THE Araneta Group is planning to launch the Gateway Mall expansion in December, and the ibis Styles Hotel by early 2023.
In a statement, the Araneta Group said the P5-billion Gateway Mall 2 will have 190,000 square meters (sq.m.) over eleven levels offering new choices for shopping, dining, entertainment, and leisure.
“Gateway Mall 2 promises to be like no other mall in the world. This is the latest in our ongoing efforts to keep providing more memorable firsts in the City of Firsts,” Lorna Fabian, vice-president for leasing of the Araneta Group, said.
Gateway Mall 2 will have over 500 retail outlets, 100 dining options, a 500-seat church on the roof deck, a 3,700 sq.m. supermarket, and a 700 sq.m. Atrium.
The public will also be able to access the Smart Araneta Coliseum through doorways located inside Gateway Mall 2.
Adjacent to Gateway Mall 2, the ibis Styles Hotel is scheduled to open by early 2023.
The P2-billion hotel is the first under the ibis Styles brand in the Philippines. It will be operated by the international hospitality brand AccorHotels, the same company that manages Novotel Manila Araneta City.
The hotel will have 300 guest rooms and six function rooms for meetings and conferences, as well as roof deck with an overhanging swimming pool and a bar.
Gateway Mall 2 and ibis Styles Hotel will complete the 400,000 sq.m. mixed-use Gateway Square superblock, which includes the Gateway Mall, Gateway Office, Gateway Tower, Novotel Manila, the Smart Araneta Coliseum, and the Parking Garage South Building.
The superblock will have a total of 18 cinemas with VIP lounges, and over 3,000 parking spaces.
“These new properties revitalize the integrated Gateway Square — a development that offers opportunities for an experience where you can personalize yourself in a thoroughly modern and contemporary environment,” Ms. Fabian said.
LOS ANGELES — Bullet Train, a John Wick-ian romp with Brad Pitt in the aisle seat, arrived in North American theaters with a $30.1 million opening weekend. That’s enough to top the domestic box office chart, but it’s only a so-so result given Bullet Train’s $90 million price tag and Mr. Pitt’s star power. The Sony Pictures release will need to maintain its momentum in the coming weeks as it tries to break even or turn a profit.
Bullet Train is trying to prove that an action flick that isn’t based on a comic book or a toy-line can defy the odds and resonate with audiences. But part of the issue for the film is that critics weren’t on board. Bullet Train landed a mediocre 41% approval rating on review-aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, with many reviewers faulting the movie for being overly derivative of the work of Guy Ritchie and Quentin Tarantino. Variety chief film critic Peter Debruge was mixed on Bullet Train, writing that “neither the characters nor the film they inhabit are particularly deep.”
Bullet Train was directed by David Leitch, who once served as a stunt double for Mr. Pitt before moving on to oversee the likes of Atomic Blonde and Deadpool 2. It centers on a hapless hitman whose mission to nab a suitcase full of cash on high-speed train in Japan, devolves into double crosses and brutal fights with an army of competing killers, thieves, and social deviants.
Universal and Amblin’s Easter Sunday, the weekend’s other major release, stumbled in its opening frame, earning a meagre $5.3 million for an 8th place finish on domestic charts. Easter Sunday stars stand-up comic Jo Koy as an actor who attends his dysfunctional Filipino American family’s Easter Sunday celebration. The good news for Universal and Amblin is Easter Sunday was a modest bet, carrying a price tag of $17 million.
DC League of Super-Pets, an animated offering from Warner Bros., nabbed second place with $11.2 million. After two weeks, Super-Pets boasts a domestic gross of $45.1 million, a disappointing result given its $90 million production budget. Under its new corporate owner, Warner Bros. Discovery is looking to shake up its cinematic universe of DC Comics characters, a change of course that resulted in the company’s controversial decision to scrap Batgirl after the movie had been completed. Instead of debuting on HBO Max as originally planned or being retro-fitted for a theatrical run, the film will now become a tax write-down.
Universal’s Nope came in third with $8.5 million. That brings the twisty UFO thriller from Jordan Peele to $97.9 million at the domestic box office, an impressive result for a movie that, like Bullet Train, wasn’t derived from some preexisting piece of IP. Disney and Marvel’s Thor: Love and Thunder and Universal and Illumination’s Minions: Rise of Gru rounded out the top five, earning $7.6 million and $7.1 million, respectively. That brings the Thor sequel’s stateside total to $316.1 million, while the Despicable Me spinoff has now earned $334.6 million domestically.
On the milestone front, Paramount’s Top Gun: Maverick supplanted Titanic as the 7th-biggest film ever at the domestic box office, earning $662 million in ticket sales. The sequel, now in its 11th week of release, added $7 million to its total. — Reuters
BANK of Commerce’s (BankCom) net income more than doubled in the second quarter amid strong results across the lender’s core businesses, it said in a filing with the local bourse on Monday.
BankCom’s net income for the April to June period was at P526.31 million, surging by 232.9% from the P158.03 million it posted in the same period last year.
This brought its net profit for the first half to P886.91 million, 191% higher than the P304.37 million seen in the comparable year-ago period.
This was “mainly brought about by higher interest income, an increase in fees and commissions and lower credit provisioning expenses,” BankCom said.
This translated to a return on average equity of 7.05%, up from the 3.6% recorded in the first half of 2021. Return on average assets also rose to 0.87% from 0.34% a year prior, BankCom’s quarterly report showed.
BankCom’s net interest income in the second quarter stood at P1.62 billion, up from P1.23 billion last year.
Meanwhile, its other income was at P311.81 million in the second quarter, also higher than the P233.37 million seen in the same period last year.
On the other hand, expenses went up to P1.25 billion from P1.198 billion in the comparable year-ago period.
BankCom’s assets rose 3.78% year-on-year to P207.25 billion at end-June, which it attributed to the increase in its loans.
Its loans went up to P100.85 billion as of June amid higher corporate credit.
The bank said its the growth of its non-performing loans (NPL) remained “manageable” as its gross NPL ratio declined to 2.63% at end-June from 3.09% at end-December 2021.
Meanwhile, its deposit liabilities were at P175.06 billion as of June.
The lender’s capital funds stood at P26.98 billion at end-June. Its capital adequacy ratio was at 17.85% as of June, down from the 21.57% recorded at end-2021, while its common equity Tier 1 ratio stood at 13.38%.
BankCom shares closed at P9.43 apiece on Monday, up by 99 centavos or 11.73%. — D.G.C. Robles
AGRICULTURAL production continued to contract for a second straight quarter, mainly due to lower crops and fisheries output, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said on Monday. Read the full story.
ROXAS Holdings, Inc. reported on Monday that it trimmed its net loss to P100.24 million in its third quarter ending June.
In its unaudited financial statement, the firm said that its third-quarter net loss attributable to parent firm equity holders narrowed from P159.43 million a year ago.
Meanwhile, revenues from contracts with customers increased by 48% to P2.82 billion from P1.9 billion in 2021.
“Roxas Holdings remain focused on unlocking profit and addressing the various factors causing volatility and higher costs in the group, including its ethanol plant in Negros,” the company said in a disclosure.
“Previous manpower right-sizing and terming-out of loans have resulted in decreases in operating expenses and interest expenses, and these are constantly being reviewed,” it added.
The listed sugar and ethanol producer also announced that it completed its stand-alone refinery project at Central Azucarera Don Pedro, Inc. (CADP) plant in Batangas.
“Out of 12 refineries in the Philippines operating this crop year, CADP is now the lone refinery continuously producing refined sugar for the industrial and consumer markets beyond the sugarcane harvest season that ended in May,” Roxas Holdings Chairman Pedro E. Roxas said in a statement.
“This shows that refining can be achieved year-round to add value to raw sugar produced by the millers and farmers across the Philippines. The fundamentals to recovery have been set, and gains brought from this pivotal project on the refinery will be more significantly realized in the near term, with the expected increase in refined sugar production and in tolling agreements with customers,” he added.
The firm earlier announced that CADP was planning on maximizing its refinery production through expanding its fuel sources, decoupling from its milling operations and the limited availability of mill-generated bagasse used as fuel.
Due to the decline in sugar production amid unfavorable weather conditions, planters and millers planned to begin operations in August rather than September to tighten sugar supply.
Roxas Holdings President and Chief Executive Celso T. Dimarucut said that with a projected earlier start of milling for the other mills, CADP can ensure an ample supply of raw sugar for its sustained refinery operations.
“This emboldened step towards a stand-alone refinery will also be beneficial for the other stakeholders, as Roxas Holdings plays its role in helping the government ensure sustainable supply of quality refined sugar and decrease our country’s refined sugar importation,” the firm said.
“We shall continue to leverage on this leader advantage as well as the strategic location of CADP enabling it to service most of the industrial customers in the key manufacturing hubs in Southern Luzon and Metro Manila,” Mr. Dimarucut added.
At the stock exchange on Monday, Roxas Holdings shares remained unchanged at P1.18 apiece. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson
RESIDENTS of new DMCI Homes condominiums will now have access to a dedicated commercial-grade fiber internet, the property company said.
In a statement, DMCI Homes said homeowners will be able to connect to the community internet service in their units and common areas, similar to the service provided by premium hotels for their guests.
Even with this service, residents can still subscribe to their preferred internet service provider.
“Internet access has become vital for everyday activities because of the pandemic that’s why we want to ensure our residents are always connected wherever they are in the property,” DMCI Homes Project Development Vice-President Dennis O. Yap said in a statement.
Residents of Prisma Residences will be the first to enjoy the dedicated commercial-grade fiber internet access.
Prisma Residences is a three-tower development along Pasig Boulevard corner C.P. Garcia Avenue (C5 Road) in Pasig City.
“This service will now be a fixture in our upcoming ready-for-occupancy projects and our future developments to give residents a reliable internet connection on top of their personal subscriptions from their service provider of choice,” Mr. Yap said.
THE VERSAILLES event garden and tent at Novotel Manila in Quezon City on Aug. 6 was packed with fans who quietly waited for their favorite Korean actor to arrive. One fan, a woman in her mid-60s, took five days off from work and flew all the way from Miami to Manila to see her favorite Korean actor.
The object of their attention was K-pop singer and actor Cha Eun Woo, who was in town last weekend for the “2022 Just One 10 Minute: Starry Caravan” fan meet at the Smart Araneta Coliseum that evening. Mr. Cha had last held a fan meeting in the Philippines in 2019.
In January this year, Smart Communications, in partnership with streaming service Viu, held a virtual fan meeting for Mr. Cha through the Smart Hallyu Hangouts where subscribers get to spend an afternoon with their Korean idols online.
The 25-year-old member of the K-pop group Astro is best known for his lead roles in the TV series My ID is Gangnam Beauty (2018), Rookie Historian Goo Hae-Ryung (2019), and True Beauty (2020).
When Mr. Cha stepped on stage at the press conference/fan meet, the fans who had been quietly waiting jumped up from their seats and started screaming in excitement.
“I miss you,” Mr. Cha greeted the audience when he came onstage, “How about you?” He was answered by a room full of screaming fans.
He added that he felt excited to be back and appreciated the warm welcome from fans at the airport the evening before.
He went on to answer questions from the audience, sometimes in English, sometimes in Korean which were then translated into English by program host Sam Oh.
He said that despite the numerous projects he has accomplished, “I think I’m the same.”
“What I would like to do is better the things I am doing already, whether that’s singing or acting or all the other things I do. I’d rather get better at those things than move on to something new,” Mr. Cha added in Korean,
Mr. Cha plays a Catholic priest in his next acting project, a K-drama titled Island. The series is slated to premiere in 2023.
The fan meeting later that evening had performances, games, and reenactments of scenes from Mr. Cha’s K-dramas. The evening concluded with a surprise video message from fans, and a performance of the True Beauty theme song, “Love So Fine.”
Mr. Cha’s K-dramas My ID is Gangnam Beauty and True Beauty, and his variety shows, All the Butlers and Handsome Tigers, are available to stream on Viu.— MAPS
BANKS left the rediscount facility of the central bank untouched in July as there was ample liquidity in the financial system.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said in a statement on Monday that its peso rediscount window was untapped anew last month following the P7.52-billion loan taken out by a universal bank in June that put borrowings for the first six months at P11.6 billion.
The Exporters’ Dollar and Yen Rediscount Facility (EDYRF) was also untouched in July. The last time an availment was made under the EDYRF was a dollar rediscounting loan in 2016.
In 2021, banks only borrowed from the facility in June, July, and September. These peso rediscount loans amounted to P6.12 million.
The BSP’s rediscount window gives banks access to additional money supply by posting their collectibles from clients as collateral. In turn, banks may use the cash — denominated in peso, dollar or yen — to extend more loans to their corporate or retail clients and service unexpected withdrawals.
“Excess liquidity in the financial system picked up in July 2022 and continued, thereby reducing the need for banks to tap the BSP rediscounting facility,” Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said in a Viber message.
“Banks also have other options to get funding, such as through the interbank market as well as through the capital markets, instead of BSP rediscounting facilities,” Mr. Ricafort said.
M3, which is considered as the broadest measure of liquidity in an economy, grew by 6.9% to P15.4 trillion in June year on year.
Meanwhile, preliminary data from central bank showed outstanding loans of big banks expanded by 12% to P9.9 trillion in June from P8.8 trillion in the same month of 2021.
This was the fastest loan growth seen in more than three years or since the 12.4% in April 2019.
The easing of nonperforming loans (NPL) of banks also reduced the need for lenders to tap the BSP rediscounting facility, Mr. Ricafort added.
“The FIST (Financial Institutions Strategic Transfer) Law also gives banks greater flexibility to dispose nonperforming loans and nonperforming assets (NPAs) that also lessens the demand for BSP rediscounting,” he said.
The banking industry’s gross NPL ratio went down to 3.75% of their total loan portfolio in May from 4.49% a year ago. It is also lower than the 3.93% seen in April. The May NPL ratio is the lowest since 3.72% in January 2021.
AUGUST RATES For August, the applicable rate for peso rediscount loans will be at 4.1469% for those maturing in 90 days and at 4.5438% for those falling due in 91-180 days.
Meanwhile, dollar borrowings will be priced at 5.18519% (1-90 days), 5.58209% (91-180 days) and 6.37589% (181-360 days).
Yen-dominated borrowings will have an interest rate of 2.3845% (1-90 days), 2.7814% (91-180 days) and 3.5752% (181-360 days). — Keisha B. Ta-asan
WE CONTINUE to experience challenging times, with a multitude of headwinds facing the world today.
Impacting the local markets and creating fear and uncertainty are: the current worldwide resurgence in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases due to the Omicron variant BA.5, the spread of the monkeypox virus, the global currency and debt crisis, the Chinese real estate mortgage boycott, supply chain problems, logistics difficulties and increasing costs of shipping, global inflation and increasing interest rates, and the food and security issues arising from the Ukraine-Russia war.
And yet, we believe that the Philippine economy might be well cushioned from all these negative global headwinds because of several factors in the country’s favor.
DAVID LEECHIU, CEO of Leechiu Property Consultants
REMITTANCES Overseas Filipino Remittances remain steady, and in fact, are increasing. Remittances have historically increased during times of crisis. With the renewed demand for Philippine nurses and oilfield workers, we see sustained remittances. Overseas Filipinos’ remittances grew for the second month in a row in April 2022, up by 3.8%to reach $2.67 billion and will likely by year-end 2022 be higher than 2021’s figure. This steady source of dollar earnings will continue to support Filipino families.
OUTSOURCING Outsourcing services, which include the business process outsourcing (BPO)industry, have seen higher demand as a result of rising inflation and cost pressures in Western countries. There has been continued growth in the Information Technology and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) sector, especially in the countryside.
The IT-BPM sector is the country’s largest employer, accounting for 1.4 million jobs. The IT & Business Process Association of the Philippines said 120,000 jobs were created in the IT-BPM sector in 2021 alone. This is the second highest annual number of jobs created since the inception of the BPO industry in the country.
INFRASTRUCTURE Ongoing projects under the Build, Build, Build program will not be suspended, and thus government spending will proceed, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. said during his State of the Nation Address (SONA). The continuity of the infrastructure program will boost employment, while improved connectivity will boost productivity.
In Metro Manila alone, there will be 126.1 kilometers of roads, bridges, and railways to be completed from 2023 onwards. These developments will drive logistics and development growth throughout the Philippines while increasing property values and improving local government income.
TOURISM Tourism will likely be the largest industry of the Philippines in 10 years, or by2032. The opening of seven new airport projects at the end of 2021 added 16.7 million in annual passenger capacity. With projects in the pipeline, annual passenger capacity is expected to surge to 386 million passengers from the current 55 million.
Mr. Marcos’ statement that tourism continues to offer an abundance of opportunities has also boosted the confidence of industry investors and operators alike.
The Philippines is likely to benefit from tourism, given the current trend of foreign travelers seeking cheaper destinations amid rising global inflation.
NO LOCKDOWNS Mr. Marcos’ declaration that the government would no longer impose lockdowns, which the economy could ill afford, is expected to have the widest impact.
Overall mall foot traffic is currently at 75% of pre-pandemic levels, while weekend mall traffic is now at 100%. The President’s assurance of no lockdowns, alongside the return of employees to offices, will likely bring back food and retail sales to pre-COVID levels.
POPULARITY The President’s unrivalled popularity gives him the political capital to push forward government projects. The stable transition from the Duterte administration to the Marcos government and the business-like approach of the latter bode well for the business community and the economy in general. The relatively stable and quiet political environment puts the Philippines in a better position to face the global economic uncertainties, and to encourage continued dollar inflows and improved consumption.
IMPACT ON REAL ESTATE The office sector’s growth momentum is likely to speed up in the second half of the year with the implementation of the no-lockdown directive and a resolution to the work-from-home arrangements with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority.
Current live requirements for transactions in various stages of negotiation has been very encouraging and has so far been the highest since the start of the pandemic at 451,000 square meters (sq.m.) as of the second quarter of 2022. IT-BPMs accounted for 212,000 sq.m. of that total.
The government’s perceived determination to return to business as usual is expected to drive the Philippine office market back to 2016’s pre-POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators) and pre-pandemic state. Office demand in 2016 was then at 647,000 sq.m. making the Philippines one of the major office markets in the world. As of the second quarter of 2022, actual office absorption was 255,000 sq.m., the highest since the start of the pandemic.
For the residential condominium sector, the unhampered mobility and continuous operations will prompt higher activity levels. The take-up in the second quarter of 2022 was at 9,030 units or already 70% of pre-COVID levels, thanks to stretched downpayments for amortization and other concessions offered by developers.
Moreover, higher construction costs and market uncertainties will prompt developers to offer even better payment terms to buyers in an effort to reduce inventory levels and to pave the way for new launches. Investors and buyers would be wise to grab this opportunity to lock down the price today and to pay interest-free downpayment over a period of up to 4 to 5 years. They will be highly rewarded in the recovery a few years from now.
In his SONA, Mr. Marcos said he aimed to spend 5% of gross domestic product annually on improving roads and transportation systems in key cities, a continuation of the previous administration’s Build, Build, Build initiative. These infrastructure projects have increased accessibility from Metro Manila to Southern Mega Manila. Land values have consequently been rising in neighboring communities with residential lots in Cavite and Laguna increasing by 7%-15% annually. Continuation of these infrastructure projects will further prompt residential developers to launch more projects.
REAL ESTATE AS HEDGE TO INFLATION Investment strategies to keep up with rising inflation rates are key to mitigating diminishing buying power. Real estate has always been considered one of the safest assets for capital preservation in times of economic uncertainty. Amid the string of crises over the past decades, investments in residential lots in the high-end gated subdivisions in Metro Manila have proven to be excellent stores of value.
More attractively, investments in residential lots South of Metro Manila have exhibited unparalleled growth. For residential condominiums, capturing the price today will be beneficial when inflation and rising financing costs due to interest rate hikes push construction costs and thus selling prices upwards.
David Leechiu is the chief executive officer of Leechiu Property Consultants.
ABS-CBN Corp.’s subsidiary Sky Cable Corp. (SKY) announced on Monday that it will be working with major telecommunications service providers and local government units (LGUs) to address cable cutting and theft, which disrupt service connections.
Executives from SKY, Globe Telecom, Inc., PLDT, Inc. and Smart Communications, Inc. “heeded the call for unity in protecting Filipino households from these illegal acts that disrupt their service connection and affect their day-to-day activities during these unprecedented times,” the ABS-CBN subsidiary said in an e-mailed statement.
The companies signed a joint manifesto in support of the initiative. Streamtech, Metroworks ICT, Eastern Communications, Radius Telecoms, and the Philippine Cable and Telecommunications Association were also represented.
“Illegal cable cutting is a disservice to our customers. It leads to disruptions in cable TV and internet service. Together with our customers, we have been victimized by perpetrators who steal and sell the copper wires for profit or recklessly cut and damage our cable wires without regard to the disruption it causes to our internet and cable service,” the manifesto stated.
“This illegal act robs our customers of the steady internet and cable TV service they need for entertainment and access to information and disrupts connectivity required for work.”
According to SKY, this is the “first big step” in the telecommunications and cable TV industry.
“This will ensure reliable service to valued subscribers and a quicker response to such heinous acts in coordination with local authorities together with deployed special security teams.”
SKY noted that the manifesto also seeks to “hold individuals involved accountable under the rule of law, particularly with the implementation of Republic Act 10515, also known as the Cable Theft Law — with charged perpetrators either facing two to five years of imprisonment or paying hefty fines imposed by the court.”
“As of Aug. 5, SKY has reported 205 incidents of cable cutting and theft around Mega Manila, with the month of July incurring the most number of cases with 45 in total and Quezon City tallying the most number of cases spotted with 89 since January 2022,” it said.
“Four of the total cases have been filed with criminal charges by corresponding telco partners,” the company added.
In regional areas, Cebu alone has recorded 111 incidents since the start of 2022.
“Reporting such incidents to our end and the local authorities is a big help in our ‘Oplan Kontra Putol’ campaign. Not only can we respond to restore your services immediately, but your help goes a long way in preventing these certain acts in other households,” SKY’s Vice-President and Head of Strategic Relations Efren Arayata said. — Arjay L. Balinbin
TATA Balladares and other PNNI para-enforcers walk through a patch of destroyed mangrove forest
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TATA Balladares and other PNNI para-enforcers walk through a patch of destroyed mangrove forest
TATA Balladares rests on a fallen tree while searching for illegal loggers in forests of southern Palawan, Rizal, Palawan, April, 2018 — PHOTO BY KARL MALAKUNAS
Award-winning documentary premieres at Cinemalaya
THE AWARD-winning documentary feature Delikado focusing on environmental crusaders who risk their lives protecting the rainforests of Palawan will premiere on Cinemalaya 18. The 96-minute documentary directed by journalist Karl Malakunas will be screened at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Main Theater on Aug. 13 at 3:30 p.m. It will be among the closing films of the 18th Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival. In Delikado, Mr. Malakunas, the former Manila bureau chief of Agence France Presse, shies away from the tropical paradise angle and instead shines the light on environmental defenders who are fighting to preserve their natural resources from big developers, politicians, illegal loggers and others who threaten the Philippines’ “last ecological frontier.” The film follows Robert “Bobby” Chan, lawyer and executive director of the Palawan NGO Network Inc., former El Nido mayor Nieves Rosento, and land defender Efren “Tata” Balladares. Another participant was “Kap” Ruben Arzaga, one of the volunteer leaders, who was killed in an anti-logging operation in 2017. For details, visit delikadofilm.com or https://www.facebook.com/DelikadoFilm. For advance tickets visithttps://culturalcenter.gov.ph/event/cinemalaya-18-philippine-independent-film-festival-2022.
ASEAN music fest unveils all-star multi-genre lineup
THE ASEAN Music Showcase Festival (AMS) will be holding its first in-person showcase since its founding in 2020, bringing together some of Asia’s most exciting music acts for its 2022 edition on Sept. 10 to 11 in Singapore. Each country in the ASEAN will be represented by a mix of established and emerging artists performing various music genres. The performers are: hip-hop star VannDa and fellow labelmates from Baramey Production (Cambodia); singer-songwriter Pamungkas, rapper Basboi, jazz-funk trio Mad MadMen, ambient artist Logic Lost, indie-rock soloist IQIF, electronic pop act LONE, and electronic jazz band Littlefingers (Indonesia); Cheats, alternative band SOS (formerly known as She’s Only Sixteen), rapper-producer kiyo, electro R&B act Fern., dream pop band KRNA, rapper Young Cocoa, and pop-R&B act Ace Banzuelo (Philippines); a hip hop label showcases from YUPP! artists AUTTA featuring Flower.Far, AINN, and FIZZIE; HYPE TRAIN label artists, singer-songwriter Alec Orachi from NewEchoes, and pop acts from HIGH CLOUD Entertainment’s BOOM BOOM CASH and PUN (Thailand); post-rock band Amateur Takes Control, DJ-producer Fauxe, rapper Bgourd, indie pop act Pleasantry, four-piece math rock band cues, and pop-R&B artist ffion (Singapore); electro-R&B act NYK, rock duo Jemson, “fractional math rock” quartet The Filters, city pop act Babychair (Malaysia); Thinlamphone and ZamioP (Laos); and OAK Soe Khant and Velocity (Burma) with the latter’s set available online only. Guest acts outside ASEAN will also be making appearances including Taiwanese indie act indie rock bands Huan Huan and I Mean Us, and another act to be announced later. Indian jazz-rock fusion band Jatayu will also perform. AMS will also host a virtual showcase, with the lineup to be announced soon. This year’s in-person showcase sets in Singapore and the virtual showcases will be broadcasted live via AMS’s official YouTube channel on both days. Tickets to ASEAN Music Showcase Festival 2022 are now available to purchase online via Sistic at https://www.sistic.com.sg/events/asean0922.
Kroma boosts studio production
KROMA Entertainment, Inc. is introducing its creative business units: ANIMA (formerly Globe Studios) as its film production studio, and Secret Menu as its audio-centered division. ANIMA boasts of films such as Fan Girl, Kuwaresma, Last Song Syndrome (LSS), Hintayan ng Langit, Dead Kids, and GOYO: Ang Batang Heneral, all of which leverage on being creator-focused and bold. Recently, ANIMA brought Kun Maupay Man It Panahon (Whether The Weather is Fine), which earned plum awards at the 70th FAMAS Awards on July 30. The 2022 Cinemalaya Philippines Film Festival’s opening film was ANIMA’s Sundance award-winning film Leonor Will Never Die while ANIMA Short Film Lab’s City of Flowerswill compete under the festival’s short film category. For its audio-centered division, ANIMA Podcasts, an extensive network of creators, brands, and platforms, come together to develop engaging audio series that cater to different audiences. Its current roster of regular shows include Spotify Exclusives Paano Ba ‘To?! by celebrity host Bianca Gonzalez; The Karen Davila Podcast, a limited series by news anchor Karen Davila; and The Linya-Linya Show, a comedy talk show with Ali Sangalang. Other names in its podcast roster include film director Quark Henares, writer Ramon de Veyra, host and radio DJ Riki Flores-Reyes, and YouTube K-content creator Kring Kim. Finishing off the brand’s transformation is the full-service creative video agency Secret Menu, whose content spans all aspects of video content creation. Its services include branded content solutions, commercials, live videos, event coverage, and music videos. For more information, visit KROMA Entertainment’s official website at www.kroma.ph.
Prime Video increases investment
GLOBAL video streaming service Prime Video will increase its investment for customers in the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia. Beginning August, customers will find a localized content slate and user experience (in local language) on Prime Video and the Prime Video app. The streaming service also revealed its first local original, Comedy Island: Philippines, and exclusive licensing deals for local, Korean, and animé titles. Prime Video offers a selection of entertainment, from original productions created by local production companies, local licensed top titles, Korean content, global Amazon Original movies and TV series, and popular Hollywood titles.
Pinoy animated short sweeps int’l film fest awards
TELLA, a short Filipino animated film about a mysterious girl and a misplaced star, has recognition in different film festivals across the globe. The 12-minute piece follows the journey of a little girl who is woken up by a fallen star that wishes to return to the night sky. The short was written and directed by Filipino animator Zachary Conlu, who honed his skills under the Animation Program of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. With the help of fellow Benildeans Pauline Jan Villanueva, who composed the musical score, and Anthony Tobias, who was tapped for sound design, Conlu’s Tella has bagged numerous awards. These include Best Soundtrack at the Reale Film Festival Italy; Best Original Score at the Vesuvius International Film Fest Italy, Venezia Shorts Italy; Best Original Score, Best Animation and Audience Awards at the Feel The Reel International Film Festival UK; and Best Sound Design Award at the International Cosmopolitan Film Festival in Tokyo, Japan. Villanueva was also hailed as Best Composer at the Toronto Indie Shorts in Canada. The film was included as an Official Selection at the Tokyo Anime Award Festival, Spark Animation and Around International Barcelona, where it bagged the Best Animation. It was recognized with the Best Animation Award from Kalakari Film Festival in India. Honorable Mentions for Best Animation were granted by the Long Story Shorts International Film Festival Romania and ARFF Paris Film Festival. In local shoes, Tella was nominated for Best Director and Best Editing and won Best Sound Score and Best Sound Design titles at the CineANIMO Film Festival.
