Stuff to do (12/17/21)

December 17, 2021 | 12:02 am

Experience live performances once again at the Grand Atrium. — SHANGRI-LA Plaza Grand Atrium

1 of 4

Madz performs at the Met Theater

THE Metropolitan Theater presents Tuloy ang Palabas sa Met featuring the Philippine Madrigal Singers on Dec. 17, 6 p.m., via Facebook Live. To watch, visit https://www.facebook.com/METphOfficial/.

Christmas at Shangri-La Plaza

SHANGRI-LA Plaza fills the month with celebrations and happenings. There will be live performances once again at the mall’s Grand Atrium, with music and carols from local musicians. Performing are: Shang’s own Musicians Collective on Dec. 17, and 20, and the Servus Dei Vocal Ensemble on Dec. 18. Shang’s Red Carpet theater has reopened, and it is showing the latest Marvel film, Eternals. To ensure a safe viewing experience, the mall has implemented protocols, such as requiring moviegoers to present a vaccination card, seat distancing, wearing of face masks, and prohibiting food and drinks inside the cinema. Children can now play at Q Power Station and Kidzoona. Both require minors to be accompanied by fully vaccinated parents or guardians. Urban lifestyle brand agnès b. (known for its snap cardigans) is now in the Philippines, showcasing its 2021 Fall/Winter collection exclusively at the Shang. Finalize Christmas lists by dropping by Shang’s newest retail stores Tili Dahli (a sustainable babywear shop) and Patton (practical bodysuits, athleisure pieces, and everyday essentials). Shang is bringing back its Boxing Day tradition and ending the year with a mall-wide sale. With over 50 participating retail partners, Shang’s Boxing Day Sale is a chance to treat oneself and shop for the remaining items on the wish list for as much as 70% off. For inquiries, call 8-370-2597/98 or visit www.facebook.com/shangrilaplazaofficial.

A weekend with pets at Ortigas Malls

ORTIGAS Malls’ Elite Pet Society will be having its first Christmas Pawty for dogs at the East Wing at Estancia on Dec. 19, 2-5 p.m. There will be talks and training by the Pinoy Dog Whisperer Lestre Zapanta, and Bayopet’s Dr. Jomer Fule. Win freebies from sponsors Advantix, BarksJOY, Bayopet, Bon Apawtit, Elanco, L estre Zapanta, Paw & Purr, Pet Express, and The SM Store Estancia. Visit the booths and pop-up dog playground. Christmas gifts from the event sponsors will also be waiting at the registration booth (while supplies last). Registration at the venue starts at 1 p.m. All attendees must be fully vaccinated and will need to present their COVID-19 Vaccination Card and their pet’s Elite Pet Society ID to enter the event. One pet per owner only. Entrance is free. Visit the Estancia Facebook page for more details.

WWF-PHL holds Holiday Serenade concert

FILIPINO artists team up with the World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature – Philippines (WWF-PHL) for a three-night event that will showcase the best of Filipino music in a concert titled Holiday Serenade. The performance is for the benefit of 21 tuna fishing communities in Lagonoy Gulf and Mindoro Strait. The online fundraising concert will be streamed via ktx.ph on Dec. 17, 18, and 19. A day pass and three-day pass tickets can be purchased via the ktx.ph website. Holiday Serenade will feature performances from BINI, Jim Paredes and Boboy Garovillo, Rachel Alejandro, Reese Lansangan, Hey Moonshine, Johnoy Danao, and more. The event will be hosted by WWF-Philippines Ambassadors Pia Wurtzbach, KC Concepcion, and Robi Domingo. To book tickets and for more information, visit bit.ly/WWFHolidaySerenade.

Bank of China Manila launches online FX conversion

December 17, 2021 | 12:02 am

BANK OF CHINA Manila on Thursday said it launched a new foreign exchange (FX) conversion feature in its mobile and internet banking services.

The bank said individual clients will be able to convert Philippine peso (PHP) to renminbi (RMB), US dollars, and euro in real time.

“The improvements to our online forex conversion capacity is a reflection of our direction as a bank as we continue to grow our digital capabilities in support of our customers in the Philippines,” Bank of China Manila Country Head Deng Jun said in a press release.

Bank of China said the feature is the first real-time RMB foreign exchange conversion service in a mobile app in the country.

The new feature expands the conversion services, which had previously been available between foreign currencies and not the Philippine Peso.

Clients must have both originating currency and target currency accounts with Bank of China Manila to use the feature.

“For example, a client who wants to convert PHP to RMB should have both a PHP account and an RMB account with Bank of China Manila,” the bank said.

Bank of China added that the service aligns with its digital transformation goals, in line with the central bank’s broader digital strategy.

“A lot of business is now being done online, and the demand for faster and more convenient services is growing. That’s why digitalization has become an important part of our strategy,” Mr. Deng said.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Digital Payments Transformation Roadmap 2020-2023 aims to convert half the total volume of retail payments to digital and expand financial inclusion to 70% of Filipino adults through payment and transaction accounts.

Bank of China Manila was named the official clearing bank for RMB in the Philippines, which allows the lender to enable local financial institutions to transfer RMB funds and participate in China’s foreign exchange and its security and bond markets. — Jenina P. Ibañez

Google to sack staff who refuse to comply with vaccine policies

December 17, 2021 | 12:02 am

Google has threatened to reduce pay or even fire staff who fail to comply with internal policies on Covid 19 vaccinations, CNBC reported, citing internal documents.

The Alphabet, Inc. unit warned employees they had till Dec. 3 to declare and prove their vaccination status, or apply for exemptions. Those who hadn’t complied by Jan. 18 will be placed on “paid administrative leave” for 30 days, CNBC said. They could then be put on unpaid leave for up to six months, before finally getting dismissed, it added.

Like much of the US, Silicon Valley is coping with a resurgence in Covid 19 and the new omicron variant, forcing companies to re-evaluate plans to get staff to return to offices. The Biden administration has mandated vaccinations for federal contractors nationwide, but several major US corporations have suspended efforts to comply amid a slew of challenges from states that say the president overstepped his authority in requiring Covid-19 shots.

Google, which employs more than 150,000 in the country, said it plans to follow Mr. Biden’s order. In July, the search giant said it will require all workers returning to work to get vaccinated. Representatives for the company didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

“We expect that almost all roles at Google in the US will fall within the scope of the executive order,” CNBC reported, citing Google’s memo. “Anyone entering a Google building must be fully vaccinated or have an approved accommodation that allows them to work or come onsite,” the company said, adding that “frequent testing is not a valid alternative to vaccination.” — Bloomberg

Primex unit sells Cavite lot to Walter Mart for P200M

December 17, 2021 | 12:02 am

PRIMEX Development Corp. sold two hectares of its eight-hectare property in Naic, Cavite to community mall developer Walter Mart for P200 million, the company said in a statement on Thursday.

Primex Development is a 42.86% owned unit of listed property firm Primex Corp.

“By selling a portion of the property to a branded and established mall operator, the value of the residual eight hectares of the land shall appreciate significantly,” said Primex Executive Vice-President, Corporate Secretary, and Director Karlvin Ernest L. Ang.

The whole 10-hectare property is located along Governor’s Drive in Naic. It has a frontage of 330 meters and is said to be beside AyalaLand Logistics Holdings Corp.’s 166-hectare Cavite Technopark.

Primex said the area “is projected to blossom into a center of trade and commerce south of the Metropolis.”

Some of the infrastructure projects near the property are the Cavite-Laguna Expressway, Manila-Cavite Expressway Extension, the Cavite-Tagaytay-Bataan Expressway, and the Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge.

Shares of Primex on Thursday went down by 0.96% or two centavos to close at P2.07 apiece. — Keren Concepcion G. Valmonte

Rules for reclaiming idle gov’t land in BARMM issued by DAR

December 17, 2021 | 12:02 am

The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) said it has issued rules governing the reclaiming of unused government land in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), focusing on sites deemed suitable for agriculture.

The DAR and the BARMM’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR) said in a statement that the land is earmarked for distribution to qualified beneficiaries.

These include farmers, tillers, or farmworkers that are either landless or own less than three hectares of agricultural land. They must be Filipino citizens, and residents of the b arangay where the land is located.

The age requirement is 15 years of age at the time the land is designated for distribution, and beneficiaries must have the “willingness, aptitude, and ability to cultivate and make the land productive,” as per Republic Act (RA) No. 6657.

BARMM will identify eligible sites validate the location, area, actual use, and legal basis of ownership, while the DAR will provide coordination to ensure the effective implementation of the distribution rules. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson

Digital enablement of MSMEs

December 17, 2021 | 12:01 am

AS the COVID-19 alert system is being implemented in the entire country, more businesses are opening hoping to recover the lost ground in the last 2 years.

But micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are still struggling to adapt to the new normal. In a survey I conducted among MSMEs during one webinar, almost all of the more than fifty companies find adapting to digital technologies and tools as the biggest challenge.

The inability of MSMEs to adapt may be one of the reasons why around 10% of them have closed in June amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the survey of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). This is equivalent to around 140,000 businesses.

Therefore, MSMEs need to be enabled with digital tools, solutions, and capabilities in order to adapt, survive, and even thrive amid the pandemic. All the drivers to learn how to use digital tools are here.

For one, by 2023, 84 million Filipinos will be connected to the internet, an 8% jump from pre-pandemic level. Another is that there is already ninety million Filipinos active in social media, a jump of 22% from last year, according to We Are Social. Almost a hundred percent of those connected to the internet own a smart phone. More than 80% of those connect to the internet have purchased a product online.

These drivers point to the new normal of how consumers are buying online now, how buyers are interacting through social media, and how they pay using digital means. MSMEs must learn and apply the digital tools and solutions that are necessary in the conduct of their business.

Digital channels. MSMEs can take advantage of exiting digital channels such as Lazada, Shopee, Facebook Marketplace, and Carousell. These are marketplace platforms that bring together buyers and sellers of a certain goods or services.

Social media marketing. With more than eighty million Filipinos active in social media, MSMEs can utilize this channel to promote their products and services. Social media marketing provides companies with a way to engage with existing customers and reach new ones while allowing them to promote their desired culture, mission, or tone.

Digital payments. In 2020, around forty million Filipinos made digitally enabled payment transactions, and increase of 27% from the previous year according to We Are Social. MSMEs can allow consumers and buyers to purchase their products and services through digital payment solutions such as through Coins.ph, GCash, DragonPay, Grabpay, PayMaya, PayPal, 7-Eleven CLIQQ Pay, and others offered by local banks.

Courier and shipping services. These delivery services have likewise transformed to become digitally enabled. MSMEs can use the different types of courier and shipping serves such as the standard, i.e., services involv-ing collecting, sorting, and transferring parcels from, say, warehouses, to the closest depot to the delivery location; overnight, i.e., services guaranteeing parcels delivered the following day; and same-day delivery, i.e., service promising same-day delivery and is, as such, the most expensive of all courier services. These are useful MSMEs engaged in online selling, which require shipping solutions for multiple parcels.

These digital tools and solutions can help MSMEs migrate their business to digital, to reach a larger market base and make their operations efficient.

But while MSMEs transition to digitally enabled tools and solutions, it is likewise important to equip the entrepreneurs and business owners with knowledge of cybersecurity. Cyberattacks stealing money from busi-nesses have increased over the last two years of the pandemic, necessitating the urgent need to arm businesses with security tools and educating the employees on cybersecurity protection.

REYNALDO C. LUGTU, Jr. is founder and CEO of Hungry Workhorse Consulting, a digital and culture transformation consulting firm. He is the chairman of the Information and Communications Technology Committee of the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (FINEX). He is a fellow at the US-based Institute for Digital Transformation. He teaches strategic management in the MBA Program of De La Salle University. The author may be e-mailed at rey.lugtu@hungryworkhorse.com.

MRT-7 67% complete, to be partially operational next year

December 17, 2021 | 12:01 am

METRO MANILA Rail Transit (MRT) Line 7 is 67% complete and will start partial operations by the fourth quarter of 2022, President Rodrigo R. Duterte said Thursday.

“We can proudly say that this new rail transit system runs more than 24 kilometers from North Avenue in Quezon City to San Jose del Monte in Bulacan,” he said at an online news briefing. “It is a world-class mode of transportation for the benefit of the people.”

The total cost was P77 billion, he added, funded via a public-private partnership with San Miguel Corp. under a build, transfer, operate arrangement, with a concession period of 25 years.

“The MRT project will provide the public with a fast, efficient, convenient, safe, and reliable transportation system that will result in increased activity (for) businesses in Metro Manila and nearby provinces,” Mr. Duterte said.

MRT Line 7 is a 22.8km-long elevated rapid transit line under construction since April 2016. The elevated line will have 14 stations.

It can carry about 28,000 passengers an hour in each direction, which can be extended to roughly 36,000 passengers an hour with further upgrades. It is estimated to initially serve about 350,000 passengers a day, which will increase to 800,000 passengers a day upon completion of the upgrades.

Metro Manila is currently served by Light Rail Transit (LRT) 1, LRT 2, and MRT 3, while the MRT 7 line will be connected to MRT Lines 1 and 3.

“It is also good to know that this new train system will have minimized air pollution as it is a greener and more energy-efficient means of transportation,” he added, noting that its contribution to a cleaner environment will improve the capital’s livability.

Its success, Mr. Duterte said, confirms the administration’s “strong commitment to critical infrastructure projects” even during the pandemic.

“I enjoin all government agencies to ensure the prompt implementation and completion of significant government projects while still upholding the transparency, integrity, and accountability in its operation,” he added. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan

Philippines the least attractive market among retailers

December 17, 2021 | 12:01 am

Entertainment News (12/17/21)

December 17, 2021 | 12:01 am

WETV PR - THE KANGKS SHOW CAST PHOTO 1 — THE KANGKS SHOW CAST

1 of 5

YouTube expands topical information panels in PHL

As part of its continued efforts to help fight misinformation and bring greater transparency and context for content on the platform, YouTube has announced the expansion of its information panel giving topical context in the Philippines. In addition to the COVID-19 information panels, people in the Philippines will now begin to see information from third party sources, such as Wikipedia and Encyclopedia Britannica, alongside videos on a number of well-established topics that can be prone to misinformation. Some of these topics include Martial Law in the Philippines, climate change, the 9/11 attacks, the Holocaust, and the Apollo moon landing, among many others. The launch of the information panel giving topical context in the Philippines builds on the existing portfolio of features that YouTube launched in the country, aimed at raising authoritative information that is essential to viewers, especially during fast-moving, breaking news events. These include Top News and Breaking News shelves, information panels that indicate funding sources from publishers that receive public or government funding, and information panels for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The information panel giving topical context will appear regardless of the opinions and perspectives expressed in the video, on both search results and watch pages when people search for topics on YouTube that are prone to misinformation. YouTube warns that as the feature initially rolls out in the Philippines, panels may not appear immediately on some content, which it says it will correct over time. YouTube first launched the information panel giving topical context in 2018 and it is currently available in many countries around the world including Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Spain, the UK, and the US.

WeTV premieres sex-positive comedy show

A late-night advice show and social media channel compete for viewership and relatability in The Kangks Show. Directed by Antoinette Jadaone, The Kangks Show is a sex-positive comedy that follows feisty sex guru Dr. Kara Teo (played by Angelica Panganiban) who hosts a long-running midnight sex advice program. Ratings are at an all-time low when Gen-Z influencer Cassandra (Maris Racal) launches a competing advice channel on TikTok. As the network threatens to cancel her show, Dr. Kara and producer Nikki (Angelica Bayani), pulls out all the stops to deliver the most outrageous and over-the-top stories yet. The Kangks Show premieres Dec. 17, 8 p.m., on WeTV. Stream new episodes for free every Friday. Download the WeTV and iflix app from the App store and Google Play.

ABS-CBN special pays tribute to everyday heroes

Andito Tayo Para Sa Isa’t Isa: The ABS-CBN Christmas Special 2021 — which airs on Dec. 18, 8 p.m., on the Kapamilya Channel, A2Z, Kapamilya Online Live, and iWantTFC — will pay tribute to the country’s everyday heroes from different sectors. Actor, dancer, and now director John Prats, will direct the Christmas special featuring representatives from various sectors, as well as over 100 stars from different programs of ABS-CBN. Also joining the celebration are journalists from ABS-CBN News, social media stars, and even some international artists. Before the special, the Star Magical Christmas: The Star Magic Christmas Special 2021 will air at 4 p.m. on the ABS-CBN Entertainment YouTube channel.

LOIR releases new single

R&B ARTIST LOIR reflects on the process of growth and peace of mind on her new single “Umaga.” Laced with strings, acoustic guitars, and minimal beats, the slow jam is produced by frequent collaborators HavoMusic and Goodson. It also features a rap verse and songwriting credit from hip-hop artist Guddhist Gunanita. In the song’s official music video, LOIR essays the role of a diwata, who unexpectedly gets entangled in a forbidden romantic relationship with a hunter, played by Gunanita. “Umaga” serves as the second installment in a series of music videos by LOIR that are connected by a narrative thread. LOIR is expected to wrap up the series of music videos with her upcoming EP, to be released in 2022. “Umaga” is available to stream on all music streaming platforms.

Netflix announces season 2 of D.P.

Netflix has confirmed the production of the second season of Korean series D.P. The show made The New York Times list Best International Shows of 2021. D.P. centers on Deserter Pursuit Unit members An Joon-ho (Jung Hae-in) and Han Ho-yeul (Koo Kyo-hwan) as they come across different stories while tracking down fellow soldiers who have deserted their posts. Based on the webtoon D.P. Dog’s Day by Kim Bo-Tong. The series earned high praise both domestically and internationally for shedding light on neglected stories of AWOL soldiers and those who search for them.

Senate clears franchise of Smart Broadband, Air PHL

December 17, 2021 | 12:01 am

BILLS extending for another 25 years the franchise of Smart Broadband, Inc. and Air Philippines Corp. on Thursday passed on third and final reading, receiving unanimous support from the Senate.

House Bill 8970 or an act renewing for another 25 years the franchise granted to Smart Broadband, previously known as the Meridian Telekoms, Inc. was passed with 20 affirmative votes.

Under the proposed measure, the grantee is permitted and will have the authority “to construct, install, establish, maintain, lease, and operate wired and wireless telecommunication systems throughout the Philippines.”

It must also operate, maintain, and upgrade all its stations, lines, cables, systems, facilities, and equipment for the satisfactory transmission and reception of messages, signals, and pulses at all times.

The proposed bill also mandates that it improves and extends its services in areas not yet served, and hazard- and typhoon-prone areas.

The grantee no longer has to apply for renewal of its franchise three years before its expiration.

On the dispersal of ownership, the grantee must offer Filipino citizens at least 30% of its outstanding capital stocks in any securities exchange or through any methods allowed by law.

The provision that the grantee must ensure that 60% of its employees are regular employees was also removed.

Smart Broadband is a unit of Smart Communications, Inc., which is a subsidiary of PLDT, Inc.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls.

Meanwhile, House Bill 10442 or the act renewing for another 25 years the franchise granted to Air Philippines was also passed with 20 affirmative votes.

Air Philippines, formerly known as Airphil Express, is under listed firm PAL Holdings, Inc.

Under the proposed measure, its air transport services must include “the maintenance and operation of hangars and aircraft service stations and facilities and other services of similar nature which may be necessary, convenient or useful as an auxiliary to aircraft transportation.”

The grantee must secure from the Civil Aeronautics Board and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines the appropriate certificates, permits, and licenses for its operation.

It must also create employment opportunities and accept on-the-job trainees in its operations.

The franchise will be deemed ipso facto revoked if the grantee fails to operate continuously for two years.

On the dispersal of ownership, the grantee should also offer its outstanding stocks to at least 30% of Filipino citizens in any securities exchange or through any methods allowed by law.

The grantee must submit an annual report to Congress. If it fails to comply, the airline will be fined P500 per working day of noncompliance. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan

How PSEi member stocks performed — December 16, 2021

December 17, 2021 | 12:00 am

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Wednesday, December 16, 2021.

Bautista, Santos open Ayala PHL Athletics Championship in style

December 16, 2021 | 10:39 pm

By winning two golds each including the 100m dash

By John Bryan Ulanday

BAGUIO CITY — National team mainstay Clinton Bautista and hometown hero Katherine Khay Santos ran away with two gold medals apiece to open the Ayala Philippine Athletics Championships in style at the Athletic Bowl here on Thursday.

Mr. Bautista, the Tarlac pride, and Baguio’s own Ms. Santos juggled two duties but still stamped their classes over their rivals highlighted by supremacy in the centerpiece 100m sprint to emerge as the fastest man and woman in the country’s first trackfest amid the pandemic.

A known hurdles master, Mr. Bautista finished the men’s century dash in 10.86 seconds before staple long jumper Ms. Santos extended her brilliance on the track by clocking in 12.61 seconds to rule the distaff side.

Mr. Bautista also dominated the 110m hurdles, which he won in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games (SEAG), in 14.42 seconds while Ms. Santos leapt for 6.06 meters in long jump to stun four-time SEAG champion and national record holder Marestella Torres-Sunang.

Impressive was Ms. Santos’ twin-gold medal feat via Herculean fashion after reigning supreme in 100m run and long jump only 45 minutes apart.

Ms. Santos ruled the field with a 6.06-m long jump tally only on her first attempt — compared to Ms. Sunang’s same mark on fourth try — before transferring to the track, with little to no breather, for another glory much to the awe of the good-sized Baguio crowd.

“It’s a surreal feeling to compete in a place where it all started, back when it was still soil. It’s my hometown so it’s all worth it with the support of my family and friends,” said the University of Baguio stalwart, who previously won a long jump bronze medal in the 2011 SEAG.

Ms. Santos’ stellar campaign pushed her into strong consideration for a national team comeback with this event organized by the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) serving as a performance trial for the 31^st SEAG next year in Vietnam.

Other first-day gold medal winners were Melissa Escoton (women’s 100m hurdles), Janry Ubas (men’s long jump), Edwin Giron (men’s 800m), Bernalyn Bejoy (women’s 800m), John Albert Mantua (men’s discus throw), Daniella Daynata (women’s discus throw), Frederick Ramirez (men’s 400m) and Junel Gobotia (men’s 3000m steeplechase).