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Marcos gov’t eyes PPP projects, incoming DPWH chief says

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

THE INCOMING Marcos administration will work to entice more investors in its infrastructure program through public-private partnerships (PPPs), focusing on high-impact projects, according to the next head of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

“(President-elect Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.) said we have to continue to entice and invite the private sector through our public-private partnership, actually particularly in projects that are financially viable for them,” SMC Tollways President and Chief Executive Officer Manuel M. Bonoan said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel on Tuesday.

Outgoing President Rodrigo R. Duterte had previously steered clear of PPPs, a mode preferred by the Aquino administration, due to allegedly disadvantageous provisions such as state subsidies and sovereign guarantees.

Asked how the projects will be funded with the government’s depleted budget, Mr. Bonoan said: “We just have to be very selective on high-impact projects that we can now afford at this time — very selective in the sense that these are high-impact projects that can immediately contribute to the economic recovery.”

“We’ve realized that funds are very scarce at this time, although we will actually coordinate with the Department of Finance and the economic managers and get guidance from them on how we will continue with the Build, Build, Build program.”

Mr. Bonoan said Mr. Marcos also wants the DPWH to support the food production and tourism programs.

High-impact projects would include those that address traffic congestion to provide “unimpeded travel for the delivery of goods and services that will redound actually to lesser costs, most probably in the costs of commodities and services,” he said.

“We just have to reprioritize some of the projects in the pipeline, so… we will be selecting infrastructure projects, most especially in the road sector, which is the core function of the department, to get high-impact infrastructure projects that can contribute immediately to propel the much-needed economic recovery of the country,” Mr. Bonoan said.

At the same time, he vowed to address corruption and ensure the quality of projects, as well as be “prudent in using our resources.”

“We intend to correct all these. We need to reassess the modality of how our infrastructure [projects] are being undertaken this time and make sure that these are quality infrastructure that we are going to do. There are many things that we can correct immediately.”

Mr. Bonoan said president-elect Marcos instructed him to ensure that unfinished infrastructure projects should be completed as soon as possible so these can help drive economic recovery.

On questions over the role of San Miguel Corp. (SMC) in the government’s infrastructure projects now that he will be heading the DPWH, he said public-private partnerships “are big projects that are not unilaterally decided by the DPWH” and will undergo scrutiny by the government.

In April, DPWH officials said the current administration had completed 12 out 119 flagship projects.

Of the 119 infrastructure flagship projects, seven were completed in 2020, including the P18-billion New Clark City Phase 1 and the P14.97-billion Clark International Airport Expansion Project, and five in 2021, including the P21.97-billion MRT-3 Rehabilitation Project.

The department expects the completion of seven more big projects by June 30 and 12 more by December, including the P45.29-billion Southeast Metro Manila Expressway Project and the P75-billion MRT-7 of SMC.

SMC announced on Tuesday that its infrastructure arm has already started construction on a 20-hectare property in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan that will serve as the train depot of the MRT-7 project.

DICT PRIORITIES
Meanwhile, Ivan John E. Uy, who was tapped by Mr. Marcos to head the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), said the new administration will prioritize digitization and improving the country’s connectivity.

“One of the solutions we are looking at now is the Starlink project of Elon Musk. This will actually provide direct linkage without laying those expensive fiber optic cables,” he said in a separate ANC interview.

Mr. Uy oversaw the formulation of the Philippine digital strategy from 2011 to 2016, according to incoming Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles. He chaired the Commission on Information and Communication and Technology under the administration of former President Benigno S.C. Aquino III. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Making art that matters

CCP artistic director Chris Millado at the ‘Damay At Dangal’ event last Apr. 9.

A talk with outgoing CCP artistic director Chris Millado

LIKE towns all around the country, Victorias, Negros Occidental held regular town fiestas. So, it comes as no surprise that while growing up there in the 1970s, the young Chris B. Millado developed a fascination with carnivals or the local perya.

“I was very much exposed as a kid to town fiestas,” Mr. Millado told BusinessWorld in an interview via Zoom.

“One of the centerpieces of the town fiesta is the carnival where you have different activities going on,” he said. These included parades, marching bands, games and competitions, and enjoying the food.

“It was a multi-sensory event which stuck with me, and I thought those were the experiences in my youth that drew me to certain cultural experiences…,” Mr. Millado said of what would later inspire one of his proud achievements as the artistic director at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).

FROM PEOPLE POWER TO MARCOS REDUX
Mr. Millado graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Theater at the University of the Philippines-Diliman in the early 1980s. While in college, he founded his own theater companies that presented political theater. He joined the CCP after the People Power revolution in 1986 which toppled the dictator, Ferdinand E. Marcos, Sr.

“When I joined the CCP, it was 1986 which was right after People Power revolution and the CCP then was going through a substantial or profound reorientation in terms of democratizing the accessibility to the space, decentralizing the leadership, Filipinizing the content,” Mr. Millado said.

The CCP, after all, had been the pet project of the first lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos whose ideas of “the good, the true, and the beautiful” were reflected in the projects and productions of the CCP.

The reorientation was done under the leadership of then CCP vice-president and artistic director Nicanor Tiongson.

Mr. Millado worked under the CCP Outreach program for just a short while before going on to pursue masteral studies in New York in 1989. He returned to the CCP in 1993, working under the Performing Arts Department before leaving again, this time for a teaching stint abroad. Upon returning in 2000, Mr. Millado became artistic director for Tanghalang Pilipino, one of the CCP’s resident companies. He became CCP’s associate artistic director in 2003, and eventually took on the role of vice-president and artistic director in 2011.

“It did not occur to me at all that in the future, the artistic directorship was going to be part of my life,” Mr. Millado said.

“What was very clear to me was that I wanted to be a theater artist. I want to be a theater director. So, one of the images of the CCP that stuck with me was the Artist’s Entrance… [It] became like some kind of special portal for me,” he said.

Mr. Millado retires this month, just as Ferdinand Marcos’ son, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., is to be sworn in as President of the Philippines. There are already questions swirling in cultural circles about how the CCP might refocus now with the restoration of the Marcos family.

HIGHs AND LOWS AS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
As he anticipates retirement this month, Mr. Millado recalls significant events during his 11 years of service as CCP’s vice-president and artistic director.

Upon assuming the role in 2011, his main goal was to make art matter to everyone. “One of the first things that I looked into was how to make the CCP [come] alive with events now,” he said.

Mr. Millado also aimed at initiating more art festivals to draw audiences in.

“Festivals have a good way of bringing a lot of audiences because of its multi-arts multi-activity platform,” he said. “It is a good way of enjoining many artists and creatives to be part of it at the same time. It’s a great opportunity for a big number of sponsors and partners to come in and collaborate.”

While the position carries the word “artistic,” the designation is more of a management position focused on managing artistic personnel, resources, and content for production and distribution.

Mr. Millado recalled that he was met by a challenge in his first week as artistic director — he was tasked to be the spokesperson during the controversy surrounding the art exhibition Kulo, a group show featuring mixed-media artwork by 32 artists shown at the CCP Main Gallery. Included in the show was Mideo Cruz’s Poleteismo, a mixed-media collage of religious objects placed alongside phallic implements. This particular piece was the focus of much outrage.

“That drew the ire of certain sectors of religious societies, as well as drew during the inquiry from Senate… discussions on how what is freedom of expression, and even through a national conversation,” Mr. Millado said. “For the first few days of my artistic directorship, it was definitely a very difficult conversation.”

However, he saw it as an opportunity in creating a productive discussion on artistic freedom, and the notion of good and bad art.

UPHOLDING ARTISTIC EXPRESSION
Despite drawing flak, Mr. Millado said that showing art which has socio-political commentary was never difficult.

“The way I experienced it since 1986 up to the present time, I would say there was no difficulty at all. The CCP believes in freedom of expression,” Mr. Millado said. “[It] allows for the free flow of ideas, engagement of ideas, conversations however difficult they may be.

“To me, that’s the quality of good art. Because the quality of effective art, the quality of art that matters, is when it engages with you emotionally, mentally, intellectually…” he added. “…at some point it might be beneficial to the way you might view things in the world, in your country, with other people, and so on.”

Mr. Millado hopes that his successor continues to uphold artistic freedom.

“I hope that [next] artistic director continues to be staunchly in defense of artistic freedom, continues to be staunchly in defense of the artist choices, and continues to defend and protect that space, which I feel is essential and necessary for the growth of good art,” he said.

PROUD OF THE FIESTA
Mr. Millado’s proudest achievement was the founding of the Pasinaya Open House Festival, a perya if you will, which is held every February as a way to kick off the activities for National Arts Month.

Founded in 2004, Pasinaya began as a one-day festival where the CCP’s resident companies showcased excerpts of their work. Fifteen years later, it has become one of the biggest festivals in the country, with more than 300 shows and more than 100 participating artists and companies. In recent years, the event has been extended to run for three days, drawing around 50,000 audience members within and outside Manila.

The festival started out with free admissions and later introduced the “pay-what-you-can” and “watch-what-you-can” set up, with a suggested minimum entrance fee of P50.

“The point was to educate our audiences in terms of the value of art, [and] that there’s a lot of resources that go into the creation of music, theater, and so on,” Mr. Millado said.

RETURNING TO CREATIVE PURSUITS
Upon retiring, Mr. Millado plans to return to directing, and his long-abandoned creative pursuit with writing.

“I plan to go back to writing. If someone needs my experience in terms of teaching, I’ll be glad to get back to teaching as well,” he said. Projects with Tanghalang Pilipino are also lined-up for the year.

He said that he will miss “being here in the center, surrounded by art and artists in the middle of their creation” and “the ability to just walk into any space and be surrounded by the spirit of creativity.”

Mr. Millado promised that he will still be around — this time, as a member of the audience.

“I will be there,” he said. “One who will applaud from the bleachers the wonderful work of artists.” — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

Using sheets of steel as a canvas

Contemporary artist Allain Hablo

ILOILO-BASED contemporary artist Allain Hablo’s works in steel are the focus of “Sacred Journey” — his third exhibition with Salcedo Private View which is ongoing until June 10.

Although he began his career as a figurative painter, Mr. Hablo began incorporating hardware into his practice over the past decade.

The exhibition’s 16 works are made using large stainless-steel sheets. Mr. Hablo uses everything from simple charcoal to welding techniques with industrial tools to cut and manipulate the material.

“Sinusunog ko sa uling. ’Yung pagkasunog depende sa amount ng uling at amount ng fire (I burn it on charcoal. The finish depends on the amount of charcoal and fire),” Mr. Hablo told BusinessWorld during the exhibition’s launch on May 28.

“The nature of stainless steel is ’pag nakaramdam ng heat bumabaluktot siya (The nature of stainless steel is that when it is exposed to heat, it distorts).”

Mr. Hablo also heats the sheets with a blowtorch, and then strikes the surface with a bolo (a jungle knife) for added texture. After one sheet is finished, he screws it on wood.

Comparing it to his previous body of work which included painting and the Japanese kintsugi method of repairing broken objects, he described that this series having made him brave while working on it.

“For a change…I see to it na everytime ‘pag may show ako na ibang style, at ibang medium to keep it interesting (For a change… I see to it that when I have a show, I present a different style and medium to keep it interesting),” Mr. Hablo said.

Mr. Hablo began in the art scene as a finalist at the Shell National Student Arts Competition (NSAC) in 1991. From there, he raised his artistic profile by taking part in and winning several major art competitions such as the Art Association of the Philippines (AAP) Juror’s Choice award, the Metrobank Young Painters Annual Art Competition, and the Philippine Art Awards (PAA). He also received the prestigious Freeman Fellowship Award for an Asian Artist given by the Vermont Studio Center, USA.

“Sacred Journey” by Allain Hablo can be viewed until June 10 at Salcedo Auctions, NEX Tower, 6786 Ayala Ave., Makati City. Follow @salcedoauctions on Instagram and Facebook for more updates. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

Bad air quality in Asia causing spike in asthma

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

By Brontë H. Lacsamana, Reporter 

AIR POLLUTION and climate change, interlinked causes of allergic diseases and deaths around the world, are health crises that require immediate action, according to experts from the Asia Pacific Association of Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology (APAAACI).   

“The most hazardous air pollution is in Asia, where we’ve seen rising asthma rates due to changes in ozone,” said Shazia Z. Rafi, president and convenor of an international air quality advocacy group AirQualityAsia, at a recent APAAACI webinar on the impact of climate change on allergic diseases.  

“The right to clean air is our first human right, that first gulp of air we take when we are born,” she added. 

A good way to ensure better air quality is measuring it — the Air Quality Index (AQI), for example, can do so in real-time from both ground level and satellite-based monitors.  

In the Asia Pacific, around 2.3 billion people are exposed to levels of nitrogen dioxide several times higher than the annual mean of 10 µg/m3, a guideline value set by the World Health Organization (WHO) for assessing outdoor air pollution (nitrogen dioxide is a byproduct of combustion processes). 

This data point should be correlated with updated data on emergency visits for asthma and pulmonary disease as well as number of deaths, said Ms. Rafi.  

In 2021, the WHO released a fact sheet that said 4.2 million people die prematurely every year due to outdoor pollution, the majority of which are from Asia and Africa. 

Meanwhile, an air quality study published by the WHO in 2018 said that there are 45.3 air pollution-related deaths for every 100,000 Filipinos.  

Such data shows policymakers that air quality is something that tangibly affects people’s lives and welfare, according to Antique Rep. Lorna Regina “Loren” B. Legarda, an advocate of mitigating air pollution and climate change in the Philippines.  

“When we implement policies and measures to improve air quality, we get two for one because we advance both climate and health goals at once,” she said.  

The Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999 and the Renewable Energy Act of 2008, both of which were authored and supported by Ms. Legarda, are among the laws that were put in place for environmental governance in the country. 

Studies about the effects of climate change on allergens in the environment must also be brought to light to highlight the severity of the issue, said Dr. Jae-Won Oh of the pediatrics department of Hanyang University’s College of Medicine in Seoul.  

“When put under elevated carbon dioxide levels expected to occur due to climate change, oak, and ragweed produce significantly higher amounts of pollen,” he said, citing a 2021 study on the increased sensitization to pollen in allergic children in Seoul.  

Dr. Oh added that the ongoing increase in temperature may contribute to extended seasonal duration — a pattern expected to continue due to changing climate.  

Shell launches 55th year of art competition

WITH this year’s theme, “Sulong Sining,” the Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp.’s 55th National Students Arts Competition (NSAC) challenges Filipino youth to take the lead in directing the country towards a brighter tomorrow through their art.

“Shell NSAC has always endeavored to help student artists find their footing in the local art world, offering guidance and opportunities to push their talents ever forward. We are proud to have long been in service to the Filipino art community, with the competition recognized as a springboard and respected platform for the unique, creative voices of the student artists of the nation,” Serge Bernal, Pilipinas Shell Vice-President for Corporate Relations, said in a statement.

“[The theme] ‘Sulong Sining’ is very encouraging, with fervent hopes to motivate our young artists to learn, grow, and share that talent through this chosen medium. The theme aptly demonstrates our resilience as well as culture bearers and guardians surviving the many challenges, we all face during the pandemic,” Ayala Museum Director Marlies Gustilo said in the statement.

The Ayala Museum had been the “home” of the winning and shortlisted artworks of the Shell NSAC competition before it transitioned to an online exhibit in 2020 because of the limitations brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Founded in 1951, Shell NSAC has served as a platform for young Filipino visual artists, celebrating their accomplishments and talents by nurturing them through the competition. Last year’s Shell NSAC had entries from  more than 1,700 students, the second most number of entries in the competition’s history.

The competition welcomes students with entries in the following categories: watercolor, oil/acrylic, sculpture, and digital fine arts. Participants are also encouraged to join in the competition’s numerous engagement activities throughout the year.

Applicants may submit their entries from June 1 until Sept. 5. For more information, visit https://www.shell.com.ph/energy-and-innovation/make-the-future/national-students-art-competition-juan-art-nation.html. More information on the mechanics will be released during the launch of the microsite this month.

As rainy season enters, get your flu shots

PHILIPPINE STAR/ RUSSELL A. PALMA

FLU SEASON is upon the Philippines, as the rains come in from June to November. Doctors recommend that people update their flu shots to avoid getting the virus.  

“After going through waves of a grueling pandemic taking millions of people by surprise, the last thing we need is to head on to a flu season unarmed. As early as now, we must be ready and prepare for any and all eventuality,” said Dr. Donald Ray Josue, vaccines medical director at GSK Philippines, in a press statement.    

An annual flu vaccine provides protection against the influenza virus, the World Health Organization (WHO) said. This is true even when the circulating virus does not match the vaccine virus. WHO recommends individuals to get a flu shot once a year to ensure protection from flu virus strains.  

Individuals can get a flu vaccine at the same time they get a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine.  

The flu — or seasonal influenza — is an acute respiratory infection circulated worldwide by the influenza virus types (A and B) that cause it.  

The flu is different from the common cough and cold in that the former is accompanied by high fever and muscle pains that last for days. The flu is also different from COVID-19, which is caused by a different virus and the symptoms of which include fatigue, loss of smell, and loss of taste, among others. 

While anyone can get seasonal influenza, there are groups that are more at risk than others: pregnant women; children under 59 months; the elderly; and individuals with chronic medical or immunosuppressive conditions.  

COVID-19 minimum health protocols of handwashing, face mask wearing, and physical distancing are also effective against influenza viruses, as these spread by contaminated hands, and cough and sneeze droplets spread into the air by infected persons.   

So is keeping one’s immune system in shape with a healthy diet. According to the Food and Nutrition Research Institute, physical activity and healthy food choices allows one’s immune system to perform at peak physical condition.   

The institute’s Pinggang Pinoy provides a visual guide that demonstrates the right food group proportions on a per-meal basis for healthy adults: half of the plate should have fruits and vegetables; the other half with energy-giving types of food such as rice and fish. — Patricia B. Mirasol 

Meralco seeks ‘sound’ policies to cut power costs

MERALCO.COM.PH

MANILA Electric Co. (Meralco) has called on the incoming government leaders to lay down policies that will address the rising cost of electricity, and to diversify the country’s fuel sources to ensure energy security and affordability.

“Fuel prices, as we know, mostly reflect the global oil prices as even our own Malampaya natural gas is indexed to oil,” Ray C. Espinosa, Meralco president and chief executive officer, told stockholders during their annual meeting held virtually on Tuesday.

“What we need are sound government policies that can address the movement of fuel prices and forex, and an environment that encourages the development and investment of additional capacities brought about by new generating plants,” he added.

His statement is in response to a question from a stockholder who asked whether it is possible to reduce the cost of electricity during the term of the next administration.

“Reducing electricity prices is always possible but involves looking into many factors that affect the movement of electricity rates. The biggest and most volatile part of the [electricity] bill, which is the generation charge, is driven by fuel prices, forex, and demand-supply situation,” he said.

Mr. Espinosa said Luzon, where the company’s franchise area is based, appears “on paper” to have enough new capacity coming online in the next three years to meet increasing demand and reserve requirements.

As basis, he used data from the Department of Energy (DoE) on “committed” power plants, or those that were able to secure financing, for the years 2022 to 2026.

The DoE projects power demand in Luzon’s electricity grid to increase by about 800 megawatts (MW) per year from 2022 up to 2026 as called for under the 2020 to 2040 Philippine Energy Plan.

“To meet this, around 7,198 MW of new capacity is scheduled to come online in the Luzon grid from 2022 to 2026 based on the DoE’s list of committed power plants as of Dec. 31, 2021,” Mr. Espinosa said, adding that the figure includes the 1,800-MW base-load capacity that Meralco bid out to suppliers last year.

He also said Meralco is looking to secure 850 MW of renewable energy-based mid-merit supply, which he said was initially proposed to be met by a hybrid plant consisting of solar and battery energy storage.

Mid-merit power is supplied by plants to fill in the gap between power coming from peaking plants, which are switched on when demand peaks, and base-load plants, which are continuously operated.

“With the recent surges in energy prices, the diversity of fuel sources is important for both energy security and affordability,” Mr. Espinosa said.

Meralco, along with its affiliates and subsidiaries under the “One Meralco” group, aspires to shift to clean energy, including abandoning the use of coal in the coming years.

Its power generation units Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGen) and Global Business Power Corp. (GBP) plan to transition to a low-carbon future, starting with a solar power plant in Bulacan that became operational last year at a 55-MW alternating current capacity.

“Three additional solar plants are currently under development and expected to commence commercial operations in the latter part of 2022 and up to early 2023,” Mr. Espinosa said.

“The target is to build 1,500 MW of renewable energy capacity in seven years. And MGen-GBP aims to be coal-free by 2050 as next generation clean [technologies] mature technically and economically,” he added.

Meralco’s power generation business ended 2021 with a capacity of 2,251 MW and contributed P1.2 billion to the company’s consolidated core net income, or more than three times more than 2020’s P428 million.

Last year, Meralco’s core net income rose 13% to P24.6 billion, while reported net income, which factored in one-off adjustments, climbed 44% to P23.5 billion. The increase was driven by higher electricity sales volumes and by the contribution of its power generation business.

Asked by another stockholder on Meralco’s stand on nuclear energy as power source, he said: “Meralco will favorably consider contracting reasonably and competitively priced supply from generation companies including the BNPP (Bataan Nuclear Power Plant) if the same should become operational.”

“However, Meralco may not have the internal competencies to operate and maintain the BNPP,” he said, responding to a question on whether the company can take the lead.

On Tuesday, shares in the company rose 0.32% or P1.20 to close at P373.20 apiece at the stock exchange.

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

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., which has interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls.” — Victor V. Saulon

VLF returns to live stage with 12 new works

AFTER two years of online performances and the streaming of archived works, the Virgin Labfest (VLF), the festival of untried, untested, and unstaged plays, returns to live stage with 12 new works slated on June 16 to 26, at Tanghalang Huseng Batute (CCP Studio Theater).

For its 17th edition, VLF follows the theme “Hinga” to “underline the need to breathe, to be present and feel alive.”

“After being isolated in our houses, we now focus on the importance of community — the need to share space and time and revel in one another’s presence — and the urgency of theater and performance,” said VLF festival director Tess Jamias who is sharing the role with TP associate director Marco Viaña.

Aside from marking its return to Huseng Batute, the festival’s original home, VLF 17: “Hinga” reintroduces the practice of grouping plays into sets under shared themes and other commonalities. Set A: “Life is Full of Surprises” revolves around life’s unexpected turns. This set features: Eljay Castro Deldoc’s Walang Bago sa Dulang Ito; Ma. Cecilia de la Rosa’s Mga Balo; and Bibeth Orteza’s Bituing Marikit.

Directed by J. William Herbert Sigmund Go and Tess Jamias, Walang Bago sa Dulang Ito follows the pursuit of a woman in understanding myriapods and how this would lead to bewildering encounters and finding herself preyed on by those in positions of power.

In Mga Balo, a writer tries to decide on the future of the play she is writing. She returns to her material and seeks the help of the widows who rightfully own the story. The play is directed by Adrienne Vergara.

Under the direction of Carlos Siguion-Reyna, Bituing Marikit tells of the death of a man’s second wife and how much of a “bituing marikit” his wife is to their boys. The play was in memory of film and theater director Mel Chionglo.

Three plays show that fiction is stranger than life in Set B: “Life is Strange Fiction.” The plays are:  BJ Crisostomo’s Absurdo: Event Day; Jerry O’Hara’s Liberation; and Juan Ekis’ ‘Nay May Dala Akong Pancit.

In Absurdo: Event Day, in between working as project coordinators at a massive end of the world party and dealing with absurd client demands, two co-workers must consider if their jobs have any ultimate meaning before time runs out. Directed by Mara Agleham, Absurdo: Event Day is part of a trilogy dealing with the craziness of the Philippine event industry.

Directed by Dennis Marasigan, Liberation is the story of three Japanese soldiers left behind to engage the enemy at whatever cost in a desperate effort and put-up pocket resistance in southern districts of Manila in 1945. How would they act in the face of death?

In ‘Nay May Dala Akong Pancit, two siblings are stuck in a metaphysical loop of a Pinoy soap opera trope. Every time the older brother comes home with pancit, their mother dies. The siblings must now find a way to escape the loop and save their mother once and for all. Karl Alexis Jingco directs the play.

Stories of characters who are at a crossroads find their way to Set C: “Life Choices,” which include Mikaela Regis’ Unica Hijas; Andrew Bonifacio Clete’s Punks Not Dead; and Anthony Kim Vergara’s Student’s Handbook.

In Unica Hijas, two girls are called into the principal’s office after they were caught by a nun in an almost-kiss. With less than an hour left until their future is decided, the two are forced to confront each other, their past, present, and their own selves.  It will be directed by Pat Valera.

Directed by Roobak Valle, Punks Not Dead is about a mother who complains to her son’s teacher regarding a discriminating item.  As the characters argue about the item, the play shows what’s permanently inked with prejudice.

Student’s Handbook, directed by Erika Estacio, shows what happened when a few pioneer students were caught violating some of the institution’s most outrageous regulations. The rules were put into question and things started getting ridiculously clairvoyant.

Plays set in schools and which involve life lessons that must be learned and unlearnt are grouped together in Set D: “School of Life.” They are: Dustin Celestino’s Fermata; Ryan Machado’s Huling Haraya Nina Ischia at Emeteria; and George Vail Kabristante’s Bienvenuta Al Lido Di Venezia.

Directed by Guelan Luarca, Fermata follows the son of a dead celebrated musician as he investigates the truth about his father.

Directed by Regina De Vera, Huling Haraya Nina Ischia at Emeteria shows the endearing moment between a mother and her daughter as they prepare for the daughter’s departure. As the conversation gets deep, the daughter realizes that this might indeed be their last evening together.

In Bienvenuta Al Lido Di Venezia, a couple who work as Filipino domestic helpers for a wealthy contessa with Alzheimer’s Disease conspire to poison their employer. But things have gone awry. The play is co-directed by Nanding Josef and Antonette Go.

VLF 17 will have a new component, Theater Talks, a curated forum series on theater and creative processes. To be livestreamed during the festival, these talks feature theater practitioners who will share their know-how on production work and take questions from the audience to elicit a lively dialogue on contemporary theater-making.

The festival brings back its mainstay components such as the VLF Fellowship Program, with mentor Glenn Sevilla Mas and director Dennis Marasigan, and the VLF Playwrights Fair under the direction of Rody Vera and coordination by Beverly Siy.

For more information, visit the CCP website (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph). Follow the official CCP social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest updates.

Wesley So beats world champion Carlsen, rules Norway Chess 2022

US chess player Wesley So — FIDE.COM

By Joey Villar

WESLEY So is a firm believer in the old adage, “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice shame on me.”

Learning from past humiliation he suffered at the hands of a familiar foe using the same notoriously bad opening, Mr. So exacted revenge on reigning world champion Magnus Carlsen in topping the Norway Chess 2022 blitz tournament in Stavanger, Norway on Monday.

The two-time United States titlist made Mr. Carlsen pay for employing the same opening line named Bongcloud Attack, which is considered a poor move and a joke opening, and won their sixth-round showdown.

Mr. So went on to rule the 10-player event with 6.5 points, a full point ahead of eventual second-placer Mr. Carlsen.

It was Mr. So’s payback to Mr. Carlsen, who beat the former in the chess24 Banter Blitz using the same ridiculous line two years ago.

“I felt like playing h5 or a5 but I’ve done that before but it didn’t work. Big shout out to (Mr.) Magnus (Carlsen) for having the courage to play it. I think he played it against me in a blitz game and he also beat me,” said Mr. So. “Even though I felt something like before, I had to prevent myself and I just played normal chess,” he added.

He needed to bounce back from an opening-round loss to Wang Hao of China and quiet draws with Vishwanathan Anand of India and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan and went on a five-game winning spree he highlighted with that impressive win over Mr. Carlsen.

Mr. So hopes to ride the crest of his recent feat as he sees action in the main standard tournament that started at press time.

Monkeypox spread no reason to shun pride parades — WHO 

UNSPLASH

FRANKFURT — An unusual spread of monkeypox does not mean people should shun LGBTQ+ pride parades in the coming months, a World Health Organization (WHO) expert said on Monday, adding that it was important to show support.  

The usually mild illness that can cause flu-like symptoms and skin lesions has disproportionately affected men who have sex with men. Health officials have stressed the disease can be transmitted to anyone who has close contact, such as skin to skin, with an infected person.  

“It’s important that people who want to go out and celebrate gay pride, LGBTQ+ pride, to continue to go and plan to do so,” Andy Seale, strategies adviser at WHO’s department of sexually transmitted infections programs, said at a WHO social media briefing.  

“Most of these events — the official events — are outdoors, they’re family friendly. We don’t see any real reason to be concerned about the enhanced likelihood of transmission in those contexts.”  

Events linked to many of the current cases took place in enclosed spaces such as nightclubs, he added.  

Upcoming pride marches are scheduled for New York on June 26 or in Berlin on July 23, among other places.  

Another WHO official said it was unlikely for the monkeypox outbreak outside Africa to lead to a pandemic, adding it remains unclear if infected people who are not displaying symptoms can transmit the disease. 

The WHO is considering whether the outbreak should be assessed as a “potential public health emergency of international concern” or PHEIC. Such a declaration, as was done for COVID-19 and Ebola, would help accelerate research and funding to contain the disease.  

Asked whether this monkeypox outbreak has the potential to grow into a pandemic, Rosamund Lewis, technical lead for monkeypox from the WHO Health Emergencies Program said: “We don’t know but we don’t think so.”  

“At the moment, we are not concerned of a global pandemic,” she said.  

More than 300 suspected and confirmed cases of monkeypox have been reported in May, mostly in Europe. — Reuters 

PSE clears P4.5-B North Star initial public offering

BW FILE PHOTO

NORTH Star Meat Merchants, Inc. has secured approval from the stock exchange for its P4.5-billion initial public offering (IPO) of shares.

The company will offer up to 360 million primary shares and 32 million secondary shares with up to 58 million overallotment option shares. Its shares are priced at up to P10 apiece, bringing the IPO size to P4.5 billion.

The final offer price will be determined on June 8 after the completion of its book-building exercise.

“Domestic consumption is expected to remain among the drivers of the country’s post-pandemic economic recovery, with the food sector among the primary industries that will benefit from a resurgence in consumer spending,” Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), Inc. President and Chief Executive Ramon S. Monzon said in a statement on Tuesday.

He said the current business environment is ideal for companies like North Star, which is looking to raise funds for its expansion.

The offer period will run from June 13 to 17, with a tentative listing date on June 24. The company will debut under the ticker symbol NSTAR.

Proceeds from the offering will be used to expand its cold chain infrastructure, improve its operating cycle efficiencies and expand its product lines and research and development work, according to the company.

The firm tapped BDO Capital and Investment Corp. as sole issue manager, and along with China Bank Capital Corp. as joint lead underwriters and joint bookrunners.

North Star is a meat supplier and retailer that operates 360 meat concessions nationwide. It has a cold storage capacity of 8.09 million kilograms and a capacity to deliver up to 120,000 kilograms of meat daily.

In 2021, the company recorded P9.28 billion in sales, with a compound annual growth rate of 39.7% since 2019. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson

Arts & Culture (06/01/22)

The musical We Will Rock You comes to Manila

THE MUSICAL We Will Rock You will be coming to Manila on Oct. 27 to Nov. 20, with performances at the newly constructed Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit Makati. The new reimagined production is directed and choreographed by Olivier Award nominee Nick Winston. We Will Rock You follows two revolutionaries as they try to save rock ‘n’ roll in a post-apocalyptic world. In an age where algorithms predict our every preference, We Will Rock You is a fist-pumping, foot-stomping anthem to individuality. “The original production has been seen by over 16 million people worldwide. We can’t think of a better title to come back with after such a long intermission — and there is no better place to launch the show than the Philippines. We know Filipino audiences love Queen and Queen music,” GMG Productions CEO and We Will Rock You producer Carlos Candal said in a statement. The production features 24 of Queen’s biggest hits, including “Under Pressure,” “We Are the Champions,” “Radio Ga Ga,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Another One Bites the Dust,” and “We Will Rock You.” We Will Rock You is produced by Selladoor Worldwide, Carlos Candal, Gavin Kalin Productions, Limelight Productions and ShowTime Management South Africa. GMG newsletter subscribers get to enjoy exclusive offers available on June 1 (visit the website www.gmg-productions.com/manila). The Three-Price-Tuesdays offers theater goers a single price per level of the new Samsung Performing Arts Theater. Ticket prices will be from P1,800 with a special ticket offer for Tuesdays at P1,000. Tickets go on sale on June 6 at ticketworld.com.ph or 8891-9999.

The M pays tribute to National Artist Larry Alcala

AT THE HEIGHT of his career, Larry Alcala was part of every Filipino’s life with his slice-of-life cartoons. The common and endearing subjects and scenes portrayed by Alcala are a fitting celebration and offering for National Heritage Month, with its theme “Pamanang Lokal: Binhi ng Kulturang Pilipino.” The exhibit “Larry Alcala: Slices of Life, Wit, and Humor” opened at the SMX Convention Center Aura in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig on May 31. The exhibition features a collection of archival reproductions of Alcala’s works alongside works in drawing, print, and digital media of selected artists influenced by Larry Alcala, including members of the organization Ang Illustrador Ng Kabataan (INK), which thrives to this day. The exhibition at the SMX Aura is complemented by the M’s education and public programs from June to July: an M Collab participatory project, inviting 18- to 25-year-old participants to share “à la Alcala” digital art contributions online. An online conversation, M Art Inspires on June 4 will feature insights and stories from illustrator and UP Professor Ruben “Totet” de Jesus, visual artist-illustrator Aldy Aguirre, and writer-speaker Carl Javier. At the end of June, young artists will be invited to join the M Online Studio Studies, storytelling through comics and illustration workshop with visual artist-cartoonist Manix Abrera. “Larry Alcala: Slices of Life, Wit, and Humor” will be on view until June 6 at Function Hall 1, SMX Convention Center Aura, SM Aura Premier, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. For more information, send an e-mail to info@metmuseum.ph.

ArtistSpace presents Katrina Cuenca’s solo exhibit

“THROUGH The Looking Glass,” a solo exhibition of works by Katrina Cuenca is ongoing until June 13 at the Ayala Museum’s  ArtistSpace. The multi-sensorial show, organized by Pinto Art Museum, highlights the artist’s commitment not to describing the world, but to creating an alternate magical realm to it. While referencing Lewis Carroll’s literary masterpiece, Through the Looking Glass provides a subtler introduction to phantasmagoria in which the viewer, just like Alice, may frolic and take everything in: sculptural biomorphic forms appearing to waver and undulate, paintings responding to light in a multiplicity of ways, flashes of projection swimming onto the gallery walls, and a scent in the air evoking a memory of a garden full of flowers as soft music plays in the background. By tapping all the senses of the viewer, Cuenca envisions a portal that is both a respite and an escape through which anyone may enter. Ayala Museum is located at the corner of Makati Avenue and De la Rosa Street in Greenbelt Park, Makati.

NCCA Composition Prize deadline extended

THE NATIONAL Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) has extended the deadline for submission of scores for the 2022 NCCA Composition Prize until June 30. The NCCA Composition Prize is a biennial award given to deserving composers of concert hall music. The award is open to all Filipino composers, of legal age at the time of the submission. Submitted compositions must be unpublished and unperformed until the award is given. Likewise, these compositions should not have been awarded a prize from any award-giving body. The categories and prizes for this year are as follows: Solo piano (P100,000); Standard Chamber Orchestra (P150,000); Standard Full Orchestra (P250,000); and Symphonic Band (P250,000). For more information, complete guidelines, and the entry form, visit https://ncca.gov.ph/…/2022compositionprizecallforscores/.

10 new artists in Crimson Boracay Arts in Youth Program

AS part of its ongoing commitment to becoming both a world-class resort as well as a center for the arts and humanities on the island of Boracay, Crimson Resort and Spa Boracay recently introduced 10 young local artists currently being nurtured under its Arts in Youth program. Under the tutelage of the resort’s General Manager Patrick Manthe and Artist in Residence Eric Egualada, these young artists are being encouraged to make the most of their imagination and creativity to make pieces that are both visually striking and thought-provoking. Egualada selected youngsters with advanced skills in drawing and painting. Several participants have also proven themselves with regard to poster-making, portraiture, and simple landscape painting. This batch created works using a realist color scheme under a number of themes, including Flowers in Watercolor, and was introduced to concepts like the separation of positive and negative spaces in visual art, as well as how to break down and compose organic and geometric shapes in colors and figures. They also participated in a live painting activity at the Katungan Itibajai Mangrove glade at the Bungan-Bungan cold spring in Aklan. The works of Crimson Boracay’s second batch of Arts in Youth participants are currently being exhibited at the resort. Visit www.crimsonhotel.com or follow @CrimsonBoracay on Facebook and Instagram for more information.

New movie book on saving the world

PENGUIN Random House SEA has released the book Movies to Save Our World by Kenneth Paul Tan. It is a critical reflection on the power of moviemaking to shape our collective imagination of better futures. Through a close analysis of more than 70 popular documentaries and feature movies from around the world, produced in the 21st century, this book explores the theme of poverty, inequality, ecological degradation, and revolutionary change, all associated with a contemporary crisis of neoliberal globalization in a world where it has become so pervasive. Profit rules, while poverty and inequality make the political ground fertile for populist manipulation. By returning power to the people, healthier forms of populism can lead the way to the progressive revolutionary change that enriches democracy and corrects social injustice. The book urges progressive moviemakers to take advantage of advancements in digital technologies and to collaborate, in post-pandemic times, with educators to develop public deliberation skills and inspire a new generation of informed and compassionate change-makers. The author, Kenneth Paul Tan, is a tenured Professor at Hong Kong Baptist University. He teaches and conducts interdisciplinary research at the Academy of Film, the Department of Journalism, and the Department of Government and International Studies.

Urban artist Taxa creates mural in Hong Kong

TO CELEBRATE the latest gifting campaign of Johnnie Walker Blue Label, award-winning Japanese artist Taxa has created an original mural that was unveiled at the heart of Hong Kong on Aberdeen Street, across from PMQ. The mural marks the launch of a limited-edition gift set curated by Johnnie Walker Blue Label and glassmaker Riedel. The gift set contains two of Riedel’s glasses carefully selected to pair with Johnnie Walker Blue Label. The striking outline of a heart is at the center of the mural, whilst within the layers of his art, are symbols of Johnnie Walker’s characteristics and icons such as visual representations of the flavors and aromas expressed with abstract florals and bee. A subtle but distinct glimpse of wood is also used to symbolize the casks in which the whisky is aged, while a silhouette of a pair of faces expresses the depth of a relationship when gifting from the heart.

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