Facebook Instagram Linkedin Twitter Youtube
Home Blog Page 8171

Nationwide round-up

Ressa travel plea rejected

THE COURT of Appeals has rejected the plea of Maria A. Ressa, founder of news website Rappler, Inc. to travel overseas pending appeal of her conviction for cyber-libel.

The former CNN investigative journalist who is critical of the Duterte government had failed to prove the urgency and necessity of her overseas travel, the appellate court said in an Aug. 18 resolution.

“There is no basis to grant her motion,” according to a copy of the court’s seven-page order.

Ms. Ressa sought permission to go to the US so she could attend a couple of journalist events. She wanted to leave on Aug. 23 and return to the Philippines on Sept. 19.

A Manila court convicted Ms. Ressa and Rappler’s former researcher Reynaldo Santos, Jr. for cyber-libel in June.

They were sentenced to an indeterminate six months to six years in jail and were ordered to pay businessman Wilfredo D. Keng P400,000 in moral and exemplary damages.

Ms. Ressa and Mr. Santos are both out on bail.

“The bail puts the accused under the jurisdiction of the court, and it operates as a valid restriction in a person’s right to travel,” the court said. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Pooled testing to start soon

THE GOVERNMENT will soon start pooled coronavirus testing as local physicians complete their evaluation of the method, according to the Department of Health (DoH).

Other countries have allowed pooled testing for COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) to expand checks for the coronavirus and use fewer testing resources.

“We are  still finalizing the evaluation of this pooled testing because it has to go through the evaluation by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine and Philippine Society  of Pathologists,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario S. Vergeire told an online news briefing on Wednesday.

The doctors presented their initial results on Monday, she said, adding that pooled testing would start as soon as they finish the evaluation.

Ms. Vergeire said pooled testing would benefit the country as the government enforces expanded testing protocols.

In pooled testing, specimens from several people are pooled in a single polymerase chain reaction or PCR test. There is no need to test people belonging to the pool if the result is negative.

If a pooled test is positive, people whose specimens came from the pool will be tested individually.

Ms. Vergeire said there are situations where pooled testing is more effective, such as in non-hotspot areas. On the other hand, the method is ineffective in areas where there is a big number of COVID-19 patients.

She said Makati City has a pooled-testing project with Project Ark that will start as soon as the evaluation is finished. Other local governments were interested in the method, she added. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Infected cops reach 3,035

THE NUMBER of coronavirus-infected policemen has breached the 3,000 mark, according to data from the Philipine National Police.

Fifty-five more police officers have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, bringing the total to 3,035.

The death toll remained at 13, while 2,221 or 73% of the personnel have recovered, police spokesman Brigadier General Bernard Banac said on Wednesday.

He said 30 of the new patients had been assigned in Metro Manila, including four at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

Three were assigned in the Calabarzon — Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon — region, two each in Central Visayas and Zamboanga peninsula, and one each in Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and Western Visayas.

The remaining 15 were assigned in various national administrative and operational units of the police, according to Mr. Banac.

At least 3,177 police officers were being monitored after showing symptoms or getting in contact with COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) patients. — Emmanuel Tupas, Philippine Star

Another anti-terror suit filed

YOUTH LEADERS have asked the Supreme Court to strike down the law that expanded the scope of terror crimes in the country.

In a 105-page petition, members of Sangguiniang Kabataan and other local youth leaders said the Anti-Terrorism Act involves “direct and unequivocal violation of constitutional safeguards.”

“So long as it is in effect, this law maintains an atmosphere of fear — the proverbial ‘chilling effect’ — that deters the free and full exercise of fundamental rights,” according to a copy of the lawsuit.

“The law poses a danger not just for collective and individual rights, but for democracy as a whole,” it added.

Similar to other lawsuits before it, the new suit questioned the vague definitions of terrorism, which allegedly violates the right to due process and infringes freedom of speech, expression, right to peaceful assembly and freedom of association.

The youth leaders also questioned a clause in the law allowing law enforcers to arrest a suspect without a warrant based on suspicion and orders by the Anti-Terrorism Council.

Rights against unreasonable searches and seizures and the right to be presumed innocent were also violated by the law, they said.

The law also violates the separation of powers provided by the Constitution since only judges can issue arrest warrants, according to the lawsuit.

“By providing that arrest may be carried out based on written authority given by the council, section 29 amounts to a usurpation of a function vested by the Constitution exclusively in the Judiciary,” the youth leaders said.. “It violates the principle of separation of powers.”

With the Anti-Terrorism Act, “it would be taking a huge step in the wrong direction; even a leap straight into the bowels of tyranny.”

The law that took effect on July 18 considers attacks that cause death or serious injury, extensive damage to property and manufacture, possession, acquisition, transport and supply of weapons or explosives as terrorist acts.

It also allows the government to detain a suspect without a warrant for 14 days from three days previously.

The council, which is made up of Cabinet officials, can perform acts reserved for courts such as ordering the arrest of suspected terrorists.

The Supreme Court will hold oral arguments in the third week of September at the earliest on several lawsuits against the law, spokesman Brian Keith F. Hosaka said. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

PSA amendments put on back burner

By Charmaine A. Tadalan, Reporter

A MEASURE amending the 83-year-old Public Service Act (PSA) to lift foreign ownership restrictions in certain sectors is taking a backseat to coronavirus pandemic response bills at the Senate.

Senate Public Services Committee Chairperson Grace S. Poe-Llamanzares on Wednesday said the committee will focus first on bills related to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis, and the 2021 national budget.

“(The PSA amendments will) be tackled, if we have time hopefully this year. Lined up are COVID-related legislation and budget,” she said in a phone message. 

The committee is tackling a bill requiring internet service providers to deliver a minimum standard internet speed, and another that would legalize motorcycle taxis.

“At this time, it appears that we will take up the other bills I mentioned first before (PSA amendments),” Ms. Poe-Llamanzares said at an online briefing.

The measure seeks to amend the PSA or Commonwealth Act No. 146, providing a clearer definition of “public services” which had been used interchangeably with “public utilities.” An amendment will effectively limit the definition of public utilities to power transmission and distribution, and waterworks and sewerage pipeline distribution system.

At present, public utilities are subject to foreign equity restrictions of up to 40% as provided under the 1987 Constitution.

If enacted, the measure will lift foreign equity restrictions particularly on telecommunication and transportation service providers. The 1987 Constitution allows operation of public utilities that are at least 60% Filipino-owned.

The bill amending the PSA was among those President Rodrigo R. Duterte mentioned in his fifth State of the Nation Address last July. Local and foreign business groups have also pushed for the bill’s passage, along with others that will open up the economy to foreign investments.

Acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua had said the PSA amendment will allow the Philippines to capture much-needed foreign investments amid the pandemic.

The measure nearly hurdled the 17th Congress, when it was approved by the House of Representatives but remained pending second reading in the Senate.

Ms. Poe-Llamanzares said senators have raised concerns on lifting the foreign ownership restriction, which may threaten national security and may favor a single country.

“It would have passed except that the pronouncements that are pro-one country is scaring other senators, na kapag binuksan natin ’yung economy, baka biglang ang bibili lahat ng ating kumpanya ay galing lang sa iisang bansa (that if you open up the economy, companies might be bought by just one country),” she said, noting these may be addressed through safeguards. 

There are now six bills amending the Public Service Act pending before the Senate panel, while its counterpart House Bill No. 78 has already been approved on final reading.

The European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) said it will continue to push for the passage of the bill as well as the proposed amendments to the Foreign Investments Act (FIA) and the Retail Trade Liberalization Act (RTLA).

“The ECCP understands the government’s intentions to prioritize COVID-19 measures at this time. However, we wish to highlight that the passage of economic policy reforms is instrumental in accelerating economic recovery,” ECCP President Nabil Francis said over a phone message.

“Economic reforms such as the amendments to the Public Services Act, Foreign Investment Act and Retail Trade Liberalization Act will help spur inclusive growth through increased job generation, poverty reduction, and improved global competitiveness.”

The FIA amendment will remove restrictions on foreigners practicing their professions in the Philippines, while the changes to the RTLA will reduce the required minimum paid-up capital for foreign entrants to the country’s retail sector.

American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Senior Advisor John D. Forbes said they are hopeful the bill will be certified as urgent, seeing that it will stimulate the economy.

“We have been told the PSA is a high priority reform of the administration and hope it will be certified by the president. It can help stimulate foreign investment and competition and help economic recovery after 2020,” he said in a separate message.

“The law is 83 years old and is one reason OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) rates the Philippines as comparatively closed to foreign investment.”

Metro Manila imposes unified curfew amid GCQ

By Jenina P. Ibañez and Gillian M. Cortez, Reporters

BUSINESSES are expecting some improvement in consumer spending as they adapt to new restrictions after Metro Manila on Wednesday transitioned into a general community quarantine (GCQ), which included a unified curfew.

The 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew was implemented in Metro Manila starting Wednesday evening, as mayors sought stricter measures to contain the rise in coronavirus infections which reached over 173,000.

“We considered the recommendations of the mayors to actually impose a stricter GCQ (during Tuesday’s meeting of the National Task Force Against COVID-19),” Palace Spokesperson Harry L. Roque said in an television interview.

The NTF, along with other Cabinet members, approved Metro Manila mayors’ recommendation on a unified curfew throughout the capital region until Aug. 31. Mr. Roque said Manila, Muntinlupa and Pasig cities are initially exempted as their ordinances state that the curfew starts at 10 p.m., but their mayors have committed to comply with the unified curfew hours within the week.

Despite the stricter measures, Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) Vice-Chair Roberto S. Claudio said businesses are hoping to see an improvement in consumer spending during the GCQ, but admitted it will still be well below pre-pandemic levels.

“(The) main reason for this is people are still apprehensive to go out to the malls. Limited public transportation availability and ban on person(s) below 12 years old & seniors above 60 years in shopping malls, contribute to lower consumer spending at this time,” Mr. Claudio said in an e-mail on Wednesday.

The 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew is acceptable to most retailers because it is consistent with the availability of public transport and reduces manpower cost by removing additional work shifts, Mr. Claudio said.

He expects the curfew to limit dining and food retailing hours, which may improve once the area shifts to a more relaxed lockdown. Mr. Claudio hopes this shift would happen soon, but retailers “can live with” the stricter lockdown if it helps address the coronavirus pandemic.

Philippine Franchise Association (PFA) Chairman Richard Sanz, on the other hand, said they support a consistent curfew in Metro Manila but an 8 p.m. curfew may be too restrictive for food establishments and restaurants.

“It forces stores to close very early at 6 p.m. considering store closing/cleaning procedures and travel time of employees going back to their homes. We hope that this can be amended to 10 p.m. to allow food businesses to serve dinner and maximize sales for the day to cover for the higher-than-normal overhead expenses during this time of pandemic,” he said in a mobile message.

Dine-in at restaurants as well as salon and barbershop operations were also allowed to resume at limited capacities on Wednesday.

“Extending the curfew to 10 p.m. will be a big help for all businesses, many of which are on the verge of folding up, but provided that all health and safety protocols and precautions are in place,” Mr. Sanz added.

However, there are questions on which businesses may be exempted from the Metro-wide curfew.

“We also need to define exemptions like call centers, drugstores, emergency cases, private transport,” Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry-Quezon City President Sarah Deloraya Mateo said in a mobile message. “What we need to emphasize though is the use of face mask, face shield, and the observance of social distancing at all times.”

LIMITED MASS GATHERINGS
Under the GCQ, Mr. Roque said mass gatherings of more than 10 people, including religious services, will continue to be prohibited.

The enforcement of the quarantine pass system will be up to the local government units (LGUs), he said.

Metro Manila Council Chair and Parañaque Mayor Edwin L. Olivarez said in a radio interview they want to continue making quarantine passes mandatory in order to minimize the number of people going out of their residences. Penalties for violators will depend on the LGU, he added.

Other protocols discussed and approved during the NTF’s Tuesday meeting include the mandatory wearing of face shields and face masks in commercial places, workplaces (indoor) and public transport.

Mr. Roque said for those using motorcycles, a barrier will no longer be required for a driver and passenger who live in the same home. An Angkas-designed barrier will still be required for those who do not live in the same residence.

“Motorcycles must be privately owned and not for hire and both riders should have face masks and full-face helmets that must be worn at all times while back riding,” the Palace statement read.

The Palace also said businesses including tutorial centers, review centers, gyms, fitness centers and sport facilities, internet cafés, establishments offering personal grooming and aesthetic services, pet grooming, and drive-in cinemas will remain closed “under the principle of gradual reopening” as Metro Manila transitions from modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) to GCQ.

However, gyms and internet cafés may continue to operate at 30% capacity in areas under GCQ that were not placed under the MECQ from Aug. 4-18, Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said in a mobile message to reporters on Wednesday.

“Presumably those under GCQ before have adopted and allowed the new sectors (to operate),” he said.

After Bayanihan II, Senate to focus on CREATE bill

THE SENATE will begin deliberations next week on the proposed Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act (CREATE), which will immediately cut corporate income tax to 25%.

This as Congress is aiming to ratify the proposed Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan II) today (Aug. 20).

The Bicameral Conference Committee still has around 10 to 12 provisions of Bayanihan II to reconcile, allowing it to finish by Thursday morning, Senator Juan Edgardo M. Angara said.

“There’s a great possibility of finishing it (Wednesday evening) or (Thursday) morning at the latest,” Mr. Angara said during Wednesday’s session.

The Bayanihan II grants President Rodrigo R. Duterte special powers to realign items in the 2019 and 2020 national budget as well as provide much-needed assistance to various sectors hammered by the coronavirus pandemic.

Mr. Angara said one of the provisions being ironed out is the P10 billion in funds allocated to the Department of Tourism to help affected businesses. The House of Representatives, however, used the funding for the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority.

“We just want to be sure that the Senate version, especially on the Department of Tourism funding is intact,” Senate President Vicente C. Sotto told Mr. Angara. “You can inform the members of the House that when it comes to that we want to make sure that it would be for the good of the country.”

After the Bayanihan II, the chamber will turn its attention to the CREATE bill.

The Senate is supposed to have a briefing with the Finance department on Thursday, but Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon recommended it be postponed until Bayanihan II is ratified.

Senator Pia S. Cayetano, Ways and Means chairperson, agreed to postpone the scheduled briefing, which Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel F. Zubiri said will not affect Monday’s agenda that includes the interpellation period on the CREATE bill.

“But we’ll push through with the agenda for CREATE, so don’t worry,” he told Ms. Cayetano.

The Senate had committed to approve the bill within the month after failing to tackle the bill ahead of the June 5 adjournment.

The bill is the revised version of the proposed Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Rationalization Act (CITIRA). The new version accelerates the reduction in CIT to 25%. This will further be reduced by 1 percentage point annually from 2023 until 2027. The CITIRA version of the bill proposed to gradually reduce the rate until it reaches 20% in 2029.

The new version will also extend the sunset period for enterprises enjoying incentives to four years from the 2-7 year period under CITIRA. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

AC Energy to build solar farms worth P6B

AYALA-LED AC Energy Philippines, Inc. (ACEN) is investing in more renewable energy projects in the country as it sets to build two solar farms with a combined capacity of 150 megawatts (MW) in Central Luzon.

The energy firm told the stock exchange on Wednesday that it is building the plants with a total investment of around P6.2 billion.

It teamed up with Citicore Renewable Energy Corp., a unit of Citicore Power, Inc., to put up a 75-MW solar facility in Arayat and Mexico, Pampanga for about P3.3 billion. AC Energy will be infusing P500 million to the project, as stated in a separate disclosure.

Another project, also a 75-MW solar plant in Palauig, Zambales, is fully owned by the Ayala unit. The project, which will be constructed through ACE Endevor, Inc. and Giga Ace 8, Inc., is estimated to cost up to P2.9 billion.

“While we are facing significant challenges amidst the current crisis, ACEN remains committed to investing in the country and drive renewables expansion,” ACEN President and Chief Executive Officer Eric T. Francia said.

“We take the long view when investing, and we also recognize that investments are very much needed urgently to help reignite the economy and create jobs. This is the true meaning of sustainable investing,” the official added.

The projects will bring the company’s total under-construction projects in the Philippines to 480 MW, including 330 MW of solar and 150 MW of peaking diesel plants.

The Pampanga and Zambales power facilities are expected to start generating power by the fourth quarter of 2021 and the first quarter of 2022, respectively.

Recently, the power company announced that it would infuse P2.2 billion into Bataan Solar Energy, Inc. and Giga Ace 4, Inc. to introduce new energy technologies.

It also plans to expand ACE Endevor’s power generation operations to other areas within the country with a budget of up to P5 billion.

The Philippine unit of AC Energy, Inc., Ayalas’ arm in the energy sector, is accelerating its investments as it aims to become the largest listed renewables platform in Southeast Asia. It targets to reach 5,000 MW of renewables capacity by 2025.

Shares in ACEN inched up 0.74% to close at P2.71 each on Wednesday. — Adam J. Ang

Ayala Land to launch P6.25-billion bonds with exchange offer

AYALA LAND, INC. plans to issue bonds worth P6.25 billion under its P50-billion securities program that will also have an exchange option for some of its present bondholders.

The debt papers come as the fifth series of its securities program, which started in April last year. It will have a tenor of five years. The company has yet to set a price and finalize the terms and conditions for the new bonds.

The upcoming offer also comes with an exchange option for the present holders of its 4.625% bonds, which are due on Oct. 10.

Sans obligation, debt securities investors can settle the maturing bonds fully or partially by exchanging them for the latest notes at a 1:1 ratio.

They will receive the accrued interest, net of applicable taxes, in cash on the bonds’ issue date, which is likely before the maturity of their present securities, depending on market conditions and subject to regulatory approvals.

Ayala Land said the bonds’ settlement through the purchase of newer bonds would be the first of its kind in the corporate debt capital market in the Philippines.

No date has been set yet for the public offer, which will be listed and traded in the Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp.

The company tapped BDO Capital & Investment Corp., BPI Capital Corp., China Bank Capital Corp., First Metro Investment Corp., and SB Capital Investment Corp. as joint lead underwriters and bookrunners for the offering.

On Wednesday, shares in Ayala Land fell by 3.04% to close at P31.85 apiece. — Adam J. Ang

Benguet Corp. returns to profitability, earns P42 million in second quarter

BENGUET CORP. posted a net income of P41.98 million in the second quarter, a turnaround from its losses a year ago, as the mining company recorded increased shipments and higher revenues.

In the same three-month period last year, the company incurred a net loss of P7 million.

In a stock exchange disclosure on Wednesday, it said revenues in the second quarter this year rose 23.1% to P293.13 million against P238.08 million a year ago while costs and operating expenses fell 6.2% to P245.09 million.

For the first half, Benguet Corp.’s net income reached P98.68 million, reversing its net loss of P67.56 million a year ago, while revenues went up 65.2% to P701.60 million.

Its wholly owned subsidiary Benguetcorp Nickel Mines, Inc. (BNMI) exported five boatloads of nickel ore during the first semester, with an aggregate volume of 265,255 tons and at an average price of $25.71 per ton.

Further, the company’s Acupan gold project posted revenues of P308.7 million for the semester, after its contract mining project sold 3,720.46 ounces of gold with an average price of $1,637.31 per ounce.

On Wednesday, shares in Benguet Corp. “A” rose 1.38% or P0.03 to close at P2.20 apiece while Benguet Corp. “B” was unchanged at P2.24 per share.

UNITED PARAGON
Meanwhile, United Paragon Mining Corp. widened its net loss to P16.86 million in the second quarter compared with P11.94 million in the same period last year.

In a separate disclosure, the company said its net loss in the first half expanded by 21.5% to P32.46 million against a net loss of P26.72 million previously due to accrued interest expense on outstanding loans.

The total liabilities of United Paragon for the six-month period amounted to P1.20 billion.

“Due to the suspension of mining and milling operations and limited sources of funds, the company failed to meet payments within the stated terms to majority of its suppliers, contractors and creditors,” the disclosure said.

“However, the company has been continuously paying the accounts that relate to its current working capital requirement, and the old accounts due to its suppliers, contractors and creditors remain unchanged,” it added.

Shares in United Paragon were unchanged at P0.0055 each. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

RC Cola bottler’s parent firm to enter food service business

MACAY HOLDINGS, INC., the parent of RC Cola’s bottler in the Philippines, announced its deal to fully acquire the biggest canteen concessionaire in the country.

The deal to buy Artemisplus Express, Inc., also known as Kitchen City, will be the first entry of the listed beverage investment firm into the food service space, fulfilling its vision to expand its portfolio to other consumer products and services.

“Our priority is to accelerate the growth of Kitchen City and support the company’s vision to provide high-quality but affordable meals to its clients which mirrors Macay’s mission to provide superior value for its customers in the Philippines,” it told the stock exchange, late Tuesday.

The payment terms are yet to be negotiated but Macay will be paying in cash. The deal is subject to the fulfillment of agreed closing conditions.

Macay is advised by AlphaPrimus Advisors for the transaction, while Kitchen City is advised by PwC Philippines.

Kitchen City runs 90 service outlets in Metro Manila. The company primarily engages in cafeteria operations in business process outsourcing, manufacturing, corporate, and hospital segments. It is also into catering services and the sale of packed and frozen meals.

Macay’s unit ARC Refreshment Corp. is the Philippine bottler of RC Cola, as well as Seetrus, Fruit Soda Orange and Juicy Lemon. — Adam J. Ang

Delivery service focuses on the top tier

From S&R groceries to hotel food delivery

By Zsarlene B. Chua, Senior Reporter

BEFORE THE COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic, delivery services were slowly, but surely becoming a fixture in the retail space. When the pandemic struck, these services became a necessity instead of just an option as restrictions on movements and gathering made it nearly impossible for people to go to stores physically. And while the need for delivery options cuts across almost every retail segment, it is most apparent in food and groceries.

With the current surfeit of choices, including some stores’ in-house delivery websites, Pick.A.Roo is trying to get its piece of the business by onboarding more “premium” options like delivering food from hotels, to groceries from S&R.

“Even before this pandemic, we spent the entire year researching and planning a fresh concept that bridges the gap between premium offline brands and the growing online segment. With this vision in mind, we decided that to be able to create a unique all-in-one and on-demand premium delivery experience, we had to build our own homegrown startup and redefine the Filipino’s shopping experience,” Kevin Tan, founder of Pick.A.Roo, said in a statement.

Pick.A.Roo is the brainchild of Mr. Tan, CEO of Alliance Global which operates property giant Megaworld and Resorts World Manila, among others, and Crystal Gonzalez, the former country head of Honestbee Philippines.

Honestbee is a Singapore-based online food and grocery service that used to operate in eight markets including the Philippines from 2017 until 2019 when they had to suspend operations except in Singapore.

Pick.A.Roo is the first startup company of AGILE Digital Ventures, the technology and digital investment arm of Megaworld.

In April 2019, Honestbee stopped its Manila operations and, according to a timeline in Pick.A.Roo’s press packet, the idea to create a new food and grocery delivery service started that October.

To date, the service has “over 300 Pick.A.Roo approved brands” including “Apple products, gourmet hotel food, local [Instagram] trends, and Michelin-star restaurants” alongside daily essentials such as groceries and medicine, according to Ms. Gonzalez in a statement.

“When we were thinking of the various products, most of the products we got requests on from our marketing study… a lot of the products people were requesting, all of them are already available in different platforms,” Ms. Gonzalez said during the press launch on July 28 via Google Meet.

This led the team to “curate” brands and products into one “seamless platform,” instead of going to different platforms.

Ms. Gonzalez also said that they charge lower commissions than “other delivery players in the market” and said theirs is “20% and less” when other platforms are said to be charging “25% to 35%.”

Some of the brands already on Pick.A.Roo are S&R Membership Shopping, Central by Landers, Marriott Hotel Manila, Shangri-La at the Fort, Beyond the Box, Las Flores, Tim Ho Wan, The Grid Food Market at Powerplant, Coco Milk Tea, Fresh Options, Hawker Chan, and Kam’s Roast, among others.

Deliveries can be made for stores within a customer’s 10 kilometer radius and Ms. Gonzalez promised to introduce a function where a customer can shop from different stores and put it all in one cart.

The company has also onboarded about 1,400 shoppers and riders. The app will be charging an introductory delivery and shopping rate of P168 (P80 delivery and P88 shopper fee).

The Pick.A.Roo riders and shoppers are said to “earn on a per hour basis,” according to a separate e-mail to BusinessWorld shortly after the launch. But the crew members can earn more through incentives: riders earn an extra fee for “every successful delivery” and shoppers earn extra “for every line item shopped.”

The app is currently on open-beta mode and no full-scale roll-out has been announced yet, but Pick.A.Roo said that the full version should arrive “not too long” after the beta launch.

THE PICK.A.ROO EXPERIENCE
Pick.A.Roo had a by-invitation only beta launch from Aug. 16 to 18 and had 188 users try out the app and this writer was one of them.

(The invitation-only beta access was originally going to be held on Aug. 8 but had to be moved because of the stricter lockdown which was imposed until Aug. 18.)

As someone who previously used Honestbee as her go-to grocery delivery options and was sorely disappointed when it had to cease operations in the Philippines, Pick.A.Roo felt like meeting an old friend — but this friend who used to be a bee turned into a unicorn.

What differed between the two is the presence of premium brands including Joseph Joseph and hotels like Shangri-La at the Fort.

Upon opening the app, stores are already categorized into Groceries, Snacks and Sweets, Premium Eats, Everyday Eats, etc.

The shopping experience was pretty seamless, though I did encounter a few glitches including removing a product from my cart and the app removed a different product, but let’s chalk it up to test run blues.

I bought groceries from S&R and while the beta selection was scanty, navigating through different sections: meat, vegetables, etc., was pretty clear-cut, and I appreciate that they have separate sections for leafy vegetables and root crops.

After checking out, customers are asked to pick what day or time (between 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) they want their items delivered.

What I did appreciate with Pick.A.Roo is how they give you the option to contact your shopper if there are changes you want to make instead of just waiting for the shopper to call. They did call after they found that several of my items were out of stock.

The app also gives a rundown of the process — from accepting the order, to shopping the order, and finally delivering the order. Payments could be made via credit card and debit card during my beta run.

In all, the app is clear cut and easy to use, bonus points on the overall look of the app — that mint green palette with a unicorn riding a motorcycle is cute. Will I be using it again? Yes, but I will have to wait for the full-app rollout first to see if improvements in both the app and selections have been made.

Pick.A.Roo’s beta version can be downloaded from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

PayMaya seeks to shift transport chain to cashless system

DIGITAL PAYMENTS firm PayMaya Philippines, Inc. is hoping to lead the country’s entire transport chain to full digitization through its end-to-end payment platforms.

In a virtual briefing on Wednesday, PayMaya Enterprise Head for the Public Sector Marvin C. Santos said an effective way to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is to implement cashless payments in the transportation ecosystem.

“We must implement contactless payment acceptance (either through card or e-wallet) across the entire transportation chain,” he said.

The ecosystem, which consists of service providers, commuters, transport hubs, government entities, delivery companies and petroleum firms, has started its digitization journey with the adoption of contactless payment systems, Mr. Santos noted.

He said PayMaya has partnered with UBE Express (point-to-point and airport shuttle services), hirna and EKR Taxi (taxi services), and Hype (transport network vehicle service or TNVS).

The company has also enabled the Araneta City Bus Port to accept both QR code and card payments.

Petrol, Shell, Seaoil, Unioil, Cleanfuel and Rephil, among others, are also using PayMaya’s payment platforms, Mr. Santos said.

Lalamove accepts cashless payments through PayMaya, he added, noting that the payments firm continues to encourage other delivery service providers to go cashless.

PayMaya has signed an e-payment deal with the Land Transportation Office and the Bureau of the Treasury for motor vehicle registrations and renewals.

The company is in talks with air and water transport providers for a possible partnership.

“Our complete suite of cashless payment solutions can help empower all modes of transportation, from tricycle drivers, to jeepneys, all the way to premium taxis, buses and other forms of mass transportation around the country,” Mr. Santos said.

Transportation Assistant Secretary Mark Steven C. Pastor said a department order is being prepared for the standardization of cashless payments in the transportation sector.

He said the Transportation department is also pushing for an integrated card that commuters can use not only for transportation but also for other transactions.

“We don’t want the transport sector to be a potential transmission sector for the virus and ayaw na natin ang cash payments talaga (we don’t want the cash payments anymore), so we are pushing for this. We are finalizing a department order… for the standardization of this,” Mr. Pastor added.

PayMaya is a subsidiary of Voyager Innovations, Inc., the digital innovations company of PLDT, Inc.

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

From Pinoy shaman’s cacao to Indian temple cuisine: Maximum Foodie explores Asia

FILMING sensibilities and food meet in Asian Food Network’s show, Maximum Foodie. While the show premiered last week, opening in Hong Kong, the show’s second episode, shot in the Philippines, will premiere on Aug. 22.

For the Philippine episode, host Sashi De travels to Davao, Dumaguete, and Siquijor to visit cacao farms and take in the local street food, taken around by chef Chele Gonzales — the man behind Gallery by Chele. In an interview for the AFN website, Mr. De said, “I am astounded at his genuine passion for food, and his pursuit in being a better chef: by focusing on the story behind the ingredients, the anthropology, history, and the ties to culture. He then takes all this research and curates a menu based around these new ingredients. This means creating an interest in a specific endemic ingredient, bringing awareness and education, creating a supply chain, and letting the dining masses know about this discovery!”

Other locations to be explored in the show are Hanoi, Mumbai, and Bali. During a webinar on Aug. 13 promoting the show, Mr. De told us a bit more about it. “The show has no set theme. It’s basically cataloguing my journey so, each episode is a particular story about the culinary world. So, for example in India, I was in Mumbai in one of the best restaurants there called Mask. They had an eight hands event where the chef brought in eight of his friends from all around the world, very prominent chefs,” he said. “I wanted to show what Indian chefs are doing to push the boundaries of the cuisine and so that was what the episode was about — and the very next episode in India was about the most old-school cooking in India which is found in one of the oldest temples in the Eastern side of India. It’s a temple cuisine which hasn’t changed for a millennia. So, it’s a contrast to show what Mumbai was doing at its best restaurant versus what a temple is doing where the meals they serve haven’t changed for over a millennia. That should give you an example of the diversity of each episode,” he said.

“In Vietnam, I was in the city of Hanoi and I went there with no research, no nothing and I just went there to learn what the Vietnamese eat. That was a quest to satisfy my own curiosity and sort of bolster my own knowledge of what Vietnamese Cuisine is and what people eat on a daily basis,” he said. “The episodes have a big variation. It’s not just ingredient-based. It’s my experiences and they all carry out a different theme.”

His goal , he said, is “to show people, the armchair travelers, that ‘look, besides what you know about a particular destination, there is so much more.’ And because we focus on food and some of the best chefs in the world, we provide that insight into their lives, into their personal projects that’s going on. It’s a good way to sort of be a fly on the wall and learn more about the culinary world, not only in my vantage point but also from the vantage points of the chefs.”

Mr. De is not stranger to filmmaking, which comes in handy for the show. “My background is a filmmaker and that’s allowed me to travel since 2005 officially as a filmmaker, as a producer of travel content. I’ve literally been to every single spot you can imagine in South America, Africa, Antarctica, most of Asia, most of Europe. So through those diverse experiences, when you’re on the road for the better part of the year, you’re obviously eating three times a day in these various destinations, eating with different people in different walks of life, different professions and you’re ingrained into their culture and their way of life because of the manner that we film — breaking bread with a Berber family in a tent in Morocco or yak herders in northeastern India, not by choice but just because I’m traveling. I’ve had all these outstanding, life-altering experiences going about my way, filming and hanging out with people and when it comes to having a meal, I’m having a meal with the locals so it’s giving me this tremendous background into food [and] food culture since back in 2005.”

In the Philippines, aside from marveling at the street food culture of Davao where sikwate, our version of hot chocolate, is readily available, the magic of Siquijor seemed to touch him too. “What really floored me was to learn how the ancestral variety (of cacao) Criollo… is used by the shaman and faith healers found in Siquijor Island because their potions are meant to be extremely potent,” said Mr. De. “They only work with this ancestral variety which is Criollo. To see Criollo naturally growing in healers’ backyards was amazing enough, but to learn that they actually use it in their actual potions for its healing properties was totally unbelievable,” he exclaimed.

“I’m on a complete cacao kick as of that episode. I love sikwate, I love the health benefits of it, I love the flavor profile and I can’t recommend it enough. In terms of the finished product of the chocolate bar, I tried a couple and it’s hard to explain the taste profile. It’s definitely very unique. I just can’t recommend it enough. It’s hard to explain the taste of chocolate. They all have this universal taste but it takes a unique tinge, a unique profile that’s a little bit accurate, a little more bitter than you’d like, but it was so cool to see chocolate readily available throughout Davao,” he said.

Maximum Foodie airs on Saturdays at 10 p.m., and four days after each premiere, the episode will become available online at AFN.com. The Asian Food Network is available on Sky Cable Channel 248 and Cignal TV Channel 62. — Joseph L. Garcia

SMC adds mud crab in mangrove project

SAN MIGUEL CORP. (SMC) plans to grow around 100,000 mud crabs per month at its 10-hectare mangrove plantation site in Bulacan as part of the company’s efforts to protect the environment and create a new source of livelihood for the residents.

In a statement, SMC President and Chief Operating Officer Ramon S. Ang said the company’s mud crab growing project will be in the town of Hagonoy. The area is included in the priority locations of SMC’s mangrove planting program that deals with flooding issues.

“Along with our goal to help address flooding through the planting of mangroves in these priority areas identified by the Department of Environment of Natural Resources (DENR), we are seeding 100,000 mud crabs monthly at Hagonoy’s mangrove plantation area to help boost the country’s mud crab production,” Mr. Ang said.

SMC said mud crabs are a culinary delicacy both in local and international markets and can be a major source of work for local fishermen and fishpond owners.

Under the program, 190,000 mangroves will be planted in the coastal areas covering Bulacan and Central Luzon.

Being one of the lowest-lying areas in Bulacan, SMC said the project will directly benefit Hagonoy as it will help address floods during the rainy season, tidal floods, and water from the Pampanga basin.

Further, SMC said the mangrove-planting program is part of its flood mitigation plan ahead of the construction of Manila International Airport in October.

“These flood-mitigation measures are all integral to airport development. It’s very important to address these environmental concerns before investing over P700 billion for the airport,” Mr. Ang said.

The airport project will be capable of accommodating up to 100 million passengers and can generate jobs while boosting tourism and local businesses in the area. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

1...8,1708,1718,172...13,238Page 8,171 of 13,238
© 2024 BusinessWorld Publishing.
All rights reserved.
Read our privacy guidelines
Facebook Instagram Linkedin Twitter Youtube