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UP edges La Salle, 61-59, snatches solo second

ZAVIER LUCERO — THE UAAP

By Jhon Bryan Ulanday

ROOKIE Zavier Lucero dazzled for a career-best outing as University of the Philippines (UP) turned it up late for a thrilling 61-59 win over La Salle to gain a solo second place in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 84 at the Mall of Asia Arena on Thursday.

Continuing to be a revelation for the Fighting Maroons, the Filipino-American forward erupted for 21 points and 14 rebounds including nine offensive boards, two steals and a block as they notched their fifth consecutive win for a 5-1 record behind unbeaten champion Ateneo.

Carl Tamayo added nine markers and 11 rebounds, CJ Cansino also had nine on two treys while Joel Cagulangan provided a spark with five markers, five boards, seven assists and two steals against his former team.

Malick Diouf and James Spencer also stepped up for veteran Ricci Rivero’s scoreless showing with seven each for the Fighting Maroons, who eked out another close win after overcoming Adamson on Tuesday, 73-71.

“I felt that we struggled offensively the whole game but we turned it up on defense especially in the fourth quarter,” said coach Goldwin Monteverde as UP limited La Salle to 11 points in the deciding quarter.

Despite a sizzling four-game winning rampage, the sloppy Fighting Maroons with 23 turnovers trailed for the most part of the game including a 45-52 deficit midway through the payoff period before Mr. Lucero, who sizzled for 20 against the Soaring Falcons, took over.

The 6-foot-6 ace poured 11 of his career-high campaign in the final canto highlighted by a go-ahead putback in the 1:48 mark for a 61-59 cushion as UP held the fort the rest of the way to complete a 16-7 finishing kick.

Justine Baltazar hauled his own in a duel with Gilas Pilipinas teammate Mr. Tamayo with 13 points and 10 boards, but La Salle still fell short to get a win run going anew after taming Santo Tomas the other day, 75-66.

Evan Nelle also put up 13 in La Salle’s second loss in six starts to slip at third place with still a game to spare in the first round of eliminations.

The Scores:

UP 61 – Lucero 21, Tamayo 9, Cansino 9, Spencer 7, Diouf 7, Cagulangan 5, Fortea 3, Rivero 0, Alarcon 0, Abadiano 0.

La Salle 59 – Baltazar 13, Nelle 13, M. Phillips 9, Nonoy 9, Winston 7, Lojera 3, Galman 3, Nwankwo 2, Austria 0, B. Phillips 0, Cuajao 0.

Quarterscores: 17-17, 32-35, 43-48, 61-59.

Actress Betty White’s personal belongings to go under the hammer

Betty White in Archive of American Television (1997) — IMDB.COM

BEVERLY HILLS —  Personal items that once belonged to the iconic comedic actress Betty White, including a gold watch from her mother, are set to go up for auction in September.

Awards, paintings, scripts, jewelry and red carpet outfits from the homes of The Golden Girls actress were put on display at Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills on Tuesday. White died at age 99 on Dec. 31.

“This is an auction representing an incredible life and career. It’s a lifestyle auction,” said Martin Nolan, the executive director of Julien’s Auctions. “All these items came from her home in Brentwood or her residence in Carmel in northern California, where she lived with her husband Allen Ludden,” he added.

The most personal item, according to Mr. Nolan, is a “14-carat gold watch that was gifted to Betty Dec. 25, 1940 with the initials T.C.W. which, of course, is Tess White, Betty’s mom.”

White started her career in radio in the late 1930s and by 1939 had made her TV debut. By 1952, White had her own television series Life with Elizabeth and went on to have iconic roles in The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Golden Girls.

She was one of the first recipients of a star on the Walk of Fame in 1960. A smaller replica, given to the recipient when they are awarded the star, is up for auction.

There are also numerous paintings of animals and paintings by animals.

“Pets were her thing. She said that she liked to keep her job in show business so that she could support her business with animals,” Mr. Nolan said.

Up for auction are three paintings by Koko, a gorilla who communicated using sign language.

Nolan values the entire collection at $1 million to $2 million. The auction will take place Sept. 23-25 in Beverly Hills. —  Reuters

Biden warns Amazon ‘Here we come’ after New York union vote

PRESS.ABOUTAMAZON.COM

PRESIDENT Joe Biden took a shot at Amazon.com, Inc. over its battles with employees seeking to unionize.

Speaking to members of North America’s Building Trades Unions in Washington on Wednesday, Biden touted his administration’s efforts to make it easier for workers to form labor unions.

“By the way, Amazon, here we come,” the president said, drawing applause. “Watch. Watch.”

The comments come on the heels of a victory for Staten Island, New York warehouse workers who formed a union in the face of opposition from Amazon. A second vote is expected at another Amazon warehouse in Staten Island, and organizers are eying union pushes at more of the company’s facilities in the region. 

The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union is attempting to win another election at an Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama after losing a vote last year.

Biden said his White House is intent on empowering organizing workers “to make sure the choice to join a union belongs to workers alone.”

“That’s what unions are about — providing dignity and respect for people who bust their neck,” Biden said.

The president has shown antipathy toward employers perceived as anti-union, most notably in his relationship with Tesla, Inc. Biden has seldom mentioned the company and has not visited any of its factories, even while celebrating efforts by Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co. to launch electric models.

The snubs have irked Tesla co-founder Elon Musk.

But recently, Musk hosted Labor Secretary Marty Walsh for a tour of Tesla’s new factory in Austin, Texas. Walsh said in an interview with Yahoo Finance Live that Musk told him he’s not opposed to Tesla employees seeking to form a union, if they want. — Bloomberg

Knights, Cardinals battle to keep NCAA headstart

LETRAN’S Pao Javillonar, Rhenz Abando — NCAA/GMA/ANGELA DAVOCOL

By Joey Villar

LETRAN and co-leader Mapua part ways as the two collide on Friday even as San Beda stakes its unblemished record against San Sebastian in the 97th National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) basketball tournament at the La Salle Greenhills Gym.

The winner of the noon duel between the Knights and the Cardinals, who are unscathed in three starts, should keep their place at the helm alongside the Lions, assuming the Mendiola-based dribblers could hurdle the Stags in their 3 p.m. showdown.

Rhenz Abando is expected to carry the fight for the reigning titlist anew after unleashing a monster effort — 24 points, five rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block—in a 68-57 win over University of Perpetual Help on Sunday.

“We will treat every game as if it’s a championship game because we know it’s a short tournament,” said the prized 22-year-old transferee from University of Santo Tomas.

Letran will face a Mapua team out to gain respect after barging into a three-way tie for first despite going under the radar in the pre-season.

Mr. Abando should find a worthy foe in Mapua skipper Warren Bonifacio, who is not as flashy and as athletic as the former but boasts of grit and steely nerves as evident in the Cardinals’ 65-59 win over the Stags on Tuesday.

“We were just told to play hard, defend and do everything to help our team win,” said the 23-year-old San Simon, Pampanga native, who dropped a 16-point, 14-rebound effort in their most recent triumph.

San Beda, which was coming off a 67-53 win over Jose Rizal University (JRU) on Sunday, for its part, will gun for a fourth win in row against an SSC team that is eyeing to improve on its 1-2 card.

Kacific: More satellite operators expected to enter PHL

By Arjay L. Balinbin, Senior Reporter

MORE satellite operators are expected to enter the Philippines as a result of President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s executive order allowing inclusive access to satellite services, Kacific Broadband Satellites said.

“With the signing of Executive Order 127, we expect more satellite operators to take interest in expanding operations in the Philippines,” Jose Daniel E. Belgira, national partnership manager for the Philippines at Kacific, told BusinessWorld in a recent e-mail interview.

“We see this as an opportunity for the industry as a whole to benefit, as more people start to gain awareness and consideration of satellite connectivity as an alternative internet source,” he added.

Mr. Duterte’s executive order, which he signed in 2021, expands internet services through inclusive access to satellite services. It amends Executive Order 467, which required telecommunication companies to get a congressional franchise before using satellite facilities.

“If anything, entry of LEOs (low-earth orbit satellites) like Starlink will also help to increase the demand in internet usage, penetrate new markets and address the demand of the enterprise customers with high-speed products,” Mr. Belgira said.

The Trade department announced last week that Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) was already preparing to enter the Philippine market.

“We see there is still a large opportunity for satellite internet in the Philippines, given the nature and geography of the country as an archipelago with plenty of mountainous regions,” Mr. Belgira said.

He noted that 32% of the population remains unconnected with an additional 10% in underserved areas.

He also said it remains difficult and costly for internet service providers to offer mobile and fiber services in remote regions.

“As such, satellite broadband now serves as a viable and more affordable option to connect the last mile, and may also complement existing internet infrastructure as a… redundancy service.”

There has been a rapid shift to digital connectivity during the pandemic, especially for e-learning, remote work, and online transactions. The digital shift disenfranchises remote and underserved communities, Mr. Belgira said.

Kacific, which operates in Southeast Asia and Pacific Island regions, said it has connected over 100,000 communities in the remote areas of Mindanao and Visayas.

Mr. Belgira said the key challenge for LEOs will remain the price of the remote antennas, which is usually in the range of $9,000 to $13,000 without shipment and duties.

“We understand that the satellite industry is historically known to be expensive and unreliable,” he added.

According to the company, it is already taking steps to address the challenge “by offering cheaper equipment for as low as P31,200.”

Shawn Mendes’ new song not holding back after public breakup

SHAWNMENDESOFFICIAL.COM

SHAWN Mendes is working through his very public breakup with singer Camila Cabello with his new single, “When You’re Gone.”

Mr. Mendes called the up-tempo tune therapeutic and said it is about the “essence of processing a breakup and what that is and memories and all of these feelings kind of start flowing.”

He added, “I think after the breakup happened, I realized how much of myself I was being protected by this person and that I needed to be able to protect that part of me too. And that’s a huge moment, and I think that you don’t really get to see those weak spots are those vulnerable spots that you need to care and love until they’re open.”

The hook of the song features the lyrics “It’s hard for me to let go of you, I’m just trying to hold…” When asked if he is holding on, Mr. Mendes replied: “No, I’m not holding on.”

Mr. Mendes and Ms. Cabello announced the end of their roughly three-year relationship in Nov. 2021 on Instagram.

While releasing music is always nerve-racking for the 23-year-old, he said he is happy fans are relating to the song released Thursday by Island Records, part of Universal Music Group.

In June, Mendes will kick off his 86-arena Wonder: The World Tour in Portland, Oregon. The Canadian said touring is a creative life force that powers the part of him that is able to create music and be artistic, which is something he showcases in his music video for “When You’re Gone.”

“I wanted to like just film that and put it out there to be like, ‘Guys, this is what this is.’ You know, it’s been a minute.”—  Reuters

Social differences and the middle class

WHEN Pulse Asia released the socio-economic profile of its respondents in its recent survey, it is notable that the class AB was not covered. Class C composed 8% of respondents, Class D1 was the biggest chunk at 61%, Class D2 at 18% and Class E at 13%.

Most analysts of the forthcoming polls agree on one thing — the election will be decided by the votes of class D-E.  Despite all the revelations about ill-gotten wealth, unpaid estate taxes, false claims in school records, mediocre accomplishments in past positions held, and the unwillingness to engage in public debate, the D and E segment, at least according to the surveys, favor the candidate so accused. These are still surveys, so it remains to be seen whether these will translate to actual votes.  But to the scrupulous and conscientious, these initial results reveal an inability to communicate these lacking competencies of the leading candidate.

The survey results show how important social status is as an element in communication. Social status refers to the relative rank or standing of an individual in the eyes of others. People have difficulty navigating status differences when trying to inform or persuade others.  Such differences often create bias against those with perceived lower status.

According to various models, the communication process is comprised of five general components: the sender (or information source), the transmitter (which encodes the message), a channel (where signals pass through), the receiver (who decodes the message) and the destination (also the recipient). In between social classes, there are barriers or noise, the biggest of which is diversity which leads to preconceived notions, biases and resistance. This noise is aggravated by technology and social media with its preponderance of short and unvalidated clips that build perceptions masquerading as truth.

My friends ask why some people are not able to see the truth or at least detect the lies. While the observations may be valid, sometimes the problem lies not so much with the message but the approach of the sender and the appreciation of noise. The higher-class groups (A, B, C) may tend to be self-righteous. With said attitude, there is little effort to recognize the others’ perspective and how they interpret things. There are differences that must be recognized, and the greatest need is for the communicator to have more empathy, to put themselves in the place of the recipient and to remain humble.

For this reason, the country should aim to work for a strong middle class in the long run to lessen the dissonance. According to Samuel Huntington in The Third Wave, “Growth in global economic output helped modernize many less developed countries. Economic modernization, which includes structural changes like increased rates of urbanization, education and a rising middle class, unleashes a constellation of social forces with the organizational capacity and education to press for democratic governance.” Many scholars believe, though not without opposing views, that more equitable and sustainable development can only be achieved with the help of a middle class that will drive progress and equality.  The NEDA’s Ambisyon Natin 2040 also proposes that expanding the Filipino middle class is key to achieving Philippine development goals.

According to a PIDS note, about 2 in every 5 Filipino belong to middle-income class, nearly three-fifths to low income and the remaining 1.4% to high income. A World Bank (WB) June 2020 paper on the middle class, however, notes a lower percentage number. The share of the middle class in total population in the Philippines is 9.2%, compared with 17.7% in developing East Asia and Pacific and 12.8% in developing countries. The Philippines not only has a small middle class compared with regional peers but has also experienced lower expansion.

The WB study identify the main impediments to upward mobility and more rapid expansion of the middle class. It recommends structural upgrade to increase the dynamism of the private sector to create more well-paying job opportunities. It calls for the need to improve skill, training and education quality for the labor force. It advocates improved financial services, access and use and improved support for school to work transition.

The forthcoming political exercise may be impaired because of the messaging to the social classes that dominate the electorate. There is no quick fix, and we can only hope for results that will not exacerbate the inequality in Philippine society. For the long haul, we need to see the emergence of a bigger middle class as one way to improve the governance setting, especially the choice of political leaders. A strong middle class invests in human capital, has better educational attainment, is expected to practice discernment and can serve as agents of change for better public service.

 

Benel Dela Paz Lagua was previously executive vice-president and chief development officer at the Development Bank of the Philippines. He is an active FINEX member and an advocate of risk-based lending for SMEs. The views expressed herein are his own and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of his office as well as FINEX.

The 5 don’ts of employee problem-solving

I’m the human resource (HR) manager of a business process outsourcing firm. Our newly-appointed American chief executive officer (CEO) is puzzled why our typical worker does not volunteer to solve a problem even if it’s adversely affecting their work. I told our CEO that we need to be patient, as workers may be waiting to figure out the new CEO’s management style. What’s your take on this? — White Flower.

He who waits to do something good will never accomplish anything. Management is not a waiting game. You should be the first to know that in HR, being the in-house specialist in people management. If you’re a regular follower of this column, you’ll find that the common thread in much of my advice is to be proactive with the workers.

That’s why I’m not a big fan of exit interviews, which are too little, too late. They are reactive and reveal few hints about what’s wrong with management. That’s assuming that resigning employees are willing to share their frustrations. Most of the time, they don’t want to rock the boat in order not to delay the release of their terminal pay, employment certificate, clearance and recommendation letter for their next employer.

You can do a lot to encourage people to problem-solve. Start by coming up with a corporate-wide program to establish a formal framework, in which the workers must identify their everyday operational issues and make recommendations to management about their proposed solution.

FIVE DON’TS
However, the real issue is that workers will have many solutions in mind. The trouble is that they’re not sure whether management is receptive to their ideas if the work environment is not conducive. Sometimes, when prompted to propose solutions, they bring up measures that are too expensive for the organization to accept and apply.

I’ve talked to many workers whose main recommendation is hiring additional manpower as work piles up, or buy expensive software to improve productivity. These are typically rejected by management even if the money is there.

In many cases, however, organizations don’t have enough funds for those solutions. So, what can we do? As I’ve said earlier, management must create a work environment where problem-solving and decision-making are delegated to the workers to a certain extent. You may have heard of the employee suggestion program, kaizen teams, quality circles, labor-management cooperation or a combination of any two or three of those.

Whatever name you may want to call it, start something by empowering people with an improvement program outlined in a simple policy, a suggestion form to be used, the role of line executives, the approval process, and the reward system. You can start from there and innovate as you go along. In general, management must be cautious of the following:

One, don’t be trigger-happy in rejecting employee ideas. Emphasize in the policy that management will only accept low-cost solutions. It’s up to you to define the meaning of “low-cost.” Don’t take it literally. A budget of say, $200 or even $500 may be acceptable if it solves a recurring $1,500 problem. It’s your call.

This is the true essence of kaizen (continuous improvement). It includes maximizing current resources to solve certain issues. Give examples of the type of preferred solutions that are welcome and likely to be approved. I have a list of these examples that I could share with you.

Two, don’t monopolize the discussion when convening the group to solve a problem. Don’t be a victim of “groupthink.” This is a principle in psychology that when a boss, a senior team member or a bully voices an opinion, it tends to disrupt critical thinking in other people. If you’re tempted to say something, recast it as a question, or else ask “why” lots of times to challenge the logic of various proposals.

Whatever you do, establish a low-key position. Let the workers shine on their own. If you start announcing your preferred solution, chances are, it will be misinterpreted as something that you would want done.

Three, don’t interrupt team members as they lay out their ideas. If you don’t agree with a proposal, let the group decide for themselves as long as they follow the established guidelines. The same principle applies even if you agree with something. This is the logic behind co-ownership.

It would be easy for everyone to support an idea if they’re allowed to weigh in on the pros and cons without active management intervention. Such group participation also helps to convey the message that management trusts the system and the people who are working behind it.

Four, don’t allow the discussion to erupt into disagreement. In many cases, this is inevitable, but practical solution is always available. If there’s a conflict between team members, try to placate everyone by acknowledging that the opposing parties’ positions are both valid. Then review the rules if they contain a path to resolving the conflict.

Another approach is to solicit ideas from a passive member who might see things differently. As a last resort, allow all team members to conduct a secret ballot to arrive at a final decision.

Last, don’t forget to show your appreciation to the team and to individuals. Kind words are easy to utter and work well in any situation. Don’t sound insincere or phony. Depending on the nature or importance of the issue at hand, you can say something like — “That’s an excellent idea. Let’s explore it with the help of the team.”

Ensure that other group members hear your words of praise. By doing so, you’ll be encouraging everyone to develop more ideas with the help of the team. Management must seize every opportunity to promote teamwork in situations where the workers are allowed to manage their own processes.

 

Have a chat with Rey Elbo via Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter or send your workplace questions to elbonomics@gmail.com or via https://reyelbo.consulting

Meralco calls for more ILP participants

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

MANILA Electric Co. (Meralco) has reached out to its eligible customers to take part in its interruptible load program (ILP) in which participants, when needed, “de-load” from the electricity grid and use their own generators.

“Currently, there are 122 companies with a total committed de-loading capacity of close to 560 megawatts (MW) in the Meralco franchise area that are enrolled under this program,” Meralco Vice-President and Head of Utility Economics Lawrence S. Fernandez said in a Viber message.

The program is implemented by the Department of Energy (DoE) along with distribution utilities in response to thinning power reserves, especially during the summer months.

On March 31, Meralco conducted a webinar in coordination with the DoE urging eligible customers to sign up for the ILP.

“This is one of the measures we have in place to ensure there will be continuous and reliable electricity service, particularly during the dry months and the upcoming National and Local Elections,” Mr. Fernandez said.

In the instance when the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) declares insufficient power supply scenarios, Meralco asks the ILP participants to temporarily de-load from the grid and switch on their generators.

In preparation for the elections in May, NGCP will be mobilizing 24/7 operations of its overall command center from May 8 to 10 to oversee power transmission operations and facilities.

NGCP’s dedicated team, the power task force elections (PTFE), has already carried out preparatory activities by coordinating with Commission on Elections and other government agencies for the deployment of their respective contingency plans.

“Our Integrated Disaster Action Plan (IDAP) prescribes these and other measures to ensure the readiness of all power transmission facilities to be affected by emergencies during important national events. With its security and contingency preparations set, NGCP can ensure reliable power transmission services before, during, and after the election date,” the company said in a statement.

This year, the DoE forecast a total peak demand of 12,387-MW for the Luzon grid by the last week of May, 747-MW higher than the previous year’s peak load of 11,640-MW that occurred on May 28.

Meralco’s controlling stakeholder, Beacon Electric Asset Holdings, Inc., is partly owned by PLDT, Inc. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has an interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls.

Meralco shares at the local bourse advanced by P5.60 or 1.53% to close at P372.60 apiece. — Ram Christian S. Agustin

Creamline goes for Petro Gazz’s jugular to avert finals collapse

PVL

CREAMLINE seeks to bury the ghost of the past as it goes for Petro Gazz’s jugular and avert a repeat of its finals collapse last season in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Open Conference, which moves to the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.

Powered by the clutch efforts of Jia De Guzman, Alyssa Valdez and Tots Carlos, the Cool Smashers turned back the Angels, 25-16, 23-25, 25-12, 32-30, in the series opener on Wednesday at the MOA Arena and could wrap it all up with another triumph in their 6 p.m. duel.

A decider, if necessary, is on Sunday at the same venue.

The power-spiking Mses. Valdez and Carlos uncorked 26 points apiece while Ms. De Guzman had 39 excellent sets to go with four hits including a couple of blocks and 15 excellent digs and should be the focal points of Creamline’s attack again as they shoot for their first crown as pros and fourth overall in the league.

Ms. Morado though stressed the job isn’t complete yet, knowing they also led 1-0 in their series with the Chery Tiggo Crossovers in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte a season back.

But as fate would have it, the Cool Smashers dropped the last two games including the winner-take-all match where they led two sets to none only to lose the last three frames and the crown.

“You can’t win a championship in one game, there’s one more to go,” said Ms. De Guzman, a former Finals MVP who is a strong candidate to win the league’s best setter award.

For the Angels, they would play minus Grethcel Soltones, who have a swollen right knee and awaiting the result of her MRI on Thursday.

Myla Pablo, who had cramps in Game One, and Nicole Tiamzon, who has sore legs, were given the green light to see action.

“Ms. Gretch (Soltones) won’t. Myla and Nicole are sore but yes they will play,” said Petro Gazz coach Jerry Yee.

Meanwhile, Choco Mucho likewise goes for the kill in its best-of-three face off with Cignal for third place at 3 p.m.

The Flying Titans took Game One, 25-17, 25-21, 21-25, 25-22. — Joey Villar

The Northman aims to tell Viking tale with accuracy and action

Alexander Skarsgård in The Northman — IMDB.COM

LONDON — Filmmaker Robert Eggers says his new star-studded revenge epic The Northman is both a big popcorn movie and a truthful portrayal of Viking culture and mythology.

Set in 895, the film stars Alexander Skarsgard as Viking prince Amleth, who flees his home in the North Atlantic after his uncle (Claes Bang) brutally kills his father, King Aurvandil (Ethan Hawke).

Years later, Amleth, disguised as a slave, travels to Iceland where his uncle and mother, Queen Gudrun (Nicole Kidman) now live, to avenge his father’s murder and to rescue his mother. Along the way he meets a mysterious woman, Olga (Anya Taylor-Joy), with whom he forms the first real human connection since his childhood.

“There really hasn’t been an accurate Viking movie ever before, and I was working with the greatest historians and archaeologists in the field and, one thing is for sure, this is the most accurate Viking movie that’s ever been made,” Mr. Eggers told Reuters at the film’s London premiere.

The Northman is produced by Mr. Skarsgard, who had spent several years developing a Viking epic before meeting Mr. Eggers.

“It’s been a dream of mine since I was a little kid growing up in Sweden, surrounded by runestones,” he said.

Mr. Skarsgard, 45, went through a physical transformation to play the burly Viking, working with his Tarzan trainer Magnus Lygdback.

“When Amleth transforms from his human state to his spirit animal, he becomes a hybrid of a bear and a wolf, so it was important to bulk up a bit and get a bit bigger,” he said.

The movie’s violent, large-scale action scenes were a first for Mr. Eggers, who has previously directed two feature films, The Lighthouse and The Witch. It involved meticulous planning and organization to keep his hundreds of extras, stunt performers and animals on track.

“He loves authenticity, he loves very long takes, scenes with no cuts. It’s quite challenging shooting big, big action set pieces with just one camera, one shot. So we had to rehearse them many, many times and work on that choreography and the relationship between the characters and the camera,” said Mr. Skarsgard of the experience.

The Northman, which also features Icelandic singer Bjork in her first big screen appearance in 17 years, is being released in cinemas around the world this month. —  Reuters

Polymer bills to be circulated starting April 18

THE trial circulation of P1,000 polymer bills will start this month, with the central bank assuring the notes have security features to prevent counterfeiting.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin E. Diokno said the notes will be circulated starting April 18.

“People can have it through over-the-counter transactions. In six months’ time, you will see it through the ATM (automated teller machines),” he said in a virtual briefing on Thursday.

Mr. Diokno said ATMs will be configured to include the P1,000 polymer bills as they will be circulated alongside the current notes.

“It (trial circulation) could be six months or less. We expect that there will be competition among banks. So we don’t expect this to be done 100% in six months or one year,” he said.

The P1,000 polymer bills were presented to President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Wednesday evening. The trial circulation involves 10 million pieces of notes.

Sarah Severina Curtis, deputy director of the BSP’s Banknotes and Securities Production Management Department, said the design of the polymer bills has security features as given P1,000 bills are the highest denomination, making them a target of counterfeiters.

The front design of the bill is a Philippine eagle, setting it apart from existing P1,000 notes that feature World War II heroes Jose Abad Santos, Vicente Lim, and Josefa Llanes Escoda.

Also, on the front side of the bill is a sampaguita, while the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, South Sea Pearl, and T’nalak weave are on the reverse side.

The central bank pushed to test polymer bills to see if the benefits of using the material seen by other central banks will also be seen in Philippine conditions.

Polymer bills last at least 2.5 times longer than paper banknotes, given their resistance to water, oil, dirt, and general wear and tear.

“Their extended lifespan makes polymer banknotes more cost-effective in the long run. They can also be recycled into other useful forms, such as compost bins, building components, furniture and other household products,” the BSP said. — LWTN