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ABS-CBN’s YouTube channels restored after ‘hacking incident’ 

ABS-CBN News and ANC 24/7 of ABS-CBN Corp. are back on YouTube after a few hours of being terminated due to a “hacking incident” amid a calamity.

“The ABS-CBN News and ANC 24/7 YouTube channels have been restored Tuesday afternoon after issues on access were reported earlier in the day,” ABS-CBN News said in a Twitter post.

An error message appeared on the videos of both YouTube channels on Tuesday morning, which read: “Video unavailable. This video is no longer available because YouTube account associated with this video has been terminated.”

In a statement, ABS-CBN said: “The two news channels were temporarily suspended beginning 6:30 a.m. this morning after a hacking incident.”

“The investigation on the incident continues as we also implement measures to prevent this from happening again,” it added.

The embattled media company said further that it remains committed to provide news and information to Filipinos, “particularly over these trying times as we recover from the effects of Super Typhoon Rolly and prepare for another incoming weather disturbance.” — Arjay L. Balinbin

New website to focus on the culture of Negros

ARTWORK by Lisa De Leon Zayco

WHEN one thinks of the island of Negros, one thinks of its role in the sugar trade and the fortunes that it created. Those fortunes came to polish some of the nation’s most illustrious last names: these include figures in politics, showbiz, business, and the arts.

The Angelica Berrie Foundation is launching the Negros Season of Culture Website, addressing the region’s cultural assets which can be seen in its cuisine, art, textile, architecture, and literature. “Culture is as necessary as food in even the poorest society. In this pandemic moment, the spirit of resilience and creativity is vital to regenerating economic development. We have to feed the soul even in the worst of times,” said Angelica Berrie in an e-mail to BusinessWorld.

The first year of the Negros Season of Culture is dedicated to the late film maker Peque Gallaga. Ms. Berrie said, “Peque was a human incubator for creativity and culture in Negros. Many of our generation’s creative influentials can trace their roots to his efforts (Genesius Guild yielded many actors, production and directors in Philippine cinema). In his own words, “we are just one small ‘ting’ yet we can do so much.’ This is the lesson he imparted which resonates for all of us involved with the Season of Culture. Genius-Imagination-Ambition was Peque’s outsize contribution to our province.”

Many Filipino luminaries come from the island of Negros, including movie queen Susan Roces, and the Lacson, Locsin, and Arroyo families. Ms. Berrie credits this to “the native talent inherent in each Negrense.” She added, “Negros historically had an affluent lifestyle that fostered the luxury of cultivating culture. There was something in the environment and the way families encouraged the arts that brought artists and cultural change agents’ talents to the fore. Just that special magic that can’t be explained!

“First, all Filipinos have an extra gene for creativity. We love to sing, act and eat — all creative pursuits,” she said. “What differentiates Negros is the atmosphere of collaborations from living in communities where people connect to each other easily and can do more together. The Genesius Guild, the Black Artist Movement, the generation of talented chefs who have roots in Negros. We have spawned actors and artists, chefs and writers, painters, dancers, opera singers, printmakers, theater designers, and musicians.”

The launch of the website will be live-streamed via Facebook Live on Nov. 5, starting at 8 p.m It will be hosted by Negrense actor Joel Torre. His daughter, actress Marela Torre, will walk the audience through the website. Other officials of the province have been invited to join the launch event, as well as officials of national government agencies, like the Department of Tourism, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and other related bodies.

The website will have the following editorial categories: Heritage, Food, Handcrafts, Art, Cultural Experience, People, and Upcoming Events. Additionally, the website will include links to websites, Facebook pages, Instagram accounts, and other digital assets of partners.

To be shown during the launch will be the Negros Season of Culture flagship video,a  tribute video to Peque Gallaga, and a documentary on the Chapel of the Angry Christ and the artist Alfonso Ossorio, narrated by Liliane Manahan.

One can also expect features on the following Negrense artists: Lisa de Leon-Zayco, a mosaic artist commissioned for the creation of BAO-The Unbowed Carabao at The Negros Museum, and an entrance hall piece at Fundacion Sansó; Angela Silva, printmaker and visual artist using cyanotype photography, who returned to Negros from Berkeley, California after close to four decades away from the Philippines; Tey Sevilleno, popular for her water colors, who left a budding career in Manila to answer her longing to return to her native Negros and pursue art; and Darel Bettita Javier, who spent decades in the US prior to returning to Negros to become a full-time visual artist, specializing in surrealism, conceptual realism, and collaged styles.

Some of the activities for the Negros Museum will also be highlighted in the website, such as features on Negrense History, heritage, culture, and artistic pratices, weekly staged readings of plays written by emerging Negrense playwrights, and Sine Negrense Online (SNO), featuring winning entries and directors of the first three years of Sine Negrense Film Festival prior to COVID-19.

Not everything focuses on what some may consider the “fine arts.” There is, for example, a feature on Mike and Banj Claparols of Creative Definitions who collaborate with four weaving communities in the island of Negros, building sustainable micro-industries that produce fabric materials woven out of indigenous fibers, including abaca, cotton, banana, and sugarcane bagasse. There’s also one of chef Mia Lizares Gonzaga, a graduate of Peter Kump’s New York Cooking School (now the Institute of Culinary Arts in Manhattan), who popularized a unique grazing table in Negros incorporating local delicacies and homegrown ingredients to help local farmers and producers, as well as reduce her carbon footprint.

Also featured on the website is Slow Food Negros, part of a global movement to know where local food and ingredients come from, and how to preserve these from extinction, as well as one on Casa A. Gamboa with Negrense heritage cuisine served in a heritage home once visited by Gen. Douglas MacArthur.

The website will also promote the upcoming event Feed Our Souls, an on-ground bazaar selling artisanal ware, art, and cuisine unique to Negros culture and heritage.

As one can see, the new world still creeps up on the old belle that is Negros, when new blood and talent is infused into its old-world traditions. Ms. Berrie explained how these dialogues between old and new come to be: “The next generation of Negrenses remain connected to their heritage and we intend to highlight this new creative class who are innovating in ways their ancestors would never have imagined. Whether in cooking, sharing heritage homes’ histories and storytelling through theater and movies, we need to support these talents so they remember who we are, value our cultural identity and express this uniqueness in their own way.”

Watch out for the website’s launch on facebook.com/NegrosSeasonOfCulture. — Joseph L. Garcia

2016 was the beginning of the Apocalypse — Jessica Zafra

That was when she quit writing columns to focus on her first novel

EVERY generation has a designated wit. For Filipinos of the 1990s and the 2000s, we’ve unofficially recognized writer Jessica Zafra as that period’s wit.

For 25 years, Ms. Zafra wrote columns for many media outlets, including The Philippine Star, Today, BusinessWorld, and Interaksyon. She also had stints as a host on TV and radio, and  published her essays and columns in the book series Twisted. Ms. Zafra is known for her dry and dark humor, and could bring this flavor to any situation (read her sports feature on society scion and then-rugby player Jaime Urquijo Zobel).

Recently, Ms. Zafra published her first novel, The Age of Umbrage. She appeared on a webinar with boho favorite Baguio bookshop Mt. Cloud on Oct. 22 to discuss the novel. A summary of the novel from the Ateneo de Manila University press reads: “Guadalupe, 15, is confused. She grew up in the house of one of the richest families in the world… in the servants’ quarters with her mother, the family cook. The life of luxury is all she knows, but it isn’t really her life. Unhappy in school, invisible at home, she lives inside her head, in a world made of books and movies. Outside, Manila is in turmoil: protest rallies, a bloodless revolution, coup attempts, and the Web hasn’t even arrived yet.”

Ms. Zafra introduces her main character, Guada, like so: “You have this very sheltered girl, living in this very sheltered, privileged environment, but outside, the world is in turmoil. Her security is completely artificial.”

Many of the young people who had grown up reading Ms. Zafra have been waiting for her to write a novel for a very long time. So has she, apparently. “I’ve been trying to write a novel since I was in high school. When you say you’re going to be a writer, that means a novel, right?”

It took her only three months to write the novel — if you only count the actual writing. “But you know, that’s three months and three decades. That was three decades of attempting to write a novel. I had to learn the whole process. Having written columns for 25 years, whenever I write something, my brain automatically stops at 1,000 words.” She also wrote the novel first in longhand: “I won’t let years of penmanship lessons in St. Theresa’s Quezon City go to waste,” she quipped.

She started and finished the novel back in 2016, which she considers as the year of the “actual beginning of the apocalypse.”

“That’s when the world ended. The morons won. Everything that I believed in was under siege,” she said.

This was when she quit writing her regular column: “I don’t think I can write a column anymore when I don’t understand the reader. The point of writing a column is you have to understand what’s going on, and explaining it to the readers. I couldn’t understand what was going on.”

She used this time to write the novel, saying, “I guess the combination of confusion, fear, and having nothing to hang on to sped up the process.”

The backdrop of the novel, the unstable 1980s and ‘90s in the Philippines, might be reflective of the times we live today. Ms. Zafra gave her reasons for using that period as her setting. “Those were the years when I was at school, and I have very fond memories of the ‘80s and ‘90s. I always say that the ‘90s were the last time I understood what was going on. When the digital age set in, it was chaos; I no longer know what’s going on,” she said. “At the same time, historically, it was the year of the parliament of the streets, the EDSA Revolution, and then the season of coups. I thought it made a very interesting backdrop to the life of a very sheltered girl.”

For the novel, Ms. Zafra takes the voice of a teen: just like many of her readers who related to her columns. “I always thought that I would be writing in the first person. It bothered me because I didn’t really have a story to tell. I’ll write about something I understand, which is being an adolescent, who grows up alone, and alienated and bullied.” She then decided to switch to a third-person omniscient narrative, which she said freed up the process.

“Somebody told me, and I had to agree, that all first novels are thinly-veiled autobiographies,” she said. “The sad part is, I don’t think I’m that far-removed from my narrator. I still am, in many ways, like that.”

The Age of Umbrage is available through Mt. Cloud Bookshop, the Ateneo de Manila University Press, Shopee, and Lazada. — Joseph L. Garcia

Gov’t fully awards offer of T-bills as rates decline across the board

THE GOVERNMENT made a full award of the Treasury bills (T-bills) it offered on Tuesday as yields declined across the board due to strong market liquidity and expectations of benign inflation.

The Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) raised P22 billion via the T-bills on Tuesday, more than the P20 billion on the auction block, as the offer was almost five times oversubscribed, with bids amounting to P96.727 billion.

Broken down, the BTr borrowed P5 billion as planned from the 91-day papers as tenders reached P24.987 billion. The three-month debt fetched an average rate of 1.058%, inching down by 2.1 basis points (bps) from the 1.079% logged in the previous auction.

Meanwhile, the Treasury awarded P7 billion in 182-day T-bills, more than the P5-billion program, as tenders amounted to P31.12 billion, prompting the government to accept more bids from the non-competitive sector. The six-month securities were quoted at an average rate of 1.499%, declining by 4.4 bps from 1.543% in the previous offering.

The government also awarded the programmed P10 billion in 364-day debt papers as bids reached P40.62 billion. The one-year T-bills fetched an average rate of 1.759%, lower by 3.2 bps from the 1.791% quoted at last week’s auction.

The BTr likewise opened its tap facility to borrow another P5 billion via the one-year papers as it sought to take advantage of the strong demand and low rates seen yesterday.

At the secondary market on Monday, the 91-day, 182-day and 364-day T-bills were quoted at 1.13%, 1.551% and 1.806%, respectively, based on the PHL Bloomberg Valuation Reference Rates published on the Philippine Dealing System’s website.

National Treasurer Rosalia V. de Leon attributed the lower yields of the T-bills on offer on Tuesday to manageable inflation expectations.

“Inflation outlook remains benign, which is still within [the central bank’s] 2% to 4% projected band. There is also sustained ample liquidity and bias for shorties,” she said in a Viber message to reporters after the auction, referring to short-term debt papers.

Inflation may have picked up slightly in October due to a rise in food prices and transport costs, as well as the impact of base effects, analysts said.

A poll of 15 economists by BusinessWorld last week yielded a median estimate of 2.4%, close to the higher end of the 1.9-2.7% forecast given by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and well within the 2-4% target this year.

If realized, the median estimate will be a tad faster than 2.3% in September and 0.9% in October 2019. The BSP’s latest average inflation forecast for this year is at 2.3%.

The Philippine Statistics Authority will release October inflation data on Thursday.

A trader said in an e-mail that the lower yields reflected the high liquidity among investors. The trader added investors are looking for debt instruments with the best rate of return as they seek investment outlets for their excess cash.

The Treasury plans to borrow at least P140 billion from the domestic market this month: P80 billion in weekly T-bill auctions and P60 billion in fortnightly Treasury bond auctions.

The government wants to raise around P3 trillion this year from local and foreign lenders to help fund its budget deficit expected to hit 9.6% of the country’s gross domestic product. — KKTJ

AC Health partners with Varian firm for PHL’s first cancer hospital

AYALA Healthcare Holdings, Inc. (AC Health) is working with a cancer treatment company for its plan to build the country’s first cancer specialty hospital in Taguig City.

In a statement on Tuesday, AC Health said it recently signed a strategic partnership with Cancer Treatment Services International, Inc. (CTSI), an oncology services provider under US-based Varian Medical Systems, Inc.

The partnership is expected to help AC Health in its cancer hospital project, which will build 100 beds in a comprehensive cancer facility to be located in the FTI Complex in Taguig City.

“We are delighted to partner with CTSI to bring much-needed affordable quality cancer care services to more Filipinos… By bringing together our local knowledge and AC Health’s network, with CTSI’s operational and clinical expertise, we have the unique opportunity to redefine cancer care in the Philippines,” AC Health Chairman Fernando Zobel de Ayala said in the statement.

AC Health had previously said it is investing P2 billion to build a cancer hospital that would have diagnostic equipment, chemotherapy facilities, linear accelerators for advanced radiation therapy and operating rooms for specialist surgeons.

This cancer hospital is envisioned to be an integral pillar of our integrated healthcare ecosystem. With this hospital as our future referral hub, our network of Healthway specialty and family clinics can provide cancer screening programs, while our pharma companies, IE Medica and MedEthix, can source more affordable cancer medicines for our patients,” AC Health President and CEO Paolo Maximo F. Borromeo said.

AC Health is the healthcare unit of Ayala Corp., which also has businesses in real estate, banking, telecommunications and utility, among others.

The conglomerate reported earnings of P7.9 billion in the first half of 2020, down 79% from a year ago, due to loan loss provisions, suspended mall operations, and one-time gains in 2019. Its shares fell P13 or 1.70% to P750 each on Tuesday. — Denise A. Valdez

BDO AUMs hit P1 trillion at end-Sept.

BDO UNIBANK, Inc. said its trust arm booked growth in assets under management as more people turned to unit investment trust funds. — BW FILE PHOTO

BDO UNIBANK, Inc. (BDO) saw its assets under management (AUM) grow to P1 trillion as of September on the back of strong demand for its unit investment trust fund (UITF) products amid the coronavirus pandemic.

BDO’s Trust group reported that its UITF business expanded by 35% at end-September, the bank said in a disclosure to the local bourse on Tuesday.

Rafael G. Ayuste, Jr., BDO senior vice-president and trust officer, said clients bought the product “due to its ready availability for both subscriptions and redemptions as well as the ease of access through the branches and online.”

“We saw the UITF volumes increase substantially despite the pandemic,” he was quoted as saying. “The clients see and appreciate the opportunities that the current market presents which will potentially result to significant growth in their investment returns as the market recovers.”

UITFs are pooled funds from depositors which are managed by a trust company or a bank’s trust department that decide on where to invest the said funds in order to generate income.

UITF gains mirror current market prices, which determine the rate of return for clients. However, investment platforms vary and are matched to a player’s appetite, which is determined through a risk tolerance assessment conducted by these agents.

These can be invested in instruments like money market securities, bonds and equities, which offer higher return than traditional bank deposit products.

BDO’s Trust group offers peso- and dollar-denominated UITFs to cater to investors with different risk appetites and objectives.

The bank’s UITFs require a minimum of P10,000 for peso-denominated money market and bond and equity index funds and $500 for dollar-denominated money market, medium-term bonds, and global feeder funds.

It said it is making “aggressive efforts” to increase its penetration to maintain or increase its market share, which currently stands at 25%.

Mr. Ayuste said the ongoing pandemic has encouraged many clients to grow their wealth through UITFs and money market funds, especially with uncertainties continuing to affect financial markets.

“This way they are able to generate positive albeit lower returns particularly during the height of the pandemic when there was so much uncertainty. We have likewise seen some long-term clients factoring in recovery and are taking the opportunity to buy more equities at current market prices which really presents great upside potential,” he said.

“We continue to enhance our product and service delivery to ensure ease of access and simplification of client experience,” Mr. Ayuste added.

BDO booked a net income of P16.6 billion in the first nine months, down 48% from P32.1 billion in the comparable year-ago period, as it set aside more loan loss provisions amid the pandemic.

The Sy-led bank’s shares closed at P90 apiece on Tuesday, up by P1.10 or P1.24% from its previous finish.

ATN Holdings sets production of pre-mixed concrete this month

ATN HOLDINGS, Inc. is targeting to begin the mass production of pre-mixed concrete products within November.

In a disclosure to the stock exchange on Tuesday, the company said its five-storey batching plant is equipped with technology that will let it operate at a mixing efficiency of around 60 cubic meters per hour.

ATN said it is targeting an annual production rate of around 77,000 cubic meters of pre-mixed concrete products that will be made from high-grade rock aggregates sourced in its crushing plant.

ATN Holdings Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Arsenio T. Ng said the facility will let the company extend the company’s range of products, being one of the makers of premium construction materials.

“At this point, we are finalizing test runs to ensure optimal efficiency and technical stability,” he was quoted as saying.

Mr. Ng added that the facility will let ATN Holdings diversify its sources of revenues and attend to the increasing demands of the construction sector.

“Again, we are uniquely positioned to contribute to this so-called Golden Age of Philippine Infrastructure. Alongside our government, ATN is prepared to play its role in terms of economic resiliency and nation-building,” he said.

ATN operates rock-extraction facilities in Rodriguez, Rizal and has recently joined the construction of the phase 1 of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project worth P54 billion.

On Tuesday, shares in ATN “A” at the stock exchange rose 6.74% or P0.06 to close at P0.95 per piece while its “B” shares climbed 5.56% or P0.05 to end at P0.95 each. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Aftermath of Typhoon Rolly: Here is how you can help

THE STRONGEST typhoon to hit land this year, typhoon Rolly (international name: Goni) swept through the Philippines on Nov. 1, leaving Catanduanes and Bicol devastated. As more news from these and other affected areas start to come out as communication lines are restored, many people are asking how they can help. Here is a list of organizations and individuals — from media giants to party list groups to NGOs to a K-pop fans club to an artist best known for his cheerful work — that are raising donations to help the victims of Typhoon Rolly. The list will be updated as more information arrives.

KAPUSO FOUNDATION
THE GMA Kapuso Foundation calls for donations to give aid to people who may be affected by Typhoon Rolly. To donate online to GMA Kapuso Foundation, visit www.gmanetwork.com/kapusofoundation/donate.

ABS-CBN Foundation
The ABS-CBN Foundation is accepting cash donations as part of its Sagip Kapamilya program to reach out to Filipinos affected by Typhoon Rolly. Those interested may donate through the following accounts: BDO (Peso Account) 0039301-14199 Swift Code: BNORPHMM; BDO (Dollar Account) 1039300-81622 Swift Code: BNORPHMM; BPI 3051-1155-88 Swift Code: BOPIPHMM; Metrobank 636-3-636-08808-1 Swift Code: MBTCPHMM; PNB 1263-7000-4128 Swift Code: PNBMPHMM; Security Bank 000003312430-0 Swift Code: SETCPHMM.

ROBERT ALEJANDRO DONATION DRIVE
ARTIST and TV host Robert Alejandro is offering to create caricatures of your children in exchange for a donation to help victims of the typhoon. Those interested can send Mr. Alejandro a personal message with the photo of the child and their e-mail address via his personal Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/kuya.robert) and upon donation, he will be sending the high-resolution photo to the e-mail address.

BRIGHTS PHILIPPINES FC DONATION DRIVE
A RELIEF and rehabilitation network of various youth organizations, Tulong Kabataan, in partnership with BunnyWolf PH, Brightwin Nation, and Brights Philippines FC, is calling for donations for those affected by Typhoon Rolly. Donations can be sent via PayPal: brightsphillippinesfc@gmail.com or imsherlan24@gmail.com or via GCash: 0917-1557-610 (Sherlan S.) or 0936-911-8083 (Aiza Castillo).

TEAM #ROCKEDRELIEF
TEAM #RockEdRelief is collecting non-perishables to send to Bicol, and two barangays in Batangas. They are looking for: blankets, laundered clothes, towels, socks, pillows, sleeping mats, mosquito nets, canned food (for now), used tarpaulins (for floor coverings). Commune, Polaris St., Makati (Bgy Poblaciòn) is receiving donations in kind starting Nov. 4 from noon to 4 p.m. Labeled boxes or transparent bags are appreciated in order to avoid opening packages. For purchasing assistance (meant for brand new underwear, sanitary napkins, diapers, and hygiene kits), send donations to BPI 3080-0073-44 Rock Ed Philippines and send the amount and name for donor’s receipt recording.

TULONG KABATAAN
THE SAME Tulong Kabataan is also holding a separate donation drive for those affected by the typhoon in the Bicol Region and the National Capital Region (NCR). Donations can be made in cash and in kind. For cash donations, donate via the BPI Savings Account number 008339 4735 53 or BDO Savings Account number 012220 0134 36. Both are under the name of Thalia R. Villela. Those who want to donate in kind or via GCash can do so by contacting Joshua Marcial via 0195-268-3515. Paypal donations are also accepted via paypal.me/trvillela.

ANAKBAYAN PUP
AN ORGANIZATION from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) is also holding a donation drive for those affected by the typhoon in Bicol and NCR. Donations can be made via GCash through Christine Franes (0918-348-3943) or via PayMaya through Jersey Mari Arante (0917-885-1280). Donations can also be made through the BPI Savings Account number 4869 1284 95 under the name Maria Czarina Mapili and via Paypal: josephscien@gmail.com

MYDAYS BICOL
THE BICOL fan group of K-Pop boy group Day6 is calling for donations to provide assistance to help Bicolanos affected by the super typhoon. The group is asking for cash and in kind donations and noted that they are prioritizing rice, non-perishable goods, clothes, and potable water. Those who want to donate in cash can do so via GCash (0905-4626-654), via PayMaya (0905-4626-654), via BPI Savings Account number 0669120168, and via PayPal at paypal.me/mydaysbicol. A copy of the deposit slip should be e-mailed to mydaysbicol@gmail.com. Those who want to donate in kind can drop off their donations at Sta. Rafaela Maria Students Home, Sagpon, Daraga, Albay, 4501. For more information, call 0999-4820-934 and 0951-5091-524.

KAYA NATIN
NON-PARTISAN, non-governmental organization based in Quezon City, Kaya Natin, is also holding a donation drive for typhoon victims and is asking for cash donations. Those who want to donate can do so via BPI Account number 3081-1173-72 under the name KN Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership Inc., or via Paypal at kayanatin.ph/donate. Send your deposit slips to kayanatinmovement@gmail.com. For inquiries contact Kaya Natin at 0917-822-6628 or e-mail kayanatinmovement@gmail.com.

TABANGAN TA ANG CATANDUANES
SEVERAL medical groups including the Association of Medical Doctors of Asia Philippines are asking for donations specifically for those in Catanduanes affected by the typhoon. Deposits can be made through GCash via Karen Martinez (0956-4211-832) or via the BDO Savings Account number 002650493646 under the name Marian Faye H. de Claro.

BANGON ORAGON
THE 6TH MEDICINE Student Council of the College of Medicine, Bicol University is doing a donation drive for Bicolanos affected by the typhoon. The donations can be made through BPI (1639-0764-89) and GCash (0965-4811-357) under the name Christian F. Picones. Donations are also accepted via Land Bank of the Philippines (1496-249-530), PayMaya (0919-95403519), and Metrobank (677-3-677-07866-0) all under the name Irene C. Velasco. To confirm your donation, send a message to 0965-481-1357 via SMS Viber or Telegram.

UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES LOS BANOS
THE STUDENT union of the University of the Philippines Los Baños is holding a donation drive to benefit the victims of the typhoon from the CALABARZON and Bicol Region. Those who want to donate can do so via Landbank (1896-3525-73) and GCash (0953-3081-839) both under the name Maria Joy D. Dela Providencia. Donations can also be made through Paypal at paypal.me/stpbuplb. For in kind donations contact 0953-3081-839. Those who want to volunteer their time can sign up via https://bit.ly/3fWlitu.

SINING BANWA
SINING Banwa, a community-based multi-arts organization based in Albay is calling for donations to help those affected in Barangay Busay in Daraga, Albay and other communities. Donations can be made in cash and in kind. Those who want to donate in kind can drop off their donations at Sining Banwa Harong Door 4, ALA Compound, Orange St., Sunrise Subdivision, Cruzada, Legazpi City. In cash donations can be made through BPI (0859-2548-45) under Jobert Landeza, Chinabank (108002036024; Swift code: CHBKPHMM) under Sining Banwa Albay Performance Collective Inc, GCash (0935-465-9359) under the name Jobert Landeza. For more information, contact 0975-981-4207.

TANGING YAMAN FOUNDATION
TANGING Yaman Foundation is asking for donations for those affected by the typhoon. In kind donations are requested to be in the form of canned goods, instant noodles, bottled water, rice, hygiene kits, diapers, sanitary napkins, and powdered milk. In kind donations can be dropped off at the ADMU (Ateneo de Manila University) LS Covered courts. Monetary donations can be made through the Metrobank account of the Tanging Yaman Foundation Inc., at 448-7-44800988-9 or via GCash at 0947-565-9544. Checks should be made payable to Tanging Yaman Foundation Inc. For more information contact the foundation via 0947-565-95244.

AKOBAKWIT
AKOBAKWIT, a non-governmental organization promoting and protecting the rights and welfare of the internally displaced, is also calling for donations for typhoon victims. Donations can be made through Ako Bakwit BPI Savings Account at 0293-0053-79, Paymaya at 0917-607-7718, PayPal at akobakwit@gmail.com, and GCash 0917-607-7718. In kind donations can be dropped off at Ziya Boutique, ground floor, Glorietta 3, Makati City.

ATENEO DE MANILA UNIVERSITY
THE OFFICIAL disaster response and management team of the Ateneo de Manila University is collecting donations for typhoon victims via the Ateneo de Manila University BPI Savings Account (Peso) at 3083-7210-56. More donation options are available at giving.ateneo.edu.

GABRIELA PHILIPPINES
GABRIELA Philippines, a non-governmental organization advocating for women’s rights, is also calling for donations for families affected by the typhoon. For cash donations, donate via the Lingap Gabriela, Inc. Chinabank Account (105002008935) with Swift Code: CHBKPHMM. For donations in kind, drop offs are at Lingap Gabriela Office at SATU Bldg., Blk 73, Lot 11, Don Mariano Marcos Ave., North Fairview, Quezon City, or at the Gabriela Women’s Party Office, #25 K-10 St., West Kamias, Quezon City, or at the Gabriela National Office at #35 Scout Delgado, Brgy. Laging Handa, Quezon City. For more information, contact 8464-2652 or 0977-6344808.

BAYAN MUNA PARTYLIST BAYANG MATULUNGIN RELIEF OPERATIONS
THE BAYAN Muna Partylist is asking for in kind donations — in the form of canned goods, bottled water, clothes, hygiene kits, and medicine — and cash donations for those affected by the typhoon. Those who want to donate in kind can drop off their donations at Block 31 Lot 13 A. Bonifacio St., New Capitol Estate 1, Brgy. Batasan Hills, District 2, Quezon City. Cash donations can be made through GCash (0917-168-6352), PayMaya (0917-168-6352), or PayPal paypal.me/leafullon. Contact Sarah Velasco at 0923-535-419 for inquiries.

JCI PHILIPPINES-OPLAN KAAGAPAY SUPER TYPHOON ROLLY
THE JUNIOR Chamber International (JCI) is asking for donations both in kind (canned goods, towels, hygiene kits, relief packages, cash donations) and in cash. Donation drop-off point is located at the JCI Philippines Headquarters, 14 Don A. Roces Ave., Quezon City, Metro Manila. Contact NED Constantine Ignacio (0917-533-7474) for inquiries and for donations in-kind. Cash donations can be made through BDO, Quezon Avenue-Heroes Hills Branch (Junior Chamber International Phils., Inc. / Smart Checking Account No. 002018025076 / Swift Code BNORPHMM). To coordinate cash donations, contact NC John Joshua Cudia (0935-426-8718).

JUANSPARK YOUTH LEADERS
JUANSPARK Youth Leaders are asking for donations of at least P20 for the benefit of the typhoon victims. Donations can be made through BDO (Nanette Tagudar / 007960016388), BPI (Marielle Alemania / 0129399139) or GCash (Charmaine Gilo / 0977-455-3757). Contact Marielle Alemania at 0949-167-1154 for inquiries.

CAMPUS ALLIANCE FOR DEDICATED AND UNIFIED ACTION-UP BAGUIO
THE CAMPUS Alliance for Dedicated and Unified Action at University of the Philippines-Baguio is asking for monetary donations for typhoon victims. Those who want to donate can do so via BPI (1249249609), GCash (Cielo Madarang / 0915-884-8927), BDO (Laika Jezrel G. Mendoza / 005050274444), Land Bank (Airah Carhize Ami / 0226473556), PayMaya (Luianna Isabel Santos / 0927-256-9460), PayPal paypal.me/venicenieva.

UP CATANDUNGAN TABANG CATANDUANES
A UNIVERSITY of the Philippines Los Baños group is asking for donations in cash and in kind for those affected by the typhoon in Catanduanes. Cash donations can be made through Metrobank (Romeo Russel Ham Somido / 1813 1813 62996) BDO (Shilley Babe P. Sta. Rosa / 0060 3023 3660), GCash (Carla Angelica Tulipat / 0917-780-5158), PayMaya (Carla Angelica Tulipat / 0920-911-2805). For in-kind donations, coordinate with Ma. Arlene S. Borja (0917-307-9148) or Meyrick U. Tablizo (0947-614-3724).

KALINGA SA PANAHON NG PANDEMYA
THE DONATION drive focused on helping people through the pandemic is now also asking for donations for those affected by the typhoon. Donations can be in cash or in kind. In kind donations can be dropped off at SM Fairview, contact Maverick or Jemimah at 0977-219-0229. Cash donations can be made via PNB (Jemimah Keren R. Ladeza at 107910038784), GCash (Maverick Segismundo at 0977-219-0229) or PayPal paypal.me/MiguelAntonioLegaspi.

TAGANI PH
A COMMUNITY of advocates for Philippine Farmers, Tagani PH, is asking for cash donations to benefit their partner-farmers who have been affected by the typhoon. Donations can be made through PayPal paypal.me/TaganiPH and through GCash, UnionBank, and BPI. Details on those bank accounts can be accessed via https://twitter.com/TaganiPH/status/1323227774811693058/photo/1.

SAGIP KANAYUNAN-OPLAN RESCUE COUNTRYSIDE
SAGIP Kanayunan, a relief and rehabilitation effort of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas to benefit peasant communities affected by typhoons and other calamities, is now accepting donations for typhoon ravaged farmers and fisherfolks. The successive typhoons since Nika, Ofel, Pepito, and Quinta resulted in severe losses for palay farmers. The effort is asking for in kind donations such as common medicines, seeds, farm tools, and supplies. For cash donations, BPI (Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas/Peso Account 445-1001-286/Dollar Account 445-4002-488). To drop off in kind donations, contact the organization through its Twitter account https://twitter.com/kmp_phl.

IUPLIFT
IPLIFT, a student-led initiative providing students with distance learning tools, is asking for donations for its partner communities in Labo and Basud, Camarines Norte. One may donate through BPI (Zion Enrico Licup, 006216674918) or through GCash (Megumi Hosena, 0999-397-5745). They will also provide relief packs and hot meals to selected evacuation centers.

Arts & Culture (11/04/20)

New episode of Muni-Muni Stories focuses on The Company

THE FILIPINAS Heritage Library and the OPM Archive will release episode 4 of Muni-Muni Stories: A Podcast on Filipino Music on Nov. 6, 6 p.m., on Spotify. The episode — “The CompanY/Pakisabi na Lang” — has the members of The CompanY sharing their experiences of 35 years in the industry, the complexities of achieving real harmony, and being a force for Filipino a cappella. They also discuss the story behind their hit song “Pakisabi Na Lang.” The Muni-Muni Stories podcasts are available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. For updates regarding the episode upload schedules, visit the Filipinas Heritage Library and the OPM Archive on Facebook. The podcast  is an offshoot of the curated playlists of the library, Muni-Muni Muna and Muni-Muni Muli, which were introduced during the initial months of the quarantine. The podcast’s first season features 12 episodes, each to be aired monthly starting September until March 2021. Artists on the roster include Joey Ayala, Raymund Marasigan, The CompanY, Bayang Barrios, and Pia Magalona and Saab Magalona-Bacarro, who provide insights into the life and legacy of the late Francis M. Muni-Muni Stories’ inaugural guest was Celeste Legaspi, who talked about her song “Saranggola ni Pepe.”

PETA’s Care Divas streams this November

PHILIPPINE Educational Theater Association’s hit original Filipino musical Care Divas will be streaming for the first time on Nov. 27 to 29, and again on Dec. 4 to 6. The show, together with two other musicals, six new works, and a PETA documentary will be available for limited pay-per-view via www.ktx.ph. Care Divas is a bittersweet story about five gay overseas Filipino workers based in Israel who work as caregivers in the morning and transform into glamorous drag queens at night. The streaming cast includes the original Divas: Melvin Lee (Chelsea), Vincent De Jesus (Shai), Ricci Chan (Kayla), Dudz Teraña (Thalia), and Buddy Caramat (Jonee). Aside from Care Divas, PETA will also be streaming Si Tamad, Ang Diyablo, at Ang Limang Milyong Boto, and, for the first time on screen, 1896, PETA’s first and only sung-through musical, which tells the story about the Philippine revolution. PETA also presents six new works: Maskian (The Masks of Asian), WFH, Finding Z, Harinawa, 2nd Set: 2 Meters Apart, and Hello. Also to be launched Living Voices, a documentary about PETA’s work as one of the country’s groundbreaking theater companies in the last 50 years. Tickets are now available via www.ktx.ph.

Online interactive play to premiere

A FULL online production entitled The Boarding House, alongside a specially designed interactive website, will premiere next week to provide a quirky and innovative theater experience that pushes the potential of Philippine theater. It is a promenade-style play that allows the spectators freedom to curate their own viewing experience. They can enter their preferred rooms and select the order of the scenes to immerse themselves into, with varying social commentaries and perspectives presented in the narrative. They can also traverse the fully interactive online map that provides an in-depth introduction of each character as well as a tour of the surreal setting. The presentation transports the audience to year 2030 in a futuristic surveillance state called Lunan City, formerly known as Manila. The capital was acquired and transformed by an umbrella corporation into a speculative universe, where a diverse range of mythical creatures, sentient objects and structures and humans co-exist. The Boarding House was written, directed, and produced by Teatro 77, a team of Theater Arts students from the School of Design and Arts of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. The Boarding House is accessible on a website specially created to be non-linear and exploratory, designed for the global audience with subtitles in full English and Filipino. The website is open to the public. Viewers, however, are encouraged to donate to the pandemic relief operations of Para Sa Sining. The Boarding House Acts 1 and 2 will premiere on Nov. 5 and 12 at 7 p.m., respectively. It will be available on view until Dec. 5 through its virtual front of the house at https://explorelunan.web.app/. For inquiries, e-mail teatro77ph@gmail.com or visit the team’s social media channels on Facebook (@teatro77ph), Twitter (@teatro77), and Instagram (@teatro77_ph).

Casa de Memoria’s Cuarto auction showcases art as Christmas gifts

AS THE HOLIDAYS draw near, Casa de Memoria will be holding Cuarto, its fourth major auction for the year, featuring unique art pieces that can be given as gifts. To be held on Nov. 28, 2 p.m., Cuarto will feature 180 European-Filipino antiquities and objets d’art. Among these are a silver cigar box formerly owned by Spanish statesman Don José Antonio Girón de Velasco, a Napoleon III style radiogram with 1950s radio and “Philips” mono record player, a polychromed dinner set, an ivory triptych depicting England’s “Glorious Revolution of 1688,” and a vermeil tea and coffee set by Joyerías Aldao. Cuarto will also feature European art pieces with Asian influences, such as an 18th century Burmese alabaster Buddha head in the Shan style and a solid 18 karat gold relief of the Buddha circa 13th century Bayon period of the Khmer Empire. From glass and crystal pieces to furniture, as well as paintings and lithography, there is something for everyone. Explore the auction pieces and register for the auction at www.casadememoria.com. Interested parties may also attend the intimate auction preview from Nov. 3 to 27, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Palacio de Memoria at 95 Roxas Blvd., Tambo, Parañaque. Strict safety protocols are in place at the venue. For more details, call (02) 8253-3994 or e-mail hello@casadememoria.com. For more information, visit https://www.casadememoria.com/ or follow @thecasadememoria on Facebook and @casadememoria on Instagram.

‘Cutting Corners’ in a Virtual ArtistSpace

ON NOV. 6, Virtual ArtistSpace presents its first virtual exhibition, “Cutting Corners,” featuring nine Filipino visual artists: Floyd Absalon, Bea Aspiras, Gab Baez, Andre Baldovino, Steven Burce, Pepe Delfin, Bayani Galera, Kat Grow, and Miles Villanueva. With works produced during the pandemic, Cutting Corners surveys the different realities, thoughts, and ideas of the nine artists. Together, they form a visual anthology that looks at the consciousness, meanings, and processes in art-making while navigating through a time of uncertainty and disquiet. “Cutting Corners” will be on view virtually starting Nov. 6, 6 p.m. The virtual exhibition will run until Nov. 26. The link to the exhibition will be posted on ArtistSpace Facebook and Instagram pages @artistspacegallery.

Contests mark Library and Information Services Month

THE CULTURAL Center of the Philippines (CCP) joins the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, National Committee on Libraries and Information Services (NCCA-NCLIS) and the National Library of the Philippines (NLP) in the celebration of the 30th Library and Information Services Month in November. The activities throughout the month include a number of contests: a Digital Poster Making Contest which is open to amateur artists, senior high school or college students; Best Online Activities by  Library and Information Science Associations; Share-A-Book: Book-Based Interactive Storytelling  for children to develop a love for books and reading thereby enhancing their presentation and communication skills through storytelling; “MakiVlog na! LibREALang, may Papremyo pa!,” a Vlog contest whose winner will serve as the promotional video for libraries during the pandemic; BookFace Contest which uses books as artistic objects; and Cutest Photo in the Library. For details, visit the National Library of the Philippines website http://web.nlp.gov.ph/ .

Music appreciation webinar

THE CARL Jung Circle Center’s Vessel: The Jung  Art Collection presents its 2nd music appreciation webinar for the year. “World Beats: Cruising Through Music Cultures,” which will be presented by musicologist Daniel Pardo, will be held on Nov. 6 and 7, 3:30-5 p.m., via Zoom. Tickets are P1,500 for the two days. To register, visit https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_wR_eO_PCTeWwKnSXEVDAYg .

BSP backs easing data connectivity restrictions for financial inclusion 

THE CENTRAL BANK is backing legislative measures that seek to narrow the digital divide in the country to push financial inclusion in rural areas, said Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin E. Diokno.

“We have a relatively high mobile phone and internet access penetration, but these digital assets are underutilized for financial transactions. In fact, seven  in 10 unbanked adults have a mobile phone. This is an untapped opportunity for digital finance,” Mr. Diokno said in a response to questions from the Makati Business Club. 

Mr. Diokno said in particular, they support Senate Bill No. 45 or the Open Access in Data Transmission Act, which will remove the need to secure congressional franchises for the broadband industry and streamline the registration process. 

The proposed legislation, as well as its counterpart House Bill No. 54, have both been pending since 2019.

Mr. Diokno said they are also backing amendments to Executive No. 467 signed by former President Fidel V. Ramos as it is “restrictive” for only allowing enfranchised entities authorized by the National Telecommunications Commission to have access to international satellite systems.

“The BSP will also study other possible roles to promote internet connectivity in the countryside, particularly through satellite operations,” Mr. Diokno said. 

A recent central bank study found three in five adults in urban areas own a smartphone. The numbers fall to two in five in the rural areas, reflecting the digital divide between cities and provinces.

Moreover, four in five adults from class ABC own smartphones, much higher than the two in five adults in Class E.

Better than Cash Alliance Managing Director Ruth Goodwin-Groen said public-private partnerships will help push financial inclusion.

“They are a good starting point to address concerns around data security, transaction failure rates, fraud, lack of grievance redress, or other challenges faced by users and give users a seamless payment experience,” Ms. Goodwin-Groen said.

By 2023, the BSP wants 70% of adult Filipinos to own a bank account or to be financially included. Its Financial Inclusion Survey showed 29% of adult Filipinos belonged to the banked population as of 2019, leaving 51.2 million still unbanked. — L.W.T. Noble

Chelsea moves shares from telco startup to Dito Holdings

CHELSEA LOGISTICS and Infrastructure Holdings Corp. said its board of directors has approved the sale of its common and preferred shares in telco startup Dito Telecommunity Corp. to Dito Holdings Corp.

In a disclosure to the stock exchange, Chelsea Logistics said its board of directors approved on Oct. 30 the sale of its 40,833,332 common shares and 22,916,666 preferred shares in the telco startup to Dito Holdings Corp., a holding company that is separate and distinct from the listed Dito CME Holdings Corp.

“The nature and amount of consideration will be disclosed once the deed of assignment is finalized or executed,” it added.

Chelsea Logistics said it will continue to hold 25% of the telco startup “albeit indirectly thru Dito Holdings Corporation.”  

The listed company explained that the transfer of the shares is only for the purpose of restructuring its shareholdings in the telco startup, and “to streamline the shareholdings of the corporation and of Udenna Corp. in Dito Telecommunity through a holding company, Dito Holdings Corp.”

Chelsea Logistics said Dito Holdings Corp. was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission in October last year.  Aside from Chelsea Logistics, Udenna Communications, Media and Entertainment Holdings Corp. is also a major stakeholder of Dito Holdings Corp. — Arjay L. Balinbin

How PSEi member stocks performed — November 3, 2020

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Tuesday, November 3, 2020.

1...7,4677,4687,469...12,840Page 7,468 of 12,840
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