Beeinfotech PH allots 70% of data center capacity for three ‘major’ global companies

February 18, 2022 | 12:04 am

TELCO-NEUTRAL data center operator Bee Information Technology PH, Inc. (Beeinfotech PH) said it is allocating 70% of its data center capacity in Metro Manila for at least three global hyperscalers this year.

Global hyperscalers are massive international companies that dominate the cloud service sector.

“All the world’s biggest hyperscalers are definitely welcome and in Beeinfotech PH’s radar. This year, the company is targeting at least three major ones, for which it is allocating around 70% of its data center capacity to use for its expansion to the country,” the company told BusinessWorld via e-mail when asked for an update.

The company’s facility, called the “The Hive,” is located at the Bridgetowne Destination Estate spanning the border of Pasig City and Quezon City, Metro Manila.

It said at least two global hyperscalers have determined “aggressive growth ventures” with the company.

“But due to binding non-disclosure agreements, the company cannot divulge the names of its clients and prospects for a possible colocation partnership,” Beeinfotech PH noted.

The Hive has three floors capable of housing at least 3,000 server racks of up to 45U rack height.

The company said The Hive’s network interconnect capabilities, disaster recovery seats, and security and network operations centers position it to meet the colocation needs of hyperscalers.

Global hyperscalers may need facilities in the country because “local hosting” is a “key requirement” to address the “strong demand” for cloud services, data analytics and consulting company GlobalData said in a statement.

It noted that many Philippine businesses have expressed intention to migrate workloads to the cloud, propelling the country’s cloud market to $2.8 billion by 2025 from $1.8 billion in 2020.

Singapore-based SpaceDC said recently that it would be investing more than $700 million in its planned 72-megawatt (MW) hyperscale data center serving Greater Manila, which is expected to open this year.

SpaceDC is working with global real estate services firm JLL to build a data center called MNL1, which will be situated in Cainta, Rizal. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Asa Miller eyes third Winter Olympics in Italy in 2026

February 18, 2022 | 12:04 am

asaMiller_fb — FIL-AM ALPINE SKIER ASA MILLER — ASA MILLER FB PAGE

FIL-AM Alpine skier Asa Miller vowed to come back stronger as he eyes a third Winter Olympics appearance in Milano and Cortina, Italy in 2026.

“We’ll have to see how things go four years from now, but I’ll certainly be a much stronger and much more developed skier if I continue skiing,” said the 21-year-old Mr. Miller after his campaign ended with a pair of DNFs (did not finish) in giant slalom and slalom in the Beijing Winter Games.

“So I’m hoping to make another appearance in the 2026 Olympics, but let’s see what will happen,” he added.

For him to make his third stint in the quadrennial games, Mr. Miller, who finished 70^th in Pyeongchang four years ago, said he would need to train harder and compete in more meets.

“It’s hard to see what will happen, but I’m more excited to represent the Philippines, maybe in the World Ski Championships next year and some stuff like that,” said the Economics student at Westminster College in Salt Lake City.

Mr. Miller, whose trip was bankrolled by the Philippine Sports Commission, also stressed the need to improve his confidence in future competitions.

“So the snow is very slippery and very hard, and I didn’t quite feel 100% confident on my skis. I believe it didn’t play well on my part. In ski racing, you have to be 100% confident in all you do,” said Mr. Miller.

“There was a little bit of hesitation that led to a mistake.

“Yesterday (Wednesday) wasn’t my day. I’m not comfortable with my skis, but there will be more races coming up. I’ll be back then,” he added. — Joey Villar

Judge tosses most of lawsuit by Mariah Carey’s brother over singer’s memoir

February 18, 2022 | 12:04 am

NEW YORK — A New York judge dismissed most of a defamation lawsuit by Mariah Carey’s older brother over her 2020 best-selling memoir, though the singer must still face two claims.

In a 29-page decision on Tuesday, Justice Barbara Jaffe of the state Supreme Court in Manhattan said Morgan Carey can sue his sister over passages suggesting he distributed cocaine to “the beautiful people,” and implying he might have “been-in-the-system” — in prison — for a serious crime.

But the judge dismissed claims over seven other passages from The Meaning of Mariah Carey, including one discussing a fight between Morgan Carey and the Careys’ father that required police intervention.

Ms. Jaffe said that while that passage “reasonably conveys a defamatory inference that plaintiff was abusive toward his family,” Morgan Carey, who is about a decade older than his sister, failed to show he suffered “special damages” resulting from harm to his reputation.

The judge also dismissed claims against the memoir’s publishers, saying it wasn’t clear how Mariah Carey’s “alleged vindictiveness” showed that they knew the disputed passages were false or had serious doubts they were true.

Lawyers for Morgan Carey and the publishers declined to comment on Wednesday. Lawyers for Mariah Carey did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Mariah Carey’s memoir described a dysfunctional poverty-stricken childhood and early career struggles for the 51-year-old singer known for songs including “Vision of Love,” “One Sweet Day,” and “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”

The defendants included the memoir’s co-author, the publisher Macmillan, and Andy Cohen Books, an imprint named for the television producer and Bravo host. — Reuters

URC taps three suppliers of renewable energy

February 18, 2022 | 12:03 am

UNIVERSAL Robina Corp. (URC) took a step closer to its target of having all of its facilities run on renewable energy (RE) by 2025, after it signed agreements with three suppliers to power at least 20 plants in Luzon and Visayas.

In a media release on Thursday, food products maker URC said the agreement with Manila Electric Co.’s Vantage Energy Solutions and Management, Inc., Energy Development Corp.’s Bac-Man geothermal power plant, and First Gen Corp.

The RE suppliers will produce geothermal, solar, and hydro energy for the electricity needs of URC factories in Pasig, Laguna, Cavite, Pampanga, Antipolo, Bulacan, Cebu, and Negros Occidental.

URC Chief Sustainability Officer David J. Lim, Jr. said the company is aiming for a low-carbon economy by maximizing its use of renewable energy to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

“[Our goal] is to have all our plants utilize electricity from 100% renewable energy by 2025,” he said.

The move is part of URC’s commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, supporting the country’s pledge to the Paris Agreement on climate change.

Under the Paris Agreement, the country has committed to reduce its GHG emission by 75% by 2030.

“[By] net zero, [the company must balance] its amount of GHG emissions with the amount it removes,” URC said.

Some of the company’s manufacturing facilities in Laguna has solar panels with 1-megawatt (MW) capacity, while around 21-kilowatt solar panels were place on its Vitasoy facility in San Fernando, Pampanga.

In January, URC’s Thailand subsidiary installed solar panels with a capacity of 6 MW on its factories and warehouses located southwest of Bangkok.

Meanwhile, URC’s Vietnam subsidiary is also working on the installation of a 3-MW solar rooftop system in its coffee plant located in Vietnam Singapore Industrial Park Binh Duong.

URC at the local bourse slipped 30 centavos or 0.23% to close at P127.50 apiece on Thursday. — Marielle C. Lucenio

Gilas PHL secures 16-year-old Fil-Am prospect Caelum Harris

February 18, 2022 | 12:03 am

GILAS Pilipinas has secured the commitment of Fil-Am prospect Caelum Harris as one of its pillars for the other qualifying windows, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) World Cup (WC) proper next year and more major tournaments in the future.

Mr. Harris, a 6-foot-7, 16-year-old wunderkind, will join Gilas early next month to beef up the crippled national team program gearing up for the 2023 World Cup to be co-hosted by the Philippines.

“We’re very seriously building for the future and having Mr. Caelum is just the first step in this direction,” said Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Alfredo “Al” Panlilio.

A standout from Nashville, Tennessee but traces his roots in Cebu, Mr. Harris is eligible to play for the Nationals as a local after obtaining a Philippine passport before turning 16.

He is expected to be available in the succeeding WC qualifying windows, Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, Asian Games and the FIBA Asia Cup as part of Gilas’ loaded schedule until the World Cup.

SPECTATORS
Meanwhile for Gilas in the first window on Feb. 24-28, it will have a real home court advantage after the go signal on fully vaccinated fans to watch the games live at the Big Dome.

It will be the first Gilas home games in front of a roaring crowd since the country’s gold medal conquest in the 2019 SEA Games at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Last year in Clark, Pampanga, Gilas played behind closed doors and under a bubble setting as it completed a 6-0 sweep of the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers.

Fans will enjoy four Group A games of Gilas against South Korea on Feb. 24 and 28; and against India and New Zealand on Feb. 25 and 27, respectively. — John Bryan Ulanday

What to See this Week (02/18/22)

February 18, 2022 | 12:03 am

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West Side Story

THE SECOND film adaptation of the 1957 stage musical of the same title, West Side Story follows young Tony and Maria as they fall in love at a high school dance in 1957 New York City. Their romance unfortunately, fuels the fire between the warring Jets and Sharks — two rival gangs vying for control of the streets. The film features music composed by Leonard Bernstein, with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Directed by Steven Spielberg with a screenplay by Tony Kushner (based on the 1961 film and the 1957 Broadway musical), it stars Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler, Ariana DeBose. Brian Tallerico of www.rogerebert.com writes, “Kushner and Spielberg have stayed loyal to the play and original film while also making notable changes in a way that makes it fresh and vibrant. And they have staged their production in a way that’s often mesmerizing. One misguided casting decision holds it back from absolute greatness but there are so many breathtaking, perfect sequences in this West Side Story that I suspect it will do what the original did for a lot of people, including this critic who was raised on movie musicals — make them a fan of the entire genre.” Review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer gives the film a score of 93%, while its audience score is 94%.

MTRCB Rating: PG

Ghostbusters: Afterlife

GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE is the next chapter in Ivan Reitman’s 1984 classic. When a single mom and her two kids arrive in a small town, they begin to discover their connection to the original Ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind. Directed by Mr. Reitman’s son Jason, the film stars Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Annie Potts, Paul Rudd, Bill Murray, Carrie Coon, Sigourney Weaver, and Dan Aykroyd. The Guardian’s Wendy Ide writes, “Jason Reitman takes the reins of the franchise that his father, Ivan Reitman, launched. And theirs is not the only DNA that’s shared between this film and the ’80s original. Various supernatural entities and a sizeable chunk of plot are either worshipped or pillaged, depending on the level of pre-existing audience goodwill. The film’s main appeal is not what it appropriates from other Ghostbusters pictures, but that it’s a nostalgic nod to the Spielbergian family adventures of the same period.” Film review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer gives it a score of 63%, while its audience score is 94%.

MTRCB Rating: PG

Quasi-banking sector books higher net earnings in 2021

February 18, 2022 | 12:03 am

QUASI-BANKS posted a higher net income in 2021 on improved interest earnings and decreased provisioning for bad loans. — BW FILE PHOTO

THE NET INCOME of the quasi-banking sector rebounded in 2021, backed by improved interest earnings and the lower provisions set aside for bad debts.

Data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed the industry-wide net profit of quasi-lenders climbed by 96% to P1.31 billion in 2021 from P667 million in 2020. However, it was still far from the P7.825-billion net profit level seen in 2019 before the crisis.

Broken down, the net profit of investment houses declined by 43% to P313 million last year from P553 million in 2020.

Meanwhile, net earnings of financing companies hit P998 million in 2021, surging nearly nine times from the P114 million in the prior year.

The overall net interest income of the industry in 2021 rose by 6% year on year to P6.99 billion from P6.597 billion.

During the year, interest income dropped 49.3% to P410 million, while leasing income improved by 4.7% to P12.837 billion. At the same period, interest expense declined by 3.28% to P6.257 billion.

The net interest income of investment houses dropped by 78.5% to P65 million from P302 million.

On the other hand, net interest earnings of financing companies jumped by 10% to P6.924 billion from P6.295 billion.

Meanwhile, the non-interest income of quasi-banks decreased by 9% to P1.624 billion. This, as fee income dipped 0.2% to P1.059 billion.

Operating expenses of the industry last year declined by 8% to P7.136 billion from P7.762 billion in 2020.

Bad debts written off by quasi-banks inched down by 5.4% to P367 million from P388 million. Meanwhile, provisions declined by 10.6% to P2.4 billion from P2.686 billion.

Total assets held by investment houses and financing companies stood at P168.29 billion as of end-2021, shrinking by 12.8% from the P193.048 billion a year earlier. — Luz Wendy T. Noble

DHL Express, PHL agency sign deal for cooperatives’ int’l logistics needs

February 18, 2022 | 12:02 am

INTERNATIONAL express service provider DHL Express announced on Thursday that it recently signed an agreement with the Philippines’ Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) to support the cooperatives sector and encourage more international business opportunities.

Under the memorandum of agreement signed on Feb. 7, DHL Express will “support and extend accounts-promotional offers and discounts to international orders made via CoopBiz, CDA’s e-commerce marketplace for cooperatives,” the company said in an e-mailed statement.

This move is seen to benefit 18,857 operating cooperatives in the country, DHL Express noted.

CDA is the principal government entity responsible for promoting the continued expansion and full development of cooperatives in the Philippines.

The agency developed CoopBiz, a marketing platform designed to showcase cooperatives’ products in the local and international marketplace.

DHL Express said at least 30 cooperatives have signified their readiness and anticipation to be part of the initial implementation of this global marketplace for cooperatives in the country.

“Qualified cooperatives that register on CoopBiz will be able to use DHL Express services to ship their goods and products,” the logistics company noted.

“They will have access to exclusive promo codes and discounts on shipment bookings made via the platform. DHL Express customer service is also available to assist bookings or queries on the promo codes,” it added.

Nigel Lockett, country manager for DHL Express Philippines, said the cooperative sector has “untapped potentials” in the international market.

“Cooperatives can fully harness our worldwide network to expand their businesses by leveraging our presence in over 220 countries and territories, paired with our logistic expertise,” he added. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Meneses will coach Creamline Cool Smashers in PVL

February 18, 2022 | 12:02 am

sherwin-Meneses-pvl — SHERWIN MENESES — PVL

SHERWIN Meneses will coach the Creamline Cool Smashers in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Open Conference set on Mar. 16 at the Paco Arena in Manila in lieu of head mentor Tai Bandit.

Mr. Meneses has been tasked to handle the reins after Mr. Bundit, who steered the franchise to three championships, was reportedly asked to stay in Bangkok, Thailand where the latter lives due to the pandemic.

Creamline reportedly tried to arrange Mr. Bundit to come to the country in January but since there was a big spike in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases at that time, it decided to just stick with Mr. Meneses and let the former stay back home just to be on the safe side.

“He’s (Mr. Bundit) not coming. Creamline requested him to stay in Bangkok because of the pandemic here. Sherwin Meneses will be coaching,” a source told The STAR on Thursday.

Mr. Meneses handled some of the early games of the Cool Smashers last year in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte and held the fort in Mr. Bundit’s absence.

Mr. Bundit arrived midway in the elimination round but Creamline fell a set short of claiming the crown and ended up runner up to Chery Tiggo, which eventually won their best-of-three title series, 2-1.

Now, Creamline hopes to improve on their last sortie under Mr. Meneses.

Mr. Meneses will handle a squad that is bannered by many-time league Most Valuable Player (MVP) Alyssa Valdez, two-time Finals MVP and many-time best setter Jia Morado, Jema Galanza, Tots Carlos, Jeanette Panaga and Risa Sato among others.

Apart from Creamline and Chery Tiggo, Petro Gazz, Choco Mucho, F2 Logistics, Army, PLDT Home Fibr, Bali Pure and Cignal HD are the other teams seeing action in the country’s lone pro volley league. — Joey Villar

SC adopts ‘non-sexist’ language rules

February 18, 2022 | 12:02 am

THE Supreme Court (SC), which regulates the judiciary, said it has adopted “non-sexist” language rules for all court proceedings and documents.

According to a Feb. 16 statement posted on the SC website, the SC, sitting en banc on Tuesday, approved guidelines for the judiciary that discourages language that discriminates based on gender in all official communications or statements.

“Sexist language devalues members of one sex, almost invariably women, and thus fosters gender inequality,” the SC said in its guidelines.

The Committee on Gender Responsiveness in the Judiciary, led by Associate Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier, proposed the guidelines in compliance with the Safe Spaces Act, which prohibits and punishes forms of gender-based sexual harassment.

The law defined gender as “a set of socially ascribed characteristics, norms, roles, attitudes, values, and expectations identifying the social behavior of men and women, and the relations between them.”

The court said it will encourage the use of more neutral terms such as “chairperson” instead of “chairman” in official
documents.

The SC issued a memorandum in September reiterating its 2006 directive advocating gender-fair language in the judiciary.

The 2006 circular was issued in response to a Civil Service Commission notice encouraging government employees to avoid using implicit or explicit discriminatory language against women or men, which “will help promote gender-sensitivity in the bureaucracy.”

“Our courts are courts of evidence, and its power to take judicial notice of matters is limited,” the Supreme Court said in its guidelines.

“Therefore, courts cannot and should not perpetuate gender stereotypes, which rest on unfounded generalizations regarding the characteristics and roles of binary and non-binary genders, but indisputably influence the perspectives of the judges and litigants alike,” it added. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

Entertainment News (02/18/22)

February 18, 2022 | 12:02 am

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Tickets to The Batman midnight screenings on sale

WARNER Bros. Philippines has announced that tickets to the nationwide midnight screenings of The Batman on March 2 at 12:01 a.m. are now available. Interested parties may check the social pages of Warner Bros. Philippines for updates on participating cinemas. The Batman, directed by Mat Reeves, stars Robert Pattinson in the dual role of Gotham City’s vigilante detective and his alter ego, the reclusive billionaire Bruce Wayne. In the film, Batman has been protecting Gothan City for two years with his trusted allies Alfred Pennyworth (Andy Serkis) and Lt. James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright). When a killer targets Gotham’s elite with a series of sadistic machinations, a trail of cryptic clues sends Batman on an investigation into the underworld, where he encounters such characters as Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz), the Penguin (Colin Farrell), Carmine Falcone (John Turturro), and the Riddler (Paul Dano).

Sparkle holds online acting classes

GMA NETWORK’S talent management arm Sparkle is offering online acting classes called the Sparkle Prime Workshop. They will be led by actress Ana Feleo, who studied with New York-based acting coach Anthony Vincent Bova. She is now an accredited acting facilitator of the Eric Morris System and has taught numerous actors in the Philippines. The programs Sparkle Prime Workshop offers are: Introduction to Acting for Kids (P13,000); Fundamentals of Acting for Teens and Adults (P15,000); and Craft and Scene Work for Adults (P18,000). Interested applicants may upload the Google Form (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScBcVX0GkYVLkIcyRw_pQOSFs0Jk9_TBBAkWCcQocLr75TOUw/viewform?usp=sf_link) to enroll. Classes begin in March. For more details, visit Sparkle’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/SparkleGMAArtistCenter.

Gloc-9, Yeng Constanino collaborate on single

SONGWRITER and rapper Gloc-9 has collaborated with singer-songwriter Yeng Constantino on his new single, “Paliwanag” under Universal Records. This is his first single with the record company after a two-year stint as an independent artist. Produced by Thyro Alfaro, the track’s upbeat and danceable sound, a reminiscent of 1980s pop. A rap track describing life’s many pitfalls, “Paliwanag” is the first collaboration of Gloc-9 and Ms. Constantino since the release of the song “Bugtog” off the rapper’s acclaimed 2011 album Talumpati. “I try not to be preachy [in my songs]. Kung ano man ng nararamdaman ko, malamang nararamdaman din ng marami (Whatever I feel is also probably felt by many),” Gloc-9, who wrote the song more than a year ago, said in an online press conference on Feb. 16. He added that it is difficult when we come to a point that you always have to explain things. “Paliwanag is the last thing we want to hear,” he said. “Paliwanag” is now available on streaming platforms.

Bridgerton’s second season premieres in March

FROM SHONDALAND and creator Chris Van Dusen, Bridgerton returns for a second season on March 25. This season the show follows Lord Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey), the eldest Bridgerton sibling and Viscount, as he sets out to find a suitable wife. Driven by his duty to uphold the family name, Anthony’s search for a debutante who meets his impossible standards seems ill-fated until Kate (Simone Ashley) and her younger sister Edwina (Charithra Chandran) Sharma arrive from India. When Anthony begins to court Edwina, Kate discovers the true nature of his intentions — a true love match is not high on his priority list — and decides to do everything in her power to stop the union. Across Grosvenor Square, the Featheringtons must welcome the newest heir to their estate while Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) continues to navigate the ton whilst keeping her deepest secret from the people closest to her. To watch the teaser, visit https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=658242472184606.

Banks extend P5-B loan for Makati hospital redevelopment

February 18, 2022 | 12:02 am

THREE BANKS will finance a P5-billion syndicated loan for Life Nurture, Inc. (LNI), which will be used to complete the redevelopment of Ospital ng Makati.

The syndicated loan will be extended by state lenders Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK), as well as Aboitiz-led UnionBank of the Philippines, Inc. (UnionBank), LNI said in a statement on Thursday.

“As we move forward, we will strive to build and operate a hospital that will remain true to the principle of sustainable delivery of innovative and inclusive healthcare solutions. Makati Life is going to be a holistic healthcare facility,” LNI President Dennis L. Sta. Ana, a medical doctor, said in a statement.

Once completed under a public-private public partnership (PPP) scheme, the former Building 2 of the Ospital ng Makati (Osmak 2) will be known as Makati Life Medical Center.

Under the agreement, DBP, LANDBANK and UnionBank will grant LNI loans worth P2.5 billion, P2 billion and P500 million, respectively.

LNI said P3.5 billion of the total loan amount is payable in 10 years, inclusive of a two-year grace period for principal repayment. Meanwhile, P1.2 billion will be repaid in seven years as well as another P300 million in working capital line.

The loan facility was finalized after LNI inked a joint venture agreement with the Makati government to pursue OsMak 2’s redevelopment under the PPP arrangement in April 2021, after complying with the city’s PPP Code.

Mr. Sta. Ana said the pandemic has shown the need for increased hospital capacity.

“For a business district as densely populated as Makati, with over 600,000 residents and about five million daytime population, there are currently only two major hospitals. There is definitely room for one more and Makati Life is designed to stay relevant and future-ready,” Mr. Sta. Ana said.

Within the first half of the year, Makati Life Medical Center is expected to open with partial commercial operations of a 24/7 primary and urgent care facility. In-patient services with the first 100 beds will be targeted towards the end of the year.

The second phase will include the launch of the Cardiac Center and additional 200 beds targeted within the first six months of 2023. The completion of the cancer and wellness centers is expected within early 2024.

Mr. Sta. Ana said they target to make Makati Life Medical Center a Level 2 hospital comparable with Makati Medical Center and St. Luke’s Bonifacio Global City in terms of facilities and medical services.

Level 2 hospitals have facilities like intensive care units as well as specialist doctors, such as those providing gynecology and pediatric services. — L.W.T. Noble