningest coach said the NBA gig as assistant for the Heat was a fascinating chapter in his decorated career that would only make him an even better mentor down the road.

“It’s an incredible experience being around with a staff like that daily to watch their progress and process. Watching the progression of games, it’s really fascinating to be part of it,” said Mr. Cone after his PBA return marked by Ginebra’s 100-93 win over NorthPort.

Mr. Cone, holder of 24 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) titles, served as a deputy for Malik Allen in Miami’s Summer League team and thus missed four games for the Gin Kings in the ongoing Philippine Cup.

But while the whole different landscape of NBA game added vital pieces to Mr. Cone’s arsenal, it was the daily chat with officials and coaches led by Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra that stood out the most for him.

For Mr. Cone, it’s where he got to soak more in invaluable wisdom.

“It’s really fascinating. We have a whole crew walking so I walk with ‘Spo’ and his assistants. You got a lot of interaction and you learn a lot. Those are the special ones. It made the trip special,” he added on good friend and also Filipino-American Mr. Spoelstra.

Now, the challenge for the master guru is exactly when to apply those lessons to the Gin Kings, who are already gearing up for the playoffs with a proven and tested system under his watch with six titles and counting.

“I’ve been wrestling with this because how much (new things) do I bring to the team and how fast do I bring it in? If I bring it right away, it will disrupt us going to the playoffs. So, do I wait until afterwards? These are things I’m wrestling with now,” he noted.

Whenever that is, the 64-year-old Mr. Cone promised to give the novel NBA methods he just acquired a shot in a bid to continue improving his already established winning gene.

“I have been exposed to so many new things and I certainly like to try some of that out. It’s tremendous. It’s indescribable how great it was. I don’t have words for it,” beamed Mr. Cone. — John Bryan Ulanday

Amazon pauses work on six new US office buildings to weigh hybrid work needs

July 19, 2022 | 12:01 am

AMAZON.COM, Inc. is pausing the construction of six new office buildings in Bellevue and Nashville to reevaluate the designs to suit hybrid work, the tech giant said on Friday.

The pause and delay of construction will not affect Amazon’s hiring plans, a company spokesperson said, reiterating the firm’s proposal to create 25,000 jobs in Bellevue and another 5,000 in Nashville.

“The pandemic has significantly changed the way people work… Our offices are long-term investments and we want to make sure that we design them in a way that meets our employees’ needs in the future,” said John Schoettler, vice-president of Global Real Estate and Facilities at Amazon.

Separately, Bloomberg News reported on Friday that Facebook parent Meta Platforms META.O and Amazon have pulled back on their office expansion plans in New York City.

Meta has decided not to take an additional 300,000 square feet of space at 770 Broadway, a building near Astor Place where it is already located and Amazon has cut down the amount of space it intended to lease from JPMorgan Chase & Co. JPM.N at Hudson Yards, the report said.

“There are often a number of reasons why we wouldn’t proceed with a particular deal, including office utilization. The past few years have brought new possibilities around the ways we connect and work,” a Meta spokesperson told Reuters without confirming or denying the report.

“We remain firmly committed to New York and look forward to opening the Farley in the coming months,” the spokesperson added.

Amazon declined to comment on the report. — Reuters

Ford Philippines boosts digital presence with online reservation portal

July 19, 2022 | 12:01 am

CAR manufacturer Ford Philippines has launched an online reservation portal for its new vehicles in a bid to boost its digital presence.

The company said that its online reservation platform, which is on the Ford Philippines website, allows customers to reserve specific variants of next-generation Ford vehicles without having to visit a dealership.

“Within the online reservation platform, customers can first configure their next-generation Ford vehicle by choosing their preferred model, transmission and drivetrain, and exterior color. Once the vehicle selection process has been completed, customers will be directed to the summary page, where they can review their selection details,” Ford Philippines said in a statement on Monday.

“After this process, customers will need to create a Ford account to progress with their online reservation and receive updates. Keeping a Ford account will also help the customer track the status of the reserved vehicle,” it added.

In terms of payment, Ford Philippines said that the platform has a payment page where customers can select their preferred dealership. They can choose to either request a quote from the dealer or reserve the vehicle. A fully refundable reservation fee worth P10,000 will be charged from the customer’s PayPal, credit card, or debit card account.

Customers who finished the online reservation process will receive regular updates via mobile phone message or e-mail. The progress of the reservation can be checked via their Ford account. After this, the Ford dealer will reach out to the customer to discuss the next steps such as documentation, available payment options, and delivery date.

“Our customers have become more digital-savvy over the past years, so we want to take their car-buying experience to the next level by leveraging an online platform that they can easily access to reserve their Ford vehicles,” Ford Philippines Managing Director Michael Breen said.

“The availability of our online reservation portal is another testament to how we are enhancing the Ford ownership experience by making it easier and more convenient for our customers to purchase our vehicles,” he added.

Meanwhile, Ford Philippines announced the full lineup and pricing for the next-generation Ranger pickup truck and Everest sport utility vehicle.

“The next-generation Ford Ranger will be available in eight variants at a starting retail price of P1,198,000, while the next-generation Ford Everest starts at a retail price of P1,799,000 and in a full lineup with five variants to choose from,” Ford Philippines said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Philippines’ freedom of expression remains ‘highly restricted’

July 19, 2022 | 12:01 am

The Philippines steadied at 105th out of 161 countries in the latest edition of the Global Expression Report (GxR), which analyzed data and events in 2021. Produced by international human rights group ARTICLE 19, the index assesses how free every person is to express, communicate, and participate in a society. This includes the freedom to post online, take to the streets, investigate, and access the information needed to keep leaders accountable. It also measures whether people can do this without fear of harassment, legal repercussions, or violence. The report uses the GxR metric, which scales a country’s overall score between 0 (not free) and 100 (freest). The Philippines got an overall GxR score of 37, which meant its citizens’ freedom of expression was “highly restricted.” It was unchanged from the previous edition of the report. It was below the global and Asia-Paciﬁc region’s overall GxR scores of 50 and 42, respectively.