Facebook Instagram Linkedin Twitter Youtube
Home Blog Page 5575

REIT firms’ portfolios outdo ‘market jitters’ — Leechiu Property

LEECHIU Property Consultants (LPC) said the portfolios of the listed real estate investment trust (REIT) companies are “resilient,” all with an occupancy rate of 90% or higher, as Information Technology and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) firms continue to take up office spaces.

“It is to the credit of the REIT sponsors that they put together resilient IT-BPM heavy office portfolios that squarely addressed market jitters,” LPC Director of Research and Consultancy Roy Amado Golez said in a statement on Wednesday.

LPC said IT-BPM firms still took up office spaces even amid the pandemic as companies in recovering economies in the West still outsource jobs in the Philippines and in India. It noted that 129,000 square meters (sq.m.) of office requirements out of 228 sq.m. will be closed in the next six months.

Meanwhile, contractions and lease terminations declined 69% to 42,000 sq.m. in the third quarter this year from 253,000 sq.m. logged in the fourth quarter last year. 

“Our numbers indicate that IT-BPMs continue to be expanding in the Philippines, although at a slower rate than in 2019 and earlier. Some observers contend that more contractions will drive down REIT prices, but that is not supported by the data we have presented,” said Mikail C. Barranda, director for commercial leasing at LPC. 

As of Nov. 12, LPC noted the 67% price appreciation since Ayala’s AREIT, Inc. listed at the exchange last year.

This was followed by a string of REIT offerings by developers this year, namely: DoubleDragon Properties Corp.’s DDMP REIT, Inc. (DDMPR), Filinvest Land, Inc.’s Filinvest REIT Corp. (FILREIT), Robinsons Land, Corp.’s RL Commercial REIT, Inc. (RCR), and MREIT, Inc. of Megaworld Corp.

“Top REIT portfolios,” RCR and MREIT, have posted stock price appreciations of 11% and 12%, respectively. 

LPC also noted that the top portfolios’ gross leasable areas are 100% accredited by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA). Mr. Barranda said that since PEZA-accredited spaces are limited until 2025, these “will remain highly viable for the next few years.”

The weighted average leasing expiry of the portfolios are said to range from 3.9 years to 5.8 years, which also include annual escalation clauses in their contracts. 

LPC noted that REITs have a combined market capitalization of P260 billion, with approximately 80% of the REIT assets located in the central business districts.

LPC said, “this is an opportune time to build a REIT investment base before post-COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) recovery speeds up capital value appreciation once again,” pointing to the “hypergrowth” seen after the global financial crisis in 2008. — Keren Concepcion G. Valmonte

PASIA expanding supply chain platform to address challenges

Manila-based Procurement and Supply Institute of Asia (PASIA) announced on Wednesday the expansion of its business-to-business integrated supply chain platform consisting of end-to end-solutions and services.

PASIA, a global supply chain, procurement and logistics institute and shared services provider, said in an e-mailed statement that the expansion of its platform is aimed at “meeting pressing challenges.”

The expansion covers online supply chain academy, e-supply chain forecasting, e-procurement, e-payment, e-logistics, GPAS (global platform for assessing suppliers), and supply chain financing, among others. 

PASIA said additional services and technologies are being ramped up through partnerships.

“Being in the Philippines has several unique and compelling value propositions being a renowned business process outsourcing country provider, making the business model of PASIA in demand and not easily duplicated,” it noted.

PASIA is conducting a two-day conference from Nov. 18 to 19 with the theme, “The Great Supply Chain Reset: Respond, Fortify & Innovate.”

PASIA said the event aims to share various strategies and innovative measures to mitigate the impact of the global health crisis on businesses. — Arjay L. Balinbin

King Richard portrays the power behind the Williams sisters’ throne

LOS ANGELES — Long before Venus and Serena Williams were old enough to pick up a tennis racquet, their father had their future mapped out.

His story is the heart of the new film King Richard, opening in US movie theaters and HBO Max on Friday, and made with the backing of the Williams family and a rousing song by Beyonce.

Although Venus and Serena Williams are now household names and icons of Black female empowerment, the tale of how they reached the heights of sporting fame from a hardscrabble neighborhood in Los Angeles is barely known.

Played by Will Smith, Richard Williams was coach, dad, and promoter of the girls, training with them on broken-down public courts in 1990s South Los Angeles, collecting discarded balls, and battling derision and skepticism to get them attention.

“It’s like asking someone to believe you have the next two Mozarts living in your house,” one early skeptic tells him.

“Richard had this vision and really wrote a 75- or 80-page manifesto before Serena and Venus were born that they were going to have two more kids and they were going to become the top two tennis players in the world,” said Tony Goldwyn, who plays Paul Cohen, their first professional coach.

Mr. Williams was a big personality who constantly challenged Mr. Cohen’s training methods and technique.

“The real Paul told me he loved Richard for that. He knew where it was coming from was a place of love and commitment,” said Mr. Goldwyn.

Isha Price, one of Venus and Serena’s three older half-sisters, was an early collaborator on the script, providing details and recollections that made the movie the story of the family. Richard Williams has been in ill health for years and did not take part.

Venus Williams said she got emotional watching it. “Just like watery eyes, and the moment, the family moments of togetherness and the father-daughter moments are like, ooh,” she said.

While the film uses authentic players as doubles for much of the action, actors Demi Singleton (Serena) and Saniyya Sidney (Venus) had to undergo months of intensive training to learn how to hit the ball, serve and play the kind of power tennis the young sisters were known for.

“They’re such extraordinary people and they’re very nice. Such big hearts,” Sidney said. “They gave us great advice on just growing up in this world and how they felt when they were a kid and to always make sure you stay close to your family.” — Reuters

CHED greenlights face-to-face training of collegiate athletes

By Joey Villar

THE Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) gave its approval to the resumption of practice for student athletes provided they comply with the requirements and guidelines the agency set recently.

In documents obtained by The STAR, an athlete must acquire a letter of intent, a sworn statement from the school he or she plays for, a health declaration form, and a proof of document from local government units for inter and intra travels.

Schools conducting training must also secure a Collegiate Training Activities Certificate of Compliance duly signed by athletics directors and approved by university presidents or heads to the CHEd’s central office prior to conducting onsite inspections.

Training sites must adhere to strict protocols, among them the regulation of inventory list and occupancy capacity, appropriation of dormitory facilities, transportation, food, drinks and mental health provisions, observation of RT-PCR testing or a 14-day isolation, and provision of screening area and allocation of study rooms with strong internet connections.

CHEd is also obligating schools to provide ample supplies of personal hygiene kits both for student athletes, coaches and personnel, a health monitoring logbook and implementation of regular disinfection of the venues to be used.

A student athlete must also have a parental or guardian’s consent and an ID to be issued by their respective leagues.

It marks the first time in two years that student athletes would be allowed face-to-face training since being barred to do so due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Because of these recent developments, athletes may now start preparations for their forthcoming leagues.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is targeting to open its Season 97 in January next year while the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) is eyeing February.

The NCAA is looking at holding basketball and volleyball events apart from its online events while the UAAP is seeking to stage men’s basketball and women’s volley.

But CHEd’s recent decision may allow both leagues to open its doors on other events like track and field and swimming.

Term deposit yields mixed on RTB offering, high US inflation

BW FILE PHOTO
YIELDS on the central bank’s term deposits were mixed on Wednesday. — BW FILE PHOTO

YIELDS on the central bank’s term deposits ended mixed on Wednesday following the start of the government’s offer of retail bonds on Tuesday and amid elevated US consumer inflation.

Total bids for the term deposit facility of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reached P607.646 billion on Wednesday, higher than the P550-billion offering and also beating the P560.497 billion seen a week earlier.

Broken down, demand for the seven-day term deposits amounted to P191.315 billion, surpassing the P170 billion auctioned off by the BSP but lower than the P204.327 billion in tenders logged the previous week.

Accepted rates for the tenor ranged from 1.7% to 1.775%, slightly wider than the 1.7% to 1.76% band seen a week ago. This brought the average rate of the one-week papers to 1.7374%, down by 0.47 basis point (bp) from the 1.7421% logged previously.

Meanwhile, bids for the 14-day term deposits hit P416.331 billion on Wednesday, surpassing the P330-billion offer as well as the P356.17 billion in demand on Nov. 10.

Banks asked for yields ranging from 1.74% to 1.8088%, a narrower margin compared with the 1.74% to 1.85% seen last week. With this, the average rate of the two-week papers inched up by 0.42 bp to 1.7678% from 1.7636% in the prior auction.

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

The BSP uses the TDF and its short-term securities to mop up excess liquidity in the financial system and guide market rates.

Term deposit yields were mixed on Wednesday after the government’s retail Treasury bond (RTB) offering, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort.

The Bureau of the Treasury on Tuesday raised an initial P113.545 billion at its price-setting auction for its offer of 5.5-year RTBs. This was oversubscribed by more than five times versus the initial P30-billion offer.

National Treasurer Rosalia V. de Leon said the proceeds will fund the government budget. The RTB public offer will run until Nov. 26, unless closed earlier, and the bonds will be issued on Dec. 2.

US inflation data released last week also affected TDF yields, Mr. Ricafort added.

The US Labor department reported on Nov. 17 that the consumer price index rose 0.9% in October, according to Reuters. This brought the annual increase in the consumer price index to 6.2%, which was the biggest since November 1990. — Luz Wendy T. Noble with Reuters

NOW Corp. net income rises nearly 58%

LISTED NOW Corp. saw its third-quarter attributable net income climb 57.7% to P7.05 million from P4.47 million in the same period last year, helped by an increase in non-operating income.

In a stock exchange filing on Tuesday, NOW Corp. said its total revenues — from services and sales — for the quarter declined 0.11% to P47.53 million from P47.58 million in the same period last year.

Cost of sales and services for the quarter increased 1.4% to P25.34 million from P24.98 million previously, bringing the company’s gross profit to P22.19 million, up 1.8% from P22.60 million in the same period a year ago.

The company’s operating expenses declined 2.4% to P14.88 million in the third quarter of the year from P15.24 million in 2020.

It also reported an “other income” of P2.6 million from P162 previously.

As of September this year, NOW Corp.’s attributable net income declined 5.4% to P11.04 million from P11.67 million in the same period last year.

Meanwhile, the company’s total revenues for the January-to-September period grew 9.6% to P149.80 million from P136.73 million previously.

Service revenue increased 7.15% or P9.38 million from last year’s P131.21 million to P140.58 million this year.

Service revenue mainly pertains to broadband services and income earned from the deployment by the company of professionals to its clients to render information technology-related solutions and services.

The company said its broadband and other services increased to P130.73 million. Software licenses also increased to P9.22 million.

“As impacted by the enhanced community quarantine, the revenues from IT manpower and resource dropped to P9.85 million,” NOW Corp. noted.

Cost and expenses for the first nine months was P136.08 million, an 18.71% increase from the same period last year’s P114.64 million.

“This was brought about by an increase in cost of sales and services of P12.19 million or 17.68% from P68.92 million in 2020 to P81.10 million in 2021, whereas, operating expenses also increased by P9.26 million or 20.26%,” the company said.

The increase in operating expenses were due to salaries and other benefits, professional fees, taxes and licenses, advertising and promotion, and communication and subscriptions.

NOW Corp. said it plans to beef up the organization by “engaging the right talents particularly to join the telecommunications, media, information technology and product development and marketing teams.”

NOW Corp. closed unchanged at P1.70 apiece on Wednesday. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Harry Potter stars, but not J.K. Rowling, to reunite for TV special

LOS ANGELES — Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint are reuniting with other cast members from the blockbuster film franchise for a special 20th anniversary TV retrospective, movie studio Warner Bros. said on Tuesday.

But Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling will not be among those making a personal appearance on the show.

Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid, Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange), Gary Oldman (Sirius Black), director Chris Columbus and other stars of the eight movies will join the former child actors for Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts on the movie set in London where the first film was made.

The special will be broadcast on Jan. 1 on streaming platform HBO Max. Warner Bros. and HBO are owned by AT&T, Inc.

The retrospective will see the cast return to the original Hogwarts boarding school sets that were featured in the first film Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Philosopher’s Stone in the UK) released in Nov. 2001.

The film franchise based on Ms. Rowling’s stories about an orphaned boy with magical powers took in some $7.8 billion at the global box office.

Ms. Rowling’s name was not included in the announcement on Tuesday but she will feature in archive footage that will be shown in the special, a source familiar with the matter said.

Ms. Rowling’s opinions on transgender issues in the last year have been a cause of controversy, with some in the LGBTQ community accusing her of transphobia. The TV special is one of several 20th anniversary events planned by Warner Bros., including a TV quiz contest for Potter fans hosted by Helen Mirren, which will include cameo appearances by some of the cast and celebrity fans including comedians Pete Davidson and Jay Leno. — Reuters

Alex Eala gets back in action in W25 Milovice

ALEX EALA

ALEX M. Eala makes her anticipated return next week in the W25 Milovice in Czech Republic after a long hiatus due to a foot injury.

As a junior exempt entry, the 16-year-old Filipina sensation is already seeded into the main draw of the $25,000-joust featuring a bevy of top-300 players in the women’s pro circuit.

The W25 Milovice is slated Nov. 22-28.

This will mark Ms. Eala’s comeback on the tennis court after two months since her US Open stint in New York last September.

Ms. Eala reached the quarterfinals and the semifinals of the US Open girls’ singles and doubles play, respectively, before being sidelined by her injury.

She will be eyeing her second pro singles title in Czech Republic after capturing her breakthrough crown earlier this year in the W15 Manacor in Spain.

Ms. Eala is currently ranked No. 4 in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) junior rankings and No. 529 in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) list. — John Bryan Ulanday

FAA in talks with telecom industry over 5G dispute

WASHINGTON — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Tuesday it is in direct talks with the telecom industry about its aviation safety concerns involving the planned use of spectrum for fifth-generation (5G) wireless communications.

“We are having very productive discussions and we will figure this out,” FAA Administrator Steve Dickson said at an event in Washington. “It remains to be seen what mitigations — whether it’s adjustments to deployment or actions that we need to take within the aviation sector — what those will look like.”

Earlier this month, AT&T and Verizon Communications agreed to delay the commercial launch of C-band wireless service from Dec. 5 until early January.

The FAA issued a Nov. 2 bulletin alerting manufacturers, operators and pilots that action may be needed to address potential interference caused by the 5G deployment with sensitive aircraft electronics like radio altimeters.

The FAA bulletin said operators “should be prepared for the possibility that interference from 5G transmitters and other technology could cause certain safety equipment to malfunction.”

Wireless trade group CTIA said in a letter to the White House that in nearly 40 other countries, “C-Band 5G spectrum is deployed and planes land safely every day without any evidence of harmful interference.”

CTIA asked the Biden administration to “reject further calls to delay C-Band 5G services. Aviation safety is critically important. It is also not at risk due to C-Band 5G operations.”

The FAA is considering issuing an airworthiness directive. Mr. Dickson said airlines need at least 30 days’ notice.

“The industry needs some time to make adjustments to whatever requirements we’re going to levy on them,” he said.

“If they have to change their flight planning systems or how they are getting information to pilots… Whatever it is, we’ve got to give time to put all those things in place.”

Boeing Co., Airbus SE, US airlines, pilots and others have urged the administration “to help aviation and telecommunication industries reach acceptable mitigations.”

They added that it “will take significant time… to ensure they meet the FAA’s robust safety requirements.” — Reuters

AUB books lower income in Q3

BW FILE PHOTO

ASIA UNITED Bank Corp. (AUB) registered a lower net profit in the third quarter due to a decline in its interest earnings and trading gains.

The lender’s net earnings dropped by 31% year on year to P998 million in the three months to September from P1.456 billion, based on its financial report released on Wednesday.

This brought its nine-month bottomline to P2.945 billion, down by 21.5% from the P3.752 billion seen in the same period of 2020.

With this, return on assets slipped to 1.3% at end-September from 1.8% a year earlier. Return on equity likewise dropped to 10.8% from 14.6%.

Net interest income in the third quarter inched up by 3.5% year on year to P2.83 billion from P2.733 billion. As of end-September, net interest margin was at 3.8%.

Interest income dipped by 3.5% to P3.268 billion from P3.387 billion. Meanwhile, interest expense declined by 33% to P439 million from P654 million.

On the other hand, AUB’s non-interest earnings dropped by 75% year on year to P428 million in the third quarter from P1.734 billion. This was mainly caused by the decline in its trading gains, which slumped by 97% to P38 million from P1.295 billion a year earlier.

This drop was partially offset by its fee income, which went up by 20% to P228 million year on year in the third quarter. Foreign exchange gains also rose by 48% to P86 million, while trust income improved by 26% to P29 million.

For the third quarter, the bank’s total operating income decreased by 27% to P3.257 billion from P4.467 billion a year earlier.

Meanwhile, the lender’s total operating expenses dropped by 37% to P1.878 billion in the quarter from P3 billion a year earlier.

AUB’s provisions for impairment losses declined by 65% year on year to P507 million from P1.447 billion. As of end-September, it has set aside P1.404 billion, down by 52.5% from the P2.957 billion logged a year earlier.

The bank’s loans and receivables stood at P165.364 billion as of end-September, slightly down from the P165.446 billion seen in the same period of 2020. Its nonperforming loan ratio improved to 1.92% from 2.2% a year earlier.

Its assets rose by 9% to P317.293 billion as of end-September from P290.841 billion last year.

On the funding side, deposit liabilities increased by 13% to P262.35 billion in the same period from P232 billion.

AUB’s capital adequacy ratio decreased to 16.59% as of end-September from 18.54% a year earlier. Meanwhile, its common equity Tier 1 ratio inched up to 15.95% from 15.17%.

The bank had 265 branches as of end-September.

AUB shares closed unchanged at P45 apiece on Wednesday. — L.W.T. Noble

Dining In/Out (11/18/21)

The Peninsula Hamper

The Peninsula Boutique Christmas Feast hampers

NO Christmas is complete without feasting on savory delights and sweet indulgences. This year, the Peninsula Boutique’s Christmas festive hampers are the ultimate holiday hampers and filled with luxurious seasonal treats — from wines and champagne to cookies, chocolates, pâtés, hams, gingerbread chalets, preserves, and jams. Perfect for stocking fillers, gifting to loved ones and of course, oneself this Christmas. There are three hampers to choose from, all filled with nibbles, tipples and surprises — The Santa Hamper (P7,500), The Sweet Indulgence Hamper (P11,500), and The Peninsula Gourmet Hamper (P19,500). Prices are inclusive of taxes. Complimentary delivery service will be extended to single address and minimum single purchase hamper orders of P15,000 to Makati, Mandaluyong, Bonifacio Global City, and Pasig. Purchases of less than P15,000 are subject to delivery fees depending on location. For inquiries, orders, and reservations, call The Peninsula Boutique at 8887-2888 (ext. 7410 for the Christmas Store), mobile 0917-557-8014, or e-mail diningpmn@peninsula.com.

Sheraton opens pop-up kiosk at Robinsons Manila

SHERATON Manila Bay opened its first Pop-Up Sheraton Kiosk at Level 1 of the Padre Faura Wing, Robinsons Place Manila. The Sheraton Kiosk offers a roster of savory sandwiches, healthy salads, bespoke cakes, and freshly baked pastries and breads for takeaway, pick-up, and delivery. The kiosk also offers artisanal coffee blends, fresh juices and cold brew mixes to pair with any of its savories and sweets. Items from the hotel’s Culinary Courier menu as well as Holiday Hampers, Christmas goodies, and Gourmet Bundles for pre-order are also available at The Sheraton Kiosk. Marriott Bonvoy members and Club Marriott members also enjoy a 20% discount on all F&B purchase for a minimum spend of P1,500. For advance orders and more information, call 5318-0788, 0917-583-7294, 0917-583-7326 or e-mail sh.mnlsb.fnb@sheraton.com. For the full menu and E-brochure, visit http://bit.ly/ccmnlsb.

Hilton Manila celebrates a retro Christmas

HILTON Manila at Resorts World Manila welcomes the coming Festive season with “Back to a Better Future: A Retro Christmas,” highlighted by the ceremonial lighting of its Christmas tree streamed online through the hotel’s official social media pages, and an ensemble of gourmet dining and luxury staycation experiences. The Christmas tree lighting ceremony marked the start of the hotel’s dining and room package offerings, available from Nov. 10 onwards. At Kusina Sea Kitchens this December, enjoy a Surf & Turf premium buffet showcasing Boston lobsters and prime rib of beef among other Christmas favorites. The Dec. 24 buffet dinner is priced at P3,200 per person, on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, lunch and dinner is priced at P2,900 each. To welcome the New Year, Dec. 31, the buffet dinner is priced at P3,200. The Hua Yuan Brasserie Chinoise welcomes patrons with an authentic Shanghainese Deluxe or Premium Set Menu. Menu highlights include Shanghai xiao long bao, Emperor’s Flamed Chicken and Shanghai-style Sweet and sour yellow croaker fish with pine nuts and broccoli, among others. The Deluxe Set Menu is priced at P8,000 for a group of four, with the Premium Set at P20,800. Private dining arrangements are available. Then spread Yuletide cheer with Hilton Manila’s ’90s Edition Crafted Hampers, inspired by ’90s Filipino sweets paired with traditional Christmas favorites such as Haw Haw Dipped Crinkles, Chocnut Banana Bread, and Ube Stollen Bread, among others. The holiday goodies are presented in handcrafted Filipino hampers made by local artisans from upcycled materials. The ’90s Edition Crafted Hampers are available in four options: Waterlily Basket at P3,500, Novelty Kit at P3,900, Abaca Basket at P4,900, and Straw Chest Box at P5,900. Hilton Manila also presents a colorful selection of traditional Holiday confectionaries at the Madison Lounge & Bar. Look out for early bird and Hilton Honors discounts. Meanwhile, the Vubble Dining Experience beside the Vega Pool, will offer a Premium Christmas Menu. Dine under the stars in a private air-conditioned dome, with the services of a private butler and chef. The deluxe menu price starts at P12,500 for two persons. For inquiries or reservations, call 7239-7788 or 0917-826-6442, or message on Facebook through m.me/hiltonmanila.

Tiffin now delivers authentic North Indian food   

TIFFIN Indian Lunchbox specializes in Indian comfort food, inspired by the centuries-old tradition of meals being reliably delivered to busy professionals in the city, day in and day out. Tiffin delivers to one’s home or office (or home office) authentic, time-honored recipes crafted by Indian chefs whose expertise lies in North Indian cuisine. Delivered are dishes like hearty Biryani, Butter Chicken marinated in spiced yogurt, and Prawn Curry. These are just a few of the stars in Tiffin’s short but considered menu. There are options for vegetarians, seafood fans, and meat lovers alike. Order a spot of tiffin, any time of day, through the restaurant’s delivery partners, Food Panda and Grab Food. Visit www.tiffin.com.ph to learn more.

Mimi & Bros offers party trays

MIMI & BROS brings its Party Trays back again this season. The Porchetta Party Tray is created for meat lovers, with a price of P990 and good for four to five people, while Mimi’s Fried Chicken Party Tray able to serve 12 to 15 people for P1,600. The Truffle Honey Butter Wings Party Tray is good for six to eight people and costs P1,100, and the Filipino classic, Lechon Belly, is P990 and already good for four to five people. Lola’s Ragu, the iconic Italian pasta dish with beef chunks, sweet tomato sauce, topped with parmesan cheese, serves six to eight persons for P1,350. For a lighter option there is the Corn Dog Party Tray which costs P990 for six to eight persons. This year, Mimi & Bros is jazzing up its Party Tray lineup with Rice Party trays that come in two serving sizes: Tray, which feeds seven to 10 hungry people; and Solo, which good for two to three people. The Rice Party Tray options are Chicken and Chorizo Paella with Crispy Lechon Belly Party Tray (P2,900, and a solo paella option for P1,000); Truffle Mushroom Paella with Porchetta Party Tray (P3,200 while the solo paella option is P1,200; and Bagoong Rice with Crispy Bagnet Party Tray (P2,500 while the bagoong rice solo is priced at P950). Order the Party Trays two days in advance. Call 0945-798-5176 or reach Mimi & Bros through Facebook Messenger (m.me/mimiandbros) or via Instagram (@mimiandbros). A 50% downpayment is required to confirm the order.

Nespresso, Johanna Ortiz collaborate on limited edition

THIS holiday season, Nespresso collaborates with Colombian fashion designer Johanna Ortiz on its annual Festive collection, inspired this year by the forest. The collection features a range of limited-edition coffees, along with festive accessories, making for inspiring gifts for family and friends. Coffee lovers can also gift this holiday season knowing Nespresso is giving back to the forest, as the brand goes beyond its agroforestry commitments by helping to protect 10 million trees in the Amazon. This year’s Festive coffee range includes two flavored coffees and one black coffee. Forest Black is a blend of shade-grown coffees from Colombia and beyond. A spicy espresso, it has exotic woody notes. The Forest Fruit Flavor has juicy berry aromas running through the espresso, made with South American Arabicas which take on a festive sweet pastry note. Finally, Forest Almond Flavor has sweet, nutty flavor tucked into this espresso’s South American Arabicas. The collection comes with recipes for Nespresso infused cocktails. The Gift of the Forest with Nespresso’s limited-edition accessories will be available by end November. These include the Nespresso x Johanna Ortiz advent calendar; the Nespresso x Johanna Ortiz Nomad travel mug which comes in a Deep Cherry shade; and a reversible organic-cotton tote bag and a notebook made from sustainable materials, both decorated with the signature Nespresso x Johanna Ortiz pattern. For a limited time only, Nespresso is also revamping its iconic Touch travel mug which will be available in a golden color. Nespresso is partnering with Conservation International to protect 10 million trees in the Amazon Forest in La Pedrera, Colombia. The limited-edition Gifts of the Forest collection will be available on Nespresso boutiques, pop-up stores, and online at www.nespresso.ph.

Holiday gift sets from Marks & Spencer

SIMPLIFY holiday shopping with Marks & Spencer’s (M&S) festive, ready-to-gift holiday gift sets. For foodies, there are food and wine like the Sunrise Bliss with a hearty selection of goodies like Dutch Shortcake, Traditional British Porridge Oats, Breakfast Blend Tea Bags, and more. For the tea-lover, there are Teatime Treats, complete with afternoon snacks and tea bags in different flavors. The Sweet Nostalgia set for someone who loves a good snack, with treats like Custard Creams, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Chocolate Bar, and more. For the sweet tooth there is a bundle of chocolate goods with Chocolate Indulgence which includes Triple Chocolate Crunch and Swiss Dark Chocolate Mountain Bar. Then there is the Coffee Lover’s Surprise which has Italian Ground Coffee, Rich Roast Instant Coffee, Instant Latte, Pure Honey, Dutch Shortcake, Rich Tea Finger Biscuits, and Custard Creams. These are just some of the many gift sets which are available. There are also wine sets from the award-winning in-house winemakers of Marks & Spencer. Check out the gift sets catalog at bit.ly/MandSChristmasGiftSets. Order now in M&S stores or through the M&S Philippines Viber Community at bit.ly/MSPH-VC. Get a free P250 Gift Voucher for every P5,000 purchase of food and wine gift sets until Nov. 30. The deadline for orders is on Dec. 18.

McDonald’s limited edition Coca-Cola cups, new desserts

MCDONALD’S Philippines adds announced the return of its Coca-Cola collectibles, this time aluminum cups in six festive colors — red, yellow, green, blue, purple, and pink. They are available at McDonald’s stores for a limited time only. To get one of the six cups, add P49 to any of the participating McDonald’s meals. These collectibles will be available in McDonald’s stores nationwide via dine in, take out, drive-through, and McDelivery. Meanwhile, McDonald’s has come out with new Filipino-inspired holiday desserts: Ube Pastillas Sundae and Ube Pastillas Frappe, and, inspired by Brazo de Mercedes, there are the Brazo Sundae, Brazo Frappe, or Brazo Iced Coffee. For the classic sweetness and warmth of the season, there is McDonald’s Hot Chocolate. The new McDonald’s Ube Pastillas and Brazo desserts are available for a limited time only.

Samsung Philippines launches bespoke refrigerator

SAMSUNG Digital Appliances is applying this concept of made-to-measure to its latest innovation: the Bespoke Refrigerator, customizable home appliances that gives homeowners the freedom to choose their own configurations, material, and color. Samsung’s Bespoke Refrigerator comes in a modular design with a one-Door Flex Convertible Freezer and Fridge and a Bottom Mount Freezer. These can be mixed, matched, and combined to the consumers’ needs and wants. The Bespoke Refrigerator comes in Cotta White and Cotta Charcoal colors in store, and can be customized with glass panels that are sold separately. The available colors are in Glam Glass Pink, White, Navy and Satin Glass Sky Blue. Installation services for the panels are free and can be booked through the Samsung Customer service hotline for installation assistance. For more information, visit samsung.com/ph/refrigerators/bespoke-refrigerator/.

Facebook page promoting Japanese food launched

TO BRING the Japanese experience to the Philippines, JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization) Manila has launched a Facebook page to promote and expand the sales of Japanese foods and restaurants in the Philippines. Through the page, high quality Japanese food products will be made available for people to buy online. The Japanese apples and pears that will be offered through this project will have a logo sticker to identify them as genuinely produced in Japan.

Flying Titans acquire middle blocker Cherry Nunag

CHOCO MUCHO FLYING TITANS FB PAGE

CHOCO Mucho has tapped Cherry Nunag to fill the need of a middle blocker in the absence of Maddie Madayag in time for the Premier Volleyball League’s (PVL) second pro season in February next year.

Apart from plugging the holes left by Ms. Madayag, who tore her left ACL (anterior cruciate ligament), Ms. Nunag, who last played for the Perlas Spikers in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte last August, should provide championship experience being a member of the Petro Gazz that won a 2019 PVL crown.

Ms. Nunag is also a recipient of the 2019 PVL second best middle blocker.

The Flying Titans have also secured the commitment of a talented outside hitter who also won a PVL title to help fill the Ms. Madayag vacuum.

Choco Mucho has also recently recruited former three-time University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) best setter awardee Jem Ferrer to strengthen its already stacked roster that included Deanna Wong, Bea de Leon, Kat Tolentino, Denden Lazaro-Revilla and Ponggay Gaston.

Choco Mucho coach Oliver Almadro is happy with his new players.

“Choco Mucho is happy with their additions. The added veterans in the team will really help us to be more mature in future games especially in tight situations,” said coach Mr. Almadro.

Mr. Almadro cited the recruitment of Ms. Ferrer would be good for his fast-rising setter in Ms. Wong.

“Jem Ferrer being a multi-awarded setter and an older sister to most of my players can help us in terms of leadership. Malaking bagay din na tandem sila ni Deanna (It was also a big thing that she will tandem with Deanna), and I’m sure Deanna will learn a lot from Jem,” he said. — Joey Villar

1...5,5745,5755,576...12,611Page 5,575 of 12,611
© 2024 BusinessWorld Publishing.
All rights reserved.
Read our privacy guidelines
Facebook Instagram Linkedin Twitter Youtube