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Bridging the Filipino youth to their big dreams

SM Foundation opens college scholarship to this year’s batch of high school graduates

One of the most valuable lessons that the late SM founder Henry “Tatang” Sy, Sr. imparted is to dream big. Dreaming requires little effort, but achieving those dreams requires a great deal of determination and hard work.

This might be challenging, however, for many young people who are hindered by the lack of finances to enroll and attend classes.

Yet, there are still high school graduates who are intent on getting a college degree despite the lack of means, firmly convinced that a degree is their key to get a good-paying job and, eventually, help their families improve their lives.

These are the youth for which “Tatang” opened the SM Scholarship Program in 1993.

Reaching underprivileged yet deserving students for almost three decades, the SM Scholarship Program continues to make an impact on the Filipino youth, like Khyle Aaron Monteban and Edmon P. Laguna who are currently studying as SM scholars.

Mr. Monteban, 20, is taking up BS Computer Science at the University of Immaculate Conception in Davao City. He learned about the SM scholarship program while in senior high school.

“It was at the time when I thought about [how] I could help lessen the financial burden of my parents while being able to go to a prestigious school. So, I searched for programs that I could apply for, and SM was the one that caught my attention the most,” he shared.

As Mr. Laguna, 19, shared, he does not only dream big but dream high as well. After learning about the scholarship from his friends and from searching for scholarships online, he is able to dream further as an SM scholar at Saint Paul School of Professional Studies in Tacloban City taking BS Accountancy.

From L-R (Dominic Bolima, Mark Paul Magallanes, Edmon Laguna and Kyle Aaron Monteban)

For school year 2021-2022, SM Foundation is opening its doors to new scholars as it starts accepting online applications from high school graduates from Jan. 1 to March 20, 2021.

Application is open to Grade 12 public high school graduates from schools in the areas where SM operates businesses. These areas are Metro Manila, Albay, Bataan, Batangas, Benguet, Bulacan, Cagayan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Cavite, Isabela, Laguna, Nueva Ecija, Palawan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Sorsogon, Quezon, Rizal, Tarlac, and Zambales in Luzon; Capiz, Cebu, Iloilo, Leyte, Samar and Negros Occidental in Visayas; and Agusan del Norte, Davao del Sur, Misamis Oriental, South Cotabato, and Zamboanga del Sur in Mindanao.

Grade 12 graduates from private schools are also qualified to apply as long as they finished Grade 10 from public high schools with DepEd vouchers and a general weighted average grade of at least 88% or its equivalent for Grade 12. Only graduates with an annual family income of P150,000 and below are eligible to apply.

Bringing hope
All applications undergo screening by a committee from the SM Foundation Education team. Shortlisted applicants are then visited by the team at their homes.

Mr. Montebon recalled that he kept his finger crossed as he took the admission test and got interviewed. “When I received the e-mail acceptance. I felt so happy! I felt so thankful! I told myself that this is the start of my journey with SM,” he said.

Photo from left: A scholar applicant is interviewed by a member of the scholarship screening committee. Photo from right: A scholar graduate applies for a job during the job fair prior to the presentation of graduates.

SM scholars are given the option to enroll in degrees specializing in computer science, information technology, and engineering courses; accounting and allied business courses; and elementary and secondary education degree programs.

These courses can be pursued in 114 SM partner schools nationwide, 14 of which are in the National Capital Region, 61 in Luzon, 23 in Visayas, and 16 in Mindanao.

SM Foundation scholars with Ling Lansang, OIC of the Education Program

Opening opportunities
Moreover, scholars enjoy full tuition subsidy, monthly allowance, part-time job opportunities at SM stores during semestral and Christmas breaks, activities and enrichment programs like annual recollection, and exclusive job offers with the SM Group of Companies after graduation.

Dominic Bolima and Mark Paul M. Magallanes, SM scholar alumni, recalled how much they enjoyed these additional opportunities.

Mr. Bolima, now a college instructor at the Bicol State College of Applied Science and Technology, considers his part-time work at the SM Department Store — from sales clerk, package counter attendant, to gift wrapping attendant — as one of his best experiences.

“I valued each work assignment which taught me about customer service. I can now apply my learnings in my teaching profession. I am always proud whenever I share these stories with others,” he said.

From working part-time as a utility clerk at The SM Store Magallanes, he was hired during SM’s job fair in 2013 and now works as assistant mall manager at SM Seaside City Cebu.

A moment he cherishes as an SM scholar-graduate is the testimonial dinner, a culminating event that gives scholars the opportunity to meet the Sy family.

“It was an amazing and memorable experience meeting the family who helped me through college, and I was able to thank them personally,” Mr. Magallanes reminisced.

Having produced over 3,000 graduates, the SM college scholarship program is looking forward to lending a hand to another batch of Filipino youth who believe that nothing hinders those who are determined to reach their dreams.

For more information about the SM College Scholarship program, visit www.sm-foundation.org and follow its social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube) @SMFoundationInc.

 

BusinessWorld Insights: Preparing the Next Gen Leaders

Much has already been discussed on how to manage millennials (those born between1980 and 1996) in the workplace. As they get older, more of them are starting to climb up the organizational ladder, assuming leadership positions previously held by their seniors.

Join the next generation leaders Cirtek Chief Finance Officer Brian Gregory Liu, Angkas Chief Transport Advocate George Royeca, Mega Global Chief Growth and Development Officer Marvin Tiu Lim; and moderator BusinessWorld Reporter Jenina Ibañez in a discussion on how young executives effectively assume their leadership posts in the third and final session of BusinessWorld Insights’ Leadership Series with the topic, “Preparing the Next-Gen Leaders: Millennials in the C-Suite”.

#BUSINESSWORLDINSIGHTS​ Leadership Series is presented by InLife; with the support of Management Association of the Philippines, British Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Bank Marketing Association of the Philippines, Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, Philippine Association of National Advertisers, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and The Philippine STAR.

Philippine debt-to-GDP ratio in 2020 highest since 2006

THE National Government’s (NG) outstanding debt reached P9.8 trillion at the end of December 2020, pushing the debt-to-GDP ratio to the highest in over a decade, as it borrowed more to fund the pandemic response. Read the full story.

Philippine debt-to-GDP ratio in 2020 highest since 2006

Pandemic pushes Philippine gov’t debt to P9.8 trillion

THE National Government’s (NG) outstanding debt reached P9.8 trillion at the end of December 2020, pushing the debt-to-GDP ratio to the highest in over a decade, as it borrowed more to fund the pandemic response.

The Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) on Tuesday reported last year’s debt stock jumped by 26.7% from P7.731 trillion at the end of 2019, due to “higher funding requirements to respond to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.”

Month on month, the BTr said the debt stock went down by 3.3% from the end-November level of P10.13 trillion after the government settled its outstanding loans to the central bank.

Philippine debt-to-GDP ratio in 2020 highest since 2006

This brought the debt-to-GDP ratio to 54.5% as of end-2020, from the record low of 39.6% in 2019.

Finance Undersecretary and Chief Economist Gil S. Beltran said the 2020 debt stock ratio was the highest in 11 years or since the 57.2% recorded in 2009, a year after the global financial crisis.

This also breached the 53.5% debt-to-GDP ratio projected by the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) for the year.

“[The debt ratio] is not alarming. The economy is expected to grow by 6.5-7.5% this year. This will enlarge the denominator and tend to reduce the ratio,” Mr. Beltran said via text message on Tuesday when asked to comment.

“Further, the debt is financeable given the country’s higher domestic savings pool boosted by remittances, BPO (business process outsourcing) earnings and 10 years of 6.4% annual GDP growth,” he added.

The share of domestic debt to the overall debt stock rose to 68.35% last year from 66.32% in 2019, the BTr said. The balance or 32% was sourced from foreign lenders.

Local outstanding debt stood at P6.695 trillion at the end of December, down 7% from the month prior after the Treasury settled its P540-billion loan with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). Year on year, domestic debt grew by 30.6% from P5.127 trillion as of end-2019.

The local debt stock consisted of P948 million in loans and P6.694 trillion in government securities.

Meanwhile, external outstanding debt rose 5.4% to P3.1 trillion month on month after the government issued $2.75 billion (P132 billion) in dollar-denominated bonds in December to further plug the ballooning deficit. External debt jumped by 19.1% from the P2.6 trillion as of end-2019.

Broken down, foreign debt stock included P1.312 trillion in loans and P1.788 trillion in government securities issued offshore.

The BTr said the third-currency denominated debt added P10.67 billion to the overall value of foreign debt but the appreciation of the peso reduced the total by P3.91 billion.

The Treasury used a peso exchange rate of P48.021 against the greenback for December.

Meanwhile, the National Government’s guaranteed obligations went up by 3.5% month on month to P458.35 billion in December after obtaining P27.52 billion in fresh local guarantees, while third currency adjustment added P1.47 billion to the overall value.

This more than offset the P13.18 billion paid for external guarantees, as well as the effect of the stronger peso versus the dollar which trimmed the total value by P250 million.

Total guaranteed obligations of the government rose by 6.2% as of end-December, from P488.746 billion at the end of 2019.

Mr. Beltran noted that despite the higher debt stock ratio, credit raters still maintained the sovereign ratings for the Philippines last year.

“Actually, credit rating agencies and analysts are aware of the higher deficit and the negative GDP growth and they maintained the investment grade rating. Also, peer countries are also facing higher debt ratios and even higher deficits,” he said.

Fitch Ratings affirmed last month the Philippines’ long-term foreign currency issuer default rating at “BBB” with a stable outlook, while S&P Global Ratings kept its BBB+ long-term credit rating with a stable outlook for the country in May 2020. Moody’s Investors Service also affirmed its Baa2 rating with a stable outlook last July.

For this year, the DBCC projected the debt-to-GDP ratio will continue to rise to 57%. — Beatrice M. Laforga

BoI targets P1.25 trillion in investments this year

More investments in the infrastructure sector are expected this year. — PHILIPPINE STAR/EDD GUMBAN

THE Board of Investments (BoI) is targeting P1.25 trillion in investment approvals for 2021, 22.5% higher than last year’s tally, as it expects to attract more investments in infrastructure.

Trade Secretary and BoI Chairman Ramon M. Lopez said that the investment promotion agency is looking to a V-shaped economic recovery this year, which led to its adoption of the original 2020 target.

Approved investment pledges for 2020 reached P1.02 trillion, reaching the BoI’s revised P1- trillion goal. However, this was lower than the P1.25-trillion target set before the pandemic.

Endorsements of two power projects and a water supply and distribution project at the end of 2020 helped the agency reach its goal. BoI Managing Head Ceferino S. Rodolfo earlier cast doubt on hitting the P1-trillion mark while the agency awaited government endorsements.

“Moving forward to 2021, we expect that investments in these types of projects will intensify particularly in infrastructure (road, ports and telecoms), water and power,” Mr. Lopez said in a statement on Tuesday.

The BoI accounts for the bulk of planned projects registered with investment promotion agencies.

The 311 projects last year could create 55,124 jobs, BoI said. Most of the projects are domestic investments contributing 95.3% to the total.

While electricity projects contributed P199.2 billion to last year’s total, transportation and storage added P161.6 billion. Real estate projects contributed P32.5 billion, while the projects in the water supply and sewerage sector invested P27 billion.

The bulk of the investments went to Central Luzon, mostly due to the Bulacan international airport project that contributed to more than half of the year’s total. The Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), National Capital Region, and Northern Mindanao followed.

“While there is a constant flow of investment leads and applications, the BoI as a prudent administrator of incentives puts primacy in a rigorous assessment of these projects,” Mr. Rodolfo said.

“Government agencies, however, have been putting extraordinary efforts to have efficient coordination in removing obstacles to business endeavors, particularly the strategic and critical projects.”

BoI reached a record high of P1.14 trillion in investment pledges in 2019.

Another investment promotion agency, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority, said that it aims to reach over P100 billion in investment this year, higher than last year’s P95 billion. — Jenina P. Ibañez

National Government may cut workforce in 2022

ECONOMIC MANAGERS expect the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Mandanas-Garcia petition to cost the National Government P234.4 billion or equivalent to 0.92% of gross domestic product once it takes effect in 2022. — PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

DEPARTMENTS under the National Government may have to reduce their workforce when some projects will be devolved to local government units (LGUs) starting next year, the Budget chief said.

In a webinar on Tuesday, Budget Secretary Wendel E. Avisado said some agencies at the national level may have to be downsized, merged, or even be abolished as several projects will be devolved to LGUs in 2022 to comply with the Supreme Court (SC) ruling on the Mandanas case.

The Department of Budget and Management is currently drafting an Executive Order (EO) detailing the devolution of certain functions of the Executive Branch to local governments starting in 2022.

Economic managers expect the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Mandanas-Garcia petition to cost the National Government P234.4 billion or equivalent to 0.92% of gross domestic product (GDP) once it takes effect in 2022.

The ruling clarified that the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) share of LGUs should be coming from all national taxes collected and not just from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

Mr. Avisado said affected agencies will have to reduce their workforce by next year because of the limited budget for the National Government.

“We have proposed an EO on this and it has been submitted to various agencies. And we will be presenting this to the President in light of the Mandanas decision and for the government to look into its current workforce and what should be done, in light of the fact that there’s not much resources going to be available at the national level next year as before,” he said.

The downsizing of the government agencies is part of the Executive Branch’s plan to comply with the SC ruling, Mr. Avisado said. He added it could also boost the local autonomy of LGUs and help with the decentralization efforts.

Mr. Avisado estimated the IRA share of LGUs will increase by 20% on average by next year.

According to the National Budget Memorandum No. 138 dated Jan. 6, some of the functions of the Executive Branch that will be fully devolved to local governments include: agriculture; local infrastructure services such as school buildings and other facilities; environmental services such as forestry, pollution control, and the implementation of small-scale mining laws; modernization of tax collection services; health services like hospitals; inter-municipal telecommunications services; buildings, parks, sports facilities and jails; roads, bridges and drainage systems and industry research and tourism development.

Other projects that could be transferred to the LGUs are low-cost housing projects, irrigation systems, social protection programs and other livelihood programs.

The Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) earlier said it is looking to shift the implementation of various programs, activities and projects worth P404.5 billion to LGUs.

“The government really needs to look into the current personnel structure and organizational structure and the number of workforce needed for the government to continue to operate at the national level,” said Mr. Avisado. — Beatrice M. Laforga

Democratized beauty

Conrad’s latest ‘Of Art and Wine’ exhibit focuses on the underrated art of printmaking

THE CONRAD Manila’s current installment of its “Of Art and Wine” exhibit series at its Gallery C shines a light on the historically rich but underrated art of printmaking.

The exhibit, called “Thrive,” collects 34 works by 24 artists of the Association of Pinoyprintmakers (founded by Manuel Rodriguez, Sr. as Philippine Association of Printmakers in 1968). These artists include Yas Doctor (who did a demonstration of making a print during a webinar on Jan. 27), and Ambie Abaño, Association of Pinoy Printmakers Board Member, who was as a panelist during the webinar. The exhibit at the Conrad will run until Feb. 19.

A statement says, “‘Thrive’ brings together 24 artists whose collective work of 34 art pieces underscore the art community’s courage to cope and conform as the world goes through inevitable changes and challenges, including the COVID-19 global pandemic. The exhibit represents the Association of Pinoyprintmakers (AP) conviction that the role of artists has always been to observe, reflect and translate these to tactile units using various media to create art that celebrates life conveying reflective narratives through printmaking.”

The artworks reflect a variety of techniques under the school of printmaking, including drypoint (favored by Rembrandt), monotype, etching, relief printing, and lithography. Most of the works are fairly recent, reflecting dates of creation from the last decade, though two lithographs by Ronaldo Ventura stand out for their age; created in 1998 and 1999. Titled Deterioration and Re-Silence, they are also the selling exhibit’s most expensive pieces, at P250,000 each.

Printmaking is generally underrated as an artform, showing up more and selling for less, for example, at auctions and sales. “It is true that sometimes, there is that misconception that it’s just a print. This misconception comes from the fact that prints can be done in an edition, meaning there can be many at the same time. We call it multiple originals,” said Ms. Abaño.

This same condition, apparently, is also its blessing. Printing (as in text) democratized knowledge, while printmaking (as in imagery) democratized beauty. “With printmaking, because it’s more affordable, then people can have more access,” she said. “We know art can be expensive. It might have a little bit of an elitist attitude. But art is for all. The artist creates art for everyone.”

The same extends not just for the enthusiast, but for the artists themselves. While some materials used for printmaking are within reach to ordinary hobbyists, some are for serious artists due to their prohibitive price: a lithograph stone and press can go up to the millions. Ms. Abaño assured that the Association has the tools to help other artists. “The facilities are there,” she said. “That’s our mission; to promote this. Not just the art to the people, but also the means to create it, to those who are interested.”

The works are on display at Conrad’s Gallery C until Feb. 19. For a catalog and price list, call 8833-9999 (Angelica Restrivera) or e-mail conradmanila@conradhotels.com. — Joseph L. Garcia

Razon’s Prime Infra, foreign firms study ‘cleaner’ aviation fuel production

PRIME Metroline Infrastructure Holdings Corp. (Prime Infra) has partnered with two foreign companies in exploring the construction of a Metro Manila-based biorefinery that can produce cleaner aviation fuel, the Enrique K. Razon, Jr.-led firm said on Tuesday.

The biorefinery aims to convert landfill waste into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), Prime Infra said.

“A biorefinery that will convert solid waste into SAF will make a big impact in reducing solid waste and ensuing environmental and health hazards, landfill emissions, and fossil fuel use,” Prime Infra President Gillaume Lucci was quoted in the press release.

Prime Infra is the core infrastructure arm of Mr. Razon, with assets in both renewable and sustainable energy, water and construction. It has tied up with WasteFuel, a firm that converts municipal waste into aviation-grade biofuel, which it claims to emit 80% less carbon, compared to fossil fuel-based jet fuel; and NetJets, a company that sells private jets.

The proposed refinery would transform a million tons of waste to 30 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel every year.

“An added bonus, it will create jobs for the local community,” Mr. Lucci said.

Mr. Lucci said that solid waste management is a major problem in the country, especially for urban areas like Metro Manila, which generates around 10,000 tons of daily municipal solid waste.

Brad Ferrell, NetJets executive vice president of administrative services, described the company as “deeply invested in advancing sustainability across the industry,” which is why it chose to invest in producing SAF with WasteFuel.

“The biorefinery tackles the dual environmental problems of the global waste crisis and sustainable fuel, and we’re excited to take this step toward improving accessibility to SAF,” Mr. Ferrel said.

Crispian N. Lao, vice-chairman of the National Solid Waste Commission, said in December that the country had a long way to go in enforcing Republic Act No. 9003 or Ecological Solid Waste Management Act. He said in an earlier press briefing that one of the biggest challenges they were facing was enforcing “segregation at source.”

He said that the country’s collection and waste diversion goals are now at 50%, which is 30% away from the current Philippine Development Plan’s goal in 2022. — Angelica Y. Yang

Actress Naty Crame-Rogers, 97

ONE of the country’s premier actresses and theater pioneers, Natividad “Naty” Crame-Rogers, died on Feb. 2. She had just turned 97 in the last week of December 2020.

Her maiden name was famous enough; the military camp Camp Crame bore her grandfather General Rafael Crame’s name. But she made her own mark on the stage and screen.

Her best known role was playing the spinster Paula in Lamberto Avellana’s 1965 screen adaptation of Nick Joaquin’s play A Portrait of the Artist as a Filipino. She came to the role well prepared, having performed it onstage in Avellana’s stage production for the Barangay Theater Guild. She worked with multiple theater groups through the years including UP Repertory Company, the Metropolitan Theater, and Tanghalang Pilipino. In her younger days, she had played Jose Rizal’s hapless lover Leonor Rivera in the play The Love of Leonor Rivera by Severino Montano, a role she played often for many years.

Younger audiences might remember her as one of the hermanas in the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ (CCP) screen adaptation of Noli me Tangere.

A profile uploaded on her alma mater St. Scholastica’s College’s website lists her many achievements. These include a 1994 Cultural Center of the Philippines Gawad Award in Theater, and a National Commission of Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Centennial Award for Women. She was also credited for establishing the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Graduate School Academic Theater, and establishing the St. Scholastica’s College Children and Teachers’ Theater. In 2016, she was the subject of the book Naty Crame Rogers: A Life in Theater, written by Amadis Ma. Guerrero.

Born in Manila on Dec. 23, 1922, she was the daughter of a teacher, Espectacion Cabezas, and a musician-composer, Ramon Crame. She married retired Colonel Joe Rogers. After graduating high school at St. Scholastica’s, she went on to study at the University of the Philippines (UP) where she earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and letters. Under a  Fulbright scholarship, she earned a Masters of arts degree in speech and drama education at Stanford University, then took further graduate courses on Children’s Theater and Television at the University of California in Los Angeles.

An educator, “she introduced drama in education in Philippine schools,” notes the CCP Encyclopedia of the Arts. “Long affiliated with the Philippine Normal College (PNC), she began the undergraduate specialization in drama and speech so that school could run classroom drama and organize Children’s Theater organizations in their own communities,” it says.

She also founded the Amingtahanan Sala Theater, where plays were performed in her living room.

In an interview in the Philippine Star titled “For Naty Crame Rogers, all the world’s a stage” by Edu Jarque, she said, “As an actor and as a dramatist, the world is my laboratory. I watch and observe people.” — JL Garcia

PAL cuts 2,300 jobs as part of recovery efforts

FLAG CARRIER Philippines Airlines (PAL) is cutting about 2,300 jobs, or approximately 30% of its workforce, as part of its recovery initiatives amid the ongoing pandemic crisis, its top official said.

“This has been an extremely difficult and painful decision,” PAL President Gilbert F. Santa Maria said in a statement on Tuesday.

PAL said the total includes both voluntary separations and involuntary retrenchment.

The affected workers have until mid-March as PAL employees.

“For our colleagues who are leaving, rest assured that we are committed to support you through this transition,” Mr. Santa Maria said. “We extend to you our deepest gratitude for your years of hard work and dedicated service, and we will always cherish the ties you have established with the PAL family.”

PAL said it implemented temporary furloughs and flexible working arrangements to hold off job cuts.

According to the company, the retrenchment program, which is part of its overall recovery initiatives, was communicated to employees “as early as October” last year.

PAL noted that it still operates less than 30% of its pre-pandemic number of weekly flights due to travel restrictions and low travel demand.

The company has suspended capital expenditures, reduced management salaries, deferred lease payments, and slashed non-essential expenses since March 2020 when travel restrictions started.

PAL said its reduced workforce should not affect its current operations, reiterating that it would “continue to gradually increase international and domestic flights as demand recovers.”

In February last year, PAL slashed 300 jobs as a way to recover from its 2019 losses, which worsened in the first two months of 2020 due to the public health crisis.

In the nine months through September 2020, the flag carrier’s listed operator, PAL Holdings, Inc., saw its net loss to parent equity holders hit P28.85 billion, or more than three times the P8.49 billion recorded in 2019.

Passenger revenues for the three quarters dropped 65.4% to P35.56 billion. Cargo revenues declined 12.2% to P6.05 billion. Ancillary revenues decreased 55.5% to P3.68 billion, while its other business segments generated P6.93 million, 76.9% lower than the previous year’s figure.

PAL Holdings shares closed 0.31% higher at P6.50 apiece on Tuesday. — Arjay L. Balinbin

CCP holds world premiere of Tarog’s new short film, launches dance video

THE CULTURAL Center of the Philippines (CCP) will host the world premiere of award-winning filmmaker Jerrold Tarog’s new film Ang Kabaligtaran ng Gunaw (The Opposite of the End)” along with the launch of the dance film Hilom: Sayaw Dalangin ng Pag-asa at Pagkakaisa, on Feb. 14, 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. airing on CNN Philippines channels.

Mr. Tarog turned “Ang Kabaligtaran ng Gunaw,” an original poem by playwright Eljay Castro Deldoc, into a cinematic experience, featuring the original concept and choreography by Ronelson Yadao. Mr. Tarog also composed the music for the dance film.

The film stars dancer Eloisa Jessa Tangalin, as well as other faculty members of CCP Dance Workshop including Sarah Anne Alejandro, Monica Amanda Gana, Stephanie Kerilen Santiago, Karla Marie Santos, Victor Maguad, Lester John Reguindin, Earl John Arisola, Al Frederick Abraham, Louise Joh Ababob, Danilo Dayo, Jr., Bonifacio Guerrero, Jr., and Justine Josep Orande.

With a screenplay by Tarog and Deldoc, the eight-minute short feature film brings together the different art forms — literature, dance, music, theater and film — to create a unique collaboration  on the importance of artistic expression and creativity that is much needed in the process of healing and overcoming the pandemic.

Gunaw is also a promise that the CCP will open its doors once again and welcome its artists back because there are still stories to be told, songs to be sung and ideas to be expressed. And as artists always say, the show must and will go on.

Meanwhile, Hilom features folkloric dances associated with Filipino rituals and dance traditions to show how relevant dance is to the lives of the people especially during times of difficulties and challenges.

The dance production engages various folkloric dance groups and communities in working together to produce dance performances that highlight the affinity of Filipinos to connect to the spiritual world for prayer, supplications, thanksgiving, and worship.

The featured dance groups and artists are: Abigail Calma (as Inang Bayan) from the Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group; the Kaloob Phil Music and Dance Ministry; the Lyceum of the Philippines University of Batangas – Lahing Batangan Dance Troupe; Leyte Dance Theatre of Jess De Paz Foundation, Inc.; the University of Cebu Dance Company; the Melengas Dance Ensemble; and the Koronadal Hinugyaw Cultural Dance Troupe.

Directed by Stephen Ramos Biadoma, the dance video production follows aa story and concept created by the UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe, with music by Teresa Barrozo, edited by Ge Aňonuevo, with cinematography by Brandon Relucio, and costumes by Carlo Viray Valderama.

“Hilom is a dance film that forwards the Filipino spirit to the forefront of our fight against the global health crisis. Our differences in culture, language, or ethnicity do not hinder us but rather enrich and unify our call and prayer for healing. We shall move as one nation, one community, one Filipino toward the hope for recovery,” said Mr. Biadoma in a statement.

After the twinbill premieres on CNN Philippines, the CCP plans to hold a hybrid outdoor screening, tagged as Cinema Under the Stars, at the CCP grounds, following strict health protocols. There will also be an online premiere through the CCP social media accounts (official Facebook page and YouTube channel). For more information, visit the CCP website www.culturalcenter.gov.ph and follow the official CCP Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram accounts and YouTube Channel.

ERC denies Mindoro power firm’s bid to recover generation rate for hydro plant

THE ENERGY Regulatory Commission (ERC) has rejected the petition of Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Ormeco) for provisional authority to collect an added charge to its customers to recover the cost of generating power from its hydroelectric plant.

Ormeco in its petition dated Oct. 16, 2020, asked the ERC to allow the recovery of cost for the power generated by its 3-megawatt Linao-Cawayan Mini-Hydro Power Plant-Upper Cascade.

It said the ERC’s approval would lessen the effects of retail rates charged to member-consumers who incurred higher energy tariffs.

In an order dated Jan. 29, the ERC said that it denied Ormeco’s petition, citing that the electric cooperative did not secure prior approval from the commission for its generation rate charges. It also cited the substantial delays in the filing of the application, among others.

“The allegations in the application show that Ormeco has been operating the [hydro plant] to supply electricity to its captive customers without an approved generation rate from the Commission,” the ERC said.

It added that the commission did not have the opportunity to evaluate whether Ormeco was supplying electricity “in the least cost manner before charging retail rates.”

Republic Act No. 9136 or Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (EPIRA) mandates distribution utilities to supply power at the “least cost to its captive market, subject to the collection of retail rate.”

The ERC said that because Ormeco charged its member-consumers for its hydro plant’s generation rate, which did not have the commission’s prior approval, the electric cooperative “violated” the law.

The regulator also cited “substantial delays” between the filing of Ormeco’s petition and granting of provisional authority to operate, which the power utility received six years ago.

“It must be noted that it was only 16 October 2020 that Ormeco filed the necessary application for the approval of the generation rate recovery,” the ERC said.

The ERC added that Ormeco had enough contracted power supply to address the surge in demand in its franchise area, as seen in its submitted demand-supply scenario, which included historical data from 2018 to 2019 and forecasts for 2020 up to 2025.

The ERC ordered Ormeco to submit its hydro service contract for the power plant and its water permit issued by the National Water Regulatory Board.

It also directed Ormeco’s management and board of directors to explain under oath why they should not be penalized for failing to secure prior approval from the ERC for the generation rate and provide electricity in the least costly manner.

The ERC said that Ormeco must submit its explanation within 15 days from receiving the order, “under the threat of penalty.”

The order was signed by ERC Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer Agnes VST Devanadera on Dec. 17, 2020, and promulgated on Jan. 29, 2021.

In October, Ormeco was identified by the National Electrification Administration as one of the electric cooperatives that sustained losses due to Typhoon Quinta (international name: Molave). — Angelica Y. Yang

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