Why property management processes should be automated

May 4, 2021 | 12:04 am

checking-data-laptop — PRESSFOTO/FREEPIK

By Arjay L. Balinbin, Senior Reporter

THE ongoing coronavirus pandemic necessitates the adoption of smart processes for property management companies, but changing their mindset towards innovation remains a challenge, according to cloud-based property management solutions provider Inventi.

“Real estate is a very traditional industry. Innovation comes very slow to the real estate industry, so it’s all about changing the mindset of the companies to make technological innovation and integration a part of their strategy,” Inventi Business Development Manager Francis R. Henares told BusinessWorld via Zoom on April 23.

“I would say that real estate development is one of the slower industries to embrace change, and this has a lot to do with people and manual processes. They are more comfortable trusting people to do the job as opposed to a computer or a piece of software,” he added.

Many property management companies are very traditional, since they became successful without technological integration, the Inventi official said.

Property management is mainly about maintenance and tenant management. This means making sure the building operations run smoothly, such as elevators, water pumps and fire safety systems. It also involves providing efficient services to the building’s tenants.

Many problems arise from manual processes such as requiring guests to sign in a logbook or fill out forms before being allowed entry, as well as manual reading of meters and elevator management.

“We came in initially to try to change these ways by digitizing them. But since the start of the pandemic, it’s kind of kickstarted the need to incorporate technology even more because we now have the challenges of remote working and skeletal facilities teams. Before, property management was so manual, everyone had to coordinate in person manually every single day. But what happens if you are working from home? What happens if your teams are skeletal? What happens if the property manager is also working from home?” Mr. Henares said.

Inventi started in 2017 as a building management system. It then transitioned to a multi-branch property management system until it incorporated internet of things devices into its system.

By the end of the second quarter, Inventi’s system will have been implemented in more than a hundred buildings around the Philippines.

“Slowly, by the end of the year, we hope to go into machine learning wherein the system, based on the data it receives, makes decisions without intervention,” Mr. Henares said.

“For example, when generating a report. Usually, property managers need to generate reports every day, every week, or every month, and they are in the office manually inputting data and generating their reports to give to their supervisors. What our system can do is collect the data, automate the creation of the report, and send it every day at 8 p.m. or every week on Friday at 8 p.m. to the people who need to see it,” he explained.

The same can be done with statements of account. The reading of water and electricity meters can be automated by replacing them with smart meters that can feed the consumption data into the system, which will automatically generate a report, Mr. Henares said.

Gov’t hikes Treasury bill award to P28 billion as yields decline

May 4, 2021 | 12:04 am

THE GOVERNMENT upsized the volume of Treasury bills (T-bills) it awarded on Monday and also opened its tap facility as rates dropped ahead of the release of April inflation data.

The Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) raised P28.2 billion via the T-bills on Monday, more than the programmed P25 billion. Total tenders reached P93.9 billion or nearly four times as much as the initial offer, and higher than the P71.596 billion in demand seen during last week’s auction.

The BTr also opened its tap facility to raise P7 billion more via the one-year securities.

Broken down, the Treasury made a full P5-billion award of the 91-day debt papers it offered from P18.1 billion in bids. The three-month papers fetched an average rate of 1.306%, down by 6.3 basis points (bps) from 1.369% seen last week.

Meanwhile, it raised P11.2 billion from the 182-day T-bills, higher than the programmed P8 billion, after the tenor attracted bids worth P38.075 billion. The average yield of the six-month debt also dropped by 8.5 bps to 1.629% from 1.714% previously.

Lastly, the BTr borrowed P12 billion as planned via the 364-day instruments as total tenders hit P37.865 billion. The one-year IOUs were quoted at 1.863%, down 1.7 bps from the 1.88% in last week’s auction.

“We welcomed strong participation in today’s auction with rates declining across tenors in spite of projected elevated inflation last month,” National Treasurer Rosalia V. de Leon told reporters via Viber after the auction on Monday.

A bond trader, meanwhile, said the auction results showed the market shares the central bank’s view that inflation has already peaked or will peak soon, and is likely to slow in the second half of the year.

“At the same time, the system is too liquid given the slow economic activity due to the extended lockdown,” the trader added.

Headline inflation could have accelerated again in April to go beyond the annual target for the fourth consecutive month due to high food and transport prices, according to analysts.

A BusinessWorld poll last week of 17 analysts yielded a median estimate of 4.7% for April headline inflation, close to the upper end of the 4.2% to 5% estimate given by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) for the month. If realized, this will be faster than the 4.5% print logged in March.

Analysts attributed their expectations of faster inflation to the high cost of pork products following the expiration of the government’s price cap, coupled with elevated transport costs due to the continued increase in oil prices.

The Philippine Statistics Authority will report on Wednesday, May 5, the consumer price index data for April.

The BTr will offer on Tuesday P35 billion in reissued five-year Treasury bonds (T-bonds) with a remaining life of four years and 11 months. The bonds carry a coupon rate of 3.375%.

The Treasury plans to raise P170 billion from the local bond market this month: P100 billion via weekly offerings of T-bills and P70 billion in T-bonds to be auctioned off fortnightly.

The government is looking to borrow P3 trillion this year from domestic and external sources to help fund a budget deficit seen to hit 8.9% of gross domestic product. — Beatrice M. Laforga

Oscar-winning Moonstruck actress Olympia Dukakis, 89

May 4, 2021 | 12:03 am

OLYMPIA DUKAKIS at the 2019 Montclair Film Festival Photography by Neil Grabowsky — MONTCLAIR FILM/ EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG

NEW YORK — Olympia Dukakis, who won an Oscar for her performance as a sardonic, middle-aged mother who advises her headstrong daughter on matters of love in the 1987 romantic film comedy Moonstruck, died on Saturday at age 89.

Dukakis — a cousin of unsuccessful 1988 Democratic US presidential nominee Michael Dukakis — passed away at her New York City home on Saturday morning after months of failing health, according to her agent, Allison Levy. Her daughter, Christina Zorich, was by her side.

Ms. Dukakis, the Massachusetts-born daughter of Greek immigrants, worked for decades as a stage, TV, and film actor before rocketing to fame at age 56 playing the mother of Cher’s character in Moonstruck.

Ms. Dukakis built on that with roles in films including Look Who’s Talking (1989) and its sequels with John Travolta and Kirstie Alley, Steel Magnolias (1989) with Shirley MacLaine, Sally Field, and Julia Roberts, director Woody Allen’s Mighty Aphrodite (1995), and Mr. Holland’s Opus (1995) with Richard Dreyfuss.

Ms. Dukakis, a master of deadpan humor, also was nominated for Emmy awards for TV roles in 1991, 1998 and 1999. In the 1970s, she co-founded the Whole Theater in the New York City suburb of Montclair, New Jersey, after moving there with her husband, fellow actor Louis Zorich.

But, for many, her most indelible performance came in director Norman Jewison’s Moonstruck as Rose Castorini, a Brooklyn woman with a cheating plumber husband (Vincent Gardenia) and a widowed bookkeeper daughter, Loretta (Cher), who has an affair with her fiance’s opera-buff brother (Nicolas Cage).

Her banter with Cher was among the film’s highlights, including a scene in which Ms. Dukakis scolded her daughter during a kitchen dissection of her love life.

“Your life’s going down the toilet,” Ms. Dukakis said in her throaty voice.

At another point, she tells Cher it is good she did not love her fiance. “When you love them, they drive you crazy because they know they can.”

“Olympia Dukakis Was An Amazing, Academy Award Winning Actress,” actress and singer Cher wrote on Twitter. “… I talked to her 3Wks Ago. Rip Dear One.”

Another Oscar winner, Viola Davis, called Dukakis “the consummate actress” on Twitter. “You made all around you step up their game. A joy to work with. Rest well.”

Moonstruck, considered one of Hollywood’s great romantic comedies, won three Academy Awards, including Cher as best actress, and was nominated in three other categories, including best picture. It also was one of the highest-grossing films of 1987.

In accepting her Oscar as best supporting actress in April 1988, when her cousin was battling to become the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee, she thanked Mr. Jewison, her husband and a few others. She then raised the golden statuette over her head and shouted to the worldwide TV audience, “OK, Michael, let’s go.”

Michael Dukakis won the nomination but the Massachusetts governor lost badly in the general election to Republican Vice-President George H.W. Bush.

Like her cousin, Olympia Dukakis embraced liberal views, advocating for causes including women’s rights, gay rights and the environment.

“She had an incredible life and we were very proud of her,” Michael Dukakis told the Boston Globe on Saturday.

Olympia Dukakis was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, on June 20, 1931 and continued to act into her 80s.

Referring to becoming a movie star at an age when many actresses have a hard time finding good roles, Ms. Dukakis told the Guardian newspaper in 2012, “Who knows how that happened? Chance, fate or a bit of both. But I’m very glad I did Moonstruck. It meant that I woke up the next day and was finally able to pay the bills.”

Dukakis said she enjoyed her fame after Moonstruck.

“The fun part is that people pass me on the street and yell lines from my movies,” she told the Los Angeles Times in 1991. “For Moonstruck they say, ‘You’re life is going down the toilet.’”

Her TV appearances included playing a transgender landlady in the 1993 miniseries Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City and its 1998 and 2001 follow-ups. Ms. Dukakis reprised her role in a 2019 revival of the miniseries for Netflix.

Other films included Cloudburst (2011) playing a foul-mouthed lesbian, Away from Her (2006) with Julie Christie, The Event (2003), Better Living (1998) with Roy Scheider, Never Too Late (1996) with Cloris Leachman, and Dad (1989) with Jack Lemmon and Ted Danson.

Ms. Dukakis in 1962 married Louis Zorich, with whom she had two sons and a daughter and who passed away in 2018. She also had four grandchildren. — Reuters

Axelum joins local e-commerce with online coconut store

May 4, 2021 | 12:03 am

AXELUM Resources Corp. has launched an online coconut store, marking its entry into the country’s e-commerce sector.

The listed coconut manufacturer and exporter said in a regulatory filing on Monday that its store is now in online platforms Shopee and Lazada, offering products under its Fiesta brand.

Axelum said coconut products sold in the two e-commerce platforms include its coconut milk powder, coconut cream and milk, and coconut cooking oil.

Henry J. Raperoga, Axelum president and chief operating officer, said the company is confident that the success of its overseas e-commerce business can be repeated in the Philippines.

“Given the prevailing situation, we have identified existing opportunities to capitalize on increasing consumer preferences for home-based cooking and secured contactless retail transactions,” he said.

“Customers can be assured of world-class export quality coconut products which we have been globally known for since 1986 at affordable prices,” he added.

In 2018, Axelum launched a product line-up under its Fiesta Tropicale brand with global e-commerce platform Amazon.

Recently, the company said that it was aiming to increase its market share in the US e-commerce business after receiving positive customer reviews on its products.

Meanwhile, Axelum is looking at various digital advertising platforms and customer touch points to expand market awareness this year, adding that it expects its e-commerce unit to spur long-term growth.

The company plans to create a professional marketing team to lead different marketing initiatives.

“Overall, we are excited with the future growth prospects of our local e-commerce business, which will not only support Axelum’s growth but also encourage Filipinos to enjoy their favorite dishes and sweet cravings with a healthy coconut twist,” Mr. Raperoga said.

Last year, Axelum posted a 32.1% drop in its net income to P526.41 million due to effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to its operations.

On Monday, shares of Axelum at the stock exchange fell 2.14% or seven centavos to end at P3.20 apiece. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Demand for small office spaces rises, says Eton Properties

May 4, 2021 | 12:03 am

ETON PROPERTIES is looking to address a rise in demand for small office spaces with its office and residential building, Blakes Tower, in Makati City.

Eton Properties Chief Operating Officer Karlu Tan Say said the latest property trends suggest an increasing demand for small office spaces, after demand took a hit because of the pandemic last year.

“Having a work-from-home business model for employees would mean saving office expenses like utilities, supplies, among others. Shifting to a smaller office space can cut down costs without having to cut down on manpower,” she said in a statement.

Eton Properties said it has received inquiries from companies that would like to move to smaller office spaces from their big headquarters that have been unused as they implement flexible work arrangements.

Blakes Tower, a 36-storey office and residential building within the Eton WestEnd Square complex, addresses the need for small and flexible office spaces and residential units. It has 11,000 square meters of leasable office space.

Metrobank books higher net income

May 4, 2021 | 12:03 am

METROPOLITAN Bank & Trust Co. (Metrobank) saw its net profit climb by 27.1% in the first quarter on strong non-interest income and stable asset quality, even amid the pandemic.

The bank’s net profit attributable to equity holders of the parent company was at P7.83 billion in the first quarter, up from the P6.1 billion booked in the same period in 2020, Metrobank said on Monday.

This translated to a return on average equity of 9.87%, up from 7.98% in the same period last year, while return on average assets also inched up to 1.29% from 1.01%.

The bank said the growth in its net profit was driven by the 27% climb in non-interest income at P7.9 billion against the 6.2 billion seen a year ago. Earnings from fees and other charges remained flat at P3.3 billion, income from trust fees went up by 20%, while trading and foreign exchange gains doubled to P2.9 billion.

Its net interest income, however, fell by 11.11% to P19.04 billion in the first quarter from P21.42 billion the year prior because of reduced loans.

This resulted in a lower net interest margin on average earning assets of 3.52% last quarter from 4.06% in the same period in 2020.

Metrobank’s loans and receivables stood at P1.158 trillion last quarter, down 7.58% from P1.253 trillion in the same period last year, due to muted demand for credit amid the pandemic.

Despite the decline in its credit portfolio, its non-performing loan ratio went up to 2.4% from 1.4% a year ago. The lender said it maintained a 166% bad loan cover as of March, up from 163% in December. It set aside P2.509 billion in loan loss provisions, down by 50% from P5.04 billion a year ago.

Meanwhile, Metrobank’s operating expenses inched up by 1.4% year on year to P14.7 billion, which caused its cost-to-income ratio to increase to 54.6% from 52.71% previously.

On the funding side, the bank’s total deposits stood at P1.74 trillion at end-March, slipping by 3.33% from the P1.8 trillion seen a year ago.

The decline was tempered by the 16% growth in its current account and savings account (CASA) deposits to P1.3 trillion. Metrobank said this allowed them to “reduce high-cost time deposits, which partly mitigated the drop in asset yields arising from the rate cuts in the past year.”

Metrobank’s capital adequacy ratio was at 19.9% as of March versus the 17.55% a year ago, while its common equity Tier 1 ratio also went up to 19.02% from 16.29%.

“This ensures that Metrobank will sustain its business resilience, and we remain confident that the bank is ready to take on opportunities as the economy recovers. We are in a strong position to withstand a resurgence in asset quality risks and we remain vigilant even as we all continue to battle the pandemic,” Metrobank President Fabian S. Dee was quoted as saying.

The bank recorded P2.37 trillion in assets as of end-March.

Shares in Metrobank went up by 2.27% or P1 to close at P45 apiece on Monday. — Beatrice M. Laforga

2021 Korean Film Festival goes online this month

May 4, 2021 | 12:02 am

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MAY is Family Month in Korea, and to celebrate this the Korean Cultural Center (KCC) in the Philippines will bring back the Korean Film Festival — this time online because of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) restrictions.

The 2021 Korean Film Festival: Full House, Fun for All will be held from May 7 to 27, and will feature seven films from a diverse set of genres for free.

The festival’s three sub-genres are Action (May 7-13), Comedy (May 14-20), and Family Drama (May 21-27) have been specially picked to cater to the varying preferences of every family member. The films will be shown on phil.korean-culture.org.

Under the Action genre, there’s the 2019 film Exit starring Jo Jung-suk and Girls Generation’s Im Yoon-ah, and the 2019 film Extreme Job starring Ryu Seung-ryong, Lee Hanne, Jin Seon-kyu, Lee Dong-hwi, and Gong Myung. The comedy category has the 2016 film My Annoying Brother featuring Jo Jung-suk, EXO’s Do Kyung-soo, and Park Shin-hye, as well as the 2019 film Miss and Mrs. Cops starring Ra Mi-ran and Lee Sung-kyung. The family dramas in the film fest are 2019’s Kim Jiyoung, Born in 1982 starring Jung Yu-mi and Gong Yoo; 2018’s Keys to the Heart featuring Lee Byung-hun, Park Jung-min, and 2021 Oscars’ Best Supporting Actress winner, Youn Yuh-jung; as well as the 2018 drama The Soul-Mate, starring Ma Dong-seok and Kim Young-kwang.

Apart from showcasing these films, KCC has also prepared other activities: the 2021 KFF Online Film Reaction Essay Contest and the KFF Survey. Participants need to either write their thoughts about the films or answering a few questions in the survey. Full mechanics of the contests can be found on KCC’s official SNS. Prizes are in store for the participants.

Organized by the Korean Cultural Center and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Philippines, 2021 Korean Film Festival: Full House, Fun for All, is done in partnership with the Korea Film Council, the Film Development Council of the Philippines, the Korea Tourism Organization, Viva International Pictures, APOP, and SMART.

Follow Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KoreanCulturalCenterPH/ and @kccphil on Instagram and Twitter for more updates.

Hospitality industry turns to digitalization

May 4, 2021 | 12:02 am

THE hospitality industry has turned to digitalization to help stay afloat a year into the coronavirus pandemic.

“Digitalization now plays a primary role for day to day hotel operations. This is actually more useful and relevant in providing contactless service to our customers and guests, and even our employees,” Miguel Capistrano III, RedDoorz country manager for the Philippines during a forum on April 29.

Aside from following health and safety protocols, RedDoorz, launched operations in the country in July 2018, refocused on assisting their partner hotels in securing accreditations, including its sanitation and hygiene certification program called HygienePass.

RedDoorz also provided extensive technology systems to optimize pricing and drive revenue and occupancy based on demand.

“HygienePass is an innovation of RedDoorz. It is an initiative that really hopes to increase consumer confidence among our prospective travelers,” said Dr. Renzo Guinto, a HygienePass consultant.

Since July 2020, there are 150 HygienePass certified hotels nationwide. — M.A.P.Soliman

Figaro taps PLDT Enterprise for faster communications, data transmittal

May 4, 2021 | 12:02 am

PLDT Enterprise announced on Monday its partnership with Figaro Group, aimed at speeding up and further securing the food group’s communications and data transmittal processes.

PLDT Enterprise, the PLDT group’s corporate business unit, said in a statement that it is providing “additional digital services that will augment the connectivity and communication requirements of Figaro’s branches nationwide.”

“Figaro Coffee Systems signed up for PLDT Enterprise’s ISDN PRI Services, with a total of 60 Channels, to complement their already existing Trunk line service in all branches,” PLDT Enterprise added.

There is an increase in demand for online food deliveries due to the ongoing pandemic crisis.

Mike Barret, Figaro Group’s chief operating officer, said: “Despite these very challenging times, the food business climate has remained very competitive, particularly for the Figaro Group, and connectivity with our end customers and B2B (business-to-business) clients is key to staying successful.”

According to its website, Figaro Group is a diversified food conglomerate composed of Figaro Coffee, Angel’s Pizza and Tien Ma’s Taiwanese Cuisine.

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

Approved foreign loans climb to $2.84 billion in the first quarter

May 4, 2021 | 12:02 am

THE BANGKO SENTRAL ng Pilipinas (BSP) approved $2.84 billion in foreign loans last quarter to support the government’s pandemic response.

The amount of approved loans was 19.36% bigger than the $2.38 billion the Monetary Board okayed in the first quarter of 2020, the central bank said in a press release on Monday.

Around $1.44 billion of the total were six project loans, $600 million was one program loan, and the remaining $798 million were for the two global bond issuances conducted by the government recently.

The government raised €2.1 billion (P122.4 billion) from a triple-tranche offering of euro-denominated bonds last month, selling €650 million (P38 billion) worth of four-year bonds, €650 million (P47 billion) in 12-year notes, and €800 million in 20-year debt papers.

This was its second global bond issuance for the year following the yen-denominated or “Samurai” bond sale conducted in March, from which it raised ¥55 billion (P24.2 billion) in three-year papers.

The BSP said it authorized the government to incur more foreign debt to boost its pandemic response, especially for its mass vaccination program ($900 million), to refinance other obligations and support this year’s budget ($798 million), and fund disaster resilience programs ($600 million).

The loans will also support the government’s social protection programs ($300 million), help it improve the transport sector ($138 million), and provide for maritime safety ($105 million).

The government obtained three loans from its multilateral partners in late March for its vaccination program, broken down into $500 million from the World Bank, $400 million from the Asian Development Bank, and $300 million from Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

The Constitution mandates the BSP Monetary Board to approve all of the foreign loans contracted or guaranteed by the government.

Last year, the BSP approved $17.7 billion in state foreign loans.

The country’s external debt stock grew 18% to $98.49 billion at end-2020 from $83.618 billion at end-2019, latest BSP data showed.

Meanwhile, latest data from the Treasury showed the government’s gross external borrowings reached P79.45 billion in the first quarter, or only half of the P146.686 billion borrowed in the same period in 2020.

The government is looking to raise P3 trillion this year from domestic and external lenders to help fund its budget deficit seen to hit 8.9% of gross domestic product. — B.M. Laforga

Entertainment News (05/04/21)

May 4, 2021 | 12:01 am

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Insight Music releases sleep-inducing album

RECORD label Insight Music seeks to help insomnia-afflicted Filipinos fall into restful slumber by releasing The Perfect Sleep, a groundbreaking album that effectively induces sleep. Presented by all-natural sleep supplement DreamWell and composed by music arranger Ian Joseph Tan, The Perfect Sleep is an hour-long instrumental album that promotes deep and relaxing sleep. It is now available on various streaming platforms including Youtube, Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, and iTunes. A 2019 study by Sleep Cycle disclosed that the Philippines ranks 4^th in the world in sleeplessness, with Filipinos averaging just six and a half hours of sleep — significantly lower than the recommended amount of seven to nine hours per day. A study published by the St. Luke’s Medical Center claims that over 10 million adult Filipinos suffer from insomnia — putting them at risk for cardiovascular issues, cancer, depression, diabetes, as well as other afflictions. The Perfect Sleep by DreamWell is designed specifically for listening on those nights when stress, anxiety, or plain restlessness tend to keep people awake — the album is meant to lull them to deep and restful slumber when they need it most.

Spotify launches EQUAL Music Program in PHL

LAST month Spotify unveiled its EQUAL hub in celebration of International Women’s Day. On the heels of this launch, its new EQUAL Music Program debuted on April 30, with Filipina actress and singer Nadine Lustre as the first EQUAL Artist of the Month, featured on the cover of the Philippines EQUAL playlist. According to the USC Annenberg study funded by Spotify on representation of women in the music industry, only one in five artists in the charts are women. Yet the influence of women artists has been integral to Spotify and the music industry at large. To begin to upend this disparity, Spotify will amplify the work of women creators by extending its resources and generating more opportunities for these artists, by creating a global, cohesive, branded experience with the EQUAL Global Music Program. As the first EQUAL Artist of the Month for the Philippines, Ms. Lustre hopes to inspire women creators to continue honing their craft and using their talents to champion for equality. “I’m stoked to be part of EQUAL along with other female artists. I hope that, through our songs, we can inspire others to never stop being creative — to constantly trust themselves when tapping into their imagination — so that they feel compelled to create and share it with the world.” EQUAL local playlists will be reflected in 35 markets spanning more than 50 countries from Japan to Argentina and the Philippines to the UK. The EQUAL Global Playlist is a “best-of” flagship playlist featuring music from EQUAL artists from all around the world. One artist from each participating market will be featured on the cover of their respective local playlist as the EQUAL Artist of the Month.

Legends of Tomorrow, all seasons of Arrow premiere on Warner TV and HBO GO

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow has returned to Warner TV with its sixth season kicking off on May 3, 9 p.m. This time, the season features the familiar fun of the Legends time-travelling across historical events and encountering famous figures with an added shot of magical craziness. Meanwhile, all eight seasons of Arrow are now available for streaming exclusively on HBO GO.

Also available exclusively on HBO Go this month is Swamp Thing. Catch Warner TV in Cignal Ch. 235 and Sky Cable Ch. 34 (SD) and Ch. 197 (HD). Now you can also download these series exclusively on HBO GO.

Google Search brings anime characters to life through 3D and AR

IT is now possible to access anime characters in 3D and augmented reality (AR) using Google Search on mobile devices. These characters are: Hello Kitty, Pompompurin, Little Twin Stars, Ultraman, Gomora, Ultraman Zero, Ultraman Belial, Pac-Man, Taiko no Tatsujin, Evangelion, Gundam Penelope, Gundam Odysseus, Xi Gundam, and Cogimyun. “Filipinos are one of the biggest fans of anime and Japanese pop culture in the world. Tagalized anime series used to dominate on free-to-air TV, becoming a significant part of many Filipinos’ childhood. Now in the digital era, we want to use Google Search to bring anime fans closer to their beloved characters and bring back their fondest memories with them. During difficult times, we hope that simple joys like this can also provide comfort in one way or another,” said Mervin Wenke, Head of Communications and Public Affairs for Google Philippines. Globally in the last five years, the Philippines has been the number one country with most Google searches for Hello Kitty, number eight for Little Twin Stars, and number nine for Gundam. To access and share the anime character, search for one of the characters on Google using a mobile device and tap “View in 3D” to rotate or zoom in and see it up close. It is also possible to bring the characters from outer space into live space with AR and turn up the volume to hear Hello Kitty deliver a message or Pac-Man’s retro sound effects. For Android devices, search for “Hello Kitty” or one of the 14 characters on the Google app or any Android browser and tap “View in 3D.” The 3D content can be seen on devices with Android 7 Plus while AR content can be accessed on ARCore-enabled devices. For iOS devices, search for “Hello Kitty” or one of the 14 characters on the Google app. The 3D and AR characters are available on iOS 11.0+ devices. One can also take a photo or video of the AR characters using the camera or recording button.

HBO GO and HBO mark National Mental Health Month

CELEBRATE National Mental Health Month this May with programs and movies on HBO GO and HBO that take viewers on an emotional yet relatable rollercoaster ride. Begin the journey with the HBO Max Original Film, Let Them All Talk, starring Meryl Streep, Candice Bergen, and Dianne Wiest, which adopts a more personal look at the childhood friendships of novelist Alice Hughes and her two oldest friends while they are on a long voyage. Let Them All Talk will premiere on May 22, 9 p.m., exclusively on HBO GO and HBO. The HBO Original Series In Treatment returns for a fourth season on May 24, 10 p.m., exclusively on HBO GO and HBO with new episodes premiering every Monday and Tuesday at the same time. Uzo Aduba plays the observant and empathetic therapist, Dr. Brooke Taylor, who works with a diverse trio of patients who need her help to navigate a variety of modern concerns such as the global pandemic and major social and cultural shifts. Meanwhile, Brooke has her own complications to deal with in her own personal life. Another series is The Outpost, which features the harsh reality of soldiers involved at the frontlines of the Battle of Kamdesh, one of the bloodiest American engagements during the Afghan war. The new mystery thriller premieres on May 8, 9 p.m., on HBO GO and HBO. It stars Scott Eastwood, Caleb Landry Jones and Orlando Bloom. On a much lighter note, Dave Bautista plays an undercover spy who is not immune to the spunky charms of a nine-year-old girl under his protection in My Spy, premiering on May 15, 9 p.m., on HBO GO and HBO. Finally, experience the thrill and suspense as negotiators attempt to finalize the 1993 Oslo Peace Accords in the HBO original film, Oslo, premiering on May 30, 8 a.m., on HBO GO and HBO. Based on a true story, this HBO Original Film chronicles the story of negotiations between implacable enemies, from the secret back-channel talks to the unlikely friendships and quiet heroics of a small but committed group of Israelis, Palestinians, and one Norwegian couple that led to the 1993 Oslo Peace Accords. It stars Ruth Wilson and Andrew Scott.

Boris Brejcha releases new track ‘House Music’

GERMAN DJ and producer Boris Brejcha is back with new track “House Music” featuring UK-based, indie pop trio Arctic Lake, out now via Ultra Records. Coming off of his last release, “Spicy,” Mr. Brejcha presents “House Music.” Featuring soft, high-pitched vocals and a steady background beat, this track is perfect for freestyle dancing. An official video was also released containing clips sent in by Mr. Brejcha’s fans of them dancing to the new track. In order to get these fan submissions, Mr. Brejcha held a month-long Instagram challenge and called for some special dance moves to be featured in the video. Released in April, “Spicy,” featuring long-term collaborator Ginger, marked the first release from Brejcha’s forthcoming album in November. A melodic techno track, “Spicy” combines driving snares, delicate piano chords and Ginger’s fleeting vocals.

Ohmyhome overhauls main website pages

May 4, 2021 | 12:01 am

PROPERTY SOLUTIONS platform Ohmyhome revamped two of its main website pages and upgraded its features, to make it easier for visitors to search for properties.

In a statement, Ohmyhome said it upgraded the aesthetic and features of its home page and the properties page. Both pages have a search bar, which gives buyers an option to search by project name, area, or developer. It also shows initial options of areas or developers that users can quickly check out.

The Home Page also has a new section that organizes all the real estate projects available on the platform. Users can click on the real estate developer to view projects in locations all over the country.

Ohmyhome currently carries listings of projects from Avida Land, SM Development Corporation, Suntrust, Honeycomb Builders, as well as Vista Bluechips Marketing brands: Vista Residences, Crown Asia, CoHo, Brittany, Lumina, Camella, and Lessandra.

On the new Properties Page, users can search under the following categories: “Explore by Area,” “Ready for Occupancy,” “Preselling,” “Below P5 Million,” “Below P10 Million,” “Prime Properties,” “Made for Families,” and “For the Professionals.”