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US approves licenses for Huawei to buy auto chips — sources

US OFFICIALS have approved license applications worth hundreds of millions of dollars for China’s blacklisted telecom company Huawei to buy chips for its growing auto component business, two people familiar with the matter said.

Huawei, the world’s largest telecommunications equipment maker, has been hobbled by trade restrictions imposed by the Trump administration on the sale of chips and other components used in its network gear and smartphones businesses. The Biden administration has been reinforcing the hard line on exports to Huawei, denying licenses to sell chips to Huawei for use in or with fifth-generation (5G) devices.

But in recent weeks and months, people familiar with the application process told Reuters the US has granted licenses authorizing suppliers to sell chips to Huawei for such vehicle components as video screens and sensors. The approvals come as Huawei pivots its business toward items that are less susceptible to US trade bans.

Auto chips are generally not considered sophisticated, lowering the bar for approval. One person close to the license approvals said the government is granting licenses for chips in vehicles that may have other components with 5G capability.

Asked about the automotive licenses, a US Department of Commerce spokesperson said the government continues to consistently apply licensing policies “to restrict Huawei’s access to commodities, software, or technology for activities that could harm US national security and foreign policy interests.”

The Commerce Department is prohibited from disclosing license approvals or denials, the person added.

A Huawei spokeswoman declined to comment on the licenses, but said: “We are positioning ourselves as a new component provider for intelligent connected vehicles, and our aim is to help car OEMs (manufacturers) build better vehicles.”

Citing threats to US national security and foreign policy interests, the US has gone to great lengths to slow the growth of Huawei’s key communications-related business.

After placing Huawei on a US Commerce Department trade blacklist in 2019, which banned sales of US goods and technology to the company without special licenses, the US last year ratcheted up restrictions to limit the sale of chips made abroad with US equipment. It also campaigned to get allies to exclude Huawei from their 5G networks over spying concerns. Huawei has denied the allegations.

Huawei reported its biggest ever revenue drop in the first half of 2021, after the US restrictions drove it to sell a chunk of its once-dominant handset business and before new growth areas have fully matured.

Underscoring the shift into smart cars, the company’s rotating chairman Eric Xu announced pacts with three state-owned Chinese carmakers, including BAIC Group, to supply “Huawei Inside,” a smart vehicle operating system, at the Shanghai Auto Show earlier this year.

In another sign of Huawei’s ambition in the space, after suppliers have received licenses authorizing the sale of tens of millions of dollars of chips to Huawei, the company has requested they apply again and request higher values such as one or two billion, one source said. Licenses are generally good for four years.

Richard Barnett, chief marketing officer at a global electronics consultancy called Supply Frame, said Huawei is in the “early innings” of trying to invest in the $5-trillion automotive market that has large potential growth both inside and outside of China.

“Cars and trucks are now computers on wheels,” said Mr. Barnett, “That convergence is what’s driving Huawei’s strategic focus to be a bigger player in that area.” — Reuters

Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts dies after tour pull out

DRUMMER Charlie Watts performs during the kick-off show of the Rolling Stones’ No Filter concert tour at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois, US, June 21. — REUTERS/DANIEL ACKER

LONDON —  Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts, widely regarded as one of the coolest men in rock, a jazz enthusiast and a snappy dresser, died on Tuesday just three weeks after pulling out of the band’s upcoming US tour for health reasons.

He was 80 years old.

“It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Charlie Watts. He passed away peacefully in a London hospital earlier today surrounded by his family,” Mr. Watts’ spokesperson said in a statement.

Among the first British bands to properly crack the American market and a symbol of 1960s London, the Rolling Stones lineup of Mr. Watts, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, and Bill Wyman produced a string of hit records. The Stones also went on to break records with multimillion-pound grossing global tours.

Former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr described Mr. Watts as a “beautiful human being” and said he was shocked by Mr. Watts’ death.

“I knew he wasn’t doing well, but it was a shock to me,” Mr. Starr, who joined the Beatles in Aug. 1962, five months before Mr. Watts became a member of the Rolling Stones, told the Wall Street Journal in an interview after Mr. Watts’ death.

Mr. Watts played drums on all of the group’s 30 albums and on every tour. No cause of death was given for his passing, but the announcement followed an Aug. 4 statement by the band that the drummer was pulling out of its rescheduled No Filter US tour because he needed time to recuperate after an unspecified emergency medical procedure.

Bandmates had expected Mr. Watts to rejoin the band. “We really look forward to welcoming Charlie back as soon as he is fully recovered,” Mr. Jagger tweeted on Aug. 4. After the death of Mr. Watts was announced, Mr. Jagger tweeted an image of the joyful drummer while Keith Richards posted a photo of a drum set without adding any words.

Disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, the No Filter tour is scheduled to kick off on Sept. 26 in St. Louis. There was no word on Tuesday whether it would go ahead. The death of Mr. Watts brought tributes from musicians ranging from Paul McCartney to country singer Rosanne Cash.

“Charlie Watts was the ultimate drummer,” Elton John posted on Twitter. “The most stylish of men, and such brilliant company.”

Mr. McCartney sent condolences in a video message. “I knew he was ill but I didn’t know he was this ill… It’s a huge blow to them because Charlie was a rock and a fantastic drummer.”

Mr. Watts was born in 1941 during World War II and grew up in the Wembley area of northwest London, attending Harrow school of Art before starting work as a graphic artist with an advertising agency.

Unlike his bandmates, Mr. Watts had been in a successful group before agreeing to join the Rolling Stones in 1963. He married Shirley Ann Shepherd in 1964 and they remained together until his death —  the first regular member of the band to pass away since Jones in 1969.

While holding down the day job, Mr. Watts played in the evenings with Blues Incorporated led by Alexis Korner, alongside future Cream bassist Jack Bruce. He was replaced by future Cream drummer Ginger Baker when he left.

He played his first gig with the Stones at the Ealing Blues Club in West London with the six-piece band that included pianist Ian Stewart, Wyman on bass, and Jones on guitar.

Mr. Watts left the hell-raising that defined the Stones in the 1960s and ’70s to the other members, but provided the heartbeat of the band, and with Wyman was considered one of the great rock rhythm sections.

Away from the Rolling Stones, Mr. Watts found the time to play jazz with several groups including a 32-piece band, the Charlie Watts Orchestra, as well as to work with pianist Stewart in the band Rocket 88 during the 1980s.

In the 1990s, the Charlie Watts Quintet released several albums, including a tribute to jazz great Charlie Parker. In 2004, the quintet expanded to become Charlie Watts and the Tentet.

‘DIDN’T SUIT ME AT ALL’
While his bandmates entertained groupies on an epic scale, Watts indulged instead —  he once told a radio interviewer —  in a compulsive habit of sketching every new hotel room he occupied.

He did speak of a short period in the 1980s when he tried to deal with a mid-life crisis by bingeing on drink and drugs. “It was very short for me. I just stopped, it didn’t suit me at all,” he told the Daily Mirror newspaper in 2012.

“I drank too much and took drugs. I went mad really. But I stopped it all. It was very easy for me.”

In 2004, he was diagnosed with throat cancer after having quit smoking in the late 1980s, and underwent radiation therapy. The cancer went into remission, and he returned to recording and touring with the Stones.

Despite newspaper accounts of a drunken spat with Mr. Jagger in the 1980s over whether the singer or the drummer was more important to a group, Mr. Watts was in a magnanimous mood when he spoke to the Guardian newspaper in 2013.

“Mick is the show, really, we back him,” he said, adding however, “but Mick wouldn’t dance well if the sound was bad.”

Mr. Watts was always known as a keen shopper and a snappy dresser. The Daily Telegraph once named him one of the World’s Best Dressed Men and in 2006 Vanity Fair inducted him into the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame.

“It’s supposed to be sex and drugs and rock and roll,” he once said. “I’m not really like that.” — Reuters

Basic Energy auctions delinquent shares

BASIC Energy Corp. has completed the public auction of 22.5 million delinquent shares from three lots, the De Venecia-led listed firm said in a regulatory filing on Wednesday.

The auction, which took place on Aug. 23, saw the successful bidding and sale of shares belonging to lots 1, 2 and 3 — each comprised of 7.5 million shares.

“[However], a failure of bid was declared for Lot 4 consisting of 450,000,000 shares by reason of no bidders,” Basic Energy said.

The public auction sought to bid out a total of 472.5 million shares, which were tagged as delinquent.

The company provided no further details on the auction’s winning bidders.

In a disclosure filed on June 29, the firm said that its board unanimously approved of the delinquent status of 472.5 million unpaid private placement shares. These shares are to be bid out in an auction sale in line with the rules under the Revised Corporation Code.

Earlier this month, Basic Energy postponed the auction sale after the government placed Metro Manila under a stricter quarantine restriction between Aug. 6 and Aug. 20 to curb the fresh surge of coronavirus disease cases believed to have been brought about by the Delta variant.

Basic Energy earlier reported an attributable net loss in the second quarter of P18.36 million, reversing its net income of P13.12 million in the same period last year.

On its website, the firm said it aims to be a “major Philippine company engaged in the exploration, production, and supply of alternative and renewable energy, oil and allied products and services.”

Shares in Basic Energy at the local bourse inched down 3.28% or two centavos to finish at P0.59 apiece on Wednesday. — Angelica Y. Yang

First Gen unveils online ESG platform

FIRST Gen Corp. has launched its online environment, social and governance (ESG) platform which summarizes the firm’s approach to sustainability.

“By pioneering this effort, we are early adopters of a transparent, comprehensive and real-time platform to share our company-wide ESG commitments. While this summarizes our ESG efforts, we also plan to use this as a tool to benchmark against international best practices,” said Valerie Dy Sun-Lim, the finance vice-president and head of First Gen’s investor relations department.

The company’s ESG profile can be found on its website under the “Investor Relations” tab. The database allows stakeholders to review First Gen’s ESG practices, the firm said in an e-mailed statement on Wednesday. Viewers can download ESG-related reports from the portal.

The Lopez-led company said it partnered up with global investor relations firm Churchgate Partners for the project.

“[First Gen’s] profile succinctly captures the multiple ESG touch points being implemented across the firm, management’s commitment to long-term sustainability and the highly impactful nature of the underlying business as a clean fuel independent power producer,” said Sumir Bhardwaj, chairman of Churchgate Partners.

First Gen holds 3,495 megawatts of installed capacity in its portfolio, which compromises of 19% of the country’s gross generation. It generates power from its natural gas, geothermal, hydro, wind and solar facilities.

It earlier reported a second-quarter attributable net income to its parent firm of $62.50 million, lower by around 8% versus the $67.74 million previously, amid the public health emergency.

Shares of First Gen at the local bourse improved by 1.03% or 30 centavos to finish at P29.30 apiece on Wednesday. — Angelica Y. Yang

Bankers back bill punishing use of financial accounts in cybercrime

THE BANKERS Association of the Philippines (BAP) urged Congress to pass a measure to regulate bank accounts and e-wallets from potential cybercrime.

“There has been a rise in the number of cybercrimes perpetuated against the banking public, thus there is a need to ensure that criminals are held accountable for what they have done,” BAP President Jose Arnulfo A. Veloso said in a statement on Wednesday.

He said the measure will expand the government’s capability in fighting cybercriminals by punishing the usage of financial accounts for criminal activities. 

Mr. Veloso added that the BAP is open to working with Congress on possible amendments to the bill.

“We welcome opportunities to provide inputs to our legislators as to how we can further strengthen this bill. The BAP is willing to work with the necessary stakeholders to ensure the safety of every Filipino who conducts financial transactions online,” he said.

House Bill 9615 or the Bank Account and E-Wallet Regulation Act seeks to make acts such as using money mules, phishing, and economic sabotage punishable under law.

Under the bill, a money mule is defined as a “person who electronically receives, acquires, or transfers money, funds, or proceeds derived from phishing or other cybercrime.”    

Persons found guilty of using money mules or phishing shall be punished with imprisonment of up to 12 years or a fine of at least P100,000 but not exceeding P500,000. 

Meanwhile, those found guilty of economic sabotage would face life imprisonment and a fine of not less than P1 million but not more than P5 million.

The bill was filed by Quirino Rep. Junie E. Cua, chair of the House Committee on Banks And Financial Intermediaries, on June 14 and is still pending at the committee level. — Russell Louis C. Ku

Quick fix cooking keeps things simple

MAMASITAS.COM

A LOT of Filipino households depend on quick fixes for their favorite Filipino dishes. This is especially true for the many Filipinos who live abroad, who do not always have the luxury of having ingredients to familiar recipes at hand.

One of these dishes is palabok – a noodle dish, covered in a sauce of shrimp stock and pork, which for many people is a source of fond memories of parties and family dinners.

The Mama Sita Foundation joined forces with the Philippine Consulate in Toronto, Canada on a cooking demonstration to show expat Pinoys how to make palabok (with the help of Mama Sita products).

The Philippine Ambassador to Canada Rodolfo Robles, opened the first episode last month by saying, “We hope that this combination of technology and culture will happily deepen the encounter between Filipino food and the people encountering our culinary flavors and our country… I am happy that this program will promote culinary heritage and a better understanding of the Philippines and its people.”

The cooking demo by Nina Daza-Puyat — editor, food columnist, and daughter of late Filipino grande dame of cuisine Nora Daza — was the third and last installment of a series of webinars called Mama Sita’s “Mga Kuwentong Pagkain: Filipino Food Online Cook Along,” which was held on Zoom on Aug. 21. Previous episodes included segments about rice, and heritage food.

Ms. Daza-Puyat began by introducing her mother’s cookbook, Let’s Cook with Nora, a guide for many Filipinos starting their journeys in the kitchen. It was first published in the 1960s, with a reissue 50 years later. She said that when she edited her mother’s book, she added some ingredients that were previously not accessible to Filipinos at that time; as well as providing more detailed cooking procedures.

She shared her mother’s recipe for Pancit Palabok, along with a few twists of her own (but also using a Mama Sita quick fix annatto — achuete – powder). She then demonstrated a second palabok recipe using Mama Sita’s Palabox sauce mix.

She fried garlic in oil, and then, when the garlic was crispy, she strained that and reused the oil, now infused with the flavor of garlic. The garlic was to be used for the topping later. She sautéed onions, then some ground pork, and then added shrimp stock and annatto powder. The shrimp stock was an extra step, which she says one can do a day before preparing the palabok. She toasted some shrimp heads and shells in oil (a technique she learned from chef Reggie Aspiras), to remove the fishy smell and to make the stock more expressive. She topped that with six cups of water, and let it reduce by about half. This she added to the sauté, along with some chicharon (pork crackling) and tinapa (smoked fish) flakes; after which she let it simmer and reduce, and thickened it with cornstarch.

As one would expect, making the palabok sauce using the Mama Sita mix was a lot more straightforward. She made more garlic oil, adding the annatto powder to it; then poured in the Mama Sita mix, dissolved in water. This she simmered for a few minutes; after which she assembled the palabok, with generous toppings of pork, shrimp, chicharon, tinapa, tofu, the fried garlic, hard-boiled eggs, and spring onions.

“Be generous with the sauce —  remember, the noodles are bland,” she reminded the viewers.

“It’s like a surf-and-turf pancit.”

This episode, along with the rest of the series, can be viewed on the Kusina ni Mama Sita YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvc-j7TEq0bHnUCLrKBtiLw. —  JLG

Digital detox: Can taking a break from tech improve your well-being?

By Thomson Reuters Foundation

TIRED of having to gaze at a screen for anything from a pub quiz to work calls, Anna Redman and her boyfriend headed to a wooden cabin outside London, locked their phones in a sealed envelope and spent three days off-grid earlier this year.

“It felt really appealing to not have access at all for a few days,” said Ms. Redman, 29, who works in public relations and started to crave a “digital detox” as almost all her social contact shifted online during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdowns.

The couple is among a growing number of people opting to take a temporary break from technology as the pandemic fuels tech fatigue, and an array of products and services have sprung up to meet the demand.

From apps that temporarily lock people out of their devices to luxury retreats limiting guest Wi-Fi access and restaurants that ban phones at the table, such solutions promise to help boost well-being by letting people reconnect with real life.

Even before the pandemic struck, interest in digital detoxing had been growing steadily in recent years, industry experts said.

A 2018 survey of more than 4,000 people in Britain and the United States by market research firm GWI found one in five had been on a detox, with 70% trying to limit the time they spent online.

Unplugged, a British startup that manages several off-grid cabins near London — including the one where Ms. Redman stayed — opened five new locations this year after launching the first in 2020 and was booked all summer, said co-founder Hector Hughes.

“People really just want a break and I think this is a direct result of lockdown and spending all this time on screens,” he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

“We put cabins an hour from city life. People go and literally padlock their phones in a box. We give them a map and a Nokia and leave them to it for three nights,” he added.

DIGITAL ‘NONSENSE’
Taking a break from tech is often billed as a way to boost overall well-being, helping to fight sleeping disorders, anxiety and depression.

But some researchers are skeptical.

The advertised benefits are often linked to other variables rather than mere tech abstinence, said Theodora Sutton, a digital anthropologist who has been researching an off-grid retreat in the United States.

“People say they feel better after a weekend in the woods, but they have been on holiday enjoying themselves,” she said.

“If you just take technology away and don’t replace it with anything else, you are not automatically going to have a better time.”

Wenjie Cai, a lecturer in tourism and hospitality at the University of Greenwich whose work focuses on digital detox holidays, said the experience was an “emotional rollercoaster.”

Holiday-goers report higher levels of anxiety when they are separated from their phones at the start of a stay and again at the end, when they prepare to be reunited with them, he said.

A 2019 study by Loughborough University, in Britain, found a 24-hour period of smartphone abstinence had no effect on mood and anxiety.

Participants in a similar study by Oxford University researchers this year did not report improved personal well-being, such as feelings of greater self-esteem or satisfaction, when they quit social media for a day.

Lead author Andrew Przybylski, an experimental psychologist at the Oxford Internet Institute, said the possible mental health impacts of digital technology are often exaggerated.

“It’s very likely nonsense to say that one simple trick like switching off your phone can lead you to live a happier life,” he said.

Still, using tech occupies time and attention that some might feel could be better used elsewhere.

“As human beings, we’re always trying to fit together all kinds of things, like being a father, being a husband, being a professor… there’s always a balance that you have to strike,” said Mr. Przybylski.

For some people, a digital detox retreat can be an opportunity to evaluate daily habits and consider whether they need changing, Mr. Cai said.

Participants in his research reported engaging more in self-reflection during an out-of-town tech break.

And while most people returned to their previous phone usage after the detox, some resolved to reduce the amount of time they spent using their devices, he said.

“Many people found there is nothing urgent waiting for them when they turned their phones back on and this gets them to think about how they can actually do away with the device a few hours a day and be more focused on work or leisure,” he said.

Ms. Redman deleted Instagram from her personal phone after her off-grid weekend, and now leaves it at home when she goes out for a walk.

“I get an hour to myself where I’m not thinking about work,” she said.

Holcim Philippines names sustainability leaders

HOLCIM Philippines, Inc. has appointed two leaders who will be handling its sustainability projects as the company continues to aim to have a “positive social and environmental impact.”

“Having senior leaders focused on these will help us achieve our goal of leading the building materials industry in resource efficiency, environmental stewardship, health and safety, and corporate social responsibility,” Horia Ciprian Adrian, president and chief executive officer of Holcim Philippines, said in a statement on Wednesday.

Zoe Verna M. Sibala, former vice-president of strategy, has taken the role of senior vice-president of sustainability. Richard A. Cruz has expanded his role to include the company’s environment portfolio and is now vice-president of health, safety, security, and environment. The appointments took effect on Aug. 15.

Ms. Sibala previously held leadership roles in finance, strategy, and business development in Lafarge Philippines’ aggregates unit that was acquired by the company in 2015. In her role as head of strategy since 2017, she helped the company with its business expansion plans.

Ms. Sibala has a master’s degree in business administration from De La Salle University and an Economics degree from the University of the Philippines.

Meanwhile, Mr. Cruz was appointed Holcim Philippines’ vice-president for health, safety, and security in 2018. He joined the company in 2008 as a laboratory engineer for its waste management unit, Geocycle, and helped it gain an integrated management system certification for Quality, H&S, and environment.

Mr. Cruz is a licensed chemist and a certified security professional, holding certifications in health and safety from the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health and the International Safety Rating System. He graduated from Central Luzon State University.

“We are confident that Zoe and Richard will further fast-track sustainability initiatives so we can be a stronger partner of the Philippines in building progress,” Mr. Adrian said.

Holcim Philippines said it is ramping up its sustainability and innovation efforts. It has adopted the sustainability disclosure standards of the Global Reporting Initiative in its Integrated Annual Report in May.

“The company is helping address the waste management challenge in the country by converting qualified wastes into alternative fuels and raw materials for cement production,” Holcim Philippines said.

Holcim Philippines said it is also investing to improve the energy efficiency of its cement production facilities, as well as developing products that allow “customers build more with less.”

On Wednesday, shares of Holcim Philippines at the stock exchange rose by 0.14% or one centavo to close at P7 each. — Keren Concepcion G. Valmonte

Suspected digital fraud attempts from PHL dropped in 2nd quarter

SUSPECTED digital fraud attempts originating from the Philippines fell 59.4% year on year in the second quarter, a global information and insights company said.

The decline shows fraudsters possibly have recognized existing fraud controls after experiencing them first-hand, TransUnion Philippines President and Chief Executive Officer Pia L. Arellano said in an e-mailed statement on Tuesday.

“Constant vigilance is still warranted as we will likely see them again in industries where transactions are increasing,” she added.

Suspected digital fraud attempts on businesses and customers climbed 16.5% globally in the second quarter.

Industries that saw the largest declines in suspected digital fraud from the Philippines were telecommunications (-98.7%), logistics (-71.1%), and financial services (-61.3%).

“Among all the markets that our research covered, the Philippines recorded the second biggest decline in the rate of suspected digital fraud originating from that country, next only to Brazil,” Ms. Arellano noted.

TransUnion said digital fraudsters are refocusing their efforts on the gaming and travel and leisure industries, which saw suspected fraud attempts rise 393% and 155.9% in the second quarter, respectively. In the Philippines, these rates “rose 51.4% for gaming and 198.5% for travel and leisure.”

“In the travel and leisure industry, the top type of fraud globally is credit card fraud. This happens when a customer uses a fake or stolen credit card for a purchase, resulting in a chargeback to the site. In communities, profile misrepresentation is the top fraud type, wherein a user posts inaccurate information in their profile and/or uses bogus profile photos,” TransUnion said.

“Meanwhile, the global gaming industry is plagued by gold farming, a practice wherein a user sells in-game assets/currency for real-world cash — an act that violates game rules,” it added.

TransUnion said its conclusions are based on intelligence from “billions of transactions and more than 40,000 websites and apps contained in its flagship identity proofing, risk-based authentication and fraud analytics solution suite – TransUnion TruValidate™.” — Arjay L. Balinbin

Dining In/Out (08/26/21)

Gourmet take-out pizza at Sheraton

CUSTOMERS can try Sheraton Manila Bay’s oven-baked gourmet pizzas, freshly-made and ready-for-delivery in just 45 minutes. There is a selection of four thin-crust favorites: Ricotta, Spinach and Mushroom Pizza, topped with spinach, garlic and shiitake mushrooms on zesty ricotta and mozzarella cheese (P660 net); Pizza Meat Supreme topped with pepperoni, ground beef, cured bacon and ham, topped with capsicum, pineapples and shimeji mushrooms, in homemade pomodoro sauce and mozzarella cheese (P660 net); Seafood Pizza topped with herb marinated freshwater shrimp, mussels, local scallops and red squid in homemade pomodoro sauce and mozzarella cheese (P770 net); and Pizza Prosciutto di Parma topped with Parma ham, burrata cheese, fresh arugula, shaved parmesan, with fresh tomato, farm egg and olive oil (P770 net). To order, call 5318-0788, 0917-583-7294, 0917-583-7326 or e-mail sh.mnlsb.fnb@sheraton.com. For a full listing of the hotel’s gourmet takeaways menu, visit http://bit.ly/ccmnlsb.

Lockdown spawns pâtés, spreads business

THE PANDEMIC offered an opportunity for two gentlemen to forge a business partnership: The Charcutier Manila. Inspired by other pâté ventures, Benik Monterola reached out to Era Lorenzo Cruz, a Culinary Arts graduate from the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, who delved into the specialty as a student. After several months of trial and error, the business was ready to go with two headline products: Chicken Liver Pâté and Pesto Cream Cheese Spread. They eventually introduced their crowd favorite Truffle Cheese Spread, plus Special Wooden Grazing Boxes. “We aim for a wider reach in the corporate giveaway market, as we prepare for our foray into hotels and restaurants,” Mr. Cruz said of their plans.

Mercato Centrale opens 1st physical store in Makati

TEN years after it was launched, the popular Bonifacio Global City weekend night market Mercato Centrale opened its first physical restaurant earlier this month. Called Mercato United Kitchen, it is a cloud kitchen housing 19 vendors for takeout and delivery. Located in Ayala Circuit Mall in Makati, it allows customers to order various dishes from different merchants under one delivery fee. The vendors include: Above Sea Level, Bounty Sprouts, Capa’s Seafood, Crisps, Chef Rocky’s Kitchen, Green Meat Hub, Cabanatuan’s Harvest Cafe and Bistro, Ibarra’s Kitchen, Cavite’s Pizza, Didi Kahatea PH, Khuttz Diner, Kuranosuke, PARES Express, Takoichi, The Gourmet Kitchen, Tipsy Cream, Wildsmoke, and Woke Brothers. They are also introducing international brands The Cheesecake Factory and Cebu’s Zubuchon Lechon. Mercato United Kitchen is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. during enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. during general community quarantine (GCQ). Customers can order for citywide delivery via 7719-0808, Mercato’s website, GrabFood, Foodpanda, or DingDong PH. Contactless ordering in-store is also available via a QR code. Al fresco dining with protocols will be allowed when the ECQ is lifted.

Mang Inasal now offers ready-to-cook meals

IF YOU can’t dine in a Mang Inasal store, then take home a Mang Inasal Ready-to-Cook (RTC) Chicken Inasal and opt to either grill, bake, or pan fry it — whatever your preferred cooking option is, the RTC Chicken Inasal will still taste the same because the product is marinated in Mang Inasal’s signature sauce. The RTC Chicken Inasal Paa may be bought in packs of five for P360; the RTC Chicken Inasal Pecho will be available in select Mang Inasal stores by mid-September. To complete the Mang Inasal experience, Chicken Oil is available in a stand-up plastic pouch with resealable cap for P99. Both the Mang Inasal RTC Chicken Inasal Paa and the Mang Inasal Chicken Oil are available for takeout exclusively in selected Mang Inasal stores, and are also available through Call & Pick-up or Park and Go. The list of available stores is here: https://bit.ly/3hBwAax. Mang Inasal dishes are available for delivery via GrabFood, foodpanda, or Mang Inasal’s delivery website at http://manginasaldelivery.com.ph.

Shangri-La Plaza restaurants offer myriad of dining options

WITH delivery and takeout, there’s no reason to miss out on enjoying the dishes from Shangri-La Plaza’s many restaurants. Craving a taste of the Middle East? Order dishes like Sini Soor Platter which combines ground beef, beef shishkebabs, Mahi Kabab, Meigu Tanouri, ground chicken, and lamb skewers served with biryani or basmati rice rom Arya Persian Restaurant. For a taste of Southeast Asia, try Lemongrass’ Pork Riblets with Honey Garlic Sauce and Pineapple fried rice (they are menu favorites) which showcase the restaurant’s brand of Thai-Vietnamese-Chinese fusion; or go for something from Zao Vietnamese Bistro, which is popular for its modern spin on Vietnamese cuisine with dishes like Vegetarian Spring Rolls, Banh mi sandwiches, and Shrimp and Pork Noodle Soup. For a taste of Japan, opt for Japanese-style shabu-shabu or rice with toppings from Ganso Shabuway, or try Kimono Ken’s Snow Platter which offers a wide selection of sushi and maki options. Those craving all-time American favorites can get something from Kettle — either their Boneless Buttermilk Fried Chicken served cornbread and gravy or their special Angus Beef Hash. Or bite into some California-style pizza from California Pizza Kitchen. For a European flavor holiday, Duck & Buvette can transport anyone to the French countryside with its Provencal cuisine such Slow Braised Beef Burgundy, D&B Crispy Half Duck Confit, and Maple Candied Bacon, best paired with fine wine; or travel the Greek isles with Cyma’s Beef Kalamaki, Lamb Kebab, Pork Souvlaki and Gyros served with homemade pita. For a taste of home, start the day with Filipino breakfast mainstays from Bread Broth & Beyond like Bangus Belly, Garlic Longanisa, and Pork Tocino with egg and garlic rice. Lunch from Via Mare presents seafood and meat dishes, plus hot and hearty soups; while afternoon merienda gives a good reason to indulge in native delicacies from Puto Bumbong with Quezo de Bola, to their classic Bibingka. All these Shangri-La Plaza restaurants are open for delivery and takeout. Mall hours during MECQ are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For updates, visit @shangrilaplazaofficial on Facebook and www.shangrila-plaza.com. For inquiries, call 8370-2597/98 or visit www.facebook.com/shangrilaplazaofficial.

Personal shoppers at Robinsons Malls

WITH Robinsons Malls personal shoppers (Robbie & Rosie or R&R), online shopping from different merchants becomes easy. Doing your groceries remotely, getting medicines, and shopping for baby stuff does not entail three individual transactions and paying three delivery fees — it is all done in one go. Robbie and Rosie will shop anything and everything, from groceries to books to appliances. If you want, the shopping experience can come with live video calls: pick which mango you want from a pile to add to the cart, or view the options from the store fridge if your favorite beer is not available. Robbie & Rosie can inform you of ongoing store promos and discounts, and have a gift gift-wrapped. Do you have a discount or Go rewards card? Send a photo of that. Robbie or Rosie will send photos of every item for approval before check out. R&R will do all the legwork for free — there is no shopping fee. Just pay for the items you bought, and arrange to pick up the items or book Lalamove or Grab. R&R can handle this too, and book your choice of courier. Lalamove offers free delivery until Aug. 31 with a minimum single or accumulated transaction worth P1,500 on the same day via R&R (only transactions with official receipts are accepted, and free delivery can be availed off only once during the promo period). Free delivery is applicable only for motorcycle and sedan deliveries up to a seven-km distance. Robbie & Rosie is now available at Robinsons Galleria (0968-294-9444), Robinsons Place Malolos (0999-848-2383), Robinsons Magnolia (0921-499-2958), Robinsons Place Manila (0919-430-5887), and Robinsons Place Bacolod (0999-915-5180). Visit the Robinsons Malls Virtual Mall Directory to check out the list of shops and restaurants at https://virtualmalldirectory.robinsonsmalls.com/robbie-rosie.

Multi-cooker makes low-sugar rice

TOSHIBA, a leading manufacturer of artisanal home and lifestyle solutions, makes cooking healthier rice possible with its Low Sugar Multi-Cooker (SRP: P13,195). The Toshiba 1.0L Low Sugar Multi-Cooker is an innovative appliance that has a “Healthy Rice Function” which is certified to effectively reduce sugar in rice by up to 35%. This cooker’s optimal simmering process results in a 58% increase in healthy digestive resistant starch — the rice is cooked at the right temperature to break down and drain its starch content. It has a 24-hour preset timer function that automatically cooks the rice, and a “Keep Warm” 3D Heating Induction Technology Function, so the rice is always warm when served. It has a Japanese Binchotan non-stick charcoal coated pot. To know more about Toshiba’s  home appliances or avail of exclusive promos, visit www.toshibaph.com. It has an official store on Shopee (www.shopee.ph/toshibaphilippines).

Home-based celebrations supplier C’est Ça

BACK in 2015, Toons Canoy, the owner of C’est Ça Gifts, decided to bring the business online and create a virtual store that can easily reach his target customers. The shop adopted a multimodal way of selling its products with both digital and traditional approaches. Despite already being online, the pandemic greatly affected the business. Being stuck in the confines of their homes gave people a few reasons to celebrate. Like other businesses that are not considered as an essential need, the three-decade-old gift shop struggled with staying viable. C’est Ça had to quickly adapt a more holistic approach in digitizing the whole business procedure. The business had to pivot and digitally transform the process of finances, marketing, logistics and the like. C’est Ça took every opportunity to improve its online business, from customizing the most creative gift packages to providing more options for delivery. While doing so, they chose Converge for their broadband connection. Converge offers small and medium enterprises affordable broadband plans through FlexiBiz Daytime which gives an option to double the speeds at either during peak hours of the business’ operations. These plans offer speeds up to 300 Mbps. For more information on C’est Ça, visit https://cestcagifts.ph/ or follow them on Facebook and Instagram (@cestcagiftsPH.

Filipinos more concerned about their finances due to coronavirus pandemic

MANAGING DEBT is a top concern faced by Filipino consumers regarding their finances, research found.

A study titled “State of Banking and Financial Wellness” by US-headquartered research firm Forrester commissioned by fintech company Backbase showed 70% of Filipinos identified debt as a challenge in financial management.

More than half of Filipinos also identified building savings (58%) and planning for retirement (52%) among their concerns in personal finance.

Across Asia-Pacific (APAC), the top financial management concerns for consumers are building savings (69%), planning for retirement (60%) and managing debt (49%).

Filipinos were also concerned about understanding money management (42%), affording credit to buy real estate and finance education (33%), understanding investment (30%), and the management of an existing investment portfolio (27%).

Amid their growing financial concerns, 62% of APAC consumers believe it is critical for banks to be able to support them through their personal financial management tools and services.

“These changing needs and habits have been reinforced by the pandemic, which has highlighted the importance of digital transformation in ensuring business continuity and a positive customer experience,” Iman Ghodosi, APAC vice-president at Backbase, said in a statement.

The study found that Filipinos mainly expect their banks to have financial management tools, to help them to improve their financial habits, and provide assistance to identify financial vulnerabilities and difficulties.

In the Philippines, the study found that banks’ organizational silos or structure (78%) is a key challenge towards increasing their digital money management tools. This was followed by competing priorities (74%) and limited view of customer data (74%).

“To tackle these challenges, banking leaders should take steps to transform their banks by building digital cultures and investing in technology that can remove silos and encourage open finance,” the study said.

“Banks that simplify financial wellness and provide personalized solutions will help to address debt and, in the long run, build customer loyalty,” the research said.

PANDEMIC RAISES FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AWARENESS
The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on incomes and livelihood has caused millennial and Generation Z (Gen Z) Filipinos to be more aware of their financial health and save up for future needs, a separate survey conducted by Manufacturers Life Insurance Co. (Phils), Inc. (Manulife Philippines) showed.

Manulife Philippines Chief Marketing Officer Melissa Henson said in a press briefing on Wednesday that their latest survey showed young Filipinos became more conscious of their financial standing when the pandemic hit, causing them to put savings among their top priorities in life.

“What we found through the study is that the pandemic has been a game changer for these two generations. They have become much more financially conscious because they’re top stressor or their number one worry during this time, is running out of money,” Ms. Henson said.

Experiencing reduced incomes, being laid off or seeing members of their family lose jobs prompted young generations to learn more about financial security, she said. 

Ms. Henson said the life insurer surveyed 300 Gen Z Filipinos aged 15-24 and 200 millennials aged 25-40 across the country to understand the young generation’s behaviors and perception towards finance, health and well-being.

She said running out of money was the most pressing concern for the respondents amid the pandemic, followed by getting sick, dying or death of a family member, worsening mental health, and indebtedness.

To address these issues, young Filipinos’ top priority is to stay healthy, followed by saving money, becoming financially independent, getting a well-paying job and earning enough to eventually start or grow a business.

“They are much more conscious about spending, budgeting and focusing on essential. They saved more, they started learning about [investments] and started investing,” Ms. Henson said.

Respondents said they have started saving in case something happens in the future, to pay for basic living expenses, support the family’s future needs like education, have enough money to start a business or expand an existing one, and set aside funds for retirement.

She said 82% of respondents put money aside every time they receive their paychecks with a goal of saving 25% of their total income.

Gen Z Filipinos started saving at the age of 17 and began investing as early as 21, she said, while millennials started saving at the age of 23 while their investments began at age 27. The survey also found 92% of Gen Z respondents are considering to buy insurance over the next one to two years.

The survey also showed that 81% of the respondents said they took steps to ensure financial security. Some 77% started prioritizing spending on necessities over wants, 82% said they will avoid incurring debt, while only 19% saved up for luxuries. — LWTN and BML

Philippines the 10th largest provider of ‘Online Labor’

Philippines the 10<sup>th</sup> largest provider of ‘Online Labor’

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