BIR says personal income tax cuts to help boost consumer spending

March 15, 2023 | 12:32 am

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is encouraging taxpayers to file their income tax returns before the April 17 deadline. — PHILIPPINE STAR/EDD GUMBAN

THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) said it expects any revenue losses from the personal income tax cuts this year to be offset by an expected increase in consumer spending.

BIR Commissioner Romeo B. Lumagui said the personal income tax cuts would translate to higher disposable income for the majority of taxpayers.

“(Taxpayers) will effectively have higher take-home pay, and hopefully they will be spending, so consumption tax (will be higher),” he told reporters last week.

Under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law, further reductions in the personal income tax rates took effect on Jan. 1.

Taxpayers with annual taxable income above P250,000 but not over P400,000 now have a personal income tax rate of 15%, from 20% previously.

The tax rate for those earning above P400,000 but not over P800,000 has been reduced to 20% from 25% previously, while the tax rate for those earning above P800,000 but not over P2 million has been cut to 25% from 30%.

Taxpayers who earn more than P2 million but not above P8 million are subject to an income tax rate of 30% from 32%, previously.

However, the tax rate for individuals earning P8 million and above will be kept at 35%.

Those with income below P250,000 are still exempt from paying personal income tax.

The BIR is targeting to collect a total of P2.6 trillion this year. This is 11% higher than the P2.34 trillion it collected in 2022.

Mr. Lumagui also noted that the government can generate additional revenues by cracking down on illicit trade and tax evasion.

The BIR collects about 70% of government revenues.

Union Bank of the Philippines, Inc. Chief Economist Ruben Carlo O. Asuncion said in a Viber message that the personal income tax adjustments will lead to additional consumption and demand creation because of higher disposable income.

“The revenue loss in personal income tax this year is presumably incorporated already in the Department of Finance’s (DoF) revenue projections. Likely, this will be offset by higher collections due to continuous economic growth and improvements in tax administration,” China Banking Corp. Chief Economist Domini S. Velasquez said in a Viber message.

The government expects the economy to grow 6-7% this year, slower than the 7.6% gross domestic product (GDP) expansion in 2022.

Household consumption is one of the biggest contributors to Philippine GDP. In 2022, household consumption rose by 8.3% year on year from 4.2%.

However, Mr. Asuncion warned that rising inflation could impact the purchasing power of consumers.

Headline inflation in the Philippines eased to 8.6% in February from the 14-year high of 8.7% in January. This marked the 11^th consecutive month inflation was above the central bank’s 2-4% target.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas expects inflation to average 6.1% this year.

“We think that although revenues have improved substantially since the pandemic, due to higher-than-expected GDP, this momentum will decline as economic growth moderates,” Ms. Velasquez added.

Ms. Velasquez said there may still be a need to impose other taxes to generate revenues.

“Some form of wealth tax, sin taxes, taxes on activities with negative externalities, can be a good way to supplement revenues in the medium term,” she added.

A luxury tax measure is currently pending in the House Committee on Ways and Means. It seeks to tax “non-essentials” like jewelry, luxury bags, watches, cars, private jets, and residential property.

Lawmakers have also filed a bill that would tax the “super-rich” or individuals with net value assets exceeding P1 billion. It is also still pending at the House Committee on Ways and Means.

A carbon tax is also currently being studied by the DoF. It aims to encourage businesses that emit carbon dioxide to shift to more sustainable operations. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson

Work on Bataan-Cavite bridge set to start this year

March 15, 2023 | 12:31 am

Former Public Works Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan speaks during a press briefing in Malacañang, March 14, 2023. — PHILIPPINE STAR/KRIZ JOHN ROSALES

THE DEPARTMENT of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will pursue more than 70,000 projects worth about P890 billion this year, including a bridge project connecting Bataan and Cavite provinces.

The government is planning to begin the construction of the P175-billion Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge by the latter part of 2023, DPWH Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan said during a Palace briefing after a meeting with President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.

Mr. Bonoan said the detailed engineering design for the 32-kilometer-long, four-lane, cable-stayed bridge project, which will be funded through official development assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), is now 70% complete.

“We told the President it would be ready within the year, to break ground and (start the) implementation of this very significant bridge,” he said.

Mr. Bonoan said the bridge will be built across Manila Bay and will go through Corregidor Island. It will start in Mariveles, Bataan and end in Naic, Cavite.

The DPWH is aiming to finish the project within five years. “We’ll try to have this completed before the term of the President ends (by mid-2028),” he said.

Mr. Bonoan said the Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge project is significant because it will give a big boost to the economic activity in Luzon.

The ADB, which will extend a loan to the Philippines for the bridge project, has indicated that the economic rate of return of the bridge is more than 25%.

“The growth corridor is in the southern part of Metro Manila and the other growth corridor is in the north of Manila. With this bridge, I think we will have better access between these two,” Mr. Bonoan said.

The government also aims to break ground on other bridge projects this year, including six that will be constructed across Pasig River in Metro Manila.

Three of the six bridge projects would also be funded through assistance from the ADB, while the other three will be funded through loans from the Exim Bank of China.

“There are many other projects that we presented to the President that are for groundbreaking,” the DPWH chief said, adding that 2023 will see the start of building projects in several health specialty centers in Quezon City.

“All these are actually going to be presented for groundbreaking with the President before the State-of-the-Nation Address (in July).”

The list of over 70,000 projects also includes school projects to be jointly implemented with the Department of Education, and farm-to-market roads with the Department of Agriculture, among others.

“We have been in touch with the Department of Transportation with their commuter rail projects and subway station. We will be providing necessary access roads to these stations,” Mr. Bonoan said.

The government is also aiming to start work on segments of big infrastructure projects financed through public-private partnerships this year. Mr. Bonoan said this includes the eight-kilometer NLEX-SLEX Connector project, which “will be ready for inauguration” before the Holy Week, and the Cavite-Laguna Expressway project, which is “also ready for inauguration before the State-of-the-Nation Address of the President in June.”

At the briefing, Mr. Bonoan also touted the agency’s accomplishments during the first six months of the Marcos administration, including road work on about 1,500 kilometers of major and local roads, 161 bridge projects, and 851 flood control projects. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Mount Elizabeth Hospital’s Dr. Kieron Lim talks about keeping the liver healthy

March 15, 2023 | 12:30 am

The liver is an essential organ that carries out vital tasks: producing key proteins that help digest fat; storing essential vitamins and minerals; and breaking down the food we eat. This, as Dr. Kieron Lim of Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore stresses, is why a healthy lifestyle is important to keep this organ in good condition.

For inquiries, please contact Mount Elizabeth Hospital’s patient assistance centre located at G/F-B, Marco Polo Hotel, Meralco Avenue and Sapphire Street, Ortigas Center, Pasig City 1600, e-mail manila.ph@parkwaypantai.com or call 0917-526-7576. Follow them at facebook.com/MountElizabethHospitalsSGPhilippinesOffice.

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Alternergy to use P20B for RE projects in 5 years

March 15, 2023 | 12:09 am

ALTERNERGY Holdings Corp. is planning to invest P20 billion over the next five years to fund renewable energy (RE) projects with varied technologies, its top official said on Tuesday.

“For the entire group in the next three to five years, we are looking at a total capex (capital expenditure) of P20 billion for the lineup of the projects that we have,” Alternergy President Gerry P. Magbanua told reporters.

He said the renewables company is planning to develop run-of-river, solar, and wind energy projects largely funded by debt.

“In the next five years, we’ll have representative projects for each of these technologies and that’s part of the P20 billion capex,” Mr. Magbanua said.

He said the budget will fund about 300 to 350 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy projects, which will include 33-MW solar, 220-MW onshore wind, and 50-MW run-of-river or mini-hydropower facilities.

“We are going to do project financing. We have done this many times in the past for our projects, usually 70-30, 70% funded by debt, 30% by equity,” he said.

Part of the proceeds of the company’s initial public offering (IPO) will fund the capex, Mr. Magbanua added.

Alternergy targets to hold on March 24 an initial public offering of shares to raise up to P1.87 billion. Proceeds from the offering will fund the predevelopment stage of projects in the pipeline.

“For the P20 billion, the equity is around P6 billion, let’s just say 30%,” he said, adding that a portion of the P6 billion or around P3 billion to P3.5 billion “is what Alternergy expects to fund for itself.”

“The goal is to have majority stakes in these projects at least 51%,” Mr. Magbanua said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Magbanua said that Alternergy is currently in talks with foreign and local prospective partners for the development of some of the projects.

“We’re talking to some but we have not closed any partnerships. There [are] a number of interested parties who want to partner with us in other technologies. For example [in] solar, there are a number of companies that have approached us to partner with us,” he said.

The energy company aims to develop up to 1,370 MW of renewable energy sources such as onshore and offshore wind, solar, and run-of-river hydropower projects. — Ashley Erika O. Jose

SEC’s ESG policies seen to face challenges as firms limit reports

March 15, 2023 | 12:08 am

THE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) may face challenges in implementing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) policies as companies tend to highlight only positive aspects of sustainability reports, said Sustainable Fitch.

“The plan could face implementation challenges, as the SEC acknowledged that most companies tend to only make public the positive aspects of their sustainability reports,” said Sustainable Fitch, a specialist ESG unit of the Fitch Solutions group.

According to Sustainable Fitch, the Philippines is still unable to set clear details on its ESG and decarbonization strategies, which could hinder the country’s progress compared with other Southeast Asian countries.

“The country’s recently elected government has yet to set out clear details on its ESG and de-carbonization strategies. The lack of policy direction could hinder the Philippines’ ESG progress relative to neighboring peers,” the unit said.

It added that like Thailand and Indonesia, the country’s government and regulators could face the challenge of ensuring “that the transition is just for the whole of society.”

“A large swathe of people in the Philippines live in poverty and depend on brown-industry jobs to survive, with effective strategies being critical to helping these groups keep up with transition efforts,” it said.

Meanwhile, the SEC has recently confirmed that it is set to adopt a “blue” bond framework that aims to protect water-based natural resources, as the commission continues to move for wider adoption of sustainability standards.

According to SEC Commissioner Kelvin Lester K. Lee, the framework is yet to be approved by the commission but sets its initial release in the second quarter of this year.

Additionally, the securities regulator is set to implement the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Sustainable and Responsible Fund Standards.

The SEC has disseminated the draft of its proposed framework last week, as it seeks to align with ASEAN member states in creating and promoting sustainable and responsible investment funds in the region.

According to Sustainable Fitch, the commission aims to mandate sustainability reporting for 2023, which requires reports from companies as well as small enterprises.

“Smaller businesses will receive support in their reporting requirements with the focus remaining on larger industries that have greater environmental or social impacts,” it said.

The commission has also previously set guidelines for the issuance of green bonds, which has allowed companies to raise funds for ESG-related projects, which is also aligned with ASEAN green bond standards.

Aside from the SEC, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has also introduced policies in promoting ESG standards in corporate strategies and disclosures.

Under the sustainable central banking agenda, the BSP initiated vulnerability assessments for environmental risks in the economy and seeks to implement sustainability principles in banking and finance policies.

“The country also revised up its target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2030, up from a target of 70%,” said Sustainable Fitch. — Adrian H. Halili

Art returns to the Park

March 15, 2023 | 12:08 am

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AFTER four years, art is returning to the Jaime Velasquez Park in Makati City.

There will be art exhibitions, live performances, and live sketching sessions at the 17^th edition of Art in the Park on March 19 (10 a.m. to 10 p.m.). Entrance to the art fair is free.

The 2020 edition of Art in the Park was just days away from opening when the first COVID-19 lockdown was imposed, leading to its cancellation. Subsequent iterations in the years that followed were held online, with a hybrid online-onsite version last year. With the end of the pandemic lockdowns and restrictions, the art fair — which focuses on affordable art — is finally returning to its original home at the Jaime Velasquez Park.

FEATURED ARTISTS
Every year the art fair highlights a small number of artists whose works are shown in special exhibits scattered in the fairgrounds.

This year’s featured artists are Filipino social realist painter Manny Garibay, interdisciplinary contemporary artist Bjorn Calleja, and mosaic artist Kabunyan de Guia.

“Even established artists like Mr. Garibay thinks of it as a venue where he can experiment,” Art in the Park co-founder Trickie Lopa told members of the press on March 8 at the Pablo Bistro in Makati City.

Mr. Garibay will be debuting a series of small works, head studies painted on dibord aluminum, at the special exhibit at the art fair. The pieces also showcase his mastery and control over the oil medium.

“Mr. Garibay wants to see how much of a master he is over oil and if he can make it do [what he wants] on a ground like aluminum,” Ms. Lopa said.

Meanwhile, Bjorn Calleja will show a series of charcoal and graphite portraits and ceramic sculptures. The exhibit, called “Dirty Hands,” showcases the artist’s exploration of the relationship between figuration and abstraction.

“I prepared six large-scale drawings and three ceramic sculptures,” Mr. Calleja said of his works in the exhibit which were made from charcoal. “It’s a play on the human form and how I experience my humanity in art-making.”

For his exhibit, Kabunyan de Guia pays tribute to his brother, photographer Kidlat de Guia, who passed away last year in Madrid, Spain. His installation, Kidlat Ngayon!!!! Isang taon na paglalakbay as soul, is a lightning bolt or kidlat-inspired shrine where visitors can light candles as a tribute to his brother’s memory.

FLASH MOB POETRY, DIGITAL ART
The art fair also hosts a number of special performances including the Cavite-based art collective Titik Poetry’s flash mob poetry which they call Sikya or inspiration in Tagalog.

Artist and Titik Poetry founder Verlin Santos said that their group will be performing the piece by blending with the audience then each member will recite lines of encouragement, and they will come together at the end of the piece.

“We want to champion spoken word to a bigger crowd,” Mr. Santos said in English and Filipino.

Complementing the day at Art in the Park, motion graphics artist Isaiah Cacnio will be projecting his work Beauty in Chaos, a digital painting featuring infinitely complex patterns.

Meanwhile, NFT (non-fungible tokens) works in honor of cartoonist and National Artist for the Visual Arts Larry Alcala will be on view at the Globe Platinum Lounge. It will also feature projects by digital artists Bjorn Calleja, Black Eyed Freaks, Bored Punks of Society, Distort Monsters, Mustachioverse By Ownly, and Planktoons.

NATIONAL MUSEUM
Proceeds from Art in the Park continue to benefit the Museum Foundation of the Philippines, in support of its projects and programs for the National Museum of the Philippines and its network. Since 2006, more than P25 million from Art in the Park has been allocated by the Museum Foundation of the Philippines for its projects.

This year’s edition will feature 60 exhibitors, ranging from galleries to schools to art groups, who will set up their booths and show their art at the park.

They are Ang INK, Arnold Art Collection, ART for Space Gallery, ART LAB: Atelier Cesare & Jean Marie Syjuco, Art Toys PH, Art Underground, Art Verite Gallery, ArtBeat Collective, Artery Art Space, Association of Pinoy Printmakers, Authenticity Zero Collective, the Avellana Art Gallery, Boston Art Gallery, CASA San Miguel Foundation Zambales, Cevio Art Haus, Cornerstone Pottery (EJ Espiritu), De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde, FA Gallery / ILCP Art Space, Fuse Projects;

Galeria de las Islas, Galleria Paloma, Galerie Anna, Galerie Artes, Galerie Stephanie, Imahica Art Gallery, isTorya – Rodel Tapaya and Marina Cruz, J Studio, Jon and Tessy Pettyjohn, KASIBULAN – Kababaihan sa Sining at Bagong Sibol na Kamalayan, KOMIKET, Kulay Art Group, Kuta Artists Group, L’arc en Ciel Atelier;

MAG, Manila Collage Collective, MONO8, Museum Foundation of the Philippines, Nineveh Artspace, Orange Project, Pangasinan Group, Parokyano ng Malabon, Qube Gallery, Redlab Gallery, Resurrection Furniture, Scarletbox.io, Sheerjoy, Sierra Madre Gallery (Joey de Castro), Space Encounters Gallery;

The Mighty Bhutens, The Thursday Group, Tin-aw Art Projects, Triangulum, TUP Manila, UP Artists Circle, UP College of Fine Arts, Urban Sketchers Manila, Village Art Gallery, Vinyl on Vinyl, vMeme Contemporary Art Gallery, White Walls Gallery, and Ysobel Art Gallery.

As the day goes on, visitors can refresh themselves and refuel with the selection of food and drinks that will be available at the venue. The food booths will include One World Butcher, 8Cuts, Rafik Shawarma and Pizza di Grazia, Yuan’s Paella Plus, Authentic House of Curry, The Kitchen, Maryland ChickAn, Tita Letty’s Pinoy Deli, Odd Café, Tattooed Baker, Culinary Exchange, Merry Moo, Picolé Healthy Ice Pops, Justainable Juice, Stanford Shaw, Monkey Eagle Brewery, West 103, Origine, Bombvinos, and Arc Gin.

For more information about this year’s Art in the Park, visit www.artinthepark.ph and follow www.facebook/artinthepark and @artintheparkph on Instagram. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

Nickel Asia income rises 1.5% to P7.9B on higher ore prices

March 15, 2023 | 12:07 am

LISTED mining firm Nickel Asia Corp. saw its attributable net income last year increase by 1.5% to P7.93 billion brought about by higher nickel ore prices.

In a stock exchange disclosure on Tuesday, the company reported a 2.2% increase in revenues to P28 billion in 2022 from P27.4 billion in the previous year.

“Despite the inclement weather that affected our nickel mining business, 2022 remained a good year for [Nickel Asia] with prices for the metal buoyed by high demand,” said Martin Antonio G. Zamora, its president and chief executive officer.

Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization reached P14.31 billion, down by 0.8% from P14.42 billion in the previous year.

The company’s five operating mines sold a combined 15.95 million wet metric tons (WMT) of nickel ore, down from the 17.94 million WMT reported in 2021.

“The drop in sales volume was almost in direct proportion to unrealized workable days caused by unfavorable weather that adversely affected the company’s milling operations during the period,” said Nickel Asia.

In 2022, the weighted average nickel ore sales price increased by 4.78% to $29.17 per WMT from $29.13 in the previous year.

“The company realized P54.90 per US dollar from these nickel ore sales, an 11% increase from P49.48 last year,” Nickel Asia said.

The company exported 8.15 million WMT of saprolite and limonite ore at an average price of $39.99 per WMT, lower than the 10.79 million WMT at $40.40 per WMT in 2021.

At the same time, the mining firm sent 7.79 million WMT of limonite ore to its Coral Bay and Taganito high-pressure acid leach plants at an average price of $11.64 per pound of payable nickel, up from the 7.14 million MWT at $8.35 per pound of payable nickel.

On Tuesday, shares in Nickel Asia fell by 29 centavos or 3.99% to close at P6.97 apiece. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera

A Tooth in My Popsicle: What it is like for an American to move to an island in the Philippines

March 15, 2023 | 12:07 am

MINDANAO Gold Star Daily columnist David Haldane recalls what it was like leaving his life in Los Angeles, California, to move to the Philippines in his new book, A Tooth in My Popsicle.

Mr. Haldane is a former Los Angeles Times staff writer with over 20 years of experience at the publication. He walked into the newsroom of his long-term employer one day to just get unceremoniously escorted right back out in a massive layoff in 2008. He and his Filipina wife, Ivy, then decided to settle in Siargao in Surigao del Norte — his wife’s hometown.

The book is a compilation of 73 essays about personal experiences with his family, his assimilation into Filipino culture, and his life in the province during the coronavirus pandemic. The essays were originally published in his Mindanao Gold Star Daily column, “Expat Eye.”

“I wrote the book to tell the story of a transformative adventure, sometimes frightening and frustrating. Occasionally hilarious, but always, I hope, entertaining,” Mr. Haldane said at the book launch on March 7 at the Ortigas Heritage Library in San Juan City.

The book’s title is from the time he found his own tooth embedded in a popsicle, an incident that introduced him to dentistry in the Philippines.

“I just thought nobody would know what that means than when you read the chapter, Mr. Haldane said of the title.

A Tooth in My Popsicle will be launched in Cebu on April 12 at the UP Cebu Jose Joya Gallery; in Iligan City on April 15 at the MSU Iligan; and in Surigao City on April 21 at the Surigao Cultural Center.

Mr. Haldane’s other books are the award-winning memoir, Nazis & Nudists, and a short-story collection called Jenny on the Street.

A Tooth in My Popsicle is available on online shopping sites Lazada and Shopee for P799; and on Amazon for $19.95. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

Arts&Culture (03/15/23)

March 15, 2023 | 12:06 am

Bululs — BULULS —FACEBOOK.COM/JOHN.SILVA

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Filipiniana at the Ortigas Foundation Library

A RARELY seen collection of fine Cordillera and Southern Philippines vintage wooden and tusk carvings, precious beads, weavings no longer done, amulets, 16^th century Chinese porcelain and bowls, and deities called bululs will be on view at the Ortigas Foundation Library from March 12 to April 12 (except Holy Week) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will also be an auction of Filipiniana items on March 12. The artifacts on display are from the Melvin Lam and Jonathan Best collection. To enhance the exhibition, Jonathan Best’s collection of vintage photos puts context to the displays. The Ortigas Foundation Library is located on the 2^nd floor of the McKinley Building (above Unimart) at the Greenhills Shopping Center in San Juan. The library is open Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on Sundays and holidays.

Lenten exhibit opens in Ali Mall

CURRENTLY on view at Araneta City’s Ali Mall is an exhibit of religious relics meant to remind the public of the passion and sacrifice of Christ this Lenten season. Titled “Cuaresma,” the exhibit showcases more than 40 religious images and replicas that depict Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and death. Items in the display range from three to five feet tall and were sourced from different parishes around Metro Manila and Rizal. Notable images are a replica of the Nazareno from Manila, and La Esperanza Macarena, to name a few. The exhibit is available for free public viewing until March 17 at the Gen. MacArthur Entrance of Ali Mall.

PPO celebrates Women’s Month with female conductor

IN celebration of the National Women’s Month, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) performs under the baton of Dr. Beverly Shangkuan-Cheng on March 17, 8 p.m., at The Metropolitan Theater in Manila. The seventh installment of the PPO’s 38^th concert season, the program features pieces by female composers such as Marie Jocelyn Marfil’s Pyagsawitan “Wedding and Harvest,” National Artist for Music Lucrecia R. Kasilag’s “Festival” from Philippines Scenes, and Denise Santos’ The Light of Extreme Darkness. The PPO will also play Ralph Vaughan Williams’s Serenade to Music, accompanied by a 16-voice choir, and Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony Number 7 in A Major, Op. 92. Guest conductor Dr. Shangkuan-Cheng is the incumbent president of the Philippine Choral Directors Association, and the artistic director of the Las Piñas International Bamboo Organ Festival. She is an associate professor at the University of the Philippines College of Music, teaching conducting for both graduate and undergraduate music students. She is currently the Philippine representative to the Asia Pacific Choral Council and the Asia Choral Association. Tickets for the concert are priced at P1,500, P1,200, P800, and P500. For tickets and inquiries, call the CCP Box Office 8832-3704 or e-mail customercare@culturalcenter.gov.ph.

Webinar on transportation during World War II

HISTORIAN Ricardo T. Jose will be giving the inaugural talk of the Roderick Hall Memorial Lectures on March 18, “Planes, Trains, and Batels: Transportation in World War II Philippines.” The free webinar is presented by the Ayala Foundation, Inc. and Filipinas Heritage Library March 18, 2-4 p.m., online via Zoom. This talk takes a look at how Filipinos got around before, during, and after the Japanese occupation, including charcoal buses, the “jitney,” and batels. Mr. Jose will also discuss how the Philippines, even before the Second World War, had railways beyond Luzon. He will also discuss transportation’s impact on military strategy and Filipinos’ everyday lives. A wealth of vintage photos will illustrate the story of rail systems across Luzon and of regional lines in Iloilo, Cebu, and Davao. Guests will also learn how Philippine Airlines began soaring in Philippine skies, and how Aboitiz ships started sailing the Philippine seas. For inquiries e-mail asklibrarian@filipinaslibrary.org.ph.

Menarco opens ‘vertical museum’

THE MENARCO Tower — the first Well-Certified Gold building in the region and a Leed Gold Certified structure — in BGC is a “vertical museum.” It is described as such since unlike normal museums which displays their pieces horizontally at select floors, the art at Menarco Tower is exhibited at all office floors of the building, hence guests can appreciate the pieces by going up the various floors. The Jimenez family recently hosted an exclusive tour of the Menarco vertical museum — organized by Carmen Jimenez-Ong — for guests from the diplomatic community and family friends. On view at the museum are 39 pieces of contemporary Filipino art from the Jimenez family collection — more will be added as the collection grows. The pieces were selected through a committee which includes members of the local art community such as Isa Lorenzo from Silverlens. The public can view the collection upon registration, and they will be assisted as they make their way through the museum. The Menarco Tower is located at 32^nd street BGC, Taguig City.

Galleria Duemila pays tribute to Edwin Coscolluela

TO PAY homage to the late artist Edwin Coscolluela, Galleria Duemila presents a solo show of his collages and digital prints called In Synch until March 31. “… When people look at my works, I want them to feel and not just understand my compositions,” a statement quoting Mr. Coscolluela said. Edwin Yap Coscolluela was born in 1953 in Ermita, Manila. A painter, photographer and digital artist, he had more than 100 exhibitions in his lifetime. The most notable ones were in the Lopez Museum, Fil-Am Life, the Heritage Art Gallery, and several solo and group exhibits in Luz Gallery. Mr. Coscolluela had three one man exhibits at Galleria Duemila and two important group exhibits with highly regarded modern artists. His computer had become his mini studio since he started making digital art in 2000. To book a reservation, visit the exhibit, access https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdkSZmdDlWQOQU4-Hlq_gAzRU7Xix5bhdDtuhIi1ZK8fsWF0A/viewform.

Shangri-La Plaza exhibit marks Women’s Month

SHANGRI-LA Plaza mall marks National Women’s Month with The Artologist Gallery’s presentation of the first solo exhibition of sculptor Karen Castrillo-Villaseñor, “Glamorosa,” at the East Atrium until March 19. The collection is composed of copper artworks depicting the beauty and strength of women. Meanwhile, Ikebana Manila will have an exhibit of stylized Japanese flower arrangements at the Grand Atrium on March 21-26. For updates and inquiries of mall events this month, follow Shangri-La Plaza on Facebook at www.facebook.com/shangrilaplazaofficial and on Instagram @shangrilaplazaofficial.

CCP presents exhibit at Yuchengco Museum

THE VISUAL Arts and Museum Division of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) celebrates National Women’s Month with the exhibit “WOMAN: Thesis and Antithesis,” featuring selected artworks from the CCP 21AM Collection. The exhibit will be on view from March 21 to June 24 at the Yuchengco Museum in Makati City. Curated by museum director Jeannie Javelosa, the exhibit highlights pieces that explored women as subject matter in the “Women In Society” component, as well as works created by Filipino female artists in “Women Expressions.” The museum’s entrance fee for adults is P100, with a discounted price of P50 for students, seniors, and PWDs. Free admission days are April 29, May 27, and June 24 as there will be public programs on these dates. The Yuchengco Museum is open Monday to Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The museum is located at the RCBC Plaza, corner Ayala Ave. and Senator Gil J. Puyat Ave. in Makati City.

The National Museum to hold the Ilustrado gala

NATIONAL Museum of Fine Arts will host the Ilustrado fundraising gala of the Friends for Cultural Concerns of the Philippines (FCCP) on March 27. The gala will benefit the FCCP’s scholarship program which covers the tuition and/or travel expenses of 26 scholars, pursuing their undergraduate and graduate studies in the visual and performing arts here and abroad. Gala attendees will get a unique tour of the museum with site specific performances featuring past, present, and future FCCP scholars bringing life or a different perspective to the artworks in six of the museum’s galleries or halls. The featured artists are Madeline Jane Banta, pianist/harpist; Vien Ignacio, harpist; Lance Capitan, guitarist; Michael Valenciano, keyboard; Giuseppe Diestro, cellist; Donna Baluyut, soprano; the FEU Dance Company (FDC); Jezreel Mangui, tenor; Joshua Mondares, tenor; Kris Gonzales, baritone; and the FEU Guides. Dinner will be catered by the Ilustrado restaurant in Intramuros. Launched in 1979 as the Friends of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, patterned after the Friends of the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, the organization has raised funds for the CCP Orchestra (which became the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra) and the CCP Summer Outreach Concerts. In 2001, it became the Friends for Cultural Concerns of the Philippines to widen the scope of its contributions. In succeeding years, it donated P3 million pesos to the National Museum in return for which the “Introduction Room” of the National Art Gallery was named after the FCCP in perpetuity. For tickets, contact Angie Godoy via text or Viber at 0927-229-2128.

CCP Performatura goes pop

PERFORMATURA, the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ (CCP) festival of written words and performances, returns on March 31 to April 2 with live and on-site activities happening from 10:30 a.m. onwards, at the Tanghalang Ignacio B. Gimenez (CCP Black Box Theater). With the theme “Performatura Goes Pop,” the three-day event presents performances, poetry readings, multi-arts workshops, literary talks, spoken word sessions, a poetry contest, film screening, book launches, a book and art fair, and interviews with renowned writers. Headed by its festival director Dr. Vim Nadera Jr., the first day of festival — dubbed Unbox@Blackbox — focuses on literature on social media in its morning session. Vlogger entrepreneur Carlo Ople launches his creative non-fiction book Suweldo is Not Enough. There will be a panel of speakers, a sneaker auction, and a poetry performance by Hannah Leceña. The afternoon session celebrates the National Women’s Month, with a turnover ceremony of printed copies of the book In Certain Seasons: Mothers Write in the Time of COVID with the PEN Philippines and Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines’ Bureau of the Copyright and Related Rights. It will be followed by the launch of the Lila Mga Tula, a poetry book written by women from the Linangan sa Imahen, Retorika at Anyo. There will be a special screening of Brutal, a film directed by National Artist for Film Marilou Diaz Abaya and written by National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee, who will do a talk back session after the screening. The second day centers on the art of spoken word, headlined by the Ampalaya Monologues, the spoken word collective headed by its founder Mark Ghosn. At the Spoken Camp, a page-to-stage writing workshop, participants will have the chance to develop their writing skills. There will also be a talk on performing written poetry by National Artist for Literature Gemino Abad. Spoken Fest will feature hottest spoken word artists, backed by indie music. Spoken Night, an open mic session, will give a platform to aspiring poets. Dubbed Araw ni Balagtas, Performatura pays tribute and celebrates the 149^th birth anniversary of Francisco Baltazar on the last day of the festival. The Makatas with Ingay Likha battle rap artists Tulala, Zantasa, and D.O.C. will perform, while Singaporean literary artist Chris Mooney Singh will talk about “Balagtasan in the World Literature.” National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario will speak about the significance of Bataan in the life of Balagtas; followed by performances by teachers and students of Bataan High School for the Arts, and multi-arts workshops at 2 p.m. Capping the festival will be the KamPerformatura’s offering of poetry and performances by the youth participants, which will kickstart the Tanghal Makata 2023 competition. Mr. Ghosn, poet performer Kooky Tuason, and mambabalagtas from Bulacan Melandro Pascual are some of the judges. Artist Mimi Tecson will hold a mini-exhibit at the lobby of the CCP Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez. Her art materials include book pages. Thirty artists, writers, and publishers, organized by Pia Perez of The Indie Publishers Collab PH and Mark Ghosn, will sell their works at the venue on the first and second days. Artists and entrepreneurs from the Unbox team will sell their works at the venue on the last day. Remote Performatura events will also take place. These include a book club discussion on Lualhati Bautista; the book club Flips Flippin’ Pages will hold an online book discussion on The Reddest Rose Unfolds comics via Zoom on April 15 (interested parties can get in touch with Gege Sugue, the discussion moderator, on Facebook). The Poesia poetry reading will be held face to face on April 26, 3 p.m., at the Zaguan of Museo de La Salle in Dasmariñas, Cavite. While Performatura is open to the public, visitors are encouraged to donate a book, which will serve as an admission ticket to each segment. Collected books will go to CCP’s partner libraries. For queries, e-mail ccpintertextualdivision@gmail.com, call 8832-1125 local 1706 or 0919-3175708.

Metrobank search on for exceptional visual artists

THE CALL for entries for the 2023 Metrobank Art & Design Excellence (MADE) is open until March 31. All qualified Filipino visual artists are invited to submit their painting and sculpture. On its 39th year, MADE seeks to build a stronger creative community by fostering deeper connections between creatives as the country navigates through uncertainty in this post-pandemic era. Through the years, the competition has proven to be a great venue where art is used as a tool to stir conversations and challenge actions for national transformation. Even the pandemic did not impede the success of MADE which has received 701 and 537 entries in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Taking off from the theme “Connect: Stronger Ties, Bolder Strides,” this year’s MADE Competition invites young artists to be courageous in taking advantage of new opportunities to unleash their hidden potential. All Filipino citizens aged 18 to 35 years old (18 years old as of March 31, 2023 and 35 years old as of Sept. 21, 2023) may join the 2023 MADE Painting Recognition Program. The entry must be an original artwork, wholly conceptualized and executed by the entrant. Meanwhile, the 2023 MADE Sculpture Recognition Program are open to all Filipino citizens aged 18 to 50 years old (18 years old as of March 31, 2023 and 50 years old as of Sept. 21, 2023) who have not won in the past MADE Sculpture Competitions. Entries must be submitted on or before March 31. Interested entrants must fill out the e-entry form over at the Metrobank Foundation website (https://www.mbfoundation.org.ph/art-design/about-the-metrobank-art-design-excellence-made/) and submit the requirements to hello@madeartdepot.ph. The 2023 MADE Painting and Sculpture Competition Guidelines can be viewed here: https://issuu.com/metrobankartanddesignexcellence/docs/2023_made_painting_guidelines and https://issuu.com/metrobankartanddesignexcellence/docs/2023_made_sculpture_guidelines. Two Grand Awardees for the Painting Recognition Program will each receive P350,000 and support for the Awardee’s artistic development initiative plus a scholarship to the Linangan Art Residency amounting to P150,000. One Grand Awardee for the Sculpture Recognition Program will be given P500,000 in cash. The Grand Awardees will be recognized in an awarding ceremony during Metrobank’s 61^st anniversary in September.

Encantada opens 2023 dance season

NATIONAL Artist for Dance Agnes Locsin’s award-winning Filipino dance masterwork, Encantada, returns to open the 2023 dance season. A collaboration with Joey Ayala for music, Al Santos for libretto, and the late National Artist Salvador Bernal for production design, Encantada features the artists of the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Professional Artist Support Program and Alice Reyes Dance Philippines. To celebrate Earth Month, Encantada goes on stage at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater on April 14-15 and at the Metropolitan Theater on April 21-22, with evening shows at 7:30 p.m. and matinees at 2 p.m. The production was last staged in 2011 to critical acclaim, garnering 10 Gawad Buhay Awards, including Best Modern Dance Production, Best Choreography, Best Musical Composition, Best Production Design, as well as citations for Georgette Sanchez-Vargas for Female Lead Performance and Carissa Adea for Female Featured Performance. Both of them will reprise their roles for the current 2023 production. Also joining the cast is Kris-Belle Paclibar-Mamangun, a former member of Cirque du Soleil, who will be alternating the role of Babaylan with Carissa Adea. The dance season will continue with Alice Reyes’ Ramahari (Sept. 15-16), Carmen and Other Spirits (Oct. 27-28, Nov. 3-4), a mixed bill featuring Alice Reyes’ Carmen and new works by young Filipino choreographers, and the celebration of the Filipino Christmas with Puso Ng Pasko (Dec. 2-3, 8-9). For season subscriptions and ticket reservations, contact Kurt Copon at ardancephilippinesinc@gmail.com or subscribe online through google form here: https://forms.gle/9wMV1Vfw91orBcjo8

Coffee table book on Senator Tomas Lluisma Cabili

IN A time of great political upheaval and uncertainty, one man stood firmly for the rights of his people. Senator Tomas Lluisma Cabili, hailed by the Maranaos as “Sultan Dimasangkay ko Ranao,” was the lone delegate who stood against the First National Assembly by refusing to sign the 1935 Constitution, which failed to provide adequate protection for Muslims. He never wavered in his conviction; his bold decision cemented his place in history. To chronicle his life and legacy, genealogist Nasser Sharief and The Royal House of Cabili have co-written the coffee-table book, HRH Tomas Lluisma Cabili and The Royal House of Sultan A Dimasangkay Ko Ranao. It was launched on March 7 to coincide with Mr. Cabili’s birthday. The 60-page hardcover book features personal stories and photographs from his childhood, his years as an assemblyman, senator, and sultan, to his last moments when he and 23 others perished in a fateful plane crash in 1957 which killed President Ramon Magsaysay.

Dulaang UP returns with Karera si Rosang Taba

DULAANG UP’s second offering for its 45^th theater season is an adaptation of Dean Francis Alfar’s children’s story “How Rosang Taba Won a Race.” The play, Kung Paano Nanalo sa Karera si Rosang Taba, is written by award-winning playwrights Maynard Manansala and Rody Vera, and directed by José Estrella in collaboration with her mentees Issa Manalo Lopez and Mark Dalacat. It tells the story of how a woman’s courage, cleverness, and determination altered history. In the adaptation, Rosang Taba’s feat is recounted by her great grandchildren in the hope that her legacy lives on in the modern times. The play stars Kiki Baento, Jojo Cayabyab, Skyzx Labastilla, Peewee O’Hara, Victor Sy, Aldo Vencilao, Quinea Babas, Ynna Rafa, Dyas Adarlo, Mari Palaganas, Owel Pepito, and Pau Vengano. The proceeds of the show will be used for the rehabilitation and renovation of the Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero Theater, the home of over 150 Dulaang UP plays in the last four decades. Kung Paano Nanalo sa Karera si Rosang Taba is set to run from March 23 to April 2, 2023 at the UP Theater Main Hall Stage, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City. Tickets are available at https://ticket2me.net/e/36951 and at the Dulaang UP ticket booth at Palma Hall Pavilion 3 every Tuesdays to Fridays at 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For inquiries, contact Camilo De Guzman at 0917-881-1591 or e-mail dulaangup.upd@up.edu.ph.

Ateneo presents KALAS: A Devised Twinbill Production

KALAS: A Devised Twinbill Production is an undergraduate acting thesis production under the mentorship of actress Missy Maramara. It features two one-act Virgin Labfest plays: Dingdong Novenario’s Daddy’s Girl, directed by Jenny Jamora, and Carlo Vergara’s Kung Paano Ako Naging Leading Lady, directed by Raflesia Bravo. It will have performances on March 29 to April 1 at the Fine Arts Theater, Gonzaga Hall, Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City. This is a blank ticketed show with a floor prize of P350. RSVP for tickets at https://forms.gle/1UxdAXfBHKwkFti4A, and for show buyers, e-mail kalastwinbilladmu@gmail.com. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/kalastwinbilladmu.

CTA affirms Cebu Light Industrial Park’s canceled tax liabilities

March 15, 2023 | 12:06 am

THE Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) has affirmed its decision to set aside Cebu Light Industrial Park, Inc.’s tax liabilities worth P5.57 million representing its deficiency income tax, expanded withholding tax, and documentary stamp tax for the year 2005.

In a 10-page decision made public on March 9, the CTA en banc upheld the canceled taxes saying its First Division had jurisdiction over the disputed tax assessment.

“The CTA shall exercise exclusive appellate jurisdiction to review by appeal decisions of the commissioner of internal revenue (CIR) in cases involving disputed assessments, refunds… or other laws administered by the Bureau of Internal Revenue,” Associate Justice Marian Ivy F. Reyes-Fajardo said in the ruling citing the law creating the tax court.

The CIR argued that the firm was still liable to pay documentary stamp tax stemming from advances to stockholders which are considered loans based on the country’s tax code.

The tribunal disagreed saying Cebu Light Industrial Park need not pay the said tax since it is registered with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority, which provides an exemption from national taxes.

It added that said deficiency tax had already been paid for by the firm’s shareholders Science Park of the Philippines, Inc. and Beacon Property Ventures, Inc.

The respondent is a domestic firm that engages in real estate by managing houses, buildings, apartments and other structures. Its main office is in Makati City.

“[Cebu Light Industrial Park] is a duly registered PEZA entity enjoying a special tax of 5% on gross income in lieu of national and local taxes,” the court said.

“Therefore, the CIR may not hold respondent liable for documentary stamp tax.” — John Victor D. Ordoñez

Nobel laureate Kenzaburo Oe, who wrote of war and his son, 88

March 15, 2023 | 12:05 am

TOKYO — Kenzaburo Oe, who won Japan its second Nobel Prize for literature with books about the horrors of war and about his disabled son, has died at the age of 88.

Mr. Oe also later became known as a prominent campaigner against nuclear weapons and nuclear power.

His death, on March 3, was due to old age, his publisher Kodansha said.

Ten years old when Japan was defeated in World War II, Mr. Oe was scarred by his memories, which included being asked in school every day if he was willing to die for the Emperor and feeling shame when realizing in bed at night that he wasn’t.

He wrote about gruesome tales of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and noted how his shock at what he had heard may have been his inspiration for becoming a writer.

Mr. Oe was never afraid to hold his country to account and was scathing about former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s efforts to revise Japan’s pacifist constitution.

Japan bore “some” responsibility for the war, he said in a 2014 interview.

“This war, in which so many large powers were involved, caused great suffering for people all over the world… And it is a reality that within this immense war, nuclear weapons were created and used.”

His brain-damaged son Hikari also became a driving force of his literature. Hikari was for years unable to communicate with his family but as an adult became known as a composer. Mr. Oe has said that much of his writing was an attempt to give Hikari a voice.

Several of Mr. Oe’s books have characters based on Hikari, with one, A Personal Matter, talking about difficulties accepting the child. The Nobel committee singled out a number of these books when he won the prize in 1994.

“Although I myself am perhaps quite a dark novelist, I believe that also my novels show a kind of trust in human beings,” he said in 2014. “And this has come from my son.”

Mr. Oe was born in Shikoku, the smallest of Japan’s main islands, the third son of seven children. After his father died suddenly in 1944 at home he was raised by his mother, who bought him books such as Huckleberry Finn.

A graduate of Tokyo University, where he studied French literature, Mr. Oe began publishing stories while still a student and won the Akutagawa Prize, a career-launching award for new writers, in 1958. A steady stream of work followed, including books on the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

His Nobel Prize was followed by Japan’s Order of Culture, but he refused to accept it because it was awarded by the Emperor. “I do not recognize any authority, any value, higher than democracy,” he said.

Always a pacifist, Mr. Oe became an even more vocal critic after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident, saying that Japan had “a sacred duty” to renounce nuclear power, the same way it renounced war under its constitution. In 2013 he organized an anti-nuclear rally in Tokyo and in 2015 joined thousands to protest moves by Shinzo Abe to let Japanese troops fight abroad.

In 1960 he married Yukari, the sister of late film director Juzo Itami, noted for his satires of modern life. Hikari, the first of their three children, was born four years later. — Reuters

Studio A24 captures Oscar spotlight with big wins for best picture, acting

March 15, 2023 | 12:04 am

EEAAO_Thumbnail_BIG-1 — A SCENE from the film Everything Everywhere All at Once

LOS ANGELES — Independent studio A24 was the big winner at Sunday’s Academy Awards, taking nine awards out of its 18 nominations, including best picture and all four acting prizes. The studio’s Everything Everywhere All at Once won seven Oscars, the most of the evening, including best picture.

The science-fiction film also took three of the four acting awards. Michelle Yeoh was named best actress, while Ke Huy Quan and Jamie Lee Curtis took the supporting awards.

It was only the third film in Oscar history to win three of the four acting awards, following 1951’s A Streetcar Named Desire and 1976’s Network. No film has ever won all four acting prizes. However, Brendan Fraser took the best actor prize for A24’s The Whale, which also won for best makeup and hairstyling.

Not since the heyday of Miramax in the 1990s has an independent studio garnered such attention, talent, and box office success, entertainment industry insiders say.

At a time when major Hollywood studios have taken refuge in the familiar, releasing sequels and rehashing old ideas, A24 is cementing a reputation for taking risks on original projects that other studios pass on — including the frenetic, chaotic Everything Everywhere All at Once, which is its highest-grossing movie at $107.4 million globally.

“In this moment, they are not only the leading indie company, but they also have created a brand that probably resonates more with its customers than any other independent ever — more than Miramax,” said Picturehouse CEO Bob Berney, a well-regarded executive in the world of independent film. “Their biggest achievement is that they’ve created a super-cool brand that has a following.”

This year, A24 will build on that momentum and lift its film, television, and documentary production by 30%, according to a source familiar with the matter, riding the wave of industry acclaim and its 2022 box office success.

Forthcoming releases this year include the love story Past Lives, which screened to a rapturous critical reception at the Berlin film festival; the dark comedy series Beef for Netflix, in which Ali Wong and Steven Yeun portray two strangers whose lives collide in a road-rage episode; and the Steph Curry documentary Underrated for Apple TV+.

“It’s very much a dream studio, because they make movies that feel so auteur-focused,” said playwright and Past Lives director Celine Song, who said that the studio enables first-time directors like herself to “speak in their own voice.”

The New York-based company founded by three film executives — Daniel Katz, David Fenkel, and John Hodges, who has since departed — got its start in 2012 distributing such films as Spring Breakers. Some of its box office success has come from the horror genre, with such critically acclaimed films as Hereditary and Midsommar. It earned a reputation as a Hollywood tastemaker with such director-driven projects as Lady Bird, Moonlight, and Uncut Gems.

This year, A24’s 18 Academy Award nominations were across six films, ranking second only to the giant Walt Disney Co. It collected its first nods for best animated feature, Marcel the Shell With Shoes On; best foreign film, Close; and outstanding makeup and hairstyling, The Whale. Eight performers in A24 films received first-time acting nominations including Yeoh, Quan, Curtis, and Fraser.

EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE
The first film A24 produced and financed, together with Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment, was Moonlight, which won the Oscar for best picture in 2017. The studio has garnered 53 Oscar nominations in less than a decade, including best picture nods for Lady Bird, Minari, and Room.

A24’s film slate has grown at the pace of its cash flow — starting with three movies in 2016 to 15 in 2022. Midway through the global lockdown, it resumed movie making using its in-house production capabilities. This year, it’s on track to produce about 15 films for theatrical release, eight documentaries, and 10 television shows.

The studio’s frugal use of capital — A24’s film budgets range from $5 million to $50 million — give it the flexibility to take more creative swings, according to the source close to the studio.

“They are willing to take risks and take chances on filmmakers and on stories that other people might not be,” said Claudette Godfrey, vice-president of film and television for the SXSW festival. “I think that is what makes it interesting and I think that’s why we ended up kind of aligning with them.”

The studio, which now employs 200 people working in New York, Los Angeles, and London, eschews traditional movie marketing campaigns in favor of digital promotions, like the rubber “hot dog fingers” and googly eyes from Everything Everywhere All at Once that took TikTok by storm.

A24’s financial success at the box office has allowed it to expand its creative portfolio.

About nine years ago, it began producing television shows in addition to films, winning critical praise for Hulu’s Ramy, a comedy series centered around a first-generation American Muslim, and HBO’s Emmy-winning drama series Euphoria.

The studio is developing shows for several streaming services and television networks, including a pair of HBO series: The Sympathizer, a $100-million television adaptation of Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel starring Robert Downey Jr., and The Idol from the creators of Euphoria and The Weeknd.

It’s also developing Sunny, a thriller for Apple TV+ starring Rashida Jones and Hidetoshi Nishijima.

The global reach of the streaming platforms, together with an infusion of $225 million from investors including Stripes and Neuberger Berman, on behalf of client funds, serve to fan A24’s ambitions, as it ramps up production and expands into new genres.

“A24 has over time developed a well-earned reputation as a powerful force in the world of independent cinema,” said Comscore senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian, “whose name has come to represent quality awards-caliber filmed entertainment and now ranks among the most influential and respected purveyors of quality cinema with both filmmakers and audiences.” — Reuters