Delta dominates the world, but scientists watch for worrisome offspring

November 17, 2021 | 12:03 am

globe-facemask — Alexey Solodovnikov, Valeria Arkhipova/CC BY-SA 4.0/Wikimedia Commons

CHICAGO — The Delta variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus now accounts for nearly all of the coronavirus infections globally, fueled by unchecked spread of the novel coronavirus in many parts of the world. So far, vaccines are still able to defend against serious disease and death from Delta, but scientists remain on alert.

Here is what we know:

DELTA — STILL DOMINANT
The Delta variant, first detected in India in December 2020, remains the most worrisome version of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

The World Health Organization classifies Delta as a variant of concern, a category that means the variant is capable of increasing transmissibility, causing more severe disease or reducing the benefit of vaccines and treatments.

Delta’s “superpower” is its transmissibility, according to Shane Crotty, a virologist at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology in San Diego.

Delta is more than two times as contagious as previous SARS-CoV-2 variants, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Studies suggest it may be more likely to put infected people in the hospital than prior forms of the virus.

Delta also can cause symptoms two to three days sooner than the original coronavirus, giving the immune system less time to mount a defense.

People infected with Delta carry around 1,200 times more virus in their noses compared with the original version of the coronavirus. The amount of virus in vaccinated individuals who become infected with Delta is on par with those who are unvaccinated, and both can transmit the virus to others.

In vaccinated people, however, the amount of virus drops more quickly, so they likely spread the virus for a shorter time.

According to the WHO, Delta makes up 99.5% of all genomic sequences reported to public databases and has “outcompeted” other variants in most countries.

A key exception is South America, where Delta has spread more gradually, and other variants previously seen as possible global threats — notably Gamma, Lambda, and Mu — still contribute to a significant proportion of reported cases.

DELTA OFFSPRING
Given Delta’s global dominance, many vaccine experts now believe that all future variants will be offshoots of Delta.

One notable Delta “grandchild” is known as AY.4.2 and is concentrated largely in the UK, where it makes up roughly 10% of sequenced virus samples.

AY.4.2 carries two additional mutations in the spike protein, which the virus uses to enter cells. Scientists are still studying what advantage, if any, these mutations confer.

The UK Health Security Agency has designated the AY.4.2 a “Variant Under Investigation.” A preliminary analysis suggests it does not significantly impair vaccine effectiveness compared with Delta, but there is some evidence that it could be slightly more transmissible, the agency said.

According to the WHO, AY.4.2 has spread to at least 42 countries, including the United States.

MORE ON THE WAY?
Virus experts are closely watching the evolution of Delta, looking for any sign that it has acquired mutations that would allow the highly transmissible variant to pierce the immune protection of vaccines and natural infection.

Even so, while current vaccines prevent severe disease and death, they do not block infection. The virus is still capable of replicating in the nose, even among vaccinated people, who can then transmit the disease through tiny, aerosolized droplets.

To defeat SARS-CoV-2 will likely require a new generation of vaccines that also block transmission, according to Dr. Gregory Poland, a vaccine developer at the Mayo Clinic.

Until then, Mr. Poland and other experts say, the world remains vulnerable. — Reuters

Villar-led Vistamalls registers 64% profit rise to P675M

November 17, 2021 | 12:03 am

THE Villars’ Vistamalls, Inc. booked a P675-million attributable net income in the third quarter, jumping 64% from P411 million in the same period last year on the back of higher revenues.

The company’s regulatory filing on Tuesday showed its third-quarter topline rose by 43% to P1.87 billion from P1.31 billion in the same period last year. Its rental income grew 27% to P1.67 billion from P1.31 billion.

For the January-September period, Vistamalls logged a P2.32-billion attributable net income, 48% higher than the P1.57 billion recorded a year ago.

The company’s revenues amounted to P5.63 billion, up by 22% from P4.63 billion as rental income rose 16% to P4.81 billion.

“The increase was primarily attributable to the contribution of the newly opened of commercial centers which are primarily with essential tenants,” Vistamalls said.

On Tuesday, shares of Vistamalls declined by 1.26% or five centavos to close at P3.92 apiece. — Keren Concepcion G. Valmonte

Junna Tsukii, Jamie Lim open world karate bid in Dubai

November 17, 2021 | 12:03 am

THE Philippines’ Junna Tsukii and Jamie Lim jumpstart their campaign today in separate weight classes in the 2021 Karate World Senior Championships at the Hamdan Arena in Dubai.

Ms. Lim will be the first to plunge into action as she competes in the women’s 61-kilogram kumite event starting at 1 p.m. (Philippine time), while Ms. Tsukii gets her chance to have a piece of the action at 9:30 p.m. in the 50-kg section.

The 30-year-old Ms. Tsukii is expected to be one of the favorites being ranked No. 2 in her division while Ms. Lim, a Southeast Asian Games gold medalist like the former, should give it all and defy the odds being an underdog in her class.

Both are out to boost their stocks as they gear towards qualifying to the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Karate Pilipinas President Richard Lim, whose group was officially recognized as the country’s governing body of the sport by the World Karate Federation (WKF) during its congress Monday, said he likes their chances.

“We have high hopes for a podium finish for Ms. Junna and Ms. Jamie,” said Mr. Lim.

John Enrico Vasquez and Sarah Pangilinan, the other two Filipino entries, for their part, open their campaign in the individual kata competition unfurling at 1 p.m. for male karatekas and 3 p.m. for the female participants.

If they made past the eliminations, the medal matches are slated on Saturday. — Joey Villar

No need for further policy adjustments — Diokno

November 17, 2021 | 12:03 am

NO FURTHER monetary policy adjustments are needed at this time as the economy is still on its way to recovery, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin E. Diokno said ahead of Thursday’s review.

“So right now, given what we have deployed, we feel that this is sufficient for the time being. There’s no more need for additional monetary action on our part,” Mr. Diokno said in an interview with ANC on Monday.

“We’ll continue to monitor output growth, and so maybe a few more quarters of really strong growth,” he said, adding the central bank is also monitoring the recovery of the job market.

The central bank chief has said the BSP has room to keep borrowing costs low following the stronger-than-expected economic growth seen in the third quarter and that he does not see the need for rate adjustments until the end of the year.

The Monetary Board is set to review its policy settings on Thursday, which will be its second to the last meeting for the year. A BusinessWorld poll held last week saw all 20 analysts unanimously expecting the BSP to keep interest rates at record lows in order to firm up recovery.

Meanwhile, in the July to September period, Philippine gross domestic product rose by 7.1% year on year.

The BSP is among the central banks that have continued to keep policy rates low in the region. On the other hand, monetary authorities in developed countries like the United States, South Korea, Singapore, and New Zealand have already started unwinding their pandemic-driven easy policy.

Mr. Diokno said there is “no one-size-fits-all” approach in responding to elevated inflation, which most countries have seen amid the pandemic crisis.

“Each country is different. I’ve seen many crises in the past and I’m fairly comfortable with where we are now,” Mr. Diokno said, noting the country is shielded by its hefty dollar buffers and steady dollar inflows, among others.

The overall year-on-year increase in prices of widely used goods rose to its fastest pace in three months in October.

Preliminary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed headline inflation was at 2.5% in October, picking up from the 2.3% pace the month before.

The October inflation result marked the fastest pace in three months or since the 2.7% reading in July 2020.

Year to date, inflation settled at 2.5%, still within the BSP’s 2-4% target this year, but above the 2.3% forecast for the entire year.

Amid these dovish signals, Bank of the Philippine Islands Lead Economist Emilio S. Neri, Jr. said the BSP will likely only adjust rate settings by the middle of 2022 despite “indications of persistent rise of global inflation.”

“With elections fast approaching, first hike might be in June. No rate hikes were seen in the first five months of presidential elections previously,” Mr. Neri said in a Zoom briefing on Tuesday. — LWTN

A Brown to offer preferred shares at P100 apiece

November 17, 2021 | 12:02 am

A BROWN Co., Inc. is set to offer the first tranche of its 65-million preferred shares and follow-on public offer, with 10 million preferred shares priced at P100 per share.

In the company’s filing at the Philippine Stock Exchange on Tuesday, it said it will offer “10 million preferred shares at an offer price of P100 per share or P1 (billion) worth with an oversubscription option of up to 5 million preferred shares worth P500 million.”

“Proceeds from the offering will be used to sustain the company’s expansion,” the company added.

Specifically, P350 million of the proceeds will go to A Brown’s subsidiary, Irradiation Solutions Inc., to fund its E-Beam Facility Project in Tanay, Rizal.

The project is set to be the first commercial E-Beam facility built in the Philippines.

E-Beam technology is used globally to reduce microbial loads in spices, herbs, and cosmetic raw materials. It is also used to treat fruits and seafood to be of export quality and “is one of the most economical sterilization methods for medical devices.”

A Brown expects the project to expand to other areas nationwide as the market develops.

If there will be oversubscription, the listed firm said P600 million of the offer’s proceeds will be used to develop the company’s real estate projects in key cities in Luzon and Mindanao while P400 million will be spent for “strategic land banking initiatives” in Tanay, Cagayan de Oro City, Butuan City, and Bukidnon.

“Our focus continues to be on properties that underscore healthy, environment-friendly and low dense communities with a focus on city, mountainside, agricultural, golf and sea resort, and lifestyle developments,” A Brown President and Chief Executive Officer Robertino E. Pizarro said.

A Brown has tapped PNB Capital and Investment Corp. as the Sole Issue Manager, Lead Underwriter, and Sole Bookrunner for its offer, which will run from Nov. 15 to 19, 2021.

A Brown is primarily engaged in real estate developments in Northern Mindanao and in Rizal, but the company also has investments in power generation through affiliates Palm Concepcion Power Corp. and Peakpower Energy, Inc.

A Brown stocks at the exchange rose by 1.2% or one centavo on Tuesday to end at P0.84 each. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago

Eric Clapton, Elvis Presley guitars hit the auction block

November 17, 2021 | 12:02 am

ERIC CLAPTON can be seen with the guitar while touring with his previous group Delaney & Bonnie and Friends — JULIENSAUCTIONS.COM

NEW YORK — Over 900 items from some of the world’s biggest music stars including Eric Clapton, Elvis Presley, Madonna, and Michael Jackson are hitting the auction block in New York this week. The top lot is an acoustic guitar Clapton owned and played on stage during a 1970 concert in London.

Mr. Clapton’s Martin guitar is expected to fetch $300,000 to $500,000, said Martin Nolan, executive director of Julien’s Auctions. The biding on the guitar and other items will take place Friday and Saturday at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York and online.

A guitar played by Presley and given to Norman Taurog, who directed many of his films, could fetch up to $90,000. The auction also features a suit Madonna wore in the movie Evita that is valued up to $12,000.

Dresses worn by Amy Winehouse and Katy Perry are also up for grabs.

Several items from the rock band Nirvana and lead Kurt Cobain are also included in the sale.

“We have a teenage photograph of Kurt Cobain, very rare you see a photograph of Kurt Cobain so young, tickets for concerts. Anything from Kurt Cobain is highly sought after,” Mr. Nolan said. — Reuters

Campus-based esports league emerges in NCAA

November 17, 2021 | 12:02 am

A NEW avenue in the campus sports scene has emerged with the birth of the Collegiate Center for Esports (CCE) aiming to cater scholarship opportunities and career paths for aspiring students through the booming online gaming sport.

Composed of 10 established colleges and universities as pioneer members, CCE has announced its arrival in the collegiate sports industry last week with a launching event of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Varsity Cup (MVC) featuring renowned basketball players.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rivals Letran, led by Season 95 Finals MVP Fran Yu, and San Beda lead the cast along with Lyceum, Mapua, College of St. Benilde, San Sebastian College-Recoletos, Arellano, Jose Rizal University, Emilio Aguinaldo College, and University of Perpetual Help System DALTA.

The exhibition event, which serves as a return of sorts for varsity players though in an online arena after an extended basketball hiatus due to the pandemic, will run until this Sunday.

The CCE, as the country’s first organized campus-based esports league, then ushers its inaugural season featuring regular players next year with hopes of creating more scholars through esports.

“More than the promotion of esports, our goal here is to provide a platform for students to pursue their academic duties and thrive in the rising esports at the same time” said CCE spokesperson Waiyip Chong, who was joined by finance head Stanley Lao in the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum.

Lyceum and St. Benilde, in fact, are among the CCE participants that already have academic programs related to esports in place as part of adaptation to the world’s meteoric digital trend.

Expecting a success with pioneer members in the metropolis, already in the pipeline for CCE is an expanded esports league nationwide with talks to other athletic associations including the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI). — John Bryan Ulanday

PBCom net profit drops by 35% in third quarter

November 17, 2021 | 12:02 am

PHILIPPINE BANK of Communications (PBCom) recorded a lower net profit in the third quarter amid a decline in its earnings from core businesses and trading losses.

The bank’s net income dropped by 35% to P361.12 million in the quarter from P556.538 million a year ago, based on its quarterly financial report published on Tuesday.

For the first nine months, the lender’s net income decreased by 25.6% year on year to P1.125 billion from P1.512 billion.

PBCom said the decline in its net profit was mainly due to lower operating income amid net trading losses and lower rent and fee income.

The bank’s return on assets declined to 1.44% at end-September from 1.96% a year earlier. Return on equity likewise inched down to 11.56% from 16.7%.

Net interest income slipped by 0.5% year on year to P1.069 billion in the third quarter from P1.074 billion. The bank’s net interest margin improved to 4.26% at end-September from 4.03% at end-December, which it attributed to a decline in the cost of funds.

Fee income dropped by 43% to P77.981 million in the third quarter from P137.569 million in the same period last year.

The bank booked a trading loss worth P66.404 million in the July to September period, reversing the P230.281-million gain it saw a year earlier.

Meanwhile, income from its trust operations improved to 12% year on year to P7.456 million from P6.647 million.

With this, PBCom’s total operating income decreased by 26% to P1.216 billion in the third quarter from P1.647 billion.

Meanwhile, operating expenses in the third quarter decreased by 30% to P720.713 million from P1.037 billion in the same period of 2020.

The bank set aside P13.124 million in credit provisions from July to September, plunging by 95% compared with the P281.826 million seen in the same period in 2020. This brought its loan loss reserves at end-September to P50.098 million, down by 91% from the P538.664 million a year earlier.

PBCom’s loans and receivables stood at P63.405 billion at end-September. The bank’s gross nonperforming loan ratio improved to 4.98% from 5.71% a of end-2020.

Meanwhile, deposit liabilities stood at P82.703 billion at end-September.

PBCom’s assets reached P106.857 billion in the same period, up 5.6% from the P101.23 billion at end-December.

Its capital adequacy ratio was at 17.49% at end-September.

PBCom had 90 regular branches and four branch-lite units as of September.

The bank’s shares were last traded on Nov. 8, closing at P18.48 each. — L.W.T. Noble

AstraZeneca launches kidney campaign

November 17, 2021 | 12:02 am

KIDNEY PATROL, an advocacy campaign recently launched by pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, aims to alleviate financial and health-related burdens placed on patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

The campaign has three prongs: increasing access to CKD screenings with partner medical societies, building physicians’ capacity to detect and manage CKD via continuing medical education, and providing information on social media for the public.

“Our campaign focuses on enjoining everyone to be part of Kidney Patrol and the movement to know and understand CKD,” said Dr. Cyril Joseph Tolosa, head of medical affairs at AstraZeneca Philippines, at the virtual event on Nov. 12.

He added that the burden of the disease ranges from loss of productivity and poor quality of life to significant healthcare expenditure and even mortality.

EARLY DETECTION
Early detection and management of CKD, a leading cause of death in the Philippines, is necessary to prevent falling seriously ill, according to doctors.

“Majority of patients have no symptoms, especially in early cases. The signs and symptoms usually appear once it’s advanced,” said Dr. Carlo Nemesio B. Trinidad, nephrologist and internal medicine specialist, at the launch. “That’s why awareness and regular check-ups are important.”

Defined as the presence of kidney damage or decreased kidney function over a long period of time, CKD in its advanced stages manifests as fatigue, poor appetite, edema, nausea or vomiting, decreased urine, and insomnia, among others.

To stay healthy, Dr. Trinidad encouraged patients to eat a balanced diet (which can be as simple as not eating to excess); and to exercise regularly.

“Even if not completely prevented, a healthy lifestyle will decrease the risk of CKD progression and its complications. I have patients who have CKD and are living normal lives,” he said.

Finally, he reminded everyone, especially those who are already diabetic, hypertensive, and/or obese, to have check-ups.

“Necessary tests to check kidney health are serum creatinine and urinalysis,” he said.

In the Philippines, an estimated 1.2 million adults have CKD, with around 76% of them still undiagnosed given the lack of symptoms in the early stages.

And because the two most common causes of CKD — diabetes and hypertension — are prevalent among Filipinos, not knowing about their link to kidney disease is dangerous, added Dr. Trinidad.

“Not all who have diabetes get the disease, but if you can control blood pressure and blood sugar, then you can really reduce the risk of getting CKD,” he said. — Brontë H. Lacsamana

Protecting Filipino children from COVID-19

November 17, 2021 | 12:01 am

minor-vaccine — PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

November is National Children’s Month (NCM). This year’s theme is “New Normal na Walang Iwanan: Karapatan ng Bawat Bata Ating Tutukan!” The annual celebration recognizes children as the nation’s most valuable assets and emphasizes the importance of their role within the Filipino family and Philippine society.

The theme is relevant in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic as children are not spared from the potentially fatal infection.

As of September, there were 1,881 probable and confirmed COVID-19 cases in children (age 18 and below) reported in the country. Around 16% were severe and critical, 25% moderate, 42% mild, and 17% asymptomatic.

Almost 9 out of 10 required hospitalization, and 1 in 4 (26%) needed oxygen support of which a little over a third (36%) had to be intubated. A third (34%) of the children have comorbidities.

The vast majority recovered (81%) while 148 died (8%), according to the Surveillance and Analysis of COVID-19 in Children Nationwide (SALVACION) Case Bulletin #3 of the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines (PIDSP).

In a joint statement, the Philippine Pediatric Society (PPS) and PIDSP recommended that children 12 years old and above may be considered for vaccination once a sufficient percentage of the country’s priority adult groups has been vaccinated.

They proposed initiating the vaccine rollout in high-transmission areas, prioritizing the adolescents that are qualified in the A3 (children with co-morbidities) and A1 (children of healthcare frontliners) categories.

On Oct. 15, the country’s first batch of children 12 to 17 years old with comorbidities received their first COVID-19 vaccine dose in select hospitals in Metro Manila, including the National Children’s Hospital, Philippine General Hospital, Philippine Children’s Medical Center, Fe Del Mundo Medical Center, Philippine Heart Center, Makati Medical Center, St. Luke’s Medical Center-Global City, and Pasig City Children’s Hospital.

A week later, the second phase of the pediatric COVID-19 vaccination kicked off in several Metro Manila hospitals and a mall.

There are an estimated 1.2 million children with comorbidities aged 12 to 17 in the country, according to the Department of Health (DoH). Children with the following comorbidities are eligible under the A3 category: medical complexity or those with long-term dependence on technical support; genetic conditions; neurologic conditions; metabolic/endocrine diseases; cardiovascular diseases; obesity; HIV infection; tuberculosis; chronic respiratory diseases; kidney disorders; diseases of the liver, gallbladder and bile ducts; and impaired immune system due to disease or treatment.

Currently approved or authorized COVID-19 vaccines are effective in preventing serious outcomes of COVID-19, including severe disease, hospitalization, and death, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The World Health Organization (WHO) and CDC recommend that the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine be administered three weeks after the first shot while the second dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine should be given 28 days after the first shot.

In most cases, minor side effects are normal and indicate that the vaccine recipient’s immune system is building protection to COVID-19 infection, according to the WHO.

These include pain, redness or swelling on the injection site; tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, and nausea. Consult a doctor if the redness or pain in the injection site worsens after 24 hours, or if side effects do not go away after a few days.

At the moment, age recommendations and the vaccines to be used can vary by country for children and teens more than 5, 12, 16 or 18 years old.

No authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine can be given to children under the age of 5 years but some vaccine manufacturers are studying the vaccine in younger populations. It is important to keep track of recommendations and guidance on vaccination for children and teens as these may change in the future.

It is advised that parents speak with their doctors to help ensure that children would not be left behind in efforts to protect the population from COVID-19.

Teodoro B. Padilla is the executive director of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP), which represents the biopharmaceutical medicines and vaccines industry in the country. Its members are at the forefront of research and development efforts for COVID-19 and other diseases that affect Filipinos.

Arts & Culture (11/17/21)

November 17, 2021 | 12:01 am

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CCP holds facade light show

CELEBRATING its 52^nd founding anniversary this year, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) looks back on the year that was and anticipates what the future brings for the artistic sector and the country in general, through a light, projection, and sound show, in Sinag 2021, slated on Nov. 18 to 21. The CCP’s iconic building facade will serve as the canvas for a projection mapping conceptualized and executed by projection designer, GA Fallarme. Featuring the CCP’s archival footage and some visual elements to add texture, volume and movement to an otherwise static element, the projection show revolves around the theme “Kahapon, ngayon, at bukas.” The first segment, Kahapon, pays tribute to the Filipino audience and is accompanied by singer/composer Ebe Dancel’s song “Manatili.” The second segment, Ngayon, contemplates on the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic and how it has affected the country, particularly, the artistic communities, through a short animation. It features the story and illustrations by Joel “Făbô” Fabonan, animated by Fallarme, with National Artist Lucrecia Kasilag’s Divertissement as music bed. The final segment, Bukas, is set to electro-pop music by Joee Mejias, and is a fun and whimsical video where a CCP trickster invades the virtual world. The light show, designed by the CCP artistic and technical team led by Danilo Villanueva and Louie Alcoran, is a creative interlude of lights and sounds in the fountain and other areas. A Little Light Music is set to Igor Stravinsky’s Firebird. The on-site and online launch of Sinag 2021 is on Nov. 18, 7 p.m., and will be live streamed on the CCP Facebook Page.

Celeste Lecaroz holds one-woman show

SECRETS are the theme of the new one-woman show of visual artist Celeste Lecaroz, entitled “Dialogo,” which is on view until Dec. 3 at Art Elaan in Ayala Malls Manila Bay. The exhibit features pastel paintings of young women dressed in Filipiniana who are engaged in various activities that depict secrets, like chatting intimately, reading a letter, or in solitary meditation. “Dialogo” is the latest in Ms. Lecaroz’s “sisterhood series” that she began in 2019 and executes only in pastels. For more information, follow Art Elaan Gallery on Facebook and Instagram, visit artelaan.com, call 7-728-6577, or e-mail info@artelaan.com.

LausGroup launches regional art showcase

THE LAUSGROUP of Companies (LGC), one of the largest and fastest-growing multi-brand automotive network in the country, kicked off the holidays with the launch of the “HeART of Central Luzon” — an art initiative showcasing the vibrant Kapampangan culture and craftsmanship featuring some of the region’s award-winning and up-and-coming local artists. The “HeART of Central Luzon” exhibit runs until Dec. 5. Interested art patrons and enthusiasts can visit select LausGroup car and motorcycle dealerships across Pampanga to see the various artworks in person, under limited capacity in compliance with local health and safety protocols. To get the full list of venues for the art exhibits, as well as the schedule of the artists, visit the LausGroup Complex Facebook Page.

Incentives given to vaccinated visitors at Intramuros

TO ENCOURAGE more people to get their COVID-19 jabs, the Department of Tourism (DoT) is giving incentives for fully vaccinated individuals who wish to visit the Walled City of Intramuros in Manila. From Nov. 15 to 30, individuals who have completed their vaccination within the same period may enter Fort Santiago free of charge. During this period, fully vaccinated individuals visiting Fort Santiago and Baluarte San Diego will receive free Beep cards, with a cap of 50 guests per day. To avail of the incentives, guests must be fully vaccinated when visiting the sites from Nov. 15 to 30, and present their vaccination card or certificate (with indicative dates) at the entrance gates. However, the DoT clarified that those who have not yet completed their vaccination may still enter both Fort Santiago and Baluarte San Diego by paying the P75 entrance fee for regular visitors, and P50 for discounted eligible visitors such as seniors, students and persons with disabilities (PWDs).

Salcedo Auctions’ The Wish List auction

EXPLORE a wish list of important Philippine and international art, rare hardwood antique furniture and ecclesiastical objects, fine decor, and valuable collectibles at Salcedo Auctions’ Under the Tree: The Wish List auction on Nov. 27, 2 p.m. at Salcedo’s NEX Tower sale room and online via salcedoauctions.com. The auction lineup includes art by National Artists Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera, Victorio Edades, J. Elizalde Navarro, Arturo Luz, and Federico Aguilar Alcuaz, together with key pieces by modernists Romulo Olazo, Juvenal Sansó, Romeo Tabuena, Lao Lianben, and Nena Saguil. Major highlights include a very rare early work by Mr. Edades. An oil painting of an unidentified young lady circa 1930s is offered by the family of fellow National Artist Federico Aguilar Alcuaz. Two other key art pieces in the sale are a large monochromatic BenCab acrylic on canvas painting depicting two of his iconic Sabel muses, and a rare 1961 Barcelona era work by Alcuaz entitled Night in Marantz, a surrealist landscape. As in all major sales of Philippine collectibles, antique hardwood furniture and ecclesiastical pieces are on offer, among these a pair of 19^th century Ilocos four-post comodas and an 18^th century pair of molave altar columns. They auction will be held live and online on Nov. 27, 2 p.m. To view the catalogue and register to bid, visit Under the Tree: The Wish List (salcedoauctions.com).

Visayas Art Fair

CEBU DESIGN Week in collaboration with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts presents the first Visayas Art Fair on Nov. 25 to 28 at the Montebello Villa Hotel, Cebu City. With the theme “Connecting the Islands Through Art,” the Visayas Art Fair 2021 showcases Visayan identity, arts and culture. There will be 17 participating galleries from Visayas and nine galleries from the National Capital Region. Among the activities are lectures, on the spot painting contests, a nude art class, crochet bombing, and a fashion show. All guests, exhibitors and staff must be vaccinated. Non-vaccinated individuals will have to pay an undergo COVID-19 antigen test on site (priced at P380) and must receive a negative result. Pre-registration of guests online is encouraged. Hygiene stations will also be put in place. Guest capacity will be based on regulations of IATF that will be implemented during the time. To register, visit https://tinyurl.com/VAF2021. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/cebudesignweek.

Virgin Labfest 16 visits its archives

THIS year’s Virgin Labfest (VLF), hosted by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), the Writer’s Bloc, and Tanghalang Pilipino, will go digital again. This edition will focus on education, with festival components revolving around the theme of FFF — Fair, Fellowship and Flashback. The festival will be streamed from Nov. 24 to Dec. 5, on the CCP, VLF, and Tanghalang Pilipino Facebook Pages. The Playwrights Fair features conversations with playwrights from all over the country at 8 p.m. The Fair recognizes the works and life of the artists/playwrights who passed during this time of pandemic. The event also features current playwrights, their challenges, efforts, and experiences with virtual platforms used, to cope with the situation the pandemic brings to the theater community, and to get updates about local and US based theater communities. The Writing Fellowship Program will be conducted from Nov. 16 to Dec. 5 under the tutelage of playwright Glenn Sevilla Mas. The Culminating Activity which will be streamed for public viewing on Dec. 5 will be directed by Dennis Marasigan. The festival will feature some of the best works from VLF 1-15, culled from the archives of the CCP. For more information, follow VLF on CCP Social Media platforms, or visit www.culturalcenter.gov.ph.

Leon Gallery’s The Kingly Treasures Auction

THE LEON Gallery presents will hold The Kingly Treasures Auction on Dec. 4, 2 p.m. The auction will feature 184 items for sale including Fernando Amorsolo’s Girl with a Clay Jar (1937), Anita Magsaysay-Ho’s Fish Vendors (1975), and Justiniano Asuncion’s watercolor of a mestiza (1840s). Other items include a lot of three historical flags — the Philippine flag (1899), an American flag with 45 stars, and the Spanish Flag taken from the Aduana (Customs House) at Intramuros — and the Telesforo Chuidian Sword (1899). To view the catalog, visit https://leon-gallery.com/…/The-Kingly-Treasures-Auction. To register to bid, visit https://www.leonexchange.com/en/auctions.

Artbooks.ph releases new titles

ARTBOOKS.PH has released a number of new books this month, from a look at an auteur to studies on spirituality, to architectural discussions and essays being gay. Among them are Sine ni Lav Diaz : A Long Take on the Filipino Auteur (P1,500), edited by Parichay Patra and Michael Kho Lim. This collection of essays is the first book-length study on the groundbreaking filmmaker. Another release is the Dictionary of Philippine Mythology (P760), a new English translation of Ferdinand Blumentritt’s Diccionario Mitologico de Filipinas, edited by Jordan Clark of The Aswang Project. First published in 1895, Mr. Blumentritt’s the first book dedicated to the study of indigenous Philippine mythology and religious beliefs. The new edition seeks to “create an accurate interpretation of the original release and convey the intent as proposed by Blumentritt” for a contemporary audience. The book also includes Mr. Blumentritt’s Ethnographic Map from 1890 and his 1901 list of Philippine Tribes and Languages for further context and visualization. Also on the list is Grace Nono’s Song of the Babaylan: Living Voices, Medicines, Spiritualities of Philippine Ritualist-Oralist-Healers (P2,100), a pioneering interdisciplinary study of the world of healers in the Philippines and all the sounds and beliefs that it holds. The book was named the Best Book in Spirituality at the 2014 Cardinal Sin Catholic Book Awards, and Best Book in Arts & Culture in the 2014 Gintong Aklat Awards. The first in a series of books on Manila’s architectural heritage by Fernando N. Zialcita and Erik Akpedonu with Victor S. Venida, Endangered Splendor Vol. 1: The Center (P1,800) gathers significant buildings from the Spanish, American, and early Independence periods which have survived to this day. Edited by Mark Blasius and Richard T. Chu, More Tomboy, More Bakla Than We Admit (P699) is an anthology of essays that explore the unique identities, behaviors, and nuances that distinguish Filipino lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender persons.

Bio of Leonides Virata launched

STATE-OWNED Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) hosted the launch of the biography of its former chairman, Leonides S. Virata, recently. Written by writer and columnist Butch Dalisay, the book, O, Ilaw: The Life and Legacy of Leonides S. Virata, chronicles the professional accomplishments of the former DBP chairman both in government service and in business. Mr. Virata was connected with the research department of the Central Bank before moving to Philamlife in 1952 to direct the company’s support for various projects including Far East Bank, Bacnotan Cement, and Manila Doctors Hospital, among others. After almost two decades in the private sector, Mr. Virata was appointed Secretary of Commerce and Industry in 1969 before being appointed DBP chairman in 1970, where he is credited for the shift in DBP’s focus and orientation to support countryside development.

Risa Hontiveros launches new book

Risa Hontiveros is launching a new book, Healthy Buhay, Happy Mama: Risa Hontiveros’s Journey Through Motherhood, during National Reading Month that aims to empower women during the new normal and beyond. She reflects on her own career as a successful journalist, politician, and community leader in her new book as a springboard to giving advice specific to other Filipinas. Her stories and advice revolve around four key areas: work-life balance, finances, health and wellness, and navigating the new normal as a mother. Healthy Buhay, Happy Mama is published by Bookshelf PH, a boutique publisher and marketplace for books, ebooks, and audiobooks. The title is one of several new ones from the publisher aimed at providing advice to Filipinos for the new digital economy. The first 200 copies of the book will be personally signed by Ms. Hontiveros.

Meralco says customers save P3.2B on electricity payment relief

November 17, 2021 | 12:01 am

THE Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) said about 95,000 of its customers saved around P3.2 billion on their electricity bills last year when the company provided payment relief at the height of the quarantine restrictions.

In a news release on Tuesday, Meralco Vice-President for Corporate Communications Joe R. Zaldarriaga said the power provider understands “the need for electricity when we were all asked to limit mobility and stay at home, so we did what we can to help — which is to continue serving with quality and reliable electricity service 24/7.”

The utility waived its guaranteed minimum billing demand (GMBD) last year in a move that proved beneficial to about 95,000 of its customers, which are mostly small and medium enterprises.

The GMBD is 70% of the customer’s contracted capacity if it does not reach the minimum demand of electricity specified in the service contract. The fee is meant to cover Meralco’s “development, operations, and maintenance of the distribution system… from high-voltage transmission grids to commercial and industrial accounts.”

Meralco also suspended disconnection activities for its customers in areas put under the strictest enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and modified ECQ last year.

Further, it offered installment payment arrangements (IPA) for its customers who were having a hard time paying for their electricity bills amidst the pandemic.

From May 2020 to October 2021, Meralco’s IPAs helped about 230,000 of its customers who are mostly in residential areas.

“We have always maintained that we will always be considerate and that there we can make arrangements on a case-to-case basis in terms of implementing longer payment time for them,” Mr. Zaldarriaga said.

On Tuesday, shares in Meralco gained 0.27% or 80 centavos to close at P298.60 apiece.

Meralco’s controlling stakeholder, Beacon Electric Asset Holdings, Inc., is partly owned by PLDT, Inc.

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