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Style (06/14/21)

Tesoros’ Independence Day sale runs to June 15

DISCOUNTS of up to 40% on select items are being offered in Tesoros’ Independence Day Sale which runs until June 15. Caps, mugs, keychains, pins, T-shirts are among the items included in the sale. Shop online. Meanwhile, Tesoros has also opened its newest store at Plaza San Luis in Intramuros, Manila. Shop for authentic Filipino items and enjoy snacks while taking in the view of the recreated 19th-century Filipino homes in the Plaza. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Arts and crafts market at Eton Centris

PUESTO Manila and Eton Centris present “We Art Centris,” a pocket arts and crafts market arrives in Quezon City. There will be artworks, stickers, keepsakes, handmade jewelry, journals, shirts, bags and other handcrafts on sale on June 18 to 20 at the Centris Walk, Eton Centris. The art and craft booths will be set apart from each other. Face masks and face shields should be worn at all times. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/puesto.manila/posts/4131227710325916.

Habi Kalayaan Online fair

FOR INDEPENDENCE Day, the textile council presents the Habi Kalayaan Online Fair, ongoing until June 20. Habi’s virtual mall offers a selection of hand-woven and handcrafted products from over 30 merchants representing various local weaving communities in the Philippines. These sustainable and ethical fashion and lifestyle goods are carefully curated with the intention to breathe new life into one’s spaces and fit right into one’s new normal routines. As part of the fair, a number of talks have been scheduled. Upcoming are: cultural historian D. Fernando Butch Zialcita who will give a talk “The Advent of National Costumes in the Philippines and Mexico via the Galleons” on June 14, 2 p.m.; journalist Howie Severino “On Filipino Creativity Atin To! Baybayin Then and Now” on June 16, 7 p.m.; and, cartoonist Mannix Abrera on “Bulwagan ng Misteryo! Mga Kwentong Komix Nayon New Normal”on June 18, 3 p.m. The talks will be livestreamed over facebook/HABIPhilippineTextileCouncil. The sale is ongoing on www.shophabifair.com.

BOSS celebrates Pride Month with a capsule collection

THIS Pride Month, BOSS is celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community with a capsule collection, created in support of ILGA World — a worldwide federation of more than 1,700 organizations from over 160 countries and territories campaigning for equal rights for LGBTQIA+ people. The new capsule features Pride flag colors and slogans, such as “Love for all” on unisex style essentials, from classic T-shirts to hoodies to bodywear. In the Philippines, BOSS is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc., and is located at Greenbelt 5, Shangri-La East Wing, Rustan’s Shangri-La, Rustan’s Makati, City of Dreams, 158 Designer’s Blvd. Newport Mall and Rustan’s Cebu. Visit www.hugoboss.com, www.Trunc.ph, and www.ssilife.com.ph or follow @ssilifeph and @trunc.ph on Instagram for more information.

Rimowa launches line of Personal cases in new colors

RIMOWA is introducing a brand-new collection of Personal cases crafted in the latest polycarbonate Essential collection colors. The product launch marks the 21st anniversary of Rimowa’s pioneering launch of the first-ever polycarbonate suitcase in 2000, an innovation that reverberates throughout the industry to this day. The Rimowa Personal was first unveiled on the runway of Dior’s Summer 2020 collection as part of a limited-edition capsule collection collaboration with Kim Jones. Made in Germany and crafted for the first time in ultra-lightweight, dent-resistant grooved polycarbonate, the Rimowa Personal is a unisex hard-shell crossbody bag meant to house and transport daily personal essentials. It can be worn with the detachable, adjustable leather body strap or carried like a clutch. Inside, the interior features two open compartments, a zipped pocket and three card slots. The new collection is available in four polycarbonate glossy colors; two permanent (Black and White) and two seasonal hues (Desert Rose and Cactus) that match the latest Rimowa Essential collections inspired by the Mojave Desert. The Rimowa Personal collection is now available in RIMOWA stores worldwide.

Lacoste unveils its first sustainability report

LACOSTE has published its first sustainability report which details another way of thinking about the textile industry. Aware of the impact of the fashion industry, Lacoste has set itself two distinct roadmaps: first, to make equal opportunities a reality, and second, to give life to the principles of circular economy in the fashion sector. The Lacoste Sustainable Development Report highlights the company’s progress on these issues and sets out its ambitions for 2025. Lacoste has therefore set itself three objectives between now and 2025 to ensure that, on its own scale, it fights against inequalities: to involve 1,000 Lacoste employees in the Elevating Journey program which is based on three axes: reinforcing self-confidence, developing professional qualifications, and helping people to create their own businesses; to support 10,000 young people in their social and professional advancement; and, to co-finance 50 projects improving local living conditions for the populations involved in the Lacoste supply chain. At the end of 2020, Lacoste joined the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s “Make Fashion Circular” initiative. Lacoste has set itself four objectives by 2025: to achieve the Lacoste standard of social and environmental excellence for 100% of cotton producers and industrial suppliers; to reduce the environmental impact of each garment sold by 15%, by optimizing the use of natural resources and reducing pollution throughout the production chain; to double the life span of its entire range of polo shirts; and, to offer a second life to 100% of textile waste and unsold goods. These ambitions have been made possible by the traceability policy implemented by the company. Lacoste is among the first companies in the sector to have transparently communicated the complete list of its industrial partners, from its garment workshops to the spinning mills. Discover more about Lacoste’s Durable Elegance and to read the full Lacoste Sustainable Development Report at www. Corporate.lacoste.com.

Personal Collection pioneers use of biodegradable packaging in PHL

THE PHILIPPINES is currently the third largest plastic polluter in the world, generating 2.7 metric tons of plastic thrown into the ocean. If this trend continues, there will be more plastic than fish in Philippine waters by 2050. This information pushed Personal Collection Direct Selling, Inc. (PCDSI) to launch its A Green Life is A Great Life movement. To do this the company is pioneering the use of 100% biodegradable containers, using material that is expected to decompose in landfills within approximately five to 10 years. That’s 100 times faster than the standard plastic bottle which could take up to 1,000 years to disintegrate. The new packaging will also contribute to the creation of biogas, a potential source of sustainable energy. By doing this, Personal Collection believes they can help save the oceans, one biodegradable bottle at a time. More initiatives will be launched in the coming months as Personal Collection explores the use of organic, all-natural ingredients in its product lines. Watch out for Personal Collection’s new biodegradable package design this month. Environmental awareness campaigns, both online and offline, can be expected in the months to come.

How PSEi member stocks performed — June 11, 2021

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Friday, June 11, 2021.


How much goods and services can minimum wage earners afford when accounting for inflation?

How much goods and services can minimum wage earners afford when accounting for inflation?

Peso to rise vs dollar ahead of Fed decision

BW FILE PHOTO

THE PESO is likely to appreciate versus the greenback this week ahead of the US Federal Reserve’s policy meeting, where it is expected to keep borrowing costs low to support the recovery of the world’s largest economy.

The local unit closed at P47.70 per dollar on Friday, strengthening by 6.5 centavos from its P47.765 finish on Thursday.

It also gained five centavos from its P47.75-per-dollar close on June 4.

Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort attributed the peso’s strength to the US jobs data released on Thursday.

US inflation data released that same day also backed the peso, UnionBank of the Philippines, Inc. Chief Economist Ruben Carlo O. Asuncion said.

US consumer prices rose solidly in May, leading to the biggest annual increase in nearly 13 years as a reopening economy boosted demand for travel-related services, while a global semiconductor shortage drove up prices for used motor vehicles, Reuters reported.

The consumer price index (CPI) increased 0.6% last month after surging 0.8% in April, which was the largest gain since June 2009. Food prices rose 0.4%, but gasoline declined for a second straight month. In the 12 months through May, the CPI accelerated 5.0%. That was the biggest year-on-year increase since August 2008 and followed a 4.2% rise in April.

Inflation could get a boost from the labor market, where layoffs are subsiding. In another report on Thursday, the US Labor department said initial claims for state unemployment benefits fell 9,000 to a seasonally adjusted 376,000 for the week ended June 5.

Though layoffs are subsiding, claims remain well above the 200,000 to 250,000 range that is viewed as consistent with a healthy labor market. They have, however, dropped from a record 6.149 million in early April 2020.

For this week, peso-dollar trading could be driven by the upcoming policy review of the US central bank, where it is expected to maintain rates and give further signals on its plan to taper its massive bond-buying program, Mr. Asuncion said.

The Federal Open Market Committee will meet to review its stance on June 15 to 16.

The Fed has said rising inflation will not last long enough to warrant a sooner-than-expected end to easy-money policies. It has maintained that it has the tools to deal with accelerating inflation.

The central bank may open discussion at the meeting about when to begin unwinding its $120 billion per month purchases of government bonds, though most analysts don’t expect a decision before the Fed’s annual Jackson Hole, Wyoming, conference in August.

Meanwhile, Mr. Ricafort said Philippine remittances data due could also be a driver for the peso this week.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is expected to release the April remittances data on June 15.

Cash remittances increased by 4.9% to $2.514 billion in March, marking the second straight month of a year-on-year increase in inflows, latest BSP data showed.

For this week, Mr. Ricafort gave a forecast range of P47.60 to P48.85 per dollar, while Mr. Asuncion expects a wider band of P47.60 to P47.90. — LWTN with Reuters

Market to take cues from data, vaccine rollout

BW FILE PHOTO

INVESTORS will watch out for the government’s decision on quarantine measures, progress in the vaccination program, and the release of more economic reports this week, analysts said.

The 30-member Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) went up by 32.08 points or 0.46% to close at 6,907.79 on Friday, while the broader all shares index gained 20.29 points or 0.48% to finish at 4,174.65.

Week on week, the index gained 111.45 points from its 6,796.34 finish on June 4.

“The market advanced to the 6,900 level [last] week, as investors felt positive over the economic reports that were released this week in the country… despite the negative report about the unemployment rate,” Darren Blaine T. Pangan, trader at Timson Securities, Inc., said in a Viber message on Friday.

“The progress made over the country’s vaccination program may have also contributed positively to the market sentiment,” Mr. Pangan added.

The country’s unemployment rate was at 8.7% in April, higher than the 7.1% logged the previous month, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported last week. Meanwhile, preliminary results from the agency’s Monthly Integrated Survey of Selected Industries showed factory output surged in April to 162.1% year on year.

On the other hand, the government last week started to inoculate those in the A4 category or economic frontliners, covering some 35 million persons.

It also received its biggest single-day vaccine delivery of around 3.2 million coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) jabs from China-based Sinovac Biotech Ltd. and from Pfizer, Inc. and BioNTech SA. Over 11 million more doses of COVID-19 vaccines are scheduled to arrive this month.

Meanwhile, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort noted the increase in net foreign buying at the stock market in the past two weeks.

For this week, Mr. Ricafort said the progress in the country’s vaccination program will continue to contribute to the market’s movement.

“But new COVID-19 cases still need to ease/improve further while waiting for the expected increase in COVID-19 vaccine arrivals and rollouts partly through intensified observance of strict health protocols/other stringent measures,” Mr. Ricafort said in an e-mail on Friday.

Central bank data on remittances and the country’s balance of payments to be released this week will also be drivers for the PSEi, he added.

“Catalysts that may affect the market include the government’s decision on the quarantine measures to be implemented after June 15, as well as other economic reports such as the dollar reserves of the country for the month of May,” Timson Securities’ Mr. Pangan said.

“Resistance to watch may be placed at 7,080, while the 6,760-6,800 level may be considered an immediate support area,” he added. — K.C.G. Valmonte

OCTA Group backs plan to ease metro lockdown

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

By Vann Marlo M. Villegas, Reporter

A GROUP of researchers from the country’s premier university on Sunday backed a plan to ease the lockdown in Metro Manila as coronavirus infections continue to fall.

“We support that because the situation in the National Capital Region is improving,” Guido David, a research fellow at the OCTA Research Group, told ABS-CBN News TeleRadyo in Filipino. “We can take some risks in opening up businesses.”

The presidential palace earlier said the capital region and nearby provinces including Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal could be placed under a looser general community quarantine this week.

The share of daily coronavirus cases in Metro Manila have gone down to 27% of the national tally from 94% during the peak on March 29 to April 4, Mr. David said.

The virus reproduction rate — the number of people infected by a virus patient — in Metro Manila stood at 0.72, while the infection rate was down to 8%, he added.

Metro Manila and nearby provinces will be under a general quarantine, with additional restrictions until June 15.

Mr. David said Davao City had been logging the highest daily tally though it is on a downtrend.

He said the government should consider easing the lockdown in more areas as more people get vaccinated against the coronavirus, he added. More foreign tourists who have been vaccinated might be allowed to get in.

Vaccine czar Carlito G. Galvez, Jr. earlier said the government seeks to vaccinate half-a-million Filipinos daily in Metro Manila and eight other key economic hubs to protect the population by Nov. 27.

About 6.31 million Filipinos have been vaccinated as of June 8, about 1.7 million of whom had taken their second shot.

The Department of Health (DoH) reported 7,302 coronavirus infections on Sunday, bringing the total to 1.32 million.

The death toll rose by 137 to 22,788, while recoveries increased by 7,701 to 1.23 million, it said in a bulletin.

There were 59,865 active cases, 1.3% of which were critical, 91.2% were mild, 4.6% did not show symptoms, 1.8% were severe and 1.26% were moderate.

The agency said 15 duplicates had been removed from the tally, nine of which were tagged as recoveries and another as a death. Sixty-five recoveries were reclassified as deaths. One laboratory failed to submit data on June 11.

About 13.2 million Filipinos have been tested for the coronavirus as of June 11, according to DoH’s tracker website.

The coronavirus has sickened about 176.4 million and killed 3.8 million people worldwide, according to the Worldometers website, citing various sources including data from the World Health Organization.

About 160.4 million people have recovered, it said.

An inter-agency task force last week approved an order allowing fully vaccinated senior citizens in areas under a general lockdown to go out.

Presidential spokesman Hermino L. Roque Jr. on Friday said fully vaccinated citizens in areas under a general community quarantine and modified general quarantine could now go out.

Seniors can only travel within their zone except for point-to-point travel, he said in a statement.

The government earlier shortened the quarantine period to seven days from 14 days for fully vaccinated inbound travelers.

These travelers are no longer required to undergo swab tests upon arrival. They will only get tested if they exhibit symptoms within the seven-day quarantine.

A person is considered to have been fully vaccinated at least two weeks after receiving the his second dose, at least two weeks after receiving a single-dose vaccine.

A fully vaccinated person must carry his vaccination card before departure.

Analysts cite weak opposition coalition after turndowns

By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Reporter

A NEWLY formed opposition coalition that fielded its 2022 presidential and vice presidential bets at the weekend may not be strong enough to defeat administration candidates especially after some of its nominees declined to become part of the group, political analysts said.

“It only confirms what we have known for quite a long time — that 1Sambayan is quite a weak opposition coalition,” said Cleve Kevin Robert V. Arguelles, a lecturer at De La Salle University’s Political Science department.

Shortly after the coalition’s announcement, Senator Grace Poe-Llamanzares and Batangas Rep. Vilma Santos-Recto turned down their nominations.

The senator, who lost to President Rodrigo R. Duterte in 2016, said she would not run for President next year. Ms. Santos-Recto said she had no plans for next year.

In a statement on Sunday, 1Sambayan said the nominee had not objected to being nominated during initial discussions.

“There are no expectations of firm decisions to run for specific positions at this point in time,” it said. “The fact is, no one — not even the administration’s anointed ones have openly declared their ambitions for public office.”

Senator Panfilo N. Lacson earlier rejected his nomination by 1Sambayan, noting that many of its members were plaintiffs in a Supreme Court lawsuit questioning the Anti-Terrorism Act, which he had authored.

Retired Supreme Court Justice Antonio T. Carpio, the coalition’s lead convenor, earlier named Manila Mayor Franciso M. Domagoso and Senator Maria Lourdes S. Binay-Angeles as candidates at next year’s elections.

Mr. Domagoso had told the coalition to take out his name from the list of nominees for President and vice president, Mr. Carpio said during the coalition’s event at the weekend. Ms. Binay-Angeles earlier said she would not run for a higher post next year.

Mr. Arguelles said the 1Sambayan leadership’s lack of “electoral background” could be one of the reasons why several personalities turned down their nominations.

He said the three main organizers of the political group — Mr. Carpio, former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario and former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales — were not elective officials and had been appointed to their former positions.

“If you were a candidate, and you were running for the presidency or the vice presidency, you would want a coalition or alliance to have that huge experience in running a national campaign, which is very difficult to do,” he said by telephone.

“Look at the composition of 1Sambayan, I don’t think it will inspire confidence,” Mr. Arguelles said.

Some politicians also do not want to be identified with the opposition this early, he said.

“The fact that 1Sambayan is not a formalized political coalition hinders its ability to make some of these personalities commit to their election cause,” said Michael Henry Ll. Yusingco, a senior research fellow at the Ateneo De Manila University’s Policy Center.

“No savvy Filipino politician will just put their electoral fate on an untested and informal amalgamation of interest groups, even if they self-brand themselves as ‘democratic forces,’” he said in an e-mail.

Mr. Yusingco said it would be difficult for 1Sambayan to recruit winnable candidates unless it is officially declared as a political coalition with a government platform.

Senate urged to pass bill easing ownership limits in public utilities

BW FILE PHOTO

A CONGRESSMAN on Sunday urged the Senate to fast-track the approval of a measure seeking to change the country’s 80-year old public service law, saying it could help end power and water supply shortages.

“I urge our Senators to approve the proposed New Public Service Act pending before their chamber as soon as the session resumes,” Party-list Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy said in a statement.

“This 18th Congress must be the beginning of the swift end of expensive electricity, water supply shortages and older than 20th century sewer systems.”

The House of Representatives has approved the bil, which seeks to change the definition of public utilities to allow more foreign investments in the public service sector, on final reading,

“Once  this bill becomes a law, it will allow full foreign ownership in the public service sector such as land-based transportation and communications by limiting the definition of public utility to the distribution and transmission of electricity, as well as water pipeline distribution and sewerage system,” Ms. Herrera-Dy said.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte has certified the bill as urgent. The government’s economic team earlier said the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council had expected the bill to be passed before Congress adjourned this month. Congress will resume sessions next month. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Human rights group pushes for writ of kalayaan rules to address jail congestion

KAPATID

A HUMAN rights group has urged Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo to call a national consultation to hasten the adoption of rules on the writ of kalayaan, which could be used as basis to release prisoners who are vulnerable to the coronavirus.

“We ask Chief Justice Gesmundo to convene a national consultative summit on the writ of kalayaan that can be done by videoconference, similar to the multisectoral summit organized on July 16-17, 2007 by Chief Justice Reynato Puno which consolidated inputs and support for the trailblazing writ of amparo and habeas data,” said Fides Lim, spokesperson of Kapatid, a support group for prisoners and their families.

Ms. Lim explained that the writ of kalayaan “provides a judicial remedy grounded on social justice and humanity to address the problems of extreme jail congestion amid the continuing pandemic and violations of the rights of people deprived of liberty.”   

Last year, Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra of the Justice department, which supervises the Bureau of Corrections, said 476 inmates died from January to July 2020, of which 21 were due to coronavirus.

As such, Ms. Lim said “(t)he time to adopt and adapt rules is now. Not tomorrow, not according to circumstances, but now because the impact of the pandemic is worst in congested prisons.”

In a press conference on Friday, Mr. Gesmundo said the institutionalization of the writ of kalayaan is an “innovation which will obviously require a thorough study.”

“You will know that writing the rules of procedure takes time because we have to consider a lot of factors before arriving in those or adopting those rules because we have to make sure that we do not deviate from what the Constitution requires or allow us to do,” he said.

Nevertheless, the top magistrate assured that the Supreme Court will issue the rules “when the circumstances should warrant for the Court” to do so as “the Court must be able to adapt to these changing times.”

Kapatid, along with 22 other petitioners, filed a petition before the high court last year to institutionalize the writ.

Then Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta said they are “very careful” in exercising their power to promulgate rules as it is a “rare” power exercised by the Supreme Court. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago

Gatchalian files bill to open a bank account for every Filipino

LANDBANK

SENATOR Sherwin T. Gatchalian has filed Senate Bill No. 2251, which seeks to mandate government financial institutions to open a bank account for every unbanked Filipino.

“While the Philippine National ID aims to address an individual’s lack of documentary requirements for opening a bank account, the government still needs to facilitate and strengthen the financial inclusion landscape in the country by facilitating the opening and maintaining of bank accounts that may be used for the delivery of the government’s public and social services,” Mr. Gatchalian said in the explanatory note of the bill.

“The bank accounts so created will be used for the delivery of the government’s public and social services, and will be linked with the Philippine Identification System,” he added.

Under the proposal, the accounts will be provided by the LANDBANK of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines “free from any opening and maintenance fees or charges” beginning on Jan. 1, 2023.

An account will be automatically provided for all those registered with the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys).

Those who are not PhilSys-registered may open an account with either bank using other government-issued IDs, and the account will be automatically linked with the PhilSys without need for the client’s consent.

For minors, their accounts shall be linked with those of their parents or legal guardians, according to the bill.

According to the central bank’s 2019 Financial Inclusion Survey released in July last year, only 29% of adults had access to bank accounts, leaving 51.2 million adults unbanked. This is an increase from 23% in 2017. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Laguna Lakeshore road project up for public hearing 

DPWH

THE PROPOSED Laguna Lakeshore Road Network (LLRN), with the first phase stretching between the cities of Taguig in the capital and Calamba in Laguna, will be up for public discussion on June 17 as part of the environmental impact assessment.

THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources will host the discussions that will be held online.

Project proponent Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will present the plan for the 37-kilometer highway, which will have eight interchanges in Lower Bicutan, Sucat, Alabang, Tunasan, San Pedro/Biñan, Santa Rosa, Cabuyao and Calamba.

“The overarching intent of the project is to provide a safer and faster alternative to the motorists traveling south (or) north to vitalize the economies for the surrounding areas including Laguna, Rizal, Quezon and Batangas,” DPWH said.

The LLRN’s second phase will cut through an eastern route. — Angelica Y. Yang

Bill filed for establishment of Marinduque ecozone

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

A SENATOR filed a bill to establish a special economic zone in Marinduque to help boost economic growth in the island province located off the south-central part of Luzon mainland.

Senator Maria Josefa Imelda R. Marcos’ Senate Bill No. 2270 seeks the creation of the Marinduque Special Economic Zone (MAREZ) in the town of Santa Cruz.

One of the main industries eyed for MAREZ is technology and online gaming centers.

The bill says the ecozone will be open for hosting online gaming centers and establishments as well as provide a technology hub that will be home to enterprising start-ups.

“Moreover, the establishment of this ecozone will offer a technological hub which will pave the way for technological start-ups and further encourage expansion of domestic companies,” according to the bull’s explanatory note.

Ms. Marcos said, “This will also establish and maintain a one-stop shop to facilitate ease-of-doing-business for prospective investors,” she added.

Under the bill, the MAREZ shall be developed into a decentralized, self-reliant and self-sustaining industrial, commercial/trading and investment center, among others, with provision for suitable residential areas.

The national and local governments will provide the zone with transportation, telecommunications, internet cables and other facilities to attract investors.

As in other ecozones, it will be managed as a separate customs territory and locators will get incentives such as tax and duty-free importations of raw materials, capital and equipment.

The measure includes the creation of the MAREZ Authority, which will manage and operate the zone. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

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