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Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck wed in Las Vegas, reports say

JENNIFER LOPEZ and Ben Affleck. — REUTERS/YARA NARDI

SINGER Jennifer Lopez and actor Ben Affleck have married in Las Vegas, media reported on Sunday, after the celebrity couple rekindled a romance almost 20 years after they first got together.

The couple announced their matrimony in a newsletter from Ms. Lopez revealing that they flew to the desert city in Nevada to gain a marriage license and wed at a chapel late Saturday, according to People Magazine. “Love is beautiful. Love is kind. And it turns out love is patient. Twenty years patient. Exactly what we wanted,” Lopez said in the newsletter, the outlet reported.

The newsletter was signed “Mrs. Jennifer Lynn Affleck,” The Los Angeles Times reported, denoting a name change for the award-winning entertainer.

A representative for Mr. Affleck could not immediately be reached for comment. Phones rang unanswered at Ms. Lopez’s talent agency Creative Artists Agency.

A marriage license was obtained in their name from Clark County dated Saturday, July 16, according to document details posted online by the county clerk’s office.

Ms. Lopez posted a photo on social media depicting her in a bed while sporting a silver wedding ring.

Mr. Affleck and Ms. Lopez, a glamorous duo widely known as “Bennifer,” got back together last year after almost 20 years. They got engaged in April of this year.

In 2002 Mr. Affleck gave Ms. Lopez a large 6.1-carat pink diamond engagement ring, but they abruptly called off their wedding in 2003 and split up a few months later. — Reuters

Phinma to build more school buildings for coming school year

PHINMA Corp.’s education unit has outlined its school expansion plan for the coming school year, including new campuses and buildings at some of its existing universities.

“Our students want to learn, no matter what. Their perseverance in the face of so many challenges inspires us to serve them better,” said Trissa M. Menardo, strategy chief at Phinma Education Holdings, Inc. in a press conference on Monday.

Phinma Education, a subsidiary of publicly listed Phinma Corp., is building a new seven-story building at the University of Pangasinan that it expects to be completed next year.

“Pangasinan is one of our biggest schools. We are now called Pangasinan Club 21 because we broke 21,000 [enrolled] students a few days ago,” said Phinma Education President and Chief Executive Officer Chito B. Salazar, Jr.

“Two of our schools broke 21,000 — Cagayan de Oro College and University of Pangasinan,” he added.

Because of the good turnout of students in Cagayan de Oro, Phinma Education built a second campus for its Cagayan de Oro College in Iligan City that started construction just this year.

Phinma Education is also building the second phase of its Araullo University San Jose campus in Nueva Ecija, the second building of its Republican College in Quezon City, and the second phase of its Rizal College in Laguna.

In the next month or two, the company expects the completion of its dentistry building as part of its goal to upgrade its dentistry program at Southwestern University Phinma in Cebu. The building is said to have technologically advanced facilities for its dentistry students. For the school year 2022-2023, Phinma Education is hoping to reach 36,000 new students and 124,000 total enrolled students.

“Enrollment is still ongoing for freshmen and classes for freshmen won’t start before August 1. And our total enrollment now is already at 105,000,” Mr. Salazar said.

Phinma Education started investing in education services in 2004 through the acquisition of Phinma Araullo University in Nueva Ecija.

At the stock market on Monday, Phinma Corp.’s shares ended unchanged at P19.20 apiece. — Justine Irish DP. Tabile

Army battles Choco Mucho; PLDT faces Petro Gazz

ARMY Black Mamba — PVL

ARMY Black Mamba tries to prove its last victory was no fluke while Choco Mucho hopes to bounce back from a recent defeat as the two collide on Tuesday in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Invitational Conference at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.

The Lady Troopers stole the thunder from the big guns after they shocked the Petro Gazz Angels, this year’s Open Conference runners-up, with a 25-22, 25-16, 21-25, 25-23 triumph on Thursday to improve to 1-1.

And the Kungfu Reyes-mentored Army side is hoping to follow it up with another win against a Choco Mucho club coming off a heartbreaking 24-26, 19-25, 25-16, 25-21, 15-11 setback to Cignal also last Thursday.

Gametime is at 2:30 p.m.

Jovelyn Gonzaga has been living up to her monicker as the “Bionic Ilongga” after she sprayed 23 hits while presiding over her team’s floor defense with 23 digs in that stunner over Petro Gazz.

Kat Tolentino, for her part, will carry the Flying Titans anew following her 31-point explosion — a conference-high — in that stinging defeat.

Popular setter Deanna Wong will also try to take the spotlight in the game that came a day after she turned 24 years old.

PLDT likewise shoots for a second win in three starts while Petro Gazz desperately aims for a breakthrough triumph after three straight defeats as the two tackle each other at 5:30 p.m.

The Power Hitters absorbed their first setback at the hands of the mighty Creamline Cool Smashers, 25-22, 25-16, 25-21, on Saturday but should bounce back strong against the Angels, who remained winless in two outings. — Joey Villar

New show focuses on time-limited games

WHAT happens when you put together a weatherman, a beauty queen, and a comedian? You get GMA Network’s new noontime variety show that focuses on time-limited games.

The show — TicktoClock — includes buzzer-beater performances, and countdown-monitored interactive games. It is hosted by weather anchor Kim Atienza, beauty queen Rabiya Mateo, and comedian Pokwang (real name: Marietta Subong).

“We are the three most unlikely people put together,” Mr. Atienza said at an online press conference on July 12. “Because of the very unlikely combination, the chemistry is very out of the box which the audience will enjoy.”

Ms. Mateo said that being a game show host brings out a different side of herself beyond what is expected of a beauty queen.

“I can be myself, I can be funny, I can make mistakes…,” she said.

Among the games are “Hale-hale-Hoy,” which has a variety of games within a game; “Oras Muna,” a singing contest where contestants have to impress judges within a minute; and “Dance Raffle Challenge” where remote viewers can participate by sending dance video online.

“Hawaan ng saya (contagious happiness),” Ms. Subong said. “Iyun ang hangarin ng show na ‘to (That is the goal of this show).”

TiktoClock will air Mondays to Fridays beginning July 25 at 11:15 a.m. replacing Mars Pa More. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

Cebu Pacific to use sustainable aviation fuel in future operations

BUDGET carrier Cebu Pacific, operated by Cebu Air, Inc., said on Monday that it is preparing to use sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for its future commercial operations, as part of its sustainability goal.

“Cebu Pacific intends to use SAF for its three more aircraft deliveries later this year. It also plans to make use of SAF as part of standard protocol for future aircraft deliveries. It intends to use SAF for its future commercial operations,” the company said in a statement to BusinessWorld on Monday.

The use of this fuel results in up to 80% reduction in carbon emissions across the SAF lifecycle, the budget carrier noted.

“SAF does not require any adaptations to the aircraft or engines and does not have any negative impact on performance or maintenance,” it said in an e-mailed statement.

The Gokongwei-led carrier received on July 17 its fourth aircraft delivery for 2022.

The budget carrier’s new Airbus A320NEO used SAF on its delivery flight from Hamburg, Germany, to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila.

Cebu Pacific “became the first low-cost carrier in Southeast Asia to incorporate the use of SAF into its operations when it took delivery of its third A330NEO in May this year,” it said.

The airline also said that its sustainability goal is in line with global aviation’s commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The company noted that it has made various investments that allow it to become “fuel-efficient in its operations to keep fares affordable for the passengers.”

“The airline’s three major pillars on its sustainable journey are fleet modernization which aims, among others, having an all-Neo fleet by 2027; resource optimization, which includes pushing for fuel efficiency best practices; and utilizing SAF by launching green routes by 2025 and using SAF for its entire network by 2030,” Cebu Pacific said. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Guion named flag-bearer of PHL team in Para Games

LONDON paralympian powerlifter Achelle “Jinky” Guion — PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

LONDON paralympian powerlifter Achelle “Jinky” Guion was named as flag-bearer of the Philippine team seeing action in the 11th Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) Para Games (APG) set on July 30 to Aug. 6 in Solo, Indonesia.

“We are pleased to announce that Jinky (Ms. Guion) has accepted our invitation to be our flag-bearer at the head of the Philippine delegation during the opening of the 11th ASEAN Para Games,” said Philippine Paralympic Committee President Mike Barredo in a statement.

“(Ms.) Guion’s selection is in recognition for her past athletic accomplishments in giving honor to the country,” he added.

Ms. Guion grabbed the silver in the 2014 Incheon and 2018 Jakarta Asian Para Games, finished sixth in last year’s Tokyo Games and ranked eighth in the World Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia a year back.

She will spearhead the 212-strong Philippine delegation that included 144 athletes during the opening day parade of the 11-nation meet at the Manahan Stadium where no less than Indonesian President Joko Widodo is attending.

“We laud the selection of Ms. Guion as the national team flag-bearer to the 11th ASEAN Para Games. She embodies the best and brightest of what our national athletes are capable of,” said Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) executive director and officer-in-charge Atty. Guillermo Iroy, Jr.

With the PSC funding both the over month-long training bubble of the national para-athletes at the PhilSports Complex and their participation in the 11th APG, Mr. Iroy was optimistic that the PH campaigners would do well in their first major international competition in over two years.

The country is seeking to surpass its 20-gold, 20-silver, and 29-bronze haul in 2017 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which was good for fifth.

Except for three officials headed by chef de mission Walter Perez, the delegation is scheduled to leave on a chartered flight straight to Surakarta on July 26, four days before the biennial meet that features 24 events in 11 sports formally begins. — Joey Villar

CTP to develop residential community in Laguna

CHAN TOEI Properties, Inc. (CTP) recently started work on its first subdivision project in Cabuyao City, Laguna.

The partnership between Prime Eastern Spring Holdings, Inc. (PESH) and Toei Housing Corporation of Japan held a groundbreaking ceremony for Hana Garden Villas on May 24.

The project is located at Nuvali Boulevard corner Canlubang Golf Road in Cabuyao City.

“We are proud and happy to have entered into a partnership with a prestigious and highly successful Japanese company, none other than TOEI. Toei Housing Corporation and its mother company, IIDA Group Holdings Co., Ltd., are leaders in Japan for ready-built homes,” CTP Chairman Jose Mari Chan said in a statement.

CTP is primarily owned by the Chan family-led PESH with investments from Toei Housing.

“Toei came to the Philippines and decided to establish Chan Toei Properties because we saw that the Chan family shares the same vision. We will do our best to provide ‘houses that make people happy’ and a ‘lively lifestyle’ to many Filipino families,” CTP Director Takamasa Sashida said.

Hana Garden Villas will feature well-designed homes infused with Japanese technology and engineering principles. Buyers can choose from homes with three and four bedrooms.

The soon-to-be-built exclusive community will feature connecting parks, activity areas, a playground, an infinity pool, a designer clubhouse and underground utilities.

“It is indeed the combined vision of the Chan family and Toei to marry Japanese construction and engineering principles with work by some of our best and most experienced local designers, to create communities that showcase the best of both worlds,” Mr. Chan said.

CTP tapped Joel Luna Planning and Design (JLPD) for master planning, Leandro V. Locsin Partners (LVLP) for home concept designs, Jorge Yulo Architects and Associates (JYAA) for amenities design, CLARQ Design Studio for landscaping, and Rannie Ison of R.S. Ison and Associates (RSIA) for site engineering. Mikael Yap of FOYA Architects is the architect on record for the homes.

ERC clears First Gen unit’s power supply deal with Meralco

THE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has given final approval to the power supply agreement between First NatGas Power Corp. and Manila Electric Co. (Meralco).

Lopez-led First Gen Corp. said in a press release on Monday that the decision is for the joint application for final authority to supply Meralco’s energy requirement, which was filed in March 2018.

The company said that along with the approval, the ERC also affirmed the applicable rates under the provisional authority granted in its June 2018 order, subject to modifications and conditions.

In the application filed by both parties, it was said that the power supply agreement aims to ensure continuous and reliable electricity for Meralco’s customers.

The target commercial sale date was on Jan. 26, 2018 and the target end of the contract is on Feb. 23, 2024 as may be extended.

The offered price was P3.7742 per kilowatt-hour with a two-part tariff structure consisting of fixed and variable costs.

The contract has an approximately 414-megawatt (MW) capacity, with natural gas as the power generation source.

As stated in the application, if the ERC final approval “is issued but not in a form and substance satisfactory to the seller,” any time within 12 months from the date the ERC application is filed, the seller may immediately terminate the agreement.

The application also stated that the seller must give a commercial sale date notice within 10 business days after the receipt of ERC’s final approval.

First Gen said that its subsidiary First NatGas is evaluating the ERC decision.

First NatGas is the owner of the 414-MW San Gabriel combined-cycle natural gas-fired power plant in Santa Rita, Batangas.

First Gen is a subsidiary of First Philippine Holdings Corp. and is the Lopez group‘s power generation arm. It primarily uses clean and indigenous fuels such as natural gas, geothermal energy from steam, hydroelectric, wind, and solar power.

The company earlier said that it has 3,495 MW of installed capacity in its portfolio, which accounts for 19% of the country’s gross generation.

Its shares ended higher on Monday by 4.45% or 70 centavos to P16.42 apiece. — Justine Irish DP. Tabile

Thor: Love and Thunder rules again as Where the Crawdads Sing beats expectations

Chris Hemsworth in Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

LOS ANGELES — Marvel’s Thor: Love and Thunder managed to fend off three new nationwide releases to remain the No. 1 movie in North America.

Though ticket sales for Thor cratered in its second weekend, falling by 68% to $46 million from 4,375 theaters, the latest installment in Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe easily towered over a trio of newcomers: Sony’s literary adaptation Where the Crawdads Sing, Paramount’s animated Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank, and the Focus Features period drama Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris. After 10 days on the big screen, Love and Thunder has generated a sizable $232 million at the domestic box office.

For Thor, the fourth superhero adventure to spotlight Chris Hemsworth as the Asgardian god with abs that won’t quit, a concerning 68% decline is signaling the movie is not breaking out beyond the comic book empire’s (still very robust) fanbase. Though Love and Thunder will certainly end its box office run with a tidy sum, it’s not ideal for a film of Thor’s size and scope to lose the majority of its audience after opening weekend. It’s one of the biggest second-weekend drops in MCU history next to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which tumbled 67% in its sophomore outing. (Disney’s Strange sequel film went on to earn a mighty $411 million domestically). By comparison, recent Marvel entries like Eternals dipped 61% and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings fell 52%.

Among newcomers, Where the Crawdads Sing easily scored the best start. The page-to-screen adaptation debuted in third place with a better-than-expected $17 million from 3,650 cinemas. That’s an impressive start for this kind of movie, especially at a time when television has become a haven for literary favorites. And Sony spent just $24 million to produce the film so it won’t be impossible to turn a profit.

“In past years, dramas of all kinds were a workhorse genre,” says David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research. “But attendance patterns have changed and most of these stories are now produced for the small screen. That makes this opening particularly good.”

Critics and audiences had vastly different reactions to Where the Crawdads Sing, which holds a bleak 36% on Rotten Tomatoes but a solid A- CinemaScore from moviegoers. With positive word-of-mouth, however, the movie has the potential to stand out to people who aren’t familiar with the best-selling book by Delia Owens. Olivia Newman directed the movie, which centers on a young girl named Kya (starring Daisy Edgar-Jones from Normal People and Fresh), who grows up alone in a North Carolina marsh and later is engulfed in the murder trial of a former love interest. Reese Witherspoon produced the movie, which features a new song from Taylor Swift called “Carolina.”

Paws of Fury, on the other hand, failed to match expectations. The family friendly movie, which took inspiration from the 1974 Mel Brooks film Blazing Saddles, landing at No. 6 with a dismal $6.25 million from 3,475 North American locations. It’s the rare blemish for Paramount, who has otherwise enjoyed a stellar box office run with The Lost City, Scream, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and, of course, Top Gun: Maverick. Luckily, Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Animation do not have too much on the line as they acquired the PG Paws of Fury for $10 million.

Though ticket buyers seemed to like Paws of Fury, which scored an A- CinemaScore, the film struggled to hold its own against Universal and Illumination’s Minions: The Rise of Gru, which landed in second place on box office charts with $26 million from 4,114 theaters. After three weeks of release, the Minions sequel has remained the de facto choice for family audiences and has grossed $262 million to date. The movie has generated another $270 million at the international box office, taking its global tally to $532.7 million.

The weekend’s final newcomer Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris opened in ninth place, generating $1.9 million from 980 theaters. The charming and well-reviewed period drama is aiming to serve as counter-programming against this summer’s biggest blockbusters. As expected, opening weekend ticket buyers were comprised mostly of adult women, with 81% of audiences above 30 years old and 71% female. eOne financed Mrs. Harris, which stars Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread) as a widowed cleaning lady who travels far and wide in search of the perfect Dior dress.

Elsewhere on domestic box office charts, Top Gun: Maverick took fourth place, scoring $12 million from 3,292 screens. In its eighth weekend of release, ticket sales fell a scant 23% decline. With $617 million in the bank and no signs of slowing down, Top Gun: Maverick will soon pass Star Wars: The Last Jedi ($620 million) and The Avengers ($623 million) to rank among the top 10 highest-grossing films in domestic box office history. The longevity of Maverick’s box office run cannot be understated. Since opening in theaters over Memorial Day weekend, the film has remained in the top five on weekend charts and hasn’t dropped more than 40% on a weekly basis.

Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis rounded out the top five with $7.6 million from 3,305 venues. The Warner Bros. movie, which follows Elvis Presley’s rise to become the king of rock and roll, has grossed $106 million to date, an impressive tally for a musical biopic. Elvis cost $85 million to produce, so it’s not out of the red yet. — Reuters

National Chess Federation to hold Age Group Championships

IN SEARCH of future national team mainstays and Grandmasters (GM), the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) is holding the National Age Group Championships presented by Malolos Mayor Christian “Agila” Natividad slated to open on Tuesday at the Robinsons Place Malolos.

Reigning national junior ladies champion Mhagie Gerriahlou Sebastian will be the player to beat in the premier girls Under 18 (U18) section while the other marquee participants are Ruelle Canino in the U14 and Antonella Berthe Racasa in the U16.

The six-day event will consist of the top 12 finishers in the online national elimination and semifinal rounds from different regions in the country in the boys and girls U12, U14, U16 and U18 categories.

The top three in each division will represent the country in the international meets including the ASEAN Youth Championships tentatively scheduled in Bangkok, Thailand this year.

“We’re hoping to produce future masters and national team players in this batch,” said NCFP chief executive officer GM Jayson Gonzales.

Other notable players seeing action in the event backed by the Philippine Sports Commission, Malolos City, Philippine Olympic Committee and NCFP president/chairman Butch Pichay are Lexie Grace Hernandez, Jerome Angelo Aragones, Rinoa Mariel Sadey, and Kaye Lalaine Regidor, among others. — Joey Villar

Globe, property firms push for wider adoption of built-in broadband in developments

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

GLOBE Telecom, Inc. and several property firms are pushing for wider adoption of built-in broadband connections in developments.

“Connectivity is a basic requirement of buyers that can be a differentiator for the property business. What we envision is when a customer steps into a property, he is ready to connect just like electricity and water are readily available. And it’s great we’ve gotten this far in terms of our partnerships, because, like Globe, they are also customer-centric. We are no longer just talking to a blank wall,” Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu said at the company’s Globe’s RISE to the Next Level event on July 11.

Globe has been pursuing innovative ways to provide connectivity as part of its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Executives from ASEANA Holdings, Inc., Cebu Landmasters, Inc., Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC), and the Victor Consunji Development Corp. agreed that built-in connectivity makes good business sense.

“It’s not too late with property. It’s all about finding a base solution. I’ve never heard a ‘no’ from Globe. When I call and say we have a problem with a certain property, they’d say ‘okay we have something to address that,’” said John Richard Sotelo, RLC senior vice-president.

Delfin Angelo Wenceslao, CEO of DM Wenceslao Group which is developing Aseana City, said the company has worked with Globe to ensure space for telco property is allocated at the planning stage.

“Digital infrastructure should no longer be optional, it’s a necessity. Everything that helps us to achieve this, we are open to more collaboration in the future,” Mr. Wenceslao said.

Isabela Rep. Faustino A. Dy V said he will refile a bill that would require property firms to allot space in their developments for telco and other information and communication technology infrastructure.

“We will be refiling this in the 19th Congress. I want to stress that telco service is actually a utility and therefore a necessity similar to how power and water should be treated,” Mr. Dy V said at the same event.

URC aims to cut water, energy use in sustainability goals

UNIVERSAL Robina Corp. (URC) said that it is looking at reducing its energy and water usage and is promoting responsible sourcing of key ingredients for its products.

In a press release on Monday, URC said that it plans to reduce the amount of energy and water it uses in manufacturing its products by 30% against its 2020 baseline and that it is now looking for ways to responsibly source ingredients like palm oil, potatoes, and coffee beans.

The company said that it is aiming to achieve plastic neutrality through plastic waste collection, recovery, diversion initiatives, and collaborative projects that include community engagement and linking with local recyclers.

“Through efficient management of resources, and a consistent commitment to always give back, we aim to make lasting concrete changes on an institutional level, in a way that affects all operations, and demonstrates our resolve as a world-class manufacturer,” said URC President and Chief Executive Officer Irwin C. Lee.

To further achieve its aimed sustainability, URC has recently been named as regional co-chair for the Alliance to End the Plastics Waste which is a nonprofit organization that promotes solutions that reduce and avoid environmental pollution from plastic waste.

It is also an investor and strategic partner of Planet First, a purpose-led European growth investment platform dedicated to developing solutions to address sustainability challenges.

Mr. Lee said that 2021 presented a rehash of 2020’s challenges with various crises that left the global economy and the world climate feeble.

“The difference now, aside from an increased sense of urgency, is a greater amount of experience with which URC can face the odds — and we are now setting our sights on greater ambitions towards more sustainable futures,” Mr. Lee added.

URC said that it is now pivoting to make renewable energy take up a bigger share in its power use by installing solar panels at several of its facilities in the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.

It is said to use manure, agricultural and food waste, and other organic materials as a renewable energy source.

The company also launched projects as part of its community support specifically in the areas of livelihood, sustainable farming, food availability, and security.

These projects include its agro-industrial group’s Kabalikat Village Hub, flour division’s Flourish Pilipinas, sugar and renewables division’s Project SALIG, and its sustainable potato program.

“In the coming years, we will continue to build upon our heritage of sustainable success through the programs and targets laid out in this sustainability report: from reducing our environmental impact all the way to achieving 100% quality and food safety certifications for our products,” Mr. Lee said.

At the stock market on Monday, shares in URC ended higher by 1.23% or P1.40 to finish at P114.80 apiece. — Justine Irish DP. Tabile

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