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Kumu launches digital singing competition

SING for the Stars judges, include four-time Grammy award-winning singer and songwriter Michael Bublé, and Tony award-winning actress and singer Lea Salonga.

THE POPULARITY of livestreaming has turned the whole world into a stage, where a room transforms into a studio, and a smartphone becomes an entire camera crew. Creating content and sharing one’s talents and skills is more accessible. And with the growth of performers showcasing their talents online, the livestreaming app Kumu has launched Sing for the Stars, an all-digital international singing competition.

Kumu — launched in 2018 — currently has more than 10 million registered users from over 55 countries.

“Kumu is the home of musicians,” Kumu founder and CEO Roland Ros said in a statement. “Through this competition, we’re discovering and highlighting new voices on a world stage in a unique and brand-new way.”

Unlike most singing competitions, Sing for the Stars participants need not travel to a studio to perform as setups are done from their respective locations.

The stars that they are singing for are the judges, which include four-time Grammy award-winning singer and songwriter Michael Bublé, and Tony award-winning actress and singer Lea Salonga.

“For many people, it’s a rare opportunity to get to perform for and learn from global superstars like Michael Bublé and Lea Salonga,” Mr. Ros said. “Sing for the Stars is the most inclusive talent show ever because talents can audition, perform, and win no matter who or where in the world they are.”

The livestreaming singing competition is open to all aspiring musicians and artists. To join, they must download the Kumu app on Apple App Store and Google Play, create an account, and find the Sing for the Stars campaign page and click the “How to Join” tab.

The contestants must choose a song that showcases their musical/vocal range and hold a live stream performance. They must rise through the leaderboard by gaining as many virtual gifts from the audience as they can. The audience sends virtual gifts which have corresponding points to their favorite performers: “Shine” (500 points), “Bright” (1,000 points), “Encore” (5,000 points), and “Superstar” (10,000 points).

The tallying of scores will be on March 8, and the Top 100 performers will move on to the next phase. Another tally is scheduled on March 12, shortlisting the Top 30 performers (they will receive Maono microphones with studio headsets). The Kumu Music Team and Warner Music Philippines will then select 15 performers to be part of the show.

The Top 11 will move on to the final leg of the competition, while four will compete to secure their last chance to enter the finals. The second runner-up will win a cash prize of $2,000; the first runner-up takes home a cash prize of $4,000; and grand champion will take home a cash prize of $10,000, a one-year record contract with Warner Music, and their own mini-concert inside the Kumu app, plus a one-on-one coaching session with Mr. Bublé.

“We’re really hoping to find talented, breakthrough artists who embody our core values of positivity and authenticity,” Mr. Ros said. “[The] show isn’t only about creating a stage for our singers, it’s also going to be a way to activate community support and rally music lovers on the app to come together.” — MAPS

Bloomberry Resorts trims net loss to P4.2 billion

SOLAIRE Resort & Casino operator Bloomberry Resorts Corp. announced on Monday that it trimmed its net loss for 2021 to P4.2 billion from a loss of P8.3 billion in 2020.

Bloomberry’s consolidated net revenue in 2021 was P22 billion, representing an increase of 24% from P17.8 billion a year earlier, the company said in a disclosure to the stock exchange.

The company saw its total gross gaming revenue at Solaire increase 22% to P27.6 billion from P22.6 billion in 2020.

Meanwhile, its VIP gross gaming revenue at Solaire declined 16% year on year to P6.7 billion.

“Mass tables and electronic gaming machine gross gaming revenues were P11.3 billion and P9.5 billion, representing year-on-year increase of 54% and 32%, respectively,” the company noted.

Bloomberry’s EBITDA, or earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, was P5.2 billion last year, higher by 265% from P1.4 billion in 2020.

As for the fourth quarter of 2021, the company’s net revenue reached P6.6 billion, representing an increase of 58% year on year.

Its total gross gaming revenue at Solaire reached P8 billion, up 50% from P5.3 billion in the same period of 2020.

“Mass tables and electronic gaming machine gross gaming revenues, increased by 19% and 30% on a sequential basis, respectively and were higher by 63% and 42% year on year, respectively,” the company said.

Its EBITDA for the fourth quarter was P1.9 billion, compared with the P129 million in the same period in 2020.

“The year 2021 demonstrated the resilience of our business amidst a pandemic characterized by a slowly recovering economy and the absence of tourism,” said Enrique K. Razon Jr., Bloomberry chairman and chief executive officer.

“It was a better year for Bloomberry as it was propped up by the domestic patronage which grew our mass gaming revenues by 43% and EBITDA by 265%. While we look forward to better days ahead, we remain equipped to operate under challenging circumstances if they materialize,” he added.

Among the highlights of 2021, according to the company, was its partnership with the International Container Terminal Services, Inc. and the Philippine government for the procurement of 20 million doses of Moderna vaccines — 13 million doses for the Philippine government and seven million doses for the private sector.

“Another 4.5 million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines were donated to the various local government municipalities,” it added.

Bloomberry and ICTSI financed, constructed, and currently operate the Solaire-ICTSI Foundation Vaccination Center in Parañaque City.

Bloomberry Resorts shares closed 4.67% lower at P7.15 apiece on Monday. — Arjay L. Balinbin

The Batman scores $128 million, second-biggest pandemic debut

Robert Pattinson in The Batman (2022) — IMDB.COM

LOS ANGELES — Holy ticket sales, Batman!

Robert Pattinson’s pitch-black superhero adventure The Batman collected a mighty $128.5 million in its box office debut, marking the best opening weekend of 2022 by a landslide. But what is more impressive: it’s only the second pandemic-era movie to cross the $100 million mark in a single weekend, a feat first achieved by Spider-Man: No Way Home, which launched last December to a historic $260 million.

Thanks to positive reviews, strong reception from ticket buyers and high levels of intrigue to see Mr. Pattinson’s moody take on the Caped Crusader, The Batman is shaping up to be a commercial winner for Warner Bros. That’s good news because the studio shelled out a hefty $200 million to produce the film and spent many millions more on marketing and distribution costs. Bringing Batman to the big screen doesn’t come cheap, and achieving profitability won’t be easy.

The Batman also likely benefitted because the comic book adaptation is playing exclusively in theaters. For Warner Bros., which opted to debut its entire 2021 theatrical film slate simultaneously on HBO Max, The Batman marks a deviation as the studio’s first movie in over a year that’s only available to watch in cinemas. The Batman lands on HBO Max in 45 days.

It’s impossible to know the box office impact of putting movies day-and-date on streaming, but The Batman has generated more money in its opening weekend than any other Warner Bros. pandemic movies grossed in their entire theatrical runs. Prior to The Batman, the studio’s highest grossing movies since March 2020 were Godzilla vs. Kong ($100 million in North America) and Dune ($109 million in North America).

Of course, it helps that The Batman has the glittery promise of a former Twilight heartthrob playing one of the most famous comic book characters in history. But there were plenty of factors that could have worked against a different, less-embraced version of The Batman. For one, it clocks in at three hours, which is a long sit for even the biggest movie-lover. Not to mention, the logistics of its lengthy running time meant that theater operators had to limit the number of screenings per day.

Since The Batman, directed by Matt Reeves, notched a PG-13 rating rather than R, the film was able to capture the key demographic of younger males, who have been fueling the domestic box office’s wobbly recovery.

In addition to Mr. Pattinson, The Batman stars Paul Dano as the Riddler, Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman, Andy Serkis as Batman’s butler Alfred Pennyworth, and Colin Farrell as a crime lord known as Penguin. By focusing on Bruce Wayne’s alter ego as “the world’s greatest detective,” the movie feels more like a gritty noir than an escapist superhero adventure. Reviews seemed to be fond of that approach, since The Batman has been praised for feeling notably distinct from past adventures centered on Gotham’s ferocious defender, like director Christopher Nolan’s revered The Dark Knight trilogy or Ben Affleck’s brooding, middle-aged take on the character in Batman v. Superman. — Reuters

T-bill bids rejected as investors ask for high rates

BW FILE PHOTO

THE BUREAU of the Treasury (BTr) rejected all bids for its offer of Treasury bills (T-bills) for the second straight week as investors continued to ask for higher rates.

Tenders for the T-bills the government offered on Monday reached P21.23 billion, higher than the BTr’s plan to raise P15 billion through the short-term papers.

Broken down, bids for the 91-day securities reached P7.61 billion, higher than the P5-billion plan. Had the Treasury made a full award, the three-month debt papers would have fetched an average rate of 1.577%, surging by 67.8 basis points (bps) from the 0.899% seen the last time the BTr borrowed the full amount.

The BTr also rejected the P6.46 billion in tenders for the 182-day securities even as this was higher than the programmed P5 billion. The average rate of the six-month T-bill would have gone up by 81 bps to 1.967% from 1.157% previously had the government made a full award.

Lastly, the government turned down P7.17 billion in bids for the 364-day debt papers from an initial offer of P5 billion. If the tenor was fully awarded, the average yield on the one-year instrument would have stood at 1.943%, jumping by 37.5 bps from the 1.568% fetched previously.

At the secondary market prior to the auction on Monday, the 91- 182- and 364-day T-bills were quoted at 1.1685%, 1.2493% and 1.5943%, respectively, based on the PHP Bloomberg Valuation Reference Rates published on the Philippine Dealing System’s website.

“Full rejection for all tenors as markets continue to ask for higher risk premium with deterioration in market sentiment with escalating tension in Ukraine,” National Treasurer Rosalia V. de Leon said in a Viber message to reporters.

Negative market sentiment was caused by the weakening of the peso and the expected surge in inflation, she said.

A trader likewise said the market is concerned about inflation as oil prices surge.

“Investors may also be positioning ahead of the US Fed meeting next week as the magnitude of its rate hike continues to be speculated,” the trader said via Viber.

US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome H. Powell last week said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has not changed the central bank’s plans to start raising interest rates this month, Reuters reported.

Inflation was at 3% for the second consecutive month in February, easing from the 4.2% a year earlier.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin E. Diokno said the war between Russia and Ukraine could continue to heighten local oil prices, with sustained hikes possibly causing inflation to again exceed the central bank target range of 2% to 4%.

Inflation could breach the target if crude oil prices average higher than $95 per barrel in 2022 and 2023, he said.

Brent crude surged over $100 per barrel for the first time since 2014 after Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Meanwhile, the peso continued to depreciate on Friday, closing at P51.74 versus the dollar. This was weaker than its P51.50 finish on Thursday and its P51.34 close on Feb. 24 on oil supply concerns from the market.

On Tuesday, the BTr will auction off P35 billion in fresh seven-year Treasury bonds (T-bonds).

The BTr plans to raise P250 billion from the domestic market this month, or P75 billion via T-bills and P175 billion from T-bonds.

The government borrows from local and external sources to help fund a budget deficit capped at 7.7% of gross domestic product this year. — Jenina P. Ibañez with Reuters

Boracay Water spends P4B for sustainability efforts

BORACAY Island Water Co., Inc. said it invested more than P4.32 billion in capital expenditures for its water and wastewater facilities to ensure environmental sustainability and water security.

The company, also known as Boracay Water, said it developed a 25-year plan to sustainably serve the water requirements of Boracay Island, as it is a major tourist hotspot.

“Boracay Water made sure that safe and reliable water supply is available in the island and at the same time, ensured proper wastewater management in the island’s Manocmanoc, Balabag, and Yapak barangays, including the white beach’s popular commercial stations 1, 2, and 3,” the company said in a statement on Monday.

Boracay Water, a public-private partnership between the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority and Manila Water Company, Inc.’s fully owned subsidiary, Manila Water Philippine Ventures, Inc. began its operations in 2010.

In 2015, it implemented projects to increase water availability, providing 100% of Boracay Water’s customers 24/7 supply, from a previous availability of 13 hours or less since its inception.

The company also worked on the rehabilitation of the water treatment plant in Caticlan with a capacity of 25 million liters per day (MLD), the one-kilometer submarine water pipeline along the Caticlan-Boracay channel, repairs and replacement of old networks, expansion of piping systems, and the rehabilitation and construction of pumping stations and booster pumps.

Apart from water supply, Boracay Water said it began upgrading and expanding its wastewater facilities to address the deterioration in coastal water quality.

It rehabilitated the Balabag sewage treatment plant and sewer network, which initially provided wastewater services to 22% of the island. In 2011, the rehabilitation of the facility was completed, doubling treatment capacity to 6.5 MLD from 2.6.

In 2016, the company inaugurated its second wastewater facility, the Manocmanoc sewage treatment plant, which can process 5 MLD.

According to Boracay Water, the island’s sewer coverage is at 61% and is projected to further expand to 87% by 2024 after future upgrades.

With the easing of mobility restrictions, Boracay Water said it would continue to “invest and expand its infrastructure in the island to ensure availability of clean, safe, reliable water supply as well as to safeguard the environment with the provision of enhanced wastewater and sanitation services.” — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson

Hotshots, NLEX Road Warriors lock on twice-to-beat advantage

NUMBER 1 team Magnolia Hotshots — PBA IMAGES

WITH Magnolia and NLEX perched on the top two spots, the rest of the quarterfinal aspirants continue their mad scramble for the playoffs in the last two play dates of the PBA Governors’ Cup eliminations this week.

The Hotshots (9-1) are assured of No. 1 regardless of how they do in their elims closer against winless Blackwater (0-10) tomorrow while the Road Warriors, with their 8-3 record, are beyond reach at No. 2.

Both have a lock on the twice-to-beat advantage in the Last-8 with two more incentives still up for grabs and earmarked for the third and fourth-ranked squads.

San Miguel Beer (7-4) has the inside track in the race for the two remaining win-once quarterfinal perks as it sits at third spot. But Meralco (6-4) and TnT (5-4) are in hot pursuit and can complicate things for the Beermen if they can force a triple tie at seven wins.

Barangay Ginebra, which finished the elims with 6-5, is virtually in due to its superior tie-break against teams that can potentially match its card. Alaska (6-5), meanwhile, waits for the final records of NorthPort (5-5) and Phoenix (5-5) to determine whether it has to go through a knockout.

The concerned squads make their final push tomorrow and on Friday.

The Tropang Giga take on also-ran Terrafirma (2-8) in the Wednesday curtain-raiser at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, intent on staying in play for the coveted quarterfinal edge. Two days later, the Fuel Masters and the Bolts press their respective bids in their crucial duel right before the equally pivotal clash between the Batang Pier and TnT.

Tournament format has the quarterfinal victors advancing to the best-of-five semifinal series with the last two teams standing moving on to dispute the crown in a best-of-seven affair. — Olmin Leyba

Israeli firms eye investments in PHL infrastructure, water sectors 

A worker is seen balancing on steel frames at a construction site in Metro Manila, Dec. 23, 2016. — REUTERS/ROMEO RANOCO

By Alyssa Nicole O. Tan and
Revin Mikhael D. Ochave, Reporters

ISRAELI FIRMS are interested in investing in the infrastructure, agriculture and water, and business process outsourcing (BPO) sectors in the Philippines.

Israel Head of Economic and Trade Mission to the Philippines Tomer Heyvi said that Israeli firms are awaiting the law amending the Public Services Act.

“BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) projects, agriculture, and water are definitely interesting,” he said in a roundtable discussion with BusinessWorld editors and reporters on Feb. 28.

For the water sector, Mr. Heyvi said Israeli firms are looking at desalination projects.

Congress last month ratified the measure amending the PSA Act, which was forwarded to Malacañang for President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s signature.

Once signed, telecommunications, domestic shipping, railways and subways, airlines, expressways and tollways, and airports will no longer be subject to the 40% foreign ownership cap under the Constitution.

However, distribution and transmission of electricity; petroleum pipeline transmission systems; water distribution systems; seaports and public utility vehicles will continue to be subjected to the 40% foreign ownership cap.

At the same time, Israeli Ambassador Ilan Fluss said Israeli firms are interested in expanding in the BPO sector in the Philippines.

“I think in terms of investments, it will be mainly in the BPO sectors so we have here Israeli companies that do BPO services and they found (that the) Philippines is a good place to outsource and I think it will only increase,” he said during the same interview.

Mr. Fluss said that Israel’s priority is to advance the relations between the two countries by focusing on economic development and innovation.

“What I would like to do is create what I call ‘innovation bridges’ between Israel and the Philippines,” he said.

Israel is known for its expertise on technology and innovation, with 13% of its gross domestic product coming from the high-tech industry. More than 300 multinational corporations have research and development centers in Israel. It also houses nearly 4,000 startup companies.

Total bilateral trade between Israel and Philippines reached a value of $338 million in 2019. Some of the trade between the two countries include agricultural products, semiconductors,  BPO services, and tourism.    

Meanwhile, an agreement seeking to improve economic and investment relations between Philippines and Israel is almost completed.

Nir Balzam, deputy chief of Mission at the Embassy of Israel in Manila, said the Philippine-Israel Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (IPPA) is almost finished and may be signed before the Duterte administration ends in June.

“We just finished the negotiation last Thursday. There are a few internal issues that they have to resolve, both Israel and Philippines. Hopefully, it will happen in the second quarter and probably during this administration,” Mr. Balzam said.   

Mr. Fluss said the agreement will “give a really strong signal to the private sector.” He said the IPPA would ensure investors from both sides are protected, and there will be no interference in business interactions involving huge investments.   

“The agreement provides how do you protect investors on both sides in case something goes wrong, how do you prevent governments from interfering in business interactions, and how do you make sure that this money is protected,” he said.

“I think the most important thing here when we sign this agreement is it’s a message from both governments, assuring investors that they are welcome, they are protected, their money is protected, and the two governments want to see more business interaction between the two countries,” he added.

Disney said it will introduce ad-supported version of Disney+ streaming service

THE WALT Disney Co. Friday said it will offer a cheaper, ad-supported version of its Disney+ streaming service later this year as it seeks to reach its goal of profitability by 2024.

Disney joins a growing number of media companies, including AT&T’s WarnerMedia, Comcast, Discovery ,and Paramount Global, in offering ad supported tiers of their streaming services to capture price-sensitive customers.

“Expanding access to Disney+ to a broader audience at a lower price point is a win for everyone — consumers, advertisers, and our storytellers,” Kareem Daniel, chairman of Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution, said in a statement.

Pricing was not disclosed.

Ad-supported services borrow from a model that has sustained television for decades, with commercials subsidizing the cost of programming.

“There’s a load of people that will never pay for television,” said Discovery CEO David Zaslav in a recent Discovery investor call, “But they can go to and view this content and that’ll be advertiser supported.”

Disney already offers ad-supported versions of its Hulu and ESPN+ streaming services. —  Reuters

Foreign exchange transfer systems designated as systematically important

BW FILE PHOTO

THE MONETARY BOARD approved the designation of the Philippine Domestic Dollar Transfer System (PDDTS) and the Philippine Peso – US Dollar Payment versus Payment System (PvP) as systematically important payment systems (SIPS), the central bank said in a statement on Monday.

These systems will be subjected to tighter supervisory rules of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) due to the systemic risk they could pose to the financial system, based on Circular No. CL 2022-019 signed by BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno on March 2.

Both the PDDTS and PvP are operated by the Philippine Clearing House Corp. (PCHC) and were established by the Bankers Association of the Philippines.

The PDDTS is the only Philippine payment system that allows the transfer of dollar funds from one bank to another without going through correspondent banks in the United States.

Meanwhile, the PvP is the only exchange-of-value settlement system for the peso and dollar. It is facilitated by both the PDDTS and the Peso Real-time Gross Settlement System or PhilPaSS.

Following the designation, the PCHC, as an operator of a designated SIPS, will need to ensure that operations of the PDDTS and PvP remain safe and efficient. The PCHC also needs to comply with requirements under the Republic Act 11127 or the National Payment Systems Act.

As designated payment systems, the PDDTS and PvP shall likewise observe the Principles for Financial Market Infrastructures. These principles were developed by the Bank for International Settlements and the International Organization of Securities Commissions to help ensure the stability of payment systems amid the crisis.

“Adoption of the said internationally accepted standard will support the BSP’s goal to digitalize half of retail payments by 2023,” the BSP said.

Meanwhile, participants of PDDTS and PvP will need to comply with reports requested by the central bank for evaluating the systems.

Last year, the PhilPaSS was designated by the monetary board as a systematically important payment system. — Luz Wendy T. Noble

SPNEC aims to raise P10B for 10-GW solar projects

SOLAR Philippines Nueva Ecija Corp. (SPNEC) on Monday said it plans to offer 5.12 billion shares to the public so it can raise P10 billion for the completion of its solar projects with a combined capacity of 10 gigawatts (GW).

In a disclosure to the stock exchange, SPNEC said it aims to raise the funds “through a stock rights offering planned to be filed in the second quarter of 2022 and subject to regulatory approvals; and a possible private placement and follow-on offering.”

“While the terms of these offerings are typically determined later in the process, suffice it to say, the pricing must be attractive for the company to be able to raise its required capital,” it added.

The company said the move is among the steps it was looking at to reach its goal of creating P15 million per megawatt (MW) of value from its 10 GW of solar projects by 2025.

Another step is for it to focus on being a developer rather than being an independent power producer (IPP), it said. This means diverting its attention to developing solar farm sites “while working with other IPPs on financing and construction once the land is ready.”

“We believe the greatest challenge for solar in the Philippines is neither a lack of demand nor a surplus of projects, but rather, the challenge of consolidating land and permits that has resulted in a shortage of developed solar sites,” the company said.

Leviste-led SPNEC said it would also prioritize projects through partnerships with other IPPs to accelerate the country’s transition to renewable energy.

“Solar Philippines has reserved its 10 GW of planned projects pursuant to agreements with various companies to invest in its projects subject to certain milestones,” it said.

Meanwhile, Terra Solar Philippines, Inc., its joint venture with Razon-led Prime Metroline Infrastructure Holdings Corp. will get 1,000 hectares of the land being acquired.

Last week, SPNEC said it targets to complete its asset-for-share deal with its parent company Solar Philippines Power Project Holdings, Inc. by the middle of this year.

Once executed, SPNEC will have 32,497,400,005 shares, from which, it will issue at least 5,124,832,502 shares to the public through a stock rights offering, private placement, or follow-on offering.

On Monday, its shares at the Philippine Stock Exchange slipped 13 centavos or 6.13% to close at P1.99 apiece. — Marielle C. Lucenio

Fernandez beats Osorio in three thrilling sets to retain her Abierto title

FIL-CANADIAN Leylah Fernandez kissing her trophy. — ABIERTO GNP SEGUROS

By John Bryan Ulanday

LEYLAH Fernandez carved out a thrilling 6-7, 6-4, 7-6 (3) finale victory over Camila Osorio of Colombia to retain her title in the Abierto GNP Seguros in Monterrey, Mexico on Monday.

The Filipina-Canadian flipped a 1-4 deficit including five championship points (5-6) in the rubber to cap off a dramatic escape act for her second straight Monterrey crown.

As the No. 2 seed and reigning champion, Ms. Fernandez loomed as heavy favorite against the fifth-seeded Colombian but needed all the stops down the stretch highlighted by four aces to atone her first-set meltdown.

The 19-year-old wunderkind, who made a historic finals appearance in the 2021 US Open, zoomed to a 4-1 lead in the opening salvo only to surrender a 6-7 defeat with only two games won since.

She took command with a similar score in the next set but Osorio clawed back to zero in on at 4-5 before Ms. Fernandez closed it out to forge a decider, where she unleashed a comeback of her own.

“I’m very happy to have gone through these hard moments and have fought and found solutions. I hope we have many more finals with Camila because without her, I don’t think this tournament final would be as special,” said Ms. Fernandez in the grueling duel that lasted almost three hours.

The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) No. 21 Fernandez last year cruised to an easy 6-1, 6-4 win against Viktoria Golubic of Switzerland.

But this time was not a walk in the park as she also met strong resistance from Chinese standouts Qiang Wang and Qinwen Zheng as well as Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia on her way to the Last Dance.

The WTA No. 44 Osorio, for her part, just could not get the job done despite riding on a massive upset win against No. 1 seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine in the quarterfinals.

RLC expands Antipolo mall

ROBINSONS Land Corp. (RLC) is expanding its mall in Antipolo, Rizal, in anticipation of increased foot traffic during the summer months.

In a statement, the Gokongwei-led developer said the expansion of Robinsons Place Antipolo will open by May 2022. This will increase the mall’s gross floor area by 40%.

Arlene Magtibay, RLC senior vice-president and general manager for Robinsons Malls, said the mall is being expanded to target the “young and upwardly mobile market.”

“We are opening the expansion mall in the summer which is when a lot of people visit Antipolo. We are excited to welcome our shoppers to this new wing that will surely make their malling experience at Robinsons Place Antipolo even more delightful,” she said.

Robinsons Place Antipolo will have more international and local retail shops, restaurants, clinics, courier services, pet grooming shop, and select government agencies.

Robinsons Movieworld, kids’ amusement centers, and hobby shops will also open as restrictions ease.

“The new wing will provide our customers an experience that goes beyond traditional shopping. It will address their desire for more global fashion brands as well as elevate their dining experience with must-try restaurants,” Ms. Magtibay said.

RLC reported a 47% rise in net income to P6.44 billion in the first nine months of 2021, as the government eased lockdown restrictions.

Last year, the company opened Robinsons Place La Union, the 53rd Robinsons Mall in the country.

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