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Chocolate-covered cicadas a hit in Maryland

BILL NINO/UNSPLASH

BETHESDA, Md. —  Some might cringe, but at one Maryland chocolate shop, 17-year-old insects are flying off the shelves. Sarah Dwyer, of Chouquette Chocolates in Bethseda, started coating cicadas in chocolate and selling them when the periodical Brood X emerged this spring for the first time since 2004. Now her chocolate shop has a 10-day backlog for cicada orders. They are delicious, she says. “When you combine the chocolate, the cinnamon, and the nuttiness of the bugs, it really gives you that holiday feeling of when you’re walking around a big city and they’re roasting nuts on the sidewalk, that cinnamon smell, it’s really what it tastes like,” Ms. Dwyer said. Ms. Dwyer and her employees gather the cicadas from a copse of trees behind their chocolaterie. The bugs are so numerous, they land right on the employees. The cicadas are then put in a paper bag and placed in the freezer, where the cold temperature puts them to sleep before they die. She then boils the cicadas to clean them, and crisps them in an air fryer. Once the cicadas have been fried, Dwyer sprinkles them with either cinnamon or savory Old Bay seasoning and they are ready to be covered in chocolate. For Ms. Dwyer, this is a chance for consumers to become more familiar with a type of protein she thinks will be a lot more popular by the next time these insects start to sing again. “There’s not enough protein to go around, and I think, I really do think that in 2038, people will not think twice about eating a bug at all,” Ms. Dwyer said. — Reuters

Alibaba Cloud plans to build data center in Manila this year

ALIBABA Group’s digital technology and intelligence backbone Alibaba Cloud is set to build its first data center in the Philippines by the end of 2021.

“With our first data center in the country, we will be able to better support Philippine enterprises in adopting cloud technologies and preparing for a digital-first future,” said Leo Liu, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence general manager for Hong Kong, Macau, and the Philippines, at a virtual briefing on Tuesday.

The company intends to support 50,000 local information technology professionals and help 5,000 Philippine businesses in their digital transformation journey by 2023.

“To achieve this target, we have been working on multiple initiatives such as increasing our local infrastructure cloud investments… and we will introduce more advance cloud products and solutions,” Alibaba Cloud Intelligence Country Manager for the Philippines Allen Guo said.

Alibaba Cloud plans to invest $1 billion in Asia-Pacific over the next three years as it targets to foster one million digital talents, empower 100,000 developers, and accelerate the growth of 100,000 technology startups in the region.

Its new data center in the Philippines will be built in Manila, bringing the company’s total availability zones to 76 spread across 25 regions globally.

“Local businesses across sectors such as financial technology, e-commerce, education and media will be able to adopt and implement cloud technologies more efficiently and better position themselves to capture the emerging opportunities in the country,” the company said.

“To adequately support Philippine businesses’ digitalization, be them conglomerates or one of the country’s vast number of micro, small and medium enterprises, Alibaba cloud has formed partnerships with more than 20 organizations across the retail, healthcare, financial technology, information and communications technology, business process outsourcing, media and education sectors,” it added.

For Mr. Guo, the company’s upcoming data center launch underscores its commitment to equipping Philippine customers with “secure, reliable and scalable cloud solutions.” — Arjay L. Balinbin

EDC’s 29-MW Palayan binary plant breaks ground

A SUBSIDIARY of Lopez-led Energy Development Corp. (EDC) has started the construction of its 29-megawatt (MW) binary power plant which is expected to go online by end-2022 in Bicol, its parent firm said on Wednesday.

In a statement, EDC said it held the groundbreaking ceremony of the Palayan Binary Power Plant (PBPP) in Brgy. Nagotgot in Manito, Albay. The facility will generate 215.8 gigawatt hours of clean energy, and expand the firm’s existing 130-MW Bacon-Manito (BacMan) geothermal facility.

PBPP, which will produce energy from the waste heat of a unit of the BacMan plant, is expected to generate 600 jobs for the community, boosting the local economy. The low-carbon project is estimated to reduce 72,200 tons of carbon emissions per year.

“This project is our additional contribution to that much needed baseload clean, reliable RE (renewable energy) that fully supports the (Department of Energy’s) intent of providing adequate, continuous, and economic supply of energy,” EDC President and Chief Operating Officer Richard B. Tantoco said in a speech delivered during the groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday.

He also thanked members of the Energy department for recognizing PBPP as an energy project of national significance or a major project entitled to expedited permits in line with the government’s Philippine Energy Plan.

Mr. Tantoco said that the binary project is the firm’s contribution in helping the Philippines reach its target of cutting back on carbon emissions by 75% by 2030, based on the country’s nationally determined contribution.

He added that EDC would invest P7 billion in PBPP.

The company said that the safety of its employees and contractors remained its top priority.

“Safety is part of EDC’s culture more so now that we are working to provide clean, stable, renewable energy to our customers, especially in critical industries, amid the pandemic. As such, all employees and contractors on-site are reminded that they are all safety leaders,” Mr. Tantoco said in the statement.

EDC’s parent firm First Gen Corp. earlier said that it was targeting to invest more in its capital expenditure (capex) projects this year as it plans to allocate $530 million in funding.

Of the capex, some $280 million will cover the drilling activities, investments and binary geothermal projects of its geothermal subsidiary EDC. The figure also covers EDC’s binary growth projects, including PBPP.

Shares in First Gen at the local bourse were unchanged at P30.80 apiece on Wednesday. — Angelica Y. Yang

Hiddleston pleased that Marvel’s Loki addresses gender fluidity

Tom Hiddleston in Loki (2021) — IMDB.COM

LONDON —  Loki actor Tom Hiddleston said he welcomed Marvel Studios’ decision to address the popular villain’s gender fluidity in a new Disney+ streaming series that debuted on Wednesday. At a screening in London on Tuesday, Hiddleston noted that Loki had been portrayed as gender-fluid in Marvel comic books as well as in Norse mythology, where the character originated. On Sunday, Walt Disney Co. released a clip from the new series and briefly showed a prisoner file that listed Loki’s sex as “fluid.” “It’s always been there,” Mr. Hiddleston said in an interview at the screening. “Loki as a character has had such a broad-ranging and wide-ranging identity. He’s always been a character you could never put in a box, you could never pin down.” The British actor added, “I was really pleased we were able to touch on that in the series.” Mr. Hiddleston has played Loki, the god of mischief, since his appearance in the 2010 movie Thor. The new six-episode series takes place after events depicted in the 2019 film Avengers: Endgame. It catches up with Loki just after the Battle of New York when he escapes from Avengers custody and steals a time stone known as the Tesseract. — Reuters

Location-based social media app AppZaloot launched in the Philippines

RECEIVING notifications when not using social media and being required to submit specific information for a personalized feed determined by algorithms may be difficult for users nowadays.

“I can go and search something because I’m interested in that particular thing. And the next minute I go onto social media, and I’m being pushed all these ads about it. So that’s sort of something that really annoyed me,” businessman Max Thomas said.

To avoid this problem, Mr. Thomas founded and developed the social media app AppZaloot in 2016 which uses location-based technology. The app currently available to users in Europe, Southeast Asia, and Asia-Pacific.

“If you went from Manila to Cebu City, as soon as you get off at [Mactan-Cebu International Airport] and turn the app back on, your radius immediately comes up with everything that surrounds you on Mactan Island,” the AppZaloot founder and CEO said as an example, during the online press launch on May 26 held via Google Meet.

APP FEATURES
AppZaloot is equipped with a user-driven “data social responsibility.” According to Mr. Thomas, the app does not collect data without the user’s consent, which will allow them to use the platform without worrying about their privacy being compromised.

“We understand that most people don’t want to have their data used by social media companies, regardless if the data will be used for good intentions such as creating targeted ads and personalizing their feeds to enhance their social media experience,” Mr. Thomas said in a press release.

AppZaloot has three social feeds: the Private Friends’ Feed, Local, and Global. The Private Friends’ Feed allows the user to connect with friends on the app; the Local Feed allows interaction among users within a set radius (up to 25 kilometers) in the community; and the Global Feed allows the user to publish posts and to view posts from around the world. The difference with other social media platforms is that it has no advertisements.

Services such as shops, restaurants, entertainment that appear on the app are those within the radius the user has set. This feature aims “for local businesses to have a platform to promote themselves to people in their local community,” according to a video presentation during the launch.

The app also has an Emergency Alert System for notifications from relevant authorities such as weather updates, public transportation disruptions, and traffic accidents within the area where the user is located.

The app also has a private messaging and join/create group chat feature.

The AppZaloot team said it is preparing to launch its own crypto tokens called Zaloots, the pre-sale of which will be available by the end of June. The Zaloots token will be tradeable on several international decentralized crypto exchanges. It will also be eventually integrated into AppZaloot’s upcoming loyalty program, as well as used on the app for payments and rewards.

“We know we still have a lot to do. And whenever you launch an app like this, you never ever finished developing. You are always going to improve things. You’re going to take feedback from your users, you’re going to adjust things, we’ll be uploading changes all the time,” Mr. Thomas said.

For more information, visit appzaloot.com. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

Lepanto trims net loss to P63M after rise in metal prices

LEPANTO Consolidated Mining Co. reduced its attributable net loss to P63.11 million in the first quarter after metal prices improved during the period, the listed mining company told the stock exchange on Wednesday.

Its losses during the January-to-March period were 70.6% lower than the P214.35-million attributable net loss it had last year.

Consolidated revenues fell 9.8% to P407.56 million against P451.74 million the year earlier.

“Metal production in the form of bullion consisted of 4,503 ounces of gold and 23,084 ounces of silver. Until March 2020 when copper operations were suspended, metal production in the form of dore and gold-copper concentrate totaled 4,633 ounces of gold; 11,358 ounces of silver; and 618,442 pounds of copper,” the company said in the disclosure.

It added that metal revenue this year went down to P405.94 million from P422.20 million.

According to the company, average gold and silver prices for the period reached $1,778.96 per ounce and $26.18 per ounce, higher than $1,559.43 per ounce and $17.44 per ounce last year, respectively.

Moving forward, Lepanto said it is focusing on gold dore production in its Victoria and Teresa deposits as exploration drilling continues.

“The carbon-in-pulp plant is undergoing rehabilitation to improve gold and silver recoveries and increase production,” the company said.

Lepanto, based in Mankayan, Benguet, has business interests in the exploration and mining of gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, and all kinds of ores, metals, minerals, oil, gas, and coal and their related by-products.

On Wednesday, Lepanto “A” shares at the stock exchange rose 1.27% or two centavos to end at P0.159 apiece while Lepanto “B” shares improved 6.33% or 10 centavos to finish at P0.168 per share. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Duchess Meghan releases debut children’s book

LONDON —  Meghan, Britain’s Duchess of Sussex, released her debut children’s book on Tuesday, dedicating it to her husband Prince Harry and their two-year-old son Archie. The Bench, which looks at the relationship between father and son through a mother’s eyes, hit bookstands days after the couple welcomed their daughter Lilibet Diana, named after Queen Elizabeth and Harry’s late mother Princess Diana, last week. Duchess Meghan has previously said the book, written with rhyming text, began as a Father’s Day poem she wrote for Harry shortly after Archie was born in 2019. In a handwritten-like note inside the book, Duchess Meghan wrote: “For the man and the boy who make my heart go pump-pump.” Duchess Meghan also narrates an audio version of the book, which features watercolor illustrations by artist Christian Robinson. — Reuters

POPTV to launch VOD service for bus riders

TRUSTPAIR.COM

By Arjay L. Balinbin, Senior Reporter

MASS market video-on-demand (VOD) platform POPTV is set to launch in the third quarter a service intended for bus riders in the Philippines.

“We want people inside buses watching us all the time, so we have created a new technology for that. We are introducing this new tech in the next quarter,” POPTV Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Jyotirmoy Saha told BusinessWorld in a recent Zoom interview.

“There are a few bus companies that we are wiring up right now,” he added.

With the new POPTV technology, users will be able to watch any of its content in an unlimited manner for the duration they are inside a bus “without spending one penny on data.”

“All you need to do once you are inside a bus is that you switch on your own phone, and you watch whatever you feel like watching. I think that’s going to be our major differentiator,” the POPTV co-founder said.

He noted there are more than half a billion passenger trips — between provinces or between cities — taken in the Philippines every year.

“Imagine the number of people and the captive audience around that, so we are hoping to tap into that.”

He said offering the service to jeepney riders is also a possibility.

“Theoretically, we can do jeepneys as well, but we also have to take a look at the social behavior inside the jeepney. In the NCR area, there is a safety factor; and, in general, people will never take their phone out and hold it in front of them.”

POPTV, a new company, has approximately 800,000 users. According to Mr. Saha, the company’s new users are increasing at a rate of 8,000 to 10,000 per day, depending on the day of the week.

“Our services are extremely affordable. You can buy our service for P20, P49, or P99. You have the option… Currently, we do want to keep it in that price range,” he added.

Yields on term deposits climb on concerns over US inflation

REUTERS

YIELDS ON THE central bank’s term deposits increased on Wednesday due to concerns over US inflation, which could affect the US central bank’s future policy path, and as the market priced in a possible easing in restriction measures due to the decline in the daily tally of local coronavirus cases.

Demand for the term deposit facility (TDF) of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) amounted to P599.126 billion on Wednesday, going beyond the P520 billion on the auction block and the P572.605 billion in bids logged last week.

Broken down, tenders for the seven-day term deposits amounted to P140.165 billion, lower than the P150-billion offer as well as the P158.544 billion in bids seen during the previous auction.

Accepted rates for the tenor ranged from 1.7% to 2.49%, a wider band compared with the 1.7% to 1.73% logged a week ago. This caused the average rate of the one-week papers to rise by 3.82 basis points (bps) to 1.7582% from 1.72% last week.

Meanwhile, demand for the two-week term deposits amounted to P458.961 billion, going beyond the P370 billion auctioned off by the BSP and the P414.061 billion in tenders recorded a week ago.

Banks asked for yields ranging from 1.65% to 1.88%, a slightly wider band versus the 1.6875% to 1.9% logged in the previous auction. With this, the 14-day papers fetched an average rate of 1.795%, inching up by 0.09 bp from the 1.786% quoted on June 2.

For the 33rd straight auction, the BSP did not offer 28-day term deposits to give way to its weekly offerings of bills with the same tenor.

The central bank uses the term deposits and the short-term bills to gather excess liquidity in the financial system and to better guide market rates.

Yields inched up due to market concerns ahead of the release of latest US inflation data, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said in a text message.

The US Labor department will report May consumer price index data this Thursday. In April, US inflation stood at 0.8%, which was its quickest pace since June 2009.

Investors are growing nervous about whether the beginning of the end of enormous monetary stimulus and low interest rates is near as some think the Federal Reserve’s tapering could be hastened if US inflation runs hotter than the 0.4% monthly clip that economists expect.

Mr. Ricafort added that the term deposits fetched higher yields as local coronavirus infections continued to ease, which could strengthen the case for a further reopening of the economy.

Coronavirus disease 2019 cases in the country hit 1.28 million, with 4,777 new cases logged on Tuesday, based on data from the Department of Health.

Government officials have been eyeing a further relaxation of restrictions. Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua has said families should be given leeway to engage in more activities to boost the economy through consumption. — L.W.T. Noble

Google loosens its search engine grip on Android devices in Europe

REUTERS

BRUSSELS — Google has bowed to pressure from rivals and will let them compete for free to be the default search engines on Android devices in Europe, widening a pledge to EU antitrust regulators two years ago.

The move by the world’s most popular internet search engine comes as the 27-country bloc considers rules that could be introduced next year to force Google, Amazon, Apple and Facebook to ensure a level playing field for competitors.

Google’s Android mobile operating system runs on about four-fifths of the world’s smartphones. The US tech giant said in 2019 that rivals would have to pay via an auction for appearing on a choice screen on new Android devices in Europe from which users select their preferred search engine.

Google’s change of heart followed a €4.24-billion ($5.16 billion) fine handed out by the European Commission, the EU antitrust authority, in 2018 for unfairly using Android to cement the dominance of its search engine.

“We are now making some final changes to the Choice Screen including making participation free for eligible search providers. We will also be increasing the number of search providers shown on the screen,” Google director Oliver Bethell wrote in a blog post on Tuesday.

The changes will come into effect in September, the blog added.

The Commission said it had discussed possible changes with Google following concerns raised by a number of its rivals, adding that those announced were positive developments.

Google said the five most popular eligible search engines in each EU country according to StatCounter, including Google, would be displayed in random order at the top of the screen while up to seven will be shown at the bottom.

It had previously only allowed four competitors, chosen in separate auctions for each EU country, to be displayed on Android screens.

However, DuckDuckGo, a rival search engine that has long complained about the auction process, said Google should go further.

“Google is now doing what it should have done three years ago: a free search preference menu on Android in the EU,” CEO Gabriel Weinberg tweeted.

“However, it should be on all platforms, e.g., also desktop Chrome, accessible at all times, i.e., not just on factory reset, and in all countries.”

Search engine Ecosia, which together with four other rivals complained about Google’s initial proposal to the Commission last year, welcomed the changes.

“With this, we have something that resembles a level playing field in the market,” its CEO Christian Kroll said in a statement.

“Search providers now have a chance to compete more fairly in the Android market, based on the appeal of their product, rather than being shut out by monopolistic behavior.” — Reuters

Axelum receives Fairtrade International certification

AXELUM Resources Corp. has obtained certification from nonprofit association Fairtrade International as part of efforts to boost its social programs for local coconut farmers.

The listed coconut product manufacturer and exporter said in a regulatory filing on Wednesday that 1,000 farmers are currently enrolled in its Fairtrade program, grouped into nine clusters in the towns of Medina, Magsaysay, Salay, Talisayan, and Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental, and covers 2,300 hectares of organic coconut farms.

Axelum said Fairtrade encourages a global system that links farmers and workers from developing nations with consumers and businesses across the globe to change for the better.

“Our core values are aligned with Fairtrade’s mission of bridging producers and businesses across the globe, who share a common belief in espousing equitable and sustainable livelihood, empowering marginalized producers to overcome poverty and build towards a brighter future,” Axelum Chairman and CEO Romeo I. Chan said in the disclosure.

According to Axelum, it launched its Fairtrade program in 2019 for the benefit of local coconut farmers and as part of expanding its sustainability development platform.

The company said Fairtrade-certified companies face rigorous and independent audit screenings that comply with the ISEAL Assurance Code, an international code for sustainability standards.

Highlights of the Fairtrade system includes the setting of a “Fairtrade Minimum Price,” which indicates the base amount that producers are paid when selling their products under Fairtrade, and the “Fairtrade Premium,” which is extra money paid aside from the selling price that is used to fund cluster-initiated projects.

“In coordination with the Axelum Fairtrade Team, each cluster conducts a thorough needs assessment study through a structured and collaborative exercise,” the company said.

“Initially, majority of clusters identified priority issues related to food supply, medicines, educational assistance, alternative livelihood and organic farming. As such, a portion of the Fairtrade Premium budget was deployed to support consolidated efforts to address these concerns,” it added.

Axelum said that the “Fairtrade Premium” initiative and the entire program are audited by an external auditor appointed by Fairtrade, together with a separate audit done by the company’s internal audit department.

Currently, the company said it is working with a multinational consumer giant for its desiccated coconut products under Fairtrade prices.

As part of Fairtrade terms, Axelum is allotting a portion of the money from each sold product as “Fairtrade Premium,” which is deposited in an independent bank account accessible to farmer clusters.

Meanwhile, Mr. Chan said the company is committed to initiatives that promote social welfare towards farming communities.

“With this certification, our customers can be assured that our products are backed by a supply chain that strongly adheres to the highest ethical principles, providing a conducive sustainable working environment that is free of exploitative labor and abuse of natural resources,” Mr. Chan said.

During the first quarter, Axelum posted a 20.4% increase in its net income to P145.60 million resulting from higher sales. Its net sales for the period increased 22.5% to P1.47 billion.

On Wednesday, shares of Axelum at the stock exchange ended flat at P3 per share. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Dining In/Out (06/10/21)

Locally sourced shopping at Robinsons Malls

ROBINSONS Malls, through the partnership between Robinsons Malls and Department of Agriculture, presents Locally Sourced V2, a rolling market that will visit select Robinsons Malls nationwide. Aside from a wide variety of fresh vegetables an seafood, this year, Locally Sourced also carries specially made food products by small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) such as organic smoothies, pure honey, dried fish, local red wine, dried fruits, and many more. The Locally Sourced roving market will be at Robinsons Place Santiago from June 10-16; Robinsons Magnolia from June 10-13 and June 17-20; Robinsons Galleria on June 22-27; Robinsons Angeles on June 24-30; Forum Robinsons on June 25-27 and July 2-4; Robinsons Starmills on June 29 to July 15;  Robinsons Metro East  on July 8-11 and July 15-18; Robinsons Place GenTrias on July 1-4 and July 15-18; Robinsons Place Antipolo and Robinsons Place Malolos on July 15-18; Robinsons Town Mall Malabon on July 22-25 and July 29 to Aug. 1; and, Robinsons Place Dasmariñas  from July 30 to Aug. 1. For more information, visit www.robinsonsmalls.com or like Robinsons Malls on Facebook; follow @RobinsonsMallsOfficial on Instagram and @RobinsonsMalls on Twitter.

Grab to hold food safety training

IN CONJUNCTION with World Food Safety Day, Grab Philippines has announced new initiatives to raise the bar for safety, hygiene, and quality standards in the food delivery industry through its partnership with the Food Safety and Hygiene Academy of the Philippines (FoodSHAP), and additional measures to help ensure cleanliness, safety, and quality throughout the entire food delivery life cycle. These efforts add to Grab’s broader GrabProtect program. First there is food safety training for all merchant- and delivery-partners. Starting this month, Grab Philippines and FoodSHAP will conduct monthly food safety and quality training for its merchant-partners through the GrabAcademy Merchant platform and webinars. Grab Philippines will also conduct mandatory food safety training to its delivery-partners through the GrabAcademy platform, offering online courses developed by FoodSHAP. Apart from the food safety and quality training, Grab Philippines will also introduce new measures to help merchant-partners continuously improve their service quality standards. It will provide merchant-partners with real-time consumer feedback focusing on food safety and quality, allowing them to address key consumer issues and enhance their service quality and performance. This will be done through the introduction of the Merchant Quality Score where performance against key performance indicators and customer feedback on food safety and quality will be shared directly with merchant-partners in-app. Grab Philippines will hire an internal auditor to conduct food safety and quality audits to ensure that merchant-partners are able to continuously maintain the service quality and adhere to the food safety protocols.

Crimson Hotel offers Father’s Day deals

THE CRIMSON Hotel in Alabang presents “Delightful Deals for Dad” for Father’s Day. Plus, he gets a free Crimson Panama hat for every P1,500 purchase. The hotel’s Café Eight will offer the All Fired Up BBQ Bundle for P2,000 net. This hot BBQ takeaway bundle includes tomato burrata caprese, assorted BBQ with char grilled vegetables, Tart Tropezienne, and a free Alibi’s Iberico Whiskey Sour Cocktail Kit. The meal comes in a self-heating portable hotbox. Each order is good for up to four people. Meanwhile, Firehouse Pizza offers Pizza for Pops for P2,000 net. The bundle, which is good for up to four people, includes one signature pizza, one classic pizza, eight pieces of Parmesan fried chicken wings with garlic aioli, one pan of Truffle Pasta, and a Dessert in Jar of rice pudding with peach compote. For this Father’s Day special, place an order between June 1 to 17, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., or at least two days prior to the pick-up date. The pick up of order/s is between June 18 to 20, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Firehouse Pizza. Then there is the Gentleman’s Box by Baker J for P699 net. The gift box includes: homemade cold cuts (pulled pork rillette, paté en croute, cooked garlic sausage, country paté), sliced sourdough bread, one moringa croissant, and one chocolate banana croissant. For this Father’s Day special, orders may be placed until June 17, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., or at least two days prior to the pick-up date. Orders may be picked up between June 18 to 20, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., at Baker J. Meanwhile, Alibi, the hotel’s soon-to-open Prohibition Era-style lounge and dining concept, offers a unique Iberico Infused whiskey sour cocktail kit for P550 net. The kit includes Iberico Infused Bourbon Whiskey, Laphroaig Single Malt, apple sauce, lemon juice, cinnamon syrup, and walnut butter. Avail of the kit separately or get it for free for every purchase of Café Eight’s All Fired Up. Orders are being accepted until June 17, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., or at least two days prior to the pick-up date. Orders may be picked up between June 18 to 20, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., at the Ground Lobby of Crimson Hotel. For orders, call 8863-2222 local 1612, 0998-961-3409, or e-mail dining@crimsonhotel.com

Special Yum Cha for Father’s Day at New World Makati

AS FATHER’S Day approaches, the New World Makati Hotel presents an all-you-can-eat dim sum feast of Jasmine’s best-selling favorites including barbecued dishes, noodles, soup, dessert and more with free-flowing iced tea and one round of local beer. All dads who dine on Father’s Day will also receive a special gift. Among the savory selections on offer for the occasion is the Crispy pork belly — an add-on dish which is now part of the promo rate just for Father’s Day — complemented by an array of appetizers, dim sum, main courses, and dessert. Main courses are ideal for two guests to share per serving. The Father’s Day Yum Cha will be available June 20 for lunch and dinner, and priced at P1,288 net per person inclusive of free-flowing iced tea or one round of local beer. Meanwhile, Jasmine celebrates the annual Dragon Boat Festival with its machang (sticky rice dumplings), also called zongzi. This year’s festival falls on June 14. Jasmine’s machang is available in two flavors: traditional with pork, yellow bean, salted egg, mushroom and glutinous rice wrapped in lotus leaf; and red bean with glunitous rice also wrapped in lotus leaf. An option for single or double layered filling is also offered. Packaged in dim sum basket-inspired boxes with gold foil logo stamping, these flavorful treats are best enjoyed with oolong tea or any hot tea of choice. Single and double layer machang are at P798 and P1,388, respectively. Prices are net. Pick-up of orders is until June 30. Deliveries may be made for bulk orders within a 3 km distance. Bulk orders of 30 or more also get a 20% discount while Club Epicure members get 15% off. Guests may call 8811-6888 ext. 3679, e-mail fb.reservations@newworldhotels.com for reservations, inquiries, and orders.

Panda Express heading to Pasay City

FOLLOWING the launch of its first restaurant at the SM Megamall in 2019 and its second store at SM City North EDSA last February, American Chinese restaurant chain Panda Express will open its third restaurant at Double Dragon Meridian Park in Pasay City. The Panda Express menu includes a variety of entrées with influences from the eight traditional cuisines of China. Its bestselling the Original Orange Chicken, crispy chicken wok-tossed in sweet and tangy sauce, is inspired by Panda Express co-founder Andrew Cheng’s hometown flavors of Yangzhou, China. It recently introduced two new dishes to the Philippine menu: Honey Walnut Shrimp, which features tempura-battered shrimp, lightly coated in honey sauce and topped with glazed walnuts, and Mongolian Pork, made with pork shoulder and crisp vegetables, wok-tossed in a savory garlic soy sauce. Panda Express is also available via Facebook Messenger and food delivery apps GrabFood and foodpanda. Delivery locations are within Metro Manila only.

Filipino dishes Independence Day at Subic

THE SALT Bar+Restaurant in the ACEA Subic Beach Resort celebrates Independence Day with select Pinoy dishes. Indulge an all-day breakfast while enjoying the restaurant’s view of the ocean and Mt. Cinco Picos. Breakfast includes ACEA-made beef tapa, tocino, and longganisa, all made from scratch. The lineup includes sinigang na hipon, beef nilaga, beef sinigang in lemongrass and tamarind, kare-kare, crispy pata, ginataang sitaw, pakbet with hipon, and lechon kawali. Restaurant reservations and inquiries may be made at (047) 252-2232, and 0917-114-1111. Visit https://www.facebook.com/acearesortssubic and on Instagram @aceasubicbeachresort to stay updated. ACEA Subic Beach Resort is located at San Bernardino Road, Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Al fresco spaces for safe dining at Shangri-La Plaza

SHANGRI-LA Plaza continues to make mall guests feel well taken care of in the new normal by enhancing its al fresco dining spaces, giving every nook and cranny that signature Shang touch. Shang has now opened the enhanced Dine Al Fresco at the Ledge Level 6, which now features greenery and natural elements as well as string and mood lights, making it more conducive not only to dining but also to working. This space is fashioned in a way to make it a great spot for meetings, virtual or in person, intimate gatherings, or small celebrations. To provide a safer and better dining experience at every touchpoint, Shang has also implemented its new Safe Dining Made Easy protocols that aim to lessen interactions between people when mall guests are ordering food. Mall guests now have the option to scan their preferred restaurant’s QR code to check its digital menu. The QR codes also allows them to order from any of the Shang restaurants. For added protection, they can also request for their food to be served in takeaway boxes, and for acrylic barriers to be installed on their table. Diners also have the presence of their own Concierge or Butler services to ensure pleasurable dining experiences. As a safety measure, only the representative from the guest’s preferred restaurant can take their orders and handle their payments. All cards are sanitized and placed inside a holder before they’re handed back to the guest after processing payment. As diners can remove their face shields and masks only when they’re about to eat, they should wear both face coverings when dealing with the restaurant reps. Aside from Dine Al Fresco at the Ledge Level 6, guests can also dine at the Balcony at Level 5 and ground level Streetscape. Visit www.facebook.com/shangrilaplazaofficial or follow the Shang on Instagram: @shangrilaplazaofficial for more details.

Eastwood Café+Bar opens al fresco dining area

AFTER more than a year of serving solely takeaway food for pickup and delivery, Eastwood Richmonde Hotel’s Eastwood Café+Bar has reopened its doors to dine-in guests with the launch of the Richmonde Banchetto on June 4. The restobar’s al fresco area is set-up for fun, casual dining with seats arranged to accommodate proper social distancing. Diners can take their pick from the array of comfort food prepared fast and fresh by the hotel’s kitchen team at the live cooking stations. Kicking off Eastwood Café+Bar’s reopening, Richmonde Banchetto will serve up pork and chicken barbecue, isaw, pork and chicken satay, brick oven pizza, birria tacos, chicken inasal, Peruvian chicken, goto, tokwa’t baboy, plus beer and other drinks. Prices of the food items go for as low as P50. The Richmonde Banchetto is open every Friday and Saturday, 4 to 9 p.m. All freshly cooked items are available not just for dine-in, but for takeout, curbside pickup, and delivery as well. Charges apply for deliveries within Metro Manila but deliveries within Eastwood City are free. For inquiries, takeaway orders, deliveries, and table reservations, call 8570-7777 or 0917-821-0333.

Father’s Day specials at Sofitel

SOFITEL Philippine Plaza Manila celebrates Father’s Day weekend with Brews and Barbecue at The Food Truck, featuring grilled specialties, food truck fare, and sizzling platters paired with free-flowing beverages. Dig in to foie gras cheeseburger slider, softshell crab taco, truffle bellychon, Hungarian sausage, and jerk chicken. DJ Mafia sets the tone for the al fresco celebration with a view of Manila Bay and its sunset. Brews and Barbecue at The Food Truck will be available on June 17-20, 6 to 9:30 p.m. for P3,500 nett. Over at the Spiral restaurant, indulge in an assortment of meats spread across 21 dining ateliers. Enjoy cassoulet toulousain from the French Stove, beef-wrapped asparagus from the Japanese Atelier, Peking duck roll from the Chinese atelier, wagyu beef rump from the Churrasco, and lechon from the Filipino atelier. The Father’s Day at Spiral is available for brunch (P4,500) and dinner (P3,900) on June 20. For inquiries and reservations, call 8832-6988 or e-mail H6308-FB12@sofitel.com.

DoT, TikTok  promote local food tourism

THE DEPARTMENT of Tourism (DoT) and video making and sharing app Tiktok launched the  campaign #SarapMagingPinoy to encourage locals to celebrate Filipino pride by sharing treasured dishes from all over the country and promote local cuisines. The campaign has garnering more than 35 million views since it was launched on June 1. Under the #SarapMagingPinoy campaign, content creators from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao were tapped to share clips of homemade recipes and dishes on the TikTok platform, with each video showcasing local produce and the diverse cooking styles found in the archipelago. Some videos featured home cooks preparing the dishes amidst the scenic destinations where these recipes were made popular. Users can still take part in the #SarapMagingPinoy campaign until June 15 by posting recipe videos that feature the best dishes from their cities. Video entries must contain a short introduction that provides viewers with information on the dish and its city of origin. The video introduction should also include the campaign’s thematic messaging of showcasing Filipino pride, and mention the key line, ‘Sarap maging Pinoy.’ In the video caption, users must include the hashtag #SarapMagingPinoy, along with a hashtag that indicates their city of origin, using the format #Lutong(city), for example #LutongCebu. To view the campaign, visit https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSJHQf25c/

Max’s Restaurant holds Pinoy Fried Blowout on Independence Day weekend

Max’s Restaurant is celebrating Philippine Independence Day this weekend by treating customers with discounts on select whole chicken orders, while also bringing back All-You-Can Weekend, a long-time tradition of feasting on unlimited Max’s favorites. Max’s Pambansang Blowout: Pinoy Fried Para sa Pinoy Pride will be offering a P123 discount on its fried chicken from June 11-13 for every purchase of one whole Regular or Family Fried Chicken. Happening on the same Independence Day weekend is Max’s All-You-Can, with free-flowing Sarap-To-The-Bones Fried Chicken, Max’s Spicy Tofu, Chicken Sisig, Chicken Lumpiang Shanghai, and rice for P499 per head. Dine-in customers can Max Up their orders for a complete feast by adding P99 for unlimited Halo-Halo Solo or P49 for up to two drinks. Max’s All-You-Can is available for dine-in only, while the P123 discount can be applied for dine-in, delivery, and take-out transactions. Both promos are available in all stores nationwide. For more information, visit the official Facebook page at @MaxsRestaurant.

Nespresso’s latest limited edition collection

NESPRESSO has collaborated with Italian entrepreneur Chiara Ferragni who transformed Nespresso machines and accessories with her iconic style. The Nespresso x Chiara Ferragni collaboration includes a limited-edition collection, exclusive international events, summer-inspired coffee recipes, and behind the scenes access. For the Nespresso x Chiara Ferragni  collaboration, the Essenza Mini has been updated with a vibrant colored pattern showcasing each brand’s distinctive visual signature. The limited edition Nespresso x Chiara Ferragni Aeroccino 3 offers a quick and sleek way to prepare hot or cold milk froth. Perfectly matching the Essenza Mini, this accessory can elevate espressos into a luxurious milky coffee. The collaboration’s Nomad Travel Mug comes in pastel pink color. The limited edition Nespresso x Chiara Ferragni summer collection will be available in selected Nespresso stores in August.

Ajinomoto launches new liquid seasoning

AJINOMOTO Philippines Corp. (APC) has come up with the new Sarsaya Liquid Seasoning, an affordable, easy to use, and tasty kitchen partner. As compared to soy sauce, the liquid seasoning has a well-rounded profile that blends notes of saltiness, sweetness, and savoriness. It can be enjoyed in many ways, either as a tabletop seasoning for fried dishes or an ingredient when marinating or cooking. The new liquid seasoning comes in 250 ml PET bottles and 25 ml sachets. The ₱8-sachet provides homecooks a more affordable and easy-to-use option.