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The Clash returns for a fourth season

THE SINGING competition The Clash 2021 returns for a fourth season on GMA.

After months of auditions, this season’s top 30 “Clashers” include eight contenders from Mindanao, 10 from around Luzon, 10 from Metro Manila, and two from the Visayas.

The singing competition’s judges — Lani Misalucha, Christian Bautista, and Aiai Delas Alas — return to the show in search for talent, unique style, and a cooperative and disciplined attitude.

Ms. Misalucha noted that she is straightforward with her judgement of every contestant’s performance. “Dapat makakatulong sa kanya ’yung sasabihin namin (The feedback we provide should help them),” she said during an online press conference on Sept. 28.

“When we critique one contestant, sana ’yung ibang Clasher, kunin nila ’yung [criticism] at gawin na nila, at baka makatulong sa kanila (When we critique one contestant, we hope the other Clashers take the criticism and apply it to themselves, and it may help them),” Mr. Bautista said.

Julie Anne San Jose and Rayver Cruz also return as “Clash Masters” of the onstage “battles,” while “Journey Hosts” Ken Chan and Rita Daniela cover all sides of the backstage action.

“There are so many talented people out there and they are all waiting to be seen and heard. Through The Clash, ito ’yung isa sa mga platforms na nagbibigay pag-asa at inspirasyon din sa mga aspiring singers and artists (Through The Clash, this is one of the platforms that give hope and inspiration to other aspiring singers and artists),” Ms. San Jose told the press.

“Para ito sa mga singers sa buong Pilipinas. Meron silang venue para ipamalas yung talent na meron sila. (This is for singers around the Philippines. They have a venue to showcase their talent),” Mr. Cruz said.

During the show, the top 30 contestants will also be sharing their stories aside from singing.

The third season of The Clash ended in December with Jessica Villarubin declared as the grand champion. Ms. Villarubin follows in the footsteps of Golden Cañedo and Jeremiah Tiangco.

The Clash premieres on Oct. 2 at 7:15 p.m. on GMA-7. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

House adopts Senate changes to water franchises

PHILSTAR

AMENDMENTS on bills by the Senate that would provide water concessionaires Manila Water Co., Inc. and Maynilad Water Services, Inc. a fresh 25-year franchise have been adopted by the House on Wednesday evening.

House Bill No. 9422 and 9423 would allow the two concessionaires to establish, operate and maintain a waterworks system, and sewerage and sanitation services in their franchise areas, including the right to bill and collect fees from consumers.

The bills were approved by the House on Aug. 4 and was unanimously approved by the Senate with amendments on Tuesday.

The bills would now be transmitted to Malacañang for the President’s signature as the bicameral conference committee would be skipped following the House’s adoption of the Senate amendments.

If enacted, Maynilad would continue operating in the west zone of Metro Manila including Cavite province, and Manila Water in the east zone including Rizal province.

Among amendments made by the Senate was a section that requires employment opportunities and on-the-job trainees in the water providers’ franchise operations.

It would also mandate water concessionaires to comply with their obligations under their franchise such as the concession agreement and existing laws including Republic Act No. 8371 or the Indigenous People’s Rights Act of 1997.

Also, it would require the independent directors elected into the concessionaires’ board of directors to have at least three years of experience in water security, water science policy and management, environmental science, or any other similar fields.

The two companies would also be required to submit annual progress reports and completion plan for establishment and operation of water, sewerage, and sanitation projects until 2037, including five-year completion targets to Congress and the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS).

Failure to accomplish annual progress reports to Congress would face a fine of P1 million for each working day of noncompliance.

Manila Water and Maynilad signed their revised water concession contracts with the government through the MWSS on March 31, 2021 and May 18, 2021, respectively.

The approval of the bills has been criticized by some House lawmakers as they were swiftly passed without any debate on the provisions of the new concession agreements.

Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which has a majority stake in Maynilad, is one of three Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT, Inc.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Russell Louis C. Ku

Lending grows in Aug. after eight months of decline

BANK LENDING recovered in August to register its first annual growth after eight straight months of decline, backed by a rise in production loans and reflecting the transmission of the regulator’s rate cuts in 2020.

Outstanding loans issued by big banks grew by 1.3% year on year to P9.487 trillion in August, based on preliminary data released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) on Thursday. This is a turnaround from the 0.7% decline in July.

The growth in lending logged in August is also the fastest in 10 months or since the 1.8% expansion in October 2020.

Inclusive of reverse repurchase agreements, outstanding loans rose 1.6% year on year in August.

Month on month, outstanding loans by big banks increased 1.1% on a seasonally adjusted basis, the BSP said.

“This is the first reported expansion in outstanding loans of big banks after eight consecutive months of contractions, amid improvements in sentiment brought about by the continued rollout of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines and the gradual easing of quarantine restrictions,” BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno said at an online briefing on Thursday.

Loans for production activities rose at a quicker pace of 3.1% in August from 0.8% the month prior. This was fueled by expansion in credit disbursed for real estate activities (7.2%); information and communication (20.3%); manufacturing (3%); professional, scientific and technical activities (89.8%); and transportation and storage (9.5%).

However, this was tempered by the decline in loans to other sectors, including those for agriculture, forestry and fishing (-6.8%); wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (-2%); and activities of households as employers, undifferentiated goods and services (-25.5%).

Meanwhile, consumer loans continued to contract, going down by 8.1% year on year in August from the 8.2% decline in July. Credit to all retail segments fell, led by motor vehicle loans, which dropped by 15.6%. This was followed by salary-based (-5.7) and credit card loans (-1.4%).

The lending growth seen in August reflects the delayed transmission of the BSP’s policy actions, Security Bank Corp. Chief Economist Robert Dan J. Roces said. The central bank last year cut rates by 200 basis points (bps) to provide support to the economy amid the pandemic.

“The turnaround in bank lending…lands right when the BSP said it would, which is a nine-month lag from the last rate cut. This means the monetary policy levers are right where they should be to support economic recovery,” Mr. Roces said in a Viber message.

“Production loans have been observed to be gradually improving since the start of the second half of 2021, and as such [it provides] a green shoot to growth via capital expansion of firms despite the pandemic,” he added.

Meanwhile, Asian Institute of Management economist John Paolo R. Rivera said the decline in retail loans shows muted consumer demand amid the pandemic.

“Loan growth may remain unpredictable and uncertain because it tends to move with the situation, which is currently still very fluid,” Mr. Rivera said in a Viber message.

M3 GROWTH PICKS UP
Meanwhile, domestic liquidity grew at a quicker pace in August, supported by the expansion in bank lending.

M3 — which is considered as the broadest measure of cash in an economy — expanded by 6.9% year on year in August, picking up from the 5.9% in July, BSP data released on Thursday showed.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, it inched up 1.2% month on month.

Domestic claims rose 6.7% in August, quicker than the 4.5% print seen the previous month. This was backed by the expansion in net claims on the central government as well as the continued improvement in bank lending to the private sector, the BSP said.

Net claims on the central government went up by 23.5% in August from an 18.5% expansion in July on the back of sustained borrowings by the National Government.

Meanwhile, claims on the private sector, driven by lending to nonfinancial private firms, rose 2.3% that month from 0.4% in July.

Net foreign assets (NFA) in peso terms grew 9.7% in August from 11.6% in July.

“The expansion in the BSP’s NFA position reflected the increase in the country’s gross international reserves relative to the same period a year ago. Meanwhile, the NFA of banks declined as banks’ foreign liabilities increased on account of higher deposits and placements made by foreign banks with their local branches,” the central bank said.

The pickup in M3 growth shows the ample liquidity in the financial system, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said in Viber message.

The BSP infused some P2.2 trillion into the financial system through various policy measures, which is equivalent to about 12.1% of gross domestic product.

The central bank is optimistic that its current policy settings will support the economy’s rebound. The BSP last week kept benchmark rates steady amid the surge in infections due to the Delta variant.

“Together with the National Government’s fiscal and health interventions, the BSP’s prevailing accommodative monetary policy stance should help boost domestic demand and market confidence in support of economic activity,” the BSP said.

“Looking ahead, the BSP will keep a steady hand on its policy levers in support of the National Government’s ongoing initiatives to allow the momentum of economic recovery to gain more traction. Going forward, the BSP will continue to ensure that liquidity dynamics remain supportive of domestic demand and economic activity, in line with the BSP’s price and financial stability objectives,” it added. — Luz Wendy T. Noble

Stuff to do (10/01/21)

The Manila International Book Fair goes online

THE MANILA International Book Fair (MIBF) returns online from Sept. 30 to Oct. 4. Browse through a variety of book genres from over 30 publishers and enjoy up to 80% off on selected title. Visit and register at www.manilabookfair.com.

Free films at the Spanish Film Fest

THE INSTITUTO Cervantes de Manila will be showcasing a total of 20 films — four short films and 16 contemporary Spanish and Latin American feature films — at this year’s PELÍCULA Spanish Film Festival, which will be held online for a second year.  All the films will be available for free streaming with English subtitles at www.pelikula.es within 48 hours from their scheduled release. The online film festival will run from Oct. 1 to 10 at www.pelikula.es.

All-Filipino films at the FDCP Channel

ONE hundred Filipino Films are available for streaming beginning Sept. 30 at the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) website. Register at https://fdcpchannel.ph and subscribe for P99 a month. The subscription is available to users in the Philippine territory only.

European Higher Education Fair goes online

THE 2021 EUROPEAN Higher Education Fair (EHEF) goes online once again on Oct. 1 and 2. With the theme “Go Higher with the EU,” the EHEF will give Filipino students, academicians, researchers, and university officials the opportunity to connect directly with world-class higher education institutions from across the European Union (EU). EHEF 2021 consists of 140 European higher education institutions offering MAs and PhDs from this year’s participating EU member states. The two-day fair will have activities ranging from webinars on specialized courses and programs, to country presentations and live chats with representatives, alumni, and scholars from participating institutions. To join, register at https://www.ehefphilippines.com. For information on the Erasmus Mundus program, visit https://www.eacea.ec.europa.eu/scholarships/emjmd-catalogue_en. 

August hot money net inflow smallest since 2008 

MORE short-term foreign investments entered the country in August as the economy showed early signs of recovery, although the net inflow was the smallest since 2008. 

Foreign portfolio investments (FPI) — also dubbed as “hot money” due to the ease by which these funds enter or leave an economy — yielded a net inflow of $11.51 million in August, based on data released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) on Thursday.  

This is a turnaround from the net outflow worth P126.76 million seen in the same month a year earlier as well as the net P339.7 million that left the country in July. However, this was the smallest net inflow since the $7.38 million logged in July 2008, which was during the Global Financial Crisis. 

Hot money yielded a net outflow of $434 million in the first eight months of 2021, smaller than the net $3.9 billion that left the economy in the same period of 2020. 

The central bank said key developments in August include the release of data showing the country exited recession in the second quarter, as well as improved corporate earnings in the same period. 

Gross domestic product (GDP) rose 11.8% year on year in the April-June period following five quarters of contraction. 

Meanwhile, a two-week lockdown was imposed in August to curb the Delta-induced infection surge, the BSP noted, which caused the country’s economic managers to cut the growth target for this year to 4-5% from 6-7% previously. 

Continued vaccine arrivals and the improvement in the country’s inoculation rate helped improve investor sentiment in August, said Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort. 

Central bank data showed hot money inflows in August increased 21% to $806.99 million from $666.51 million a year earlier. It likewise rose by 10.6% from the $729.77 million in July.  

On the other hand, portfolio outflows slipped 0.27% to $795.48 million in August from $793.27 million in the same month of 2020. It also decreased by 25% from the $1.069 billion logged in July. 

The BSP identified the United Kingdom, United States, Singapore, Norway and Luxembourg as the top five investor countries for the month with combined share of 79.3% of the total. 

The bulk or 64.7% percent of the foreign portfolio investments went to securities listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange, including food, beverage and tobacco companies, property firms, holding companies, banks, and transportation services. Meanwhile, more than a third (35.3%) went to investments in peso-denominated government securities. 

The central bank in September said it expects hot money to yield a net inflow of $4.3 billion this year, downwardly revised from the $5.5-billion net inflow projected earlier. 

Colegio de San Juan de Letran Graduate School Dean Emmanuel J. Lopez said the gradual easing of restriction measures will help bring in more investments into the country. 

“This is expected to continue and attract portfolio investors because of the expected change in the national leadership,” Mr. Lopez said in a Viber message. — Luz Wendy T. Noble 

ECC considers cash aid for WFH coronavirus victims

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

THE Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC) said it is studying the possibility of providing cash assistance to employees who contract coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) while working from home. 

“We’re still studying the inclusion of work-related illness or disease contracted from home in the compensation,” ECC Executive Director Stella Zipagan-Banawis said at a televised briefing Thursday. 

The ECC announced in a social media post Thursday that workers who contract COVID-19 while physically reporting to work may now claim P10,000 worth of cash assistance from the commission, which also grants P15,000 for deaths. The illness cash aid will be given regardless of the severity of the case.

The ECC said COVID-19 was approved for inclusion in the commission’s list of compensable diseases via a resolution approved in April.

Apart from cash assistance, workers who contract COVID-19 in the workplace may also claim loss of income benefits due to their illness, medical reimbursement benefits for out-of-pocket medical expenses, and death and funeral benefits for the beneficiaries of employees who die. 

Such claims may be made through the Social Security System (SSS) for private sector workers and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) for the public sector.

Ms. Zipagan-Banawis said all self-employed members of the SSS are also part of the ECC’s compensation program as long as they pay for at least one month of membership. She added that those who contracted the virus last year may also still claim cash aid.

Ms. Zipagan-Banawis added that requirements for claims have been streamlined. “Just show proof that your EC Benefit for COVID-19 has been approved from SSS or GSIS… to start the processing of your cash assistance.” — Bianca Angelica D. Añago

Private schools’ tax relief bill set for President’s nod

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

A BILL that would explicitly qualify private schools for tax relief would skip the bicameral conference committee after the House adopted the Senate version of the measure on Wednesday evening.

The House adopted Senate Bill No. 2407 as amendments to House Bill 9913, allowing for the measure to be transmitted to Malacañang for the President’s signature.

The measure would amend Section 27(B) of the National Internal Revenue Code that would grant a reduced tax rate of 1% from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2023 to all proprietary educational institutions and nonprofit hospitals, as provided for under Republic Act 11534 or the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) law.

The reduced tax rate would help private schools recover from the economic crisis due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic which has affected enrollment numbers.

Once the provision expires, the tax rate will revert to 10%.

However, the Senate version removes a provision where no tax credit or refund can be granted due to the reduced tax rate.

The measure comes after the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) issued Revenue Regulations (RR) No. 5-2021 requiring private educational institutions to be “nonprofit,” effectively increasing the tax rate for private schools to the 25% regular corporate income tax.

The provision has since been withdrawn by the BIR on July 27.

Albay Rep. Jose Ma. Clemente S. Salceda, chairman of the House Ways and Means committee, said in a statement on Wednesday that he recommended for the adoption of the Senate version through a letter to House Majority Leader Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez.

“With that letter, I think we will be able to send the bill to the President this week,” he said.

Mr. Salceda earlier said that the bill, if signed, would allow schools to “save an equivalent of 3.43% of compensation expenses, which could help them rehire at least 12,996 teachers at the start of the (current) school year.”

Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA) Managing Director Joseph Noel M. Estrada welcomed the development, adding that he hoped the bill would be passed into law as soon as possible.

“The millions of stakeholders of the private education sector and the linked ecosystem that depend on the continuity of our schools, would be deeply grateful to our Senators and Congressmen who tirelessly worked in passing this landmark legislation,” he said in a Viber message.

A total of 1.443 million private school students have enrolled for school year 2021-2022 as of Sept. 13, lower by 57% compared with 3.376 million in the past school year, according to data from the Department of Education.

To cope with the decline, 71% of private schools are considering the implementation of a “no work, no pay” scheme, 64% are considering retrenchment of employees, and 55% are considering closure of their schools, according to a survey conducted by COCOPEA among over 250 member schools. — Russell Louis C. Ku

Keeping an eye on the prize at a cost

NETFLIX

By Michelle Anne P. Soliman, Reporter

TV Review
Squid Game
Director/Writer Hwang Dong-hyuk
Netflix

IF AN ANONYMOUS person invited you to play for a substantial amount of money, would you trust the stranger or any of your teammates? What strengths do you possess that give you confidence of succeeding?

The Netflix series Squid Game follows adult participants who risk their lives playing mysterious twists to familiar childhood games to win the 45.6 billion Won cash prize. But only one will be proclaimed victor.

After a man he meets at the train station gives him a business card with a circle, a triangle, and a square drawn on it, chauffeur Gi-hun (played by Lee Jung-jae) calls the number on it and later wakes up in an unfamiliar place. Wearing identical green and white outfits, the 456 participants gathered in the room are all caught in desperate situations in their personal lives.

Despite being given the option to quit the game, they are enticed to continue by the prize money. The games venue, designed and painted like a children’s playground, transforms into an arena of violence and the fight for survival.

The nine-episode series is written and directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk who described Squid Game as “one giant allegory that expresses the capitalist society of contemporary times.”

A first for a Korean series, Squid Game is currently the No. 1 trending Netflix show in 76 countries.

The first game, “Green Light, Red Light,” sets the mood:  the participants must accomplish the task and adhere to all instructions within a given time limit; they can get killed during the game or, if they fail to comply with the rules, get shot. After the first game, the participants —  and audience —  fear that things might get even worse.

The succeeding games alternate from teamwork driven games which are adrenaline stimulating and gory; and intimate games that are more emotional and are used to establish the relationships among characters.

All the actors are convincing and portrayed their roles well — some had character backgrounds the audience can relate to, and some are simply so arrogant that the viewer wishes they were eliminated earlier. There is sympathy for Gi-hun and those he makes alliances with and one roots for them to survive.

While the theme of a competition for survival is nothing new —  comparisons can be made with Battle Royal and The Hunger Games — writer and director Hwang Dong-hyuk succeeds in presenting his allegory on the flawed equality in a capitalist society and survival. The participants represent the working class, who are expected to be productive and ensure mobility. On the way to the finish line, they are killed or destroy each other —  and themselves —  in the process. The VIPs in the story are the rich who are spectators and unaffected by the hardships and horrors afflicted on the participants.

Overall, the series was an exciting and emotional experience. The ending hints at a possible sequel. By then, I hope Gi-hun gets to prove that he, along with the other participants, is not a horse that anyone can bet on, but a human.

Quasi-banks post lower net profit in the 2nd quarter

THE QUASI-BANKING sector’s net profit dropped to P278 million in the second quarter amid lower interest and leasing income.

The second quarter figure is 55.5% lower compared with the P625 million logged a year prior, based on data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

For the first half of the year, the cumulative net income of quasi-lenders reached P330 million. This is lower by 23% compared with the P430-million net profit logged in the same period of 2020.

By type of nonbanks with quasi-banking functions (NBQBs), investment houses swung to a net profit of P189 million in the second quarter from a net loss of P145 million in the same period last year.

Meanwhile, the net income of BSP-supervised financing companies plunged by 88% to P89 million that quarter from P770 million.

The net interest income of the quasi-banking industry inched down 8.5% to P3.133 billion from P3.425 billion.

The quarter saw these firms’ interest earnings drop by 52% to P219 million, with leasing income also going down by 2.9% to P6.072 billion. On the other hand, interest expenses increased 3.9% to P3.158 billion from a year earlier.

Broken down, the net interest income of investment houses slumped 80% to P32 million in the second quarter from P168 million in the same period of 2020.

Meanwhile, net interest income of financing companies dropped 4.8% to P3.102 billion from P3.258 billion.

In the second quarter, the non-interest income of NBQBs surged by 83% to P891 million from P488 million a year earlier. This was supported by their fee-based income, which climbed 126% to P738 million from P326 million.

Quasi-lenders also recorded trading income worth P5 million in the three-month period, turning around from the P5 million trading loss a year earlier.

Meanwhile, operating expenses of quasi-banks rose 23.4% to P3.675 billion in the second quarter from P2.979 billion the year prior.

Bad debts written off by financing companies stood at P187 million in the second quarter, down by 9.2% from the P206 million recorded in the comparable year-ago period. Meanwhile, provisions surged by 177% to P1.345 billion from P485 million. — L.W.T. Noble

White House backs workplace rights bill for nursing mothers

REUTERS

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration said it is backing a bill that could give millions of new mothers more workplace rights when they pump breast milk.

A US House of Representatives bill co-sponsored by both Democrats and Republicans would, if passed and signed into law, require employers with 25 or more workers to provide time and private space for nursing mothers.

The 2010 Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, extended those rights to only to smaller group of US workers, leaving out some 9 million people including many teachers and farmworkers, according to lawmakers pushing for the bill.

The new bill would also allow mothers concerned that their rights are being violated to pursue legal action against their bosses.

Employers would not have to pay workers for time spent on those breaks.

“No new mother should face unfair treatment in the workplace because their employer refuses to provide them with reasonable break time and private, clean space needed to adequately express breast milk while at work, forcing them to choose between their health and the health of her child, and earning a paycheck,” the White House’s Office of Management and Budget said in a statement.

“Without these protections, nursing mothers face serious health consequences, including risk of painful illness and infection, diminished milk supply, or inability to continue breastfeeding.” — Reuters

Grab PHL, MOVE IT partnership ordered suspended

THE Transportation department on Thursday told a Senate committee that the technical working group (TWG) overseeing the operations of motorcycle taxis has ordered the suspension of the implementation of the Grab Philippines-MOVE IT partnership.

“Nag-issue po ang technical working group… na ihinto po muna ang pag-implement ng partnership nitong MOVE IT at Grab (The technical working group issued an order suspending the implementation of the partnership of MOVE IT and Grab),” Transportation Assistant Secretary Mark Steven C. Pastor said during a Senate committee budget hearing.

“Ito po ay (This is) subject to further study pa ng (of the) technical working group,” he added.

Grab Philippines confirmed this in a statement, saying that its partner was notified to “suspend the MOVE IT with Grab service effective Thursday, Sept. 30, 12:01 a.m.”

“Together with MOVE IT, we are currently engaging with our regulators, and we look forward to resuming our partnership soon,” it added.

Grab Philippines has said that the partnership aims to help enhance mobility conditions in Metro Manila by providing MOVE IT motorcycle taxi services on the Grab app.

The partnership is also seen to enable both companies to provide the government’s technical working group with more safety statistics and insights on motorcycle taxi safety.

But transport group Lawyers for Commuters’ Safety and Protection said the partnership is “dubious.”

“The ride-hailing company’s dubious partnership with MOVE IT is clearly a circumvention of the program’s guidelines as the Singapore-based company is not part of the pilot study of the government,” Noel Valerio, spokesman of the Lawyers for Commuters’ Safety and Protection, said in a statement e-mailed to reporters on Sept. 25.

Grab Philippines said: “As a community partner, Grab Philippines will continue to do right by our consumers and partners, encourage constructive dialogue using facts and objective information, and help contribute to the recovery of our transportation industry.” — Arjay L. Balinbin

Entertainment News (10/01/21)

The Harder they Fall

ABS-CBN shows and movies on YouTube

ABS-CBN is streaming more of its classic shows, all-time favorite teleseryes, and blockbuster movies for free on its various YouTube channels via ABS-CBN Superview. On the Black Sheep YouTube channel, viewers can watch the English-subtitled reunion movie of Angelica Panganiban and Carlo Aquino, Exes Baggage. Star Cinema offers the family movie Seven Sundays with an ensemble cast led by Dingdong Dantes, Aga Muhlach, Enrique Gil, Cristine Reyes, and Ronaldo Valdez. John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo, prove timing in love is everything in their 2010 romance Miss You Like Crazy. For children there is the fantasy adventure series Wansapanataym, while for drama and nostalgia there is MMK, as well as The Maricel Drama Special. ABS-CBN also adds to its growing list of full movies and series that are dubbed in foreign languages and subtitled in English for global viewers. These include the Spanish dubbed romantic comedies You’re My Boss and The Third Party, the horror film Feng Shui 2, episodes of the Pangako Sa ‘Yo remake (La Promesa) and Barcelona: A Love Untold. 

Bretman Rock joins Digicon Pop Youth 2021

SOCIAL media star Bretman Rock is set to join Digicon Pop 2021, as confirmed by the Internet & Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines (IMMAP). This year’s “pop” theme will revolve on the continuous disruption of digital innovations and trends that can now be easily accessed by almost everyone — be it in the fields of business, communications, and entertainment. The 2021 MTV Breakthrough Social Star awardee will share his insights about the journey to global stardom for Digicon Pop Youth, happening on Oct. 13. Mr. Bretman’s story is one of disruption, and a testament to the power of digital content platforms in carving a space for Asian-American and LGBTQIA+ communities. DigiCon Pop 2021 also marks the return of the Boomerang Awards, which will culminate the week-long event on Oct. 15. Digicon Pop will have over 50 keynote speakers from all over the world as well as four DEEP tracks — Disruption, Expansion, Emerging, and Possibilities. Digicon Pop will be held virtually from Oct. 11-15. For details and schedules, visit the official website at www.digicon.com.ph.

GMA Entertainment brings eminent writers on board

GMA Network welcomes award-winning writer  Ricky Lee, Maria Regina “Reggie” Amigo, Jimuel Dela Cruz, Benjamin Benson Logronio,  and Aris “Ays” De Guzman to its creative and production teams. A screenwriter, journalist, novelist, and playwright, Ricky Lee has been involved in some of the most iconic films in the country including Himala (1982), Muro-Ami (1999), Death Row (2000), and Jose Rizal (1998). Mr. Lee as Creative Consultant for the network is set to provide basic and advance workshops for new and existing writers of the network. He will also conduct script appreciation workshop for the cast members of the program/s that will be assigned to him as well as the creative and production people. Also joining the creative team of the GMA Entertainment Group is writer Maria Regina “Reggie” Amigo who is notable for her works in Philippine dramas.  Senior writers Mark Angos will join upcoming family drama series I Left My Heart in Sorsogon; Jimuel Dela Cruz joins the romantic drama series Heartful Café, plus Stories from the Heart: Never Say Goodbye, Love On Air, Widows’ Web, and I Can See You: Alternate; Benjamin Benson Logronio joins the team of Stories from the Heart: Never Say Goodbye, Artikulo 247, and drama anthology Magpakailanman; and Aris De Guzman joins fantasy drama series Agimat ng Agila.

The Harder they Fall on Netflix

THE NEW school American Western The Harder they Fall follows outlaw Nat Love (played by Jonathan Majors) who discovers that his enemy Rufus Buck (Idris Elba) is being released from prison. He rounds up his gang to track Rufus down and seek revenge, but Rufus Buck has his own fearsome crew. The film also stars  Regina King, LaKeith Stanfield, Jonathan Majors, Zazie Beetz, Delroy Lindo, Edi Gathegi, R.J. Cyle, and Damon Wayans, Jr. It is directed by Jeymes Samuel. The Harder they Fall premieres on Netflix on Nov. 3.

GMA launches new music podcast, Behind the Song

GMA Network launched the Behind the Song podcast on Sept. 28. The podcast features The Clash Season 2 finalist Thea Astley discussing music with various international and local singers, composers, and producers as the host of the weekly podcast. Each episode features artists talking about the music production process, from concept to publishing, and their inspiration in crafting their masterpiece. The podcast guests also participate in trivia games. Some of the online show’s upcoming guests are music artists BTOB, mxmtoon, Happy Fits, Pablo of SB19, Julie Anne San Jose, Mikee Quintos, and Bianca Umali. Behind the Song will be available every Tuesday for streaming on Spotify for free. The full video of each podcast episode will also be released on GMA Network’s social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Action thriller Reminiscence to premiere on HBO GO

STARRING Hugh Jackman, Rebecca Ferguson, and Thandie Newton, Reminiscence, an action thriller written, directed, and produced by Lisa Joy (Westworld) premieres exclusively in the Philippines on HBO GO on Oct. 4. Nick Bannister (Mr. Jackman), a private investigator of the mind, helps his clients access lost memories. His life is changed when he takes on a new client, Mae (Ms. Ferguson) and a simple matter of lost and found becomes a dangerous obsession as he uncovers a violent conspiracy, and must ultimately answer the question: how far would you go to hold on to the ones you love? Stream or download Reminiscence on HBO GO. Download the app at the App Store or Play Store, or access HBO GO via Cignal or at https://www.hbogoasia.ph/.

P1 million up for grabs in TV5 promo

TV5 HAS OFFICIALLY launched its Himig ng Ating Pasko: Guess the Lyrics Promo where participants can win cash prizes of up to P1 million. Running from Oct. 4 until Dec. 12, lucky viewers can win P20,000 in the weekly draws and P100,000 up to P1 million in the Grand Draw. Throughout the promo duration, TV5 will be airing weekly Christmas promo plugs which viewers can catch during the Network’s program gaps. To join the promo, participants simply need to complete the missing lyrics of the featured Christmas song of the week and indicate the telecast date of the specific promo plug. Valid entries must include the missing lyric and the specific Christmas promo plug’s telecast date; the participant’s name, address, mobile number, e-mail, signature, birthdate, and age; and a proof of purchase of any of the participating Lady’s Choice & Best Foods products. Entries can be written on any piece of paper, in clear handwriting, submitted in a white envelope, and physically dropped at any of the drop boxes in participating LBC branches nationwide. One correct answer and telecast date is equivalent to one entry. Multiple entries are allowed. The promo is in line with TV5’s “Atin Ang Paskong Ito, Kapatid” campaign, with Lady’s Choice as their Kaisa sa Pagbibigay Saya partner. Nine weekly winners (three each from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao) will be randomly selected from the correct entries to win P20,000 each. All entries for the entire duration of the promo will be eligible for the Grand Draw where three lucky winners (one each from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao) will win P100,000 each. From all the entries nationwide, one lucky winner will win the jackpot prize of P1 million. Winners’ names will be posted on TV5’s Facebook Page (https://facebook.com/TV5manila) and will be announced via plugs on TV5. All winners will also be notified by way of e-mail, registered mail and a phone call from a TV5 representative. For the detailed mechanics of the Himig ng Ating Pasko: Guess the Lyrics Promo and other upcoming events from TV5’s “longest Christmas celebration on Philippine TV,” visit the website www.tv5.com.ph.

Security guard hosts Flash Patrol radio program

A YOUNG security guard at a Dipolog City-based radio station was given a once-in-a-lifetime chance to give a long-running local radio show a fresh take on the news. In March 2020, Nash Joaquino, 23, had been working as the night-shift security guard for about two years when the host of the radio station’s morning news show, Mike “Tito Mike” Reyes, informed the station that he would be going into COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) isolation. Show producer and station co-owner Marivic Arnas came up with an unprecedented solution to save the show: why not have their security guard, Kuya Nash, host it? Joaquino was already known around the broadcasting station for his sense of humor and nowhere was it more evident than when he himself jokingly suggested he take over for the beloved “Tito Mike.” What was meant to be just an off-the-cuff remark proved to be the trigger for both the birth of Flash Patrol. According to Executive and Co-Producer Victoria Billones, Kuya Nash’s lack of formal training proved to be his strength. “With Kuya Nash, we had a newscaster who understood the news how ordinary people understood it, who spoke like our audience, and wasn’t afraid to be candid,” Ms. Billones explained. Flash Patrol has a format familiar to many news radio shows: one host reads the headlines of the day, with occasional guests to better dive into hot issues. Flash Patrol airs Monday to Thursday mornings on Magik FM stations in Vigan, Laoag, Tacloban, Dipolog, Mandalupa, Lucena, and Tuguegarao. It is also a podcast on Spotify.

GMA Regional TV adds sports to newscasts

GMA Regional TV (RTV) this month launched its original sports segment “Sports Synergy” — which can be seen in all its afternoon regional newscasts. “Sports Synergy” is hosted by sportsman Martin Javier who was the main host of the NCAA Season 96 primer Rise Up Stronger: The Road to NCAA Season 96 and the recently concluded Rise Up Stronger: NCAA Season 96 together with fellow GMA Artist Center star Sophia Senoron. In “Sports Synergy,” Mr. Javier gets to talk to various sports personalities, from legends sharing their inspiring sports journeys to athletes showing their preparations for their upcoming competitions. “Sports Synergy” segment will be broadcast as part of the newscasts GMA Regional TV Balitang Amianan (North Central Luzon), GMA Regional TV Balitang Bisdak (Central and Eastern Visayas), GMA Regional TV One Western Visayas (Western Visayas), GMA Regional TV One Mindanao (North, Central, South Central, Western, and Southern Mindanao) and GMA Regional TV Balitang Bicolandia (Bicol Region), airing Mondays to Fridays at 5 p.m. on GMA Regional TV channels nationwide. The segment will also be part of the Regional TV News airing Mondays to Fridays at 9 a.m., and Saturdays 10 a.m. on GTV.

Song writing, photo contest winners announced

THE CIVIL Service Commission (CSC) announced the winners of the CSC National Song Writing Contest and Online Photography Contest held during the 121st Philippine Civil Service Anniversary celebration. The virtual awards ceremonies were streamed live on the CSC Facebook Page on Sept. 23 and 24, respectively. From 11 regional entries, Donalyn N. Onilongo of the Department of Justice, Rizal emerged as 2nd Runner Up, Jackson Ray S. Sevillo of Iloilo National High School as 1st Runner Up, and Jerome Vincent B. Cruz of Social Security System, Angeles City as Grand Champion of the CSC National Song Writing Contest. The winners received P30,000, P40,000, and P50,000 respectively. Regional winners also received cash consolation prizes. Meanwhile, the 2021 Online Photography Contest — aimed to highlight through images the various ways civil servants have risen to the challenges brought about by the pandemic — received 423 entries nationwide, and 48 photos advanced to the national finals. From these entries, Marianne D. Soriano from Pangasinan National High School bagged 1st prize with her photo entitled Beyond the Four Corners, featuring a teacher facilitating his synchronous online class with two black boxes as a makeshift table for his laptop and other learning materials outside a classroom. Ms. Soriano received P15,000. Evelyn P. Pidut from Muta Elementary School (Region II) came in 2nd place with Bridging Future Through the New Normal Education, while Ryan Rogon Poliran from the Department of Education (Region XI) came in 3rd place, receiving P12,000 and P10,000 respectively.

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