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PSC seeking to build on gains and finish strong

WHILE admitting that its run under the current administration is anything but perfect, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is nonetheless happy over what it has achieved and looking to build on the gains it has had and finish strong.

Anchored on a five-year development plan, the PSC said that, by and large, it succeeded in seeing its mission and vision through under the government of President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

“I think we have built legacies that we are happy to leave and for others to follow through on,” said PSC Chairman William Ramirez as he gave the agency’s yearend report in December.

“It’s not 100%, but I believe we have been able to put up strong points,” he added.

Mr. Ramirez shared that since they took office, they have made the PSC a better organization, enhancing its capability and accountability to lead, manage, implement, and assess sports programs in the country.

It also was able to highlight the important role that sports play in personal and community development and the need to shore up the country’s grassroots development push by making sports more accessible with the end view of producing globally competitive athletes.

The institutionalization of Philippine Sports Institute, the country’s training, educational and research center, is another development that they are proud of, Mr. Ramirez said, as it complemented the PSC’s programs geared towards the development of grassroots sports, high-performance sports, and professional development of sports practitioners.

Since 2016, the PSC has also managed to fix sports facilities worn out by time under its watch, including the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex and Philsports Multipurpose Complex, while at the same erecting some new ones.

And there are the linkages it has formed with various organizations and agencies, which Mr. Ramirez said has gone a long way in the agency successfully fostering good relationships to make things happen.

“I think our biggest achievement is the creation of a sports development highway in the Philippines, where we have coordinators assigned to different places in the country and the PSC establishing partnerships with LGUs (local government units) and DepED (Department of Education). These partnerships are very important in seeing our various programs succeed,” the PSC chief said.

Mr. Ramirez also lauded the national athletes’ performance in international competitions of late, including the 2018 Asian Games and the 2019 Southeast Asian Games (SEA), where they did well and improved on their previous showing.

It is something the PSC hopes will continue this year in the Tokyo Olympics and SEA Games in Vietnam.

For the remaining one and a half years, Mr. Ramirez said it is about staying the course amid the challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic.

“In our remaining time, we will continue to navigate and review what we have put up, so we can provide a good plan for the next PSC officials to follow. The issue with the pandemic makes it tougher, but with partnerships with DepEd, the Philippine Olympic Committee, the national sports associations, and others, I think we will be able to accomplish that,” he said. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Real Madrid see off Celta Vigo, 2-0, to return to La Liga summit

MADRID — Real Madrid beat an in-form Celta Vigo 2-0 at home on Saturday thanks to a goal and assist apiece from Spanish pair Lucas Vázquez and Marco Asensio, putting the side above city rivals Atlético Madrid at the top of La Liga.

The win took the Spanish champions to the summit on 36 points, one ahead of second-placed Atletico who has three games in hand and on Sunday visits Alavés.

Real was smarting from a surprise 1-1 draw at struggling Elche in their last match and were missing captain Sergio Ramos, who was out with a stomach bug.

But they got off to an ideal start thanks to a towering header from Vázquez, who out-jumped two Celta defenders to power home a cross from Asensio.

Vázquez returned the favor early in the second half to tee up Asensio after Madrid had recovered the ball high in Celta’s half. Zinedine Zidane’s side comfortably saw out the victory, ending Celta’s unbeaten run of six games under new coach Eduardo Coudet.

Celta had won five of their previous six league games since Argentine Coudet took charge in November after Óscar Garcia was sacked, taking them from the bottom of the standings to within striking distance of the European places.

The trip to Madrid was their biggest test so far and they almost took the lead when talismanic striker Iago Aspas ran through and knocked the ball past keeper Thibaut Courtois, but Real defender Nacho recovered to clear it off the line.

Madrid broke immediately with a long ball to Asensio, whose cross was nodded in by Vázquez.

Real nearly doubled their lead when Dani Carvajal tried his luck from outside the box and saw his shot whistle past the post. — Reuters

Uncertainty

The end of 2020 saw Major League Baseball licking its wounds and pondering how it should navigate a new year filled with just as much uncertainty. Considering the potential for continued losses, franchises are determined to cut back on expenses. And, naturally, payroll becomes the first casualty; for the first time in a long while, the offseason, traditionally host to a flurry of activity in which talent is sought by all and sundry, figures to be one of reflection and not action. Except, that is, for the Padres, who see a break while others recoil with caution.

Make no mistake. The Padres are taking a significant risk. Such is the nature of competition in the sport that roster improvements, no matter how seemingly substantial, often translate to marginal returns. The best players increase win probabilities, but do not bring with them certainty of ultimate success. And, in the midst of a pandemic that has all but wiped out the usual revenue sources, investing in marquee names comes at high cost but guarantees little. Nonetheless, the small-market outfit dared to dream big and pull the trigger on a couple of deals slated to further lift its profile.

Indeed, the addition of Blake Snell and Yu Darvish provides the Padres with a fearsome rotation frontline designed to turn it from a middling competitor into a bona fide contender. No doubt, they wouldn’t have thumbed up the trades had they been compelled to hand over more than a single regular and farm system prospects in return. And, no doubt, they wouldn’t have so much as thought of doing, so were they not already close to challenging the powerhouse Dodgers in the National League West.

The Padres were likewise fortunate, to be sure. They pounced on the Cubs’ apparent need to let Darvish go in order to trim outlays, as well the Rays’ evident urge to flip Snell early in the face of a hazy outlook. Then again, the boldest make their own fortunes. And should their gamble pay off, the rest of the league will be left to second-guess a pronounced failure to discern opportunity in crisis. In any case, there is benefit to establishing a culture that moves for continuous improvement and rewards resourcefulness.

Baseball etches nothing in stone. At the same time, there can be no discounting the value good vibes bring to effort. Ask Snell, Darvish, and free-agent acquisition Ha-seong Kim, who feel wanted by the Padres. Ask Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr., who welcome the arrival of fellow top-shelf players. And ask the fans, who appreciate owner Peter Seidler’s against-the-current disposition. The hardware may not be a sure thing, but, in the eyes of the aforementioned, they’re already champions.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.

SM ushers in the New Year with “Beacon of Hope” spectacle

As the year draws to a close, SM Supermalls lights up the sky with a heart-warming visual spectacle themed as “Beacon of Hope” to welcome 2021 in high spirits.  

Released on SM Supermalls Facebook page on New Year’s Eve, the Beacon of Hope video shows select SM malls across the country illuminating the night with bright and colorful virtual projection mapping on the mall’s facade. Each mall highlights a virtue through a dazzling light show and a stunning exhibition of glowing shapes and images to create a memorable and moving visual display.  

SM Aura Premier embodies ‘grace’ while SM City Clark radiates ‘joy.’ SM Megamall brings sparkle as it embodies ‘light’ while SM City Puerto Princesa displays ‘peace’ with a gleaming image of dove as a symbol. SM CDO Downtown Premier shows ‘care’ while SM Southmall emphasizes the need to ‘share.’

SM City Dasmariñas celebrates ‘service’ to honor the frontliners as SM Lanang Premier underlines the importance of having a ‘safe’ space. SM City Fairview spreads ‘fun’ while SM North Edsa sparks ‘love’ with a hearty light show. SM Seaside City Cebu stresses the value of ‘togetherness’ while SM Mall of Asia brings ‘hope’ that we will all rise and heal as one. The remaining SM malls nationwide also join the festivity as they lit up their respective facades with their own bright holiday decorations. 

“SM aims to spur optimism as we bid goodbye to a challenging 2020 and prepare for a fresh start in 2021. We continue to stand with our community even during tough times and now as we face the New Year together with a renewed hope and joy,” said SM Supermalls President Steven Tan.

Visit SM Supermalls Facebook page or www.smsupermalls.com to watch the video of SM’s Beacon of Hope and to check out SM Supermalls opening hours on January 1.

For more information, follow @smsupermalls on all social media platforms.

Couturier Pierre Cardin, 98

The designer who democratized fashion, Pierre Cardin, died on Dec. 29 at the age of 98.

There is a good chance that there is at least one Pierre Cardin piece in your closet right now, either a belt, a scarf; or even a wallet. This is due to the numerous licensing deals the French designer entered in the 1980s, which placed his name on everything from automobiles to frying pans. His many efforts to democratize fashion (but also achieve mainstream success) led to derision by his contemporaries; his first pret-a-porter line (despite being a haute couturier) led to his expulsion from  the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture Parisienne in 1959. He was eventually reinstated, but he had resigned voluntarily in the late 1960s. The designer thus pioneered the now-common practice, so designers can, and do, put their name on several diffusion lines, or else perfume, watches, aprons, and the like.

The son of wealthy Italian immigrants fleeing fascism, he was born on July 2, 1922. He worked as early as 14 as an apprentice, and worked as a tailor before his 20s. After the war, he worked under influential designers such as Elsa Schiaparelli and Christian Dior. He started his own brand in 1950. He in turn took budding designers under his wing, hiring a young Jean Paul Gaultier as an assistant in the 1970s, then sending him to the Philippines in 1974 to manage the Pierre Cardin boutique in Manila.

Even before his licensing deals, Mr. Cardin (pronounced car-deen; in the Italian way) already had a far reach: he was designing airline uniforms in the Middle East, and had redesigned the Barong Tagalog itself for wealthy clients in Manila, streamlining the silhouette in the 1970s.

He is still remembered the world over for his futuristic designs in the 1960s, forming a forward look from France shared by his contemporary André Courrèges (who died in 2016). The looks gave the blueprint for a future imagined in space, as a result of the space race between the US and the Soviet Union; the clothes today remain in the public imagination as what the Swinging ‘60s looked like, sharing a spotlight with London Mod culture. Some of his most famous clients were The Beatles (the Nehru jackets were Mr. Cardin’s handiwork), Gregory Peck, and Lauren Bacall. — Joseph L. Garcia

National Artist for Theater Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio, 90

Best known for her work with puppets and children’s theater, National Artist for Theater Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio died on Dec. 29. This was announced by Teatrong Mulat ng Pilipinas, the theater group she had founded, through a Facebook post.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of National Artist Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio, University of the Philippines Professor Emeritus and Founding Artistic Director of Teatrong Mulat ng Pilipinas at 7 a.m. today, Dec. 29, 2020 at the age of 90,” said the post. Lapeña-Bonifacio founded Teatrong Mulat in 1977 as a children’s theater and puppet theater company.

According to her profile on UP Diliman’s website, she was born on April 4, 1930 in Binondo, Manila, and she graduated from UP Diliman in 1953 with a degree in English. She then earned an MA (Speech-Theater Arts) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1958, where, through a Fulbright-Smith Mundt Scholarship, she enrolled in the Beloit College Graduate Summer Theater Scholarship (1957-1958).

She helped establish the Speech and Drama Department in the UP in 1957.

At the time of her death, she was a University Professor Emerita at the Department of English and Comparative Literature of the College of Arts and Letters. “The lifetime title was bestowed by the University of the Philippines for her exceptional achievements and outstanding service upon her retirement in 1995,” said the same profile.

She was named a National Artist for Theater, in 2018.

While Lapeña-Bonifacio is known for her work in theater (the same UP profile hails her as the Grand Dame of Southeast Asian Children’s Theater), she was also a prolific writer, with 10 books, and many short stories (130 of them for children), poems, and essays. This was on top of the 46 plays she had written, 30 of those for children. Among her most notable works, were 6 na Dulang Filipino Para Sa Mga Bata, 1976; Tat-lu-han (Three Plays), 1975; Ang Paglalakbay ni Sisa: Isang Noh Sa Laguna, 1998; Isang Kyogen sa Pritil, 1977; Sepang Loca, 1957; and Abadeja: Ang Ating Sinderela, 1977.

One of her best known works is Papet Pasyon, a puppet passion play for children which tackles the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It has been staged annually during Holy Week since it was first shown in 1985.

A Facebook post from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts said, “All in all, what she has achieved is an indigenous fusion of puppetry, children’s literature, folklore, and theater.”

“Paalam, Gng. Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio! Salamat sa iyong buhay at ambag sa kultura at lipunang Pilipino! Mananatili ka sa aming mga puso! (Goodbye, Mrs. Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio! Thank you for your life and contribution to Philippine culture and society! You will remain in our hearts!),” said Cultural Center of the Philippines Vice-President and Artistic Director Chris Millado in a Facebook post.

She is survived by her daughter, Amihan Bonifacio-Ramolete, who has headed Teatrong Mulat since 2012.

Her wake will be held at the Imperial Classic, Ground Floor, Funeraria Paz, Araneta Ave., Quezon City from Dec. 30 to 31. Viewing hours will be from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. only. — Joseph L. Garcia

The exceptional home for families in the south

Create timeless moments with your family at Likha Residences

The home is valued now more than ever as people go out less often for work or leisure. Thus, many get to spend most of their time with their families at the comforts of their homes. Besides, what makes a home, however grand or sophisticated it may be, is how it brings family members to bond together as well as to relax and unwind. For the established modern family, there is a place that makes it possible to create moments that they will cherish for a lifetime.

Built by PHINMA Properties, Likha Residences is the perfect home for established professionals to create new stories for their families. The exclusive Likha Residences offers three-storey townhomes with a floor area of 237.85 square meters, that inspire limitless bonding opportunities and fine living.

“Our vision is for families to come together and be close-knit, just like what the Southern living imbibes. Those are the memories we want families to make in Likha Residences,” Enrique M. Moran, Assistant Vice-President of Operations — Prism of PHINMA Properties, said.

With its timeless design and accommodating space, coupled with strong security, excellent service, and proximity to business and leisure centers, Likha Residences assures prospect homeowners of a reliable home investment with a value that will steadily grow along with their families.

Drawing inspiration from Filipino architecture and design aesthetics, the townhomes of Likha Residences are built from enduring and quality materials that evoke an ageless character that resonates from one generation to another. Complementing these intricately designed units are its finely designed amenities, namely the clubhouse, multi-function hall, lounging deck, swimming pool, fitness gym, and playground.

What also makes Likha Residences a great investment for families is the security it assures for tenants. Likha Residences is structured to be a safe and secure community that encourages a sense of comfort and certainty. With 24-hour roving security and double-gated boundaries surrounding Likha Residences, families can enjoy high-end and close-knit living with peace of mind.

Aside from homegrown design, Likha Residences also draws inspiration from the distinct and innate hospitality of Filipinos. With residents at the center of what it does, Likha has an approachable team that is committed to impeccable service that will help foster and nurture the well-being of families.

Nestled in the south of the Metro, Likha Residences allows families to experience the joys of luxe southern living while striding with ease between bustling cities and relaxing vacation spots, allowing families to create treasured moments.

Located at Cupang, Muntinlupa City, the upscale development is close to malls like Alabang Town Center, Festival Mall Alabang, and Santana Grove; schools like De La Salle Santiago Zobel, Paref Southridge School, and San Beda Alabang; and the Asian Hospital & Medical Center. Moreover, Likha Residences is within reach of the prestigious business districts of Metro Manila such as the Makati Central Business District, Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, and Filinvest City in Alabang.

With all these perks and features, Likha Residences perfectly bundles exceptional family living and bonding, reliable security and service, and easy accessibility together into a home that is worth one’s hard-earned investment. “We would like future residents of Likha to feel that they are buying a good investment. Ultimately, we want Likha to become a standard of Filipino homes for the Filipino family,” Raphael B. Felix, President & CEO of PHINMA Properties, said.

As of December 2020, PHINMA Properties has started realizing stories at Likha Residences, with two model units fully complete. A blessing and ribbon cutting for these units were held last Dec. 12. In addition, four other units are halfway complete. Land development, meanwhile, is 84% complete, and the entire project is at 10.11%.

Likha’s model units are now open to the public for viewing. Call (02) 8535 6800 or (+63) 917-535-6800, or e-mail inquiries@phinma.com.ph to schedule a safe home tour at Likha Residences, located at Km 19 West Service Road, Cupang, Muntinlupa City. Visit http://phinmaproperties.com/ for more details.

 

Enabling a clean and sustainable future

Unilever makes sustainable living accessible through its new Clean Future program

Unilever Philippines (ULP) joins many companies that are responding to the widespread call for a more sustainable future, grounded on bold climate action, through the global brand’s Clean Future initiative.

Earlier in September, the Unilever announced it will replace 100% of the carbon derived from fossil fuels in its cleaning and laundry product formulations with renewable or recycled carbon. This significant move is set to transform the sustainability of global cleaning and laundry brands, including the global brand’s portfolio in the Philippines. This also serves as a critical step towards Unilever’s pledge of net zero emissions from its products by 2039.

Unilever expects its Clean Future initiative alone to reduce the carbon footprint of its product formulations by up to 20%, more than twice lower than the 46% the company found across their lifecycle due to the chemicals used in its cleaning and laundry products.

By deliberately transitioning away from fossil fuel-derived chemicals in product formulations, Unilever aims to innovate ways of reducing the carbon footprint of some of the world’s biggest cleaning and laundry brands.

Aside from its avowed commitment, Unilever is ring-fencing €1 billion (or over Php58 billion) for the Clean Future initiative to finance biotechnology research, CO2 (carbon dioxide) and waste utilization, and low carbon chemistry.

The investment will be used to create biodegradable and water-efficient product formulations, halve the use of virgin plastic by 2025, and support the development of brand communications. Moreover, the investment is focused on creating affordable cleaning and laundry products that deliver superior cleaning results with a significantly lower environmental impact.

Tanya Steele, chief executive of World Wildlife Fund in United Kingdom, expressed her support for Unilever’s efforts in reducing its dependence on fossil fuels, stressing that renewable resources reduce pressure on the world’s fragile ecosystems and help restore nature. “These significant commitments from Unilever, combined with strong sustainable sourcing, have real potential to make an important contribution as we transition to an economy that works with nature, not against it,” Ms. Steele said in a statement.

Unilever’s Clean Future initiative is guided by its ‘Carbon Rainbow’, a novel approach to diversify the carbon used in its product formulations. Through this approach, Unilever plans to replace non-renewable fossil sources of carbon (identified in the Carbon Rainbow as black carbon) using captured CO2 (purple carbon), plants and biological sources (green carbon), marine sources such as algae (blue carbon), and carbon recovered from waste materials (grey carbon).

The sourcing of carbon under the Carbon Rainbow will be governed and informed by environmental impact assessments and work with Unilever’s industry-leading sustainable sourcing programs to prevent unintended pressures on land use.

Local efforts

In the Philippines, ULP has been pushing Clean Future forward through various programs carried by its cleaning products, which have seen an unprecedented growing demand with the onset of the current health crisis.

Echoing Unilever’s global initiative, Benjie Yap, chairman, and CEO of ULP, said that ULP continues to invest in strong partnerships and superior science as it continues to deliver products that are effective, affordable, and good for the planet. “While the 2030 Clean Future ambition is now starting to take shape, Unilever’s homecare brands in the Philippines have made great strides in making sustainable living commonplace to Filipinos. With all these moving at speed, we can truly achieve a clean future,” Mr. Yap continued.

Laundry detergent Surf, for instance, operates a flagship sachet collection program across the country with “MisisWalastik”. Multi-purpose home cleaner Domex, meanwhile, backs a partnership with the Department of Education for safe toilets in schools through its #TogetherWeAreUnstoppable initiative.

Further fulfilling Clean Future’s main objective, ULP’s cleaning brands like Breeze, Domex, Comfort, Sunlight, and Surf have started to roll out new bottle packaging made of 100% recycled material.

Unilever ensures, nonetheless, that products that reach consumers are made with ingredients and processed with the highest standards, as Sandeep Desai, ULP’s vice-president for supply chain, noted. “Our Clean Future program turbocharges Unilever’s Supply Chain operations so that our products can be made from renewable or circular sources, using cutting-edge tech, and work better in a climate-challenged world,” Mr. Desai explained.

The public, businesses, and partners can find out more about the Clean Future initiative by visiting www.unilever.com/brands/home-care/clean-future. Individuals or businesses with an idea for an innovation, solution, or opportunity to partner with Unilever to accelerate its Clean Future initiative can get in touch with Unilever through the company’s Sustainability Partnerships and Open Innovation Submission Portal https://bit.ly/37Ljt0i

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Perk up your living room with trendy colors for 2021

A great way to start the year is to embellish the heart of your home, the living room, into a seamless yet vibrant looking space with Pantone’s color trends for 2021—the Ultimate Gray and Illuminating. These colors reflect elegance, positivity, and cheerfulness.

The right balance of colors and textures can result in a sophisticated design for your living room space. Here are some refined items you can add to create an exquisite style for your home:

 

Marble-finished floor and wall

Marble tiles are one of the most popular types of flooring used in homes. They are durable, easy to clean, and can also reflect light making your living room look brighter and fresher. Its marble effect also exudes a unique and striking touch for your space. Match your floors and walls with Emigres marble-finish tiles. They are suitable for walls and floors creating an ornate ambiance around your home. 

Emigres tiles

Accent furniture

The main purpose of having accent furniture in an interior is to add definition and decorative value that provides style and comfort emphasizing the overall look of the living area. It is meant to stand out and carry the whole design of your space. Design your living room with high-quality and stylish furniture from Heim. They offer glass center tables, L-shaped sofas, and vibrant colored chairs for a cozy and relaxing view of your space.

Heim chair, center table, and L-shaped sofa

Sufficient lighting

Good and efficient lighting creates an illusion of a space making your living area look brighter and more spacious. It also gives emphasis to your home decorations allowing them to stand out and look more appealing. Brighten up your living room with an elegant and long-lasting chandelier from Alphalux – a perfect match to your home interior.

Alphalux chandelier

Stylish home decors

A well-decorated space makes an inviting home. It adds value to the theme and averts a dull result. Dress up your living room with chic decors to complete your trendy theme. Heim carries a wide array of home decors ranging from vintage, minimalist, vibrant, modern, and many more. You can add contrasting centerpieces for a unique look, a wall decor to elevate your walls, and patterned pillowcases to complement your furniture.

Heim wall decor, pillowcases, and centerpieces

Modish ventilation

Maintain the refreshing cool vibe in your living room with Kaze ceiling fans. These fans are energy-saving, efficient, and quiet allowing you to enjoy a relaxing time in the living room. Its contemporary design also serves as an added decoration for your living area.

Kaze ceiling fan

Start your home remodeling project and create a sophisticated designed living room with Wilcon. Grab all your home improvement and building needs at any Wilcon Depot and Wilcon Home Essentials stores nationwide.

Experience a safer and more convenient shopping as Wilcon continuously implements necessary precautionary measures in all of its stores, to ensure the health and safety of its employees and valued customers, including temperature screening protocol upon entry of employees and customers in the store premises; contact tracing policy; provision of sanitizing shoe bath; strict implementation of no mask, no entry policy; and provision of hand sanitizers and alcohols at different designated areas within the store. Maintaining proper social distancing is also observed with its 1-meter radius distance queue marks and indicators are placed within the store premises. Wilcon stores also undergo additional precautionary measures through regular cleaning and sanitation; provision of gloves and face shields to its employees; installation of safety partitions in face-to-face transaction areas.

Wilcon Depot also introduces a hassle-free shopping option with its Browse, Call, and Collect/Deliver feature. This new shopping option allows you to shop for your home improvement and building needs through browsing online on the Wilcon website or online shop to find the products they want to purchase. Customers can call/text/Viber to place their orders, and collect their purchases in-store or have them delivered at their doorstep.

Another shopping alternative is the Wilcon Virtual Tour. An online shopping option wherein customers can contact the nearest Wilcon store via Facebook Messenger App. Customers can contact the nearest stores, and the Wilcon team will take you on a virtual tour where you can explore the available products inside their physical stores.

Wilcon also provides contactless payment options to its customers. Wilcon offers different online payment channels like bank transfers, GCash, PayMaya, Instapay, PesoNet, WeChat, and Alipay for customers’ convenience.

Visit any of their 63 stores nationwide and explore the limitless product selections that Wilcon offers ranging from Tiles, Sanitarywares, Plumbing, Furniture, Home Interior, Building Materials, Hardware, Electrical, Appliances, and other DIY items.

For more information about Wilcon, you can log on to www.wilcon.com.ph or follow their social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram at @wilcondepot.ph and subscribe and connect with them on Viber Community, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

 

Be ready for the workplace of tomorrow with ASUS Expert Series

No longer a buzzword tossed around in business conferences, digital transformation has become a reality across the world. Primarily due to the need to reduce face to face interaction to protect both the safety of employees and customers from the COVID-19 pandemic, companies have migrated to the digital space virtually overnight.

Digital technologies including consumer-facing applications such as grocery and food delivery services, business-to-business e-commerce applications, and applications such as videoconferencing have swept the globe. Not only that, work culture has transformed to accommodate emerging work-from-home environments. To survive in this new landscape, companies have to be fast, adaptable and focused on providing the best products and services they can offer for their consumers.

Needless to say, the professionals that drive the growth of these companies have to be agile, determined, and versatile too.

This is why ASUS, the top computer components maker in the world and one of the world’s top PC manufacturers, has launched its ASUS Expert Series. Designed with the ever-changing needs and priorities of businesses in mind, the ASUS Expert Series blends the latest technologies with the reliability, manageability, and security that is needed to excel in the increasingly digital world.

Lightweight, reliable, secure, manageable, and attractive in professional minimalist designs, the ASUS Expert Series provides the solution for every demand the modern workplace requires, whether it is at home, at the office, or on the go.

More than that, ASUS prides itself on supporting its relationships with businesses no matter how big they are. Whether you are a single business owner with a notebook, to an enterprise running thousands of PCs, ASUS’ Expert Series offers professional solutions to ensure their reliability and the security of the precious data contained within them. They also come with a suite of useful tools and technologies that allow easy, yet secure management. Additionally, ASUS Expert Series products undergo rigorous quality testing to military-grade MIL-STD-810G durability standards, including in-house testing including panel pressure, shock, and drop tests to ensure durability, quality, and a long lifespan to match.

ASUS ExpertBook product line such as the ASUS

ExpertBook B9, the world’s lightest 14” business laptop are designed to let you be as productive outside as you are in the office. Featuring a design that is the world’s thinnest, lightest, and most attractive yet, these notebooks are the ultimate answer to the question of portability. With custom-fitted batteries that also give them incredible battery life and high-performance components such as a high-capacity dual storage option; the ASUS ExpertBook gets any work done effortlessly. Engineered with high-quality cameras, four high-sensitivity far-field microphones, and super loud and clear Harman/Kardon speakers for conference calls, there is no notebook better suited for the modern professional.

For those who prefer to keep productive while on the go is the ASUS Chromebook series, which gives you access to the Google Play Store, so you can work, play, or create using all their favorite Android apps. And with seamless cloud integration, everything you create can be easily accessible from any device! ASUS Chromebooks help you redefine freedom for the new digital age.

For designers, content creators, and programmers who need high-performance hardware but also demand the mobility that comes with a laptop, ASUS presents the solution with its ProArtStudioBook series, a powerhouse series that inspires and empowers you to bring your ideas to life. Featuring cutting edge NVIDIA graphics, a slim-bezel NanoEdge display for immersive visuals, the ASUS ProArt StudioBook has everything you need to create and share your ideas to the world.

ASUS knows and understands the security and management needs of your business, and is constantly striving to provide the solution. The ASUS ExpertCenter series is the industry-leading desktop solution built with ultimate efficiency in mind, opening a new gateway to sustainable business growth. Meanwhile, the Asus ExpertPC line provides high-performance hardware to allow businesses to achieve the unachievable. Using world-leading components, sophisticated chassis design, and rock-solid construction, the ASUS ExpertPC line offers comprehensive options with a wide range of specification and form factors.

For those looking to both work hard and play hard, the beautifully designed ASUS all-in-one PC features a slim display bezel that gives you edge-to-edge visuals and an incredible viewing experience. Featuring advanced ASUS SonicMaster audio with a bass-reflex speaker system, ASUS AiO is the leading name in immersion and entertainment, giving both unparalleled visuals and superb sound quality for the ultimate entertainment experience.

What’s more, interested buyers have an additional chance to win exciting prizes, as any purchase of ASUS business laptops, desktops, all-in-one PCs, Chromebooks, and Studiobooks in the ASUS Expert Series Official Store in Shopee from January 1, 2020 – December 31, 2020, is eligible to join the “ASUS For Business Share 2020” promo.

Perhaps nobody can predict what will happen in 2021, but at least you can keep you and your business ready for action with the best tools and equipment from ASUS. Whatever the need, there is a perfect ExpertBook, ExpertCenter, All-in-One PC and Chromebook to fill it.

To learn more about the ASUS Expert Series and their products, you can check here for more details. For inquiries and the latest updates on ASUS Expert Series, be sure to Follow, Like & Share their Facebook page here.

 

BSP forecasts December inflation at 2.9-3.7%

THE PRICES of agricultural products have been rising at a faster clip in recent months. — PHILIPPINE STAR/MICHAEL VARCAS

By Luz Wendy T. Noble, Reporter

HEADLINE INFLATION likely rose by 2.9% to 3.7% in December on the back of a quicker rise in the price of oil and agricultural products, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin E. Diokno said on Tuesday.

The range is well within the 2-4% target set by the central bank.

“Higher prices of domestic petroleum products and key agricultural items contributed to upward price pressures during the month,” Mr. Diokno said in a Viber message to reporters.

Based on data from the Department of Energy, oil companies during the month cumulatively raised prices of gasoline by P2.65 per liter, while diesel and kerosene prices rose by P2.95 and P3.05 per liter, respectively.

On the other hand, Mr. Diokno said downward pressures that could offset price increases in some commodities include lower electricity rates in areas covered by Manila Electric Company (Meralco), cheaper rice, and the continued strength of the peso against the US dollar.

Meralco said earlier that typical households in Metro Manila can expect to see a P7 reduction in their power bills for December following a cut in overall rates due to lower demand in the Luzon grid. Meanwhile, those consuming higher power rates may see reduction rates worth P11-18 in their December bill.

Meanwhile, the peso hovered around the P48 per dollar level in recent weeks.

The consumer price index rose 3.3% in November, the quickest in 21 months or since the 3.8% reading in February 2019. This brought inflation year-to-date to 2.5%.

“Looking ahead, the BSP will continue to monitor economic and financial developments to ensure that its primary mandate of price stability conducive to balanced and sustainable economic growth is achieved,” Mr. Diokno said.

The Philippine Statistics Authority is set to release the official December inflation data on Jan. 5.

In its Dec. 17 policy-setting meeting, the BSP’s Monetary Board raised its inflation forecast for 2020 to 2.6%, from 2.5% on the back of rising oil and food prices.

The central bank slashed rates by a total of 200 basis points this year, reducing the overnight reverse repurchase, lending, and deposit rates to all time lows of 2%, 2.5%, and 1.5%, respectively. It said the benign inflation environment supported its accommodative stance in a bid to bolster the virus-stricken economy.

DTI aims for 2021 RCEP ratification

THE Association of Southeast Asian Nations and its five trade partners — Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand — signed the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement in November. — PHILIPPINE STAR/EDD GUMBAN

By Jenina P. Ibañez, Reporter

THE Trade department aims to ratify the recently signed 15-country mega-trade deal by next year.

Signed last month after eight years of negotiations, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a trade pact that includes China, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and all 10 member-countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Trade Assistant Secretary Allan B. Gepty in an online briefing last week said that the department plans to finish both the ratification process and secure Senate concurrence in 2021.

“We’ll have the elections in 2022, so by next year we want to finish all this. That’s the target,” he said in English and Filipino.

Considered a treaty or international agreement, the free trade deal must have the concurrence of at least two-thirds of the members of the Senate, according to Article VII.21 of the Constitution.

The Philippines in 2022 will elect successors to the President and Vice-President and 12 seats to the Senate, along with seats to the House of Representatives and officials at the provincial, city, and municipal levels.

RCEP becomes effective 60 days after six ASEAN member states and three other signatory states submit their instruments of ratification approval.

The Trade department has been promoting the deal as an export market access advantage. Products like garments, automotive parts, and agricultural products such as canned food and preserved fruit stand to benefit, Mr. Gepty said in a statement.

Mr. Gepty during the briefing said the department is aligning their programs to improve industry competitiveness with the trade deal.

“Whoever is quick to take advantage of what RCEP offers would reap the benefits,” he said.

But others have criticized the deal. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Senior Economist Rashmi Banga said that a potential surge in imports could far outweigh the potential export value.

As economies reel from the health crisis, Ms. Banga said the government should prioritize saving domestic financial resources, using tariffs to increase revenue, and regulating the imports of luxury items.

Since the RCEP signing, the Trade department is once again looking into possible participation in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. The agreement was signed in 2018 by 11 countries — Japan, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam.

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