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Wilcon taps Meralco’s Spectrum to install solar power systems

MSPECTRUM, Inc. is set to install a total of 1,306.46-kilowatt peak of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in five stores of Wilcon Depot, Inc.

“The solar panels will have a combined annual generation capacity of 1.7 million kilowatt hours of clean energy and are expected to reduce Wilcon’s carbon footprint by 1,222 tons annually. This is equivalent to 2.5 million trees planted,” the companies said in a joint media statement on Tuesday.

Manila Electric Co.’s (Meralco) solar company, also known as Spectrum, will install solar panels with a combined annual generation capacity of 1.7 million kilowatt-hours of clean energy. The panels are expected to cut Wilcon’s carbon footprint by 1,222 tons yearly, which is said to be equivalent to planting 2.5 million trees.

The branches that will soon have solar panels on their roof are in: Antipolo, Rizal; General Trias, Cavite; Tayabas, Quezon; Jaro, Iloilo; and Makato, Aklan.

Once fully installed, the project is expected to allow Wilcon to save P5.15 million in power costs every year. Wilcon has already solarized 39 out of its 74 stores nationwide before the partnership with Spectrum.

“Wilcon Depot has partnered with Spectrum in support of our sustainability journey as they speak quality, character, and excellent service in each project. We are thankful to have such an outstanding organization in enabling Wilcon to achieve our sustainability goals,” Wilcon President and Chief Executive Lorraine Belo-Cincochan said, as quoted by Meralco during the ceremonial launch of the solar project held on March 22 in Antipolo City.

Spectrum President and Chief Executive Ferdinand O. Geluz said Wilcon had the foresight in mitigating the impact of unstable fuel prices and low power supply.

“Not only does [solar power] reduce carbon footprint, it also lessens energy costs which drives operational efficiency,” Mr. Geluz said.

Wilcon reported a 22.8% increase in net income to P692 million in the fourth quarter last year, as the retailer’s gross profit margin improved with the higher contribution from its in-house brands. For the whole 2021, the company posted a 76.8% income jump to P2.56 billion.

Meralco, on the other hand, posted a 9.5% increase in core net income in the fourth quarter last year to P6.55 billion as energy sales volume surged. For full-year 2021, the power distribution giant reported a consolidated core net income of P24.61 billion, 13.4% higher than in 2020.

Meralco shares at the stocks exchange climbed P10.80 or 3.01% to close at P369.80 each on Tuesday. — Marielle C. Lucenio

Lift ban on morning-after pills to curb teen pregnancy, NGO urges

UNSPLASH

By lifting the ban on emergency contraceptive (EC) pills, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could help curb high rates of teenage pregnancy in the Philippines, according to reproductive healthcare and family planning advocates. 

“EC pills, which are one possible solution to the teen pregnancy crisis, are taken within 72 hours of sexual activity, but they’re not available in the Philippines,” said Hyam Asher Bolande, chair of DKT Philippines Foundation, a nonprofit organization that works with community health workers to increase contraceptive uptake. 

Teenage pregnancy in the country affects 6% of Filipino girls, the second highest rate in Southeast Asia, he said at a March 15 virtual forum, citing a 2019 report by Save the Children.   

In 2021, President Rodrigo R. Duterte signed an executive order declaring the prevention of teen pregnancy a “national priority.” Since then, the government has tried to ramp up sexual and reproductive health education among the youth.  

EC pills, or morning-after pills, are an undervalued solution that should also be looked into, according to DKT. These have been banned in the Philippines for 20 years.  

“The EC pill is a readily available solution that’s safe, effective, and widely used worldwide (in 147 other countries),” said Mr. Bolande. “Usage studies overseas have shown that young women and girls, in particular, favor this contraceptive method.”  

The last time an EC pill was approved for importation and sale in the country was 2001, when the Bureau of Food and Drugs declared the pill Postinor as “abortifacient,” meaning it causes abortion, and revoked its registration.  

A study by the DKT Philippines Foundation conducted in October 2021 found that 68% of medical doctors involved in family planning believed that the FDA should remove the ban, while 22% were undecided and 10% were opposed to it.   

Experts said that having an EC pill available on the market would help address teen pregnancy, which is projected to bounce back due to the easing of lockdowns.  

“The root causes of the problem [teenage pregnancy] were never addressed. We just had a respite in 2020 because the quarantines kept teenagers at home,” said Dr. Mario Festin, a family planning specialist from the University of the Philippines College of Medicine.   

He added that Levonorgestrel, a component of many oral and hormonal contraceptives, implants, and intrauterine devices (IUDs), is scientifically proven to be safe.  

PURSUIT OF WOMEN’S HEALTH
Mona S. Diones, the Iloilo chapter manager of the Family Planning Organization of the Philippines, shared in a BusinessWorld B-Side podcast episode that opposing views on sex and reproductive health present challenges in a predominantly Catholic country like the Philippines. 

“Our conservatives, they bend towards pro-life policies, which are, most of the time, at odds with pro-choice advocacies,” she said. “The pursuit of women’s health and well-being — we are all promoting the right [of] being empowered women.”  

It is especially difficult to talk about contraceptives, especially for young people who need to access such services. Despite World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines stating that EC pills don’t end pregnancy but just prevent it by delaying the release of eggs from the ovaries, many conservative Filipinos will still oppose their return to the market.  

A previous study done by DKT found that 68% of 500 unmarried, sexually active women aged 18 to 29 have experienced unprotected sex, but only 1 in 4 were aware of EC pills as a means of contraception.   

When told about such pills, 73% of respondents said they would be interested in using them if ever they would become available in the Philippines.   

“EC pills are good for those who don’t have sex often because you will only need to take the pill in the occasions you have sex,” said Dr. Junice L.D. Melgar, director of the Likhaan Center for Women’s Health. It’s also used when other contraception methods fail, such as in cases when a birth control user forgets a dose or a condom slips or breaks during sex.  

Yuzpe Method is the alternative that’s prescribed here in the Philippines since EC pills are not available, she added. Approved by the Department of Health, it involves taking two enlarged doses of daily combined oral contraceptive pills.  

However, since these are not made with that purpose, severe side effects like nausea and vomiting are common among those who resort to the method.  

“This is the motivation for women who, regardless of the non-availability for now of the more effective and more convenient Levonorgestrel, nagtiyatiyaga sa (choose to bear with) side effects ng Yuzpe because it’s the only thing they have,” said Dr. Melgar.  

“The thing they need to balance with that is, what if they get pregnant if they don’t use anything? That’s a big burden to women, especially young women.”  

For this reason, the WHO recommends EC pills over the Yuzpe Method. A 2019 analysis of published research by the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews also found that the EC pill is overall more effective at preventing pregnancy.  

Dr. Melgar added: “Yuzpe is good but it’s really a crime that there is technology that has been available for many years and it’s just denied to women here.” — Brontë H. Lacsamana 

Wild card entry Eala faces Brengle in Miami Open

RAFAEL NADAL ACADEMY IG

ALEX M. Eala faces a tall order in her return to the Miami Open with a tough first-round duel against Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) No. 59 and home bet Madison Brengle at the Hard Rock Stadium on Wednesday.

A wild card entry, the 16-year-old Filipina netter eyes to spring an upset in the lower half of the stacked 128-player field for a chance to meet WTA No. 30 Liudmila Samsonova of Russia in the next round.

Ms. Eala is at 565th of the WTA list, making her mission a giant mountain to scale opposite the 31-year-old American as her highest-ranked opponent so far in her young pro career.

It will be Ms. Eala’s second stint in the Miami Open after gaining a wild card qualifying berth last year. She, however, absorbed a quick first-round exit at the hands of Slovakia’s Viktoria Kuzmova.

This time, Ms. Eala is through to the main draw of the elite tourney that also features No. 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka, second-seeded Iga Świątek, Simona Halep, Angelique Kerber, Coco Gauff, Emma Raducanu, Naomi Osaka, and Filipina-Canadian Leylah Fernandez.

World No. 1 and reigning champion Ashleigh Barty is out of the picture for the meantime after her withdrawal due to her ongoing recovery from consecutive campaigns highlighted by a championship in the  2022 Australian Open.

Ms. Eala’s preparations for the Miami Open included participation in five straight events so far capped by a Round-of-16 finish in the W25 Joue les Tours in France earlier this month. — John Bryan Ulanday

China may push back easing to Q2

ECONOMISTS pushed back their expectations of another cut in China’s reserve requirement ratio (RRR) to next quarter, with the government so far stopping short of giving a clear signal of a near-term policy move.

Only nine of the 21 economists surveyed by Bloomberg expect a cut in the ratio — or the amount of cash banks have to hold in reserve — to happen in March. In the previous survey in February, 15 out of the 20 analysts had predicted a reduction by the end of this month.

Analysts continue to expect the People’s Bank of China (PBoC) to lower the key policy interest rate on its one-year medium-term lending facility by 10 basis points in the second quarter. They forecast a reduction in the de facto benchmark lending rate, the one-year loan prime rate, by the same magnitude in the period.

“Given the momentum in China’s economy slowed at year end, we felt additional stimulus was not required immediately,” said Elliot Clarke, a senior economist at Westpac Banking Corp. Stimulus will “provide a better return if delivered slowly through 2022,” he said.

Analysts started to anticipate another cut in the RRR after a top financial committee met last week and made a strong pledge to boost market confidence. However, the government hasn’t followed up with any specific steps yet, and a State Council meeting on Monday chaired by Premier Li Keqiang didn’t provide a signal on any monetary policy tool that could be used.

The Bloomberg survey of economists was conducted after the financial committee’s meeting last week but before the State Council’s one this week.

The PBoC shifted to an easing bias late last year to support a weakening economy. It guided credit growth higher and delivered a cut in policy interest rates in January. However, the growth outlook has continued to worsen in the wake of the biggest COVID-19 outbreak since the initial cases in Wuhan and financial market turmoil following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Financial Stability and Development Committee, chaired by Vice Premier Liu He, said last week that monetary policy will be more proactive to shore up growth.

The loan prime rates could also be lowered in the second quarter after they were left unchanged on Monday, the China Securities Journal — managed by the official Xinhua News Agency — said in a report Tuesday, citing analysts including Wang Yifeng at Everbright Securities.

“We expect Beijing to continue with piecemeal easing of monetary and fiscal policy, as well as a cautious relaxation of macroprudential standards including for real estate,” said Arjen van Dijkhuizen, senior economist at ABN Amro NV.

The latest Bloomberg survey also shows a cut in economists’ growth projections for this year to 5% from 5.1% in the February poll. That’s lower than the official growth target of about 5.5%.

A new wave of COVID-19 infections have led to regional lockdowns, while a persistent slump in the housing market continues to weigh on economic activity. Weakness in consumption and an expected slowdown in exports later this year all constitute a challenge to the authorities’ growth goal. — Bloomberg

Most unvaccinated children lack antibodies after COVID

TAYLOR BRANDON-UNSPLASH

The following is a summary of some recent studies on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). They include research that warrants further study to corroborate the findings and that has yet to be certified by peer review.

Most children and adolescents do not have COVID-19 antibodies in their blood after recovering from a SARS-CoV-2 infection, new data has confirmed.

Starting in October 2020, researchers in Texas recruited 218 subjects between the ages of 5 and 19 who had recovered from COVID infections at some point in the past. Each provided three blood samples, at three-month intervals. More than 90% were unvaccinated when they enrolled in the study. The first blood test showed infection-related antibodies in only one-third of the children, the researchers reported online Friday in Pediatrics.

Six months later, only half of those with the antibodies still had them. The study was designed to detect the presence of antibodies, which are only one component of the immune system’s defenses, not the amount of antibodies.

The level of protection even in those with antibodies is unclear. Researchers found no differences based on whether a child was asymptomatic, severity of symptoms, when they had the virus or due to weight or gender.

“It was the same for everyone,” Sarah Messiah of UTHealth School of Public Health Dallas, said in a statement. “Some parents… think just because their child has had COVID-19, they are now protected and don’t need to get the vaccine,” Ms. Messiah said. “We have a great tool available to give children additional protection by getting their vaccine.”

EXPERIMENTAL SK VACCINE SHOWS PROMISE AGAINST OMICRON
A booster shot of an experimental vaccine being developed by SK Bioscience Co. has shown “durable protection” against the Omicron variant in Rhesus macaques, according to new data.

The monkeys had received two initial doses of the vaccine plus a booster 6 or 12 months later. Blood samples from the boosted primates showed “remarkably high” levels of antibodies that could neutralize both the original strain of the virus and the Omicron variant that caused infections to soar, the researchers reported on Sunday on bioRxiv ahead of peer review.

The animals’ second-line immune defenses were also “substantial and persistent,” they said. The vaccine, called GBP510, triggers responses from the immune system by delivering copies of a key part of the spike protein from the surface of the coronavirus.

The protein “subunits” are studded onto nanoparticles to resemble the virus itself. These components are supplemented with an adjuvant from GSK that boosts the immune system’s responses, explained Bali Pulendran of Stanford University in California.

“Vaccination with two doses… followed a year later by a booster shot… plus adjuvant, led to highly durable antibody responses and protection against Omicron infection, even six months later,” Mr. Pulendran said. Large late-stage trials of GBP510 in humans are underway.

ASTRAZENECA DRUG LESS PROTECTIVE VS OMICRON IN TRANSPLANT PATIENTS The AstraZeneca antibody shots given to prevent COVID-19 in high-risk children and adults with weakened immune systems do not adequately protect organ transplant recipients from the Omicron variant, researchers found.

The drug, Evusheld, did protect against the Delta variant in kidney transplant recipients, and lab test results released on Monday show Evusheld can neutralize Omicron in mice, including the highly contagious BA.2 version.

But among 416 kidney recipients treated with Evusheld after Omicron became the predominant variant, 9.4% developed symptomatic breakthrough infections, with one-in-three of those patients requiring hospitalization, researchers reported on Saturday on medRxiv ahead of peer review. Two patients died of COVID-19.

In lab experiments, the researchers exposed the BA.1 version of Omicron that caused the massive winter surge to blood samples from 15 Evusheld-treated patients. None of the samples could neutralize the virus.

The US Food and Drug Administration recently advised that higher doses of Evusheld are likely needed to prevent Omicron infections, and that patients who received the originally approved shots should receive booster doses. The researchers said kidney transplant recipients “should be advised to maintain sanitary protection measures and undergo vaccine boosters.” — Reuters

Kremlin returns loaned art to Spain after government war protest

THE EMPEROR CHARLES V (1605), an oil on canvas work by Juan Pantoja de la Cruz, has been returned to the Prado Museum by the Kremlin Museum where it had been on loan for an exhibit.
— MUSEO NACIONAL DEL PRADO

MADRID — The Kremlin Museum has returned a painting to Spain’s Prado gallery and several suits of armor that were loaned for an exhibition postponed after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, two sources from Spanish institutions said on Monday.

The 1605 painting, a full-length portrait of Emperor Charles V by Juan Pantoja de la Cruz, and a collection including armor that the king wore in the painting were returned with the “full cooperation” of the Russian museum, the sources said. The armor is usually on display at Madrid’s Royal Palace armory.

The Prado museum and armory declined to comment about the return of the pieces. Last week, Spain’s culture minister said the government had asked for the works to be returned in protest at the war.

The Moscow Kremlin Museums postponed the exhibition, “The Duel: from Trial by Combat to a Noble Crime,” from the scheduled opening on March 4. The exhibition was to have included exhibits from several European museums, it said on its website.

“The Moscow Kremlin Museums are currently working on making the exhibition happen without European participation,” the Russian body said on its website.

Such exhibitions are planned more than a year in advance, one of the Spanish sources Reuters spoke to said.

The Spanish institutions coordinated the returns with the British Royal Armories Museum, the Louvre Museum, and the French National Library, which had also had loaned pieces, the other source added.

Reuters could not immediately establish if the British and French pieces had also arrived in their home countries.

Spain’s National Heritage, the body which handles Spain’s royal sites and collections, loaned several pieces, including a suit of armor designed to be worn by a greyhound — a pet of the king, and another worn by Philip III when he was a child. All the pieces have been returned, the sources said.

The painting and armor left Russia on March 12, and traveled by land via Finland, Germany, and France, they said.

In another sign of broader tensions caused by the war in Ukraine, two museums in Milan said earlier this month they would return several works of art on loan from Russia. —  Reuters

Robinsons Land opens first Go Hotels Plus in Tuguegarao

ROBINSONS Land Corp.’s hospitality arm, Robinsons Hotels and Resorts (RHR), has opened its first Go Hotels Plus in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan.

“It is a strategic decision to bring this innovative brand of Go Hotels Plus to a strong location like Tuguegarao City. And with the success of Go Hotels, it is high time that Robinsons Land Corp. further expands its property portfolio and reaches a wider and more diverse market,” Summit Hotels and Resorts and Go Hotels Group General Manager Annalyn D. Yap said in a statement on Tuesday.

Go Hotels Plus is the newest brand category under RHR, which is an updated essential value brand under Robinsons Land.

The hotel includes a self-service check-in kiosk, which was first introduced at RHR’s Summit Hotel Greenhills in 2019.

“This not only minimizes face-to-face interactions, especially with the current situation in mind but also lessens all the inconvenience and queues at your regular front desk. All you need to have is the reservation ID or QR code that’s sent to you through e-mail, then you can activate your keycard with the push of a button,” RHR said.

The hotel marks the company’s first under the Go Hotels Plus category.

Go Hotels Plus Tuguegarao has 136 guest rooms, with 57 “superior single” rooms, 76 “superior twin” rooms, and three persons with disabilities (PWDs) rooms.

Introductory rates, which are available until April 30, range from P2,022 to P2,222 net for an overnight stay.

Earlier, Robinsons Land announced that it would open a Go Hotels Plus in Naga City by the first half of 2022.

At the stock exchange on Tuesday, Robinsons Land shares went up by 94 centavos or 4.83% to finish at P20.40 each. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson

Red Bull DIY returns with team, solo skateboarding tourney

RED BULL DIY is back for its second edition of the community-based do-it-yourself (DIY) online skateboard video competition for passionate Filipino skateboarders to showcase their creativity, skill, and passion for the sport.

In light of Margielyn Didal’s history-making Olympic run, the popularity of skateboarding in the Philippines is higher than ever as more and more Filipino youths develop their interest and skill in skateboarding. This year, Red Bull DIY continues to support both beginner and experienced skateboarders by helping them construct their dream skate spots.

DEVELOPING FUTURE SKATE PARKS
The first phase of this year’s Red Bull DIY is a team competition for skate crews and skate shops to showcase their design and building skills. Each participating team must submit a design for a DIY skate spot. The 15 best proposals will be given 18 days to execute their plans.

From the finished DIY projects, five teams will be selected by Margielyn Didal herself and other members of Skate Pilipinas to advance to the final round of judging, where the top three will be determined by skateboarding legend, Jamie Foy.

Registration for the Red Bull DIY team event runs from March 9 – 27, 2022. Interested teams may register through http://www.redbull.com/redbulldiyph.

Following the DIY team event, individual skaters will get their turn to showcase their skills and passion for skateboarding through an online contest. Participants are tasked to upload a 30-second edited video on Instagram and TikTok, performing tricks on DIY spots. Each video must include the DIY digital sticker to be counted as an official entry.

The Top 10 skaters will be determined based on the number of likes collected from the public on both social media platforms, after which the second phase of the contest will begin. Each of the Top 10 must submit a second video with a DIY infusion obstacle to be evaluated by a team of panelists led by Margielyn Didal.

Registration for the solo competition begins on April 27 and submissions may be posted online until May 8.

LANDBANK’s equity to reach P230.4B after gov’t infusions

BW FILE PHOTO
LAND BANK of the Philippines’ capital increased after the government’s infusions. — BW FILE PHOTO

LAND BANK of the Philippines’ (LANDBANK) total equity is estimated to reach about P230.4 billion by end-April after capital infusions from the government, the Department of Finance (DoF) said.

The DoF said in a press release on Tuesday that the end-April equity level will be a 160% increase from the P88.7-billion capital the state-run lender had in mid-2016 and would make it the second-largest universal bank with the highest paid-in capital in the country.

LANDBANK’s equity as of end-2021 stood at P207.68 billion.

The bank on Monday turned over 1.36 billion shares of stocks to the National Government worth P136.2 billion.

As of February 2021, the bank received P38.79 billion in fresh capital under the Duterte administration, accounting for over 70% of the total.

With its improved financial position, LANDBANK was able to provide low-interest loans for agriculture, fishing, healthcare, power, education, transportation, and housing, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said.

“The robust capital infusion reinforced LANDBANK’s financial strength and allowed it to be an effective partner of the government in advancing its development agenda. We have used that strength to better serve the Filipino people,” Mr. Dominguez was quoted as saying in the statement.

At end-2021, LANDBANK’s agriculture loan portfolio stood at P247.9 billion.

GENDER INITIATIVES
Meanwhile, LANDBANK said in a separate statement on Tuesday that it will allot 50.1% of its corporate operating budget for gender and development (GAD) initiatives, surging from the 9.3% share the previous year.

This will be used to roll out related programs in gender sensitivity and needs, lending programs, leave benefits, and other gender-responsive services, the bank said.

“LANDBANK has made significant strides in promoting GAD initiatives. We shall continue to sustain and intensify these efforts to mainstream gender equality and women empowerment, which includes exploring avenues for integrating gender-sensitive policies in all our processes and programs,” LANDBANK President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo said in a separate statement on Tuesday.

LANDBANK’s net income grew by 27% to P21.75 billion in 2021, higher than its P19.68-billion target, amid lower cost of funds and loan loss provisions.

This translated to a return on equity of 11.75%, while return on assets rose to 0.88% from 0.78%. — T.J. Tomas

Pharma sector sends aid to Ukraine

A WOMAN stands outside a local hospital, which was destroyed during Ukraine-Russia conflict in the separatist-controlled town of Volnovakha in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, March 12, 2022. — REUTERS

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has reported that more than 3 million people have fled Ukraine since Russia invaded the embattled country on Feb. 24.  

One hundred forty-one countries, including the Philippines, voted in favor of a United Nations (UN) General Assembly resolution condemning Russia for invading Ukraine. 

The armed attack against Ukraine has led to more than 2,421 civilian casualties as of midnight on March 20, according to the UN human rights office (OHCHR). The number of casualties is expected to rise as Russia continues its heavy shelling of cities cut off from humanitarian aid. 

The European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), which represents research-based providers of medicines and vaccines, has condemned the invasion.  

EFPIA is prioritizing efforts to ensure that medicines reach patients in Ukraine, European Union Member States, Russia, and other countries where access may be hindered by the war. 

“This (war) affects people across the region, where families have members on both sides of the border, and where sons and daughters are called to duty in a war that only brings suffering and pain. War can never be accepted as the means of resolving conflicts,” said Hubertus von Baumbach, chair of Boehringer Ingelheim. 

Pharmaceutical companies have joined other industries in strongly opposing the war. “We utterly condemn the intensification of fighting and the harm and suffering it’s causing to people in Ukraine and beyond. The actions taking place are in violent contradiction to our purpose, and unshakeable belief that all people should be treated with dignity, respect and humanity,” said GlaxoSmithKline in a statement. 

Several countries have imposed stiff economic sanctions on Russia aimed at forcing Moscow to stop its unjustified attack on Ukraine. As the international community levied sanctions, those relating to medicines were excluded due to humanitarian considerations. 

“Pfizer concluded that a voluntary pause in the flow of our medicines to Russia would be a direct violation of our foundational principle of putting patients first. Ending delivery of medicines … would cause significant patient suffering and potential loss of life, particularly among children and elderly people,” it said in a statement. On the other hand, Pfizer said that it will donate all profits of its Russian subsidiary to causes that provide humanitarian support to Ukraine. 

As part of wider humanitarian efforts, pharmaceutical companies have rushed to donate 4.7 million doses of essential medicines and more than €28 million (P1.6 billion) in financial support for Ukraine. 

Since supply is often expected to be hit by the war, Astellas said that it is ensuring on-going partnership and connectivity with suppliers, distributors and key stakeholders to help in efforts for continuous medicine supply for patients.  

Meanwhile, Bayer released a first shipment of needed antibiotics and sterile medical items on request of the Ukrainian Ministry of Health. Despite the very challenging situation the products reached Ukraine, where they will support the medical supply for up to 27,000 patients. 

AstraZeneca, for its part, donated 24 pallets of medicines, worth $3 million from its warehouse in Ukraine to its humanitarian relief partner Direct Relief, which is working directly with the Ukrainian Ministry of Health. 

Johnson & Johnson, meanwhile, is donating $5 million to support the work of the International Rescue Committee and International Federation Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRCRC) to provide humanitarian support for refugees in the border countries. 

To support humanitarian aid in Ukraine, Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) announced it will donate €2 million to the German Red Cross. In efforts to address coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the invasion, MSD will deliver 135,000 courses of molnupiravir to Ukraine and donate 100,000 courses of the drug through Direct Relief. 

Novartis is also donating its inventory of essential medicines directly within the country, including antibiotics and painkillers from the Sandoz portfolio, for use in Ukrainian medical facilities. They are also working with the surrounding countries to supply medicines into Ukraine. 

The Novo Nordisk Foundation, meanwhile, has provided €7.4 million to the efforts, including €700,000 to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to provide support and protection to people forced to flee their homes. 

Sanofi also donated €5 million to the Red Cross for Ukraine and neighboring countries and to the UNHCR. This will support emergency access to necessities such as food, shelter, medicine, and security, and will help receive and assist refugees from Ukraine. 

Roche, meanwhile, is also donating 150,000 packages of a critical antibiotic used to treat the symptoms of many kinds of bacterial infections and listed on the World Health Organization’s list of essential medicines. For its part, Takeda is donating $2.6 million to the IFRCRC, which is actively providing local humanitarian support to people displaced and impacted by the conflict. 

In times of pandemic and war, the pharmaceutical sector is stepping up its work to bring life-saving medicines and vaccines to patients in need no matter how challenging and dangerous that may be. 

  

Teodoro B. Padilla is the executive director of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP), which represents the biopharmaceutical medicines and vaccines industry in the country. Its members are at the forefront of research and development efforts for COVID-19 and other diseases that affect Filipinos.

Arts & Culture (03/23/22)

Deocampo public lecture on FHL YouTube channel

ON MARCH 5, Nick Deocampo held a lecture called “Popcorn at the Barracks” on Filipino movies studied through historiographic, semiotic, and nationalist perspectives. The independent filmmaker and UP professor discussed the legacies left behind by World War II on Philippine cinema. He reconstructed movie spectatorship and film production, and reflected on cold war developments by examining movies that dealt with the theme of World War II, particularly Manuel Silos’ Victory Joe and Lino Brocka’s “Hellow, Soldier” from the movie Tatlo, Dalawa, Isa. Deocampo’s lecture can now be viewed at the Filipinas Heritage Library’s YouTube channel. The lecture is the latest installment of “Liberation Talks,” a series of events under the Liberation: War & Hope banner program, commemorating the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Exhibit on Magellan-Elcano expedition at National Museum

THE NATIONAL Museum of the Philippines, in collaboration with the Embassy of Spain in Manila, will launch a special exhibition on March 23, 2022, at the National Museum of Fine Arts. The Longest Journey: The First Journey Around the World exhibition features breakthroughs and milestones of the Magellan-Elcano expedition from 1519 to 1522. The exhibition is part of the celebration of the Quincentennial Commemorations in the Philippines.

Lenten exhibit opens in Ali Mall

ARANETA City opens an exhibit of religious relics in Ali Mall to remind the public this Lenten season of the passion and sacrifice of Christ. “Takip Silim,” the exhibit, depicts Jesus Christ’s passion, crucifixion, death, and burial which ended during the day’s dusk (or takip silim). More than 40 religious images and replicas from different parishes around Metro Manila and Rizal are on display in the exhibit. Notable images are vintage images of the Nazareno, Mater Dolorosa, La Esperanza Macarena, and San Juan Apostol, to name a few. The exhibit is now open until April 1 at the Gen. MacArthur Entrance of Ali Mall.

Musical theater workshops with Rony Fortich

THE BGC Arts Centers presents it 5th online Musical Theater Workshops with Rony Fortich. Mr. Fortich was musical director of the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort from 2005 to 2017. He wrote musicals such as The Bluebird of Happiness, and The Quest for the Adarna. The immersive four-week program includes 10 group sessions (1.5 hours each) and two one-on-one sessions with Mr. Fortich, plus a culminating online performance for family and friends. Each student will also receive vocalization tracks, a personalized minus one, and a digital certificate of completion. Workshop schedules are available for children, teenagers, and adults. For more information, visit https://www.bgcartscenter.org/musical-theater-workshops.

MADE calls for art entries

METROBANK Foundation, Inc. (MBFI) launched the 38th edition of the Metrobank Art & Design Excellence or MADE with a call for entries. All qualified Filipino visual artists are invited to submit their paintings and sculptures. The call for entries is open until March 31. This year’s theme is “Emerge: Step into Your Boundless Future.” The 38th year of MADE follows the successful resumption of the Painting and Sculpture Recognition Program after a year of pause prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, MADE received the highest number of entries in the last 10 years with a record-breaking 701 entries. The 2022 MADE Painting Recognition Program is open to all Filipino citizens who are 18 to 35 years old (18 years old as of March 31, 2022 and still 35 years old as of Sept. 22, 2022). The entry must be an original artwork, wholly conceptualized and executed by the entrant. The 2022 MADE Sculpture Recognition Program, on the other hand, is open to all Filipino citizens who are 18 to 50 years old and who have not won in past MADE Sculpture Competitions. Artists who have and have not held solo exhibits are both eligible to join the MADE Sculpture Recognition Program. Interested entrants shall accomplish the e-entry form over at www.madeartdepot.ph and submit the requirements to hello@madeartdepot.ph. For the required artwork and sculpture specifications, detailed submission procedures, dates to remember, and other important information, view or download the 2022 MADE Painting and Sculpture Competition Guidelines via www.madeartdepot.ph or visit the MADE Facebook page @metrobankartanddesign. Two grand awardees for the Painting Recognition Program and one grand awardee for the Sculpture Recognition Program will be chosen. They will each receive P500,000 plus the MADE trophy. Meanwhile, the Metrobank Foundation has a social media campaign to serve as a platform for online visual arts education and conversations, as well as shine a spotlight on artists and their insights, starting with “Thriving in the Midst, Leading the Ascent,” a virtual art exhibit which is on view until Dec. 22 at www.madeartdepot.ph. It features 99 works from the MADE collection. There is also the Art MADE Public series of webinars: “Walang Future sa Arts!” which debunks misconceptions and stereotypes about being an artist with curator and art writer Alain Camiling, visual artist and community organizer Alee Garibay, and cultural and museum worker Rica Estrada; “You Never Forget Your Firsts” in which trailblazing artists — JunkNot Eco Creatives Founder IDr. Wilhelmina Garcia, Kanto.com.ph and Brutalist Pilipinas Founder Mel Patrick Kasingsing, and KANTINA Founder Marika Constantino — share stories of the firsts that propelled their practice and careers; and “Anong Ambag Mo?” a discussion on artists as changemakers and creativity as a tool for social progress with Daloy Dance Co. founder Ea Torrado, Got Heart Foundation as well as Katinko CEO Melissa Yeung Yap, and Museo ng Muntinlupa Assistant Curator Precious Iñosa. These webinars can be seen at the MADE Facebook page @metrobankartanddesign.

Life, hope and death in online theater show

BAGO Dumilim sa Labas, a virtual performance on the dynamics of familial relationships in the face of continued challenges, will be streamed starting April 6. The 50-minute production centers on the connection of two siblings — a freelance artist and a medical frontliner — who currently navigate through difficulties posed by the pandemic, as their mother fights for her life at the hospital. Bago Dumilim sa Labas was produced by Sining LABinsiyam (SiLAB), a group of young artists and actors from the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Design and Arts. Written by Janji Gamboa and directed by Jack Denzel Gaza from the Benilde Theater Arts Program, the pre-recorded play will be available on view from April 6 to 13,  11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Tickets may be purchased from via Ticket2Me (https://ticket2me.net) for P150. For more information, visit the official Facebook pages of SiLAB (https://www.facebook.com/SiLAB119) or Benilde Theater Arts (https://www.facebook.com/benildetheaterarts).

Game of Trolls on ktx

THE PHILIPPINE Educational Theater Association (PETA) presents the play Game of Trolls via www.ktx.ph. Written by Liza Magtoto and directed by Maribel Legarda, the musical is about Martial Law, and is an advocacy against historical revisionism and fake news. The lyrics, musical arrangement, and direction are by Vincent de Jesus. The musical will stream in on April 8, 22, and 23. To buy tickets, visit www.ktx.ph/category/a-game-of-trolls. Tickets are priced at P150.

Power Mac Center holds summer art camp

APPLE partner Power Mac Center (PMC) is opening this year’s summer art camp for children. From April 19 to Aug. 30, PMC’s official training arm — PMC Business Systems, Inc. (PBSI) — will be offering “Design Trail for Kids” with six special courses covering comics creation, 2D animation, game design using various software, and building trendy filters and 3D effects. Sessions will be conducted online for children aged seven to 15 years old. The available courses are: The Art of Comics (seven to 10 years old), where children can create their own comics with doodles, basic lines, shapes, and colors by maximizing their iPad for art; 2D Animation using iPad (seven to 10 years old) where children will learn how to turn their ideas into a motion picture; Roblox Game Design (eight to 12 years old), where children can build and publish their own Roblox game through the Roblox Studio; Web Game Creation using Scratch (eight to 12 years old), the course will develop a child’s logical thinking skills through coding, and will also teach how to create interactive games using Scratch, the world’s largest programming language and online community.; 2D Game Design with Stencyl (12 to 15 years old) for a deeper dive into 2D game development and coding, how to create computer games with HTML5 and build games for iOS and Android using the Stencyl software; and, Building AR Face Filters and 3D effects (12 to 15 years old), an interesting way of combining the real world with technology and art. This course will teach how to create customized social media face filters and 3D Portal. Each online session lasts for 1.5 hours, and is conducted over four days (Tuesday-Friday). Classes can be availed at P2,500 per student per course, which can be paid via Power Mac Center’s Web Store (https://powermaccenter.com/product/pbsi-dtl001). Limited slots are available to maintain instruction efficiency, and reservation is on a first come, first served basis. For inquiries, contact PBSI at 8553-6399 and 0908-885-6277.

Palanca Awards now accepting entries

AFTER a two-year hiatus brought about by the global pandemic, the 70th Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature (CPMA) is now accepting entries. CPMA is now accepting submissions to its regular categories as follows: Novel and Nobela categories; English Division – Short Story, Short Story for Children, Essay, Poetry, Poetry Written for Children, One-act Play, and Full-length Play; Filipino Division – Maikling Kuwento, Maikling Kuwentong Pambata, Sanaysay, Tula, Tulang Para sa mga Bata, Dulang May Isang Yugto, Dulang Ganap ang Haba, and Dulang Pampelikula;and, Regional Languages Division – Short Story-Cebuano, Short Story-Hiligaynon, and Short Story-Ilokano. The special Kabataan Division for young writers below 18 years of age is also now open for entries in its two categories: English and Filipino. Submissions must be informal (personal) essays on the theme: “Life in the Midst of the Pandemic and Coping in the New Normal” (Kabataan Essay) and “Buhay sa Gitna ng Pandemya at Pagharap sa ‘New Normal’” (Kabataan Sanaysay). The contest is open to all Filipino citizens or former Filipino citizens of all ages except current directors, officers, and employees of the Carlos Palanca Foundation, Inc. Authors who wish to join may submit only one entry per category. The deadline for submission of entries is May 31. All submissions must be done online. The Carlos Palanca Foundation will not accept printed and e-mail submissions for all categories. The official contest rules and forms are available at the Carlos Palanca Awards website http://www.palancaawards.com.ph/. For further inquiries and other concerns, e-mail info@palancaawards.com.ph or call (632) 8843-8277 or (632) 8478-7996, and ask for Leslie Layoso or Susan Castillo

Poet performs GMA election advocacy theme

GMA News and Public Affairs has chosen Filipino spoken word poet Mark Ghosn as one of the performers of the official theme song of their 2022 Election advocacy. Mr. Ghosn renders the spoken word poetry in the theme song, “Panata sa Bayan,” sung by Aicelle Santos. Last November, GMA unveiled its election advocacy campaign “Dapat Totoo,” which is also the main content of the spoken word piece. Aside from being a spoken word artist, Mr. Ghosn is also known as the creator of the hit show Ampalaya Monologues which was adapted into a book and a TV series. The collaboration between Mr. Ghosn and Aicelle Santos is currently playing on the official social media accounts, radio stations and TV channels of the GMA Network.

DTI plans event for MSMEs’ shift to sustainable ways

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is set to hold an even called Sustainability Solutions Exchange, or SSX, to encourage sustainable methods among local brands and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

The SSX will be conducted from March 23 to 25 to help meet the country’s commitment on the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. It will be held on digital events platform Hopin.

“Our goal is to shift Philippine businesses to practice sustainability in their supply chain and mitigate their impact to the environment. We are confident in this transition considering the growing demand of conscious local and international consumers which presents great opportunities for sustainable Philippine businesses to thrive in,” DTI-Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions Executive (CITEM) Director Pauline Suaco-Juan said in a statement on Tuesday.

“Through this event, we aspire to champion brands that are socially conscious, encourage MSMEs to adopt more holistic and eco-friendlier approaches in doing business, and contribute towards the sustainable shift across industries as we promote the best of Philippine products and services globally,” she added.

According to the DTI, CITEM also plans to unveil Sustainability.ph, the first Philippine government-led website that will provide access to a list of sustainability suppliers and other data on the sustainability industry.

It added that the website will serve as an online community platform that promotes products, services, exchange of ideas and conversations on sustainable consumption and production.

“The three-day trade show will showcase solution providers and local MSMEs in the expo; and key stakeholders and experts during the conference. The inaugural edition of the event will provide access to information, people, and organizations that will guide businesses in the food and lifestyle sectors,” the DTI said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

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