SPNEC board approves stock rights offering

February 15, 2022 | 12:03 am

SOLAR Philippines Nueva Ecija Corp. (SPNEC) said its board of directors had approved its plan to conduct a stock rights offering (SRO) to buy land for the development of 10 gigawatts (GW) of solar projects.

In a disclosure to the exchange on Monday, SPNEC said its board during its Feb. 14 meeting had given the green light to allow its eligible stockholders to subscribe to common shares of the company through the SRO.

The proceeds of the offering will contribute to funding land acquisition in addition to its allotted budget from the company’s initial public offering (IPO) proceeds.

The planned SRO is subject to the terms to be determined by SPNEC management, the authorized capital stock of the company, and the requirements and relevant approvals of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Philippine Stock Exchange, the Leviste-led company said.

On Jan. 26, SPNEC said it was planning to form joint ventures this year to develop 10 GW of solar energy projects, which could increase the country’s grid connected solar capacity by tenfold.

The plan comes after its board of directors approved an increase in its capital stock to 50 billion shares to prepare for the asset-for-share swap with its parent company.

Shares of SPNEC at the exchange rose by 11 centavos or 5.29% to close at P2.19 apiece on Monday. — Marielle C. Lucenio

A good step forward

February 15, 2022 | 12:03 am

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Video Game Review
Monster Hunter Rise
Personal Computer via Steam

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition
PC via Steam

Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2
Sony PlayStation 5

It’s amazing to think that the Monster Hunter series is still going strong. Monster Hunter World and its Iceborne expansion were fan favorites, featuring a smoother progression system alongside all the bells and whistles you’d expect from the series. Great visuals, tons of content, and all the monster slaying and hunting you could hope to get. Monster Hunter Rise, the subsequent release, seeks to emulate that same energy, but with a few added extras to spice up the gameplay. While it might not be as streamlined as Monster Hunter World was, Monster Hunter Rise is, in many ways, a good step forward for the series in terms of gameplay, particularly with some new additions that, after playing, feel essential at enhancing the experience.

In Monster Hunter Rise, you square off against feral beasts, great dinosaur-like entities and terrifying dragon-like creatures in a never-ending struggle of man against his environment. Through conquering foes and using their bones and hides as equipment, your hunter slowly becomes stronger, equipped with better gear and crafting better items in an effort to conquer the wilderness’s greatest foes.

For those unfamiliar with the Monster Hunter series, this gameplay loop is much of what makes any of the releases so addicting. The various monsters you face each have their own quirks and their own weaknesses, vastly changing how you approach your prey, or even what armor or weapons you use in order to counteract their mobility or defenses. Later bosses are vastly more dangerous than early ones, and when you’re tracking them through the map, using the environment to shadow your movement and catch them by surprise, it can really be a fun, if edge-of-seat, time.

However, Monster Hunter Rise isn’t just content to give you what you’d expect. It goes above and beyond that, adding in some mechanics that, while taking some getting used to, feel almost integral to the gameplay experience, and can make it difficult to go back to the previous games.

The most obvious of these are the additional mobility options you now have access to in Monster Hunter Rise. Being able to ride mounts is a game changer in a traditionally slower Monster Hunter experience. The slow start-up prep has been drastically reduced because of this, letting players move across the map faster and filling in the dead air. However, there’s still also a very good incentive in beating down weaker creatures. By being able to mount and take control of them, you now have more options available to you; imagine being able to use otherwise-dangerous foes turned allies against your prime target. Being able to make use of monsters like wyverns and rajangs against far more dangerous foes is not amusing, it’s also very memorable to finally be able to take control of iconic Monster Hunter enemies.

The quests you’ll be undertaking in Monster Hunter Rise will mostly be cookie cutter, and not much new has changed in terms of mission variety. You’re still going around, taking down monsters, and grinding their bones into materials for crafting. However, what has changed are the variety of monsters you’ll now face. In addition to some of the familiar ones, new monsters are now available to take down, and these add much to the replay value, especially for a veteran of the franchise. It might not seem like much, but the presence of new monsters adds a lot of variety in how your encounters will go, as they are just as memorable as the older monsters were; they bring with them their unique sets of armor and weapons to be crafted from their body parts.

Monster Hunter Rise is a blast to play alone, but it is best played with friends. There is a lot of variety in the cooperative missions you’ll be able undertake even as your teammates complement your weapon styles. The change in pacing alters how you’ll do your hunts, and plenty of them in ways that serve to make cooperative play a more engrossing experience. Coupled with Switch Skills that let you customize the available combos on your weapons, and Monster Hunter Rise really shines as a game that lets you express yourself in its systems, both in what you wear and in how you fight.

If there’s a negative, it’s that parts of Monster Hunter Rise feel lacking when compared to Monster Hunter World and its Iceborne expansion. While Monster Hunter Rise has better variety and pick of monsters and monster encounters, Monster Hunter World still has a rich, memorable biome system, with plenty of environments to navigate and tons of content on offer, especially with its strong endgame. Parts of Monster Hunter World still feel superior because of this, and anyone who’s enjoyed it to its fullest may be a little disappointed to see that Monster Hunter Rise hasn’t quite lived up to the environmental diversity that its predecessor boasts of. That said, it is still certainly a far more memorable and exciting experience, so much so that even those who aren’t fans of Monster Hunter’s gameplay might find something to love in Monster Hunter Rise.

Monster Hunter Rise does a lot to make the game feel faster paced, and it’s succeeded in a way that should serve to change the Monster Hunter gameplay loop for good. With less downtime, more monsters, and more options to consider, Monster Hunter Rise does a great job at adding to the already robust formula its predecessors make use of. Highly recommended.

THE GOOD:

• Tons of new monsters and content to explore

• Very entertaining mount system

• Enjoyable combo system

THE BAD

• Some parts don’t feel as fleshed out as Monster Hunter World and its Iceborne expansion

• Not much mission variety to break up the grind

RATING: 9.5/10

POSTSCRIPT: It’s hard not to talk about The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim when the game has seen a rerelease on pretty much all platforms nowadays. The game is already 10 years old as it is, and to think that it’s still able to see a fully functional release on consoles like the Nintendo Switch really speaks to the traction it continues to have.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition celebrates that with — what else? — yet another release. Officially titled The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition, the latest bundle for the personal computer comes packed with the Special Edition of Skyrim, alongside the Anniversary Edition Upgrade downloadable content, which comes packed with Bethesda’s own Creation Club content. What this means is that you’ll have access to the enhanced textures, remastered music, and extra graphics options available to the Special Edition, as well as to the new quests, monsters, weapons, and gimmicks that the Anniversary DLC has to offer. It’s a solid bundle overall, especially for those who aren’t yet familiar with what is arguably Bethesda’s most popular The Elder Scrolls game.

In The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition, players take control of the mysterious Dragonborn after just having crossed the border into Skyrim. After being captured by the Imperial Legion and sentenced to death, you find your execution put on standby after a sudden dragon attack, allowing you to escape during the chaos to safety. You’re quickly tasked to report news of this sighting to the local Jarl, where it’s soon discovered that you have the power to harness dragon souls, and are the only one with the capability to stop Alduin, the destroyer.

To do this, you must hone your skills slowly, master the arts of combat and magic, forge and scavenge better armor and gear, and recruit allies that can help you combat this coming foe. You’ll explore ancient tombs filled with undead, square off against bandits, giants, and elementals, and take down the toughest of foes during your quest, and with how The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition is laid out, the world is your oyster.

This is where the game is at its best. Basking in its open world, you get to be free to carve your path as you please. While it might not make sense narratively, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition prioritizes your freedom to enjoy the world as you like. While parts of it do show its age, the abundance of quests and characters you can meet and interact with more than make up for its shortcomings. Each city you come across has its own web of problems to solve, and the many dungeons you encounter are filled with all sorts of foes to defeat. The loot they give can also be appealing, giving you the edge by rewarding you with gold to fund your future excursions, or valuable, unique items that shift how you approach the battlefield.

This is all laid atop a robust, enjoyable role-playing game system that rewards good use of your skills. Some of the most enjoyable moments in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition come out when you’re training your skills in smithing or enchanting, as parts of the game really do reward your patience when planning out this sort of thing. True, it’s nowhere close to the deep mechanics that The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind or The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall had established previously, but there’s still a joy to found in what it has to offer. Its accessibility to both power gamers and casual players is nothing to be scoffed at, and that’s what really makes The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition shine best. It might not be as intricate as previous titles, but it’s hard to deny that it’s still pretty addicting, especially when you look at the modding scene, which adds not only hundreds of new content to explore, but new ways to explore this content as well.

Make no mistake. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition does have issues, and they are plenty. It is the center of memes and bugs, with the phrase “It just works,” plastered on the front of its box alongside that of Fallout 4. It’s stable, but it is likewise a product that mostly relies on third-party modifications to enhance its experience. It’s a good game, even a great one, but marred with flaws that the latest iteration doesn’t manage to fix.

If anything, the Anniversary DLC adds mostly extra content — more quests to do and more new unique items to find, but very little outside of that. In a lot of ways, the Anniversary DLC is actually quite underwhelming, adding new things to play with in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition, but not really enough to significantly alter the typical Skyrim experience.

Even so, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition is still pretty damn good to play, especially if you’re willing to install Nexus mods to supplement your game. Additional features like enhanced user interface are almost essential to making the most out of your Skyrim experience, and new content like additional followers, new weapons, new animations, and entirely new quests go a long way in helping you enjoy your game. Entire gameplay overhauls like Enderal and Skyrim’s own Survival mode do a great job in introducing new universes and new ways to play, and all of that is accessible through the Special Edition.

With the ability to your tinker with your game to the fullest, the modded The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition is in a lot of ways superior to the vanilla experience, and easy to install as well. There’s little reason not to dip your hands into these mods, and, if nothing else, these mods alone will already guarantee you’ll be able to enjoy your time in Skyrim. It may take a bit of time to really find the mods that suit your preferred gamestyle, but with some patience and some technical know-how, Skyrim can still be a fun, new experience even in 2022.

THE GOOD

• Enjoyable, accessible Skyrim experience

• Updated graphics pair well with the enhanced content that the Anniversary DLC has to offer

• Mods galore to enhance your gameplay experience

THE BAD:

• Vanilla experience is still the same

• Not as deep as its predecessors, and has mostly forgettable story beats

• Still buggy even 10 years after initial release/launch

RATING: 9/10 (with mods); 7/10 (vanilla)

Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 is quite a mouthful insofar as titles go, and it certainly sticks out, which is perfect for a game like this. Playing as a sniper contractor where you’re assigned to take down targets at extreme range is not a type of game you’ll commonly see anymore.

But it’s at the heart of the game: You’re out to take down foes with extreme precision. Armed with your trusty sniper rifle, it’s up to you to land your highly lethal shots into the cranium of foes willing to stick their head out of cover.

To do this, you’re going to have to line your shots up properly. Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 prides itself in simulating its bullet physics properly, meaning your sniper rifle doesn’t function as a hit-scan weapon so much as a highly deadly projectile weapon. Close range shots are still pretty easy, often landing exactly where you point it at, but shots taken at extreme ranges work differently, being weighed down by gravity and held back by air resistance, causing extreme bullet drop. It might seem like a frustrating mechanic, but this is where most of the core gameplay comes in.

See, Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2’s premise is simple. You have a rifle, you have targets to take down, and you have to do it efficiently. What this brief description doesn’t really elaborate on, though, is the amount of thought you have to put into the game to really succeed. Positioning is key here, and so you need to search for safe vantage points to take your shots from while not exposed to enemy fire. Proper timing is also important, necessitating patience and understanding how bullet drop works. What’s more, shooting your target directly isn’t often the only way to proceed. Environmental objects and hazards can be used to your advantage, shooting at them to expose enemies from cover or flush them out of position. All of these are animated to underscore gratuitous violence, with limbs flying off and slow-motion camera work to celebrate your near-impossible shots.

Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 can be good fun, especially if you have the patience to enjoy what it offers. Straying far from the fast-paced military shooters that games like Call of Duty offer, Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 is all about lining your shot with methodical precision. The levels you explore have enough space for you to find your vantage points and learn your enemy’s position, and while the foes are dangerous, they’re manageable with a bit of patience and plenty of good aim.

On the Sony PlayStation 5, Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 runs beautifully on a consistent 60 frames per second in Performance Mode. While it does sacrifice some graphical fidelity, it still manages to look better than its PS4 release while also playing much smoother. Load times are also faster, allowing you to get to missions quicker. The PS5 edition also comes with additional free DLC for you to sink your teeth into if the base campaign isn’t enough.

If you like the prospect of taking difficult shots and delivering death from afar with ruthless efficiency, consider picking up Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2. It’s a niche game because of its pacing and what it asks of its players, and it may be a tad short in length, but you’ll find it stays true to what it intends to deliver.

THE GOOD:

• Excellent sniper simulation, with a keen focus on proper shooting and aim

• Good variety of levels to enjoy, with some freedom to approach levels as you please

• Gratuitous and cinematic slow-mos make taking difficult shots feel extra satisfying

THE BAD:

• Learning curve can be tough in terms of estimating the bullet drop

• A bit slow-paced, relying on methodical movement and positioning

• Feels a little short overall

RATING: 8/10

THE LAST WORD: Nippon Ichi Software America will be releasing Disgaea 6 Complete on the PC, PS5 and PS4. The latest iteration of Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny, reviewed by BusinessWorld last month, incorporates all the DLCs made available since the title’s release in Japan early last year. The Limited Edition of Disgaea 6 Complete can now be preordered on the NISA Online Store (https://store.nisamerica.com/disgaea-6-defiance-of-destiny).

Meanwhile, NISA has moved the release of two titles: The Cruel King and the Great Hero to March 15, 2022 in North America and March 11 in Europe; and Yurukill: The Calumniation Games to July 5 in North America and July 8 in Europe and Australia.

Frayna dominates SEAG qualifier

February 15, 2022 | 12:03 am

Janelle-Frayna2_FB — WOMAN Grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna — JANELLE FRAYNA FB

WOMAN Grandmaster (GM) Janelle Mae Frayna is the undisputed Philippine chess champion.

Ms. Frayna walloped Woman International Master (IM) Marie Antoinette San Diego, 3.5-1.5, in the rapid finals to complete a chess grand slam in the Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) national team selection at the PACE in Quezon City over the weekend.

It was a dominating performance for the 24-year-old Army woman, who ruled the national standard event in December last year and the blitz division on Thursday to earn the right to represent the country in all three chess disciplines in the Hanoi Games set on May 12-13.

Based on the International Chess Federation (FIDE) website, there will be 10 events to be played in Hanoi — men and women individual standard, and men and women individual and team rapid and blitz.

Ms. Frayna said she is gunning for nothing less than a podium finish in any of the events she’s entering.

“The goal for me remains the same, it is to win a medal in the SEA Games,” said Ms. Frayna.

In the men’s side, it will be IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia who will represent the country in rapid after he turned back GM Darwin Laylo, 4-2.

IM Daniel Quizon ruled the standard event in Mactan, Cebu in December last year and blitz on Thursday.

National Chess Federation of the Philippines chief operating officer GM Jayson Gonzales said they will decide on who will play as alternates in the team event anytime soon. — Joey Villar

TLDC keeps scheduled turnovers on track

February 15, 2022 | 12:03 am

TORRE LORENZO Development Corp. (TLDC) turned over units at 3Torre Lorenzo and Torre Lorenzo Malate in Manila last December.

In a statement, TLDC said the scheduled property turnovers are on track despite limitations brought by the coronavirus pandemic.

The company recently held a topping-off ceremony for the Torre Lorenzo Loyola, located along Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City. The 35-storey premium residential development is scheduled for completion and turnover in 2023.

TLDC also launched a second residential tower at Tierra Lorenzo Lipa in Batangas. It also continues to develop the five-star accommodations and amenities at Dusit Thani Lubi Plantation Resort in the Davao Gulf.

“We have implemented agile and flexible work arrangements as we balanced the safety of our employees and the need to prepare for resumption of full operations. What was critical, after ensuring the health and safety of our teams, was that construction continued on schedule at our project sites while adhering to strict health protocols and government ordinances,” TLDC Chief Operations Officer Cathy Casares-Ko said in a statement.

Money mules recruited via commissions — Security Bank

February 15, 2022 | 12:02 am

FRAUDSTERS are using commission schemes to recruit money mules for their illicit activity, Security Bank Corp. said.

“They usually carry out their recruiting activities through social media groups or by physically approaching people offering to buy their bank accounts for P1,000 to P5,000,” the bank said in a statement on Monday.

An account holder becomes a money mule once they lend or sell their accounts that eventually become involved in receiving deposits or fund transfers from illegal sources, Security Bank said.

It reminded the public that being a money mule is considered a laundering activity.

“The appeal of cash commissions from becoming a money mule is not worth being involved in criminal activity. Keep your bank account details to yourself much like any other personal and confidential information,” it said.

The bank told its clients to refrain from sharing their account information to anyone, even to known third parties who ask for access.

“Whether willingly or unknowingly, when an account holder lets their account be used by another person, they are risking the possibility of being a money mule and an accomplice to crime,” the bank said.

House Bill 10689 or the Financial Accounts Regulation Act seeks to impose punishment against money mules, social engineering schemes, and economic sabotage. Under the bill, persons found guilty of acting as a money mule may face imprisonment of six months to six years or a fine of P100,000 to P200,000, or both.

Earlier, the Bank of the Philippine Islands also warned on increasing money mule accounts as culprits have been taking advantage of increasing online transactions due to the pandemic.

The SIM (subscriber identity module) Card Registration Act, which has already been approved by both houses earlier this month, is also expected to tighten guard against money mules. However, some technology experts have warned this could endanger privacy and could affect democratic rights.

The Bankers Association of the Philippines partnered with the Department of Justice earlier this month for information sharing and training to battle cybercrime as losses from bank fraud during the pandemic hit over P1 billion.

Security Bank’s net income in the third quarter of 2021 increased by 71% year on year to P1.715 billion. This brought its nine-month net income to P4.8 billion, down by 28.3% from the same period of 2020.

The bank’s shares closed at P112.70 apiece on Monday, down by P1 or 0.9% from its previous finish. — L.W.T. Noble

Hospital’s registration revoked for illegal scheme

February 15, 2022 | 12:02 am

SEC says Suhail Medical Center’s returns will come from new investors

THE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has revoked the registration of Suhail Medical Center, Inc. after it was found to be soliciting investments from the public despite not having the required license from the commission.

Under the Securities Regulation Code, investment contracts should be registered with the commission before these can be sold or offered in the country.

The SEC Enforcement and Investor Protection Department (EIPD) found that the medical center headed by a certain Jesser T. Cordova has been publicly offering and selling securities without a secondary license.

The regulator already issued an advisory against Suhail Medical Center for offering a scheme to co-own the hospital in November last year. An individual may invest P1.06 million to co-own a seat in the hospital or P550,000 for half a seat.

Suhail Medical Center’s scheme promises a prospective investor of a “lifetime revenue,” on top of free laboratories and checkups for co-owners and their relatives.

The SEC EIPD noted that Suhail Medical Center’s promised profits and returns will come from the investments of new investors, instead of the hospital’s operations.

The SEC also said the Department of Health’s Health Facilities and Services Regulatory Bureau records showed that there is no existing licensed health facility under the name of Suhail Medical Center in Calamba Laguna.

“Even a health facility with that name applying for any authorization (license to operate, certificate of accreditation, certificate of registration, or authority to operate a healthy facility) does not exist,” the SEC said in an advisory dated Nov. 16, 2021.

The commission said Suhail Medical Center’s activities “constituted serious misrepresentation as to what it can do, to the great prejudice of or damage to the general public,” which is a ground for the revocation of a corporation’s certificate of registration under Presidential Decree No. 902-A. — Keren Concepcion G. Valmonte

Asa Miller vows to bounce back strong in giant slalom

February 15, 2022 | 12:02 am

FIL-AM alpine skier Asa Miller vowed to bounce back strong after a disappointing performance in the giant slalom on Sunday in the Beijing Winter Olympics at the Ice River.

Mr. Miller, 21, had a DNF (did not finish) in his first of two events and admitted he lost focus in the race that had harsh conditions due to the sudden snowfall and nearly zero visibility in the track.

“I just have to stick to my plan for the next race,” said Mr. Miller, whose campaign is fully supported by the Philippine Sports Commission chaired by William Ramirez.

Mr. Miller, however, did not use the treacherous conditions and the weather as an excuse, which resulted to 32 of the 84 participants getting DNFs including himself.

“I’d kind of lost my focus when I got into the gate for so long waiting, and forgot what I want to think about, so I need to make sure to stick to my plan for slalom on Wednesday,” said the Oregon native.

Will Gregorak, Mr. Miller’s coach, said Mr. Miller made a mistake by skiing not to finish “but to run” and go for a strong result.

To get back his focus, Mr. Miller took a break on Monday and watched the medal ceremony wherein Swiss Marco Odermatt, Slovenian Zan Kranjec and French Mathieu Faivre received their gold, silver and bronze, respectively, and the other events with his dad, Kelly Miller.

“I’m pretty bummed about that [DNF], but I went out skiing my hardest and I went fast,” said Mr. Miller. “Ski racing is a hard sport. A lot of the best skiers struggled yesterday [Sunday], and a lot of people didn’t finish so I’m happy that I put my best out there and laid it on the line.”

He will be back to training today, or on the eve of his final event — giant slalom.

“I’m looking forward to the slalom and I know I will put my best out there again and hopefully things align and we get a nice result,” he said. — Joey Villar

Mayora Group teams up with plastic waste management firms in the Philippines

February 15, 2022 | 12:02 am

THE PT Mayora Indah Group (Mayora Group) has partnered with two plastic waste management companies, in an effort to improve garbage collection and plastic recycling projects in Metro Manila.

“With the help of Plastic Credit Exchange (PCX) and Green Antz, the Mayora Group equips communities with the right resources not only to promote sustainability, but also, create livelihood opportunities and upgrade local road safety protocols,” Mayora Group said in a statement.

Mayora Group said it tapped Green Antz for the upcycling of plastic waste to bollards to be used by the residents of Manila and Pasay cities. Around 800 shredded plastic laminated bollards were donated to Pasay City through the management of Light Rail Transit-1 (LRT-1). These bollards will guide commuters and bicycle riders while navigating the roads surrounding the LRT-1 train stations.

Also, Mayora Group teamed up with PCX to launch their own Aling Tindera beneficiary and sought the help of female sari-sari store owners in Manila in the collection of trash using refurbished container vans.

“Under this project, the Mayora Group joins PCX in providing micro-enterprises with opportunities to expand their network within the communities, and eventually acquire a new source of income through the exchange of collected waste with cash,” it said.

Death on the Nile besting Marry Me in quiet Super Bowl weekend showdown

February 15, 2022 | 12:02 am

Armie Hammer and Emma Mackey in Death on the Nile (2022) — Emma Mackey and Armie Hammer in Death on the Nile (2022) — IMDB.COM

LOS ANGELES — There’s a battle between love and Death this weekend at the North American box office, as the Jennifer Lopez rom-com Marry Me and Kenneth Branagh’s follow-up to his 2017 whodunit Murder on the Orient Express both attempt to lure older audiences back to movie theaters in their openings. Death on the Nile looks to bow at No. 1 with a muted $12.8 million from 3,912 locations, while Marry Me will follow with an expected $8 million intake.

Disney and 20^th Century Studios’ Death on the Nile, based on the famous Agatha Christie novel, took in $5.1 million on Friday, an underwhelming tally. That’s only half as much as the opening day gross of its predecessor Murder on the Orient Express ($10.7 million), which eventually legged it out to a $102 million domestic gross. While Gal Gadot’s character Linnet Ridgeway-Doyle may have enough champagne to fill the Nile in the film, it seems dubious that the whodunit could sell enough tickets to fill the $90 million hole left by its production budget.

While sequels are usually expected to build on the financial success of their predecessors, the box office fate of Death on the Nile may have seemed prewritten for quite some time now. The production was greenlit shortly after the release of Murder on the Orient Express and was subsequently inherited by Disney after the studio’s acquisition of 20^th Century Fox was finalized in 2019. Many of Disney’s projects rooted in the Fox era have been perceived as financial disappointments, with films like West Side Story, The Last Duel, and The King’s Man coming up short at the box office.

Additionally, the release has faced a litany of other issues, including several delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic and accusations of rape and sexual abuse levied against Armie Hammer, one of the film’s more prominent stars. The whodunit has had an extremely quiet rollout with little to no effort made at a press tour.

Directed by Kenneth Branagh, the adaptation follows the mustachioed detective Hercule Poirot (also Branagh) as he attempts to solve a murder on board a glamorous river cruise in Egypt. The film boasts a deep cast of stars that includes Gadot, Annette Bening, Russell Brand, and Letitia Wright. Variety’s Owen Gleiberman had praise for the film, writing that it is “crisper and craftier than Murder on the Orient Express; it’s a moderately diverting dessert that carries you right along. It never transcends the feeling that you’re seeing a relic injected with life serum, but that, in a way, is part of its minor-league charm.”

Elsewhere, Universal’s Marry Me is looking to debut in third place. The studio projects an $8 million weekend gross from 3,642 locations. While Death on the Nile is bowing exclusively in theaters, Marry Me is debuting day-and-date on NBCUniversal’s streaming platform Peacock.

Romantic comedies hardly carry much box office weight anymore, with 2018’s Crazy Rich Asians representing the last smash hit in the genre. However, with a modest production budget of $23 million, a B+ CinemaScore indicating positive audience reception and both Valentine’s Day and the President’s Day holiday weekend on the horizon, Universal is anticipating a happy ending for the release.

Marry Me stars Lopez as a pop star who decides to get married to a total stranger (Owen Wilson) during one of her concerts. Together, the two must face Lopez’s toxic ex (Maluma) and see if their shotgun wedding can turn into true love. In his review of Marry Me, Gleiberman complimented the film’s self-awareness of its preposterous plot, writing: “The bar for rom-coms is not high, and this one, ludicrous as it often is, inches over the bar. But I would no more call it a good movie than I’d pretend fast food is high in nutrients.”

Meanwhile, Briarcliff Entertainment’s Liam Neeson-led action thriller Blacklight is estimated to bring in $2.89 million from 2,772 locations in its domestic debut, opening outside the box office’s top five.

Sandwiched between the two top new releases is Paramount’s Jackass Forever, which should take the box office’s runner-up slot with a projected $8.3 million gross. That’s a 65% drop from its debut last weekend, a figure that’s roughly in line with the 58% drop that its predecessor, Jackass 3D, faced in its sophomore outing in 2010. By the end of the weekend, Jackass Forever should push its domestic haul past $37 million, a figure well beyond its production budget of $10 million.

The sci-fi disaster spectacular Moonfall is having a much less enjoyable sophomore outing. After opening to a slim $10 million, the film is facing a rough 75% drop in its second weekend. With a reported production budget of $140 million, Moonfall ranks as one of the most expensive independently financed films ever made. Lionsgate is only handling distribution.

Sony and Columbia Pictures’ Spider-Man: No Way Home should take fourth place in its umpteenth weekend at the box office. The MCU monster hit has been enjoying a smooth finish in its domestic run, with this weekend’s projected $7 million gross representing a mere 26% drop from its previous outing. No Way Home should reach the third place slot on the all-time domestic box office earners sometime next week, pushing past Avatar ($760 million) in the record books. — Reuters

Netbank launches open product testing platform

February 15, 2022 | 12:01 am

NETBANK has launched an open platform where companies can browse and test its services. — NORDWOOD THEMES/UNSPLASH

NETBANK launched an openly accessible platform where Philippine companies can browse and test services, which they can embed in their own products.

“While some larger local banks have started to offer banking services through API (application programming interface), none have built the technology and the business from scratch, as we have done at Netbank,” Netbank Co-founder Gus Poston said in a statement.

Through the Netbank Virtual platform, financial institutions can do a self-service onboarding process when trying Netbank’s services. They will have access to a dashboard where they can generate their credentials, track their transactions, and manage their corporate bank accounts.

The platform will also serve as a sandbox environment where institutions can test different products to check how they fit their own offerings and processes.

Netbank will offer low-cost, high-quality banking services on a white-labeled basis to companies.

Through the platform, these entities can try Netbank’s open financial services such as account-as-a-service, which will allow entities to introduce digitally allowing clients to open bank accounts. It already includes electronic Know Your Customer process, account creation, and account management.

Other services that can be tried and tested through the platform are disburse-to-account and virtual account features, as well as loan and card management.

“Netbank Virtual allows fintechs to offer a much wider range of services, which will accelerate innovation and achieve the central bank’s goals of greater financial inclusion,” Mr. Poston said.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is hoping to bring 70% of adult Filipinos into the financial system by 2023.

The central bank launched an open finance framework last year, which allows for customer consent-driven data sharing among institutions that follow the same data security standards. It is expected to be useful in Know Your Customer and credit underwriting processes, among others. — L.W.T. Noble

First Gen’s Avion plant now running on gas and liquid fuel

February 15, 2022 | 12:01 am

LOPEZ-LED First Gen Corp. said on Monday that Unit 1 of its two-unit 97-megawatt (MW) Avion power plant is now running on both natural gas and liquid fuel.

“As an update to our Feb. 7 disclosure which advised that Unit 1 of the 97-MW Avion Power Plant is commercially available on natural gas, we are advising that the unit is now also commercially available on liquid fuel,” Frist Gen said in a disclosure to the stock exchange.

Avion is owned by First Gen’s wholly owned subsidiary Prime Meridian Powergen Corp.

The company said last week that although the unit is partially running on natural gas, its manufacturer General Electric (GE) will continue recommissioning and testing activities using liquid fuel.

The repairs were done due to damaged compressors in the gas turbine of the 48.5-MW Avion Unit 1 in December last year.

Located in the First Gen compound in Batangas City, Avion is one of five power plants that source fuel from the offshore Malampaya natural gas field in Palawan.

It began operating on Sept. 26, 2016 and is said to be the first power facility to operate on aircraft engines for land-based power generation in the country.

Half of Avion’s capacity is contracted to National Grid Corp. of the Philippines for the grid’s ancillary services, while the other half is sold to the wholesale electricity spot market.

Shares of First Gen in the local bourse, closed unchanged at P27.00 apiece on Monday. — M.C. Lucenio

Entertainment News (02/15/22)

February 15, 2022 | 12:01 am

269130595_3905806103051413_8892376270610341121_n — FACEBOOK.COM/GMAWOWOWIN

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Willie Revillame leaves GMA for Villar-backed network

TV HOST Willie Revillame will be moving to the Villar-linked Advanced Media Broadcasting System (AMBS) network. He confirmed the move during the final episode of his long-running TV variety show on GMA, Wowowin, on Friday. GMA said in a statement that Mr. Revillame’s contract with the network ends today, Feb. 15, and that the final broadcast of his show was on Feb. 11. “We Wish him good luck in his future endeavors,” the statement read. While his position with the new network is vague as of now — Mr. Villar told the TV host that they still lacked basic network infrastructure like transmitters and studios — he opted not to sign GMA’s new contract which had been on his desk for a month. According to Mr. Revillame, he was leaving GMA for “delicadeza” as it would not be right to continue having a show with GMA while making plans with a rival station. Mr. Revillame had been under contract with GMA for the last six years. Previous to that, he had worked on a series of shows under ABS-CBN since 1998, including Wowowee, a gameshow best remembered for a stampede which killed 73 people and injured 400 in 2006. The National Telecommunications Commission granted AMBS provisional authority to use what had been ABS-CBN’s digital Channel 16. ABS-CBN lost its broadcast frequencies last year when Congress refused to renew its franchise in 2020.

Muni-Muni Stories talks to Jadaone, Millare

IN EPISODE 7 of the 2^nd season of Muni-Muni Stories, film director Antoinette Jadaone and singer-songwriter Armi Millar discuss the music of the 2019 film Alone/Together. The film follows two college sweethearts who reunite after breaking up eight years before. Now leading different lives, their reunion takes them back to their youthful dreams and reawakens feelings they had for each other. Reflecting on scenes shot in hospitals, universities, and museums, this podcast episode takes a deep dive into the song, “Kapit,” written and performed by Ms. Millare. She is joined by the film’s director, Ms. Jadaone, in conversation about the importance of holding on to personal truth in the face of change and uncertainty. Muni-Muni Stories, a podcast co-produced by Filipinas Heritage Library (FHL) and Podcast Network Asia, is exclusively available on Spotify. In its second season, the podcast has heavyweights in the film and music industries talk about official soundtracks in Pinoy movies.

PLDT Home releases music series

PLDT HOME this month releases a new musical anthology that celebrates the power of digital connections despite social distance. #SpeedthatMovesYou is a two-episode series narrating different kinds of love. It stars Gigi de Lana, Markus Paterson, and Kaori Oinuma. The mini-series is available online on the PLDT Home YouTube channel. The first episode, “The Duet,” is the story of a popular singer-songwriter struggling under the pressure to create successful music records, who finds solace in writing music for himself and posting it anonymously. He meets a young talented singer who also posts anonymously because of fear of the spotlight. The second episode, “The Confession,” is about Abbie, a college student/professional gamer/streamer who has amassed a considerable following online. Eager to gain her OFW mother’s approval, Abbie juggles her studies and her eSports, which she hides from her mother. The mini-series’ theme song, “Speed of Love,” performed by Gigi de Lana, Markus Paterson, and Kaori Oinuma and written by Jonathan Manalo, is available on Spotify.

Jeremy G releases debut EP

SINGER Jeremy G shares his thoughts on romantic relationships in his debut extended play (EP) maybe forever. “We often think all romantic relationships reliably progress from the initial meet to infatuation, to a series of small trials, and finally to happily-ever-after. Love is a journey without a final destination,” the artist said in a statement. The EP includes tracks written, composed, and co-produced by the singer including the first single “someday,” along with “who knows,” “forever maybe,” and “sunflower.” The EP is available on various digital music platforms.

Angelina Cruz releases new single

POP singer Angelina Cruz has released her latest single, “Ayoko Lang,” which is about life after a breakup. Filipino-Canadian Ricky Tillo, Lady Gaga’s tour guitarist, performs on the song. Ms. Cruz debuted in the music scene in 2017 with her version of “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” Her stripped-back cover of “Hanggang Kailan” by Orange & Lemons in 2018 now has over 10 million streams on Spotify. “Ayoko Lang” is available on digital streaming platforms under Universal Records.

Jurassic World Dominion in PH cinemas in June

CHRIS PRATT, Bryce Dallas Howard, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum and Sam Neill return to the world of Jurassic Park with Jurassic World Dominion. The film takes place four years after Isla Nublar has been destroyed. Dinosaurs now live and hunt alongside humans all over the world. This fragile balance will reshape the future and determine whether human beings are to remain the apex predators on a planet they now share with history’s most fearsome creatures. The film features new cast members DeWanda Wise, Mamoudou Athie, Dichen Lachman, Scott Haze, and Campbell Scott. Jurassic World Dominion is produced by franchise producers Frank Marshall and Patrick Crowley and is executive produced by Steven Spielberg, Alexandra Derbyshire, and Colin Trevorrow. Jurassic World Dominion premieres in Philippine cinemas in June. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/universalpicturesph.

The Adam Project on Netflix

DIRECTED by Shawn Levy, The Adam Project follows a time-traveling pilot who teams up with his younger self and his late father to come to terms with his past while saving the future. It stars Ryan Reynolds, Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Garner, Walker Scobell, Catherine Keener, and Zoe Saldaña. The Adam Project premieres on March 11.

New schedule for news magazine show

FROM GTV, the fast-paced news magazine program Dapat Alam Mo! now airs on GMA-7 on weekdays at 5:30 p.m. In the show, anchors Emil Sumangil, Patricia Tumulak, and Kuya Kim Atienza provide viewers with the news of the day and public service, as well as feel-good features and trivia. Launched last October on GTV, the GMA Public Affairs program has become one of the country’s top 20 news and public affairs programs based on Nielsen Philippines’ official data for 2021.

Uncharted premieres in PH on Feb. 23

COLUMBIA Pictures’s new videogame-based film, Uncharted follows the game’s characters Nathan Drake and Victor “Sully” Sullivan. Moviegoers will see how the two joined forces and how a young Nathan Drake became a famed treasure hunter. It is directed by Ruben Fleischer (Venom, Zombieland) and stars Tom Holland as Nathan Drake, and Mark Wahlberg as Sully. The film will be shown in the Philippines starting Feb. 23.