Facebook Instagram Linkedin Twitter Youtube
Home Blog Page 5039

Globe Telecom’s KodeGo teams up with UXPH for UX design course

UX INDONESIA-UNSPLASH

EDUTECH company KodeGo has partnered with User Experience Philippines (UXPH) design community for a UX design curriculum for its short-term online tech boot camps.

Through the partnership, KodeGo, which is owned by Globe Telecom, Inc.’s corporate venture builder 917Ventures, aims to help students learn the fundamentals of user experience (UX) design, it said in a statement on Tuesday. The course is open to undergraduates, college graduates, and career shifters and has zero upfront fees.

“KodeGo’s core mission has always been to make Filipino lives better by democratizing education and providing rewarding employment opportunities. We believe that our partnership with UXPH brings us one step closer to our goal of making quality education more accessible to Filipinos,” said Famida A. Alonto, venture builder at 917Ventures.

“As the largest non-profit community for UX professionals, students and enthusiasts, UXPH wants to make this vision a reality with the right partner, and that’ KodeGo. We have developed a curriculum combining experiences and insights from corporate and startup industries and academia. We believe that this curriculum will help nurture the next generation of design-driven professionals who will all work together for a better country,” said Jordan Aiko Deja, director at UXPH.

KodeGo’s UX design course teaches students the basics of user experience and the human-centered design process and core modules, which include topics like visual design, prototyping, and evaluation.

The first UX design boot camp started on July 29 and is set to be completed by next month.

KodeGo offers full-time or part-time online IT courses with a study-now-pay-later setup and provides career assistance and support for its students by connecting them with over 150 company partners in various industries.

Besides UX design, it also has courses on Full Stack Web Development and Mobile App Development. 

Meanwhile, UXPH has over 4,000 members and holds events, conferences, and programs on collaborative technology and design-driven initiatives, serving as a hub for sharing information and resources.

“UXPH and KodeGo share the vision of making UX education as accessible as possible towards a design-mature society. We look forward to seeing more competent professionals who have been trained with the right mindset and equipped with the needed skills to build the next generation of experiences and digital products,” UXPH Founder Elymar Apao said.

“At KodeGo, we strive to make an impact in the tech and education sectors and redefine the ways Filipinos can achieve professional success. With our collaboration with UXPH, we can amplify our capacity to uplift lives with in-demand education and produce a new breed of tech and design-empowered Filipinos,” KodeGo Entrepreneur-in-Residence Cristina Gervasio added. — BVR

Discovering white varietal wines from Spain

THE VERDEJO varietal grape dominates this refreshing Rueda wine. — PHOTO BY SHERWIN A. LAO

FILIPINOS, like most Asians, gravitate towards red over white wines, but white wines are more weather-appropriate to our warm country. Especially now with global warming, the alcohol content in wines tends to be higher, and red wines, by virtue of a longer harvesting period, are easily 1-2% higher in alcohol content than their white counterparts. There are just a few staple white varietals we usually encounter: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Grigio, and the fast-growing sweet Moscato wine.

When it comes to white varietal wines, I feel Spain has a much better quality-depth chart than even France or Italy. France has the undisputed “champion-of-champions” white varietal in Chardonnay that makes the best Burgundy and Champagne (blanc de blanc), aside from Sauvignon Blanc (Loire and Bordeaux), Viognier (Rhone/especially in Condrieu) and Chenin Blanc (Loire/especially in Vouvray). Italy, on the other hand, has the immensely popular Pinot Grigio (from several regions including Lombardy, Veneto, Friuli, Trentino, and Alto Adige), Garganega (Soave), Cortese (Gavi), Ribolla Gialla (Friuli), Glera (Prosecco) and, the current Philippine favorite, Moscato (Piedmont/especially in Asti).

However, Spain has three white varietals that I feel can match up with the best white varietals in the world. And I am not even referring to varietals like Viura (a.k.a. Macabeo), Xarel-lo, and Parellada — the three mainstays of Cava.

ALBARIŇO
This varietal is grown in Galicia, northwestern Spain, and is used as a solo varietal in the Rias Baixas D.O. (Denominacion de Origen). It is also available in other Galician D.O.s like Valdeorras and Ribeiro. Albariňo is also one of the grape varietals used in the equally popular Vinho Verde wines of Portugal, where it is locally known as Alvarinho. Rias Baixas D.O. has been one of the best performing export wines for Spain in recent years, mainly because of the reputation of the Albariňo grapes.

As a varietal, Albariňo has a darker yellow hue to greenish yellow color. The aroma is extremely fragrant, literally screaming out of the glass upon pouring. The nose is reminiscent of peaches, apricots, and over-ripened apples, with some herbal elements. On the taste, the wine has a signature “creamy” texture, and a noticeable acid backbone. An excellent wine for a gindara, dory or more subtle flavored fishes. There are a few Rias Baixas wines in town, but it will not be cheap. Prices start at around P1,200/bottle retail — but trust me here, it is worth much more than this value.

VERDEJO
This varietal is grown in Rueda, Castile-Leŏn, and is majority of what goes into a Rueda D.O. wine. Verdejo got major recognition when the famed Rioja Bodega Marques de Riscal made a successful fresher and more aromatic-style Rueda in 1972 from 100% of this varietal. This was in collaboration with one of the world’s best-known oenologist, Frenchman Emile Peynaud. And soon after that, a slew of Rueda bodegas started adapting to this style. By 1980, Rueda was recognized as an official Denominacion de Origen or D.O. mainly because of the Verdejo grape.

As a varietal, Verdejo has a translucent greenish straw color. The varietal has strong fresh fruit aromas, ranging from lychees, longans, and grapefruits, to red apples. The nose also has pronounced fennel and leafy tones. On the palate, the wine is minerally, fresh, light, and crisp on the finish. This wine is perfect as an aperitif, and I would take it with soft cheeses like a Brie or a Camembert. There are more Rueda wines out in our market, and price is extremely affordable, at around P600/bottle retail. One of the best choices would be the Telmo Rodriguez Basa.

GODELLO
Godello is another varietal grown in the Galician region of Spain, particularly in Valdeorras D.O. and Monterrei D.O. It is also found in Bierzo D.O. Godello is also known as Verdello (though NOT the same as the Verdello grape in Italy) in the Monterrei D.O. region. Godello was one of reasons why Spanish wines from Galicia are known all over the world as some of the best white wines ever made. Together with Albariňo, Godello wines, mainly the Valdeorras D.O., are very successful in export.

It was only in 1974 that Godello was rescued from extinction. Prior to 1974, most of the vines in Valdeorras were planted to Palomino grapes, the same varietal used for sherries in Jerez. While Palomino would do excellent in Jerez, it was not very respectable when it was produced in Valdeorras. The restructuring of the vineyards, and emphasis on Godello had paid off for the region as Valdeorras D.O. wines are now recognized by the wine world.

As a varietal, Godello has a yellow straw color. The varietal has subtle fruit, floral, and nutty aromas, ranging from nectarines and white flowers to almonds. The nose is quite complex with many different elements. The varietal takes a different style altogether when oaked aged, where it becomes bolder, but necessarily better. On the palate, the wine has a bitter-sweet taste, with some nice minerally notes. This wine is a good pair to shellfish and scallops. It also could be good with lightly dressed salads. There are not many D.O Valdeorras in the market, but a safe place to find one would be at any Terry’s Selection. Price starts at around P900/bottle retail.

These are three “must try” whites. While Spain has sadly produced countless uninteresting white wines made from the very inconsistent Macabeo (or Viura) to the “character-lacking” Airen, the Albariňo, Verdejo, and Godello grapes are all real blue-chip varietals. It will be just a matter of time before wine lovers, especially those from Asia, take notice of these wines. Soon we all can have a good alternative to a Chardonnay, and it is not a Moscato.

The author is the only Filipino member of the UK-based Circle of Wine Writers (CWW). For comments, inquiries, wine event coverage, wine consultancy, and other wine related concerns, e-mail the author at wineprotege@gmail.com, or check his wine training website https://thewinetrainingcamp.wordpress.com/services/.

TV5 not keen on reviving terminated ABS-CBN deal

GLENN CARSTENS PETERS-UNSPLASH

THE PLDT group on Wednesday said it is no longer keen on reviving its terminated partnership deal with ABS-CBN Corp.

The current discussion between ABS-CBN Corp. and TV5 Network, Inc. is focused on content, PLDT Inc. Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan told reporters on the sidelines of the PLDT Digicon 2022 Media Launch in Makati City.

“I think we have mutually terminated discussions with respect to investments, either investments in Sky (Sky Cable Corp.) and investments in ABS-CBN,” he said when asked if the group was still keen on a possible partnership.

“Before that particular transaction, which has already been terminated, we have already been in discussions with ABS-CBN about content being shown on TV5,” he noted. “That discussion continues to this day about content, but limited to entertainment alone.”

He said there are no investments involved in the discussion.

TV5 and ABS-CBN signed an agreement on Aug. 31 scrapping the partnership deal they signed on Aug. 10.

The termination of the partnership deal came after some lawmakers raised questions over its legality.

Under the deal, ABS-CBN was supposed to acquire 34.99% of TV5 for P2.16 billion. The former expected that its investment in TV5 would “open significant opportunities for revenue enhancement, cost efficiencies, and various synergies.”

Mr. Pangilinan also said on Wednesday that the group was looking to invest in a local startup that is involved in e-commerce.

For his part, PLDT and Smart Communications, Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer Alfredo S. Panlilio said the group wants bigger participation in the cloud sector.

“It’s critical to build a talent pool of experts so that we can help enterprises in their own digital transformation journeys,” he noted.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Arjay L. Balinbin

A good bottle of wine is an empty one

INSTAGRAM.COM/WINEDROP.LIFE

SHOPPING for wine (and throwing a dinner party) just got a little bit easier, thanks to Winedrop.

Winedrop is the retail concept of AWC Philippines, a wine importing company well-known in the hotel circuit. Due to the pause in the industry during the pandemic, they opened a retail arm, Winedrop, with two branches: in Greenhills and Makati.

Jean Philippe Guillot, Managing Director of AWC Philippines, makes clear that it is neither a bar, nor a restaurant, insisting on calling it a “wine shop ++.” The Greenhills branch opened in 2021, while the Chino Roces Ext. branch opened earlier this year.

We met with Mr. Guillot during the opening of the 2022 Wine Fair by the Marketplace at the Shangri-La Plaza on Oct. 12, which showcased wines to be had at discounted prices, and a chance to win a trip for two to the Chateau Beauregard Winery in Bordeaux, France. The Wine Fair ended on Oct. 16.

When we said that dinner parties have become easier with Winedrop, it’s because they showcase cold cuts and pizza at the store to be paired with the wines, but also selections from chef Cyrille Soenen’s CiҪou; or else from currently the country’s best chef, Chele Gonzalez (at least according to the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant’s list, which ranked his Gallery by Chele No. 69 out of 100). These, Mr. Guillot said, could be plated for you while you pick up a matching wine.

The wines are also grouped more easily: instead of classifying them by country or price, they are grouped according to their taste and weight: whether one would like it light and fruity, mellow, or intense. “We don’t ask you: ‘white or red?’ You want it light, medium-bodied, or heavy?”

The store showcases 650 brands from all over the world. “We didn’t classify the wine by country, because when they start to drink wine, they don’t know what New Zealand tastes like, or what France tastes like.”

He added, “All of our wines are from family-owned wineries. We buy directly from them.” The wines at the store cost between P600 to P100,000.

Another thing that makes it special is the way the wine has been brought here: through temperature-controlled shipping and storing facilities. “If you don’t do it, it’s two months in a port in a container. You have up to 90° Celsius. Wine will change,” he pointed out.

“What you taste in France, it tastes the same here,” he said. “My mission and my job is to make sure that it tastes the same.”

We sampled the Bread and Butter Sauvignon Blanc 2020, which had well-rounded citrus notes and was dry and juicy, like a green apple. A 2018 Lapis Luna Chardonnay 2018 had notes of toffee in its scent, reflecting in the taste as a subtle hint of caramel.

“You know what’s a good bottle of wine? An empty bottle,” said Mr. Guillot, as he poured more.

Winedrop is located at 2/F One Kennedy Place in Greenhills, San Juan, and G&A Bldg., Chino Roces Ext., Makati. One can also buy from their website at https://winedrop.life/. — Joseph L. Garcia

Tech giant Meta accepts UK regulator’s order to sell Giphy after antitrust battle

LONDON — Britain’s competition regulator has ordered Facebook owner Meta to sell animated images platform Giphy on Tuesday after a tribunal upheld its view that the acquisition could damage its rivals and remove a potential competitor in advertising.

Meta said it would accept the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) order to unwind the 2020 deal.

“We are disappointed by the CMA’s decision but accept today’s ruling as the final word on the matter,” a Meta spokesperson said in a statement. “We will work closely with the CMA on divesting Giphy.”

The ruling was the first time a regulator had forced a US tech giant to sell an already acquired company, and signaled a new determination to scrutinize digital deals.

Regulators around the world have been increasingly being proactive in reining in big companies.

US antitrust regulators had, earlier in October, filed a lawsuit against Meta’s acquisition of virtual reality (VR) content maker Within Unlimited, Inc., saying it would “tend to create a monopoly” in the market for VR-dedicated fitness apps.

The European Union has been at the forefront of this battle against tech giants, setting up landmark antitrust and privacy rules and doling out billions of dollars in fines to force changes in their business models.

The British regulator had blocked the Giphy deal, valued at a reported $400 million, in November 2021 on concerns that Meta could deny or limit competitors such as Snapchat and Twitter access to Giphy’s GIFs.

It was also worried about the loss of a potential competitor in display advertising, even though Giphy had no presence in the sector in Britain.

The CMA had noted that UK users look for one billion GIFs a month on Giphy, and 73% of the time they spend on social media was on Meta’s Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.

Meta appealed the ruling, but a tribunal upheld the CMA’s decision on five out of six grounds in June.

The CMA said it had considered new submissions from Meta and Giphy and additional evidence since the appeal, but had not changed its view.

“This deal would significantly reduce competition in two markets,” said Stuart McIntosh, chair of an independent inquiry group.

“It has already resulted in the removal of a potential challenger in the UK display ad market, while also giving Meta the ability to further increase its substantial market power in social media.”

“The only way this can be addressed is by the sale of Giphy,” he added. — Reuters

Yields on term deposits climb as market expects more hikes

BW FILE PHOTO

YIELDS on the term deposit facility (TDF) of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) climbed on Wednesday following rate hike signals from the central bank chief.

Total bids for the BSP’s term deposits reached P276.096 billion, below the P280-billion offer as well as the P286.885 billion in tenders against a P310-billion offer recorded last week.

Broken down, the seven-day papers fetched bids amounting to P169.326 billion, higher than the P150-billion auctioned off by the BSP. This was also higher than the P154.362 billion in tenders logged in the previous auction for a P170-billion offering.

Banks asked for yields ranging from 4.58% to 4.8398%, a narrower margin compared to the 4.28% to 4.874% band seen a week ago. This caused the average rate of the one-week papers to rise by 9.74 basis points (bps) to 4.7093% from 4.6119%.

Meanwhile, demand for the 14-day term deposits amounted to just P106.770 billion, below the P130-billion offering. This was also lower than P132.523 billion in tenders for the P140-billion offer a week ago.

Accepted rates for the papers were from 4.48% to 5.2125%, higher than the 4.3% to 4.8445% range seen on Oct. 12. With this, the average rate of the two-week paper inched up by 11.19 bps to 4.7611% from 4.6492% in the previous week’s auction.    

The central bank has not auctioned 28-day term deposits for more than a year to give way to its weekly offering of securities with the same tenor.

The term deposits and the 28-day bills are used by the BSP to mop up excess liquidity in the financial system and guide market rates.

Term deposit yields were higher as the central bank chief hinted at another rate increase at the Monetary Board’s Nov. 17 meeting, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said in a Viber message.

BSP Governor Felipe M. Medalla last week said the central bank will consider another big rate hike in their Nov. 17 policy meeting to support the peso and prevent its depreciation from further stoking inflation.

Mr. Medalla said they are looking at a 50-bp or 75-bp increase next month to help cool inflation and ease currency pressures stemming from a strong dollar amid the Federal Reserve’s hawkish stance.

The BSP has raised benchmark rates by 225 bps since May, while the Fed has hiked borrowing costs by 300 bps so far since March.

Philippine headline inflation was at 6.9% last month, up from 6.3% in August and 4.2% in the same month last year. It matched the 6.9% print in October 2018 and was the fastest since the 7.2% pace logged in February 2009.

The September print marked the sixth straight month that inflation breached the central bank’s 2-4% target for the year.

For the first nine months, headline inflation averaged 5.1%, faster than the 4% seen in the same period last year but below the BSP’s 5.6% forecast for 2022.

Meanwhile, the peso has significantly weakened against the dollar this year as the Fed normalizes its policy stance. On Wednesday, the local unit closed at P 58.945 a dollar, down by 19.5 centavos from the previous day and by 15.58% or P7.945 from its P51 close on Dec. 31, 2021. — Keisha B. Ta-asan

SEC warns public against BitDefiHub

THE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) advised the public not to invest in BitDefiHub Advertising as it is not registered with the regulator.

According to the SEC advisory, BitDefiHub entices the public to invest P300 to earn a 20% daily bonus for 10 days or 25% direct referral bonus.

To participate, investors should register on the BitDefiHub platform and they will be asked to deposit their cash investment via GCash. A registered investor will then be credited P50 as a “registration bonus.”

As illustrated in the advisory, a P300 investment could get a 10-day profit of P600 from a 20% daily bonus of P60, while a P3 million investment could get a P6 million 10-day profit from a 20% daily bonus of P600,000.

The SEC explained that the described scheme involves the offering and sale of securities, which the Securities Regulation Code requires to be duly registered with the commission.

“Per records of the commission, BitDefi Hub or BitDefiHub Advertising is not registered as a corporation or partnership and is not authorized to solicit investments from the public as it did not secure prior registration and or license to solicit investments from the commission,” the regulator said.

It was also found out that the company, although given a certificate of business name registration by the Department of Trade and Industry, is not registered as a crowdfunding intermediary under the SEC.

The commission warns that “strict penalties are imposed for violations of the Securities Regulation Code, the Revised Corporation Code of the Philippines and such other rules and regulations enforced by the commission.” — Justine Irish D. Tabile

Philippines falls in UN’s E-Government Development Index

The Philippines dropped 12 places to 89th out of 193 United Nations (UN) member states in the E-Government Development Index (EGDI) 2022 of the latest E-Government Survey, released biennially by the agency’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The index measures the readiness and capacity of national institutions to use information and communications technologies (ICTs) to deliver public services. With an index score of 0.6523 out of possible high score of 1, the Philippines beat the global average score of 0.6102 and performed slightly better than the 0.6493 Asian average. Among its counterparts in the region, it placed higher than Cambodia (127th), Myanmar (134th), Timor-Leste (147th), Laos (159th), and North Korea (180th).

Philippines falls in UN’s E-Government Development Index

Adoption of Web3 seen to boost jobs, investments in the Philippines

WIDER adoption of Web3 in the Philippines will boost employment opportunities, livelihood, firms’ innovation, and investments, industry leaders said last week.

“With the emergence of Web3 Gaming, thousands of guilds surfaced in the Philippines. Guilds are what we believe to be the next digitally native businesses of Web3 and the communities that will drive Web3 adoption. BlockchainSpace (BSPC) itself focuses on building guild infrastructure and tooling for Asset Management, Wallet Technology, Identity and Reputation Systems to legitimize and professionalize these guilds,” said Peter Ing, CEO and founder of BSPC, a data aggregator and tooling provider for Web3 Guilds, said at the “The Future is Web3” briefing held in Makati last week.

The briefing was held ahead of the Philippine Web3 Festival happening on Nov. 14-18.

BSPC Guild Hub General Manager Jen Bilango said the growing popularity of Web3 gaming has led to increased entrepreneurial opportunities in developing countries, which is evident in the rise of guilds in the Philippines.

Yield Guild Games (YGG) Co-Founder Gabby Dizon said the Philippines can be a significant contributor in Web3 innovation.

“With measures to bolster the Web3 community and innovations within the industry, we will witness more opportunities that will impact not only organizations but also the lives of every Filipino,” Mr. Dizon said.

The event included speakers from the Department of Information and Communications (DICT), Globe Telecom, Inc., MetaverseGo, UBX, Sky Mavis, Binance, Galeria Paloma, PH Startup Week, Real Deal Guild, and Metaverse Ventures Platforms, Inc.

Emmy Lou V. Delfin, director of DICT’ ICT Industry Development Bureau, said the agency continues to develop programs to explore and maximize the potential of new and emerging technologies.

Luis Buenaventura, YGG Pilipinas country manager, said growing Web3 gaming adoption has provided more career opportunities in gaming, content creation, and the arts.

Besides gaming, companies are also venturing into Web3 to help micro, small and medium enterprises traverse the metaverse.

Ash Mandhyan, CEO of MetaverseGo, said the community has various initiatives and services to help Filipinos navigate the metaverse, such as capacity-building, educational efforts, networking, and support in connecting them to proper channels and Web3 entities.

Binance Spokesperson for the Philippines Kenneth Stern said increase Web3 adoption in the country will make the Philippines an attractive investment destination for foreign companies will help boost the country’ economy.

Shift to polymer bills not expected to affect abaca sector significantly — BSP

BW FILE PHOTO

THE ABACA INDUSTRY will continue to prosper even with the shift to polymer banknotes from paper bills amid growing demand for natural fibers in the global market, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said on Wednesday.

The Philippine central bank also said polymer bills will help improve the quality of banknotes amid improving counterfeiting technology, even as a lawmaker and the abaca industry noted this type of bill may only add to plastic waste.

BSP Deputy Governor Mamerto E. Tangonan said during a briefing of the Senate Committee on Banks, Financial Institutions and Currencies that polymer banknotes are more difficult to counterfeit, cleaner, more environment-friendly, durable, and cost-effective compared with paper bills.

“In order to assess if the claimed benefits apply to Philippine conditions, the BSP with the approval of the President, embarked on a circulation test of the first polymer piso,” Mr. Tangonan said, adding that the central bank has developed an evaluation framework to be undertaken on 2024.

“The BSP simultaneously provided a comprehensive training and communication program for cash handlers of banks, cash in transit, and machine suppliers. At the end of the circulation test, the BSP aims to acquire significant stakeholder feedback, as larger volumes of 1000-piso notes circulate in the economy,” he said.

The BSP initially released the 1000-piso polymer banknotes to banks for circulation in April 2022.

Mr. Tangonan also said they are studying the impact of the shift to polymer bills on the abaca industry.

“The circulation tests of five hundred million pieces of 1000-piso polymer banknotes are estimated to affect 0.2-0.4% of abaca farming jobs, that is 210 to 481 jobs, and 0.1-0.2% of abaca export revenues, that is from P8.5 to P17 million,” he said. 

“The estimates were based on the assumption that abaca suppliers have no alternative markets that is, it is a do-nothing scenario. However, the BSP fully recognizes the vast potential and growth opportunities given the large global demand.”

Mr. Tangonan said abaca farmers do not directly supply abaca to the central bank for production of cotton-abaca paper bills. Instead, they supply to processors and exporters that would sell abaca pulp to manufacturers of specialty paper abroad.

“The share of the estimated abaca content of the Philippine banknotes to total volume of abaca fiber production in 2020 is just around 2%. Meanwhile, the share of abaca content of our banknotes to abaca export earnings is less than 2% at its peak. That is, when the BSP had multi-year procurement,” he added.

“There are vast emerging opportunities to widen and diversify the client and product base… With the support of key government agencies, the abaca industry could position itself in the emergent green economy,” Mr. Tangonan said.

NON-BIODEGRADABLE
However, Senator Pia S. Cayetano said paper banknotes use natural materials, as opposed to the non-biodegradable polymer bills.

“When we look at the sustainability picture, we always have to take different factors into concern. It may in fact use less water, may have a smaller carbon footprint, but it will not biodegrade. It will still be there and it is a product we created and will stay there forever, as opposed to abaca and cotton,” Ms. Cayetano said.

The Fiber Industry Development Authority has said once polymer banknotes become unfit, they would need to be shredded before they are recycled and become microplastics.

Ms. Cayetano also said that the BSP should continue to look at how the shift would affect the abaca farmers.

“I noted how you expressed that there are other ways to help the farmers, that only a small percent [is involved]. I listen and am conscious of that. But the fact remains that there is an effect,” she added.

Aurora Peralta, executive director of the Association of Abaca Pulp Manufacturers, Inc., also said shifting to polymer notes will affect demand for abaca, noting the BSP uses 1,000 to 1,800 metric tons of abaca fiber, valued at $10.8 million, for the production of the local currency. — K.B. Ta-asan

Dining In/Out (10/20/22)

Belmont celebrates 7 years with special buffet

OCTOBER is a special month for Belmont Hotel Manila as it marks its anniversary. The Megaworld Hotels & Resorts property in Newport City has been serving local and foreign travelers for the last seven years. This year’s anniversary theme is “Proud to Be Local” and it aims to emphasize the hotel’s pride in being a homegrown hotel brand providing authentic Filipino hospitality. For the anniversary, the hotel has rolled out the Taste of the Islands weekend buffet at Café Belmont. Every Friday and Saturday, guests can enjoy dinner buffets that feature hot dishes and delicacies inspired by the country’s regions. These main offerings are complemented with a lineup of live stations such as the Hot Pot, Pasta, Pizza and Dessert stations. Café Belmont is also offering a 6 +1 dinner buffet promotion for the anniversary. Every 7th guest dining in a group will partake of the buffet for free. The dinner buffet is priced at P1,100 net per adult, while children ages six to 12 years old are 50% off. Those ages five and below dine free of charge. To make the buffet even more local, Café Belmont also released three P-Pop Coolers (Pinoy Pop Coolers): Melon Malamig, Coffee Jelly, and Sago at Gulaman. The al fresco rooftop lounge, Rooftop 11, is also celebrating the occasion with an “All White Friday Night” party on Oct. 28, 6 p.m. onwards. Guests are invited to come in white to enjoy unlimited cocktails and beers for P560 and savor tapas and pica pica. A guest DJ is also set to provide the music for the evening. Entrance to the party is free but advance table reservation is highly advised. For more information, call 5318-8888 or e-mail info@belmontmanila.com.

Century Park Hotel opens poolside bar

IN 2021, Century Park Hotel’s poolside outlet, Palm Grove Bar, was transformed into an Unlimited Samgyeopsal place in the heart of Manila. The picturesque setting continues to be a perfect backdrop for all those Tiktok, IG and FB-worthy posts. This year, the hotel is geared to elevate that experience with the Palm Grove Bar, open on Friday and Saturday nights (5-11 p.m.). A bang for the buck deal is its Buy 1, Take 1 offer on Frozen Fruity Margaritas, Frozen Sangrias, Heineken and Tiger beers during Happy Hour from 5-8 p.m. Then there is the bar chow: Wings & Dips (P495 net), Beef Salpicao (P445 net), or go for Pizza Flatbreads such as Margarita Flatbread (P395 net) or Formaggio Quattro (P395 net). Burgers are also available for big appetites starting from P395 net. Pair drinks with Pinoy favorites from the Street Food Treats menu and enjoy Kwek-kwek (P69 net), Chicken Tail (P89 net), Squid Balls (P139 net) or Pork Skin (P349 net) and a whole lot more. There are cocktails like Feeling Korean (P245 net), Banana Colada (P325 net), and Mojito (P355 net), and Pitcher Deals for as low as P249 net (Gnarly Dude!) to P499 net (Hard Lychee Soda). Beers can also be availed for as low as P195 net (Brew Kettle). The bar also serves Asahi, Heineken, and Tiger Beer Black and Crystal Light. “After the success of our Unlimited Samgyeopsal, we want to introduce to the market another refreshing poolside bar experience.  Palm Grove has been steadily gaining momentum and on top of our Korean grill specialties, this area is an ideal place to unwind and simply have fun with friends and loved ones over drinks and lovely food,” said Anthony Tan, Century Park Hotel’s General Manager. For reservations at The Palm Grove Bar, call 0956-523-2880.

Crimson Boracay Gets Passionately Pink in October

OCTOBER is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and since 2017, Crimson has helped raise awareness regarding breast cancer through Passionately Pink, a joint initiative with the women’s health support group Stage Zero by Project Pink. Passionately Pink features a selection of staycation promos, dining offers, and special events in line with the theme of women’s resilience through better education and improved quality of life. This month, in commemoration of Passionately Pink’s sixth year, Crimson Resort and Spa Boracay is blushing pinker than any of the island paradise’s famed sunsets with its guest packages, limited-edition amenities, and activities. Enjoy a three-night stay at Crimson Boracay with staycation packages that start from P36,965 (the price includes a donation to Stage Zero by the Project Pink Support Group). Along with airport transfers and access to the Welcome Center upon arrival at Station Zero, guests can enjoy a daily breakfast for two, pampering services for two, as well as a roster of discounts for a variety of on-site dining and leisure experiences. Additional amenities will be enjoyed by those booked at one of the suites or villas. Guests will find macarons and bonbons in their room in a delicate shade of pink. There are Passionately Pink pastries and desserts at Saffron Café’s breakfast buffet. There are also refreshing cocktails at Station Zero like the Pink Lady, a rosy riff on the classic Gin ‘n’ Juice (a blend of Bombay Sapphire gin with grenadine syrup, lemon, and peach schnapps), the Jose Cuervo tequila-based Pink Sunset (with hints of pomegranate, guava, and lime), and Pink Paradise made with classic Stolichnaya vodka and mixed fruit juices, Monin cherry syrup, and a touch of Campari. Part of the proceeds from this month’s range of promotions will be donated to Stage Zero by Project Pink in support of their numerous initiatives for the welfare of cancer patients, survivors, and their families in their time of need.

Laguna’s Liberica, Benguet’s Arabica win at coffee tilt

TWO of the country’s coffees made history at the Global Coffee Championship held recently in Kintex, Korea. The Philippine’s Liberica and Arabica coffees took on some of the best coffees in the globe and captured Silver and Bronze at the Global Coffee Championship Signature Coffee Award: Latte and Signature Coffee Award: Brewer. Michael Harris Conlin, 2019 Philippine National Barista Champion represented the country in the competitions. Out of over 30 competitors per category, Sta. Maria, Laguna’s Liberica won the Silver award in Signature Coffee Award: Latte; while Balili, Benguet’s Arabica won the Bronze award in the Signature Coffee Award: Brewer. The coffee competition was judged by 12 world class coffee experts in a blind round of judging with the judges not knowing who the barista was. “When the opportunity came up to join a brewing and latte competition that is judged purely on sensory and blind with the judges not knowing who the barista was, I felt it was the best way to see how Philippine Arabica and Latte would fair against some of the best baristas and coffees from around the world,” said Mr. Conlin. Conlin’s Henry & Sons team worked closely with coffee farmers from the Juan Santiago Agriculture Cooperative (JSACOOP), an OTOPreneur from Santa Maria, Laguna, and the Dado family of Agnep @benguetarabica farm in processing and introducing the country’s Laguna Liberica and Benguet Arabica to the world. For more information, visit www.henryandsons and www.thevault.ph.

Kenny Rogers has new Smokehouse BBQ Roast & Ribs

KENNY Rogers Roasters is bringing an American-style barbeque holiday with its newest offerings, the Smokehouse BBQ Roast & Ribs. Their flavors are further amplified with three new sauces: Roasted Garlic, Applewood, and Alabama. The Smokehouse BBQ & Ribs comes in two forms: the Smokehouse BBQ Roast Chicken, which is marinated in a special blend of barbecue and spices for flavorfully tender meat and crisp, lightly seared skin; and the Smokehouse BBQ Ribs, with the signature fall-off-the-bone ribs made flavorful with chipotle and special spices. Customers can now order the Smokehouse BBQ Roast & Ribs with Kenny Rogers Roasters favorites: Each Solo B plate comes with the three new sauces, a choice of two slides, rice, and muffin. The Smokehouse BBQ Roast Solo B (P305) comes with a quarter roast chicken while the Smokehouse BBQ Ribs Solo B (P480) comes with a half-slab of ribs. The Group Meal also comes with the three new sauces, four side dishes, four cups of rice, four muffins, and 1.5 liters of soda. The Smokehouse BBQ Roast Group Meal comes with a whole roast chicken (P1,085) while Smokehouse BBQ Ribs Group Meal comes with four half-slab ribs (P1,760). These are available in all Kenny Rogers Roasters stores nationwide for dine-in, takeout, or delivery through www.kennyrogersdelivery.com.ph, hotline: 8-555-9000, or via Grab Food and Food Panda.

Mang Inasal offers a Family Fiesta

MANG Inasal introduces the all-new Mang Inasal Family Fiesta — a special bundled group meal composed of char-grilled favorites including Chicken Inasal, Pork BBQ, or Grilled Liempo that’s perfect for office parties, family reunions, and different gatherings this holiday season. Starting at P709, customers can choose from four different bundles: All-Chicken Inasal bundle with six pieces Chicken Paa and Java Rice Platter; the All-Pork bundle, complete with two pieces Grilled Liempo, eight pieces Pork BBQ, and Java Rice Platter; and the combos — the Chicken Inasal and Pork BBQ bundle, with three pieces Chicken Inasal Paa, six pieces Pork BBQ, and Java Rice Platter, and the Chicken Inasal and Grilled Liempo bundle, with four pieces Chicken Inasal Paa, two pieces Grilled Liempo, and Java Rice Platter. The Mang Inasal Family Fiesta is available for takeout or by ordering at http://manginasaldelivery.com.ph/. Diners can also place an order via the Mang Inasal Delivery app, or through other food delivery apps like GrabFood and foodpanda.

7-Eleven intros 4 Filipino meals by chef Claude Tayag

THE LATEST Chef Creations collaboration between convenience store chain 7-Eleven and chef Claude Tayag is a Pinoy feast with a new four-set line of single-serve, heat-to-eat packs. The new items under the Chef Creations x Linamnam line are Batchoy, Palabok, Sinampalukang Manok, and Bicol Express. For those craving a lighter bite, there is IloIlo’s famous pork and innards noodle dish Batchoy (P95) or Malabon’s famed noodle dish Palabok (P95) with shrimp sauce topped with cooked shrimp, chicharon, tinapa flakes, and hard-boiled egg. For a more filling set, there is Bataan’s Sinampalukang Manok (P115), their own take on chicken sinigang (sour soup) made with tamarind leaves and pulp, or spice it up with Bicol’s famous Bicol Express (P95) flavored with real chilies, coconut milk, and shrimp paste. Also part of the Chef Creations x Linamnam line is the traditional Filipino dish, Pork Sinigang sa Kamias (P105) made with real kamias and served with assorted vegetables that was launched previously. All variants of the Chef Creations are now available in select 7-Eleven Luzon stores.

Honeybon’s new Sugar-free Swiss Chocolate Cake

Despite being known for its decadent cakes and pastries, Honeybon aims to serve the best treats for everyone — even those who can’t have sugar. Just in time for the holiday season, Honeybon is launching the Sugar-free Swiss Chocolate Cake. Sweetened with a zero-calorie sugar substitute, the cake has layers of moist yet fluffy chocolate chiffon filled and covered with rich Swiss chocolate ganache made with sugar-free couverture chocolate. The new Sugar-free Swiss Chocolate Cake is available via www.honeybon.ph, at Honeybon stores at SM Megamall and Festival Mall Alabang, and select Tokyo Bubble Tea branches (The Fort Residences, BGC; Banawe, Quezon City; and Wilson, San Juan City) for P1,480 (whole) and P195 per slice.

Visum Ventures’ new executive pastry chef is Miko Aspiras

Award-winning pastry chef Miko Aspiras recently joined Visum Ventures as its new Executive Pastry Chef Partner, as announced by John-Michael “Mike” Hilton, the company’s President and CEO. Mr. Aspiras will curate desserts for all Visum brands, as well as introduce new concepts. Mr. Aspiras has had a stellar career, starting as a commis chef at the Shangri-la Manila, and subsequently working at the Raffles & Fairmont, Resorts World Manila, and executive pastry chef at Hilton Hotel Sydney and Ovolo Hotel Sydney. He has several awards and recognitions, including the 2011 Highest Gold Medal, Hongkong Food Exposition/Hongkong Culinary Classis; Highest Gold Medal, 2012 Philippine Culinary Cup; Gold Medal 2012 World Association of Chef’s Societies Congress; Gold Medal and Best of the Best Award, 2013 Hongkong Food Exposition; Highest Gold Medal 2013 Philippines Culinary Cup; among others. Some of his new dessert creations shared during a media night in September included his version of banana-Q, with langka, mousse with banana financier and mille feuille; Black Forest with Auro Dark Chocolate Mousse, with cherries and dark chocolate; Calamansi Cake with Auro White Chocolate Glaze; and Dumaguete passion fruit pastille. Visum Ventures, which was founded in 2019 just before the pandemic struck, bringing in Koomi, the natural drinking yoghurt from Australia, which now has over 100 branches nationwide; Oh My Greek and Zig in 2021, and Sante and Meraki in April 2022. Visum is also the exclusive distributor of T2 teas and Salt and Ice Bar (fresh oysters and craft cocktails).

Recognizing MSMEs can help economy, say company officials

OFFICIALS of private companies SM Investment Corp., Angkas, Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc., and San Miguel Corp. called for the government’s recognition of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to help the economy.

“If we can help all of the MSME at this point with simpler government regulations then we can grow and the employment can be addressed,” SM Investments Vice Chairman Teresita T. Sy-Coson said on the first day of the 48th Philippine Business Conference and Expo on Wednesday.

She said that if the government could recognize that the country has many MSEs and MSMEs, and at the same time support them, “our economy will really grow and we’ll become a greater nation.”

“The first thing we need to do is really define what MSME means,” Angkas Chief Executive Officer George Royeca said.

“This is a hidden gem that we have yet to realize and we can harness that aside from the employment that our local industries generate,” he added.

Mr. Royeca said that recognizing MSMEs in a semi-formal economy and finding a way to regulate them is already a big step forward in helping them.

“The MSMEs have difficulty getting credit and getting recognized. And I think if you use more data analysis and if you use more of the technology that is available today and make it more inclusive [it will help MSMEs],” Aboitiz Equity Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Information Officer Manuel R. Lozano said.

“All conglomerates started smaller. Somebody took a risk on us, somebody took a risk on the family and that’s what made them grow. We need to be able to enable that again on a larger scale because we got hundreds of thousands if not billions of SMEs that are just waiting for good opportunity,” Mr. Lozano added.

Meanwhile, San Miguel Chief Finance Officer Raoul Eduardo C. Romulo said that improving the infrastructure could also help the MSMEs.

“If we don’t build the roads, the connective bridges, the airports and all the trains to move your goods to where they have to be sold, they won’t get anywhere. You can text all you want and have it delivered but how will it get there?” Mr. Romulo said. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

1...5,0385,0395,040...13,541Page 5,039 of 13,541
© 2024 BusinessWorld Publishing.
All rights reserved.
Read our privacy guidelines
Facebook Instagram Linkedin Twitter Youtube