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PSALM subsidy budget cut to P8B in 2021 budget bill

THE GOVERNMENT has cut the subsidy under next year’s national budget for debts of the National Power Corp. (Napocor) that are now being charged on consumers.

The Budget and Finance departments lowered the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp.’s (PSALM) subsidy by 86% to P8 billion.

State-owned PSALM had proposed a P46.04-billion subsidy budget but it was lowered further “due to limited fiscal space,” the state-owned company said in a statement.

PSALM, which was created by a law reforming the power industry, inherited Napocor’s debt and stranded contract costs.

A measure enacted in August last year ordered the allocation of P208 billion to cover PSALM’s stranded contract costs and debt that are being charged on consumers as universal charges in their electricity bills.

The subsidy will come from the government’s share in the Malampaya natural gas project in Palawan province. The government will also pay for shortfalls incurred from settling the debt.

PSALM is not recovering stranded contract costs but is still collecting the P0.0428 per kilowatt-hour for its stranded debt.

The application to collect the latter was approved before the so-called Murang Kuryente law was passed, and it will still be collected until the end of its corporate life, according to the Energy Regulatory Commission.

Stranded contract costs are the excess of Napocor’s contracted cost of electricity with independent power producers over the actual selling price of the output. Stranded debt refers to Napocor’s unpaid obligations.

PSALM cannot file for new applications to collect these charges from consumers until the government subsidy is exhausted.

However, it is still collecting the P0.0428-per-kilowatt-hour stranded debts charge which the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) signed off before the law became effective. The bill portion will be collected until the end of the agency’s corporate life in 2026.

Last week, consumer group Laban Konsyumer said the government must refund PSALM’s universal charges on consumers.

The Department of Budget and Management last week submitted to Congress the P4.05-trillion National Expenditure Program for 2021.

Speaker Alan Peter S. Cayetano said the House would try to approve the budget by September. — Adam J. Ang

Uniqlo launches collection for a ‘new lifestyle’

JAPANESE clothing brand Uniqlo has unveiled its Fall/Winter 2020 collection, which revolves around having clothes fit for the “new lifestyle,” with longtime collaborators British-Japanese designer Hana Tajima and French designer Ines de la Fressange introducing new styles for their respective lines.

The collection, which not only makes one yearn for a more normal outdoors (and holiday trips that were unfortunately cancelled), is all about “concepts impacting customers’ needs, wants, and aspirations,” according to the press preview on Aug. 27.

The Hana Tajima Fall/Winter 2020 collection is said to express “the world’s rich cultural diversity featuring universal designs with a focus on detail and comfort,” according to a press release.

Her collection features textiles with leaf and grass patterns and neutral tones of cold and warm colors to “emphasize subtle beauty.” The clothes are also meant for a relaxed fit to provide easy mobility and convenience and include loose-fitting shirt dresses and pants with adjustable waistbands, long skirts, long-sleeved tops, and matching separates; as well as an a-line dress in the muted colors of fall and winter. In a release on the US website of Uniqlo, she says, “I have worn the clothes of many cultures. I have used them to try to better see the Japanese part of me. I have worn Salwar Kameez, Abaya, and kaftans given to me by friends when I became Muslim. I wore family hand-me-downs, and black patent leather heels. 

“These dualities, these different identities exist in all of us,” she said.

The Ines de la Fressange collection — her 14th with Uniqlo — meanwhile is inspired by “individuals who symbolized female freedom and independence in the 1970s” such as Jane Birkin, Ali MacGraw, and Diane Keaton.

“The Fall/Winter 2020 collection salutes their enduring inspiration for women today,” the statement read.

The collection features 100% silk blouses, and wrap dresses and knitwear made with 3D knit technology, all of which Ms. dela Fressange considers wardrobe essentials. The 1970s bohemian culture is represented by twist pleated skirts and dresses with polka dot and paisley patterns.

Alongside the collections from Ms. Tajima and Ms. De la Fressange, the Uniqlo Fall/Winter collections also featured essentials from its own Lifewear line all of which are aimed to “provide ease when staying at home or doing daily tasks, to help stay stress-free when working, and to give support in keeping active and healthy,” said the release.

There is the Uniqlo Airism line, a set of basics designed to wick away moisture, release heat, and absorb sweat. The fabric used for the line also has some antibacterial and deodorizing ability. The polyester fabric is also made to feel smooth and stretchy -— perfect for when you’re wearing it all day.

The same principle governs the relaunch of the brand’s EZY Ankle Pants, since renamed to Smart Ankle Pants. The line is made with two-way stretch material that stretches up and down and from side to side, giving comfort without restrictions and constrictions especially when sitting or stretching. For easy maintenance, a special resin treatment was also applied on the fabric so that the center pleats do not easily loosen even after several washes. The line, selling for P1,490, features a comfortable elastic waistband while still being deceptively dressy. A new collection of Ultra Stretch jeans have been designed with the same things in mind: stretchy, flexible comfortability.

Fall and Winter collections anticipate temperature drops, so an outerwear collection featured textured suede jackets and tweeds. There’s also some new colors for the water-repellant pocketable parka.

The collection is now available online via the Uniqlo Online Store (https://www.uniqlo.com/ph/en/), at the brand’s physical stores, and the Uniqlo App available on both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. — Zsarlene B. Chua, Joseph L. Garcia

Coronavirus crisis threatens to unravel Japanese artist’s kimono ambitions

TOKYO– Japanese artist Hiroko Takahashi fought through sexism and suspicion from traditional kimono artisans to establish a globally known brand that sold hundreds of her original garments every month — until the coronavirus devastation hit.

Takahashi has tried to regroup by selling handmade masks sewn from kimono fabric.

“My designs are kind of strong, so there are people who resist the idea of wearing them in something full body,” the 42-year-old said. “But they’d love to wear it as a mask.”

But the masks are a long fall from her original business. Noted for her bold, unisex prints for both kimono and yukata, a lighter kimono, and her refusal to accept conventional limits on wearing them, Takahashi this year was part of an exhibit at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum. She also has a contract to provide yukata for a new, luxury hotel as Japan gears up to host the Olympics.

Success took time. When she began, traditional dyers hated her designs and refused to work with her. When she called to check on progress, they’d hang up.

“Being a woman and young can make it hard to work in Japan,” she said.

She persisted until she was selling 100 to 200 made-to-order yukata a month — remarkable success in an industry so steadily declining that sales now hover around 16% of what they were in 1981, according to government data.

The coronavirus changed everything. Department stores shut for weeks, the Olympics were postponed until 2021 and the hotel opening was put off. Summer festivals and fireworks displays, usually prime yukata-wearing occasions, were cancelled nationwide.

“We have absolutely nothing,” she said. “I’ve done nothing new this year. No new designs, no new colors.”

Though Takahashi is teaching and eking out income making kimono fabric masks, her income has taken a major hit. Her yukatas started at 60,000 yen ($566) and kimono at 3 million yen, but the masks go for just 1,400 yen each.

The coronavirus could devastate the kimono industry, where aging artisans, each specializing in one stage of the process, are finding it impossible to envision future work.

“There are a lot of people who expected to hang in there, but with the virus, and not enough work coming in, they’re deciding to call it quits,” said Kazumi Furuoya, 44, a third-generation kimono tailor who works with his wife and parents in the Den-en-chofu area of Tokyo.

A generation ago, the Furuoya workshop was so busy it scrambled to keep up with orders.

A recent survey by Aeru, a company promoting traditional crafts, found that unless demand improves, about 40 percent of artisans may be forced to quit by the end of the year.

“If a fabric-maker goes under there’s nothing to dye, and if the dyers quit we can’t make kimonos,” Takahashi said. “If one goes down, we all do.”

Even if demand picks up, the impact may be lasting. A lack of orders means new tailors can’t practice enough.

“Kimonos are part of Japanese culture and as long as even one artisan remains, I want to work with them to keep things going — because once something vanishes, bringing it back is really hard,” Takahashi said.

“I don’t know how much strength I have, but if I can contribute even a little to this, it’ll be good.” — Reuters

SEC warns vs online polls that promise easy profit

THE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has flagged an unauthorized investment scheme that promises payment for answering online polls.

In an advisory posted on its website, the corporate regulator identified World of Survey, which uses Facebook to recruit members.

It sells member accounts for P1,500 each, with a maximum of 50 accounts for an investment of P75,000. Every account must answer five polls daily to earn as much as P60 a poll.

Members also earn P100 in sponsorship rewards for recruiting more people. Recruiters also get matching sales and leveling bonuses.

The SEC said World of Survey’s activities are equivalent to selling securities to the public, which is regulated and requires a license.

World of Survey is neither registered with the SEC as a corporation or partnership, it said. It also does not have the secondary license to sell securities and solicit investments from the public, it added.

“The public is advised not to invest or stop investing in any investment scheme being offered by any individual or group of persons allegedly for or on behalf of World of Survey,” it said.

Salesmen, brokers, dealers and agents that work for World of Survey may be fined P5 million or jailed for up to 21 years, or both, the corporate regulator said.

It asked the public to report investment schemes to its Enforcement and Investor Protection Department.

BusinessWorld tried to contact World of Survey for comments but it did not immediately reply. — Denise A. Valdez

Durian growers ready for China GAP certification

DAVAO CITY — Durian growers in the Davao Region, including small-scale farmers, are ready for Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) certification that will be required by China for exports.

Emmanuel S. Belviz, president of the Davao City Durian Industry Council (DCDIC), said they were ready as early as April when representatives from the China Inspection and Quarantine were scheduled to visit.

“Before the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic, nagkaroon kami ng (we held) training with some durian farmers and members of the durian council on the importance of making their farms GAP-certified,” Mr. Belviz said in an interview last week.

The farm visit was moved to August but again postponed to next year due to travel restrictions imposed by the Philippines.

Mr. Belviz said China’s agriculture attaché has confirmed that the visit will take place in 2021.

DCDIC has around 50 members, including backyard farmers cultivating at least 10 durian trees, located mostly in Davao City.

Small farmers can generate around seven tons per hectare while big farms yield up to 20 tons per hectare.

Mr. Belviz said the harvest this season is expected to be good, with the peak in mid- to late-September.

The group, in coordination with the Department of Agriculture regional office, has tapped a freight forwarding firm for the distribution of durian to major cities in the Philippines.

Beyond the MinDA Tienda sa Manila event on Sept. 20-26, where the fruit will be among the Mindanao products on showcase, Mr. Belviz said the association is working out a plan to expand it into a “Durian Caravan.”

The caravan will involve cargo trucks that will travel from Mindanao to Manila, making stops at trading posts to unload fruit. — Maya M. Padillo

Black Panther film star Chadwick Boseman dead at 43, after cancer battle

LOS ANGELES — Black Panther film star Chadwick Boseman, an actor whose work celebrated African-American pioneers and culture, has died at age 43 after a four-year battle with colon cancer, according to an announcement posted on Friday to his social media accounts.

Boseman, a native of South Carolina who began his screen career in episodes of television dramas such as Third Watch, Law & Order, and ER, passed away at his home, with his wife and family at his side, the statement on Twitter and Facebook said. It did not specify when he died. He resided in Los Angeles.

Boseman made his feature film debut with a small part in the 2008 sports biopic The Express, a drama based on the life of college football hero Ernie Davis, the first Black player to win the Heisman trophy.

He went on to star as a number of other real-life characters famed for breaking America’s racial barriers, including soul singer James Brown in Get on Up, Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall in Marshall, and baseball pioneer Jackie Robinson in 42.

But the actor’s most memorable role was his performance as T’Challa, king of the fictional, futuristic African kingdom of Wakanda and the crime fighter known as Black Panther, in the first major studio superhero movie featuring a predominantly African-American cast.

Embraced by global audiences, Black Panther became the second highest grossing movie at box offices worldwide in 2018, heralded for its vibrant celebration of African culture and applauded as a milestone for racial diversity in Hollywood.

The film was nominated for six Oscars, including best picture. It won three Academy Awards — in the best original score, best costume design, and best production design categories. It also won the top Screen Actors Guild award that year for best movie ensemble.

Boseman originated the Black Panther film role two years earlier in Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War, and reprised the part twice more in 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War and 2019’s Avengers: Endgame.

In June, Boseman joined more than 300 Black actors and filmmakers who signed an open letter urging Hollywood to steer away from entertainment glorifying police brutality and corruption and to invest in anti-racist content.

The letter was written in the midst of a cultural and political reckoning with systemic racism in the United States in the wake of the George Floyd death in Minneapolis.

Tributes and expressions of shock poured in on Twitter from fans and fellow Hollywood figures, including Marvel film co-stars Mark Ruffalo (the Incredible Hulk) and Chris Evans (Captain America).

The Twitter-Facebook statement said Boseman was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in 2016, an illness that progressed ultimately to stage 4 and went publicly undisclosed until his death, though he had grown noticeably thin in recent public appearances and social media posts.

“We never know what people are enduring,” Bernice King, the daughter of the late civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., wrote on Twitter in a salute to the actor. “Humans … we are wonders. Thank you, Chadwick, for gifting us with your greatness in the midst of a painful struggle.” — Reuters

Court rejects Ginebra’s P715-M tax refund claim

THE Court of Tax Appeals has denied Ginebra San Miguel, Inc.’s tax refund claim of P715.2 million.

Ginebra earlier said it had paid tax on the ethyl alcohol it bought in January to May 2013, which was used as raw material in the production of blended liquors.

The company argued that under the Tax Code, removing its finished products from the inventory of ethyl alcohol for which taxes had been paid are no longer taxable.

But the tax court said it could not determine the ratio of raw alcohol to finished goods, only how much raw alcohol was used and how many finished goods were produced during the period.

It said Ginebra must show how many units of raw alcohol were needed to produce one unit of finished goods.

“The court finds that the petitioner failed to prove the factual aspect of its claim for refund,” it said in a 34-page decision promulgated on July 28. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Validation starts for EU-backed network of 22 fish centers

SITE VISITS are under way for the proposed 22 fish centers across Mindanao, which will be connected to a common a digital platform that will serve as a direct link to the market.

In a statement on Friday, the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) reported that three areas have so far been visited for the Mindanao Fish and Aquaculture Development (MINFAD) Program.

One is Panabo City in Davao del Norte, which has a mariculture park that is mainly used for bangus farming.

The others are Pitogo, Zamboanga del Sur, and Mati City, Davao Oriental.

Davao Oriental, which held its first Fisheries and Aquaculture Summit last week, is positioning to be a key fish center in southeastern Mindanao, facing the Pacific Ocean.

The MINFAD fish centers are planned to each have post-harvest facilities, cold storage and processing and packing equipment.

“All of these Fish Centers will be interconnected through a digital platform which will monitor the volume of daily catch and the classification. The digital platform will serve as a virtual market which will identify where the catch can be marketed under the Mindanao Food Supply and Demand Map,” MinDA Chair Emmanuel F. Piñol said in a statement.

MinDA, which will initially be handling the digital platform, has endorsed MINFAD as one of the key programs for funding under the Mindanao Rise Program with a P2.1-billion grant from the European Union.

The MINFAD Program aims to double Mindanao’s annual fisheries and aquaculture production from the current 2.1 million metric tons.

“In my travels to the remotest areas of the country, even when I was Agriculture Secretary, I saw the squandering of opportunities in the fisheries and aquaculture sector simply because of the lack of a simple ice-making facility and cold storage,” Mr. Piñol said. — Marifi S. Jara

BMW PHL plugs into electrification with 7 Series

 

The Munich-based automaker takes a step forward with its first PHEV here

EXCLAIMED SMC Asia Car Distributors Corp. (ACDC) Chairman Ramon Ang, “Maganda ang performance, matipid pa sa fuel, and grabe ang low-end torque (It performs well, is fuel-efficient, and has awesome low-end torque. Who would’ve thought that a four-cylinder engine could perform this way?” during an online press conference held right after BMW Philippines’ official, virtual launch of the 2020 BMW 7 Series in the country.

“Cars from before were more front-heavy,” he continued. “But paliitan na ng makina ngayon (It’s a competition of smaller engines now).”

These statements from Mr. Ang were in reference to the latest turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which brings the brand the opportunity to price its long-running flagship sedan starting from as low as under P6 million — positioning itself as an extremely strong contender against its toughest rivals in the local luxury segment.

Just like before, the BMW 7 Series is offered in two body variants. And for the first time in the Philippines, BMW will be offering a PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) variant, the BMW 745Le Pure Excellence, which will carry a 3.0-liter BMW TwinPower, six-cylinder gasoline-powered engine paired with an electric motor that can offer up to 55 kms of pure-electric range (driven under ideal circumstances). Its combined petrol and engine output is a whopping 394hp, alongside 600Nm of torque. And all that pulling power can come at your bidding for a price tag of P9.59 million — which is not bad at all, considering all that you get, plus the standard five-year/200,00-km (whichever comes first) manufacturer’s warranty.

“It’s a game-changer and is bound to shake things up!” exclaimed a confident SMC ACDC President Spencer Yu during the press exchange.

The ICE (internal combustion engine) variant of the 7 Series is the BMW 730i Pure Excellence, that carries a thrifty but powerful 2.0-liter BMW TwinPower four-cylinder engine spitting out a laudable 265hp and 400Nm. This costs P5.99 million, and also comes with the aforementioned manufacturer’s warranty.

Both the 745Le (which comes with a longer wheelbase) and the 730i variants are 23mm longer in wheelbase measurement than their older siblings, while their width and height have remained the same. The 730i sports 18-inch light alloy wheels in Multi-spoke Style 619, while the 745Le comes with 19-inch light alloy wheels in Double-spoke Style 630 Bicolor. Both are equipped with run-flat tires.

Perhaps the most immediately noticeable change in the 2020 7 Series is its ever-so-enormous pair of BMW kidneys, which have now grown by 40%. Also noticeable is how the front bumper now has air deflectors meant to help cool the brakes. The taillights that complement the front’s adaptive LED headlights are noticeably slimmer, and there is a light bar that now stretches across the tail to connect these rear lights visually.

Inside the cabin of the 7 Series, you will find nothing less than excellent workmanship and the use of choice materials. Automatic four-zone climate control is standard, as are its electric roller sun blinds, leather steering wheel with new multifunction buttons, and one of my favorite discreet features of luxury — the lovely, soft-close function for all doors.

The 745Le exudes a high level of sophistication with its Nappa leather trim with extended quilting, and fine-wood trim in Poplar Grain Metallic Gray high-gloss. It offers active seat ventilation for the front and rear seats, and a luxurious massage function for all passenger seats. Also special in the 745Le is its exceptional Rear Seat Entertainment Experience — which includes 10-inch full-HD touchscreens in the back, plus a tablet integrated into the middle seat armrest that serves as a remote control. Complementing the suite of features with an exemplary acoustic experience is a Harman Kardon Surround Sound system.

Meanwhile, the 730i comes with leather Dakota upholstery, fine-wood trim (Fineline high-gloss with aluminum embellisher), electrically adjustable rear seats, and also nothing less than a Harman Kardon Surround Sound system.

Another stark difference of the 2020 7 Series to its predecessor is a fully digital instrument cluster display and control display. The BMW Live Cockpit Professional, composed of an iDrive controller and touchscreen, features a navigation and multimedia system, a digital high-res instrument cluster that is 12.3 inches large, and a hefty control display that measures 10.25 inches. Apple CarPlay compatibility also comes as standard amid BMW’s proprietary Operating System 7.0 software.

Included in BMW’s driver assistance technology is a parking assistant — which offers automatic assisted parking for parallel or perpendicular (to the road) configurations. It also includes automatic maneuvering out of parallel parking spaces! Also standard is its park distance control, basically comprised of front and rear parking sensors paired with a rearview camera. Surround view is available on the 745Le, as is the brand’s innovative Gesture Control.

The new BMW 730i Pure Excellence and 745Le Pure Excellence are both icons of sophistication and elegance, alongside innovative in-car controls and driver-assistance and connectivity technology. The model clearly makes its commitment to comfort and quality with all its bells and whistles, standard two-axle suspension, and cavernous rear space. It is undoubtedly an aggressively priced, feature-packed, and formidable contender in the local luxury market.

T-bills seen fetching higher rates

RATES OF Treasury bills on offer this week will likely climb as yields move higher on the central bank’s expectations of faster inflation this year.

The Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) is looking to borrow P20 billion via the Treasury bills (T-bills) on Tuesday, broken down into P5 billion each from the 91- and 182-day debt papers and P10 billion via the 364-day instruments.

A trader said yields on the T-bills on offer this week will likely increase by 10 basis points (bps) as investors want higher yields following the central bank’s forecast of faster inflation.

“Yields have risen steadily since the upgrade of inflation forecast and the announcement of the government planned 2021 borrowings,” the trader said.

A second trader also sees T-bills rates climbing by 10 bps as higher consumer spending likely pushed up inflation in August following an easing of lockdown restrictions and reopening of businesses.

The Treasury last week fully awarded the T-bills it auctioned off even as rates inched up after the central bank’s decision to halt monetary easing and amid hopes of a “flattening” in the country’s coronavirus curve.

The BTr borrowed P20 billion via T-bills as planned out of P50.277 billion in bids, or more than twice the offered amount.

Broken down, the BTr made a full P5-billion award of the 91-day debt papers offered from P12.178 billion in tenders. The three-month papers fetched an average rate of 1.131%, up 1.3 bps from the 1.118% logged the previous week.

It also raised P5 billion as planned via the 182-day T-bills out of total bids worth P11.661 billion. The average yield of the six-month papers inched up 1.9 bps to 1.407% from 1.388% previously.

For the 364-day securities, the Treasury raised the programmed P10 billion out of P26.438 billion in bids. The one-year instruments yielded an average rate of 1.751%, up by 0.6 bp from the previous rate of 1.745%.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) now expects inflation to average at 2.6% this year, it said in its Aug. 20 policy review, up from 2.3% previously. This is still within its 2-4% target for 2020.

The central bank said it raised its forecast following faster-than-expected prints in June and July. Inflation in July stood at 2.7%, bringing the seven-month average to 2.5%.

The BSP said on Friday that August inflation likely ranged at 2.5% to 3.3%, mainly driven by an increase in oil prices.

The Philippine Statistics Authority will report official August inflation data this Friday, Sept. 4. 

The Treasury is looking to raise P160 billion from the domestic market in September — P100 billion via weekly auctions of T-bills and P60 billion via Treasury bonds to be offered fortnightly.

The government is looking to borrow around P3 trillion this year from local and foreign lenders to plug a budget deficit expected to hit 9.6% of the country’s gross domestic product. — KKTJ

Behind the masks

By Zsarlene B. Chua, Senor Reporter

LAST year, I started wearing face masks. It feels like a lifetime ago today, but I decided to wear face masks because having to deal with pollution during my daily commute was triggering my allergies. But while I did not get allergies as often thanks to the masks, I also had to deal with a downside, acne, because the moist environment inside the mask allows bacteria to grow.

Last year, when wearing face masks was optional and they were used only while using public transport (and if we were sick but still needed to go to work), acne that developed while wearing masks didn’t have a name. Now it does — maskne ( a portmanteau of the words “mask” and “acne”).

So this piece is all about product and routine recommendations for people who are now dealing with maskne coming from a person who had already experienced it before the COVID-19 pandemic came to town. (This writer has been working and staying at home for almost six months now and has not gone outside — so no masks for me.)

The first and probably the most important step in any skincare routine is cleansing. If you’re spending a lot of time outside, it means that you’ve been wearing a mask for the last six months, and the moist environment that is created behind the mask is a breeding ground for bacteria. That’s why it’s important to clean your skin at the end of the day and in the morning before putting the mask on again.

A good cleanser which has been on my rotation since last year is Hada Labo. The Japanese brand launched in the country last year and prides itself on using hyaluronic acid in its formulas. Hyaluronic acid is a molecule that attracts and retains moisture from the air to hydrate the skin, which is important because if the skin is properly hydrated, it means that the skin will function properly: keeping bacteria away.

As a person with dry skin, I have been using the Gokujyun Hydrating Face Wash (P385/100g). I love this facial wash because it doesn’t dry out my skin, but for those with oily to combination skin that needs help with oil control, try out the Hada Labo face wash with Japanese Green Tea extract (P295/100g). This face wash is said to help control and remove excess oil. It also has bentonite clay which absorbs excess dirt, oil, and impurities from pores.

Another recommendation is the Celeteque Acne Solutions Exfoliating Cleansing Stick (P295/30g). It comes in a solid stick form and contains tea tree oil to treat acne. You use it by rotating the dial on the bottom of the product as you would a deodorant stick and apply it in gentle, circular motions on wet skin. The product has physical micro-exfoliants that could make your skin more sensitive if you go rough on it. Also, while the product says that it can be used every day, I advise using it maybe three times a week maximum because you don’t need to scrub your skin clean that often.

Note that if you use makeup throughout the day, you should double-cleanse with a balm or oil cleanser before using a face wash. I like Palmers Facial Cleansing Oil (P550/150ml) because it does remove makeup quickly.

The next step is to tone. Toners prepare the skin so the next products (serum, facial oil, or moisturizer) will be absorbed into the skin better. While I usually require my toners to be hydrating because I have dry skin, when irritation and acne do come, I want a toner that will calm the irritation. This is why I like the Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner from Kiehl’s (P2,425/250ml). It uses calendula flowers (also called marigolds) which is meant to soothe the skin. The brand recommends it for people with normal to oily skin types, but as a person with dry skin, I use this toner whenever I need my skin to calm down for a minute before I put on my favorite toner next. You don’t have to do this if you feel that your toner does enough for you.

Going back to exfoliation which I touched on a bit earlier with Celeteque, people may also need chemical exfoliation (which is a gentler form of exfoliation as it get rids of dead skin cells without rubbing the skin raw) and it doesn’t matter what kind of skin you have — your skin usually needs help getting rid of dead skin cells. I have been loving the Diva White AHA BHA Glass Glow Skin Serum (P199/15ml) because it has niacinamide (it improves skin texture and controls oil production), tea tree, and for acne-prone skin: it has salicylic acid. I have been using it twice a week for months now so a little bottle goes a long way. Another plus: Diva White is a local beauty brand.

After cleansing, toning, and exfoliating (twice or thrice a week, max, for the later), I would recommend you use a serum or moisturizer you know that works for you. Even if you have oily skin, try water gel moisturizers because all skin types need moisture because it helps keep the balance of the skin healthy.

But if you find yourself developing dark spots and blemishes as a consequence of a maskne outbreak, you may need to use a spot corrector to even out skin tone. The AHC Peony Bright Spot Corrector (P1,799/20ml) is a good one. It’s a cream used on dark spots and blemishes that uses pink peony extract and vitamin C derivatives to even out skin tone.

And the most important part of one’s routine is to put on sunscreen in the morning. Vitamin C and chemical exfoliants may make the skin sensitive to sunlight (and it doesn’t care if the skin in question is behind a mask). So please, please, please put on sunscreen everyday.

Times are hard and wearing a mask every day and general stress can wreak havoc on one’s skin, but no matter how busy or how stressed you are, carve a few minutes out of your day to take care of your skin and yourself. It’s important, now more than ever, to focus on what keeps you feeling beautiful and happy.

The products mentioned above are available in Watsons (online and at physical stores), in BeautyMNL, or in their respective official stores on e-commerce websites such as Lazada and Shopee.

Electric utilities risk franchise cancellation — senator

ELECTRICITY providers risk their franchises being reviewed or canceled for violating government billing rules, a senator said.

“Your past sins may get revealed and affect your franchise renewal application,” Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian told dzBB radio in Filipino on Sunday. “Just because you got away at first doesn’t mean it will be forgotten.”

The corporate regulator last week fined Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) P19 million for ignoring advisories on billing customers during the lockdown.

The utility giant failed to inform clients that their bills for March to May had been estimated, while failing to comply with an order to allow them to pay in installments, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) said.

It said Meralco had neglected to provide accurate and timely information during the coronavirus pandemic and created chaos and confusion among consumers.

The regulator said it had evaluated billing statements submitted by complainants, its own employees, the office of Mr. Gatchalian and consumer group National Association of Electricity Consumers for Reforms.

It charged the utility P100,000 for every continuing violation that started on May 5, when the ERC first issued its advisory on lockdown billings, to July 9, when Meralco issued personalized letters to consumers explaining their bills.

Mr. Gatchalian, who heads the Senate Energy Committee, said Meralco’s fines were small compared with the confusion it caused and the hefty utility charges that millions of consumers were paying for.

“Exploitation during the crisis and pandemic deserves due punishment,” he said.

Meralco, which earlier said it would file a pleading, should accept the penalty instead of fighting the regulator, Mr. Gatchalian said.

“If they do, we will advise the ERC to raise their penalties and look for other ways to get them penalized,” he added.

Meralco was also ordered to shoulder P275 million worth of distribution, supply and metering charges of about two million poor consumers with less than 100 kilowatt-hours of consumption.

But Ray C. Espinosa, the company’s chief executive officer, had told congressmen at a hearing last week the company would cover charges worth P101 million.

A number of consumers reported a spike in their May electricity bills, which later turned out to be just estimates. The government had allowed such estimates based on consumers’ power usage three months before the lockdown.

This prompted ERC to order electricity distributors to conduct physical meter readings and charge consumers for actual consumption during the quarantine months.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte locked down the entire Luzon island in mid-March to contain a coronavirus pandemic. People should stay home except to buy food and other basic goods, he said.

The lockdown on the island was extended twice and thrice for Metro Manila. The lockdown in most areas has since been relaxed.

Meralco’s controlling stakeholder, Beacon Electric Asset Holdings, Inc., is partly owned by PLDT, Inc. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has an interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Adam J. Ang

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