MindNation launches mental healthcare app

August 31, 2022 | 12:06 am

MINDNATION, a Singapore-based well-being company, launched a mental healthcare app that provides access to 24/7 teletherapy services to Filipinos.

One in two Filipinos struggle with mental health, the company said, with the same percentage of workers struggling with some form of mental health issue because of financial concerns, job pressures, and return-to-office anxieties.

“When mental health support is convenient and easily accessible, people are motivated to proactively take care of their mental health and make it a habit,” said MindNation Chief Impact Officer Kana Takahashi, in an Aug. 26 press statement.

The app includes a mood tracker, a quiz that can be used to track emotions and understand one’s state of well-being, and an on-demand learning program that improves coping skills through audiovisual exercises, toolkits, and worksheets.

Telehealth consultations in the app are done through secure virtual calls.

“There are no in-persons calls,” said Cat C. Triviño, chief marketing officer of MindNation, in an e-mail. “We want to make mental healthcare as accessible and as easy as possible without having to travel, face traffic, etc.”

The app’s features were developed under the guidance of a scientific board of advisers led by Chief Wellbeing Officer Eiza B. Fusingan, a registered psychologist.

The MindNation app is free on Google Play and the App Store. Premium subscribers get 24/7 chat access with a wellbeing coach. Until Oct. 31, the P2,490 annual subscription will include three free one-on-one virtual sessions.

Mental health conditions cost the Philippine economy P68.9 billion (US$ 1.37 billion) each year, equivalent to 0.4% of its gross domestic product, according to a mental health investment case for the Philippines launched by the Department of Health and the United Nations in Manila in October 2021. — Patricia B. Mirasol

TELUS International Philippines opens new site in Iloilo

August 31, 2022 | 12:05 am

BUSINESS process solutions provider TELUS International Philippines has expanded its operations in Iloilo with the opening of a new site in the province’s Pavia business district.

In a statement on Tuesday, TELUS said that the Pavia site is its eighth one in the Philippines and the second outside of Metro Manila.

“Our new facility in Pavia will further enhance our capacity as a leading employer to provide even more career opportunities for residents in the province and support their professional ambitions through our numerous learning and training opportunities,” said Jonabee Beltran-Catura, TELUS senior director of operations and site lead for Iloilo.

“We are excited to open our company’s second new site in Iloilo in the span of a year, contributing to the incredible momentum the customer experience industry is experiencing in the region as it continues to emerge from the pandemic,” she added.

Pia Zapata, TELUS facilities director, said that the Pavia site features areas that are optimal for collaboration, while there are also rooms where team members can work uninterrupted.

“Our company’s goal has always been to create work environments that help our people feel welcome and be productive, and in Pavia, team members can experience a functional, flexible workplace that addresses all their needs with dynamic operations floors and themed meeting rooms,” Ms. Zapata said.

Meanwhile, TELUS International Asia-Pacific Regional Vice-President Rajiv M. Dhand said that the new site has an environment that offers an opportunity for growth.

“Our continued investment in Iloilo, establishing these strong roots, is a testament to our company’s long-term commitment to the people and communities in the province,” Mr. Dhand said.

“At TELUS International Pavia, we have set our sights on reinforcing programs that encourage teamwork, promote diversity and inclusion, and address team members’ needs,” he added. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Nurses ‘important link’ in preventing antimicrobial resistance

August 31, 2022 | 12:05 am

face-masks-health-workers-coronavirus — PHILSTAR

NURSES are “the most important link” in the healthcare delivery process and they play a pivotal role in preventing antimicrobial resistance (AMR), said an infectious diseases specialist.

“It is at vulnerable moments like these when a nurse [assumes the role of] reassuring the patient and networking between the patient’s needs and all other departments within a hospital,” said Dr. Arthur Dessi E. Roman, a fellow of the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases and a training officer at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, at an Aug. 24 event organized by UP Med Webinars.

AMR, which refers to the ability of microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses to defeat the drugs designed to kill them, is caused by missteps by healthcare providers, such as when they fail to wash hands in between patient encounters; the healthcare industry, such as when drugs are stored poorly, thus making them lose their potency; and the patients themselves, such as when they don’t adhere to the prescribed course of treatment.

The World Health Organization estimates that some 4.5 million people from the Asia-Pacific will die due to AMR by 2050.

In the Philippines, AMR threats include extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBLs), which are enzymes that break down commonly used antibiotics such as penicillin; as well as methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

If ESBL rates are allowed to rise, the antibiotics used to treat urinary tract infections caused by E. coli are “bound to fail because they are resistant,” said Dr. Roman. “That’s how bad ESBLs can be,” he added.

According to 2021 data from the Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Program of the Department of Health, about 50% of E. coli isolates are already resistant to drugs like Cefuroxime.

MRSAs, meanwhile, can be transmitted from in-dwelling devices such as urinary catheters, which nurses monitor. Five of the 10 S. aureus isolates in the Philippines are MRSA, down from 65% in the past five years.

“Admittedly, nurses see patients more frequently than doctors. They can recognize opportunities for the removal of devices such as urinary catheters,” he said in the vernacular, adding that nurses are instrumental in administering antibiotics in a timely fashion.

“Nurses are not just there to follow doctors’ orders. They are partners in patient care,” said Dr. Roman. — Patricia B. Mirasol

Local e-commerce firm Inteluck enters Forbes’ to-watch list

August 31, 2022 | 12:04 am

PHILIPPINE startup Inteluck Corp. made it into Forbes Asia’s roster of 100 companies to watch out for in the Asia-Pacific region this year.

The “100 to Watch” list spotlights the region’s rising small companies and startups that address real-world challenges with fresh thinking and innovative products and services.

E-commerce and retail firm Inteluck is a tech-driven logistics startup that initially helped logistics companies track their vehicle fleets.

It supports a variety of logistics platform services, namely: domestic full truckload transportation, warehouse management, freight forwarding, cross-border transportation, and other bespoke supply chain services.

Inteluck’s clients include brands like Coca-Cola and Nestlé as well as companies such as Lucio C. Tan’s Asia Brewery, Inc.

Inteluck is headquartered in Singapore but operates in other Southeast Asian countries like the Philippines and Thailand. It has offices in China and other regions.

By 2023, the company aims to expand into Vietnam and Indonesia.

To complete the list, Forbes Asia said in a press release on Tuesday that it “solicited online submissions, and invited accelerators, incubators, SME advocacy organizations, universities, venture capitalists and others to nominate companies as well.”

There were over 650 submissions and to qualify, the companies must be headquartered in the Asia-Pacific region, must be privately owned, must be for profit, and must have no more than $50 million in its latest annual revenue and no more than $100 million in total funding through Aug. 1.

Forbes Asia looked into each company’s impact on the region or industry, track record of strong revenue growth or ability to attract funding, promising business models or markets, and persuasive story.

Fifteen countries are represented across the 11 categories with Singapore contributing 19 companies to the list, followed by Hong Kong with 16, South Korea with 15, China with 13, and India with 11.

The full list can be accessed through: http://www.forbes.com/100towatch and in the September 2022 issue of Forbes Asia. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

Teaching about underage drinking through theater

August 31, 2022 | 12:04 am

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THE PROBLEM of underaged drinking is being tackled through theater, workshops, online promos and games, and essay-writing and video-making competitions in the second edition of Smashed, a program that aims to educate the youth and change attitudes on underage drinking.

Smashed is a global alcohol education and attitudinal change program delivered in the Philippines by the PETA-Plus Program, an adjunct business expansion unit of the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA).

Originally developed by Collingwood Learning in the United Kingdom in 2009, Smashed is supported by the beverage company Diageo. It employs a theater-based learning approach to teach about the harm and consequences of underage drinking, starting with an interactive drama that follows the lives of three young people and how underage drinking affects their lives. Workshops are then conducted to help viewers understand the facts, causes, and consequences of underage drinking.

“Because young people identify with the characters and the storyline, it’s like turning a mirror on those young people and their own lives. So, what they are able to do is think about the decision of those characters in that storyline,” Chris Simes, Managing Director of Collingwood Learning, said in an online press launch on Aug. 19.

“Our big focus is around choices, decision-making, information, and personal responsibility,” he said. Students are guided in workshops on how to make independent choices around alcohol. “What we are trying to do is give young people a rehearsal for real life. So that when real life happens, they can make the right choices to keep themselves safe, to keep their friends safe, and keep their future safe,” said Mr. Simes.

The international program has reached over 1 million young people in 30 countries.

SMASHED PHILIPPINES
The Philippine project began in September 2021 and was delivered online through a website (online.smashedproject.org). The primary target for the Philippine project is Filipino teenagers and is geared toward “harnessing critical thinking through informed choices.”

“This is a real change from the usual approach to alcohol education in schools and one that makes the risks of underage drinking impossible to forget. We understand that because of the pandemic, both teachers and students are still adjusting to the current normal. But we want to help carry the learning forward by providing high-quality teaching resources for use, despite the pandemic,” Mr. Simes said in a statement.

Last year, the program started in cities in the National Capital Region (NCR), such as Manila, Quezon City, and Pasig City. Smashed PH has been collaborating with the Department of Education – Youth Formation Division in the hopes of expanding into other cities across the country. The initial rollout was able to reach 120 schools or approximately 18,000 students and 675 educators. The program ran with an impact report showing that 93% of young people who participated confirmed attitudinal change.

Smashed Philippines has worked with consultants from the Education department in creating a curriculum map where Smashed may be integrated as Grades 5 to 12 have an existing alcohol education component in their curriculums.

As Smashed Philippines has been working with PETA-Plus, the expertise in arts and theater education of its educators and facilitators is shared through activities and programs such as a songwriting workshop, competitions, and teachers’ creative module.

“It was a very interactive learning platform that allows us to reflect on the social and emotional causes of underage drinking and its impact on our lives when exposed early on,” Grade 11 student Berna Joy Corpuz from Anao High School in Tarlac City said of the program in a statement. “It provides us a safe space and cultivates a culture of support system for young people like us to make an empowered choice that will benefit our future.”

THE SECOND EDITION
This year, Smashed Philippines’ programming will be held online and with live performance.

“As someone in the arts and creative industry, I believe that this project is not only a big step in advocating for alcohol education and youth empowerment but also in promoting applied theater and drama-in-education as effective teaching tools in the Philippines. It is great to be part of this global initiative,” theater actress and Smashed Philippines Project Head Gold Villar-Lim said.

Smashed Online uses an interactive drama following three friends Jella, Miko, and PJ who struggle with alcohol misuse and consequences of underage drinking. The characters are played by Gillian Vicencio, Carlos Dala, and Luis Ruiz respectively.

The Smashed team will be hopping from school to school to conduct the website workshops face-to-face for NCR schools and online for areas outside the NCR. This will be followed by a webinar series on alcohol education for teachers and young people which will happen in September and December this year, and in February 2023. Four partner schools will also participate in a live theater-in-education performance of Smashed – Prevention of Underage Drinking.

Smashed Philippines will implement online website sessions, assemblies, alignment meetings for coordinators, and a year-end evaluation to strengthen partnerships with existing networks and engage with more institutions. Online promos and mini-games will be launched on digital platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. An online essay-writing and video-making competition for young people will be launched next year.

The Philippines’ Smashed live component will focus on prevention that will be framed as a workshop for 40 to 50 students, starting at PETA-Plus’ four partner schools.

The team is currently working on partnerships with the Department of Education’s Youth Information Division and its Schools Division Offices in Manila, San Juan, Caloocan, Makati, and Quezon City.

From 17,700 young people, Smashed Philippines aims to educate 40,000 students in its second year.

For inquiries on the Smashed PH program, visit www.facebook.com/PETAPlus/, send an e-mail to smashedprojectph@smashedph.com, or contact Julia at 0999-995-7962. To explore the project online, visit https://online.smashedproject.org/. — MAPS

PhilHealth should improve trust rating — MAP

August 31, 2022 | 12:04 am

THOUGH many Filipinos have a high awareness of the services of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), the agency must improve its trust rating, which has eroded over the years — especially amid the pandemic — according to a study.

A study conducted by communications firm EON Group in 2022 showed almost all respondents knew about PhilHealth and have a high regard for its services, with more than 75% saying they believe the agency contributes to public health and welfare.

However, the agency only had a 61% trust rating from respondents, who cited among other reasons that the coverage for coronavirus is insufficient and that the hike in members’ contributions announced in May is not justified.

“The current PhilHealth leadership must justify the continued public trust in the agency,” said Junie S. del Mundo, chief executive officer of the EON Group, in an Aug. 24 forum hosted by the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP).

“PhilHealth has had a low perception of trust over the years, with Filipinos becoming more critical of recent measures,” Mr. Del Mundo said.

Shirley B. Domingo, PhilHealth vice-president for corporate affairs and official spokesperson, explained that though they were thrust into the limelight during the pandemic for delayed payment of hospital claims, the funds remained intact.

“Maybe there were procedural lapses in providing funds to hospitals, maternity clinics, and dialysis centers, but none of it ever disappeared,” she said.

Meanwhile, the agency is currently working on improving the automation of claims payment, which is where they are widely judged.

Moving forward, the Universal Health Care (UHC) program will require work from both public and private groups — especially in terms of primary care that should focus on preventive rather than curative measures.

“(PhilHealth’s) Konsulta package is really the initial step in UHC. Everyone has to pass through a primary healthcare provider, which is how it is abroad. A general practitioner will then refer you to a specialist if needed,” said Jose Rene De Grano, president of the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines.

The UHC law, he continued, will result in private hospitals being treated as at par with government facilities, even though the current formulation of the law neglects to mention private hospitals as primary centers of care.

Ms. Domingo added that the funding of primary healthcare will be complicated as well, as it will have to involve local government units, the Department of Health, and PhilHealth to get their acts together with minimal resources. — Brontë H. Lacsamana

Ovialand reports 61% revenue jump

August 31, 2022 | 12:03 am

OVIALAND, Inc. recorded a 61% increase in its first-half revenues to P672 million from P417.5 million a year ago, which the company said gave it optimism about meeting its full-year target.

The real estate developer reported that it turned over 308 house-and-lot units in the first semester, higher by 43.9% than last year’s 214 turned-over units.

“Ovialand’s financial results for the first half of 2022 demonstrate the strength of its franchise despite persisting macroeconomic headwinds such as an elevated inflation rate, the surge of COVID-19 infections in January, and continued constraints in supply chains,” Ovialand President and Chief Executive Officer Marie Leonore Fatima O. Vital said in a press release on Tuesday.

“Given how we performed for the first six months of the year, we are optimistic that we will meet our year-end project of P1.2 billion in revenues,” Ms. Vital added.

The company also said that it plans to conduct a public listing once market conditions become more ideal.

In the next five years, Ovialand is targeting to expand its land bank to 200 hectares from 43 hectares at present. It is also planning to increase its house-building capacity to 3,000 units by 2025.

Ms. Vital said that its first-half financial performance motivates the company to continue growing its operations.

She added: “We are confident that we can successfully navigate changes in macroeconomic conditions given our continued commitment to providing every Filipino the promise of ‘Premier Family Living.’”

Ovialand’s developments are located in South Luzon, specifically in the provinces of Laguna and Quezon, but is working towards becoming a national real-estate developer, the company stated on its website.

Ovialand aims to begin projects in northern Metro Manila and Central Luzon by 2023 and targets to develop properties nationwide by 2030. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

Taylor Swift wins top MTV video award, announces new album

August 31, 2022 | 12:03 am

LOS ANGELES — Taylor Swift won the top honor at MTV’s annual Video Music Awards on Sunday for a 10-minute version of her 2012 breakup song “All Too Well” and made a surprise announcement of a new album coming in October.

The singer thanked fans from the stage at the Prudential Center in New Jersey as she accepted the honor, the 14^th VMA of her career. “All Too Well” is one of the past hits Swift re-recorded after a dispute with her former record label.

“We wouldn’t have been able to make this short film if it weren’t for you, the fans,” Ms. Swift said, before revealing that she will release her next album on Oct. 21.

Called Midnights, the album will tell the stories of “13 sleepless nights scattered throughout my life,” the singer said in a Twitter post after her win.

Also at the VMAs, Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny was named artist of the year and was handed his Moon Person statue at New York’s Yankee Stadium, where he was playing a concert to a sold-out crowd.

Former Disney Channel star Dove Cameron, singer of hits “Breakfast” and “Boyfriend,” was named best new artist. “This year has been so wild,” she said, and dedicated her award “to all the queer kids out there.”

Other winners included Harry Styles, who received the album of the year trophy for Harry’s House and accepted it via video from nearby Madison Square Garden, where he was about to perform.

Actor Johnny Depp, who had been shunned by the entertainment business during a defamation fight with ex-wife Amber Heard, appeared briefly throughout the show, his face digitally inserted inside the helmet of a floating astronaut.

“I need the work,” joked the actor.

Nicki Minaj was celebrated with the Video Vanguard award for her career of hits. The singer performed a medley of “Anaconda,” “Super Bass” and other songs before paying tribute to artists who inspired her.

“I wish that Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson were here,” Minaj said. “I wish that people understood what they meant, what they were going through (and) took mental health seriously.”

Snoop Dogg and Eminem rapped “From the D 2 the LBC” as animated images inside Otherside, an upcoming metaverse platform from NFT and cryptocurrency company Yuga Labs.

Other performers included K-pop band Blackpink and global icon honoree the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who were introduced by comedians Cheech and Chong.

Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow won best collaboration for “Industry Baby.”

The show opened with Harlow singing “First Class,” dressed as a flight attendant on a plane, before entering the arena to join former Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie to perform “Glamorous.”

Lizzo, dressed in a Barbie-pink outfit and combat boots, followed with “2 Be Loved (Am I Ready).” The plus-sized singer later won an award for “About Damn Time” and told the crowd she would not use the stage to “clap back” at critics.

“Because I’m winning!” she exclaimed. — Reuters

Key winners at the MTV Video Music Awards

LOS ANGELES — The MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) were handed out on Sunday at a live ceremony in New Jersey.

Following is a list of winners in key categories:

VIDEO OF THE YEAR — Taylor Swift

ARTIST OF THE YEAR — Bad Bunny

SONG OF THE YEAR — Lizzo, “About Damn Time”

BEST COLLABORATION — Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow, “Industry Baby”

BEST K-POP — Lisa, “LALISA”

BEST NEW ARTIST — Dove Cameron

BEST POP — Harry Styles, “As It Was”

BEST R&B — The Weeknd, “Out of Time”

BEST HIP-HOP — Nicki Minaj ft. Lil Baby, “Do We Have A Problem?”

BEST METAVERSE PERFORMANCE — BLACKPINK, “The Virtual” — Reuters

Argentine woman’s affordable chemo cap offers hope by preventing hair loss

August 31, 2022 | 12:03 am

Chemo-patient — QUIMIO CON PELO - PAULA ESTRADA/FACEBOOK

BUENOS AIRES — After doctors diagnosed Paula Estrada with breast cancer in 2009, the then 41-year-old Argentine decided she would not only beat the disease, but would do so without losing her long blonde hair to the ravages of chemotherapy.

At her home in Buenos Aires, Ms. Estrada, a graphic designer by profession, set about creating a makeshift cooling cap out of ice packs to keep her scalp cold — and ward off hair loss.

It worked, and “nobody realized that I was undergoing chemotherapy,” said Ms. Estrada, now 54.

Scalp cooling, a way to constrict blood vessels and keep chemotherapy drugs from reaching hair follicles, has existed in some form for decades. The Paxman Scalp Cooling cap, for example, was introduced in Britain in 1997 and earned US FDA approval in 2017.

But in 2009, cooling caps were an unknown in Argentina, Ms. Estrada said.

“When I finished, I said ‘I’m not going to keep this for myself, I want everyone to have this as a possibility,” she recalled.

Ms. Estrada’s “Quimo con pelo” cap can be made with gels that cost as little as $2 — a lifesaver in a country facing economic struggles and where alternative cooling caps can cost $100 a session.

On social media, patients in Argentina and around the world share instructions on how to make the caps and donate them when they’re finished.

The caps must be used beginning with the first chemo session, kept at -20 degrees Celsius, and changed every 30 minutes.

“It’s worth it,” said Mariangeles Fernandez, a 48-year-old liver cancer patient. “It lets you fight the disease in a different way.”

Ms. Estrada, who is now writing a book about her experience, says she hears from patients every day whose cancer journeys have been improved by the caps.

“I think the (cap) has been the key to my state of mind,” said Elsa Ram, a 64-year-old retiree with breast cancer. “This is a big part of a good treatment.” — Reuters

LRT-1 operator reports P329-M net loss for first half

August 31, 2022 | 12:02 am

LIGHT RAIL Manila Corp. (LRMC), the private operator of Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1), recorded a net loss of P329 million for the first six months of the year despite higher revenues amid the easing of travel restrictions.

But the railway company trimmed its net loss for the first half of the year from a loss of P402 million in the same period in 2021, according to its parent company Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC).

This is “despite the 41% increase in revenues due to the start of amortization of concession asset and interest costs on the existing rail system,” the listed company said in a recent report.

First-half farebox revenues increased to P767 million from P543 million previously.

Expenses for the period climbed 20% to P1.09 billion from P906 million in the same period a year ago.

“Average daily ridership rose 52% to 185,012 compared with 121,683 a year earlier, with the allowed operating capacity lifted to 70% in November 2021 and further to 100% in March 2022,” MPIC said.

The railway operator implemented its upgraded signaling system during the period “to improve capacity and performance across the line, enabling more trains with better connections and greater reliability.”

MPIC also said that 20 out of the 30 Generation-4 train sets committed by the government had been delivered.

Meanwhile, construction activities for the LRT-1 Cavite Extension project are in various stages of development and continue to progress, according to the listed company.

“Since the start of civil works in September 2019, the project completion rate has now reached 71% for Phase 1 of the extension,” it added.

MPIC is one of three Philippine subsidiaries of Hong Kong’s First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being PLDT, Inc. and Philex Mining Corp.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., maintains an interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Arts & Culture (08/31/22)

August 31, 2022 | 12:02 am

02_Bigkis na Mapagpalaya (Ties That Bind, Ties That Free) 2002 — Bigkis na Mapagpalaya (Ties That Bind, Ties That Free) by Imelda Cajipe Endaya

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Ortigas Library holds lecture on studio photography

JOHN Silva, Executive Director of the Ortigas Foundation Library, will give a lecture on “The End of the Pose: The Rise and Demise of Studio Photography” on Aug. 31, 3 p.m., via Facebook Live on the library’s Facebook page.

Imelda Cajipe Endaya retrospective opens at CCP

THE CULTURAL Center of the Philippines (CCP) presents “Pagtutol at Pag-asa,” a retrospective exhibition of artist Imelda Cajipe Endaya. Initially programmed for 2020, the exhibit has been two years in the making and will have its opening reception on Sept. 3, 3 p.m., at the CCP’s Bulwagang Juan Luna (Main Gallery). “Imelda Cajipe Endaya: Pagtutol at Pag-asa” brings together over 200 artworks and archival materials at the CCP’s Bulwagang Juan Luna, adjacent hallways, and virtual platforms surveying the artist’s extensive practice in printmaking, painting, collage, and installation art from the 1960s to the present. It is the first full-scale retrospective of her significant practice as an artist and the exceptional engagements she nurtured as part of her artmaking. She is founding president of Kababaihan sa Sining at Bagong Sibol na Kamalayan (Kasibulan), a feminist arts organization active since 1987, and founder of Pananaw, the first publication of its kind on Philippine art. Ms. Cajipe Endaya is also a widely-published curator, writer, and cultural worker. The exhibit is co-curated by Lara Acuin and Con Cabrera. Adjacent to the exhibit, the CCP will host monthly public programs until November onsite and streamed online. An off-site exhibition, “Imelda Cajipe Endaya: Windows To An Archive,” will also be presented at the Ateneo Library of Women’s Writings from Sept. 9 to Dec. 2, in partnership with the Ateneo Art Gallery. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/CCPPagtutolAtPagAsa or contact the CCP Visual Arts and Museum Division at telephone 88321125 loc. 1504 / 1505, e-mail vamd@culturalcenter.gov.ph, or through @ccpvamd in Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

CCP holding Special Concert Series 2022

THE CULTURAL Center of the Philippines (CCP) presents the Special Concert Series, a series of solo concerts by eminent Filipino musicians on September, October, and November, 7:30 p.m., at the CCP Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez (Black Box Theater). Stefanie Quintin, a soprano with “a voice with remarkable flexibility and a truly commanding musical presence,” starts the series off on Sept. 7. She performs music from the Renaissance to the present day and includes several world premieres in her repertoire. The second concert in the series features trombonist Ricson Poonin on Oct. 12. Finally, guitarist Ivar Fojas will be featured on Nov. 16. Beyond simply performing, each artist will share their skills and knowledge with selected participants in Master Classes. Those who want to be part of the Masterclass can call the CCP Artist Training Division at 8832-1125 local 1605 or e-mail artist.training@culturalcenter.gov.ph.

Tanghalang Pilipino stages Anak Datu

TANGHALANG Pilipino stages National Artist for Visual Arts Abdulmari Imao’s Anak Datu on Sept. 16 to Oct. 9 as the second offering in its 36^th season. It is the maiden production at the newly built Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez (Blackbox Theater) of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). A play with music, Anak Datu was written by Mr. Imao in 1968 before the birth of his first son, Abdulmari Jr. Adapted for the stage by veteran playwright Rody Vera and directed by former CCP Artistic Director and Vice-President Chris Millado, Anak Datu is a story about the son of a village chieftain in the Sulu Archipelago in pre-colonial Philippines. Before he is born, the village is raided by pirates, and his mother gives birth in captivity. Hence, he grows up believing that his father is a former pirate. When the old man dies, the son discovers the truth about his real father. The play stars Marco Viaña, Fernando “Nanding” Josef, Antonette Go, Lhorvie Nuevo, Tex Ordoñez-de Leon, Carlos Dala, and Hassanain Magarang, who also choreographs the show. The artistic team includes composer and musical director Chino Toledo, set designer Abdulmari “Toym” Imao, Jr., costume designer John Carlo Pagunaling, sound designer and engineer TJ Ramos, lighting designer Katsch Catoy, and projection designer GA Fallarme. For tickets and show buyer inquiries, contact 0915-607-2275 or e-mail tanghalangpilipinomarketing@gmail.com.

Musical celebrates Philippine theater

IN CELEBRATION of its 53^rd anniversary, the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ (CCP) presents MUSIKAL II on Sept. 10, 8 p.m., at the Main Theater. The show features excerpts of original Filipino musicals presented from 2015 to 2021 featuring leading artists from various theater companies. The event is invitational but certain sections are open to the public (free admission). Tickets for the public will be released at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Main Ramp two hours before the performance on a first-come, first-served basis. Read the CCP’s health and safety protocols at https://bit.ly/staysafeatCCP. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/culturalcenterofthephilippines.

Leon Gallery Auction catalog released

THE LEON Gallery has released the catalog for this year’s Magnificent September Auction. Leading this edition’s highlights is an early work by Fernando Zobel titled Siga-Siga which debuted at the artist’s first one-man show at the Philippine Art Gallery in February 1953; and H.R. Ocampo’s Fifty-Five A which was a special token for the artist’s closest confidante and intellectual sparring partner Jose Fernandez Zaide. The sale also features a rare copper plate of the Juan Luna portrait of the conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, first governor-general of the Philippines and founder of Manila, as well as two Larawan works from National Artist Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera’s series, and a Romulo Galicano work titled Poor Man’s Meal, which he has dubbed as most reflective of his life’s experiences. The Magnificent September Auction 2022 will be held on Sept. 10, 2 pm. (Manila time). View the catalog online at https://leon-gallery.com/…/The-Magnificent-September…. Register to bid at https://www.leonexchange.com/en/auctions.

Tanghalang Pilipino stages Anak Datu

TANGHALANG Pilipino stages National Artist for Visual Arts Abdulmari Imao’s Anak Datu on Sept. 16 to Oct. 9 as the second offering in its 36^th season. It is the maiden production at the newly built Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez (Blackbox Theater) of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). A play with music, Anak Datu was written by Mr. Imao in 1968 before the birth of his first son, Abdulmari Jr. Adapted for the stage by veteran playwright Rody Vera and directed by former CCP Artistic Director and Vice-President Chris Millado, Anak Datu is a story about the son of a village chieftain in the Sulu Archipelago in pre-colonial Philippines. Before he is born, the village is raided by pirates, and his mother gives birth in captivity. Hence, he grows up believing that his father is a former pirate. When the old man dies, the son discovers the truth about his real father. The play stars Marco Viaña, Fernando “Nanding” Josef, Antonette Go, Lhorvie Nuevo, Tex Ordoñez de Leon, Carlos Dala, and Hassanain Magarang, who also choreographs the show. The artistic team includes composer and musical director Chino Toledo, set designer Abdulmari “Toym” Imao, Jr., costume designer John Carlo Pagunaling, sound designer and engineer TJ Ramos, lighting designer Katsch Catoy, and projection designer GA Fallarme. For tickets and show buyer inquiries, contact 0915-607-2275 or e-mail tanghalangpilipinomarketing@gmail.com.

Nat’l Artists Alice Reyes, Agnes Locsin collaborate

NATIONAL Artists for Dance Alice Reyes and Agnes Locsin present a mixed program of their iconic works in Pulso Pilipinas II: Alay nina Alice at Agnes at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Main Theater on Sept. 30 to Oct. 2. This dance production features Agnes Locsin’s Igorot, Moriones, Elias at Salome, and Alice Reyes’ Carmina Burana. For more information and ticket reservations, visit https://ardanceph.company.site/, contact ardancephilippinesinc@gmail.comloo or 0915-412-2152 (Viber).

Art Fair PHL announces artists for residencies

ART FAIR Philippines has announced the five artists selected for each program of the ArtFairPH/Residencies 2022. James Clar and Corinne De San Jose will have their art residency program at Butanding Barrio in Puerto Princesa, Palawan; Aaron Kaiser Garcia at Emerging Islands in San Juan, La Union; Nicolei Gupit at Linangan Art Residency in Alfonzo, Cavite; IC Jaucian at Manila Observatory in Quezon City; and E.S.L Chen and Jonathan Baldonado at Orange Project in Bacolod, Negros Occidental. ArtFairPH/Residencies is an artist residency program project of #ArtFairPH in partnership with the Bleeding Heart Rum Company, the makers of Don Papa Rum. The residents were selected by a jury composed of residency program representatives. Their residency projects will be exhibited at next year’s edition of Art Fair Philippines. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/artfairph.

Art/Tech exhibit coming to Singapore

“ARTAVERSE 2.0,” one of Asia’s largest art tech exhibition and entertainment festivals, will be held at Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands on Oct. 5-9, co-organized by XD Media and supported by Dify and Emerge Esports. Riding on the success of “ARTAVERSE 1.0” which was held in Hong Kong in June, “ARTAVERSE 2.0” in Singapore will include a slew of seminars, workshops and entertainment events, Art Tech non-fungible token (NFT) exhibitions, and a concert and EDM night party, among others. “ARTAVERSE” exhibit aims to build a cohesive art community, integrating NFT artists, local art, digital art, physical art, art lovers and collectors to promote the seamless integration between art and tech and encourage the new generation of art lovers to understand, appreciate, collect and create art.

Sotheby’s Singapore auction surpasses expectations

SOTHEBY’s first auction of Modern & Contemporary Art in Singapore brought a total of SG$24.5 million ($18 million), surpassing pre-sale expectations in the region of SG$18 million ($13 million). This also marked the highest total for any sale held by Sotheby’s in Singapore. Ninety-four percent of the lots were sold. Held in response to the ever-increasing demand from a growing collector base in the region, the sale was led by a rare auction appearance of a work by Walter Spies (his Animal fable was the top-selling lot, achieving SG$4 million or $2.9 million), a fresh-to-the-market riverscape by Singaporean Modern Art pioneer Georgette Chen (Boats and Shophouses, sold to a Southeast Asian collector for SG$2 million or $1.5 million), and a painting by Willem Gerard Hofker held in the same private collection for more than 25 years (Melis, composition featuring Ni Dablig with Ni Gemblong with a boy behind the gender music instrument almost doubled its high estimate to achieve SG$2.3 million or $1.6 million, from an estimated SG$700,000 to SG$1,200,000). Two works by Filipino National Artist Fernando Amorsolo achieved prices beyond their high estimates: View of Manila Bay sold for SG$201,600 ($145,000) from its estimated SG$80,000-SG$20,000, and Fishermen brought SG$226,800 ($163,000) from its estimated SG$50,000- SG$70,000. The auction saw participation from over 20 countries, with more than half of the bidders from the Southeast Asian region.

T-bill bids rejected as market asks for higher rates

August 31, 2022 | 12:02 am

THE BUREAU of the Treasury (BTr) rejected all bids for its offer of Treasury bills (T-bills) as investors asked for higher yields as the US Federal Reserve chief said US rates could remain elevated for longer.

The BTr did not award any T-bills on Tuesday even as tenders reached P17.289 billion, higher than the BTr’s plan to raise P15 billion through the short-term papers.

Broken down, the Treasury turned down all bids for the 90-day T-bill even as total tenders reached P6.103 billion, above the P5-billion plan. Had the Treasury made a full award, the three-month debt papers would have fetched an average rate of 2.685%, surging by 61.5 basis points (bps) from the 2.07% seen last week.

The BTr also refused to award any 182-day securities even as total bids came in at P8.252 billion, higher than the programmed P5 billion. The average rate of the six-month T-bill would have gone up by 22.5 bps to 3.561% for a full award from 3.336% a week ago.

Lastly, the government turned down all tenders for the 364-day debt paper as demand stood at only P2.934 billion, below the P5-billion offer. Had the Treasury accepted these bids, the average yield on the one-year instrument would have jumped by 61.7 bps to 4.399% from the 3.782% fetched previously.

At the secondary market prior to the auction on Tuesday, the 90- 182- and 364-day T-bills were quoted at 2.145%, 3.252% and 3.809%, respectively, based on the PHP Bloomberg Valuation Reference Rates data provided by the BTr.

National Treasurer Rosalia V. de Leon said in a Viber message to reporters after the auction that the government made a full rejection as the market asked for higher returns after Fed Chair Jerome H. Powell said last week that the US central bank will continue hiking rates to bring inflation under control, even if the economy slows.

“The Auction Committee decided to reject all bids for the Treasury bills as rates increased and trended above secondary market levels across all tenors,” the Treasury said in a statement.

“Somehow, the BTr was expected to reject, especially as bids were higher following the Fed chief’s hawkish statement,” a bond trader said.

Mr. Powell said at the Fed’s annual economic symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming over the weekend that the US may see slower economic growth and an increase in unemployment as the central bank continues to raise rates to fight rising inflation.

He said the Fed will raise rates as high as needed and would keep them there “for some time” to bring down inflation, fueling bets of another 75-bp hike at the US central bank’s meeting next month.

The Fed has raised rates by 225 bps so far since March, including two 75-bp hikes in June and July.

Tuesday’s T-bill auction was the last one for the month. The government was only able to raise P57.021 billion via the short-term papers versus its P75-billion program for August due to several partial awards and Tuesday’s full rejection amid rising rates.

As for Treasury bonds (T-bonds), the BTr was able to raise P105 billion as planned from three auctions this month on robust demand for the higher-yielding long-term papers. The government was originally scheduled to hold four T-bond offerings in August, but it canceled its last auction to make way for its retail bond issuance.

In total, the BTr was able to borrow P162.021 billion out of its P180-billion program for August.

For September, the Treasury plans to borrow P200 billion from the domestic market, or P60 billion via T-bills and P140 billion from T-bonds.

The government borrows from local and external sources to help fund a budget deficit capped at P1.65 trillion this year, equivalent to 7.6% of gross domestic product. — Keisha B. Ta-asan