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Lending likely to rebound on positive outlook

BANGKO SENTRAL ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin E. Diokno said lending may start improving soon as consumers become more optimistic about the country’s prospects despite the continuing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis.

“There is a glimmer of hope, however. Consumer outlook is positive for the first quarter of 2021 and remains optimistic for the next 12 months,” Mr. Diokno said in a Tuesday forum organized by the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, referring to the results of the fourth quarter Consumer Expectations Survey of the BSP.

Mr. Diokno also cited the Banking Sector Outlook for the second half of 2020 which showed that majority of respondent banks expect their loan portfolios to grow by 10-15% over the next two years, which, he said, is a “crucial element of the recovery process.”

“We are also careful in taking the next steps, particularly in unwinding COVID-19 regulatory relief measures, to limit the potential scarring effects of the pandemic. The unwinding shouldn’t be too early nor too late,” Mr. Diokno said.

Bank lending fell 2.4% in January, marking the second consecutive month of contraction, with the BSP citing weak demand for credit as banks remained risk averse.

Lending slumped despite the central bank’s liquidity boosting measures that injected about P2 trillion into the financial system, equivalent to about 10% of gross domestic product (GDP). This also came despite the 200 basis points in cuts to borrowing costs last year that brought the key policy rate to a record low of two percent.

Banks tightened their credit standards to guard against an expected bad loan pileup due to the economic downturn. As of end-January, the industry’s bad loan ratio stood at 3.7%, picking up from the 3.61% in December and the 2.16% a year earlier.

Prior to the pandemic, credit expansion was usually higher by seven to 10 percentage points than the GDP growth, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said in a Viber message.

“Thus, it is reasonable to expect double-digit growth in bank loans of around 10-15% once GDP growth improves to 5-6% in the coming years,” Mr. Ricafort said.

“Additional measures to reopen the economy would lead to pick up in economic activities as well as the demand for loans,” he added. — L.W.T. Noble

PhilWeb buys eBingo machine suppliers, outlets

PHILWEB CORP. has acquired 16 electronic bingo (eBingo) outlets and two eBingo machine suppliers, which are expected to expand the portfolio of the gaming service provider.

The company told the stock exchange on Tuesday that it executed the deeds of sale for the acquisition of 100% of the total issued capital stocks of the eBingo companies for P450 million and the two accredited eBingo machine suppliers for P280 million.

“[PhilWeb’s electronic games business] now has an expanding, two-fold footprint in the whole electronic gaming sector,” the company said.

It said the companies were acquired from the Palmary Group. It also said the deeds of sale were done on March 8.

Because of the acquisition, trading of PhilWeb shares at the stock exchange has been suspended starting 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 9.

The company’s shares last traded on Monday, closing at P2.70 apiece.

Trading of PhilWeb shares will resume once the company has submitted a disclosure requirement under the Rule on Disclosure for Substantial Acquisitions and Reverse Takeovers, under Section 5, Article VII of the Consolidated Listing and Disclosure Rules of the exchange.

Entities that acquire an interest of more than 10% in an unlisted company or more than the total book value of the issuer will be suspended from trading “until the terms and conditions of the transaction, and the details pertaining to the business or project acquired are actually disclosed and, if applicable, the latest audited financial statements of the unlisted company, are submitted.”

The 16 eBingo outlets generated a combined P1.2 billion in gross gaming revenue in 2019, PhilWeb said.

Meanwhile, the two eBingo machine supplier companies made P364.9 million in the same year, it added. The two will further expand PhilWeb’s business to eBingo outlets, as both are accredited suppliers to a client network of 64 Philippines-based eBingo outlets.

PhilWeb is accredited by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. and is a service provider to a total of 85 eGames outlets.

The company’s wholly owned subsidiary BigGame, Inc. directly operates 31 authorized eGames outlets.

PhilWeb’s Easy eBingo also has gaming licenses for eBingo outlets. After the acquisition, the eBingo outlets it will be handling will reach 22. — Keren Concepcion G. Valmonte

Secrets in your stool: Detecting colorectal cancer

By Patricia B. Mirasol

COLORECTAL CANCER is the third deadliest cancer in the Philippines after breast cancer and lung cancer. It is, however, beatable, treatable, and preventable, according to Dr. Atenodoro “Jun” R. Ruiz, Jr., head of The Medical City’s (TMC) colorectal cancer screening task force, at a discussion organized by TMC’s Augusto P. Sarmiento Cancer Institute.

The most common signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer (or colon cancer) are a change in bowel habits, rectal bleeding with bright red blood, and unintended weight loss.

This type of cancer usually begins as polyps, or abnormal growths in the lining of the colon and rectum. While not all polyps progress to cancer, their removal reduces the risk of these growths developing into cancer.

LESS EXPENSIVE, LESS INVASIVE
The screening tests available for colorectal cancer include colonoscopy, or the examination of the colon with a tube called a colonoscope; fecal immunochemical test (FIT), which tests for hidden blood in the stool; CT (computed tomography) colonography, which uses special X-ray equipment to examine the large intestine for cancer and polyps; fecal DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) test, which combines the FIT with a test that detects altered DNA in the stool; and capsule colonoscopy, which uses a rectally inserted capsule robot that identifies and removes precancerous lesions and tumors.

Each of these tests has advantages and disadvantages. A colonoscopy is an effective screening tool, albeit one that is expensive and time-consuming, with fewer people willing to undergo the test. FIT, which can be done in the privacy of one’s own home, is less expensive and less invasive.

“FIT detects human blood. If the stool sample is positive, a colonoscopy is needed,” Dr. Ruiz said. “If negative, then FIT is done every year.” The test costs between P500–P1,600 in the Philippines while a colonoscopy is approximately P25,000.

When gastroenterologists perform a colonoscopy on FIT-positive patients, it saves downstream costs in terms of surgeries and hospital beds.

An annual FIT outreach program at Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC), for example, was partially responsible for an uptick in colorectal cancer screenings, which increased from 39% to 83% from 2000 to 2015 — leading to 26% fewer colorectal cancer cases and 52% fewer deaths during that period.

According to Dr. Theodore R. Levin, a gastroenterologist with the Permanente Medical Group and clinical lead for colon cancer screening at KPNC, the program reaches 900,000 of KPNC’s 1,000,000 eligible members, who are all between the ages of 50 to 75 years. 

These members are each sent a FIT kit (or a quick and easy screening home kit) every year, with instructions on how to complete the test, plus a postage-paid return envelope. An e-mail or print letter is sent a week before the kit is delivered, with an additional automated call reminding members to send back their kits four weeks after these kits have been mailed out.

“The reality is that healthy people usually don’t come into hospitals,” said Dr. Levin at the virtual event. “That’s why you have to reach out.”

Given the resource limitations of other countries, Dr. Levin recommended starting small. “When we started in the middle 2000s, we didn’t have the infrastructure to do colonoscopies for every member having screening, so we focused on a select part of the population,” he said. The program thus focused on people in their 60s and 70s, or people who were old enough to start having cancers, but young enough to have colonoscopies.

“Pick a smaller community, prove your concept, and then expand from there,” said Dr. Levin. “Develop some champions, publicize your results, and suddenly it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

Study finds more Filipinos open to a cashless society as e-payments rise

MORE FILIPINOS are open to the possibility of a cashless society in the next few years, following the trend seen in the country’s regional peers, a study found.

More than half (52%) of 1,102 individuals surveyed in the country said they are in favor of a shift to a cashless society, according to a study by United Kingdom-based MoneyTransfers.com which gauged data from British market research firm YouGov.

Data from the research showed the Philippines lags behind ASEAN peers  Malaysia (65%), Indonesia (63%), Vietnam (60%) and Singapore (56%) in terms of being receptive to the idea of cashless society.

One in two Filipinos favors a ‘cashless society’

Meanwhile, other neighboring economies such as Thailand (51%) and Taiwan (48%) appear to be less keen on the idea.

“The argument for a cashless society has been around for a while, but the rapid rise of the coronavirus crisis has intensified the debate again amid concerns about banknotes and coins transmitting the virus,” MoneyTransfers.com said in a statement.

India topped the survey with 79% of 1,010 respondents saying they favor a digital economy.

Meanwhile, among other surveyed countries, France (18%), Germany (20%), and the United States (24%) appear to be the most reluctant about the concept of a cashless society. In total, the study included 25,923 respondents across 17 economies in Asia, Europe, Australia, and North America.

Separately, 45% of respondents in the Philippines said they used cash less often since the pandemic.

Commenting on the results of the research, Presidential Spokesperson Herminio “Harry” L. Roque said the country “can readily make a shift to a cashless society.”

“The central bank has already done some steps. More local government units are tapping cashless transactions,” Mr. Roque said in an online briefing on Tuesday.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin E. Diokno said in a Businessworld One-on-One interview in January that while a cashless society may not be possible within his lifetime, a coinless society could be viable by 2025 as digital payments continue to grow.

Mr. Diokno said coin demand in 2020 dropped by 57% in volume and by 60% in value from 2019. He said small transactions in the future may be settled through QR payments.

“The pandemic has rapidly reshaped, not only the financial system, but most importantly the way we interact and how we do business. As a result of the pandemic, we have seen an increased use of digital platforms,” Mr. Diokno said in an online forum held by the Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines on Tuesday.

Latest data showed online payments made up 10% of the total volume of transactions in the Philippines in 2018 from just 1% in 2013, according to the Better Than Cash Alliance. E-payments also increased to comprise 20% of the total transaction value from 8% in 2013.

The central bank wants 50% of the country’s payments, both in volume and value, done digitally by 2023. — Luz Wendy T. Noble

The art of giving back: New York painter buys unknown artists’ works

New York artist Guy Stanley Philoche — PHILOCHESTUDIOS.COM/

NEW YORK — After two decades of hard work, New York artist Guy Stanley Philoche planned to celebrate the success of his two-day sold-out show at Cavalier Gallery a year ago by buying a $15,000 watch.

But an inner voice spoke as the pandemic hit —  telling him that he should step up and help other emerging artists.

“I made a promise to myself that every time I sell a painting, I’ll buy a painting,” said Haitian-born Philoche, 44, who grew up in Connecticut and was drawing and painting before he could walk.

Philoche posted a video of himself on Instagram offering to buy as much artwork as possible to help fellow artists hurt by the shutdowns.

“I hit ‘send’ and that’s when I opened Pandora’s Box,” he said.

Within a year Philoche has spent $70,000 on more than 200 pieces of art from over 150 artists around the world.

“I’m still going through it, buying it and I love it,” he said. “I also realize that now that I have a seat at the table I have to open doors for people, so I’m making it my mission now, you know, to give people a shot.”

Philoche’s collection, which includes pieces by his former professors and his tattoo artist, has caught the attention of museums around the world which want to host it. But first, he wants a New York exhibition for the works, which are displayed throughout his small studio apartment and kept in a storage unit.

“It’s going to be really cool and really fun and amazing to call some of these artists that I purchased their work, whose work has never been sold before,” he said.

“I was the first person to buy something from them and be like, hey, by the way, you know the painting I just bought, it’s actually going to be hanging in the MoMa.” — Reuters

Ayala energy arm reports profit surge to P3.9 billion

AYALA-LED AC Energy Corp. (ACEN) booked a net income of P3.87 billion last year, around 29 times higher than what it earned a year earlier on the back of higher electricity sales.

In a filing to the local bourse on Tuesday, ACEN said revenues from electricity sales rose 26.01% to P20.28 billion in 2020. It noted that the cost of selling electricity decreased 12.3% to P13.42 billion during the year.

The firm also recorded a net income attributable to parent firm equity holders of P3.75 billion last year, 65 times higher than the P57.65 million posted in 2019.

Total assets improved by 30.98% to P63.58 billion, while total liabilities rose by 31.31% to P42.22 billion.

On Monday, ACEN’s parent firm Ayala Corp. said that its unit AC Energy and Infrastructure Corp. would be transferring its indirect ownership interest in Mindanao’s biggest coal-fired power plant project to its partner and affiliates.

Ayala Corp. said that AC Energy had signed a divestment agreement with Power Partners Ltd. Co. and certain affiliate companies for the coal project in Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte.

The transaction is in line with AC Energy’s effort to rebalance its portfolio as it targets to achieve at least five gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2025, according to the parent firm.

Shares of Ayala Corp. in the stock exchange improved 2.37% or P18 apiece on Tuesday. Meanwhile, shares of ACEN in the local bourse inched down 3.11% or 0.21 centavos to close at P6.55 apiece on the same day. — Angelica Y. Yang

Officer of closed rural bank convicted anew

A BANK OFFICER of the closed People’s Rural Bank of Binmaley, Inc. (PRBBI) in Pangasinan was again found guilty for facilitating fictitious loans through falsification of commercial documents, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said on Tuesday.

The Metropolitan Trial Court of Las Piñas City convicted Juanita G. Altarez, former area head and manager of PRBBI, for four counts of falsification of commercial documents in its decision on Feb. 5, the BSP said in a statement.

“The BSP continues to promote financial stability through good governance among its supervised institutions to ensure the soundness of the banking system and to protect the interest of the banking public,” the central bank said.

The court sentenced Ms. Altarez to imprisonment of one year and 11 days up to three years, six months and 24 days for each count. She will also need to pay a fine of P5,000 for each count, with subsidiary imprisonment in case of insolvency.

Ms. Altarez was convicted for a case involving four fictitious loans she approved.

“Said loans were discovered by the BSP during their investigation of the bank, and are part of 142 fictitious loans amounting to P7 million granted by PRBBI-Las Piñas Branch and facilitated by Altarez,” the central bank said.

In May 2019, Ms. Altarez was also convicted by the Regional Trial Court of Las Piñas Branch 255 for granting the fictitious loans. She was found guilty of four counts of violation of the General Banking Law of 2000 and was sentenced to seven years of imprisonment and a penalty of P100,000 for each count. — LWTN

NFT art: The bizarre world where burning a Banksy can make it more valuable

A BLOCKCHAIN company has bought a piece of Banksy artwork and burnt it. But instead of destroying the value of the art, they claim to have made it more valuable, because it was sold as a piece of blockchain art.

The company behind the stunt, called Injective Protocol, bought the screen print from a New York gallery. They then live-streamed its burning on the Twitter account BurntBanksy.

But why would anyone buy a piece of art just to burn it? Understanding the answer requires us to delve into the tricky world of blockchain or “NFT” art.

It blends the niche subculture of cryptocurrencies with long running philosophical questions about the nature of art. No wonder people have difficulty explaining it all.

At its simplest, a NFT (non-fungible token)artwork is made up of two things. First, a piece of art, usually digital, but sometimes physical. Second there is a digital token representing the art, also created by the artist.

In the past, artists might have provided a signature or the gallery a certificate to authenticate an artwork. This is a method of verification or proof to show this really was a painting by, say, Matisse or Klimt.

In 2008 the creator of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto, introduced a new method of verification known as the blockchain. Blockchains were historically used to record financial transactions, but they’re pretty malleable. These days, you can find everything from collectable games to new methods of finance — all living on blockchains.

The most important feature of blockchain for art is that blockchains are impossible to change. An artist can provide a proof authenticating an artwork which can never be altered. This proof can then be sold at auction passing it from artist to collector, making blockchain art highly liquid.

What collectors buy are “non-fungible” tokens (NFTs). Non-fungible means either one or a limited run is ever made. NFT tokens cannot be replicated.

In some cases the art will be stored on the blockchain, but more commonly the NFT will reference an external artwork. While many people might not consider this “owning art,” it’s clear many collectors do. The implication is NFT artworks are scarce and therefore valuable.

Newcomers to an NFT marketplace might be struck by the low quality of the artwork. With no barrier to entry, everyone is free to become a blockchain artist — and it shows. But this is a naïve reading of what is going on. Much blockchain art is sought after for reasons beyond aesthetics.

For instance, many NFTs, such as Cryptopunks, are sought after because of their age, like blockchain antiques. The most expensive Cryptopunk sold for $1,608,032 (£1,161,481) and it is, on the surface, little more than crudely drawn pixel art.

Cryptopunks are the oldest NFTs and it’s the data about them — their “metadata” — such as their longevity on the blockchain, that is desired. You have to look past the art and look at the medium to get what is going on.

Other NFTs, such as the Nyan Cat meme which sold for $600,000, are already widely distributed memes. But they’re prestigious specifically in their NFT form because the creator has “signed” the work on the blockchain.

But why would someone want to destroy the original art? Well, this is what the BurntBanksy collective had to say about it:

“If you were to have the NFT and the physical piece, the value would be primarily in the physical piece. By removing the physical piece from existence and only having the NFT, we can ensure that the NFT, due to the smart contract ability of the blockchain, will ensure that no one can alter the piece and it is the true piece that exists in the world. By doing this, the value of the physical piece will then be moved onto the NFT.”

To most, this probably sounds like gibberish. I suspect the collective are acting a little provocatively by inverting our usual preference for the physical over the digital. However, their argument follows perfect blockchain logic. They argue if we have a piece of art and an NFT, then most people will consider the former the “real” art.

To invert this they’ve decided to burn what many would consider a piece of art that is objectively valuable, a Banksy, and leave only the NFT. Unlike physical art that can be burnt or shredded or broken, an NFT is a digital token that lives on an immutable blockchain. It can’t be destroyed and should therefore, according to their logic, be perfectly safe from vandals — such as themselves.

With the “real” art work gone the NFT now stands in for the real work. What they are hinting at, of course, is that this is a potential transition from “real” to NFT in general and their stunt highlights this. Intriguingly, their act also suggests they have themselves become artists.

By burning the real piece they transform it into the NFT-only piece. To see the value in NFTs, we have to look past the art itself and at the blockchain.

Finally, it’s interesting that the collective decided to pick a Banksy piece of art to destroy, considering the artist shredded a piece of his own art live in 2018, immediately after it was sold at auction. Perhaps the work of these vandals is closer in spirit to the original artist than appears at first sight.

 

Paul J. Ennis is a Lecturer/Assistant Professor in Management Information Systems at the University College Dublin.

Hocheng to make thermal scanners in PHL

LAZULI.COM.PH

HOUSEHOLD equipment manufacturer Hocheng Philippines Corp. plans to assemble “anti-virus” products in the Philippines, the Board of Investments (BoI) said in a press release on Tuesday.

The company’s thermal scanner and rubbing alcohol dispenser called LENUS will also be distributed in the country, the agency added.

The dispenser product’s voice prompt alerts users approaching the device without a face mask, reminding them to do so. Hocheng Philippines plans to sell LENUS to hospitals, health-care facilities, business establishments, and direct to consumers.

Hocheng Philippines’ parent company Hocheng Corp. is a Taiwan-based bathroom equipment manufacturer that sells hygiene porcelains, water supply copper wares, bath tubs, and kitchenware.

The local firm, which builds kitchen fixtures at a Cavite facility, generates P1.7 billion in annual revenues.

The BoI said that it had been encouraging companies manufacturing products designed to address the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to invest in the Philippines. These products include medical supplies and electronic components.

“We are positioning the Philippines as a complementary host country to target companies, particularly those looking into diversifying their business locations to sustain and enhance competitiveness,” Trade Undersecretary and BoI Managing Head Ceferino S. Rodolfo said.

“By enticing them to invest in these industries, the outcome is a win-win for both businesses and the country. While we make their enterprises grow, we attract the highly-desirable investments that will serve the public interest, especially in this time of the health crisis.”

Investment pledges approved by the BoI in the first two months of 2021 grew 156% to P121.9 billion. The agency targets P1.25 trillion in total approved investments this year. — Jenina P. Ibañez

Digestive health initiatives

IN LINE with Philippine Digestive Health Week (PDHW), ongoing till March 13, here are initiatives to increase digestive health screening and improve patient outcomes.

SCREENING TOOL
The Department of Health is launching the use of the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) as the primary population-based colorectal cancer screening tool.

A technical expert committee for gastrointestinal cancers and other digestive illnesses will be formed in the second quarter of 2021 to develop national practice guidelines for colorectal cancer. The committee will also determine the possible inclusion of FIT and colonoscopy in organized cancer screenings managed by national health services.

INFORMATION DRIVE
Free webinars will be livestreamed on the PDHW 2021 Facebook page throughout the week: “Tummy Talks” will be shown till March 11, 6 p.m., a lay forum on FIT will be held on March 16, 6 p.m.

WORKPLACE POLICY
The cancer control policy in the workplace, which is expected to be issued within the year by the Department of Labor and Employment and the Civil Service Commission, will allow employees with cancer to undergo their chemotherapy sessions without having to file sick leave. — P. B. Mirasol

Responding to the pandemic and beyond

As part of a science-driven industry, the biopharmaceutical industry is leading the way in developing treatments, vaccines, and diagnostics for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Our scientists are searching for potentially useful assets that can help with the development of new or repurposed treatments or vaccines to fight against the novel coronavirus. We are leveraging our manufacturing technologies to allow the rapid upscaling of production once a medicine or vaccine candidate is identified to meet the needs of the most affected populations. Phase 3 clinical trials are being conducted to establish safety and efficacy. We are collaborating with governments, global health and research organizations, and pharmaceutical laboratories to share knowledge, libraries, and technologies.

The Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP) and its member companies are committed to partner with the government in ensuring that all Filipino patients have continued access to medicines, vaccines, and medical devices in this time of COVID-19 pandemic. We have stepped up our efforts to contribute in three ways.

First, we fast-tracked the development of safe and effective COVID-19 treatments, vaccines, and diagnostics. Second, we are implementing measures for an uninterrupted supply of medicines for COVID-19 and other conditions. Third, we launched a campaign to protect our health workers and generate funds for their medical needs. 

Despite the lockdowns, PHAP members continued operations to ensure unhampered and safe transport and distribution of medicines and vaccines. We ensured manufacturing capacity is at optimal levels, kept plants open to maintain a steady supply of medicines, and secured alternative sources of supplies. We managed inventories and redirected supplies to the Philippines, as well as implemented new logistical arrangements, including chartering flights.

PHAP and our corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm, the PHAPCares Foundation, launched the “We will not rest” campaign to help protect frontliners and communities impacted by COVID-19. PHAP members collectively donated P120 million to the country’s COVID-19 response, benefiting more than 1.5 million families and 155 health facilities nationwide. Beneficiaries included government and private hospitals, charitable institutions, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), among others.

Since its founding, PHAPCares has donated P1 billion in medicine and financial assistance to Filipinos disadvantaged by sickness, poverty, conflicts, and disasters. Under the leadership of its new officers and trustees, PHAPCares intends to form more partnerships to support the nation’s efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, and to establish pharmaceutical security resilience in preparation for future pandemics.

For this year, the PHAPCares Foundation will be led by Yee Kok Cheong (general manager, Boehringer Ingelheim Philippines), president; Lotis Ramin (country president, AstraZeneca Philippines), vice-president; and Jugo Tsumura (president and managing director, Novartis Healthcare Philippines), treasurer. Trustees include Dr. Beaver Tamesis (managing director, MSD Philippines); Jannette Jakosalem (chief executive officer, Metro Drug, Inc.), Raymund Azurin (senior vice-president, Zuellig Pharma); honorary trustee Dr. Corazon Maglaya; and myself.   

Its executive director, Dr. Rosarita Quijano-Siasoco, will oversee the implementation of programs and projects alongside Dennis Tuazon and Joy del Castillo.

Established in 2003, PHAPCares is dedicated to promoting public health and welfare in the country, particularly among underprivileged and marginalized Filipinos, as well as those impacted by natural and manmade calamities and conflicts. The Foundation has three core programs.

PHAPCares works with partners in building healthy and resilient communities in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA). Our goal is to develop these communities and provide the people with the highest possible quality healthcare in close coordination with the local government. Based on beneficiary screening and assessment protocol, the Foundation designs and implements technical assistance to aid in strengthening the healthcare system in selected communities. We provide assistance in the areas of service delivery, human resource, governance, financing, medicines, and information.

Through our emergency and disaster response operations, PHAPCares members donate essential medicines for the benefit of victims of natural calamities and for communities displaced by armed conflicts. PHAPCares also provides medicines to help avert or manage epidemics and other health-related consequences of disasters. PHAPCares in partnership with the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) holds an earthquake and landslide search and rescue orientation course (ELSAROC) for schools, NGOs, private companies, and government agencies, among others. ELSAROC is a comprehensive training program, which aims to establish an effective plan for preparedness and response to mitigate the impact of a strong earthquake in Metro Manila.

PHAPCares also implements corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives with member companies and other partners. Through our CSR initiatives, we aim to make a difference in the lives of the Filipinos through various medicines access programs, humanitarian missions, and health information and education campaigns, in geographic areas affected by conflicts, health outbreaks, and calamities.

With the pandemic yet to be contained, more collaborations will be needed to respond  to COVID-19 and beyond.

 

Teodoro B. Padilla is the executive director of the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP). PHAP and its member companies represent the research-based pharmaceutical sector in the country.

Arts & Culture (03/10/21)

Rebullida teaches musical theater dance class

PJ Rebullida of Galaw.Co will hold a special musical theater dance class on Mar. 14, 4 p.m. Mr. Rebullida was part of Ballet Philippines and Ballet Lüneburg in Germany. He has also worked with 9 Works Theatrical, Repertory Philippines, Trumpets, and Dulaang UP. No prior dance experience necessary for the class. There will be a requested donation of P500 per participant. Register at www.bgcartscenter.org/yanaworkshop2.

Instituto Cervantes holds debate on Magellan vs Elcano

AS PART of the events celebrating the 500th anniversary of the first circumnavigation of the world, Instituto Cervantes de Manila, the cultural arm of the Embassy of Spain, will hold the online debate “Magellan vs. Elcano” on Mar. 10, 6 p.m. The debate will seek to weigh their achievements for this endeavor, and try to establish who should deserve more credit for the final success. Magellan led the expedition — from its beginning in Spain, around South America, and across the Pacific Ocean — until his death in the Philippines. Meanwhile, Elcano took over and led the remaining ship and crew back to Spain, circumnavigating the world in the process. At the debate, Filipino historian Danilo Gerona will advocate for Magellan while Tomás Mazon will campaign for Elcano. Admission is free and open to all on a first come, first served basis. The link to access the event is https://zoom.us/j/92146096578. For further information about the webinar, visit Instituto Cervantes’ website http://manila.cervantes.es or its Facebook page www.facebook.com/InstitutoCervantesManila.

Floy Quintos gives lecture on the Ifugao bulul 

THE AYALA Museum will hold its first Discovery Lecture of the year, “The Changing Face of the Ifugao Bulul” by Floy Quintos, online on Mar. 13 and 20, at 4 p.m. This re-examination of the bulul (a granary god) covers its being a symbol of an ancient animism that survived the colonization of Luzon to its changing face throughout Ifugao history. The first lecture on Mar. 13 talks about the Deity behind the statue, seeking to ground the object in Ifugao mythology and oral literature with the use of both archival photos and recent footage. In the second lecture on Mar. 20, Mr. Quintos will trace the changing face of the statues by linking them to specific periods of Ifugao history. To join the two-part lecture, register through ayalamuseum.org/events or e-mail virtualevents@ayalamuseum.org.

International Women’s Month events at Araneta City

ARANETA City kicked off its International Women’s Month celebration by opening a photo exhibit on Mar. 8 that pays tribute to female COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) warriors. The exhibit features artworks with fallen and surviving COVID-19 female frontliners as subjects. The exhibit is on view at the Gateway Mall activity area. Upcoming events are a Women’s Marketplace from Mar. 12 to 14 at the ground floor of the Gateway Mall; Girl Boss Hustle on Mar. 13, 4 p.m., over Araneta City Facebook Live with Nikki Usong of Minnikins, Kath Vicente Ocampo of Cookie N’ Amo, Tin Canafranca and Erika Nera of Forksilog, and Charriz Anne L. dela Rosa, Senior Staff Nurse of The Medical City Clinic at Araneta Center; and Outdoor Movie Screening on Mar. 27, 6 p.m., at the Times Square Food Park.

Podcast tackles the music of Heber Bartolome

THE FILIPINAS Heritage Library and the OPM (Original Pilipino Music) Archive present the latest episode of the Muni-Muni Stories: A Podcast on Filipino Music on Mar. 12, 6 p.m., on Spotify. Episode 11 of the podcast focuses on OPM icon Heber Bartolome who discusses the roots of Pinoy folk rock by rooting them in classical and banduria music as well as in the 1960s to ’70s rock scene. He also recalls the challenges of turning love of country into music. An example is this episode’s centerpiece “Tayo’y Mga Pinoy,” a song that wards off Philippine self-images in colonial mirrors. Mr. Bartolome also dwells on the songs “Alumusal,” “Nena,” and other tunes portraying the lives of ordinary folk or (as Filipinos say) of Juan de la Cruz.

Webinar tackles Philippine Brutalist architecture

THE MUSEUM Foundation of the Philippines presents the webinar “Cariño Brutal: A Beginner’s Guide to Brutalist Architecture in the Philippines” with Mel Patrick Kasingsing on Mar. 20, from 10-11 a.m., over Zoom. Polarizing from its inception, the Brutalist architecture movement has had its share of naysayers for every fan it gains, a side effect drawn from its raw, uncouth appearance, domineering volumes, and unfortunate association with authoritarian regimes. However, the movement has undergone a rediscovery of sorts lately and is being reappraised by the younger generation so it’s safe to even say it’s “cool” again. But what exactly is Brutalism? What ideals does it embody? Why is it attracting new fans again? And how is it faring? This talk delves on these questions and more, presenting viewers an easy-to-digest primer on the style and how it fits in the continuing architectural and cultural narrative of the Philippines. Mr. Kasingsing is the founder and moderator of @brutalistpilipinas, an Instagram and Facebook-based visual database of Philippine brutalist architecture. An avid architecture fan and heritage advocate, he was previously the creative director of the architectural magazine Blueprint, and now editor-in-chief of design and culture website kanto.com.ph. To register for the webinar, go to this link: http://bit.ly/MFPICarinoBrutal. The webinar will also be streamed via Facebook Live through the Museum Foundation of the Philippines Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MuseumFoundationPH. For inquiries, e-mail inquiry@museumfoundationph.org.

PPO stages Virtual Pocket Performances

THE NEXT performance of Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) online concert series The PPO Spotlight: Virtual Pocket Performances will be streamed on Mar. 19, 8 p.m., through the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ (CCP) website. The series, which runs until July, is a program of the PPO that can be viewed from the PPO FB page and the CCP YouTube as platforms.

Palacio de Memoria holds Primero 2021 auction

PALACIO de Memoria’s auction house, Casa de Memoria, will hold its Primero auction on Mar. 20, noon. For its first quarterly auction of the year, the Lhuillier-managed auction house has curated paintings, furniture pieces, sculptures, and religious antiques. These include a pair of Qing Dynasty famille rose ginger jars with pedestals (Lot 24), with the starting bid at P420,000. There is also a selection of paintings, from the classic to the contemporary. These include Vase of Flowers by Jose María Armengol Farré (Lot 066), Joueur de flute et chèvre by Pablo Picasso (Lot 099), Marilyn Monroe by Andy Warhol (Lot 141), and Toro y Toreros by Salvador Dali (Lot 148), with many of them starting at P60,000. Among the vintage furniture going under the gavel are a 19th century Italian paper desk in ebonized wood with ivory and bone inlay (Lot 010) which has a starting bid of P360,000, and a Spanish ivory-inlaid small table with foliage, bird, and fruit motifs (Lot 011). Primero also has an ecclesiastic collection, including an oil on copper painting of the Holy Trinity (Lot 124); a Santo Niño wooden relief (Lot 147); and a 16th century oil on wood painting of the Assumption of Mary. To explore the auction items, visit bit.ly/CasaDeMemoriaOnline. Auction viewings are also available until Mar. 19. Preview cocktails will be on Mar. 11. For more details, call (02) 8253-3994 or e-mail hello@casadememoria.com. For more information and to register, visit https://www.casadememoria.com.

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