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Saudi fund plans jumbo offering of telco stake

SAUDI ARABIA’S sovereign wealth fund is set for what could be the biggest secondary offering of the year in Europe, the Middle East and Africa as it looks to fund a huge investment program to diversify the oil-dependent economy.

The Public Investment Fund (PIF) plans to raise as much as $3.1 billion through the sale of shares in Saudi Telecom Co., offering a 5% stake in the Middle East’s most profitable mobile-phone operator, according to a statement to the stock exchange.

A total of 100 million shares in STC, as the company is known, will be offered at between 100 riyals ($26.70) to 116 riyals starting Dec. 5. The STC stake sale is set to eclipse the $2.8-billion share placement by Germany’s Siemens Healthineers AG in March, data compiled by Bloomberg show.

STC’s shares are offered at a discount to Sunday’s closing price of 116.20 riyals. The stock has climbed over 6% this year, compared with the 28% gain in the Tadawul All Share Index. It traded almost 4% lower at 11 a.m. in Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund is one of the main vehicles for Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s plans to diversify the Saudi economy away from oil. It’s previously said it would invest about $40 billion in the domestic economy a year until 2025.

NOT FOREVER
The crown prince said earlier this year that the wealth fund shouldn’t hold on to all of its investments “forever,” as he looks to pare down holdings and limit the ownership in some companies to a minority stake. “So if you own 70% of a company then that’s wrong — PIF would own 30% of that company and they will sell that 40%,” he said at the time.

The fund has borrowed money, sold off assets and received cash infusions from the government as it looks for ways to pay for its new investments. The PIF also says it uses money generated from existing investments to fund new deals.

The share sale was planned as early as September when the fund said it had hired a group of banks including Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., HSBC Holdings Plc and Morgan Stanley to manage the sale of part of its 70% stake in STC.

Goldman Sachs, HSBC, Morgan Stanley and SNB Capital are the joint financial advisers and global coordinators with Citigroup, Inc. and Credit Suisse Group AG. The Saudi financial institution will also be the lead manager. — Bloomberg

Criminal charges possible in Rust movie shooting

TAOS, N.M. —  Some of the people who handled guns on the set of Alec Baldwin’s movie Rust may face criminal charges in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer, the New Mexico district attorney said on Friday.

Mary Carmack-Altwies said in a statement that she had not made any decision yet on charges but that everyone involved “in the handling and use of firearms on the set had a duty to behave in a manner such that the safety of others was protected.”

Once the investigation is complete “certain individuals may be criminally culpable for his/her actions and/or inactions on the set of Rust,” she added. Ms. Carmack-Altwies gave no indication when the investigation might conclude.

Authorities in Santa Fe have been focusing their attention on how live bullets found their way onto the set. —  Reuters

Agoda forays into wholesale distribution

DIGITAL TRAVEL platform Agoda is expanding into wholesale distribution with the launch of the Beds Network.

The Beds Network aims to help properties distribute their wholesale rates more effectively around the world. It was launched in 20 markets, including the Philippines, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Portugal, Spain, South Korea, Taiwan, and United Arab Emirates.

There are plans to expand to more markets in 2022.

Beds Network offers flexible revenue management, expansive distribution, and better synergy between business-to-business and business-to-consumer accommodation partners’ in-house teams.

“We saw an opportunity to innovate and enter a new sector, leveraging our existing distribution network and technology solutions to help hotels to profitably recapture building travel demand… With the launch of our Beds Network team, we have found a solid solution that allows hotel partners to spend less time on negotiating contracts and bureaucracy, and more driving strategy to improve their inventory productivity,” Liyana Jamil, associate vice-president of Beds Network, said in a statement.

Gov’t fully awards T-bills  ahead of inflation report

BW FILE PHOTO

THE GOVERNMENT fully awarded the Treasury bills (T-bills) it offered on Monday as rates on most tenors inched lower on expectations of slower inflation in November.

The Bureau of the Treasury sold P10 billion in T-bills as planned on Monday, with demand reaching P41.285 billion or more than four times the offer. This likewise beat the P37.65 billion in bids last week.

Broken down, the BTr borrowed P2 billion as planned via the 92-day securities from P13.3 billion in tenders. The tenor fetched an average rate of 1.155%, down by 0.9 basis point (bp) from the 1.164% quoted previously.

Meanwhile, the government raised P3 billion as planned from the 183-day debt papers, which attracted P16.012 billion in tenders. The average yield on the six-month papers dipped by 0.6 bp to 1.443% from 1.449% last week.

Lastly, the government made a full P5-billion award of its offer of 365-day T-bills, which fetched bids worth P11.973 billion. The average rate of the one-year debt papers inched up by 0.7 bp to 1.643% from 1.636% in the prior auction.

At the secondary market prior to the auction on Monday, the three-month, six month, and one-year papers were quoted at 1.2229%, 1.4583%, and 1.6596%, respectively, based on the PHL Bloomberg Valuation Reference Rates published on the Philippine Dealing System’s website.

National Treasurer Rosalia V. de Leon said in a Viber message that investors remained biased towards shorter tenors due to uncertainties brought by the Omicron variant of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and ahead of the release of the November inflation report.

Headline inflation likely eased in November amid a slower rise in food prices and a drop in pump prices, analysts said.

A BusinessWorld poll of 18 analysts yielded a median estimate of 4% for the November inflation, which is near the upper end of the 3.3% to 4.1% estimate given by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

If realized, last month’s consumer price index will be within the 2-4% target of the BSP and slower than the 4.6% in October but quicker than the 3.7% logged a year earlier.

The Philippine Statistics Authority will release the November inflation report on Tuesday, Dec. 7.

The BSP has kept benchmark rates at record lows since 2020 to support the economy’s recovery, and is expected to remain accommodative at least until the end of the year.

A trader said the market also factored in the US jobs data released on Friday and its impact on the Federal Reserve’s policy stance.

“The market is still very much pondering on the timing and pace of US Federal Reserve’s possible tightening which may also impact interest rate movements here in the country,” a trader said in a Viber message.

The US Labor department on Friday reported that the unemployment rate dropped to a 21-month low of 4.2% in November, reflecting that the labor market is tightening, Reuters reported.

Meanwhile, nonfarm payrolls increased by 210,000 last month, the lowest increase since December 2020.

Fed officials have recently become more hawkish in their statements, citing the need to consider a faster tapering of its asset purchases as economic conditions improve.

Meanwhile, another trader said in a Viber message that T-bill yields moved sideways as bids reflected demand from those that are looking for alternative investments.

For this month, the Treasury is looking to borrow P70 billion from the domestic market: P30 billion via T-bills and P40 billion from Treasury bonds.

The government wants to raise P3 trillion from local and external sources this year to fund a budget deficit seen to hit 9.3% of the country’s gross domestic product. — L.W.T. Noble with Reuters

Linard Sultan wins two silvers in table tennis in Asian Youth Para Games to boost PHL medals

LINARD Sultan copped a pair of silver in table tennis as the Philippines continued to haul in the medals in the 2021 Asian Youth Para Games in Bahrain yesterday.

Mr. Sultan, a 22-year-old native of Catbalogan, Samar who has congenital limb deficiency, came through in the men’s singles Class 8 as well as in the mixed team with a Kuwaiti and a Singaporean.

In table tennis here, participants were allowed to team up with other countries.

It was two of the three medals the country snared in table tennis with the other one — a bronze — coming from Mary Eloise Sable, who joined forces with Malaysians in the women’s mixed team.

Mr. Sultan had a chance to strike gold in the singles when he routed Hong Kong’s Lau Yoho, 3-0, in the semis but fell short against Iran’s Seyed Amirhossein Hosseinipour, 3-2, in the gold medal round.

“We’ve got a bright future because of these young athletes,” said national para table tennis coach Louie Eballa.

The contributions of the paddlers, whose trip are being bankrolled by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), hiked the country’s overall harvest to a gold, six silvers and two bronzes.

The mint was courtesy of Ariel Joseph Alegabres, who also had two silvers in swimming.

Ronn Russell Mitra and Daniel Enderes, Jr. snared a silver each in track and field while Angel Otom plucked a bronze in swimming to account for the country’s other medals.

Mr. Alegabres and Ms. Otom were shooting for more medals in the boys’ 200-meter individual medley and girls’ 50m freestyle, respectively, at press time.

The country had already eclipsed its lone bronze medal effort in the 2017 edition in Dubai. — Joey Villar

DFNN board OK’s stock rights offer

DFNN, Inc.’s board of directors has greenlighted a plan to implement a stock rights offering (SRO), subject to regulatory approval.

In a disclosure to the exchange, DFNN said the offering will let the company “take advantage of the opportunities present in the market that has been further accelerated by the pandemic.”

“The offering is intended to allow DFNN to expand into interconnecting and adopting interactive technologies; and to provide capital for the Company’s planned extensive technology and marketing strategies which will increase its market share,” DFNN said.

The company’s board of directors previously gave the go signal to increase its authorized capital stock to P1 billion, comprising of 900 million common shares with a par value of P1 each and 100 million preferred shares with a P1 par value per share.

DFNN will offer a total of 162,310,004 shares. One share will be offered for every two shares held by the stockholder.

“Given that this is an SRO, and subject to regulatory approval, there will be necessary adjustments to the Company’s share price and outstanding shares,” DFNN said.

DFNN shares went up by 6.3% or 17 centavos to close at P2.87 apiece on Monday. — Keren Concepcion G. Valmonte

K-pop sensation BTS hopes to ‘see you in Seoul’ in March

SEOUL —  K-pop sensation BTS hopes to hold an in-person concert in Seoul for the first since the pandemic, Yonhap news agency reported on Friday, after the group posted a tweet promising to “see you in Seoul, MARCH 2022.”

The tweet included hashtags for the group’s Permission to Dance stage performances, but provided no other details.

Yonhap cited unnamed officials at the group’s management company, Big Hit Music, as saying they would push to hold the event in person to give fans in South Korea a chance to see the singers.

A Big Hit press release said the next city in the BTS tour will be Seoul, but the company did not immediately confirm if the event would be in person.

On Thursday the seven-member BTS concluded a series of four live performances in California, the group’s first in-person concerts since 2019. Some of the most ardent South Korean fans flew to California for the concerts.

Plans for a world tour were repeatedly delayed and then canceled by the pandemic. — Reuters

Robinsons Malls host additional TOPS sites

TWO MORE Temporary Offsite Passport Services (TOPS) have opened in Robinsons Malls in Quezon City and Batangas.

In a statement, Robinsons Malls said the Department of Foreign Affairs opened two TOPS sites in level 3 of Robinsons Novaliches, Quezon City and level 2 of Robinsons Place Lipa, Batangas.

The TOPS sites will handle passport renewals.

“Through this partnership (with the DFA), the public is ensured of an efficient, safe and easeful journey in conducting business with the government,” Robinsons Malls said.

This brings to five the existing TOPS sites, including Robinsons Magnolia, Robinsons Place Las Piñas and Robinsons Galleria South.

Quasi-banks’ net income up by 182% in first 9 months

THE QUASI-BANKING sector booked a higher net income at end-September backed by a slight improvement in its interest earnings and lower provisions for bad debts.

Data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed nonbanks with quasi-banking functions (NBQBs) booked a net income worth P762 million at end-September, nearly three times (182%) the P270 million seen in the same period a year earlier.

Broken down, the net profit of investment houses hit P233 million in the January to September period, turning around from the P101-million net loss posted last year.

Meanwhile, the net income of BSP-supervised financing companies increased by 43% to P529 million at end-September from P370 million a year ago.

The quasi-banking industry’s net interest income inched up by 0.39% to P5.111 billion in the first nine months of 2021 from P5.091 billion.

These firms saw their interest earnings drop by 51.2% to P318 million, while their leasing income improved by 2% to P9.512 billion. Interest expenses dropped by 3.61% to P4.719 billion.

Investment houses alone registered a net interest income of P48 million at end-September, plunging by 80% from P248 million a year earlier.

Meanwhile, the net interest income of financing companies increased by 13% to P5.063 billion at end-September from P4.843 billion a year ago.

At end-September, the fee-based income of quasi-banks increased by 43% to P877 million from P614 million.

The industry recorded P12 million in trading losses in the period, reversing the P14 million in gains a year ago.

Bad debts written off by financing firms amounted to P275 million, higher by 6.46% than the P294 million a year earlier.

Meanwhile, provisions set aside by these companies slipped by 2% year on year to P1.907 billion at end-September from P1.944 billion.

Total assets held by NBQBs stood at P173.628 billion at end-September, lower by 4.4% than the P181.654 billion recorded a year earlier. — L.W.T. Noble

Olympians fete Bounty Agro Ventures with Arête Award

THE Philippine Olympians Association (POA) has feted Bounty Agro Ventures, Inc. (BAVI), the company that owns Chooks-to-Go, for the help and support the latter extended to present and past Olympians.

POA President Akiko Thomson-Guevarra, secretary-general Ral Rosario, and advisor Freddie Webb personally handed over the award to BAVI President Ronald Mascariñas in the latter’s residence in Calauan, Laguna.

“We are blessed that the three of us got here because this is an opportunity for us to know Sir Ronald and personally extend him our appreciation for his efforts,” said Mr. Webb, a member of the national basketball team that competed in the 1972 Munich Games.

“It’s common to see support for Olympians at the peak of their careers but the company just quietly stepped in and provided a means of livelihood for these sports heroes past their glory days,” said Ms. Thomson-Guevarra, who swam for the country in the 1988, 1992 and 1996 editions of the Olympics.

Some of BAVI’s past beneficiaries were boxers Leopoldo Serrantes, Roel and Onyok Velasco, and swimmer Teofilo Yldefonso.

“I am truly honored to personally receive the Arête Award on behalf of Bounty Agro Ventures, Inc,” said Mr. Mascariñas, who together with Hidilyn F. Diaz, won the award this year. “They traveled all the way to my farm in Laguna to physically hand over the award to me. I am humbled and grateful for this gracious act.

“At BAVI, we invest in our country and in our people. And we believe in the power of sports. The Arête Award will inspire us to work even harder to achieve our vision,” he added.

Among the past recipients of the plum were former president of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Celso Dayrit and bowling legend Rafael “Paeng” Nepomuceno. — Joey Villar

iFUEL looking to expand presence

IFUEL, the petroleum company of iFranchise Business Services Corp., is looking to expand its retail presence to reach 100 gasoline stations next year by offering discounts to retiring overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and others who want to set up their own business.

“We still do not have an exact amount for the discount we can give for the OFWs but we are already looking into it so we can implement it sooner,” iFUEL President and Founder Krizzia Ann T. Loyang said in a virtual briefing on Monday.

Ms. Loyang, who worked as an OFW for three years, said the offer is for Filipinos abroad who are looking into settling back home once they retire.

“Aside from giving money to their families, at least they can own their own business with minimum capital,” she said.

Founded in 2018, iFUEL is set to open five stores this month to reach 30 for this year. Of the 30, five are franchises while 25 are company-owned.

The fuel franchising company said it will also offer lower fees for those who want to have their own station.

The franchise fee of each gas station is at around P6.5 million to P11 million, while the whole franchise cost including fuel supplies and other expenses is around P11 million to P15 million, depending on the land area.

Instead of paying these fees, franchisers just have to pay a P30,000 marketing fee.

“We are looking forward to positive bounce back and higher impact of expansion next year,” Ms. Loyang said, adding that the franchising business was hard hit by the pandemic. — MCL

Entertainment News (12/7/21)

SPONGE COLA

Christmas concert goes online

VEHICLE manufacturer and automobile exporter MG Philippines brings OPM artists together in a special online edition of MG Live! titled Salubong: The Christmas Concert which will be streamed at KTX.ph on Dec. 10 and 11, 8 p.m. Directed by Paul Alexei Basinillo, Salubong is staged with by ABS-CBN’s ASAP Studio 10. The show will include performances by urban/hip-hop singer CLR, rock band Sponge Cola, and the Aegis. MG Philippines has always championed and celebrated Original Pilipino Music (OPM) through its MG Live! concert series. Aside from enjoying the performances, viewers can sing-along as song lyrics will be flashed onscreen. Shout-outs can also be sent to loved ones around the world. Send a personalized greeting via Salubong using the event’s Salu-Salo Social Wall comment and share board.  Tickets are priced at P1,000.

BLASTER releases melancholy holiday song

FILIPINO experimental/alternative artist BLASTER adds to the Christmas tune canon with a new single that essays the profound sadness and grief of celebrating the holidays in the time of pandemic. His latest offering, “Pasko’y Hindi Na Masaya,” out via Island Records Philippines, is dedicated to the countless people whose lives were hit hard and are dreading experiencing Christmas after a loss. “This one is not really about celebrating Christmas,” says the eclectic singer-songwriter and producer. “It’s more of a tribute to those that we’ve lost, and a nostalgic yearning of how Christmas used to be.” The holiday track will be accompanied by a music video featuring a compilation of old Christmas videos from the 1980s and ’90s. “Pasko’y Hindi Na Masaya” is out now on all streaming platforms worldwide via Island Records Philippines.

Ortigas Malls hold holiday concert

THE ORTIGAS Malls celebrate Christmas with a star-studded cast for a meaningful cause. Christmas with the Stars is an online fundraising concert on Dec. 11, 7 p.m., on ktx.ph for the benefit of the Independent Production Workers Group (IPWG). The concert will feature Ogie Alcasid and Ian Veneracion, along with some of the country’s best OPM artists such as Gary Valenciano, Regine Velasquez-Alcasid, Martin Nievera, Jose Mari Chan, Lani Misalucha, The Company, Dingdong Avanzado, Noel Cabangon, Christian Bautista, Aicelle Santos, Ryan Cayabyab Singers, Lara Maigue, Gian Magdangal, Poppert Bernadas, Moira Lacambra, Krystle, Mr. Ryan Cayabyab and more. A ticket is free for every single or accumulated purchase receipt of P1,000 from any establishment of Ortigas Malls made between Nov. 4 to Dec. 10. Donation of P800 to P1,000 can also be exchanged for a ticket. Visit ortigasmalls.com to claim a ticket. Check out Greenhills Mall, Tiendesitas, Estancia, and Industria Facebook pages for more details!

Lighting ceremony marks beginning of UST’s Paskuhan

THE UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas (UST) formally began its traditional Paskuhan celebrations with a lighting ceremony for its campus décor and the Eucharistic Celebration at the Plaza Mayor. It was livestreamed through the official UST Facebook page on Nov. 27. To illuminate the campus, 210,000 energy-efficient LEDs (light emitting diodes) will be lit every afternoon at 5:30 until 9 p.m. until the Feast of the Three Kings on Jan. 6, 2022. The theme, “The Pilgrimage: Our Road through Trials, Our Road to Triumph,” according to UST Secretary-General Rev. Fr. Louie Coronel, OP, EHL, is about the pilgrimage that Mary and Joseph took looking for a place where the child Jesus would be born. This pilgrimage is likewise experienced in the present as people look for answers to the many questions posed by the pandemic: how mankind will be able to conquer it, and when will we see its end. “Christmas Fireworks,” a musical piece composed by the Conservatory of Music Dean Antonio Africa, Ph.D., accompanied the lighting of the campus shown alongside a montage of previous year’s Paskuhan lighting ceremonies produced by the UST Communications Bureau. The decorations included the 70-foot-tall Christmas tree, life-sized figures of the Holy Family at the Arch of the Centuries, the Cross atop the Main Building, and many more lights framing the Benavides Park and campus streets. The Christmas Tree is made up of 50,000 blue LEDs that draw attention to the Star, with meteor lights interspersed to enliven the tree. Another 160,000 LEDs, majority of which were reused from previous years, brighten up the other campus trees and structures. Some lights form the shape of gothic arches as a throwback to a time when UST was still in Intramuros. UST’s Paskuhan season will culminate on Dec. 17, with the following activities: a celebration in its virtual Minecraft campus at 9 a.m.; and a Eucharistic Celebration at 5:15 p.m. This year marks the 30th anniversary of UST’s annual Paskuhan. The event will be livestreamed via the official UST Facebook page.

Tom Morello’s new album out now

TWO-time Grammy winner Tom Morello has released his new album, The Atlas Underground Flood, via Mom + Pop Music. The 12-track album is a follow-up to his sister album entitled The Atlas Underground Fire, which debuted this October to both fan and critical acclaim. Mr. Morello — co-founder of Rage Against The Machine, Audioslave and Prophets of Rage — has spoken at length in recent interviews that the collaborative process led to countless songs created during the pandemic, and a second album seemed almost inevitable. Featuring a slew of all-star collaborators including Nathaniel Rateliff, Jim James, IDLES, Ben Harper, Alex Lifeson, Kirk Hammett, X Ambassadors, Barns Courtney, Manchester Orchestra, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness and more, Mr. Morello continues to showcase his signature extraordinary guitar-playing across these new genre-bending tracks. The release was accompanied by a YouTube exclusive livestream event on Dec. 3 where Mr. Morello talked about the origins and creative process for The Atlas Underground Flood. He was joined by some of the collaborators from the album for a track-by-track listening session, which featured a fan Q&A and the opportunity for viewers to donate to WhyHunger. The listening party can be viewed here: The Atlas Underground Flood Listening Party — YouTube

Wish Ko Lang holds month-long Christmas special

ACTRESSES Barbie Forteza, Kim Domingo, Max Collins, and Jean Garcia banner the line-up of Wish Ko Lang this December dubbed “Pasko ng Pag-asa: The Wish Ko Lang Christmas Specials.” With fresh episodes airing every Saturday afternoon, the award-winning GMA Public Affairs show hosted by Vicky Morales features stories that spark hope and inspiration among viewers. After the initial special which aired on Dec. 4, the next shows are “Lihim ng Punerarya” airing on Dec. 11 starring Kim Domingo, “The Affair” on Dec. 18 headlined by Jean Garcia, and “Gayuma” on Dec. 25 bannered by Max Collins. The Christmas special episodes of Wish Ko Lang air every Saturday, at 4 p.m. on GMA. Viewers outside the Philippines can catch Wish Ko Lang on the Network’s international channel, GMA Pinoy TV.

GMA Affordabox promo in December

GMA Network suggests giving its digital TV receiver GMA Affordabox as a gift with a special Christmas price discount promo of P799 until Dec. 31. With GMA Affordabox, viewers can enjoy a clearer view of GMA’s channels — GMA, GTV, I Heart Movies, Heart of Asia, Hallypop, and DepEd TV — as well as other free-to-air channels in digital broadcast available in the area. Among GMA Affordabox’s free features are the Personal Video Recorder, which lets users record GMA programs so that they can watch highlights of their favorite shows; the Multimedia Player feature to watch videos, listen to music, and view photos; an auto-on alert feature and a nationwide Emergency Warning Broadcast System (EWBS) that receives alerts from the NDRRMC about calamity warnings. GMA Affordabox is available in select locations in Metro Manila, Benguet, La Union, Pangasinan, Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, Rizal, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Bohol, Cebu, Leyte, Bacolod (and adjacent areas), Davao de Oro, Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte, Misamis Oriental (including Cagayan de Oro City), Camiguin, Iloilo, Guimaras, with Naga, and General Santos It is available in appliance stores and malls, or online via the official GMA Store and on Shopee and Lazada. For more details, visit www.GMAaffordabox.com and its official social media accounts via the handle @GMAaffordabox.

YeY launches Christmas promo

THE ABS-CBN kids’ channel YeY recently launched the Buzz in the Box Watch and Win Promo for Christmas. To join, participants should watch the featured Buzz in the Box by Toy World video of the week on its Facebook page, then answer the question of the week by visiting bit.ly/BuzzInTheBox. Those with the correct answer are entitled to join the weekly draw for a chance to win gift packs from Toy World. Every week, five winners are drawn and will be announced on YeY’s Facebook page. Promo runs until Dec. 17. For updates on its shows, events, and promos, parents can follow YeY on Facebook (fb.com/yeychannel), Instagram (@yeychannel), TikTok (@yey.channel), and YouTube accounts. Children can catch YeY shows on ABS-CBN Entertainment’s Just Love Kids website at ent.abs-cbn.com/justlovekids.

Alex Bruce releases self-titled EP

AFTER a series of hip-hop singles, Alex Bruce releases her self-titled debut EP under Sony Music Philippines. On the five-track EP, Ms. Bruce offers sharp, playful tunes that celebrate life, young love, and being a young girl trying to make her way in the competitive hip-hop music landscape dominated by men. The EP features co-writing and production duties from some of the biggest names in the global and Philippine music industry, including BTS and Justin Bieber collaborator August Rigo on “Go Crazy,” Michael Cursebox on “Yakap” and “Fake Friends,” Jim Poblete on “Pull It Off,” Markbeats with Brian Lotho on “Dime Girls,” and Bok Bruce on majority of the tracks. Alex Bruce’s self-titled EP is available on all digital music platforms worldwide.

Indie singer JAPPH releases debut single

INDIE singer-songwriter JAPPH has released his official debut single, “I Will,” a feel-good piece with laid-back singing. The song is accompanied by the release of a music video that JAPPH directed himself with cinematography by Welvin Medina. Its visual narrative takes listeners to Liwliwa, a surf town in San Felipe, Zambales. “‘I Will’ is a song about a situation that gives you relief and peace,” the 27-year-old reggae/pop/folk artist said in a statement. “…the one that inspired me is a place called Liwliwa, a small town in San Felipe, Zambales. Whenever I’m there, I always feel that I’m in my safe haven.” “I Will” is the carrier single off JAPPH’s upcoming album, Life Is Way Too Short For Bad Vibes, which will be released in January. Watch the music video of “I Will” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crerb_8i77k.

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