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CODA breaks new ground for deaf movie theatergoers

IMDB.COM

LOS ANGELES —  Going to the movies isn’t much fun for deaf people. Screenings in theaters with captions are limited and the special glasses and equipment needed to read them are often broken or unavailable.

CODA, a coming-of-age story about the only hearing member of a deaf family, will change that when it is screened with open captions that need no special equipment in all US and UK movie theaters and showtimes, starting Friday.

“It couldn’t be more groundbreaking, (just) as the film is groundbreaking in support of the deaf community and the hard-of-hearing community,” said Marlee Matlin, who plays a deaf mother in the film. Ms. Matlin is the only deaf performer to ever win an Oscar, for best actress in Children of a Lesser God in 1987.

CODA, an acronym for child of deaf adults, won four awards at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. It also will be streamed with full subtitles in more than 36 languages on Apple TV+, starting Friday.

Apple worked with movie theater operators to ensure the film would be played everywhere, for deaf and hearing audiences alike, with the captions burned into the print in what is thought to be a first for a feature film release in theaters.

“It is historic. It is huge for all us,” said Daniel Durant, a deaf actor who plays son Leo. “This is a day we have waited to see for so many years.”

CODA tells the story of high school student Ruby who has grown up having to interpret for her deaf father, mother, and brother in situations ranging from doctor visits to their small fishing business. The family communicates with sign language, and all three of the deaf characters are played by deaf actors.

It follows Sound of Metal about a drummer who loses his hearing, which earned six Oscar nominations earlier this year, including for best picture.

Mr. Durant said while some scenes give the specific viewpoint of deaf people, the appeal of CODA is universal.

“Anyone who watches this can feel connected with it because everyone comes from a family, and every family goes through similar struggles —  kids growing up, what are they going to do in their future, becoming independent, maybe they’re moving away from their family,” he said.

Writer-director Sian Heder, who is hearing, learned American Sign Language for the project and wanted to ensure the film was accessible to everyone.

“Oftentimes I think deaf people are left out of the movie-going experience because of devices that don’t work and lack of devices in theaters,” Heder said.

The filmmakers hope the open caption screenings for CODA will persuade other studios to follow their example, and will encourage deaf people to try movie theaters again.

Heder recalled the emotional reaction of a deaf man at a recent screening with the open captions in Gloucester, Massachusetts, where the film was shot.

“He was, like, ‘I don’t go to the movies. I can’t wear those glasses. They make me nauseous. Half the time they don’t work so I’ve just stopped going to the theater.’ He hadn’t seen a movie in the theater in 10 years and he was very moved and excited.” — Reuters

Puregold income grows 17% to P4B despite sales decline

BW FILE PHOTO

PUREGOLD Price Club, Inc. posted a 17.3% profit growth in the first half of the year, generating a consolidated net income of P3.99 billion from last year’s P3.4 billion.

In a statement on Monday, the company said its net sales declined by 7.1% to P76.18 billion. Majority or 72% of sales were derived from its Puregold store network.

The company has so far opened 15 new organic stores out of the 30 to 40 Puregold store launches planned for the year.

Meanwhile, the company’s S&R Membership warehouse clubs and S&R New York Style Pizza stores accounted for 28% of its revenues.

Puregold said S&R is eyeing to open two more warehouse clubs in the second half of the year.

The company also has several digitalization efforts to keep in touch with its customers.

“Puregold’s innovative digitalization approach through our Puregold Mobile app, Puregold Channel, and our e-commerce website will enable us to connect seamlessly with our consumers during this COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic and at the same time strengthens our customer loyalty,” Ferdinand Vincent P. Co, president of Puregold, said.

The listed company currently has 484 stores across the country, divided into 418 Puregold branches, 20 S&R membership shopping warehouses, and 46 S&R New York Style quick service restaurants.

Puregold stocks at the local bourse declined by 1.73% or 70 centavos on Monday, closing at P39.70 each. — Keren Concepcion G. Valmonte

Flexible workspace company partners with PHL resorts

KMC Solutions has partnered with several resorts in the Philippines as it offers new flexible workspace options to its members.

In a statement, KMC Solutions said it launched Flex By KMC, which would allow its staff, clients and members to work from hotels and resorts at discounted rates. The hotels include Bravo in Siargao, Hue Hotels and Resorts in Boracay, and Amorita Resort in Panglao island, Bohol.

“Flex is designed as an incentive for which KMC staff, but members and our staff leasing clients can also purchase it for their staff as a reward, so they can lounge by the beach, while still staying productive,” the company said, adding that rooms are equipped with a desk, chair, and good internet connection.

KMC Solutions has flexible workspaces in over 20 locations around Metro Manila, Cebu, Clark and Iloilo.

Outstanding but…

Eximius: Seize the Frontline is a FPS/RTS hybrid that focuses on squad-based combat. — PHOTO FROM SEIZETHEFRONTLINE.COM/

Video Game Review
Eximius: Seize the Frontline
Personal Computer via Steam

Outbreak: Endless Nightmares
Sony PlayStation 5/Nintendo Switch

Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection
Sony PlayStation 4

Eximius: Seize the Frontline has humble origins, but also carries big dreams on its shoulders. Coming from bright minds at Malaysia-based Ammobox Studios, the game is one of stark ambition, seeking to combine the novel concepts of real-time-strategy (RTS) gameplay with first-person-shooter (FPS) mechanics in a manner that few others have tried before. True, titles like Natural Selection 2 do come to mind. Eximius: Seize the Frontline, however, goes far beyond the leanings of its predecessors. While it may bear the trappings of a modern military shooter, it makes for a brand-spanking-new, exciting way to experience both genres at the same time.

In Eximius: Seize the Frontline, there are two main classes to select in-game. You can work either as an officer on the ground or as the top commander aiming to lead the army to victory. The choices require inherently different approaches and interactions with the game, and dictate how you’ll be experiencing its mechanics firsthand. As an officer, it’s your job to do the gruntwork. With a gun in your hand, you’ll be ducking behind cover, moving from objective to objective, and shooting down whatever foes you come across, be they man, drone, or vehicle. It’s standard FPS fare, and while the gunplay is fairly mediocre, the good variety of weapons you have on hand combined with the punchy nature of their sounds makes for a decent fun time. The feel isn’t like that of any release in the Call of Duty or Battlefield series, but it does play great, especially when combined with the overall RTS mechanics.

In Eximius: Seize the Frontline, the officers lead the charge and the commander supports it. Officers are the ones who spearhead attacks into enemy territory, but the commander is the one who purchases upgrades, drops health packs for his soldiers, buys vehicles, and even assigns squads of friendly non-playable characters to support the attacks. This interaction with both classes brings up a highly tactical experience to the forefront, one that relies on communication as well as on skill to really shine. You’ll have assaults on defended positions while salvos of missiles drop to augment your charges. You’ll encounter heavy resistance from jet troopers and assault vehicles, and have to fend off upgraded players and grunts on your way to secure victory. It’s a fun, dynamic experience waiting to be discovered, and, when it all works, it works wonderfully.

Therein lies the problem in Eximius: Seize the Frontline, though. For all the potential that it carries, it’s held back by one main flaw: It has a low player count. A multiplayer-based game with only a small multiplayer community to back it up will have intrinsic issues, and while some games can manage, this one cannot. With its current population not even reaching triple digits, unfair match-making is to be expected. There simply aren’t enough people to play with, especially for newcomers, leading to a very difficult new player experience. This doesn’t mean that it’s a bad game. In fact, it has all the makings of a compelling one. Unfortunately, in its current state, it is hard-pressed to cope with issues like skill gaps between new players and veterans. And it doesn’t help that the tutorials are vague and high latency pops up — temporary hurdles, to be sure, but nonetheless difficult to get past.

Bottom line, Eximius: Seize the Frontline is nothing short of outstanding under the right set of conditions. Else, it has a handful of barriers to entry for those looking for a casual game to enjoy.

THE GOOD:

• Superb combination of RTS gameplay and FPS mechanics

• Surprisingly enjoyable combat, against both NPCs and other players

THE BAD:

• Very low player count, resulting in less than enjoyable gameplay experiences when matched with veterans

• High variances in latency

RATING: 7.5/10

POSTSCRIPT: “The soul is willing, but the body is weak” is how Outbreak: Endless Nightmares can best be described. As the brainchild of Drop Dead Studios, Outbreak is a game of lofty intentions, with aspirations of combining an old-school approach to survivor horror with the random nature of a roguelike game. Featuring a straightforward but understandable progression system, a decent selection of maps to explore, and all the quirks of classic survival horror gameplay, it really aims to highlight the nostalgia for those who wish for a return to the classic Resident Evil style of gameplay.

Creditably, Outbreak: Endless Nightmares does well to meet the aforementioned objective. The levels you can travel around in are, by nature, repetitive, albeit with unique themes. From an abandoned mansion to a ruined factory, you’re pretty much exploring the best a standard horror setting can offer. Each level archetype has its own loot table with its own levelled gear and rarity, with different types of traps to conquer, enemies to face, and puzzles to solve. These are all randomized as well, forcing you to ration the few supplies you can find along the way. While you can hoard items you wish to use while navigating the levels, you can hold only eight unique items in your limited inventory, forcing you to either drop the ones you don’t need or place them inside randomly generated item boxes. Progression through a given level is as simple as finding the exit door, with some levels being as short as five seconds should you be fortunate enough to spawn next to the exit door itself. Complete enough levels, and you earn the reward of either going home with whatever loot you scavenged or moving on to a more difficult set of levels with better rewards to claim.

Outbreak: Endless Nightmares is really just standard roguelike gameplay, wearing the mask of a survival horror game to keep you going. That said, it’s actually fairly entertaining, if somewhat cheesy. Levels are usually simple to clear, and the surface-level survival horror rationing gives the game a little depth when it comes to inventory management. Any permanent progress you can gain comes off in the form of better items to use, and of more varied levels to explore. And while it’s not deep, it keeps you interested, at the very least by the concepts it mashes together. After all, few games can lay claim to the title of rogue-like survival horror.

Admittedly, Outbreak: Endless Nightmares is far from perfect. For starters, it looks mediocre at best. Animation feels stiff and unwieldy, to the point that it alters depth perception; it makes you avoid melee weapons as it’s not able to properly convey their reach. Guns feel great to fire, but the comical blood-spatter effect combined with the damage output of your weapon being tied to its rarity and level can lead to some pretty absurd moments.

And then there are Outbreak: Endless Nightmares’ puzzles. Most of these come in the form of switches to activate or statues to push into place – not too hard to solve in and of themselves. It’s just too bad that environmental hazards don’t have a good tell if you’re going to be hitting them or not, causing you unnecessary frustration when you get hit by a laser that you’re absolutely sure shouldn’t be hitting you. Meanwhile, an occasional puzzle can be absurd in its simplicity, calling into question why Drop Dead Studios even bothered putting it there if all you needed to do was press a button to “solve” it. At the other end of the spectrum is the odd puzzle that just doesn’t work. It won’t be bad per se, but the setup makes it almost impossible to complete properly. It won’t feel difficult or challenging — just broken, broken and unfinished, and ultimately frustrating.

Outbreak: Endless Nightmares needs to be appreciated for its efforts to be unique and present hitherto-unseen concepts. It has a lot of content to play through, a lot of unlockables to peruse, and even some cooperative content for when you want to play with someone else. On the flipside, it can appear clunky and unfinished, and can test your patience. To be fair, Drop Dead Studios continues to listen to feedback and is bent on making requisite changes, perhaps even to the core design. Left unsaid through the course correction is the fact that it should have been far more polished upon release.

All told, Outbreak: Endless Nightmare is an ambitious indie title, the little game that dares try. When – if – it will succeed is the question.

THE GOOD:

* Decent amount of content to run through

* Fairly straightforward game design

* Coop-enabled to enjoy with others

THE BAD:

* Some puzzles and environmental hazards seem broken

* Content-heavy, but very light on depth, with shallow, surface-level mechanics

* Evidently limited options for randomization, likely leading you to seeing the same room layouts shortly after you start

RATING: 6/10

Ghosts ‘n Goblins has had a reputation for being a hard game, and is infamous for its high difficulty curve and punishing design. Considering what it stands for, no eyebrows were raised when Capcom opted to stick to its extremely punishing gameplay when it comes to its successor. In fact, the Japan-based developer stuck to a familiar story in presenting Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection as knight Arthur’s quest to rescue his damsel in distress from the clutches of an evil demon. A missed opportunity to expand upon the source material’s premise? Perhaps. All things considered, however, it’s not really that much of a loss when the gameplay does the intellectual property proud and sticks the landing.

With seven brutal levels to play through and eight different weapons to wield, Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection is the classic Ghosts ‘n Goblins experience cranked up to 11. Enemies continually spawn to harass you, invariably with a desperate vigor to take you down. You’ll trek through all the classic stages, from haunted graveyards to ruined castles, and fight a plethora of difficult foes and mini-bosses that stand in your way. It’s a tough experience, especially given the fact that Arthur’s constitution is far more fragile than his knightly stature would imply. It’s not an easy game by any means, and, given how aggressive the enemies are, it occasionally borders on being unfair. But that’s what makes it so engrossing. The seemingly insurmountable struggles make victories taste all the sweeter. And while you’ll die again, and again, and again, Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection is all about learning patterns and being patient. Make that extremely patient. When you understand the proper balance between rushing forward and stopping, that’s when the game is at its finest.

Fear not, though, for while Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection can be frustrating, it’s got some extra features that can give you a helping hand if you’re having trouble. For starters, there are four difficulty levels to choose from, giving you plenty of flexibility in how you want your experience to be – with the lower difficulty levels giving you extra hit points to help you get through the stage. The ability of a cooperative feature means you can team up with another player if you don’t feel confident you can finish a level on your own. Meanwhile, the game’s checkpoints are spaced just enough to not feel too frustrating. (If you ever feel the need to challenge yourself, the “Legend” difficulty will more than test your skills.)

All told, Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection stands as the franchise’s best release, especially when combined with its stylized visual design. It’s brilliant side-scroller, one that will definitely test your mental fortitude AND your skill. In the aftermath of one of your myriad deaths in the game, you will find yourself asking if you’re ready for another challenge. No matter your decision, you’ll never forget your experience – no small feat for a game that uses the same formula of the 36-year-old original. Clearly, the best classics last. The spit and polish simply make it look prettier.

THE GOOD:

• The classic Ghosts ‘n Goblins experience at its finest

• Allows for more flexibility in how it can be enjoyed, with various difficulty modes and a coop feature to spice things up

• Striking new, stylized art that also helps in letting monsters stand out

THE BAD:

• Not much added content

• Can still be as frustrating as ever

• Depending on how skilled you are and what difficulty you choose, can have a short runtime

RATING: 9/10

THE LAST WORD: VNG Corp. is slated to release Cloud Song: Saga of Skywalker, which has players exploring a fantasy world while flying solo or with the help of friends. Boasting of a classic European animation style, it offers customizable characters of the Mage, Archer, Swordsman, Oracle, and Rogue classes for party members to choose, mix, and match.

Cloud Song: Saga of Skywalker includes a series of player-vs-player (PvP) and player-versus-environment (PvE) challenges for players to reap rewards. PvP interactions feature offline fights, guild wars, duels, and cross-server wars, where players can earn medals, resources, champion titles, exclusive frames, and access to different battlefields. Meahwile, PvE conflicts come by way of daily hurdles for players, with the boss-level battles leading to character upgrades.

Available throughout Southeast Asia, Cloud Song: Saga of Skywalker will be in the pre-registration phase until Aug. 18.

BanKo looking to develop more products, services for entrepreneurs

BPI DIRECT BanKo, Inc. has partnered with World Bank Group member International Finance Corp. (IFC) to expand its services and improve its credit scoring.

Bank of the Philippine Islands’ (BPI) microfinance arm BPI Direct BanKo said in a statement on Monday that it signed a memorandum of agreement with IFC, under which the latter will provide support to the former in improving and expanding its offerings for self-employed micro-entrepreneurs (SEMEs).

The partnership will also allow BPI Direct BanKo to tap IFC’s expertise for the digitalization of its current processes and services and to improve its credit scoring model.

The project is also backed by the governments of Australia and Japan, as well as the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative.

“We trust that the technical expertise and global experience of IFC will help BPI Direct BanKo develop and implement relevant products and services that will benefit Filipino SEMEs in the short term and in the long run,” BPI Direct BanKo President Jerome B. Minglana said in the statement.

Mr. Minglana said the partnership will boost the bank’s digitalization and help promote financial inclusion.

The bank noted that small businesses are among those worst hit by the pandemic due to their reliance on domestic demand as well as their limited financing options.

“The challenges in gaining access to credit for microentrepreneurs and in granting credit for lenders like BanKo have been further exacerbated by the pandemic,” Mr. Minglana said.

BPI Direct BanKo aims to give SEMEs easier access to products and services via digitalized processes through the partnership with IFC.

“This will be part of a new loan growth strategy for BPI Direct BanKo that will not be highly dependent on the expansion of brick and mortar offices,” the lender said.

“These innovations and partnerships are expected to foster growth among Filipino SEMEs, reflecting our commitment to supporting the recovery of the MSME (micro, small and medium enterprises) market from the pandemic and consequently the nation as a whole,” Mr. Minglana added.

BPI Chief Risk Officer Marita Socorro D. Gayares last month said BPI Direct BanKo has provided credit to about 145,000 self-employed and microentrepreneurs since 2019.

Its listed parent BPI booked a net income of P6.8 billion in the second quarter, up by 28.8% from P5.375 billion a year earlier.

BPI’s shares closed at P83.15 apiece on Monday, up by 70 centavos or by 0.85% from its previous finish. — LWTN

Roxas Holdings cuts net loss to P159M as revenues rise

ROXAS Holdings, Inc. (RHI) posted a P159.43-million net loss attributable to parent firm equity holders for the April-to-June quarter due to challenges faced by the local sugar industry.

The listed sugar and ethanol producer said in a stock exchange disclosure on Monday that its net loss for the third quarter of its end-September fiscal year is an improvement over the earlier year’s P425.58-million losses on the back of higher revenues.

Pedro E. Roxas, RHI chairman, said that despite an increase in the volume of sugarcanes milled across sugar-producing regions, the sugar industry had to endure the effects of a prolonged La Niña phenomenon.

“We are also seeing a decline in the yield from sugarcanes, partly because of more water content diluting the sweetness of the canes,” Mr. Roxas said in the disclosure.

RHI’s revenues from contracts with customers reached P1.9 billion for the quarter, up 59.7% from the P1.19 billion it recorded last year, while operating expenses also rose 11.7% to P175.32 million from P156.97 million.

For the nine months to June of its fiscal year, RHI posted a 0.9% increase in its attributable net loss to P731.92 million against the P725.65-million net loss it had in the similar period in 2020.

Revenues from contracts with customers for the October-to-June period reached P3.79 billion, up 19.9% from P3.16 billion a year ago.

Operating expenses fell 3.1% to P481.18 million compared to P496.35 million incurred a year ago.

Meanwhile, RHI President and Chief Executive Officer Celso T. Dimarucut said the company started to implement actions aimed to solve factors causing volatility and higher costs in the industry.

“We have seen marked improvements in our ethanol unit, as a result of strategic and opportunistic shifts and flexibility in feedstock, to address production costs which have increased in recent years. This was made possible as RHI gradually regains its market share in canes from its competitors since it bolstered its cane acquisition master plan,” Mr. Dimarucut said in the disclosure.

“Likewise, other mid- and long-term capacity building plans for our sugar business are underway, to improve the bottom line of the group. We hope that, with these efforts, we can unlock the group’s core strengths amid changing conditions, and assure sustainable operations in the coming years,” he added.

Based on the Philippine Stock Exchange website, RHI shares were last traded on Aug. 6 and closed at P1.35 apiece. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Delbros unit expands vertical farm in Navotas City

A UNIT of Delgado Brothers Group (Delbros) has expanded an urban vertical farm project in Navotas City in a move aimed at helping food sufficiency.

In a statement on Monday, Good Greens & Co. (GGC), Delbros’ vertical farming solutions unit, said it turned over eight additional vertical farm towers to Navotas City on June 22.

The turnover expanded the project into a 12-tower urban vertical farm. To recall, GGC launched a four-storey aeroponic farm in October last year.

“The project, in partnership with the Navotas City Council and the Boy Scout of the Philippines (BSP), is considered to be the tallest in Metro Manila and aims to continue cultivating a sufficient and self-sustainable food source as restrictions are still placed for food transportation due to the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation,” GGC said in the statement.

According to GGC, the 700-square meter vertical farm towers will allow green produce to be grown indoors and will be available to nearby communities in Navotas.

It added that the towers allow higher yields since they are not affected by bad weather conditions and provide a more efficient method of growing crops due to less land needed for planting compared to traditional farming.

“These vertical farm towers can create additional employment opportunities for the surrounding communities as it opens the public to a possible career in the field of plant health, horticulture, food safety, integrated pest management, production and packing, as well as facilities and maintenance,” GGC said.

“Added benefits for these vertical farm towers include health security as the food crops will be grown in computer-monitored sanitary buildings offering little risk of contamination by bacteria such as E. coli. Additionally, these towers will also produce much cleaner air for the community as each can act as a greenland which absorbs carbon dioxide and contaminants in the air,” it added.

GGC President Simon F. Villalon said the vertical farm towers offer a viable solution to solve agricultural issues such as farmland fatigue, greenhouse emissions, and pesticide run-off.

“We see this model as a sustainable and viable model that urban areas can adopt, and it holds promise for locally grown and sustainable produce,” Mr. Villalon said.

Moving forward, GGC aims to produce vertical towers that will yield from an initial of 4,000 plants to 10,000 plants to meet market demand and help in community and national development.

Delbros has business interests in logistics, transportation, technology, and food production, and has over 20 subsidiaries and member companies locally and internationally. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Metro Retail Stores trims losses to P55M

METRO Retail Stores Group, Inc. trimmed its second-quarter net loss to P55.47 million from P92.64 million in the same period last year as revenues increased.

In a regulatory filing on Monday, the listed retailer reported a 2.7% rise in revenues to P6.93 billion from P6.75 billion year on year.

For the six-month period, the company’s net loss grew by 114.8% to P181.95 million from last year’s P84.66 million.

Revenues amounted to P13.88 billion, 9.4% lower than the P15.32 billion posted in the first six months of 2020.

The company’s supermarket and department store operations were temporarily closed due to the restrictions imposed amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

When these “gradually reopened,” the company said it still faced constraints on customer traffic as community quarantine measures were being implemented.

“Consumers prioritized the purchase of essential goods in general,” it added.

Metro Retail Store’s net sales for the period was lower by 9.4% at P13.80 billion from P15.23 billion year on year. The company’s food retail business went down by 11.3% as its general merchandise segment also inched down by 1.7%.

The company said its blended same store sales declined by 13.9% compared with the same period last year.

Meanwhile, its rental income for the first six months amounted to P80.43 million, 0.6% lower than P80.89 million year on year due to the temporary closure of nonessential tenants and the rental concessions granted to those that continued to operate.

On Monday, shares of Metro Retail Stores Group declined by 2.31 or three centavos to close at P1.27 each. — Keren Concepcion G. Valmonte

Entertainment News (08/10/21)

Maski Papano screenshot

The 17th Cinemalaya Film Fest

THE 17TH EDITION of Cinemalaya is online once again until Sept 5 via KTX.ph. Because of the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, this year’s edition is focusing on 13 short films for the competition section. For tickets, visit ktx.ph. The finalists are: Kids On Fire by Kyle Nieva; Maski Papano by Che Tagyamon and Glenn Barit; Beauty Queen by Myra Aquino; An Sadit na Planeta by Arjanmar H. Rebeta; Crossing by Marc Misa; Kawatan Sa Salog by Ralph John Velasco; Looking For Rafflesias and Other Fleeting Things by James Fajardo; Out of Body by Enrico Po; The Dust in Your Place by David Olson; Ang Mga Nawalang Pag-asa at Panlasa by Kevin Jay Ayson; Ang Pagdadalaga ni Lola Mayumi by Shiri Francesca D. De Leon; Ate OG by Kevin Mayuga; and Namnama en Lolang (Grandmother’s Hope) by Jonnie Lyn Dasalla. The film festival also presents the Premieres section featuring four previously unseen films: the family drama Highest Peak, directed by Arnel Barbarona; the drama He Who is Without Sin, directed by Jason Paul Laxamana; the neo-noir Love and Pain In Between Refrains, directed by Joselito Altarejos; and the social monologue Tao Po, directed by Mae Paner (a.k.a., Juana Change). Four full-length feature films will be shown in Cinemalaya’s Indie Nation section: Lockdown by Joel Lamangan; Kintsugi by Lawrence Fajardo; Don Filipo by Tim Muñoz; and ECQ Diary (Bawal Lumabas) by Arlyn Dela Cruz Bernal. In the Retrospective section, six award-winning short films in the previous Cinemalaya editions will be shown. Award-winning Asian indie films will be showcased in the Visions of Asia section: A Dark, Dark Man; Bandar Band; Jazz Kissa Basie: Swifty’s Ballad; Mosul My Home; Sthalpuran (Chronicle of Space). Meanwhile, five award-winning documentaries will be shown in the DOKYU section: A House in Pieces by Jean Claire Dy and Manuel Domes; Yugto by Joanna Reyes, Cristy Linga and Ja Turla; Paraisong Bacao by Adrian N. Manaois; Last Days at Sea by Venice Atienza; and Masterpiece by January Yap and Kristoffer Villarino. Follow the official Cultural Center of the Philippines and Cinemalaya social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for updates on the Cinemalaya screening schedules and other offerings. For more information, visit the CCP website (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph).

33rd CCP Gawad Alternatibo in Cinemalaya

THE IKA-33 GAWAD CCP Para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video, or Gawad Alternatibo, will showcase this year’s finalists as it continues to stream online via the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ (CCP) Vimeo Channel and the Gawad Alternatibo website, while the talkbacks and livestream events will be held at Facebook Live, until Sept. 5. This edition of the Gawad Alternatibo film festival and competition, with the theme ALPAS: Kwento Natin ’To, opens with the premiere of Tatlong Dekada, a video compilation on and about Gawad Alternatibo and its filmmakers, produced by Cinema Regla and the Gawad Alternatibo production team. The Gawad Alternatibo recognizes the best efforts of Filipino filmmakers in four categories — Animation, Experimental, Documentary and Short Feature. Established in 1987, the Gawad Alternatibo is considered the longest-running independent film and video competition of its kind in Asia. It is one of the main components of the 17th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival, which also runs from Aug. 6 to Sept. 5. The Gawad Awarding ceremony will be held on Sept. 4 at 2 p.m. via the CCP Vimeo Channel and Facebook Live. To know more about Gawad Alternatibo, visit http://www.gawadalternatibo.org and facebook.com/gawadalternatibo.

Music for Congested Minds EP out

IT HAS been almost a year since Vincent Jose’s Blank Vacuum and Bobby Legaspi’s dark ambient project, blackholeprisoner collaborated, and produced two albums. Now they have released their new four-track EP called Music for Congested Minds, an ambient minimalist album. The album is divided into four different musical pieces featuring somnolent ambient-drone melodies, piano harmonies and guitar-stained tunes. The album can be streamed on the Bandcamp page of both artists and other digital music services such as Spotify, Apple Music, Itunes and YouTube music under the name of Bobby Legaspi. They are still looking for a label for it to be produced physically.

C-Drama keeps top spot on iQiyi PH

THE CHINESE drama Unforgettable Love, starring Miles Wei, Hu Yi Xuan, and child actor Lennon Sun, is currently streaming and has been a consistent top choice among viewers in the Philippines since it launched on iQiyi. This is a contemporary story in which the rich-guy guardian of a young boy crosses paths a child psychologist, and whose awkward first meeting puts them on the spotlight and a hot topic for gossip. Meanwhile, Perfect and Casual is another romcom starring Miles Wei that keeps trending on the app. The series is about an aloof and monastic “Mr. Perfect” and a laid-back and cheerful “Miss Almost.” Download the iQiyi app or log in to www.iQ.com  to watch Unforgettable Love and Perfect and Casual and other Asian shows.

Dru Chen releases EP

AUSTRALIAN artist-producer Dru Chen dropped a four-track EP containing two new songs — “Our Story” and “Hold You” — and two re-released tracks — “Eiffel Tower” and “Replay.” The focus track, “Our Story,” is an indie-pop song dealing with the yearning for acceptance that we all seek. It was written by Joel Tan, Paul McMurray and Dru Chen who also produced it. “This song was my way of dealing with that feeling — that existential dread. It felt like therapy writing this song,” Mr. Chen said in a statement. Our Story EP is available to stream on Spotify.

Amaia Land starts work on QC project

AMAIA LAND said it recently started construction on a new mid-rise condominium in Novaliches, Quezon City.

In a statement, the company said Amaia Steps will be the only residential property within Ayala Land, Inc.’s new urban development — The Junction Place Estate.

Amaia Land said Aria, the first of five buildings, is targeted for completion by the fourth quarter of 2022. Aria will have 9 floors and 208 units, ranging from 23 to 48 square meters.

“All units in Aria have been sold out, an accomplishment that attests to Amaia Steps’ excellent sales track record across all its projects nationwide,” it said.

Amaia Steps The Junction Place will sit on 1.7 hectares of land, and offer amenities such as a swimming pool, basketball court, play area, and linear park.

AMLC opens satellite office in Quezon City to boost operations

THE ANTI-MONEY Laundering Council (AMLC) has launched a satellite office to boost its human resources and operations and help the country exit the “gray list” of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

The new unit was opened on July 27 and is located at the Security Plant Complex of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) in Quezon City.

“This move is a step toward accomplishing the Philippines’ International Co-operation Review Group Action Plan items, particularly on increasing the AMLC’s “human resources to ensure that it maintains effective operational analysis capacities and facilitates timely access by law enforcement agencies,” the BSP said in a statement on Monday.

“Addressing all action plan items would ultimately result in the country’s exit from the list of ‘jurisdictions under increased monitoring’ or the gray list,” it added.

Prior to the satellite unit, all departments of AMLC were located in the BSP Complex in Manila.

“Apart from its close proximity to law enforcement and intelligence agencies for easier coordination, the satellite office will accommodate the AMLC’s additional personnel,” the BSP said.

In July, the AMLC said their limited manpower was a challenge as they had to attend to hundreds of pending registrations from real estate brokers and developers after these entities became covered persons under Republic Act (RA) 11521, strengthened the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) of 2001 based on the recommendations of the global “dirty money” watchdog.

RA 11521 was signed only days before a Feb. 1 deadline set by the FATF for the country to show progress in implementing stricter anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing measures

The Philippines in June was included in the FATF’s gray list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring. The country’s inclusion in the gray list did not equate to any counteract measures.

The country will submit its first progress report to the FATF in September. AMLC Executive Director Mel Georgie B. Racela earlier said the report will highlight the country’s rules for delisting and unfreezing of assets.

The government hopes the country will exit the gray list by January 2023. — LWTN

Performance of Philippine Agriculture (Q2 2021)

PHILIPPINE AGRICULTURAL output contracted by an annual 1.5% in the second quarter due to a slump in livestock and fisheries production, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said on Monday. Read the full story.

Performance of Philippine agriculture (Q2 2021)

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