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Facebook promises transparency in efforts to curb hate speech

AFTER several months of being taken to task about how Facebook has been handling and policing hate speech, the social media giant promised transparency and accountability in their efforts to enforce policies especially pertaining to these malicious remarks, an Asia-Pacific executive said.

“One of the things that we’ve done for the last seven quarters is we released a community standards enforcement report… and one of the things that we did as part of that report is we announced a new metric: and the new metric is around the prevalence of hate speech,” Dan Neary, vice president of the global business group at Facebook Asia Pacific, said in a Dec. 8 press conference.

“Now, keep in mind the overall goal of this report is to just make sure that we are being transparent and accountable about our efforts to enforce policies,” he added.

In November, Facebook published its first report on the prevalence of hate speech and said that out of “10,000 views of content” in the third quarter of 2020, there are about “10 to 11 views of hate speech.”

A Reuters report quoted Facebook saying that the company “took action on 22.1 million pieces of hate speech content in the third quarter, about 95% of which was proactively identified compared to 22.5 million in the previous quarter.

Taking action means removing content, putting a warning over it, disabling accounts, or reporting it to external agencies.

Mr. Neary said the company has made strides in identifying hate speech from 23.6% in 2017 and now to “under 95%.”

“So really good progress and this is where a lot of the AI really comes into play in terms of our ability to capture this or identify this and remove it from the platform at scale,” he said before adding that they have recently started applying the same metrics to Instagram.

Facebook is also said to have been “embarking on a major overhaul of its algorithms that detect hate speech,” according to a Dec. 5 story by The Washington Post, citing internal documents.

The overhaul involves re-engineering the social media’s automated moderation systems to get better at detecting and automatically removing hateful language and content considered “the worst of the worst”, which includes “slurs directed at Blacks, Muslims, people of more than one race, the LGBTQ community, and Jews,” according to the documents obtained by the media outlet.

While Mr. Neary emphasized on the company taking accountability and being transparent on their efforts to curb hate speech on the network, some of Facebook’s employees may not see it as enough as a Buzzfeed News article posted on Dec. 11 pointed at the recent resignation of the Facebook data scientist who wrote in their farewell note that, “With so many internal forces propping up the production of hateful and violent content, the task of stopping hate and violence on Facebook starts to feel even more Sisyphean than it already is.”

“It also makes it embarrassing to work here,” the note read.

The same scientist presented internal Facebook data and projections and said that unlike Facebook’s numbers of 10 to 11 views of hate speech out of 10,000 views of content, the numbers are “roughly 1 of every 1,000 pieces of content violates the company’s rules on hate speech.”

And when it comes to deleting such content, the data scientist said Facebook was “deleting less than 5% of all the hate speech posted on Facebook.”

The Buzzfeed article mentioned that Guy Rosen, the vice president of integrity at Facebook, disputed the calculations. — Zsarlene B. Chua

A closer look at the Beringer Private Reserve wines

It took almost 10 months before I got myself back inside a restaurant for dinner, and it was worth the long wait as this special dinner would feature no less than the highly acclaimed Beringer Private Reserve wines from Napa Valley. The venue for this dinner event was equally enticing, as it was held at The Peak, the Grand Hyatt BGC’s signature multi-level food and beverage hub (composed of a grill restaurant, music lounge and a whisky bar), located from the 60th to the 62th floor and with the most captivating and highest view of the Metro Manila skyline.

Admittedly, this was my first time to see The Peak for myself, as, being a Quezon City resident, it is time-consuming and a tedious drive to go to Taguig City unless I really needed to. Prior to this event, I was at this relatively new Grand Hyatt BGC only on two occasions — both in the second half of 2019: one was to meet a foreign guest at The Lounge, and the other time was during the Whisky Live event held at the Grand Ballroom in October of last year.

BERINGER: A HOUSEHOLD NAME FOR WINE
Beringer Vineyards is Treasury Wine Estates’ most prized possession among its California winery holdings. Beringer Vineyards is, according to its website, the oldest continuously operating winery in the Napa Valley — since 1876, making them 144 years old now. “Continuously” is the operative word here because, as history will tell us, there was the implementation of the notorious 1920 alcohol prohibition law, also known as the 18th amendment to the US Constitution, which was unfathomably devastating not only to the fledgling American wine industry, but also to their spirits counterparts, notably the bourbons. This prohibition would eventually be repealed after 13 years by then President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933. Apparently, Beringer persisted in making wine during Prohibition for religious purposes as allowed by law.

Beringer also became the first California winery to offer wine tasting and public visits — as early as 1934 — and till this day, the Beringer Vineyards tour remains a “must do” for Napa tourists. In my humble opinion, Beringer as a brand ranks only perhaps second or, at worst, third to Robert Mondavi and E&J Gallo when it comes to all-time Californian wine recognition. Beringer Vineyards has amassed gazillions of awards, accolades, high ratings, and critical acclaims throughout its long illustrious existence — a true testament to Beringer Vineyards’ sustained quality standards.

THE BERINGER PRIVATE RESERVE RANGE
Ed Sbragia, Beringer Vineyard’s former superstar chief winemaker and now proprietor (and still winemaker) of his eponymous Sbragia Family Vineyards in Sonoma County, has been vastly credited for starting and crafting the Beringer Private Reserve wines — a range that catapulted Beringer into iconic status. The first vintage of the Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon was the 1977, while the first vintage of its’ white wine counterpart was the Private Reserve Chardonnay 1978. These two Beringer Private Reserve wines continue to be Beringer’s most prestigious and sought-after wines for over four-decades running.

The original concept behind the Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon was to make the very best Cabernet Sauvignon from the different wine regions/AVAs (American Viticultural Area) and finest vineyards within Napa. This multi-vineyard, multi-AVA blending is similar to what I mentioned in a previous column about the Penfolds winemaking philosophy on its premium range, where Penfolds produces consistently high-quality wines year-in year-out despite vintage differences and challenges. No surprise therefore that both Penfolds and Beringer Vineyards represent Treasury Wine Estates’ quality benchmarks for Australian and Californian wines respectively.

SMALL GATHERING OF WINE AFFICIONADOS
Only a small cozy group of no more than 20 people were present at this event, including Alan Anastacio, Treasury Wine Estates country manager; Griffith Go, Happy Living managing director; Julian Gagliardi, Happy Living general manager; and the Grand Hyatt BGC general manager Gottfried Bogensperger. This Beringer Private Reserve event had two parts, both staged at the elegant and charming 62th floor whisky bar area of The Peak (closed for this private function). The first part was a master class, conducted by Beringer Brand Ambassador Catherine Wong live from Singapore via Zoom.

I loved this idea as the featured wines, which included a Private Reserve Chardonnay and four vintages of the Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, were all tasted first, one at a time, with no food other than bread and butter (if anyone wanted a palate cleanser aside from water in between wines). This was a great exercise especially for wine lovers who want to taste the wine on its own first, and without the influence of food. The second part was the formal wine dinner, pairing the Beringer Private Reserve wines with a special menu created by chef Mark Hagan. I liked the fact that this wasn’t some “hardcore” pairing where guests were told to specifically pair a dish with a wine, but rather a more self-discretion type of personal pairing. The four-course menu was excellent. Special mention must be made of the wild mushroom risotto which was absolutely incredible and probably the best I’ve ever had!

MY CUSTOMARY TASTING NOTES (IN ORDER OF TASTING):
Beringer Chardonnay Napa Valley 2017 — served as cocktail drink; 100% Chardonnay; “light citrus, flinty, like a first crisp green apple bite, slightly tarty, very fresh and pure, with lemon rind at the end”; P1,390/bottle.

Beringer Private Reserve Chardonnay Napa Valley 2017 — 100% Chardonnay; “subtle nose with peach and lemon, buttery, almonds, cinnamon, yeasty, graphite and minerals, lengthy, with buttered toast elements, nice refreshing dry finish”; P2,590/bottle.

Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2006 — 100% Cabernet Sauvignon; “crème de cassis, dried berries, figs, vanilla, violets, satin-like texture, melt in the mouth tannins, deliciously dry, with potpourri of berries showing at the end”; P11,990/bottle.

Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2009 — this wine has 2% Petit Verdot added to the 98% Cabernet Sauvignon; “very alluring rich nose ala blueberry pie, whiff of graham cracker crust, toffee, complex with lavender and floral essences, lengthy on the mouth with vanilla, cassis, raisins and graphite, long delectable finish”; P11,990/bottle.

Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2010 — 100% Cabernet Sauvignon; “elegant nose, freshly baked croissant, ripe blueberries, mocha, all-spice, nutmeg, cinnamon bark, crusty and supple texture, with nice aftertaste of cassis and peppercorn; very long and lengthy in flavors from first sip to last precious drop”; P11,990/bottle.

Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2014 — this wine has 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec to go with 97% Cabernet Sauvignon; “bright and sultry fruits, quite sophisticated on the nose with complex minerals and herbs, slate, cinnamon bark, full-bodied, dry with lingering black currant on the finish”; P7,990/bottle.

These wines are all available, albeit at very limited quantities of the older vintages of the Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, from Happy Living Philippines Corp. Please contact them at 8895-6507 or 8896-0336. With Christmas just around the corner, a Beringer Private Reserve wine gift will surely brighten any recipient’s day.

The author is the only Filipino member of the UK-based Circle of Wine Writers (CWW). For comments, inquiries, wine event coverage, wine consultancy and other wine related concerns, e-mail the author at protegeinc@yahoo.com or via Twitter at www.twitter.com/sherwinlao.

Cirtek Holdings plans to issue up to P6 billion worth of commercial papers

CIRTEK Holdings Philippines Corp. said Wednesday its board of directors had agreed to issue up to P6 billion worth of commercial papers.

In a disclosure to the stock exchange, Cirtek said its board of directors approved at a special meeting held on Wednesday the “shelf registration and issuance by the corporation of commercial papers in the aggregate principal amount of up to P6 billion.”

The company said the board also approved the appointment of BDO Trust and Investments Group as the stock and transfer agent for detachable warrants.

It also announced the approval of the appointment of Philippine National Bank – Trust Banking Group as the receiving and escrow agent for its stock rights offering with detachable warrants.

BDO Unibank, Inc. was appointed as the settlement bank for the company’s “Preferred B2 Subseries B Shares.” — Arjay L. Balinbin

PBoC urges wider acceptance of cash as digital payments expand

BEIJING — China’s central bank has called for wider acceptance of cash in economic activities and vowed to punish those who refuse to accept cash payments in the wake of a widening gap in access to digital services.

China’s online payments via barcodes and third-party payment apps such as Ant Group’s Alipay and Tencent Holdings’ Tenpay have gained in popularity over the years on government policies to promote innovation.

Some merchants and institutions have become reluctant to accept cash due to reasons such as cost control or user experience, with the trend accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the People’s Bank of China (PBoC) said in a notice on Tuesday. “Renminbi (yuan) cash is the most basic means of payment. Entities or individuals cannot refuse to accept it,” the PBoC said, adding that the central bank will investigate and punish firms or individuals that refuse to accept cash or adopt discriminatory measures against cash payments.

In a separate statement, the central bank said payments of some basic public services such as medical treatment, water, electricity and gas fees have gradually migrated online.

The transition has left the elderly behind, as it is more difficult for some of them to adapt to the new digital technologies compared with younger people, it said.

“The innovation of consumption and payment methods should be conducive to…protect people’s livelihood and enhance the public’s sense of happiness,” the PBoC said in the notice.

The PBoC urged that all entities and individuals should not discriminate or carry out any inconvenient measures to exclude cash payment and create “gaps of digitalization.”

“Nonbank payment institutions must not promote the concept of cashless or discriminatory means of cash payment in any forms,” it said. — Reuters

Dining In/Out (12/17/20)

Holiday treats from City of Dreams

AVAILABLE at City of Dreams Manila’s Café Society until Dec. 31 is a selection of Christmas treats crafted by master pastry chefs: Christmas fruit mince and mini pies, puto bumbong bread, stollens, fruit cakes, assorted Christmas cookies, chocolate and other dragées (sugar-coated nuts) and specialty breads such as the Chocolate and Hazelnut Babka and Croissant Chocolate Swirl Loaf. With 27 choices, the Café Society offers one of the widest selections of panettone, Italy’s signature Christmas cake. Gingerbread houses, gingerbread boys and girls, chocolate  Santa Claus and Santa Bear, pralines, Christmas chocolates, and candy nougats add to the selections. Café Society is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. to restaurant and invited guests, and those on staycation at the three hotels in the luxury integrated resort: Hyatt Regency, Nobu, and Nuwa. Pre-orders and bulk orders must be placed 48 hours in advance. For inquiries, call 8800-8080 or e-mail guestservices@cod-manila.com or visit www.cityofdreamsmanila.com.

Boracay, Palawan for the holidays

THIS year, make Discovery Shores Boracay and Club Paradise Palawan your home for the holidays,  as both resorts have festive culinary offers and activities that will make guests feel right at home. At Discovery Shores Boracay, children can enjoy arts and crafts activities, gingerbread decorating classes, make-your-own-pizza activities and a Christmas treasure hunt while at Club Paradise Palawan, kids can enjoy playing traditional Pinoy games by the beach or watching movies under the stars every weekend at 8 p.m. by the poolside, apart from the Christmas treats and trinkets decorating sessions. For the whole month of December, guest at Club Paradise Palawan have daily access to a Healthy Hour from 4 to 7 p.m., with food and drinks that are delicious and good for the body. From 7 to 10 p.m., they can either partake of a Wine Menu or have a Thai Khan Tok dining experience, showcasing authentic Thai dishes. From Dec. 15 to 30, guests can indulge on Christmas themed cocktails from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Sand Bar in Discovery Shores Boracay and at the Sunset Deck at Club Paradise Palawan. Both resorts have prepared for a special Christmas Eve celebration on Dec. 24 at 7 p.m., while on Christmas Day, a buffet of Pinoy holiday dishes and festive treats can be had at Discovery Shores Boracay while at Club Paradise Palawan, an Italian feast will be served at 7 p.m. Grilled meats and seafood will be available on Dec. 30, 7 p.m., at Sands Restaurant in Discovery Shores Boracay and at Firefish Restaurant in Club Paradise Palawan. There will be Christmas Day Mass celebrated on Dec. 25 and at the New Year’s Day Mass on Jan. 1, both at 11 a.m. Santa will drop by Boracay and Coron on Christmas Day, part of a program for the family. Meet Bogart the bear at Discovery Shores Boracay and Timmy the turtle at Club Paradise Palawan, together with Santa on Dec. 25 at 4 p.m. Join Discovery Shores Boracay’s Share-A-Bear Program and Club Paradise Palawan’s Share-A-Turtle Campaign where guests will be gifted with a mini stuffed Bogart the Bear or a mini Timmy the Turtle for every P500 donation to the resorts’ adopted communities. To know more about the resorts’ festive offerings, visit view their online brochure at https://bit.ly/HomefortheHolidaysCP for Club Paradise Palawan and https://bit.ly/HomefortheHolidaysDSB for Discovery Shores Boracay. For inquiries and reservations, visit www.discoveryshoresboracay.com or call (632) 7720-8888 for Discovery Shores Boracay.  For Club Paradise Palawan visit www.clubparadisepalawan.com or call (632) 7719-6971.

Mang Inasal Take-out and Delivery Blowout

MANG Inasal’s Take-out and Delivery Blowout deal makes a comeback from Dec. 18 to 28. The Christmas treat comes in a free Mang Inasal Palabok Family Size for every takeout or delivery of Mang Inasal Chicken Inasal Family Size Large Paa or Pecho, regular or spicy. The four-piece Paa Large Family Size is priced starting at P360 while the three-piece Large Pecho Family Size is sold from P305. With the blowout deal, enjoy savings of as much as P199. Customers can buy a maximum of three orders of Chicken Inasal Family Size Large meals per transaction. The free Mang Inasal Palabok Family Size — which is good for four to five people — features noodles in thick rich sauce, seasoned with chopped spring onions, slices of hard-boiled egg, chicharon bits, meaty pork and tinapa. Orders can be delivered via GrabFood, LalaFood, or FoodPanda. For takeout, go to Mang Inasal’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/MangInasalPhilippines for the list of Mang Inasal stores.

Elevate a dish with truffle oil

ONE way to level up a holiday meal is with truffle oil and sauce, a highly versatile ingredient that can significantly enhance the flavor and aroma of a wide variety of dishes.  Umbria Terra Di Tartufi, an Italian brand distributed by Dygen Food Ventures, Inc., has a roster of artisan products including truffle oils and sauces are made with pure ingredients from Valnerina, Italy. They do not contain any artificial colors, additives, or preservatives. Umbria Terra Di Tartufi has three variants of truffle oils and sauces — White Truffle Oil, Original Black Truffle Sauce, and Black Truffle Sauce 5%. The white truffle oil is made with olive oil, dehydrated Bianchetto truffle and white truffle aroma. It is used almost exclusively as a finishing oil, added to a dish near or at the end of preparation, as its potency is heat-sensitive and not suitable as a cooking oil. The black truffle has a more intense and robust flavor, which some may describe as more earthy and nutty with some chocolate notes. Umbria Terra Di Tartufi’s black truffle sauce is made with fresh Champignon mushrooms, extra virgin olive oil, black olives, and black summer truffle. Truffle sauces are heated up and mixed with other ingredients. The black truffle sauce also comes in a 5% variant, which is a special dressing sauce with intense flavor, naturally darker color and a high-quality selection of mushrooms and a special blend of spices. Umbria Terra Di Tartufi is available at goodwill.market, an e-commerce site under Dyna Drug Corp. The Umbria Terra Di Tartufi White Truffle Oil is available in 100 mL and 250 mL bottles for P719 and P1,399 respectively; Original Truffle Sauce is available in 80g and 180g bottles for P519 and P759 respectively; while the Black Truffle Sauce 5% (intense) is available in a 180g bottle for P999.

Holidays at Richmonde Hotel Iloilo

CELEBRATE the holidays at Richmonde Hotel Iloilo. On Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, Richmonde will serve feasts specially prepared by chef Jeffrey Ticao and his kitchen team. The Granary, the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant, serves up spreads of international dishes and traditional Noche Buena and Media Noche favorites at the Holiday Luxe Dinner Buffets happening on Dec. 24 and 31 from 6 to 10 p.m.,  priced at P1,500 nett each. Children six to 12 years old get 50% discount and children five years old and below eat for free. Annual reunions with family and friends can be arranged through Richmonde Iloilo’s Holiday Banquet Events. Whether the get-together is at the hotel, online, or both, the hotel’s capable Banquet Team to handle one’s needs, from hotel venue and meals, to virtual meeting set-ups and food deliveries. In-house holiday parties start at P800 nett per person and include lunch or dinner meals, a round of drinks, and function room rental. A minimum of 15 persons is required for set meal orders, and a minimum of 30 persons for buffet menus. Special arrangements may be made for Virtual Holiday Events which include the delivery of packed lunch or dinner sets for attendees if located within Iloilo City. For seasonal treats, there are The Granary’s selection of freshly baked cakes, breads and pastries, from the signature ensaymadas and moist chocolate cake, to sugary treats like French macarons and Iloilo Paris bun. Choose from the selection of Holiday Boxes that include, among others, hotel pastries, tablea tsokolate and muscovado sugar from farmers, and premium drip coffee from Iloilo-based Superhouse Solutions, all packed in pretty buri boxes from Guimaras. Pre-prepared Holiday Boxes start at P750 nett but you can create your own box set to better personalize your gifts. Takeaway food  from The Granary will always be appreciated: Black Box Big Bites are combo meals featuring all-time favorite menu items and are priced starting at P750 nett per order. Monetary gift certificates for hotel products and services, and vouchers for all day treats with pool access for two are also available at a discounted price. All orders must be placed in advance with a 50% deposit and a 48-hour lead time prior to pick up. For inquiries, call Richmonde Hotel Iloilo at +63 33 328-7888 or 0917-580-9642, or send an e-mail to stay@richmondeiloilo.com. Bookings and orders may also be made online at Richmonde’s official website, www.richmondehoteliloilo.com.ph.

Johnnie Walker’s festive gift tins

JUST in time for gifting and celebration season, Johnnie Walker Scotch whisky has released its limited edition Festive Gift Tins. Available for a limited time only and while supplies last, Johnnie Walker is decking its flavor variants in sleek matte decorated tin boxes — perfect to give as a gift. The holiday tin with Johnnie Walker Red Label 1L has a suggested retail price (SRP) of P659, while the Johnnie Walker Black Label 1L can be had for P1,399 SRP. A one liter bottle of Johnnie Walker Double Black in a holiday tin is P1,599 SRP; while the 750ml bottle of Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve in a holiday tin is P1,499 SRP; and the 700ml bottle of Johnnie Walker Green Label, the only blended malt in the Johnnie Walker core range, comes in an eye-catching green tin for P1,900. A 750ml bottle of Johnnie Walker Aged 18 Years is available for P2,399 SRP. All variants are available in all leading supermarkets nationwide. Get a free Johnnie Walker Tote Bag when you purchase three Johnnie Walker Red Label Tins or two Johnnie Walker Black Label Tins at www.boozeshop.ph. For more information, check out the Johnnie Walker Facebook and Instagram pages at Facebook.com/JohnnieWalkerPH and @johnniewalkerph, respectively.

Rooftop holiday dining at Seda BGC Hotel

ENJOY a rooftop dining experience at Seda BGC this Christmas season. Straight Up on the 22nd floor is open from noon to 10 p.m. daily. The main lounge indoors has floor-to-ceiling glass windows that offer gorgeous views by day or night; while the al fresco area is perfect from sundown onwards, with its open space, the cool breeze, and fabulous skyline views all around. The Christmas Eve dinner features Duet of Grilled Beef Tenderloin and Pan-seared Halibut (Dec. 24, P2,000 per person); Christmas Day lunch — Duet of US Beef Short Rib and Teriyaki-Glazed Grilled Salmon (Dec. 25, P1,800 per person); New Year’s Eve dinner — Duet of US Prime Rib and Fillet of Seabass (Dec. 31, P3,500 per person); and New Year’s Day lunch — Duet of Rack of Lamb and Grilled King Prawn (Jan. 1, P1,800). For exclusivity, there are three private rooms at Straight Up, ideal for intimate reunions, special meetings or small celebrations. Packages with food and drinks are available for Dec. 24, 25, 31, and Jan. 1; the set-ups and capacities following physical distancing requirements. Inquiries and table/private room reservations can be made through 7945-8888 and 8588-5700 or dining.bgc@sedahotels.com. Operations follow national and local government guidelines and Seda Hotels’ SafeAtSeda health and safety program. Seda BGC is at 30th Street cor. 11th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

Great Food Solutions’ RTE line   

GREAT Food Solutions (GFS), the foodservice arm of San Miguel Foods, recently launched a ready-to-eat (RTE) line aimed at helping food business owners and budding entrepreneurs gain more convenience and efficiency in running their business. The new RTE line under the Cook Express and Chef’s Selection brands offer fully cooked dishes that can easily be customized to suit the customers’ tastes. The Cook Express RTE line currently consists of 11 viands: Beef Tapa, Bistek, Dinuguan, Kare-Kare, Lechon Paksiw, Chicken Karaage, Chili Con Carne, Callos, Chicken Pastel, Korean Beef Stew, and Chicken Hardinera. Meanwhile, Chef’s Selection, which is the company’s premium ready-to-cook brand, expanded its category with its very first RTE product — Fresh Corned Beef. Other existing products under the brand include Angus Burger, Chorizo Hamonado Patty, and Chicken Tocino. All RTE viands are slow cooked, made with 100% real meat from Magnolia poultry and Monterey Meats, and use Individually Quick Freeze (IQF) technology for sealed-in freshness and 100% food safety assurance. GFS’ RTE line was also designed for individuals and families who are constantly looking for more ways to save time. The Cook Express and Chef’s Selection RTE line come in 500-gram microwaveable tubs or one-kilogram packs. They are available at Petron Treats and The Mall online market (https://themall.sanmiguel.com.ph). For business opportunity inquiries, call Great Food Solutions at (02) 8632-2000.

Jollibee’s Jolly e-gifts

JOLLIBEE customers can send Jolly e-Gifts to their loved ones starting this December. Customers can access this through the Jollibee website or the Facebook Messenger chatbot. The Jolly e-gifts can be purchased in the form of e-Gift Certificates or as e-Product Vouchers, which are available in specific denominations and featured products. To make gifting even more convenient and to enable others to spread more joy, Jolly e-Gifts gives customers the option to send to multiple recipients. These can be paid through a wide array of cashless options. For the Jolly e-Gift Certificates, customers can pay exclusively using their credit card, and for the Jolly e-Product Vouchers, they can settle via their credit card, as well as PayMaya, GCash, and GrabPay. The Jolly e-Product Vouchers can be collected by the recipient through e-mail or SMS. The Jolly e-Gifts can be redeemed in Jollibee’s various distribution channels, whether it dine-in, take-out, or drive-through. Customers can make use of the e-Product Vouchers for a span of 60 days, while e-Gift Certificates can be enjoyed without expiry.

Holiday-themed treats from Sugarplum Pastries

SUGARPLUM Pastries is a home-based baking endeavor that specializes in personalized cakes and cupcakes by pastry chef Lovely Jiao. She supplies her regular clientele with custom eight-foot tower creations and buffet selections of pops and shots, cheesecake shortcrusts, macarons and truffle bites, which are all party mainstays. This year, her seasonal bestsellers include meringue Christmas trees, gingerbread houses, sugar cookies, gelatin snow globes and cookie lanterns. An ideal gift would be the Merry Sampler of 4s, which incorporates Almond Praline Chocolate Cake, Cream Puff, Brownie Cheesecake and Peach and Mango Tres Leches into one package. Then there is the Christmas Cookie-Do, inclusive of big cinnamon cookies, colored piping bags and sprinkle sets that allow the kids to decorate their own. For inquiries, visit www.sugarplumpastries.com or send an e-mail to sugarplum_pastries@yahoo.com. They can also be found on Facebook (@sugarplumpastriesph) and Instagram (@sugarplumpastries).

Nutella, Via Mare join forces with all-day breakfast food truck

THIS year, Nutella is bringing the all-day breakfast truck back into town and introducing a new pairing — Via Mare’s bibingka and puto bumbong. The partnership with Via Mare will bring Bibingka con Nutella to life. Customers will get to enjoy the Bibingka con Nutella through the All Day Breakfast Truck at these locations: Dec. 17, Laverti Residences; Dec. 18, Burgos Circle; Dec. 19 and  20 , Eastwood City. This new holiday pairing is also available for take out or home delivery. For delivery, go to https://viamare.com.ph or visit Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ViamarePH/, or place orders at https://viamare.com.ph/order-online/.

Max’s December promo

MAX’S has dining sets that are perfect for gatherings with friends and family. First there are Max’s 1945 Classics Sets: the Supreme Set, a bundle that includes one Sarap-To-The-Bones regular whole fried chicken, large plain rice, sizzling tofu or chicken pancit canton, crispy oxtail kare-kare or beef kare-kare, and four regular buko pandan; the Deluxe Set featuring one Sarap-To-The-Bones regular whole fried chicken, your choice of nilagang bulalo, sizzling bulalo, kalderetang bulalo, sinigang na tiyan ng bangus, sinigang na baboy, or sinigang na hipon, a large plain rice; lumpiang Shanghai, sizzling tofu, four glasses sago’t gulaman, and four buko pandan; and the Standard Set comprises of your choice of four Basic Meals, four Platter Meals, or four Fiesta Plate Meals, nilagang bulalo, sinigang na tiyan ng bangus, sinigang na baboy, or sinigang na hipon, four glasses sago’t gulaman, and four regular buko pandan.  The 1945 Classics Sets are available nationwide until Dec. 31 for a minimum purchase of P1,945, valid for dine-in, take-out, and delivery via the Max’s Group hotline (888-79000) or delivery.maxschicken.com.       

Holiday head start with Yellow Cab

YELLOW Cab’s Holiday Exclusive allows customers to get a bountiful head start on all Christmas and New Year gatherings. Place your Dec. 24, 25, 31, and Jan. 1 orders in advance before Dec. 21 and enjoy a free nine-inch Pepperoni or BBQ Chicken Pizza for every purchase worth at least P999. Avail of this promo by calling the Max’s Group hotline (888-79000) or through placing an order on delivery.yellowcabpizza.com.

Christmas comfort food from Pancake House

ENJOY comfort food over the holidays with Pancake House’s Classic Pan Chicken Holiday Bucket that starts at P499 for five pieces. Amp it up with the Holiday Bucket Set A which includes six pieces of the Classic Pan Chicken, two orders of large spaghetti with garlic bread, six sides of your choice of mashed potato with gravy or coleslaw, and 1.5 liter Coke, all for P673; or the Holiday Bucket Set B, this time with six cups of plain rice together with your chicken and sides for P413. Get this now for dine-in, take-out, or delivery by calling the Max’s Group hotline  (888-79000) or delivery.pancakehouse.com.ph, GrabFood, foodpanda, and LalaFood.

Winter wonderland with Krispy Kreme

TAKE a sweet trip to the North Pole with Krispy Kreme’s Winter Wonderland doughnuts in Rudolph, Polar Bear, Holiday Sprinkles, Cranberry, White Choco, Holiday Tree made with KitKat, Holiday Wreath, and Santa Claus designs, starting at P55 a piece. Pair that with Krispy Kreme’s Holiday Chillers in Christmas Caramel, Holiday Cookies N’ Kreme, and Holly Berry for a minimum purchase of P139. These are all available for dine-in, take-out, drive through, delivery by calling the Max’s Group hotline (888-79000) or now.krispykreme.com.ph, GrabFood, foodpanda, LalaFood, Mangan, Groover, and OrderMo.

A healthy holiday season with Jamba Juice

CONTINUE getting to a healthier place, even during the holiday season with Jamba Juice’s 16 oz Holi-yay Trio — this includes classic favorites (Razzmatazz, Mango-A-Go-Go, and Banana Berry) in one bundle for a minimum purchase of P399; available for dine-in, take-out, and delivery by calling the Max’s Group hotline (888-79000) or jambajuice.ph. Jamba Juice has also partnered with Shopee. Avail e-vouchers such as the 16 oz Classic Trio (Banana Berry, Strawberries Wild, and Mango-A-Go-Go) for P399, Fruit Refreshers where you can get one 16 oz Fruit Refresher for P109, or the 12 oz Fan Favorites Duo (Banana Berry and Strawberries Wild) for P199. When visiting any Jamba Juice store, you can upgrade your smoothie to 22 oz or 30 oz to get a free whey protein power up, available until supplies last.

Holiday cheer, Japanese style with Teriyaki Boy

TERIYAKI Boy favorites are all available in feast trays this December. For an appetizer, choose between a 10-piece or 15-piece Gyoza Japanese feast tray which starts at P255, or the Kani Salad for P270. For a main course, there is the Teriyaki Boy Chicken feast tray for P1,550, Tonkatsu for P1,280, Beef Teppanyaki for P1,235, Tori Karaage for P615, or the Gohan for P245. These are all available for take-out and delivery via the Max’s Group hotline (888-79000), teriyakiboy.com.ph, GrabFood, foodpanda, and LalaFood. Prices above may change due to 12% VAT and delivery charges.

Christmas celebrations with Sizzlin’ Steak

SIZZLIN’ Steak has special cater trays for Christmas gatherings. Choose between the Beef Strips and Burger Steak cater tray for P419, or the Beef Strips cater tray for P1,139 that are all available for take-out and delivery via the Max’s Group hotline (888-79000), sizzlinsteak.com, GrabFood, foodpanda, and LalaFood. Prices above may change due to 12% VAT and delivery charges.

Nestle’s Chuckie now uses paper straws

IN AN EFFORT to go green and help save the environment, Nestle’s Chuckie ready-to-drink chocolate milk has replaced plastic straws with paper straws which are 100% food-grade and designed to be recycled. Learn more about Nestle Chuckie’s shift to paper straws together with the children by viewing the printable Chuckie Activity Book in this link: bit.ly/ChuckieActivityBook, and by reading the FAQs at bit.ly/ChuckiePaperStrawsFAQs.

Electricity spot market price falls in November

THE EFFECTIVE settlement spot price at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) fell 10.1% month-on-month to P1.86 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in November due to ample power supply and the colder weather, according to its operator.

In a virtual media briefing on Wednesday, the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP) said weather conditions and consecutive typhoons in November reduced energy consumption by 9.2% year-on-year, equivalent to 636 gigawatt-hour (GWh), compared with the same month in 2019.

“This resulted in an effective settlement spot price of P1.86/kWh for the said month, which is lower by 10.1% from the month of October,” it said.

IEMOP said the price drop began after the damage caused by consecutive typhoons in November had a negative impact on market results, such as lower system demand and supply on Nov. 1 to 3.

“This was then succeeded by the declaration of Market Intervention by the System Operator followed by the imposition of Market Suspension by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) on November 12 to 13 due to Typhoon Ulysses,” it said.

IEMOP said the system peak demand in November fell 4.7% year-on-year, equivalent to 580 megawatts (MW), while up until Dec. 10, peak demand fell 4.5%, or around 539 MW.

Among regions, the operator said peak demand in Luzon also declined in November and so far in December 2020 as against the same months last year.

IEMOP said Luzon peak demand for November fell 4.9% or 509 MW, while as of Dec. 10, it fell 4.4% or 440 MW.

For Visayas, it said peak demand fell 5.3% year-on-year or 113 MW in November, while in December, it also dropped 6.4% or 137 MW.

IEMOP said the contribution of hydro plants and wind plants in the power generation mix for November rose to 8.9% and 2.1%, respectively. However, the contribution of coal plants fell to 54.7%.

“Throughout the celebration of Christmas and the upcoming New Year, IEMOP will continue to provide reliable market services to ensure a bright holiday for every Filipino household,” it said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Unisys rolls out updated biometric identity management software

UNISYS CORP. has launched the latest version of its biometric identity management software, it said on Tuesday.

The company said in a statement that Unisys Stealth(identity) is scalable and brings biometric authentication and security to enterprises while offering identity-based protection capabilities, both on premises or in the cloud.

“Stealth(identity)’s adaptive, risk-based authentication simplifies security policies and works with existing infrastructure, leading to a lower total cost of ownership in managing the full lifecycle from identity proofing through authorization for access, all with a single platform. Additionally, support for single sign-on capabilities adds a layer of protection for any application within the enterprise that demands positive authentication,” Unisys said.

The firm said identity verification is important to businesses, especially amid the coronavirus pandemic, with businesses looking to use rapid COVID-19 testing results to protect consumers and keep their operations running.

Unisys said the new version uses “passive liveness detection,” including a managed identity interface that cross-references biometric results against existing records from fingerprint readers, scanners and other recognition methods used by an organization.

The update also includes network access control integration that allows for an exchange of data between the software and the firm to ensure that people attempting to access the network are employees with the appropriate access credentials.

“Identity fraud is growing in the Philippines and a recent study found that for every fraudulent transaction, the cost to businesses is actually 3.46 times the amount of the lost transaction value. Most of this type of fraud is due to poor authentication processes in business transactions,” said David Chadwick, Director of Identity & Biometrics for Unisys Asia-Pacific.

“Secure identity authentication is one of the most critical business challenges today, especially with many employees operating from home,” said Chris Kloes, vice president of Unisys Security Solutions. “Passwords and PINs can be forgotten, stolen, or spoofed. Stealth(identity) provides a cost-effective way to help defend against fraud and improper access, while an integrated biometrics platform makes the environment more secure while asking less of users — resulting in an improved user experience.”

Manila’s competitiveness further slips in 2020 Global Cities ranking

Manila’s competitiveness further slips in 2020 Global Cities ranking

How PSEi member stocks performed — December 16, 2020

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Wednesday, December 16, 2020.

PHL stocks rebound on positive remittances data

By Revin Mikhael D. Ochave, Reporter

LOCAL SHARES bounced back on Wednesday as investor sentiment improved after the release of central bank data showing higher remittances from Filipinos abroad in October.

The bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) improved 71.97 points or 0.99% to close at 7,299.70, while the broader all shares index rose 29.44 points or 0.68% to end at 4,350.45.

Philstocks Financial, Inc. Senior Research Analyst Japhet Louis O. Tantiangco said in a mobile phone message that the market improved as sentiment got a boost from latest central bank data on cash remittances.

Data released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas on Tuesday showed cash remittances coursed through bank channels rose 2.9% to $2.747 billion from $2.671 billion a year ago. This is the second straight month of year-on-year growth of remittances after the 9.3% recorded in September.

Meanwhile, cash remittances for the 10 months to October slipped 0.9% to $24.633 billion from $24.858 billion in the same period of 2019.

AAA Southeast Equities, Inc. Research Head Christopher John Mangun echoed Mr. Tantiangco and said the growth in remittances indicates a return to normalcy after the economic chaos brought about by the pandemic this year.

“The market started the day slightly lower, but then quickly recovered and then moved higher throughout the session. Last-minute buying pushed it to close at its higher level for the day, just a few points shy of its 10-month high, which it hit last Monday,” Mr. Mangun said in an e-mail.

Timson Securities, Inc. Head of Online Trading Darren Blaine T. Pangan said in a mobile phone message that the local bourse rose as investors felt hopeful on the positive developments in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines.

Reuters reported that the United States is gearing to expand its dissemination of COVID-19 vaccines made by Pfizer, Inc. and BioNTech to more distribution centers on Tuesday, in efforts to curb the spread of the virus.

Most sectoral indices at the PSE closed higher on Wednesday, except for services, which fell 1.44 points or 0.09% to 1,527.12.

Meanwhile, mining and oil jumped 160.34 points or 1.7% to 9,562.43; holding firms climbed 102.42 points or 1.38% to 7,510.94; property increased 50.05 points or 1.36% to 3,728.01; industrials went up 70.59 points or 0.74% to 9,529.73; and financials gained 3.29 points or 0.21% to 1,514.31.

Value turnover on Wednesday reached P9.31 billion with 117.64 billion switching hands, lower than the P10.13 billion with 63.91 billion issues in the previous session.

Advancers outnumbered decliners, 133 against 90, while 47 names ended unchanged.

Net foreign selling amounted to P501.32 million, lower than the P615.94 million on Tuesday.

“Resistance may be drawn at 7,500, with nearest support at 6,700,” Timson Securities’ Mr. Pangan said.

Peso inches sideways as investors await BSP decision

THE PESO barely moved against the greenback on Wednesday as investors waited on the sidelines for the policy decision of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and following the latest uptick in oil prices.

The local unit closed at P48.066 a dollar, depreciating from its Tuesday finish of P40.063, data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines showed.

The peso traded within a tight range, opening the session at P48.06 versus the dollar. Its weakest showing was its close of P48.066 while its strongest level was at P48.05 against the greenback.

Dollars exchanged inched up to $499.86 million on Wednesday from the $490.65 million seen on Tuesday.

A trader the peso’s minimal movement on Wednesday came as the market awaits the policy decision of the BSP this Thursday.

The BSP is widely expected to retain the current key policy rates, based on a BusinessWorld poll held last week where 15 analysts said the overnight reverse repurchase rate, currently at a record low of two percent, will remain untouched.

Aside from the BSP policy meeting, the market also tracked the latest uptick in oil prices, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said.

Reuters reported that the price of Brent crude rose by 47 cents or 0.9% to $50.76 per barrel while that of the US West Texas Intermediate crude gained 1.3% or 63 cents to $47.62 a barrel on Tuesday.

The trader said trading will remain cautious today as they await the central bank’s policy guidance for 2021.

The trader expects the exchange rate to move around the P48 to P48.10 levels while Mr. Ricafort gave a slightly higher forecast range of P48.02 to P48.12 per dollar. — with Reuters

Philippine COVID-19 cases nearing 453,000

REUTERS

THE DEPARTMENT of Health (DoH) reported 1,156 coronavirus infections on Wednesday, bringing the total to 452,988.

The death toll reached 8,833 after 21 more patients died, while recoveries increased  by 425 to 419,282, it said in a bulletin.

There were 24,873 active cases, 84.7% of which were mild, 6.7% did not show symptoms, 5.6% were critical, 2.8% were severe and 0.3% were moderate.

Davao City reported the highest number of cases at 126, followed by Quezon City at 66, Rizal at 64, Bulacan at 56 and Manila at 38.

DoH said seven duplicates had been removed from the tally, while seven recovered cases were reclassified as deaths. Five laboratories failed to submit their data on Dec. 15, it added.

The coronavirus has sickened about 73.8 million and killed 1.6 million people worldwide, according to the Worldometers website, citing various sources including data from the World Health Organization (WHO).

About 51.8 million people have recovered, it said.

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III refuted a social media post by Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. that someone had bungled a deal to buy 10 million vaccine doses from US drug maker Pfizer.

“There’s no such thing as dropping the ball,” he told an online news briefing. “The negotiations are ongoing.”

Mr. Locsin on Tuesday tweeted that he and Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez had secured a deal with Pfizer for the delivery of 10 million vaccine doses by January financed by the World Bank and Asian Development Bank “but somebody dropped the ball.”

Mr. Duque said his office was advised on Sept. 24 to review the deal, adding that he signed it on Oct. 20.

He said he reviewed the papers and sought the advice of lawyers for potentially onerous provisions in the agreement.

“I wanted to make sure that the provisions were not onerous or disadvantageous to the government,” he said in mixed English and Filipino.

EMERGENCY USE
The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine had not been approved or licensed by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but was authorized for emergency use by people 16 years and older.

Jordan on Monday said it had approved emergency use of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine, as the US kicked off a mass vaccination drive, according to news wire AFP.

Jordan’s green light for the Pfizer vaccine followed those of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia and came six days after Britain launched the world’s first mass inoculation campaign using the vaccine.

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, Jr. on Monday said the government was expecting to finalize the vaccine procurement deal with Chinese drug maker Sinovac Biotech Ltd. this week.

He added that negotiations continue so the government could meet its March 2021 target to get the vaccines. The government also expects to get a second tranche of vaccines in the latter part of 2021.

Sinovac is the government’s top pick for vaccine orders for its mass immunization program that will start next year. The government seeks to immunize 20 million Filipinos yearly in the next three years.

The government is also in talks with nine more vaccine developers. Other than Sinovac, the Philippines is looking to import vaccines from two other Chinese vaccine makers that are in advanced stages of clinical trials — China National Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd. (Sinopharm) and CanSino Biologics.

The private sector, government and UK-based drug maker AstraZeneca have signed a deal for the purchase of 2.6 million coronavirus vaccine doses.

Joey A. Concepcion, presidential adviser for entrepreneurship, told an online briefing last month that half of the vaccines would be given to the private sector and the other half would be donated to the government.

The vaccines were expected to arrive in May or June, he said at that time.

DoH earlier said five participants in the coronavirus clinical trials of the Japanese anti-flu drug Avigan have completed their trials.

Sixteen participants had been recruited as of Dec. 7, nine of whom were ongoing and two withdrew. The clinical trials for Avigan started on Nov. 20.

Japan in April said it would send the vaccine made by Fujifilm Toyama Chemical Co., Ltd. to 38 countries, including the Philippines after clinical trials. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

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