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FRED CORTES as Prinsipe Juan in Ibong Adarna (1941)

Movie Review
Ibong Adarna
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tceC79cLxoY

WHAT Filipino hasn’t heard of the Ibong Adarna, the magical bird whose sweet singing puts the unwary listener to sleep and whose droppings turn said listener into stone? Narcisa “Doña Sisang” de Leon (grandmother of filmmaker Mike de Leon) certainly did, and knew just how much Filipinos loved the story — so much so that she was willing to risk money on a lavish (for Filipinos anyway) film adaptation. She was right too — the production was a hit, the first Filipino film to gross over a million pesos.

The film credits Vicente Salumbides as director — but Nick Tiongson’s 2008 book on Manuel Conde claims the latter directed and gave the credit to Salumbides, keeping a “technical supervision” title for himself. Not sure how true this is, but a quick peek at their respective filmographies shows Conde had more films under his belt at this point, had worked on several productions with sound, one of which (Mahiwagang Biolin — The Magic Violin) is presumably fantasy and presumably involves special effects.

Not sure, who knows — that’s a common mantra heard while writing on Philippine cinema, the documentation poor to nonexistent.

The film follows the adventures of Prinsipe Juan (Fred Cortes) and his brothers Diego and Pedro as they seek the legendary Ibong Adarna to cure their ailing father. The three meet a beggar along the way; two dismiss the old man but Juan shares his food, and here Salumbides (who’s on record as having done the adaptation) adds a clever touch: where the beggar annoys the two brothers, Juan is solicitous to the point that the elder is forced to shake him off. The little revision helps set Juan apart, make his unalloyed goodness more believable (as Stephen Hillenberg might put it, living with a pure heart is possible, they’re just impossible to live with).

The beggar rewards Juan with cunning advice (turns out a bit of lime squeezed over self-inflicted wounds keeps one awake long enough to catch the bird). Juan not just fulfills the mission but saves his brothers; they repay him by knocking him out with a club and taking the bird (and the credit) for themselves. When the ruse is exposed, Juan pleads on behalf of his brothers (as mentioned: pure of heart and irritating as hell); Pedro pays him back yet again by releasing the bird and framing Juan for carelessness; Juan goes off yet again to recover the bird — and so it goes.

The Adarna bird accounts for perhaps a fourth of the film’s running time; the remainder has Juan descending into the underground kingdom of Armenia and battling a giant to win over Princess Leonora; has him traveling by giant eagle to the distant kingdom of Reino de los Cristales to woo Princess Maria (Mila del Sol) — the man does get around. The transition from Leonora to Maria feels particularly disturbing — are princes so fickle? Actually, this isn’t a case of too many revisions to the script but of the script being faithful to the source material. The trope of a royal prince seeking and staying with his One True Love seems to be a recent Disney development; in the Grimm fairy tales, lovers switched loyalties all the time, usually as a result of some enchantment — though one might consider said “enchantment” to be more of an excuse than an explanation.

Thus Juan — otherwise of excellent character, to the point of being exasperating — seems wanting in the fidelity department. He falls for Leonora but soon as they’re separated, falls for Maria instead; when he leaves Maria at an inn and bumps into Leonora he forgets Maria and falls for Leonora again, forcing Maria to barge her way into the royal palace and remind him of previous (or subsequent previous) commitments. Bewildering fare for those used to Disney puritanism but to these eyes feels more contemporary than anything, down to the self-absorbed male buffeted by the conflicting desires of two strong-willed women.

Plus — Pedro, who betrays his brother and is once, twice, three times forgiven, finally — finally — shows some impulse at reform. Character development and redemption in a fairy tale! How progressive can you get? Given his past record, you wonder how long reformation will last, though Pedro is the rare villain with valid motivation — he was passed over in favor of young Juan in the line of succession, and may be content to settle down with a kingdom of his own.

The film itself looks odd, it has a Middle Eastern ambiance (sets by Gumercindo Buencamino and Teody Carmona, music by Francisco Buencamino — his second ever score) with a strong Western European feel (a magic carriage that could have rolled straight out of Disney’s Cinderella; a royal guest room sporting a pine tree motif; an inn fitted with Arabic windows and suspiciously Swiss-looking stairway, fireplace, chandelier).

The array of special effects, everything from hand-tinted color sequences (when the Adarna sings, the bird turns into a rainbow of bright hues) to forced perspective shots (Juan fights a near-naked giant on his way to winning Leonora’s hand) to intricate models and background paintings joined to live action by means of an optical printer. Alas, the hand-painted colors are gone; ABS-CBN, which has otherwise done us a service by cleaning up the film print, can only manage digital coloration, and you miss the flickering brush strokes of a real paint job. The forced perspective effects still work fine, and the optical printer has this added benefit — when the princes first leave to seek the Adarna, the towers and turrets of the kingdom of Berbania loom in the distance, and the slightly misty look (An accident of the optical printer?) gives the realm a dreamlike, miraculous feel.

Arguably the film’s best sequences are the early ones: when the Adarna starts singing (sweet warble by Angeles Gayoso), the monochrome image gives way to an unearthly radiance that affirms one’s belief in the miracle of cinema, where anything — even the magic of rainbows — is possible onscreen. And it’s not just effects for effect’s sake; the parable of the Adarna bird warns us against being lulled by pretty lights and lilting melodies, a warning that we Filipinos fail to heed time and time again. Stay focused, the film tells us. And if you’ve fallen asleep, for God’s sake, wake up.

PLDT earns P10.6B; capex may top P85-B guidance

BW FILE PHOTO

PLDT, Inc.’s third-quarter net income attributable to the equity holders increased 79% to P10.64 billion from P5.93 billion in the same period last year as “consumers thrived on their digital lifestyles in the new normal,” the company’s chief executive officer said.

Service revenues for the period reached P49.40 billion, up 5% from P46.87 billion in the same period in 2021, PLDT officials reported during a briefing on Thursday. Non-service revenues rose around 56% to P2.13 billion from P1.37 billion previously.

In the third quarter, the company said that its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) grew 2% to P25 billion compared with the same period last year.

For the January-to-September period, the company saw its net income attributable to the equity holders increase 45% to P27.38 billion from P18.85 in the same period last year.

Total revenues for the period went up 6% to P152.92 billion from P143.86 billion in the previous year.

Consolidated EBITDA for the period increased by 6% or P4.3 billion to P75.4 billion. EBITDA margin was at 51%.

PLDT Chief Financial Officer Anabelle L. Chua said the company’s consolidated EBITDA is trending to cross P100 billion for the full year despite the “stressful economic conditions.”

The company’s telco core income, which excludes the impact of asset sales and Voyager Innovations, rose 10% or P2.3 billion to P25.4 billion.

“Enterprise seems to be our bright spot as we continue to empower businesses in their digital transformation and help promote the Philippines to be the next major ASEAN digital hub. Our 11th and, by far, largest data center is also on track to be completed in late 2023,” said Alfredo S. Panlilio, PLDT and Smart Communications, Inc. president and chief executive officer.

“Meanwhile, PLDT Home continues to grow despite increasing challenges to people’s wallets due to continuing high inflation and the prolonged impact of typhoon Odette,” he noted.

“We are aware of the headwinds that we face, and certainly, this will not be the last time we will encounter challenges,” he said. “What is key here is that while we continue to drive revenues by responding to our customers’ needs, we are trying to put discipline in place by focusing on strong efforts to control our operational expenses and improve operating efficiencies.”

Mr. Panlilio likewise said the company is currently reviewing its consolidated capital expenditure (capex) for 2022, “which could exceed the initial capex guidance of P85 billion.”

“Once the review is completed PLDT will issue a separate disclosure on the matter.”

PLDT is watching its capex levels, especially the impact of the weakening peso on its dollar-denominated debts and imported capex, and even capex committed in previous years and current ones, Mr. Panlilio said.

“With the disciplined effort led by our transformation office, we are trying to manage some softness in our topline, as well as tightly control our costs.”

PLDT Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said: “At this time that the consumer wallet is diminished — when consumer income is under threat and government finances are challenged — investments will emerge as a primary recovery tool. Hence, investments are needed, both by the government and the private sector to drive the economy forward.”

“The supreme task of nation-building is one that the group is very serious about. We help as many people as we can, especially those below the line of poverty, in partnership with government,” he said.

PLDT shares closed 2.13% lower at P1,608 apiece on Thursday.

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

Philippine film archiving institutions seek to stand the test of time

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FILM archives in the Philippines are hoping to improve their skills and resources to keep the audiovisual heritage of the country alive despite the pandemic and economic crisis. This according to archivists during a forum on Oct. 27 organized by the Society of Filipino Archivists for Film (SOFIA) at the Cinematheque Centre Manila.

“The challenge for us is providing video and film a safe space with the proper temperature, control, and humidity. If we skimp on this, we will have nothing left in the next 10 to 20 years,” said Jeffrey S. Sonora, head of the Fernando Poe, Jr. (FPJ) Archives, at the event. He was referring to the refrigeration for storage of film reels.

The FPJ Archives in particular is working on acquiring technology such as insulated panels for industrial refrigeration and thermal imaging cameras for checking of leaks. It has also switched to solar energy to offset cooling costs.

“It takes 32 hours to scan a 2,000-foot film reel. With a movie usually made up of six reels, it takes a total of 192 hours to scan each movie,” added Mr. Sonora, as a way to give context to the tedious processes of film preservation and restoration.

Julie Ann S. Nealega, head of Probe Archives, agreed that it’s important for an archive to have its own equipment. Using an in-house digitization machine, the Probe Team, which ran documentary programs from 1988 to 2004, is working on digitally converting its 14,000 Umatic, mini DV, betacam, and magnetic tapes by 2025.

“It’s not just archival footage. Probe produced stories that are documentary-based and evidence-based, the preservation of which will help with fact-checking in the modern age,” she explained.

Currently, Probe is streaming shows on its social media platforms that contextualize its old documentaries.

ARCHIVE ENHANCEMENT
As part of the Mowelfund library and audiovisual archive’s enhancement program, the Mowelfund Film Institute (MFI) is also doing its part to preserve essential pieces of film history. Since the pandemic, it has conducted a reinventory of its materials and a redesign of its database software to encourage remote research.

The institute also has a short film digitization project in partnership with the Philippine Film Archive (PFA), focused on Mowelfund-produced films in 16-mm, 35-mm, and super 8 formats.

“The thing is, you could do research with our materials but even we, keepers of the archive, are not familiar with what we have,” said Ricky Orellana, MFI director and archivist, at the same event.

Filmmaker and film historian Nick de Ocampo has stated that we are sitting on a gold mine.

Meanwhile, the PFA under the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) is trying to catch up despite only being formalized in 2011 and remaining dormant until 2018. Private institutions filled in the archiving gaps left by government all the while.

“We did a good job of collecting all these materials, but it takes a lot of funds to be able to equip archives with the proper tools to take care of a collection,” said Don Gervin T. Arawan, PFA’s division manager.

He added that the main enemy of all archivists is time because film reels gradually deteriorate each day. To speed up the migration of analog archives to digital, partnerships among institutions must be encouraged, such as with the archiving talks facilitated by SOFIA.

“Film archives in other countries have passed their digitization process and are now bringing their content back to film. We are struggling to even reach that point,” he said. Each film costs about P1.5 to 2 million to process.

Like the other archives, the PFA is working on making its collections accessible through a localized media library and catalogue for researchers. Another ongoing project, a film heritage building, is pending as per a lease agreement for a property in Intramuros. — Brontë H. Lacsamana

Branded goods drive Century Pacific’s profit rise

CENTURY Pacific Food, Inc.’s third-quarter attributable net income climbed by 0.4% to P1.27 billion after the food products manufacturer booked higher sales led by its branded segment.

“The performance was primarily driven by the company’s branded business, which comprised the majority of its sales,” the company said in a press release on Thursday.

In the three months that ended September, the company’s topline totaled P15.87 billion, up by 12.8% from P14.08 billion last year.

Its cost of goods sold climbed by 13% to P12.18 billion from the P10.77 billion it recorded a year ago. Operating expenses in the quarter were also higher at P2.25 billion, a 19.9% climb from P1.88 billion in the previous year.

Century Pacific Chief Financial Officer Richard Kristoffer S. Manapat said plans are underway as “2023 is on the horizon.”

“We continue to see higher costs working their way into the system,” he said. “While conditions remain uncertain at this point, we have full confidence in our brands, our team, and business model to remain resilient.”

YEAR-TO-DATE PERFORMANCE
In the nine months to September, the company’s attributable net income climbed to P4.22 billion, a 6.1% jump from the P3.98 billion it posted last year.

Year to date, Century Pacific’s net revenue amounted to P46.95 billion, which is 14.3% higher than P41.08 billion a year ago.

The company said that its branded segment, which is composed of its marine, meat, milk, and other emerging businesses, drove the increase with a 17% year-on-year growth during the nine-month period.

It also added that its original equipment manufacturer, or OEM tuna and coconut exports business, registered a 5% growth year on year.

“[It was] driven by improving freight rates, easing supply chain pressures, and favorable movements in commodity prices,” the company said.

Its cost of goods sold was also higher at P35.45 billion, up by 14.1% from P31.05 billion in the previous year.

The company’s operating expenses climbed by 22.3% to P6.6 billion from P5.4 billion expenses it posted last year which the company attributed to recently launched innovations, investments and higher logistics costs.

Century Pacific owns brands and household consumer names such as Century Tuna, 555, Argentina, and Birch Tree.

On the stock exchange on Thursday, shares in Century Pacific climbed by 10 centavos or 0.41% to P24.20 apiece. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

New Dangerous Liaisons TV series ‘a prelude, origin story,’ makers say

LONDON — The latest screen adaptation of the 1782 novel Les Liaisons dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, imagines a backstory to its key characters as they get caught in a game of sex, power, and revenge.

The new TV series sees the passionate love affair of protagonists Marquise de Merteuil and Vicomte de Valmont turn sour in pre-revolutionary Paris. Young, poor, and traumatized by their past, the kindred spirits are driven apart as they seek a better life for themselves, eventually turning into morally corrupt rivals who use seduction and manipulation to destroy lives around them.

Earlier screen adaptations of the book include Stephen Frears’ 1988 film Dangerous Liaisons with Glenn Close, John Malkovich and Michelle Pfeiffer and 1999’s Cruel Intentions starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, and Reese Witherspoon.

“It is a prelude to what we see later with the book and the Malkovich version,” Australian actor Nicholas Denton, who plays Valmont, told Reuters.

“It’s their kind of origin story. We see them and we see why they become the way they are.”

The series’ creator, writer, showrunner, and executive producer Harriet Warner said she was inspired by one particular letter in the epistolary novel, in which the marquise describes creating herself to survive and to navigate the world she is in.

The details made Ms. Warner wonder who the marquise, who goes by Camille and is played by Australian Alice Englert in the series, was before. To tell that story, Warner assembled a largely female-led team around her.

“It’s interesting because my slight reservations about coming to it was as a feminist, how to love this destructive narcissist who’s Valmont,” she said.

“As key as discovering the way into Camille was the way into Valmont, that meant that you can understand his behavior. There’s a complexity, I think, that the show allows the characters that you don’t get in the novel. In the novel you have two very spoilt people, destroying women as a game.”

The eight-episode first season of Dangerous Liaisons premieres on LIONSGATE+ on Sunday. — Reuters

Alternergy, partner to develop 6.8-MW hydropower project

ALTERNERGY Holdings Corp. has partnered with Exeter Portofino Holdings, Inc. for the development of the 6.8-megawatts (MW) Lamut-Asipulo hydropower project.

“We are happy to bring in Exeter as we create transformative partnerships in promoting clean energy and impacting the lives of the people,” Eduardo Martinez Miranda, president and chief executive officer for Alternergy Mini Hydro Holdings Corp., said in a media release on Thursday.

“While the development of hydropower projects could be long-gestation, the benefits of clean and renewable power are long-term and significant,” he added.

The Lamut-Asipulo project in Ifugao is expected to start operation by 2024, with its construction to start by the first quarter of 2023.

“Exeter and Alternergy share the same commitment to sustainability and improvement of the local communities and cultural heritage,” Sara Soliven de Guzman, chairperson of Exeter, said in the media release.

With the entry of Exeter as Alternergy’s co-partner, the renewable energy company said the Lamut-Asipulo hydropower project is now in an advanced stage of development and is expected to issue a notice to proceed to early construction in the coming months.

Alternergy said that the project will harness the flow of water from the Cawayan river and convert it to clean and renewable power. The hydropower project is expected to generate about 33,270 megawatt-hours of renewable energy per year.

The company said that it also signed a memorandum of agreement with indigenous peoples as the project is located within the ancestral domains of the Kalanguya, Ayangan and Tuwali indigenous cultural communities.

It said the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples en banc has issued the “certification precondition,” which states that free, prior and informed consent had been obtained from the indigenous community.

Alternergy aims to develop up to 1,370 MW of additional wind, offshore wind, solar, and run-of-river hydro projects in the next five years. — Ashley Erika O. Jose

What to see this Week (11/04/22)

The One Hundred 

IN a quarantine hotel where overseas travelers stay in isolation to curb the spread of a contagious virus, a young woman comes across a 100-legged monster. Directed by Pakphum Wongjinda and Chalit Krileadmongkon, it stars Mike Angelo, Chanya McClory, and David Asavanond. Wannasin’s reviewer Poom Namvol writes: “The film is like a centipede with 100 legs, but each leg wants to walk in different directions. Unprepared, he took the long torso, crawling somewhere clearly. Finally, this 100-legged centipede took its bodies and tangled them all up.”

MTRCB Rating: R-13

SMC power arm to reforest sites of its battery storage

SMCGLOBALPOWER.COM.PH

SMC Global Power Corp. is planning to expand the scope of its forestation project around its new battery energy storage system (BESS) facilities.

In a media release on Thursday, SMC Global Power, the power arm of San Miguel Corp. (SMC), said it planted more than five million trees and mangroves to date under its nationwide forestation and carbon capture program.

The project aims to plant about seven million trees on 4,000 hectares of land in seven provinces.

The company said that it has to date planted trees in eight provinces, namely: Albay, Bataan, Bulacan, Davao Occidental, Negros Occidental, Pangasinan, Quezon, and Zambales.

It is planning to expand its coverage to include the areas of SMC Global Power’s battery storage facilities in Albay, Bohol, Cagayan, Cebu, Davao del Norte, Davao de Oro, Isabela, Laguna, Leyte, Misamis Oriental, Pampanga, Pangasinan, and Tarlac.

SMC Global Power is developing a total of 31 BESS facilities with a total capacity of 1,000 megawatts (MW).

SMC President Ramon S. Ang said reforestation is one of the major sustainability priorities of the entire group.

“While we have had many similar efforts initiated by our various subsidiaries in the past, [SMC Global Power] has taken it to another level, planting a record 5 million trees in just under three years, with consistently high survival rates,” he said.

SMC Global Power said the battery facilities will minimize power wastage and redirect unused capacity to remote areas.

“[Battery facilities] are regarded as the best and most sustainable technical solution to the country’s power quality and reliability issues. They are seen to balance and improve access to power nationwide,” SMC Global Power said.

At the stock exchange on Thursday, shares in SMC closed 15 centavos or 0.15% lower to finish at P98.50 apiece. — Ashley Erika O. Jose

Empire East income climbs 34% to P144M

EMPIRE East Land Holdings, Inc.’s attributable net income climbed by 33.7% to P143.52 million in the third quarter from P107.35 million last year after it managed to cut expenses on almost flat revenues.

In its quarterly financial report disclosed on Thursday, the listed housing developer registered a topline of P1.06 billion, which was mainly driven by its real estate sales, lower by 1.1% from P1.07 billion a year ago.

The company’s real estate sales climbed by 2.6% to P881.51 million from P858.83 million a year ago. Its cost and expenses amounted to P915.15 million, lower by 4.9% from P962.31 million a year ago.

For the quarter, Empire East booked a fair value loss on financial assets of P61.93 million, up from P15.76-million earnings last year.

“[This] pertains to the decline in the fair market value of an investment in securities held by a subsidiary,” the company said in its report.

For the three quarters ending September, Empire East’s attributable income to its parent firm equity holder, amounted to P503.27 million, up by 1.8% from P494.16 million a year ago.

Its year-to-date revenues reached P3.44 billion, a 9.2% climb from the P3.15 million it posted in the previous year.

The company’s nine-month cost and expenses amounted to P2.94 billion, higher by 10.4% versus P2.66 million in the same period last year.

Empire East is engaged in the development of middle-cost housing projects such as condominiums, subdivision lots, house and lot units, and commercial units.

Its wholly owned subsidiaries include Eastwood Property Holdings, Inc.; Valle Verde Properties, Inc.; Sherman Oak Holdings, Inc.; Empire East Communities, Inc.; and 20th Century Nylon Shirt Co., Inc.

It also has ownership interests in companies, namely: Laguna BelAir Science School, Inc.; Sonoma Premier Land, Inc.; and Pacific Coast Megacity, Inc.

On the stock market on Thursday, shares in Empire East closed unchanged at P0.185 apiece. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

China Bank net income climbs 17% in 3rd quarter

CHINA BANKING Corp. (China Bank) posted a 17% increase in its net income in the third quarter, driven by higher revenues and core fee earnings.

The bank’s net income increased to P4.6 billion in the July to September period from P3.9 billion in the comparable year-ago period, it said in an e-mail on Thursday.

For the first nine months of the year, China Bank’s net profit rose 31% to P14.7 billion from the P11.2 billion seen in the same period in 2021.

This translated to a return on equity of 15.6%, up from 13.6% last year, and a return on assets of 1.6%, also higher than 2021’s 1.5%.

“This performance demonstrates our strong business franchise and focused growth strategy. We will continue to efficiently use our resources to fuel the bank’s growth, support our customers, and further drive economic recovery,” China Bank President William C. Whang said in a statement on Thursday.

Net interest income grew by 17% to P33.7 billion in the first nine months from P28.8 billion last year, driven by stronger revenues that offset higher interest expenses due to rising rates. As a result, the bank’s net interest margin was at 4.2% in the period.

Meanwhile, income from fees increased by 6% to P8.3 billion from P7.8 billion a year ago, supported by the sustained recovery in service charges, fees and commissions, sale of acquired assets, and bancassurance.

China Bank’s revenues in the nine-month period grew by 15% to P42 billion from P36.6 billion last year.

Meanwhile, operating expenses increased by 8% to P18 billion from P16.6 billion a year ago. The bank attributed this to rising inflation and a depreciating peso that pushed up transaction-related costs and spending in technology.

The bank recorded a cost-to-income ratio of 43%, down from 45% a year prior.

China Bank’s loan portfolio expanded by 14% to P676 billion as of September from P592 billion last year on the back of stronger demand for corporate and consumer credit.

Its gross nonperforming loan (NPL) ratio was at 2%, 140 basis points lower than last year’s 3.4%. NPL cover stood at 161%, up from 106% last year and well above the industry average.

Even as its gross NPL ratio eased, the lender hiked its credit provisions by 7% to P6.9 billion.

“While there is continuous demand for loans, growth for the third quarter has been more measured in the light of current macroeconomic conditions,” China Bank Chief Finance Officer Patrick D. Cheng.

On the funding side, total deposits grew by 18% to P1.001 trillion from P849 billion in September 2021 amid a 10% increase in current and savings accounts.

As of September, China Bank’s consolidated assets stood at P1.274 trillion, 21% higher than the P1.055 trillion in the same period in 2021.

Total equity jumped by 16% to P133 billion, with the bank posting a common equity Tier 1 ratio of 14.9% and a capital adequacy ratio of 15.7%, both above the regulatory minimum.

China Bank shares declined by 40 centavos or 1.51% to close at P26.10 each on Thursday. — Keisha B. Ta-asan

Stuff to Do (11/04/22)

Holidays at Greenfield District

The holidays at Greenfield District

THIS holiday season, Greenfield Development Corporation (GDC) invites Filipinos to experience the holiday months at the Greenfield District in Mandaluyong. GDC has temporarily turned its 15-hectare future-ready urban development into a holiday wonderland. Located at the Greenfield District Central Park, the Greenfield Weekend Market is open every Saturday, while the Sunset Fair is open every Sunday from 3 p.m. to midnight. Aside from shopping, visitors can take photos inside a bazaar filled with colorful Christmas decorations. Visitors can also check out the Celebrity Edition of Car Boot Sale on Nov. 18 to 20 at the Mayflower Parking area. This special event celebrates the Food Truck Fest’s 1st anniversary and will feature celebrities selling pre-loved items, baked goods, frozen food, knick-knacks, and more right from the trunks of their cars. There will be a Family Day, organized by the Rotary Club of Greenfield District, on Nov. 26 at the Central Park. As part of its fundraising and public service programs, the Rotary will hold family activities including pet shows, raffle, contests, a fashion show, food bazaar, and more. On Dec. 17, Greenfield will hold A Night with Santa, a gift-giving session with Santa Claus with Christmas carols, at the Mayflower Parking area. The Food Truck Fest is open from Monday to Thursday from noon until 10 p.m., and Friday to Sunday from noon until midnight. The District Food Park at Greenfield District Central Park is open from Monday to Thursday from 4 to 10 p.m. and on Friday, 4 to 11 p.m.  For more information, visit Greenfield District’s  Facebook page at www.facebook.com/greenfielddistrict. 

Humanity, nature explored in free film screening

AWARD-winning and critically acclaimed films on the complex relationship between humanity and nature will be screened for free to commemorate the National Environment Awareness Month on Wednesdays of November. Presented by the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD) of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, the free and public online screenings will be conducted via Zoom at noon on the scheduled dates. To be shown are: Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance (1982) by American experimental film director Godfrey Reggio, which portrays how individuals have grown apart from the earth in his non-narrative piece (Nov. 9); Little Forest (2018) by South Korean director and screenwriter Yim Soon-rye is based on the 2002 slice-of-life manga of the same name, and follows the journey of a young woman who returns to her hometown in the countryside, where she finds herself contemplating the true worth of an elusive dream (Nov. 16); Home (2009) by French environmentalist, activist, journalist, and photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand is a documentary that raises awareness on ecological imbalance and is a compilation of diverse aerial footages from 54 countries (Nov. 23); and Soylent Green (1973) by award-winning director Richard Fleischer, an ecological dystopian thriller which focuses on New York City at a time of dying oceans and the greenhouse effect, it follows an NYPD detective out to unravel the mysterious murder of an elite personality and dark crimes against humanity (Nov. 30).  To register for the screenings, e-mail mcad@benilde.edu.ph.

STEM-focused education seen addressing work-skills mismatch

FREEPIK

A SCIENCE, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) focus in the educational system is expected to help bridge the skills gap in the workforce, STEM advocates said on Thursday.

“Educators and employers need to focus on the connection of STEM education to careers that focus on solving real-world problems with technical skills,” Kelli List-Wells, founder of educators group STEM Leadership Alliance, said at the 3rd Integrated STEM Leadership Summit in Mandaluyong City.

She said more digital modes of learning are needed for engineering, architecture and construction. 

The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) has said that around 800,000 to 1 million skilled workers in engineering, architecture, and construction are needed to address the labor shortage this year.

STEM-related educational offerings are vital in developing workers equipped for the evolving job market, she added, citing a study on the Philippine workforce by the Makati Business Club.

George F. Westerman, founder of the Global Opportunity Initiative (GOI) of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said employers and educators should use technology to complement skills development.

“Educators can change their approaches to build next-level skills in order to bridge the gap from community college to advanced manufacturing workforce opportunities,” he said at the event.

GOI helps organizations from various industries improve worker performance through collaborative research and training seminars, according to its website.

He added that employers and educators should also work with the International Labour Organization to develop skills development programs to enhance worker performance.

The Makati Business Club said in April that 2.4 million jobs could go unfilled this year if reforms to upskill workers are not pursued by the private sector, the government and educational institutions.

Digitalization efforts in Southeast Asia are currently being hampered by the shortage of talent and a skills gap, James Sivalingam, a senior program manager at market intelligence provider International Data Corp. said during a webinar on Oct. 27.

“Just because we have automation doesn’t mean you don’t invest in talent,” he said.

In a March report, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said the Philippines needs to implement more training programs and improve social protections to allow workers to match the increasing expectations in the workplace.

The ADB noted that the coronavirus pandemic compelled companies to rapidly integrate digital technology into their business models, which raised demand for higher levels of technical literacy.

The Philippines’ unemployment rate was 5.3% in August, equivalent to about 2.681 million jobless, according to estimates by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

The PSA noted that job quality deteriorated in August with 7.031 million classified as underemployed, up from 6.482 million a year earlier. The government classifies as underemployed those seeking more work.

“The real problem is not just finding a job today, it is that people need help to grow and thrive in their careers,” Mr. Westerman said. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

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