Smart is Comelec debates’ network provider

March 31, 2022 | 12:03 am

PANGILINAN group’s Smart Communications, Inc., the wireless arm of PLDT, Inc., is the official network provider of the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) debates, the company said on Wednesday.

“Teaming up with Impact Hub Manila, the organization behind Vote Pilipinas, the official voter information campaign partner of Comelec, Smart is an official partner and official network provider of ‘PiliPinas Debates 2022: The Turning Point,’” the company said in an e-mailed statement.

The Comelec has scheduled two presidential debates for March and April. Vice-presidential candidates took the podium in March.

Smart said the Comelec also plans to hold separate town hall format debates in April.

“The debate series aims to help voters scrutinize the candidates as the country inches closer to the May 9 polls,” it noted.

Jane J. Basas, senior vice-president and head of consumer wireless business at Smart, said the company is in a “unique position to support the Comelec in helping voters choose our country’s next leaders and ignite their passion to live smart and vote smart.”

PHILIPPINES AIRASIA
Meanwhile, low-cost carrier Philippines AirAsia, Inc. said it also signed a partnership deal with Vote Pilipinas “to further promote voter education and responsible voting in the country.”

Under the partnership, the airline will serve as Vote Pilipinas’ communications partner in broadcasting the series of voter education webinars and presidential and vice-presidential debates to more than 12 million followers of its airasia Super App Facebook page.

Ricardo P. Isla, Philippines AirAsia chief executive officer, said the airline will “always be apolitical but we want to take part in proactively encouraging Filipinos to exercise their right to suffrage.”

“It is through this partnership with Vote Pilipinas that we responsibly play our part in nation building, especially shaping the next six years of our country which is crucial to exiting the pandemic,” he added.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Jada Pinkett-Smith says it’s a ‘season for healing’ after Oscars incident

March 31, 2022 | 12:03 am

Jada-Pinkett-Smith-in-Gotham-2014 — Jada Pinkett-Smith as Fish Mooney in the TV show Gotham. — IMDB.COM

Jada Pinkett-Smith as Fish Mooney in the TV show Gotham.
— IMDB.COM

LOS ANGELES — Jada Pinkett-Smith promoted healing in an Instagram post on Tuesday, her first public comment since her husband slapped comedian Chris Rock at this year’s Academy Awards ceremony.

Will Smith unexpectedly strode onto the Oscars stage on Sunday and slapped Rock in the face in response to a joke about his wife’s bald head. Pinkett Smith, an actor and talk show host, has a medical condition that causes hair loss.

In an Instagram post on Tuesday, Ms. Pinkett-Smith said:

“This is a season for healing. And I’m here for it.”

She did not mention Mr. Rock’s joke or the slapping incident specifically.

On Monday, Will Smith apologized to Mr. Rock, the film academy, the show’s producers and viewers, saying his behavior was unacceptable and he had “reacted emotionally” to a joke about his wife’s medical condition.

Mr. Rock had referenced the 1997 film G.I. Jane in which actress Demi Moore shaved her head. It was unclear whether Mr. Rock was aware that Ms. Pinkett-Smith has a disease that causes hair loss.

Less than an hour after the attack on Mr. Rock, Mr. Smith was named best actor for his portrayal of the father of tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams in King Richard.

The 9,900-member Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences condemned Mr. Smith’s actions on Monday and said it was reviewing the matter.

If the group determines Mr. Smith violated its standards of conduct, members could expel the actor from the organization, revoke his Oscar, or make him ineligible for future awards.

Mr. Rock has not publicly commented about the incident.

The 94^th Academy Awards ceremony was watched by an average of 16.6 million US viewers on Walt Disney Co.’s ABC, according to updated ratings figures released on Tuesday. That was an increase of 58% from the historically small audience in 2021. But it was still the second-lowest viewership on record, part of an across-the-board decline in people watching live awards shows.

The night’s most-watched moment came when Troy Kotsur made history as the first deaf man to win an Oscar, winning the best supporting actor award for his role in CODA. The audience at that moment totaled close to 17.7 million viewers, according to Nielsen figures.

About 17.3 million were watching when Smith attacked Rock. The audience then dropped to 16.8 million but rose to 17.4 million when Smith gave a tearful speech as he accepted the best actor trophy. — Reuters

Yields on term deposits decline on lower oil prices, peso’s climb

March 31, 2022 | 12:02 am

YIELDS on the central bank’s term deposits declined as oil prices fell due to worries over the impact of the lockdown in major Chinese cities on demand and as the peso appreciated in the past few days.

Total tenders for the term deposit facility amounted to P538.809 billion on Wednesday, well above the P390-billion offering as well as the P514.845 billion in bids in the previous auction.

Broken down, bids for the seven-day deposits amounted to P211.867 billion, which is higher than the P160-billion offering and the P198.738 billion in tenders last week.

Accepted rates were from 1.85% to 1.96%, slimmer than the 1.83% to 2% band seen a week ago. This caused the average rate of the one-week papers to decrease by 1.42 basis points (bps) to 1.9325% from 1.9467% previously.

Meanwhile, the 14-day papers attracted bids amounting to P326.942 billion, surpassing the P230-billion offer of the BSP as well as the P316.107 billion in tenders a week earlier.

Banks asked for yields ranging from 1.89% to 2%, a narrower band than the 1.8825% to 2.1% margin seen on March 23. With this, the average rate of the two-week deposits fell by 5.68 bps to 1.9806% from 2.0374% in the prior auction.

The central bank has not offered 28-day term deposits for more than a year to give way to its weekly auctions of securities with the same tenor.

The term deposits and the 28-day bills are used by the BSP to gather excess liquidity in the financial system and to better guide market rates.

Term deposit yields dropped following the decline in global oil prices, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said in a Viber message.

Reuters reported that fuel prices closed 2% lower on Tuesday amid the progress between Russia and Ukraine’s negotiation.

Analysts have also said that concerns over the impact of the lockdown in some Chinese cities amid the surge in coronavirus disease 2019 infections on fuel demand also caused the decline in oil prices.

On Wednesday, oil prices rebounded due to tight supply and concerns regarding new sanctions imposed by Western economies to Russia while their peace talks are ongoing.

Mr. Ricafort said term deposit facility yields were also down as the peso strengthened against the dollar recently.

The peso finished at P52.075 per dollar on Tuesday, gaining 5.5 centavos from its P52.13 close on Monday. This was the peso’s strongest finish in three weeks or since it ended at P51.74 on March 4. — Luz Wendy T. Noble with Reuters

Huawei net income up despite US sanctions

March 31, 2022 | 12:02 am

HUAWEI Investment & Holding Co., Ltd., a global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices, on Monday said its net profit rose last year despite sanctions imposed by the United States and slowing demand for 5G in China.

The company’s net income went up 75.9% year on year to $17.8 billion in 2021 even as its revenues fell 29% to $99.9 billion from $139.9 billion in 2020.

Jun Zhang, director of Huawei Asia-Pacific’s public relations department, said though the US’ restrictions had a huge impact on Huawei, its main ICT infrastructure business has remained stable “thanks to the trust of our customers.”

“New business segments like digital power and cloud grew rapidly, and its ecosystem development efforts have entered the fast lane,” he said to Philippine media in an interview following the March 28 press conference. “In the context of accelerating digital transformation, there are strong market demands for innovative digital solutions and high-quality suppliers,” he added.

US President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. in November signed a law to prevent companies like Huawei deemed as security threats from receiving new equipment licenses from US regulators.

The technology firm has been on the US’ “non-entity” list since 2019, which prevents US companies from selling products to the Chinese mobile giant without permission.

Huawei’s ability to “survive and thrive” moving forward depends on ongoing investment in development, its rotating chairman Guo Ping said.

“Our fight to survive is not over yet,” Mr. Guo told global media at the conference. “No matter what comes our way, we will keep investing. That is the only way forward.”

Among the company’s 2021 initiatives are the launch of 11 scenario-based solutions for sectors such as transportation, manufacturing, and finance; the launch of more than 50 scenario-based cloud services through its Expertise as a Service (EaaS); and the launch of more than 30 intelligent automotive components for car OEMs (original equipment manufacturers).

Huawei also announced on Monday its focus on three key R&D (research and development) areas: systems architecture, software enhancement, and studies of fundamental theories.

The company’s R&D expenditure amounted to $22.4 billion in 2021 or 22.4% of its revenue.

Huawei is also investing in the cultivation of ICT talents. In Southeast Asia, the company is looking to invest $50 million over the next few years to develop 500,000 digital talents, including 100,000 in Indonesia.

In the Philippines, its global CSR flagship program Seeds for the Future has benefited over 200 students in enhancing their knowledge and appreciation of the ICT sector. Its Huawei Scholarship program has likewise provided financial assistance to 22 scholars from the country’s top five universities.

“We will continue to invest in [digital] talents and R&D to ensure our long-term innovation,” said Meng Wanzhou, Huawei chief financial officer. — Patricia B. Mirasol

Ateneo, La Salle face different foes for early solo lead

March 31, 2022 | 12:02 am

TylerTio2 — ATENEO Blue Eagles’ Tio Tyler attempting a basket over two FEU Tamaraws. — UAAP

By John Bryan Ulanday

ARCHRIVALS Ateneo and La Salle prime up against different opponents on Thursday to maintain perfect slates and a joint lead ahead of their highly-anticipated clash this weekend in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 84 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Pacing the league’s footrace under a compressed season due to a bubble setting, the three-time defending champion Blue Eagles (2-0) on a 28-game rampage collide with Adamson (1-1) at 10 a.m. followed by the match of Green Archers (2-0) versus Far Eastern University (FEU) (1-1) at 1 p.m.

University of the Philippines (UP) (1-1), then, shoots for a second straight victory against revenge-seeking National University (NU) (1-1) at 4 p.m. before the battle of winless squads between University of the East (UE) (0-2) and Santo Tomas (0-2) in the main game at 7 p.m.

The separate acts of Ateneo and La Salle serve as a fitting prelude to their early collision course on Saturday with hopes of keeping an unblemished card by then to cap off UAAP’s loaded opening week.

Both squads took care of their first two assignments so far with Ateneo clobbering UP, 90-81, and FEU, 79-70. La Salle, for its part, carved out wins against UE, 71-66, and NU, 59-55.

For the Blue Eagles, their 2-0 start stretched their winning streak since 2018 to 28 games which, however, should be the least of their concerns moving forward according to coach Tab Baldwin.

“Those games are behind us and they’re irrelevant now. The only game that matters now is Adamson. We’re just worried about what’s in front of us, not what’s behind us,” he said.

The Green Archers under returning mentor Derrick Pumaren, likewise, are taking it one step at a time built on a defense-first mantra after limiting their first two opponents to only 60.5 points.

“Defense is a weapon for us offensively. We always try to make a stop and force the other team to throw the basketball away,” said Mr. Pumaren, who steered La Salle to its first UAAP title in 1989, on their clash against FEU.

Tax court sides with financial holding firm in case vs BIR

March 31, 2022 | 12:02 am

THE Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) has granted the appeal of New York Bay Philippines, Inc. or NYB Philippines to reconsider the refund of its unused input value-added tax (VAT) traced to zero-rated sales for the four quarters of 2015.

In a resolution on March 24, the CTA en banc denied the claim of the commissioner of internal revenue (CIR) to deny the appeal and remanded the petition for review to the CTA First Division to decide on the proper refundable amount.

The petitioner is a financial holding company primarily engaged in credit intermediation and related activities.

Under the law, respondent CIR has the authority to decide, approve and grant claims for a tax refund.

The company asked the court to reverse the decision that partially granted P9.6 million of its unutilized input VAT for the four quarters of 2015. It asked the CTA en banc to refund the remaining P37.3 million of the original P46.8 million of excess VAT.

The previous ruling of the CTA division said that the company failed to prove that the services rendered to TF International, one of its foreign clients, were not in the same category as “processing, manufacturing or repacking of goods,” and services rendered were not “performed” in the Philippines.

The court ruled that the addenda to the service agreement between the foreign client and its parent company cover NYB Philippines’ sales of services to both entities. The addenda clarified the complete name of TF International and recognized it as a non-resident foreign corporation not engaged in business in the Philippines.

“Given that the Service Agreement to the TF Remittance extends to TF International pursuant to the Addenda, the relevant provisions in the Service Agreement, insofar as it proves that services rendered are not in the same category as ‘processing, manufacturing or repacking of goods’ and that services were not performed in the Philippines, also apply to TF International,” The CTA en banc’s ruling said. It added that sales to the foreign corporation qualified for a VAT zero-rating.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) commissioner argued that the court should not have given due course to the company’s appeal, claiming that the petitioner did not submit complete supporting documents in the claim for refund.

“In any case, the non-submission of complete supporting documents at the administrative level is not fatal to NYB Philippines’ judicial claim for refund as the Court of Tax Appeals is not limited by the evidence presented at the administrative level,” the court said. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

CNN+ subscription streaming news service launches

March 31, 2022 | 12:02 am

CNN launched its streaming news service CNN+ on Tuesday with a mix of familiar faces such as Anderson Cooper and Chris Wallace, original series and new features like the Interview Club, where viewers pose their own questions to experts.

The cable news pioneer is seeking to capitalize on the confluence of two trends, the rising popularity of streaming video and growth of digital subscriptions at major news organizations. With its acquisition of The Athletic, The New York Times in February reported it had surpassed 10 million subscribers, the majority of whom are digital-only subscribers.

“CNN+ is the most important initiative that CNN launched since Ted Turner founded the network 42 years ago,” Andrew Morse, chief digital officer for CNN Worldwide who oversees the new streaming service, said in an interview with Reuters.

The launch comes just days ahead of the anticipated closing of the sale of CNN parent WarnerMedia to Discovery, Inc. Chris Licht, the executive producer of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on CBS, will become chairman and chief executive of CNN Global in May.

The subscription service made its debut in the United States on Amazon Fire TV and on Android and Apple devices, and it costs $5.99 a month. Those who subscribe within the first four weeks receive a 50% discount permanently until they stop subscribing.

The cable news pioneer won’t re-purpose its newscasts online, as services like NBCUniversal’s Peacock does, which provides viewers with on-demand access to the NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt.

The network also provides NBC News NOW, a free streaming network that provides live breaking news coverage. Its cable news unit, MSNBC, plans to expand streaming this spring with a dedicated hub on Peacock.

CNN+ will offer a combination of live, on-demand and interactive programming, with an emphasis on original content.

Former NPR All Things Considered host Audie Cornish will be doing weekly in-depth interviews, and CNN chief media correspondent Brian Stelter will offer daily installments of his Reliable Sources e-mail newsletter and Sunday show.

CNN+ will feature original series including The Murdochs: Empire of Influence, based on Jonathan Mahler and Jim Rutenberg’s New York Times Magazine article about the legacy of media mogul Rupert Murdoch.

“There is a major opportunity for news organizations to capture an audience that they’re not connecting with,” said Christy Tanner, the former general manager of CBS News Digital. — Reuters

RCBC vows to stop financing coal plants by 2031

March 31, 2022 | 12:01 am

RIZAL COMMERCIAL Banking Corp. (RCBC) pledged to entirely remove their exposure to coal financing by 2031 and to boost lending to renewable projects as it moves towards sustainability.

“As part of RCBC’s commitment to the environment and to the world we all live in, we are phasing out lending to coal-fired power plants by 2031,” RCBC President and Chief Executive Officer Eugene S. Acevedo said in a statement.

RCBC’s coal exposure is amortizing every year and will decline until it zeroes out in 2031.

“A call to be part of the net zero revolution has started. Businesses need to redouble efforts in order to reach net zero. Much more needs to be learned on how sustainable finance can contribute to this,” Mr. Acevedo said.

The bank in December 2020 declared it will stop financing new coal-fired power projects in the country. This was following the Department of Energy’s imposition of a nationwide moratorium on coal.

RCBC is in the process of closing funding deals for renewable energy like solar, hydro, and geothermal projects with a combined capacity of 1.6 gigawatts (GW). These deals are expected to be completed in the next one to two years, said RCBC Corporate Banking Group head Elizabeth E. Coronel.

The bank has funded 3.06 GW of renewable energy projects since 2012.

In February, the bank raised P14.756 billion through its offering of sustainability bonds. Its proceeds will be used for purposes that are in line with RCBC’s sustainable finance framework.

In the same month, the bank launched green time deposits where minimum investments start at P5,000. The funds raised will finance sustainability projects related to renewable energy, pollution prevention and control, energy efficiency, sustainable water management, and clean transportation.

RCBC’s net income climbed by 41.1% to P7.083 billion in 2021, which was the highest in five years. This was backed by improved performance of its core businesses and the lower loan loss provisions.

The Yuchengco-led lender’s shares closed unchanged at P20.50 per piece on Wednesday. — Luz Wendy T. Noble

Hackers steal about $600 million in one of the biggest crypto heists

March 31, 2022 | 12:01 am

HACKERS stole about $600 million from a blockchain network connected to the popular Axie Infinity online game in one of the biggest crypto attacks to date.

Computers known as nodes operated by Axie Infinity maker Sky Mavis and the Axie DAO that support a so-called bridge — software that lets people convert tokens into ones that can be used on another network — were attacked, with the hacker draining what’s known as the Ronin Bridge of 173,600 Ether and 25.5 million USDC tokens in two transactions. The breach happened on March 23, but was only discovered on Tuesday, according to Ronin, the blockchain that supports Axie Infinity.

The attack is the latest to show that bridges are often rife with problems. The computer code of many isn’t audited, allowing for hackers to exploit vulnerabilities. It’s often unclear who runs them and exactly how. Identities of validators, who are supposed to order transactions on bridges, are often shrouded in mystery. And yet there are thousands of bridges out there, and they move hundreds of million of dollars worth of crypto.

“The fact that nobody notices for six days screams aloud that some structure should be in place to watch illicit transfers,” said Wilfred Daye, head of Securitize Capital, the asset-management arm of Securitize, Inc.

The price of Ron, a token used on the Ronin blockchain, dropped about 22% after the hack was disclosed. AXS, a token used in Axie Infinity, fell around 8.5%, according to CoinMarketCap.

In its blog, Ronin said it’s in touch with major cryptocurrency exchanges and with blockchain tracer Chainalysis to monitor the move of the stolen funds. Ronin also said it’s working with law enforcement. Ronin didn’t immediately return requests for comment.

The stolen funds went to two cryptocurrency exchanges, according to blockchain forensics firm Elliptic. Several exchanges acknowledged the hack without confirming that the funds had been moved there.

Huobi tweeted that it would “fully support Axie Infinity in the aftermath of the attack. Sam Bankman-Fried, who runs the FTX cryptocurrency exchange, said in an e-mail that it would assist on the blockchain forensics.

The Ronin hack follows the February attack on the Wormhole bridge, which resulted in more than $300 million in losses that one of Wormhole’s sponsors, Jump Crypto, reimbursed. Other crypto bridges have suffered from so-called rug pulls when their founders disappeared and had issues when their key developers have gone rogue.

“In this case, the issue was that the bridge was highly centralized — the theft came as a result of someone hacking the ‘validator nodes’ of the Ronin Bridge,” said Tom Robinson, co-founder of Elliptic. “Funds can be moved out of the bridge if five of the nine validators approve it. The hacker managed to get hold of the private cryptographic keys belonging to five of the validators — so that was enough to steal the crypto assets.”

Hacks at bridges can threaten the entire ecosystem of decentralized apps, called dapps, from games to lending services. A bridge would typically take a user’s Ether and put it in a smart contract. Then it would issue the user an equivalent amount of so-called wrapped Ether, which can be used on this particular non-Ethereum blockchain — like Ronin or Solana — to invest into dapps. If the underlying Ether is stolen, the wrapped Ether becomes worthless, effectively leaving dapps and their users with massive losses.

“If a bridge has the ability to mint tokens, it’s like taking control of the minting machines,” Yat Siu, co-founder of Animoca Brands, an investor into gaming studio Sky Mavis, said in an interview before the hack. “Bridges are authorities at this point, and if they are designed badly or have vulnerabilities, they become a huge risk to the ecosystem.”

To save the entire Solana ecosystem from a direct hit, Jump Crypto bailed out Wormhole last month. Sky Mavis and Ronin haven’t announced any similar plans yet. — Bloomberg

POC ratifies PHILTA’s 90 days suspension, defers PATAFA’s

March 31, 2022 | 12:01 am

POC President Abraham Tolentino — PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

THE Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) cracked the whip on the Philippine Tennis Association (PHILTA) while deferring making a decision against the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) to allow the mediation between the latter and Asian pole vault record-holder Ernest John “EJ” Obiena.

A total of 42 out of 55 voting members, which was more than the required two-thirds vote, ratified PHILTA’s 90-day suspension for failing to follow the International Tennis Federation’s instruction to amend its constitution and by-laws and hold elections.

But while it did not spare PHILTA, the POC showed leniency on PATAFA, which was reported to be close to patching things up with Mr. Obiena.

“In the spirit of sportsmanship and because of the Lenten season, I deferred the move to suspend the PATAFA as decided by the POC Executive Board,” said POC President Abraham Tolentino after the hybrid GA held at the Grandmaster Hotel in Tagaytay City.

“And because of the unfinished mediation procedure between the PATAFA and EJ [Ernest John] Obiena, a vote to suspend the athletics federation wasn’t offered to the GA,” he added.

Philippine Sports Commission chairman William Ramirez happily announced on Tuesday that PATAFA and Mr. Obiena are on the brink of mending fences and could end their row on Thursday.

But if it doesn’t, the congressman from Tagaytay said they could make the harsh decision to ban PATAFA in their GA next month.

“If the Patafa doesn’t endorse EJ [Obiena] in the next GA, the suspension will be decided on the floor,” said Mr. Tolentino. — Joey Villar

Cebu Landmasters launches P1.8-B project in Bacolod

March 31, 2022 | 12:01 am

PROPERTY developer Cebu Landmasters, Inc. (CLI) announced on Wednesday the start of the construction of its four-tower residential complex valued at P1.8 billion in Bacolod City.

“Casa Mira Towers Bacolod Tower 1 opened for selling last month is now 73% sold, generating a sales value of P630 million for 276 units. This is a testament of a robust demand for housing and Bacolod market’s strong acceptance of the project,” the company said in a disclosure.

The residential project offers 1,429 studio and one-bedroom units with areas of 20 to 22 square meters (sq.m.) and 27.75 to 29.75 sq.m., respectively.

It is set to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2026, and will be the second project in Bacolod to carry the Casa Mira brand, which accounted for 41% of the listed company’s record reservation sales of P16.5 billion in 2021.

“Like other Casa Mira properties in VisMin, Casa Mira Towers Bacolod offers a strategic location in Barangay Bata where it is accessible to the city’s business districts, major schools, hospitals and malls,” CLI said.

Around 40% of the project’s 1.12-hectare footprint will be devoted to open space, allowing residents a “more serene in-city living experience.”

Other amenities include a fitness gym, clubhouse, prayer room, viewing deck, play area, an adult and kiddie pool, and ground floor retail spaces.

CLI’s in-house property management firm will prepare backup power measures in case of power outages and provide security systems to “ensure the upkeep and growth in value over the long run of a residential condominium development.”

The real estate company said it is also set to launch more projects in Davao, Palawan, and Cebu.

In 2021, CLI posted an attributable net income of P535.96 million in the third quarter, down 24.5% from P709.78 million in 2020.

From January to September, attributable net income rose 23.3% to P1.85 billion from P1.50 billion previously.

At the stock exchange on Wednesday, CLI shares fell by P0.03 or 1.01% to P2.94 apiece. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson

Dining In/Out (03/31/22)

March 31, 2022 | 12:01 am

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Webinar Mga Kuwentong Pagkain tackles folklore and food

THE WEBINAR Mga Kuwentong Pagkain: Pinoy Food Stories — done in partnership with the University of Hawaii at Mānoa’s Center for Philippine Studies, together with the City College of San Francisco’s Department of Philippine Studies — introduces the different facets of Filipino food mythology and mysticism. The still-growing interest in Filipino food has encouraged research on its various aspects — from heirloom produce, recipes, new ways and uses as well. However, there is still very little written about how traditional knowledge and beliefs rooted in folklore have informed the ways we consume food without even thinking about it today. Chef Giney Villar takes a closer look at the various ways food and other edibles have figured in the creation of stories to explain natural phenomena and other things. Specifically, food that have been assigned magical powers and conversely magical powers that have been assigned to certain plants, animal parts and other edibles. Food historian Felice Sta. Maria will also discuss the history of cacao in the Philippines, as well as the creation of champorado using heirloom rice from the Cordilleras in her video, Balatinaw Heirloom Rice Champorado. The northern Luzon’s narrative of the origin of rice will also be presented, through a shadow play narrative. Session 1, hosted by Paolo Paculan and Pia Arboleda, will be held on April 9 at 9 a.m. (Manila), April 8 at 3 p.m. in Hawaii, and April 8 at 6 p.m. in San Francisco. Interested participants may register through this link: https://tinyurl.com/MKPHawaii2022S1.

Tatatito offers meat-free dishes for Lent

ONE of the newest Filipino food joints in Makati, Tatatito Filipino Home Kitchen opened its doors to diners just a week before Alert Level 1 was announced in Metro Manila, and just in time for the start of Lent (March 2 to April 14). As the Christian tradition involves abstaining from meat every Friday until Holy Week, the newest restaurant venture from the Mc Wilson Food Group makes this choice easier with the restaurant’s selection of meat-free dishes (which will be available all year long). These dishes include crispy Shrimp Okoy and Squash Croquettas for appetizers; Sinigang sa Miso Salmon, Lemongrass Clam Soup; Deep Fried Lapu Lapu with Pomelo, Adobong Baby Pusit, Sweet ‘n’ Sour Camaron, Bistek Bangus, and, Tuna Belly Inasal for mains; and sides like Adobong Kangkong, Ginisang Ampalaya and Mushrooms, and Salted Egg Sitaw. One of the most popular dishes in Tatatito’s menu is the Bamboo Rice, which features flavored rice cooked inside bamboo. It comes in three variants, but its Squash & Crab variant is completely free of red meat. Tatatito Filipino Home Kitchen is located at the ground floor of OPL Bldg., 100 Don Carlos Palanca St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. It is open daily (Mondays to Thursdays, 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; and Saturdays and days from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.). For online orders, call 0991-300-5000 or order through GrabFood and FoodPanda (available in select locations).

Hilton Clark Sun Valley’s Xi launches Yum Cha Fest

HILTON Clark Sun Valley Resort’s Cantonese restaurant Xi recently launched an extensive dim sum menu with its Yum Cha Festival, available Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The festival menu features 30 items to choose from including Barbecued pork buns, Wok-fried “Kung Pao” chicken with nuts, Pork spare ribs, and Har gao. Diners can choose from the Yum Cha menu’s selection of starters, main course, and dessert. Price starts at P1,188 per person. Xi, which offers authentic Cantonese cuisine reinterpreted in a modern way, is open Wednesdays to Sundays for lunch 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and dinner 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 45 598-5400 or 0917-823-1580, or visit clarksunvalleyresort.hilton.com.

Burger King launches plant-based ‘chicken’ sandwich

BURGER King Philippines has announced the launch of its Plant-Based X-tra Long Chicken, which offers the same experience as its best-selling original X-tra Long Chicken but without the meat. After the successful launch of the Plant-Based Whopper in 2020, Burger King Philippines extends its plant-based menu with this new sandwich. It is currently available in all Burger King stores in Luzon and will be available nationwide by the end of March. The Plant-Based X-tra Long Chicken consists of a crispy six-inch plant-based patty developed by The Vegetarian Butcher, topped with fresh lettuce, plant-based mayonnaise, on soft sesame seed buns. The sandwich is available for dine-in, take-out, and delivery.

Jacob’s Creek Classic line launched

JACOB’S Creek Classic, a line of premium yet affordable wines, was introduced to the media in an event held virtually via online conferencing on March 17. Jacob’s Creek is Australia’s top bottled wine brand, with over 8,800 awards and over 170 years of heritage. The company estimates that a million glasses of their premium quality wines are enjoyed all around the world every day. The Jacob’s Creek Classic line stretches across a wide variety of red and white wines, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz Cabernet, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Riesling, just to name a few. The range is ideal for drinkers who seek excellent value for money and top-notch quality in their wines. Jacob’s Creek is also launching a new look for their wine bottles, with a bold, modern curved label harkening to the shape of the water from the namesake creek, as well as the shape of the wine swirling in the glass. The Jacob’s Creek Classic line is available in leading supermarkets and e-commerce sites starting at P449. For more information on Jacob’s Creek wines, follow Jacob’s Creek on Facebook and check out Jacob’s Creek on Boozy.