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Fruitas to venture in bakery business

LISTED Fruitas Holdings, Inc. will soon offer pandesal and other bread products in its community stores, the company said, citing customer demand for freshly baked bread.

In a statement on Monday, the food and beverage kiosk operator said it plans to open several standalone “Babot’s Panaderya” branches that will offer pandesal and other bread products, with an initial target of four branches in Metro Manila and one branch in the provincial area.

For the bread production, Fruitas said it would be leveraging off the baking capacity of Negril Trading, Inc., which houses the company’s “De Original Jamaican Pattie” brand.

“As a result, Fruitas is initially entering the bakery business with minimal capital expenditure. Fruitas decided to enter the bakery business itself to serve the demand of its customers for freshly baked bread,” the company said.

The bread products will be sold via its community stores, CocoDelivery subsidiary, and in the soon-to-be established “Babot’s Panaderya.”

Its community stores are currently offering curbside ordering and pickup, and home and office delivery via the company’s CocoDelivery unit, which provides for flexible and improved consumer distribution.

The company also disclosed its plan to offer bread products in some of its kiosks and to selected institutional customers.

Fruitas President and Chief Executive Officer Lester C. Yu said baked bread is a perfect addition to the company’s community stores.

“Pandesal is a staple in Filipinos’ daily diet. Our entry into the bakery business is a natural step to achieve our vision of having every Filipino household consume at least one Fruitas product every day,” Mr. Yu was quoted as saying.

According to Fruitas, the total Philippine bread market is projected to be around P200 billion per annum.

On Monday, shares in Fruitas at the stock exchange rose 5.41% or eight centavos to close at P1.56 apiece. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

More financial institutions allowed to access credit information system

THE CREDIT Information Corp. (CIC) has on-boarded more financial institutions that will gain access to credit data, which could help borrowers get financing.

Banks and financial institutions that will now have access to the credit history of nearly 23 million borrowers with more than 80 million contract data include Asia United Bank Corp. (AUB), Cooperative Bank of Quezon Province, Philippine Star Development Bank, Kviku Lending Co., Rural Bank of Central Pangasinan, and The Insular Life Assurance Co. Ltd., CIC said in a statement on Monday.

“We are glad that these financial institutions are complying with the requirements for accessing entities; they are recognizing the value of the credit registry, and they are seeing an actual solutions partner in CIC,” CIC Senior Vice-President for Business Development and Communications Aileen L. Amor-Bautista was quoted as saying.

Authorized financial institutions can access borrowers’ credit reports either through a direct database report from the CIC or special accessing entities such as the CIBI Information, Inc. and TransUnion Information Solutions, Inc.

“Being an accessing entity of the CIC means that we have ready access to comprehensive credit reports which will then expedite the process of granting loans and other financial services to our wide range of consumers including SMEs (small- and medium-sized enterprises) and even corporations,” AUB First Vice-President and credit card business head Magdalena V. Surdia said in a statement.

To get access to the credit database, a firm must be among submitting entities in production or already submitting live or actual basic credit data of their borrowers to the CIC’s credit information system.

Entities that want access to the credit database can use a web-based application system called Covered Entity Portal. The platform can be used for registration, update, and submission of documents such as memoranda of agreement, accessing entity information sheets, and secretary’s certificates or board resolutions.

Ms. Amor-Bautista said consumers can see a list of institutions that access CIC data on its website to know which entities are using the database to assess borrowers’ creditworthiness.

The central bank is also working on a project meant to bridge the gap in the credit risk database for small businesses to help them secure financing. Data collection for the project started last year and the scoring model and service is expected to be launched this July. — L.W.T. Noble

It could have been transcendent

Video Game Review
Watch Dogs Legion
Sony PlayStation 5

Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends
and the Secret Fairy
Sony PlayStation 5

Haven
Personal Computer via Steam

UBISOFT’S Watch Dogs series shares much of its makeup with Assassin’s Creed, the company’s other sandbox property. Just like its older brother, the Watch Dogs franchise makes heavy use of its large open world, filling it to the brim with quests, storylines, and alternate activities to keep its players entertained. However, where the Assassin’s Creed games eventually played with concepts of magic, myths, and historical tales of knights, assassins, and Vikings, Watch Dogs would follow its science-fiction roots to their natural conclusion. The series has delved further into its dystopian setting, and out of this evolution comes Watch Dogs: Legion, just released and available on the Sony PlayStation 5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, and personal computer.

Technology is at a peak in Watch Dogs: Legion, with the franchise embracing crisp, futuristic applied sciences within a digitized version of modern London. Here, the eyes of the State and its various agencies are everywhere, keeping watch over dissident elements and silencing them in an effort to maintain control. It’s a chilling backdrop, one that, for followers of the series, may well feel out of place given the original material’s melodramatic presentation and the sequel’s over-the-top, even occasionally silly, treatment. And yet the third installment makes the premise work wonders, particularly in the face of stylized visuals that provide a horrifying look at a future filled to the brim with conspiracies, espionage, and shadowy dealings.

Watch Dogs: Legion has players picking up the pieces off an attack that leaves London in shambles. Controlling members of the local branch of DedSec, they’re tasked with exposing the terrorist organizations at work and, in the process, clearing the name of the hacking collective. En route, they must recruit new blood from the city’s ordinary folk, fulfill quests and side missions that bring about much-needed resources and upgrades, and ultimately prepare a team capable of restoring order and justice to the world around them.

Watch Dogs: Legion revels in its grandiosity from the get-go, and, for the most part, it lives up to its promise. London is vast and expansive, and the sheer number of missions on offer will more than hold players’ attention. From recruiting new members to infiltrating and clearing mission zones, they’re pretty much neck-deep in situations typical in a Watch Dogs game. There’s a lot of running around, sneaking, hacking, and puzzle-solving while continuing along a set path. Much is done in stealth, but unwanted discovery brings about action-filled encounters, with weapon and melee skills required for survival. All of this is pretty standard fare, and anyone who’s ever played a third-person shooter before will be right at home with its controls.

Where Watch Dogs: Legion does try to set itself apart from its predecessors, however, is in its informed decision to eschew a named principal character. If Watch Dogs had vigilante Aiden Pearce and Watch Dogs 2 had hacker Marcus Holloway chewing up the scenery, the latest release does not have a central protagonist to control. The world is the players’ oyster, and they’re free to pick and play whomever they want. The interface enables multiple playable characters, thus providing an incredible amount of variety and, therefore, uniqueness. Parenthetically, the setup allows it to double down on its sandbox nature, and helps maintain its freshness. There is no one-man killing machine. There are just nameless characters with diverse looks, distinct backstories, personalities, abilities, and gear. And just like the enemies they face, the protagonist being controlled at a particular moment could be anyone.

To Watch Dog: Legion’s credit, the deliberate, if surprisingly daring, choice actually serves to underscore its virtues. Coupled with a vast environment rendered exquisitely on the PS5, excellent shooting mechanics, and competent level designs, it proves to be no slouch as far as open world games go.

To be sure, Watch Dogs: Legion is not without its flaws. While it’s good parts do shine through and distinguish it from its older siblings, it nonetheless exhibits quirks that should be familiar to the series’ old hands. Meanwhile, the game is locked to 30 frames per second on all consoles, not a complete deal breaker given its polish, but still a minor letdown considering the vast potential being offered by latest-generation platforms. Certainly, players spoiled by other titles running on 60 frames per second will be looking askance at Ubisoft’s programming choices. Other minor complaints also surface once the midpoint is reached. It misses or throws to the wayside otherwise-notable marks like variety of missions and non-playable characters, as if suddenly engulfed by an overall lack of ambition. And perhaps due to the weight of its pledges, it never gets to reach its projected dazzling heights. It never stops being enjoyable, but the most demanding players will be bothered by a nagging feeling that it could have been not just better, but transcendent — that it’s just a few steps shy of greatness.

All told, Watch Dogs: Legion is an extremely engrossing title well worth its $59.99 price tag. It boasts of practically everything it needs to keep players entertained, and it’s not one to shy away from using every trick in the open-world book to hold their attention. Through exciting set pieces, urban gunfights, and stealth missions, it manages to combine familiar Watch Dogs prompts with a darker, more serious plot and singular gameplay. That said, it seems to hold itself back when it should press on, and ultimately leaves fans wondering if the best is yet to come.

THE GOOD

• Compelling dystopian premise, blended nicely with modern designs and architecture

• Excellent gunplay and stealth mechanics on a brand-new game engine

• Open-ended approach to team-building

• Multiple playable characters offer variety and freshness

THE BAD

• Familiar Watch Dogs design notes can give off a been there, done that vibe

• Settings and storylines are darker but seem to be held back, leaving the payoffs wanting

• Tasks become repetitive as the game progresses

RATING: 8.5/10

POSTSCRIPT: Though the Atelier series has churned out a game practically every single year since 1997, longtime fans continue to look forward to new releases. It hasn’t mattered that the gameplay invariably features all-too-familiar elements; improvements come with every subsequent title, but incrementally. For the most part, similar beats being struck serve to keep gamers engrossed again and again, and it’s a testament to developer Gust’s steady shepherding of the franchise that all the freshness seems to remain even though the ingredients largely stay the same.

Until, that is, the arrival of Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends and the Secret Fairy on store shelves late last month. Given all the advantages to playing safe and staying in well-tread paths, Koei Tecmo could not have made its decision to explore uncharted territory lightly. To be sure, there was ample reason for it to take the risk and, for the first time in the annals of the beloved franchise, come up with a direct sequel. After all, Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness and the Secret Hideout, brought to fruition in late 2019 by a new creative team within Gust, wound up being a runaway critical and commercial success.

To consider how much of a hit Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness and the Secret Hideout became, gamers need only note that it wound up being the highest-grossing title in the history of the series. In fact, demand was such that physical copies, initially produced based on projections off performances of previous offerings in the franchise, quickly became scarce and fetched ridiculous prices in secondary markets. A second printing was approved and done, and yet, once again, stocks ran out. Supply simply could not keep up, if nothing else providing ample proof of its winning combination of a tighter, if still comfortable, storyline and a brand-new battle system.

Under the circumstances, it’s fair to argue that Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends and the Secret Fairy comes with great expectations. And it no longer carries the security blanket its predecessors had the luxury of turning to from the outset; instead of the usual story of a female would-be alchemist coming of age after undergoing critical physical and social challenges, it follows the title character three years after the events of the first release. The fish-out-of-water narrative now has her chasing after big-city dreams, in particular the expansion of her knowledge of alchemy and the answer to a mystery a member of her small town has asked her to find.

Which is not to say Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends and the Secret Fairy boasts of all-new dimensions. Reisalin Stout still gets to rely on friends and familiar faces while exploring Ashra-am Baird and the ruins just outside the capital city. And for those who have managed to play through Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness and the Secret Hideout, there should be no learning curve. That said, newcomers to the series will find the interface as easygoing as the story it propels.

Parenthetically, Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends and the Secret Fairy’s turn-based combat mechanics offer not inconsiderable variety, but remain intuitive all the same. Even as the system makes use of individual and special attacks, it exhibits a profound bias for team-based executions that sound complicated in theory but are a breeze to pull off with and in practice. And, in this regard, it bears noting that, while in battle, gamers are treated to proper angles highlighting the urgency of the moment.

Needless to say, alchemy nuts and bolts are how the Atelier series has invariably separated itself from other Japanese role-playing games, and where Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness and the Secret Hideout proved especially transcendent. In Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends and the Secret Fairy, finding the right ingredients to mix and turn into useful equipment and powerful weapons still requires no small measure of grinding both in terms of exploration of dungeons and synthesis of items. That said, quality-of-lie features have been enhanced to the point where gamers don’t feel burdened; the world map enables fast and practical travel, while the crafting can be automated. In other words, gamers are provided avenues to spend their time wisely.

Notably, Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends and the Secret Fairy improves upon its older sibling by offering narrative heft. Cutscenes and expositions are now in abundance, aided immensely by outstanding Japanese voice acting and spot-on English subtitles. If there’s any negative to the experience, it’s that fanservice is done to excess. The Atelier series has always had lots of it, admittedly lending to its unique appeal, but the latest release seems to have even more – an unnecessary “improvement” in light of all the other pluses.

In any case, Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends and the Secret Fairy delivers, and how. As one of the finest JRPGs to be released in a while, it figures to bring hours upon hours of bliss to longtime followers of and newcomers to the series alike. It’s a finely tuned audio-visual treat, with an excellent storyline that complements the immersive gameplay. And it certainly serves to justify the choice of Koei Tecmo and Gust to take the road less traveled. Considering the unmistakable sheen of the final product, it has made all the difference. Highly recommended.

THE GOOD:

• Excellent audio-visual presentation

• Expanded narrative supported by ample cutscenes and exposition

• Superb voice acting and subtitling

• Complex but easy-to-learn interface

• Alchemy at its finest yet

THE BAD:

• Grinding required

• Fanservice offered to excess

• Character stereotypes abound

RATING: 9.5/10

THE LAST WORD: The Game Bakers has come through with yet another surprise hit. As with Furi, the independent developer and publisher’s previous offering, Haven boasts of a carefully thought-out sense of style that shines through its science-fiction setting. It takes gamers on a wild journey across a distant, colorful planet through the eyes of survivors Yu and Kay, as they do their best to find a home in its hostile shores. Centered around the relationship of these star-crossed lovers, it winds up providing a heart-warming tale of exploration, survival, and love amid dangerous times. It’s a story of coping with the struggles of the world alongside a chosen partner, and, just like any other romance-fueled chronicle on any other platform, it derives its value both from the ending and from the journey getting there.

For Haven, getting engrossed in the voyage means engaging in its role-playing-game and survival mechanics. As gamers traipse through the planet’s surface, they’ll frequently find themselves veering off to the nearest resource node to collect plants and items the couple needs to survive. They’ll clean up goop trails called rust, and occasionally, they’ll be allowed to glide from area to area, charging up their boots through energy lines to allow them to hover in the air or run across water. While the interface isn’t particularly engaging or deep, it does serve to maintain interest and alertness levels. After all, the energy lines or flow threads can be rather fickle in design, with tracks that occasionally force sharp twists and curves and lead to new areas to visit – thus furthering the ever-present need to keep collecting resources.

Haven isn’t just about exploration, however. Battles crop up every now and then, with the game pitting the lovers against dangers that lurk on the planet’s surface. When these various fauna attack, the characters team up for some good old-fashioned turn-based combat. As there are but two different attack types to choose from, the system is less about thoughtful decision-making and more about quick reactions. In a lot of ways, it’s like a dance, asking players to juggle between normal hits and dual attacks and blocks. It may seem a little strange at first, especially for gamers used to more conventional Japanese RPG styles of engagement, but it has no lack of satisfaction in any case. It proves particularly entertaining when the couple begins to weave attacks together and block for one another. The resulting visuals ooze with charm, showing off the relationship Yu and Kay have for each other even more.

Which is all well and good, because the relationship is really where the heart of Haven lies. Its other mechanics may be straightforward, but the simplicity serves to enhance Yu and Kay’s interactions. Throughout the game, gamers aren’t just helping the couple survive; they’re also learning more about the central characters. Through its 15-hour campaign, the various conversations they have reveal a bond that only grows stronger with each trial they face. From the small quips they have during battle to the lovey-dovey compliments they give one another during the quiet moments at night, it’s clear that the game isn’t about fighting space demons or building sprawling houses, but about constant love and affection.

The Game Bakers consciously has Haven move off the beaten path. Its RPG elements take a back seat to the overarching narrative, thus supplying entertainment in doses seen to be appreciated by gamers with a pronounced bias for visual-novel-style dialogue. It makes for an interesting story of love conquering any and all challenges, and while the implementation may well be an acquired taste, it does glue everything together with charm. Its artistic design and outstanding writing are its strongest points, and wind up being more than enough to merit its $25 price point. Recommended.

THE GOOD:

• Engrossing storyline of love conquering all

• Engaging exploration and combat mechanics

• Stylish presentation

THE BAD:

• Lacks gameplay depth

• An acquired taste

• Can be repetitive over time

RATING: 7/10

Property sentiment may rally as vaccines arrive

INTEREST in commercial properties within central business districts, as well as residential spaces may increase this year as market sentiment improves, online property market place Lamudi said in a report on Thursday.

There are more growth opportunities for the real estate market this year, as the Philippines maintains a stable credit rating and gears up for mass vaccination against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Lamudi said.

After demand slipped due to pandemic-related uncertainties, Lamudi said page views for residential properties could spike in the first half amid growing interest in houses, condominiums, and foreclosed properties.

Land will have the biggest demand growth between the first to the second half of 2021, while foreclosed properties will see an uptick in the first half.

“Condos, meanwhile, are projected to have the highest growth from second half of 2020 to second half of 2021,” Lamudi said.

Apartment listings also grew between the first and last quarter last year, which Lamudi said could be a response to more property seekers looking for investment opportunities or cheaper housing close to their workplaces.

“As residents in the metro gravitate towards rentals, this type of real estate presents a promising passive income source for investors.”

The exodus of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators last year dragged office space demand lower. Mall-based commercial spaces also saw more vacancies as retail sales sank.

For commercial properties, Lamudi said spaces in Makati City will likely have the highest growth in page views between the first and second half this year and Muntinlupa City properties will have the most demand.

Demand for Quezon City commercial properties would likely grow by almost 12% in the first half compared to the same period last year.

The continued popularity of central business districts could indicate recovery for the residential sector this year, Lamudi said.

“Even with the new normal of work-from-home, several companies have adopted split operations or staggered schedules, having a portion of the workforce in the office, while others at home, on alternate periods,” the report said.

“For this reason, proximity to the workplace will still be the primary consideration for property seekers.”

Beyond Metro Manila business districts, Lamudi said that infrastructure projects linking the capital to nearby provinces would improve land values in the areas. Demand is increasing as locators potentially show interest in moving investment to the provinces and as the prices of properties in the provinces remain lower than those in Metro Manila.

Interest in Santa Rosa, Laguna commercial properties could increase in the first half compared to the same period last year, while Silang, Cavite property page views could jump by more than 40% between the first and second half. Properties in Biñan, Laguna could also have 13.32% growth in views in the same period.

“The demand for commercial real estate in provincial cities with technoparks can serve as a guide to investors considering property investment away from the densely-populated capital region,” Lamudi said. — Jenina P. Ibañez

ICTSI says efforts to make transactions at Subic port ‘more seamless’ underway

LISTED port operator International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) on Monday said its Subic unit had been endorsed by the Agriculture department as a discharge port for imported livestock and raw materials.

Agriculture Undersecretary Ernesto S. Gonzales signed the endorsement, citing the Subic Bay International Terminal Corp.’s role in “ensuring unimpeded trade for the livestock and feed milling industries,” the listed firm said in an e-mailed statement.

The endorsement, ICTSI added, is also seen as an “encouragement” for importers to use the port to make feeds affordable to farmers.

The use of the Subic container port could potentially result in “lower market prices of meat products,” especially in the greater Manila and nearby provinces, it noted.

“Given the initiatives of the current administration to support affordable and accessible food for the Filipino people, industry players should be able to tap services which are competitive and will provide access where Filipino consumers demand products,” Mr. Gonzales’ endorsement letter was quoted as saying.

The Subic container port “is making conscious efforts to make transactions more seamless and beneficial for industry end users, which help reduce livestock production costs and ease the burden on consumers,” ICTSI said.

Roberto R. Locsin, the port’s general manager, said: “We offer lower port fees and up to 10 days of free storage for our partners.”

“This helps businesses and suppliers arrange for transport and delivery to their intended destination without the burden of extra cost, making us the ideal port of choice,” he added. — Arjay L. Balinbin

IC says facilitation fees not considered as admitted assets

THE Insurance Commission (IC) said prepaid facilitation fees from bancassurance arrangements will not be considered as admitted assets of insurers in their statements of financial condition.

Insurance Commissioner Dennis B. Funa issued Circular Letter 2021-07 dated Jan. 28 to clarify that facilitation fees paid in advance by insurance companies to a bank in a bancassurance arrangement will not be considered as an admitted asset under the former’s financial condition reports.

“Facilitation fees paid in advance and booked as prepaid expenses shall NOT be treated as admitted assets of an insurance company, in the determination of its financial condition, regardless of any stipulation of a claw back provision in a bancassurance arrangement,” the circular read.

The issuance cited a provision of Republic Act No 10607 or the Amended Insurance Code which does not allow prepaid or deferred charges, unauthorized advances to officers, employees and agents and intangible assets, among others, to be considered as admitted assets of an insurance firm when they determine the insurer’s current financial condition.

The regulator noted facilitation fees in bancassurance arrangements can be paid in advance or booked as prepaid expenses. 

It added that the IC assesses the financial standing of an insurance company via a “liquidating value concept which focuses on the value that can be expected in a liquidation rather than as a going concern; and requires a reduced value (and sometimes zero value) for certain assets that will be less liquid or have a smaller realizable value in a liquidation.”

The local insurance industry’s total premium income fell by 4.2% year on year to P136.097 billion as of June 2020 due to the recession caused by the coronavirus pandemic. — B.M. Laforga

Falsetto: The enduring love affair with the soaring male voice

IN THIS dreary COVID-19 winter, there are some high points — and high notes — available to people cooped up at home.

The documentary The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, which premiered on HBO in December, explores the musical significance of the group and is interwoven with performance footage. At the Super Bowl on Feb. 7, the halftime performer will be Canada’s The Weeknd.

What kind of sound do these singers share? And what on Earth do they have in common with the Monty Python comedians in sketches where they portray women?

All these artists use the falsetto voice, a specialized sound that features amazing high notes. Falsetto is associated particularly with the male voice singing in the range normally used by women and children.

Historically, perhaps most famously, beautiful high notes are often associated with opera roles originally written for a particular group of male singers known as castrati, who were castrated. Today, opera roles originally written for castrati are sung by countertenors. These singers go beyond the higher “normal” range associated with the tenor voice while singing in falsetto.

Of course, beyond these classically based countertenor singers, the falsetto sound is heard in innumerable beloved pop singers. While standout artists have learned to develop their voices into something quite fascinating, anyone can find a falsetto sound.

Falsetto is an extension of our normal voices that we use every day — beyond the voices we use in all those Zoom meetings of late. The word falsetto refers to a “false” voice, so called because the voice uses only part of the vocal apparatus in our throats, rather than the full vibratory sound used in regular singing and speaking.

The normal vocal sounds we make are created by the vibrations of our vocal folds (or vocal cords). These tiny folds are controlled by an intricate system of muscles and cartilage in the throat.

The vocal folds function basically by the rate of air movement, or pressure, from the lungs. With more air pressure, the folds will vibrate more quickly and will produce a higher pitch. Less air, and the pitch will be lower. You can feel the vibrations for yourself if you say or sing “ooh,” thinking of a lower pitch, while placing a hand on your throat.

But if you use only the edges of the vocal folds, without allowing the whole mechanism to vibrate, then you can achieve that high, floaty sound that is your “false” voice — your falsetto.

The falsetto sound can still be heard in various forms of classical music — a vestige of the ban on women performers in earlier centuries. The traditional English church choir includes men singing in their falsettos to provide the alto line in hymns and anthems. (The soprano line was sung by boys, not women.)

In some classical music, as in the perennial December favorite, Handel’s “Messiah,” a countertenor will sing the alto solos — more usually sung by a woman. Canada’s Daniel Taylor is one of the best countertenors in the world.

Today’s opera roles sung by countertenors were originally written for the castrati who were superstars in the 17th and 18th centuries. Castration caused a physical difference in the way these voices functioned — and in the body shape and size of the castrated men — but the resultant sound was much the same as today’s countertenor sound.

You can hear an attempted re-creation of the sound of a castrato, rendered by electronically fusing the voices of a female singer and a countertenor, in the 1994 movie Farinelli, a cinematic take on the great 18th-century castrato opera singer Farinelli (born Carlo Broschi).

The only aural record of a castrato is of nine recorded selections of castrato Alessandro Moreschi, believed to be the last singer of his kind.

Some scholars have explored falsetto sounds in Black popular and “soul” music including through genre-bending musical fusion.

Falsetto is found widely in popular music styles today, from The Weeknd and Justin Timberlake. If you listened to the concert celebrating Joe Biden’s presidential inauguration in the United States, you would have heard Timberlake singing “Better Days” with Ant Clemons. Timberlake’s naturally high voice works seamlessly into an effective falsetto sound.

Is there a female falsetto voice? Yes! The process for making the sound is the same as in men. But because women’s voices are already higher, it’s harder to hear a different quality. You can hear it from some singers, including Christina Aguilera.

However, the allure of the falsetto voice remains more compelling in men than in women. Perhaps it is the attraction of the natural lower male voice contrasted with the high notes: maybe we are waiting for a crack or admiring the physical effort. Or perhaps we simply enjoy the floating beauty of the sound of high notes. — Reuters

Helen Pridmore is an Associate Professor of Music at the University of Regina.

Ayala Land prevails in ASEAN governance scorecard

AYALA Land, Inc. (ALI) was named one of the top publicly listed companies at the Securities and Exchange Commission-Institute of Corporate Directors ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard Awards.

The property developer ranked among the Top 3 publicly listed companies (PLC) in the Philippines and Top 20 in the ASEAN region based on the 2019 ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard Assessment of the ASEAN Capital Markets Forum (ACMF).

“Reflecting its strong and consistent adherence to good corporate governance practices, Ayala Land is part of the prestigious ASEAN Asset Class PLCs that scored a minimum of 97.5 points in the scorecard. Together with Ayala Land and Globe, Ayala Corporation and BPI were also recognized for this honor,” ACMF said.

The ACMF and Asian Development Bank jointly developed the ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard as an assessment based on publicly available information and benchmarked against international best practices on corporate governance.

“This award is very meaningful to our company, especially since good corporate governance has always been integral to the way we do business and has been a pillar in executing our plans. With the onset of COVID-19, its importance is highlighted now more than ever as we pivoted to adapt to this ‘next normal,’” ALI President and Chief Executive Officer Bernard Vincent Dy said in a statement.

PSEi composition intact after index review

THE main stocks index will have no changes in its composition after the regular stock performance review for the January-December 2020 period, the Philippine Stock Exchange, Inc. (PSE) said on Monday.

In a statement, the stock market operator said companies with common stocks listed on the PSE’s main board for at least 12 months during the review period are the only ones qualified for inclusion in the Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) and sector indices.

“To further qualify for inclusion in the PSEi, a listed company should be among the top companies in terms of liquidity and market capitalization,” the operator said.

It added that a listed company must have a free float level of at least 15% of its outstanding shares, among other relevant financial criteria.

The PSE also announced that there will be 10 companies to be added in the sector indices, while seven companies will be removed.

The new companies to be added in the sector indices include those listed on the main board in 2019 such as Axelum Resources Corp., AllHome Corp., and Fruitas Holdings, Inc.

“We are pleased that these companies were included in the indices of their respective sectors after their first review period. This is an indication that investor interest in these stocks continued even after their initial public offering,” PSE President and Chief Executive Officer Ramon S. Monzon was quoted as saying.

Axelum and Fruitas will be under the industrial sector, together with AgriNurture, Inc., Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Inc., Roxas and Co., Inc., and SFA Semicon Philippines Corp.

Meanwhile, Alliance Select Foods International, Inc. will be excluded from the industrial sector.

For the services sector, AllHome Corp., Metro Alliance Holdings and Equities Corp., and Philippine Seven Corp. will be the new additions, while Leisure and Resorts World Corp. will be removed.

Under the mining and oil sector, Lepanto Consolidated Mining Co. will be included.

For the property sector, Belle Corp., Global-Estate Resorts, Inc., 8990 Holdings, Inc., Primex Corp., and Sta. Lucia Land, Inc. will be taken out.

There are no changes in the financials and holding firms sectors. The adjustments in the market’s sectoral indices will take effect on Monday, Feb. 15. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Retail chain stores moving out of high street as shopping moves online

CHAIN STORES are moving out of the high street. Recent high-profile deals, such as online fashion retailer Asos’s purchase of high street brands including Topshop and Miss Selfridge from the Arcadia group, and the acquisition of Debenhams by another online business, Boohoo, have cemented the trend.

Neither deal includes any physical shops, meaning that 118 Debenhams stores and a further 70 Arcadia shops are closing.

As shopping increasingly moves online — a trend accelerated by lockdown — the question remains of what to do with all the empty space on the high street. Research by estate agent Savills suggests the UK may already have 40% excess retail space.

As a rule, smaller units, like those occupied by Topshop or Miss Selfridge, have been easier to let or repurpose than large department stores, like Debenhams. Before the pandemic, chain store closures and a declining demand for retail space caused rents to fall and resulted in shorter lease lengths over the past few years. These trends led to an influx of independent businesses on our high streets including bars, restaurants, small shops, music and cultural venues as well as community businesses.

COVID-19 is having a catastrophic impact on these businesses, in particular those in the arts, hospitality, entertainment and recreation sectors. It remains to be seen how many will survive the current lockdown. The failure of these businesses will not only lead to more redundant retail space — it will also effectively kill off many green shoots of town center transformation.

Larger units, like those occupied by Debenhams, are even more problematic. The collapse of department store chain BHS four years ago offers some lessons. Less than half of their 160 stores have been reoccupied, and 23 — around 15% — repurposed or sub-divided. An additional 23 have been completely demolished and 43 remain vacant, leaving massive voids in those towns and city centers.

Repurposing purpose-built multi-level retail stores is an expensive job. It is also architecturally difficult to convert them for commercial or residential use. The site of the BHS in Edinburgh, for example, is being redeveloped as a hotel, with some ground floor retail, but only the original building facade remains.

As well as redundant department stores, many towns also face the challenge of what to do with high street shopping centers, which are becoming increasingly deserted. However, there is scope for temporary change. A food court in a Norwich shopping center has been converted into a mass vaccination center. Longer term, such centers will need to find more permanent non-retail uses, such as leisure or health and fitness centers.

In some locations, demolition may be the way forward, to make space for other buildings or to create new and attractive spaces. This is happening in Stockton-on-Tees, where there are plans to replace a 1970s shopping center with a riverside park. However, this requires bold vision and leadership from the council, community, landlords and businesses. It also requires financing: in order to demolish the shopping center, the council first had to buy it.

In recent decades, the decisions affecting the high street have often been out of local control. Absent landlords and multiple retailers ruled from a distant head office have led to management and investment decisions being made far away from the towns and city centers that live with the consequences.

This has resulted in a lack of coherent management and development on high streets. Everything is piecemeal. While the collapse and restructuring of the retail sector is clearly damaging for many communities, there is a long-term opportunity here to reclaim local control and repurpose the high street as an engaging place for multiple local communities, not just shoppers.

This opportunity for joined-up planning is threatened by a recent change to regulations, which allows developers and property owners to convert former retail space into housing without local planning permission.

There is a place for residential development in town centers, but the potential loss of control over development undermines local leadership. For centers to thrive, they need carefully planned development which incorporates a wide range of uses into one space. This can include housing, but should also have a mix of cultural, retail, and leisure and entertainment facilities.

High streets also need reliable, long-term funding. Historically, much of this revenue has come from business rates. More recently, additional funding has been raised in many towns and cities through Business Improvement Districts, where businesses pay a levy — a form of additional tax — that funds projects within the boundaries of the defined district.

If retail and commercial spaces on the high street are replaced by housing, then this will seriously reduce the amount of money available to regenerate high streets. — The Conversation via Reuters

Entertainment News (02/08/21)

Tribute to Spanish actress Angela Molina

THIS February, Instituto Cervantes de Manila presents a film series in honor of Spanish actress Ángela Molina. The film cycle will be shown through the Instituto Cervantes channel on the Vimeo platform (vimeo.com/institutocervantes) and freely accessible for 48 hours from their start date and time. The film series, composed of three films that marked Molina’s career, will kick off on Feb. 13 with the screening of La sabina (which will be available for 48 hours until Feb. 15 at 3 a.m.); followed by the drama  La mitad del cielo (1986) on Feb. 20; and ending with the musical Las cosas del querer (Jaime Chávarri, 1989) on Feb. 27. The films will be in Spanish with English subtitles. Admission is free. For further information and updates on this film series, visit Instituto Cervantes’ Facebook site (www.facebook.com/InstitutoCervantesManila) or the event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/161791552193592. For fore information on Instituto Cervantes’ cultural program, visit its website (http://manila.cervantes.es) or Facebook page.

CCP holds writing event

THE CULTURAL Center of the Philippines (CCP), together with the Freelance Writers Guild of the Philippines, will hold an event on writing and mental health on Feb. 10, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., via the CCP and CCP Intertextual Division Facebook pages and Freelance Writers Guild of the Philippines Facebook page. The Write Side Up! event will be conducted online. Guest speakers and their respective topics include writers Maria Fatima Villena (Preliminary Research on Writers’ Mental Health), Dr. Ellay Nadera (The Practice of Mental Wellness especially for Writers and Artists with Q&A), Ramil Gulle (To Break Away: Writing exercises to help calm the mind), Imelda Morales (Writing as Meditation), Anna Felicia Sanchez (How to Survive through Writing and Reading), and Dr. Vim Nadera (Arterapiya). The moderators are writers Hark Herald Sarmiento and Ina Avellana Cosio. For inquiries, contact the CCP Intertextual Division via e-mail (ccpintertextualdivision@gmail.com) or mobile (0919-317-5708).

Chinese New Year, Valentine’s Day in Robinsons Malls

PHOTOGRAPH one’s happy moments at Robinsons Galleria’s Love Bear and in Robinsons Magnolia’s Giant Ox display, and upload the photo onto social media accounts for a chance to win special prizes by having the highest number of reactions. Head to Robinsons Place Manila and have photos taken at the Rose Bear and Golden Tree to usher the New Year with fun and luck. Get a chance to win items from partner stores while shopping at Robinsons Galleria on Feb. 7 to 14 (with a minimum single receipt purchase worth P3,000 from Robinsons Supermarket or Robinsons Appliances, or P2,000 from other participating stores). Dine at Robinsons Magnolia from Feb. 8 to 14 and get a chance to take home special items for a minimum single receipt purchase of P1,500 from any restaurant at the mall. Avail of free delivery of gifts with a minimum purchase of P2,000 at any store in Robinsons Place Manila from Feb. 11 to 14 through the RPersonal Shoppers Robbie and Rosie. To see the complete line-up of upcoming performances, events, and promos, visit www.robinsonsmalls.com or its Virtual Directory bit.ly/RMallsVirtualMallDirectory; or follow RobinsonMalls on Facebook; @RobinsonsMallsOfficial on Instagram; and @RobinsonsMalls on Twitter.

Welcome the Year of the Ox at Ortigas Malls

USHER in the year of the Metal Ox as the Ortigas Malls — Greenhills Mall, Tiendesitas, Estancia, and Industria — roll out a grand welcome that is festive and safe. Ortigas Malls has a host of activities on-site or and virtual, including zodiac forecasts and mall serenades. Astrologer Maritess Allen presents her forecast based on your Chinese animal zodiac sign, and shares her predictions on the year ahead for each sign at each Ortigas Mall. Whether one’s sign is one of the more auspicious ones or not, she will discuss one’s prospects on money, relations, health, and life in general.

Justin DeDios in ‘Yakap’ music video

SB19’s Justin De Dios makes a surprise cameo in the music video of Alex Bruce’s song “Yakap” which was released on Feb. 5 on YouTube. De Dios portrays Bruce’s love interest in this music video filled with surreal and romantic scenes. “Yakap” was penned by Bruce as a tribute to young love, and was conceived as a three-way collaboration featuring the 14-year-old teen star, her Australia-based dad, and music producer Cursebox. The song garnered significant attention in late October 2020 for its infectious pop sensibilities and, to quote Rappler, for its “first brushes at puppy love.” The “Yakap” music video is out now via Sony Music Philippines.

Valentine’s Day with K-drama

STAYING in for Valentine’s Day? Wine, dine, and relax with a K-drama marathon with Samsung and Viu. With every purchase of select Samsung TVs, the buyer gets a one-year free Viu Premium subscription, so they can binge watch their favorite K-entertainment content on the big screen uninterrupted and ad-free. Among the Valentine’s Day rom-com favorites on Viu are: Tale of the Nine-Tailed with Lee Dong Wook and Jo Bo Ah, a mix of fantasy, action, thriller, and romance; Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo with Lee Joon Gi and IU in a love story that goes back in time; What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim? with Park Seo Joon and Park Min Young about an love affair between a businessman and his secretary; and True Beauty with Moon Ga Young and Cha Eun Woo about an ugly duckling and her prince. The promo runs until March 31. Visit www.samsung.com/ph for more details.

Whedon drama The Nevers debuts on HBO

Created and executive produced by Joss Whedon (Buffy), HBO’s new drama series The Nevers will debut in April with six-episodes on HBO GO and HBO. Set in the last years of Victoria’s reign, the series sees London beset by the “Touched”: people — mostly women — who suddenly manifest abnormal abilities — some charming, some very disturbing. Among them are Amalia True (Laura Donnelly), a mysterious, quick-fisted widow, and Penance Adair (Ann Skelly), a brilliant young inventor. They are the champions of this new underclass, making a home for the Touched, while fighting the forces of… well, pretty much all the forces — to make room for those whom history as we know it has no place. The ensemble cast also includes Olivia Williams, James Norton, Tom Riley, Rochelle Neil, Eleanor Tomlinson, Amy Manson, Pip Torrens, Denis O’Hare, Zackary Momoh, Elizabeth Berrington, Kiran Sawar, Anna Devlin, Viola Prettejohn, Ella Smith, Nick Frost, and Ben Chaplin.

Battle against evil in upcoming Netflix series, Vincenzo

PREMIERING on Feb. 20 on Netflix is Vincenzo, a Korean drama which tells the tale of Vincenzo Cassano (Song Joong-ki) who works as a lawyer to an Italian mafia. He ends up going to Korea and utilizes villainous tactics to take down villains. An anti-hero, his motto is “Only evil can punish evil.” The series also stars Yoo Jae-myung and Jeon Yeo-been. Vincenzo premieres on Feb. 20 at 10 p.m. with new episodes every Saturday and Sunday, on Netflix.

Rom-com series Owe My Love premieres Feb. 15

THEY say money can’t buy love but could romance possibly grow from a business deal? A sizable debt, a no-nonsense contract and a seemingly harmless white lie — these are the seeds of an unusual love story of two strangers from divergent worlds in the latest romantic-comedy series from GMA Public Affairs. Headlined by Lovi Poe and Benjamin Alves, Owe My Love follows the story of Pacencia (Poe) and Dr. Miguel (Alves) whose lives intertwine in a world of debt, near-death, and dogged dedication to family. Owe My Love is directed by Rember Gelera and Ray Gibraltar, and penned by head writer Volta Delos Santos, based on the original concept from Joseph Conrad Rubio. Owe My Love will air weeknights at 9:35 p.m., beginning Feb. 15 on GMA Telebabad.

Jollibee releases new Kwentong Jollibee series

FOR its fifth year, Jollibee’s short film anthology is all about finding strength in love in the three videos inspired by love stories in the time of the pandemic. The first video, LDR, directed by Antoinette Jadaone, premiered on Feb. 4. It follows the story of a couple separated by the lockdown who tries to make their relationship work despite the distance. The second video, First Date, directed by Pepe Diokno, premiered on Feb. 8. It tells the story of a woman forced to live on her own during lockdown and spends the time focusing on herself and finding love in the process. The third video, Hero, is directed by Ianco dela Cruz (who previously directed the Kwentong Jollibee Vow and Choice videos). It is about how one’s love can help a person get through difficult moments, and even make them stronger than they thought they could be. Hero premieres on Feb. 12. The three videos can be viewed on the Jollibee Studios YouTube channel and Facebook page.

Hello Stranger: The Movie goes on international

ABS-CBN’s Filipino Boys Love TV series Hello Stranger, featuring Tony Labrusca and JC Alcantara, is now a movie which will be seen worldwide via iWantTFC, TFC IPTV Pay-Per-View, and KTX.ph starting Feb. 12. Just in time for the love month, Hello Stranger: The Movie, which is the first boys love movie Valentine offering of ABS-CBN Films and Black Sheep, celebrates the love for family, friends, a stranger, and individuality. In the film, two young men join a writing camp, where they get to know each other more. But with their friends and other people around them twist and turn them in different directions, will they be strangers no more or strangers again? A few days before the movie’s launch, the characters and actors will be introduced in the upcoming Hello Stranger, Hello World: The Hello Stranger Movie Global Mediacon on Feb. 9, 11 a.m. (Manila time). Joining the discussion are actors JC Alcantara, Tony Labrusca, Vivoree, Jae Miranda, and Gillian Vicencio, the film’s director Dwein Baltazar, and the writers Patrick Valencia and Daniel Saniana. This will be live streamed via the Facebook pages of TFC The Filipino Channel, TFC US, TFC Asia, TFC Australia New Zealand and the Pacific, TFC Middle East, TFC Europe, iWantTFC, Black Sheep, MYX Global, ABS-CBN Network, Cinema One, Cinema One Originals, and Rise Artist Studio. Hello Stranger: The Movie is produced by ABS-CBN Films’ Black Sheep and distributed by Cinexpress. It will be shown worldwide via iWantTFC, TFC IPTV Pay-Per-View, and KTX.ph starting Feb. 12 for $3.99. There is an Early Bird promo until Feb. 11 (Manila time) where the ticket costs $2.99. For more details about the film, visit iwantfc.com, ktx.ph, mytfc.com, or TFC’s official Facebook pages.

Elha Nympha releases single, ‘Do It’

Elha Nympha is all grown up on “Do It,” her comeback single under MCA Music Inc. Now exploring a more sophisticated take on R&B, pop, and neo-soul, the former champion of The Voice Kids Season 2 reasserts confidence and sass in delivering a romantic confession that appeals beyond her particular demographic. “Do It” has earned comparisons with the likes of SZA, Jhené Aiko, and H.E.R., embracing the fundamental agency of womanhood and young love in all its messiness and glory. Elha Nympha’s “Do It” is now out on all digital platforms worldwide via MCA Music Inc.

Web drama promotes UNESCO World Heritage site

A WEB drama titled 300-Year-Old Class of 2020, which the Korean heritage agency has produced to promote Seowon, the Neo-Confucian academies in Korea, a UNESCO World Heritage property, was released on CHA’s YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/chluvu, the drama’s website http://koreaseowon.com, Naver TV and Kakao TV last December. The series, consisting of six episodes of 10 minutes each, is a fantasy comic web drama that tells the story of three students who were studying in Seowon during the Joseon period and who accidently time travel and arrive at Seowon in 2020. It was filmed and set in nine of the Seowon of the UNESCO World Heritage property (Sosu-seowon, Namgye-seowon, Oksan-seowon, Dosan-seowon, Piram-seowon, Dodong-seowon, Byeongsan-seowon, Museong-seowon and Donam-seowon. It has English, Chinese and other foreign language subtitles.

ePLDT, Microsoft partner for PWD hiring, closing PHL digital skills gap

INFORMATION technology service management company ePLDT, Inc. on Monday said it is now an “employer-partner” of Microsoft Corp. for a program that enables disability-inclusive hiring.

“The ePLDT Human Resource and Strategic Partnerships and Alliances Team is in coordination with Virtualahan, a social organization in the Philippines that enables PWDs (persons with disabilities) to secure gainful employment by providing them with intensive digital skills and mentorship in collaboration with Microsoft’s enabler program,” ePLDT said in an e-mailed statement.

The Microsoft Enabler Program was launched in South Korea, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand in September last year.

The program’s objective is to create a culture of inclusion at work.

Juan Victor I. Hernandez, ePLDT president and chief executive officer, said: “With ePLDT as employer-partner, we join Microsoft in its vision of and commitment to enabling and empowering persons with disabilities in the workplace, while steadfast in the belief that there are no limits with what people can achieve.”

“We aim to close the digital skills gap across the world and the Philippines to help individuals and communities find employment,” said Andres Ortola, Microsoft Philippines country general manager.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Arjay L. Balinbin

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