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Legal gender equality slips in the Philippines

The World Bank noted the Philippines is one of the countries, along with Montenegro and Pakistan, who created online platforms for women needing help. — PHILIPPINE STAR/MICHAEL VARCAS

LEGAL GENDER EQUALITY in the Philippines regressed as no new reforms were implemented since late 2019, a World Bank study showed.

The World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law (WBL) 2021 report, which identifies the laws and regulations restricting economic opportunity for women across 190 economies, showed the Philippines’ score stood at 78.8 out of 100. This was lower than its 81.3 score in the previous year’s report.

Despite the dip, the Philippines’ latest score remained higher compared with the global average WBL score of 76.1 and East Asia and the Pacific region’s average score of 71.9.

The World Bank study used eight indicators to compute the WBL overall score, namely: mobility, workplace, pay, marriage, parenthood, entrepreneurship, assets and pension.

The report used data collected between Sept. 2, 2019 to Oct. 1, 2020, and showed the countries’ unweighted average of all eight indicator scores on a scale of 0-100, with 100 being the highest.

The Philippines scored 60 out of 100 in marriage, parenthood and assets; 75 in mobility and pension; and 100 in workplace, pay and entrepreneurship.

However, the Philippines did not adopt new policy reforms or made significant changes to existing ones during the period, according to the World Bank.

The World Bank noted the Philippines is one of the countries, along with Montenegro and Pakistan, who created online platforms for women needing help, especially related to gender-based violence.

“Diverse responses to domestic violence such as these are fundamental, but prevention measures, which are equally essential, are largely absent. Governments still have room to enact measures and policies aimed at addressing the roots of this epidemic of violence,” the World Bank said.

Of the 190 economies tracked, only 27 nations recorded policy changes during the period.

Among East Asian economies, Taiwan (91.3), Hong Kong (89.4) and Laos (88.1) had the highest WBL scores.

The Philippines also lagged behind South Korea (85), Timor-Leste (83.1), Mongolia (82.5), Japan (81.9) and Vietnam (81.9).

Across the globe, the World Bank noted progress in adopting policy reforms towards gender equality slowed down in 2020, compared with previous years.

“Still, many laws continue to inhibit women’s ability to enter the workforce or start a business. On average, women have just three-quarters of the rights of men. New measures may also be necessary to safeguard their economic opportunities during this time of crisis,” it said.

Higher-income economies still led the overall improvement in gender equality with an average score of 85.9. Only 90 nations saw their higher scores in this year’s index.

“Progress in the rest of the world was slower during 2020, with other regions recording fewer reforms than in previous years,” it said.

The World Bank also said the lasting social and economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic would affect men and women disproportionately, with the women appearing to suffer more.

“Because they make up the majority of health, social service, and unpaid care workers, women are uniquely susceptible to the effects of the pandemic. In addition, women continue to earn less than men for the same work, as well as face a higher risk of violence in their homes,” it said.

The report is the seventh edition since the bank started releasing its Women, Business and the Law series in 2009. — Beatrice M. Laforga

How does the Philippines stack up with its neighbors in terms of legal gender equality?

House open to ‘safe harbor’ provision in Bank Secrecy Law amendments

By Luz Wendy T. Noble, Reporter

THE HOUSE of Representatives is open to the banking industry’s request for a “safe harbor” clause in the proposed amendments to the Bank Secrecy Law.

Quirino Rep. Junie E. Cua, chair of the House Committee on Banks and Financial Intermediaries, said the request by the Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP) is “well taken,” noting the provision could be included in the bill to ease concerns of the industry.

“Those things will further be clarified in the IRR (implementing rules and regulations). The first safeguard in the bill is that it provides for a thorough study from the Monetary Board, before it approves (the request to open an account),” Mr. Cua told BusinessWorld in a phone interview.

He added the banking industry will also be part of crafting the IRR to ensure their concerns are addressed.

Mr. Cua authored House Bill 8634 that seeks to expand the central bank’s supervisory powers to examine deposits, provided the Monetary Board finds “reasonable ground” of a deposit’s link to a fraud, serious irregularity or other unlawful activities.

Under the bill, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ supervisory powers is extended to foreign currency deposits in banks with Philippine operations as well as foreign units of local lenders.

Results of the examination will only be available to the BSP, the Securities and Exchange Commission, Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp., the Anti-Money Laundering Council, the Department of Justice and the courts.

BAP President Cezar P. Consing supported amendments to the Bank Secrecy Law, saying it will make the Philippines less prone to “dirty money” flows. However, he said there should be a provision that will protect banks from possible civil liability in relation to deposits examined by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

“Now, when banks open up an account [within the mandates of the bill], what banks want to make sure is that they are not subject to frivolous suits or to other things like that,” Mr. Consing said in a One News interview on Tuesday.

“[I]f the central bank comes to us and says open up that bank account because we think something is happening there…let’s make sure that by complying with one law, we are not breaking another law. That’s why we are asking for protection,” he added.

Republic Act No. 1405, the country’s governing Bank Secrecy Law, was passed in 1955 with a primary aim to “deter private hoarding, boost the economy, and enhance state protection of privacy rights,” Mr. Cua said in the bill’s explanatory note, noting the financial sector landscape has evolved since then to allow transactions to become more complex and funds to flow faster.

“There are depositors who hide behind the cloak of deposit secrecy to perpetuate their ingenious ways of defrauding counterparties, regulators or the government,” Mr. Cua said.

Banks are also mandated to protect their clients’ information in observance of the Republic Act No. 10173 or Data Privacy Act of 2012.

Mr. Cua said the bill will fast-track the process of running after culprits or flows that are involved in unlawful transactions. Currently, the law only allows a deposit account to be opened by authorities once court approval is secured.

“Kasi siyempre sa korte, may appeal process ’yung mga ’yan, so hindi ganoon kabilis ’yun, matagal-tagal talaga ’yun. Baka by the time na nabuksan ’yung account wala ng laman (In a court, there is an appeal process which could take a long process. By the time an account is approved to be opened up, it is possible the funds are not there anymore), he explained.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in November last year that the country’s Bank Secrecy Law should be updated since it is preventing the BSP from effectively supervising the industry. The IMF said the BSP should be granted “unimpaired access to information on all customer accounts” for prudential purposes.

Gov’t eyes insurance subsidy for hog raisers

THE GOVERNMENT is considering giving an insurance subsidy for commercial hog raisers, who have been affected by the prolonged outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) in the country.

In a briefing on Tuesday, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei B. Nograles said they are studying giving a 50% insurance subsidy to hog raisers in an effort to boost production and increase supply.

He said the proposed subsidy will be sourced from the Quick Response Fund (QRF) of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

“This is just one initiative being considered to help our hog farmers increase supplies,” Mr. Nograles said.

Commercial hog raisers have been struggling as the ASF outbreak reduced the supply of hogs, which in turn pushed pork prices higher.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte early this month signed an executive order imposing price caps on selected pork and poultry products in Metro Manila for 60 days, on the DA’s recommendation.

However, many traders and vendors have decided to go on a “pork holiday,” closing their stalls in protest of the price caps.

“Ikatlong linggo pa lang ng implementation ng price cap, marami na ang nagsasarang tindahan at ang kababayan natin na nawawalan ng kita (This is the third week of the implementation of the price cap, and many stalls have closed and many have lost their income). Clearly, imposing these price ceilings has only worsened our food crisis,” Senator Risa N. Hontiveros-Baraquel said in a statement.

She said the DA should consider more feasible approaches to lower food prices, such as expanding the number of hog raisers and suppliers covered by the insurance program of the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC).

Senator Francis N. Pangilinan last week called for adequate government support after the DA reported that backyard and farm hog raisers lost P56 billion due to the ASF.

Hog raisers from the southern Philippine island of Mindanao have been shipping live hogs and frozen meat to the capital to tame soaring meat prices. — K.A.T. Atienza

PSALM plans to cut debt by P25 billion this year

THE POWER SECTOR Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) is aiming to further bring down its debt by 6.45% this year, the Finance department said.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Finance department quoted PSALM President Irene Joy Besido-Garcia as saying the state-run firm plans to cut its P381.72-billion outstanding debt at the end of 2020 by P24.63 billion.

PSALM reduced its debt stock by P40.3 billion last year, breaching the target of P10.18 billion. At the start of the year, its total obligations stood at P422.01 billion.

Ms. Besido-Garcia said the company is also planning to prepay P19 billion of its existing obligations with the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr).

To boost revenues, PSALM plans to collect P10.33 billion in power sales by year’s end, although this is 20% lower than the P12.89 billion collected in 2020.

PSALM also aims to collect P359 million from overdue or delinquent accounts by end-2021. Last year, it collected P2.61 billion.

The state-run company set a 98% collection goal for the universal charge (UC) after attaining the same rate in 2020. It also aims to have a 100% disbursement rate for the UC for missionary electrification and renewable energy (RE) development.

Ms. Besido-Garcia said P948.93 million worth of real estate and power assets of the PSALM are scheduled to be sold this year, including the Malaya Thermal Power Plant (MTTP) in Pililla, Rizal.

It disposed of P51.65 million worth of real property assets last year and collected deferred privatization proceeds worth P38.66 billion.

Ms. Besido-Garcia was quoted as saying that their average interest rate on borrowings has also been reduced to 4.17% by end-2020, from an average of 5.07% the year before. PSALM also increased the share of its domestic loans in its debt mix to 33.55% to minimize risks from foreign exchange fluctuations.

It remitted P92.24 million of dividends to the BTr last year to boost the government’s war chest against the coronavirus pandemic.

PSALM is a state-owned corporation created by law to manage the outstanding debt of National Power Corp. capital lease payments to independent power producer administrators, and other financial obligations of electric cooperatives to the National Electrification Administration and other government agencies.

It aims to privatize the power generation assets built during the crippling energy crisis in the 1990s. — Beatrice M. Laforga

Yamaha allots nearly P3 billion for manufacturing expansion

YAMAHA MOTOR Philippines, Inc. has launched a P2.7-billion factory expansion at the Lima Technology Center in Batangas to increase its Philippine manufacturing operations.

The Japanese motorcycle manufacturer noted an increase in demand for its automatic models as fewer people used public transportation during the lockdown, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) said in a press release on Tuesday.

Yamaha Philippines President Hiroshi Koike was quoted as saying: “Generating a huge number of products will result to creation of more jobs — roughly about 1,500 employees for old factory and additional recruitment of 1,300 workforce for this newly-built factory.”

Registered with PEZA since 2007, Yamaha announced the expansion project in 2019.

“PEZA welcomes YAMAHA’s Expansion Project, especially during this time that we are reeling from the uncertainties at hand,” PEZA Director General Charito B. Plaza said.

Overall motorcycle sales in the country decreased during the lockdown last year.

The Motorcycle Development Program Participants Association (MDPPA) said that despite busy motorcycle-based delivery services during the lockdown, product sales fell 33.3% to 941,260 units in the first 10 months last year compared to the same period in 2019. The organization represents motorcycle brands in the Philippines: Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha.

“While almost a million-unit sales is already a victory in itself, given the present state of the economy, it is by no means an indication of growth as some would speculate,” the group said in December.

“It does, however, suggest that even as the motorcycle industry suffered under the current business climate, it is coping as well as can be expected.”

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) plans to issue an order against installment-only payment schemes for vehicles, including motorcycles. Consumers must have the choice to pay either the full amount in cash to avoid interest or by installment, DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said in a recent Senate hearing. — Jenina P. Ibañez

Coca-Cola to invest P3 billion to boost production in Luzon

By Jenina P. Ibañez, Reporter

THE Coca-Cola Company plans to invest an initial $63 million (around P3 billion) in its Philippine operations this year to expand Luzon-based production.

Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines, Inc. (CCBPI), the local bottling partner of the beverage giant, will invest in improving production capacity in Santa Rosa and Canlubang, as well as in its logistics and returnable glass systems.

“This is our first tranche of investment into 2021, coming from over $90 million that we spent last year,” CCBPI President and Chief Executive Officer Gareth McGeown said in a press conference on Tuesday.

Last year, Coca-Cola’s investments were focused on expanding the company’s production capacity in Mindanao. Potential additional manufacturing investment in Mindanao could happen in the third or fourth quarters this year, he added.

“Assuming that the business continues to progress and do well, we will be asking for more investments to continue to build capacity and capability across our system. The majority of them do go to production capability and capacity, mainly in our manufacturing sites,” Mr. McGeown said.

Antonio V. Del Rosario, Jr., Coca-Cola Philippines president and vice-president of franchise operations for Coca-Cola East Region, said investments would go into the company’s brands as well.

“When you look into 2021, we are gonna grow the investments around our brands well ahead — double digit versus the prior year — in the belief that you invest now, you will come out and emerge stronger,” he said.

The company last year reported lower sales as it lost demand from restaurant clients. But Mr. McGeown said that the company was able to “weather the storms” better than many other fast-moving consumer goods because of its scale.

Coca-Cola Philippines, Mr. Del Rosario said, performed slightly better than overall global sales, which he attributes to the distribution system.

“We have a very, very strong network of retailers that are close to (customers’) homes, particularly the sari-sari stores,” he said.

The local firm is targeting sales that mirror pre-pandemic levels this year.

“Our peg is to make sure that in 2021, we are back to kind of pre-COVID levels, looking at 2019, and that will obviously show that we would be growing. It is a difficult target, but one that we believe we’re gonna be able to do,” Mr. Del Rosario said.

DITO available in Mindanao, Visayas starting March 8

DITO Telecommunity Corp. is set to start commercial operations in 17 cities and municipalities in Mindanao and the Visayas on March 8.

Adel A. Tamano, DITO’s chief administrative officer, said at an online briefing on Tuesday that the telco startup’s commercial rollout will be done in phases.

The third telco player will start offering its services in 17 cities and municipalities in Mindanao and the Visayas, he added.

Mr. Tamano expects DITO services to be available nationwide by June.

According to its officials, DITO recently signed interconnection agreements with PLDT, Inc. and Globe Telecom, Inc.

In an e-mailed statement, PLDT said it would establish and manage the interconnection facility.

“The interconnection hub will deliver the intercarrier requirements of DITO, which will benefit all fixed and wireless subscribers of PLDT and DITO by enabling them to communicate and connect to all the services needed,” PLDT said.

The new telco’s mobile number prefixes are: 0991, 0992, 0993, 0994, 0895, 0896, 0897, and 0898.

The National Telecommunications Commission announced on Monday that DITO was compliant with its commitments to cover 37.03% of the country’s population and provide a minimum average broadband speed of 27 megabits per second (Mbps) in its first year of service.

Independent auditor R.G. Manabat & Co. said in its report that DITO’s national population coverage reached 37.48%, while its minimum average broadband speeds delivered reached 85.9 Mbps and 507.5 Mbps for all 4G and 5G sites, respectively.

DITO Chief Technology Officer Rodolfo D. Santiago said at the briefing that speeds may differ from the audit results when the telco starts getting subscribers.

“We don’t want to overpromise that we’ll give more,” Mr. Tamano said. “We want to maintain the minimum average speed of 27 Mbps once we operate.”

The telco has a commitment to achieve 55 Mbps and 85% coverage during its second to fifth year of commercial operations.

The company is confident that it will pass the second technical audit in July, according to Mr. Santiago.

DITO spent P150 billion last year, and it aims to spend P26 billion more this year.

Asked about DITO’s marketing strategy, Mr. Tamano said the company will not be spending “millions” to get endorsers.

“We’d rather spend our money on towers than on K-Pop stars,” he said.

Both Globe and PLDT have hired Korean celebrities as their brand ambassadors.

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

Vivant to invest P433.8 million in Zubiri’s power firms

CEBU-BASED Vivant Corp. announced on Tuesday that it would be infusing around P433.83 million in equity shares in Senator Juan Miguel F. Zubiri’s two power firms in Mindanao, as the listed firm plans to continue its expansion in the region.

In a regulatory filing, Vivant said its subsidiaries Vivant Energy Corp. and Amberdust Holding Corp. is set to acquire 90% of the outstanding shares from shareholders of the Bukidnon Power Corp. and North Bukidnon Power Corp. The shareholders agreement was inked last Friday, it said.

Vivant said that it would be buying the shares at purchase prices of around P205.54 million and P228.28 million, respectively. It said the Bukidnon power companies were developed by Mr. Zubiri to address the intermittent power supply in Mindanao.

Vivant said the acquisition would contribute to the continued expansion of its business activities in the Mindanao region.

In a press release on Tuesday, Mr. Zubiri was quoted as saying that the acquisition and partnership with Vivant would “greatly boost the efficiency of energy production for the province and the region.”

The investment is also seen to ensure stability and reliability of the power supply in Bukidnon province, especially during peak hours, the company said.

“We are confident in the recovery and growth of the Philippine economy, and we believe that Mindanao will play a more significant role in it. That growth will require a stable and reliable power supply, which we are committed to provide,” Vivant Energy Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer Emil Andre M. Garcia said in a statement.

North Bukidnon Power, which operates a bunker-diesel power plant in Lantapan, supplies 5 megawatts (MW) of the peaking power requirement of Bukidnon Second Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Meanwhile, Bukidnon Power owns two bunker-diesel power plants that supply the energy requirements of First Bukidnon Electric Cooperative, Inc.

In the past year, Vivant’s energy unit has been partnering up with foreign firms based in Finland and Malaysia for the former’s various projects.

In June, Vivant Energy announced that it had awarded two power contracts to Malaysian firm Solarvest to install solar photovoltaic systems in Iloilo City and Bulacan.

A month later, Vivant Energy said that its unit had tapped Finnish firm Wärtsilä in providing the engineering and equipment to build a 23-megawatt power plant that would supply power to Bantayan island.

Vivant has interests in power generation, power distribution, and the retail electricity supply business. Its shares at the local bourse improved 7.41% or P1 to close at P14.50 on Tuesday. — Angelica Y. Yang

AyalaLand Logistics reports 10% income growth

AYALALAND Logistics Holdings Corp. posted a 10% profit growth last year to P702 million, the listed holding firm said on Tuesday, despite a double-digit fall in revenues.

“The performance is driven by sale of industrial lots, stable warehouse and office leasing operations, and sale of non-core assets,” the company disclosed to the exchange.

AyalaLand Logistics, a subsidiary of property developer Ayala Land, Inc., focuses on providing services in real estate logistics and facilities.

Last year, its revenues fell by 30% to P3.72 billion from P5.35 billion in the previous year. Sales of industrial lots declined by 29% to P1.28 billion from P1.81 billion previously.

The firm also recorded a 39% fall in commercial leasing revenues to P520 million in 2020 from P854 million a year earlier.

Gross commercial leasing area increased by 23% last year to 90,000 square meters from 84,000 square meters in 2019.

The company said it was able to expand the gross leasable area of its warehouses by 18%, freeing up 207,000 square meters of warehouse spaces for lease from the 175,000 square meters available in the previous year.

As a result, the company’s total revenues from warehouse leasing rose by 23% to P353 million from P287 million in 2019.

“The [coronavirus disease 2019] crisis presented both challenges and opportunities. We believe our products are well-positioned to cater to the needs of our locators, lessees, and retail merchants, present and future,” AyalaLand Logistics President and CEO Maria Rowena M. Tomeldan said.

“We remain committed to be a co-catalyst for progress, providing real estate solutions and spurring economic activity in the areas where we are present,” she added.

The company said it would continue to pursue new projects in 2021.

In January, it started the second part of its warehouse construction in Cavite Technopark in Naic, Cavite.

Shares in AyalaLand Logistics declined by 1.29% on Tuesday, finishing at P3.07 apiece. — K. C. G. Valmonte

Out of the fire: Joey de Castro — From photography to pottery

FROM pots and vases, to bowls and mugs, Joey de Castro has ideas for pottery swirling in his head. These ideas are made material, one kiln-load at a time, and as those cool down after firing, at the start of the week, he moves on to the next idea.

“I usually make the works in a little over a week, usually with one kiln-load of a particular form until that idea is fully exhausted. The following week is dedicated to firing and glazing of that batchload,” Mr. De Castro told BusinessWorld in an e-mail.

Firing a kiln load, Mr. De Castro explained, takes around 12 hours, followed by a whole day of cooling.

Prior to becoming a potter, Mr. De Castro was a professional photographer. In 2003, he expanded his artistic expression by hand-crafting pots for his house plants. What began as a search for containers for his collection of cacti and succulents resulted in Mr. De Castro setting up his own pottery kiln and workshop.

Similar to photography, he considers composition when creating a piece. “There has to be balance between the stance, neck, and footing,” he explained.

He added that he also takes advantage of texture in his surfaces. “In photography, the variables are ISO, speed, aperture, and the darkroom. It’s somehow like firing in the kiln because that’s where air and fuel are manipulated to achieve desired results, much like the darkroom,” Mr. De Castro said.

“When working with clay, especially on the wheel, a lot of movement is imprinted on it and leaves its mark permanently. It is up to the flames to leave their mark, where the glaze fuses with the clay body. I love playing with the glaze flow just like the movement of molten lava,” he added.

His works have ranged from functional platters and serving bowls to decorative sculptures. Mr. De Castro also set up Sierra Madre Gallery, the first pottery-focused gallery in Manila, which doubles as an educational center for the ceramic arts.

Mr. De Castro’s works are on view in the “Intersection” exhibition in this year’s Art in the Park Online.

Art in the Park, the popular art fair held annually in the Jaime Velasquez Park in Salcedo Village, Makati, is currently being held online for the second time due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The fair, known for selling artworks with a P50,000 price ceiling, celebrates its 15th anniversary in this virtual setting. The fair is being held via www.artinthepark.ph, with new pieces uploaded on the site daily until Feb. 28.

Mr. De Castro and fellow potters Jon and Tessy Pettyjohn are the focus of short documentaries on the Art in the Park site that highlight their work. These are part of the fair’s special collaboration with the Bank of the Philippine Islands, BPI Art Clips, which this year focuses on pottery, one of the best-selling categories of Art in the Park.

For “Intersection,” Mr. De Castro focuses on raku, teaware used in traditional Japanese tea ceremonies, which he has not explored for a long time. “I missed playing with the intense nature of this particular firing method,” he said.

“[Art in the Park] has been instrumental in promoting pottery as an artform — from veterans like the Pettyjohns to new graduates of the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts,” he noted.

Mr. De Castro said that the lockdown last year allowed him to “focus on work uninterrupted” due to less external distractions. “This was my most productive session of late. The problem, however, was that my works couldn’t be not shown in public spaces, which I really miss,” he said.

“Surprisingly, since the lockdown, most potters were able to transition successfully to the digital platform via Instagram and Facebook, [with] online payments and door to door delivery.” Mr. De Castro said of how pottery thrived during the lockdown.

Still, “This is all temporary [and I’m] looking forward to being back in Velasquez Park,” he said.

Art in the Park Online is ongoing until Feb. 28 at www.artinthepark.ph. New pieces are uploaded daily at 10 a.m. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

Crown Asia maintains pipes supply to gov’t infra projects

DESPITE the pandemic’s impact, Crown Asia Chemicals Corp. said it would continue to supply manufactured pipes to the government’s infrastructure projects.

“This is in line with the renewed drive and collaboration of the Philippine government and private sectors for robust growth and economic development in the country,” the listed producer of plastic products told the stock exchange.

The company began supplying the second phase of the North-South Railway Project, which spans Malolos in Bulacan to New Clark City in Tarlac. The project goes through Pampanga’s Clark International Airport.

The first phase of the project, covering a line from Tutuban to Malolos, is also about to begin. The railway will cover 91 kilometers once completed.

A total of 10 stations are spread throughout the stretch, namely: Tutuban, Solis, Caloocan, Valenzuela, Mecauayan, Marilao, Bocaue, Balagtas, Guiguinto, and Malolos.

Another recipient of Crown Asia’s manufactured pipes is the recently opened 18.83-kilometer Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3. The elevated expressway spans from Buendia, Makati City to the North Luzon Expressway in Balintawak, Quezon City.

The company is also providing materials for the construction of MRT-7, a project said to be 23-kilometers long. The railway line features 14 stations from Bulacan to MRT-3 in Quezon City.

“These are just some of the Crown project partnerships for economic progress, moving population, goods and services to uplift the lives of more Filipinos,” the company said.

Crown Asia shares at the stock exchange on Tuesday inched up 0.94% to finish at P2.14 apiece. — K. C. G. Valmonte

Out of the fire: The Pettyjohns — Molding beauty and function

FOR decades now, a couple of potters have been creating beautiful and distinctive works of functional — and not so functional — art in a workshop in Calamba, Laguna, where they continue to hone their skills. The artist couple, Jon and Tessy Pettyjohn, have been at the forefront of ceramic arts in the Philippines.

Jon Pettyjohn is known for his work on high-fire Asian-style ceramics. A pioneer of contemporary Philippine ceramics, he creates sculptural and functional pottery with clay, stone, and ash. Tessy Pettyjohn began her career as a potter in the late 1970s, having had shows both here and abroad. She continues to explore the use of indigenous Philippine clays, pigments, and minerals.

Mr. Pettyjohn explains that their work begins with a design or idea. It takes about a month for the design to be translated into clay and the finished item materializes out of the kiln.

“Pottery is all about anticipation because you will never see the final result until you unload the kiln,” Mr. Pettyjon said in an e-mail to BusinessWorld.

Throughout the process, a “beautiful mistake” or accident happens “all the time.”

“It’s often disappointing to see the final result but once in a while the work is blessed by the kiln fire and gives back more than we dreamed. [You] need to keep an open mind though to see that — sometimes expectations cloud the vision,” he said.

During the lockdown, Mr. Pettyjohn kept himself busy building a new kiln.

“I think this time has given me a better idea at what I’m good at [which is] important in pottery-making, because there’s just too much to master in one lifetime,” he said.

Mr. Pettyjohn said that through time, he and his wife have learned to be more gentle with criticism of each other’s work and focus on positive feedback.

“[It’s] not easy for a husband and wife to work together. I hope that after so many years we’ve learned to take advantage of each other’s strengths,” he said, noting that Ms. Pettyjohn’s process is “more intuitive.”

The two potters, as Pettyjohn Pottery, show their work in the “Heart of the Fire” exhibit in this year’s Art in the Park Online. The objects range from decorative plates, tea sets, and jars, to decorative coral sculptures.

“We have fewer pieces this year, we’ve tried to make it more of an exhibit like what we might do in a gallery. This is only our second time showing works online, [and we are] still learning,” Mr. Pettyjohn said.

Art in the Park, the popular art fair held annually in the Jaime Velasquez Park in Salcedo Village, Makati, is currently being held online for the second time because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The fair, known for selling artworks with a P50,000 price ceiling, celebrates its 15th anniversary in this virtual setting. The fair is being held via www.artinthepark.ph, with new pieces uploaded on the site daily until Feb. 28.

The Pettyjohns, along with fellow potter Joey de Castro, are the focus of short documentaries on the Art in the Park site that highlight their work. These are part of the fair’s special collaboration with the Bank of the Philippine Islands, BPI Art Clips, which this year focuses on pottery, one of the best-selling categories of Art in the Park.

Mr. Pettyjohn recalled that the very first edition of Art in the Park Online in August last year introduced them to new buyers.

“We did a lot of the Manila deliveries ourselves. It was fun ‘wazing’ around, and we got to meet some of the buyers who were very appreciative. It seems people might be looking for more functional works in the online version [of the art fair],” Mr. Pettyjohn said. “This is good. Believe it or not, it’s sometimes more difficult to sell coffee cups than sculptures.

“We hope this trend continues! Pottery needs to be seen. We also hope to get back in the real park one day soon,” he added.

Art in the Park Online is ongoing until Feb 28 at www.artinthepark.ph. New pieces are uploaded daily at 10 a.m. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

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