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Pixar film Elio follows a family’s imperfect intergalactic journey

A SCENE from Elio.

LOS ANGELES — Zoe Saldaña feels like her new film Elio, from Walt Disney’s Pixar Animation Studios, is a story about the imperfect journey that parents and their children go through.

“I think it’s okay to look at your kids and sort of just not know what to do, because that is a way that you can connect with your children, because half of the time they don’t know what to do as well,” Ms. Saldaña, a mother of three, told Reuters.

Elio debuts in movie theaters on Friday. (It is already showing in the Philippines, with an MTRCB rating of PG.)

The film follows a lonely 11-year-old boy named Elio Solis, voiced by Yonas Kibreab, who unintentionally becomes the intergalactic ambassador of Earth after being sent to a planet called Communiverse.

He must work with alien lifeforms, eventually realizing that he is not alone.

Film critics have applauded the movie from Pixar, the famed animation studio behind Toy Story and Finding Nemo. Elio has earned an 81% positive score in reviews collected on the Rotten Tomatoes website.

Hollywood studios, however, have faced challenges in drawing audiences to theaters for films with original stories. Elio may debut with some of the lowest opening weekend ticket sales of any movie from Pixar, according to industry analysts.

From Friday through Sunday, Elio is expected to bring in between $18-24 million for opening weekend in US and Canadian theaters, said Shawn Robbins, founder and owner of Box Office Theory and director of analytics for Fandango.

Disney projects an opening of around $25 million.

In the movie, Ms. Saldaña voices Olga Solis, Elio’s aunt who takes care of him, alongside Brad Garrett as Lord Grigon, a bulky, worm-like alien warlord, father, and ambassador.

Mr. Garrett, a father of two, noted that Grigon has his own parenting journey in the film that starts off a little rocky.

“There’s so many over-controlling parents, right? That tried to mold their kid into what they had wanted to be, or what they think they should be,” Mr. Garrett said, referring to Grigon.

The Everybody Loves Raymond actor said Elio is a movie that speaks to how everyone is unique, and children have their own path.

Mr. Kibreab echoed this, saying that he believes the film is rooted in families that support one another fully.

“They’re always going to be there for you whenever you need a shoulder to lean on and also if you’re feeling doubt or feeling lonely,” he said.

For co-director Domee Shi, feeling isolated at a point in her life helped her create the character Elio.

“This is about the weird kid before they’ve made any friends, when they are just feeling so alone,” the Turning Red director said. “I feel like I went on that journey. Definitely at some point in my life as a kid too, I felt like that weird, artsy kid who was the only kid in Toronto that watched animé at some point, but once I went to animation school and I found my people, that’s when I felt like I opened up,” she added. — Reuters

Colombia court suspends Petro’s labor reform referendum decree

BOGOTA — A Colombian high court suspended a decree by President Gustavo Petro that sought to call a referendum on his proposed labor reform, the latest setback for Mr. Petro’s effort to broadly expand worker benefits.

Mr. Petro decreed the 12-question referendum last week in a bid to force the Senate to vote on his reform before the end of its session on June 20 and in defiance of the opposition, who say the vote would disregard institutional norms and threaten Colombia’s separation of powers.

The Council of State, a high court that settles disputes between private parties and state entities, said in its decision that the referendum decree lacked approval it requires in the Senate.

On Tuesday, the Senate approved a modified and much-debated labor reform bill, and Mr. Petro has said he could withdraw his call for a referendum if that labor reform, as approved, passes a reconciliation process between the Senate and the House of Representatives and ultimately benefits workers.

Tuesday’s bill aims to improve workers’ conditions and includes measures to enshrine an eight-hour daytime workday. The approved reform will immediately increase wages for work conducted from 7 p.m. onward and gradually increase the surcharge for Sunday and holiday work through July 2027.

Mr. Petro, who took office in August 2022 as Colombia’s first leftist president, pledged to push through economic and social reforms to reduce poverty and inequality in the country of 50 million.

However, most of his social proposals have either been rejected or have faced significant obstacles in Congress, where he lacks sufficient support and a politically polarized environment less than a year before legislative and presidential elections to choose his successor. — Reuters

Philippines rises in Global Peace Index 2025

The Philippines climbed six places to 105th out of 163 countries in the 2025 Global Peace Index (GPI). This was the country’s best placement in eight years or since it ranked 87th in 2017. Despite this, the country remained one of the laggards in the region with overall GPI score of 2.15, surpassing the Asia-Pacific average score of 1.88. Released by the Institute for Economics and Peace, the index quantifies and ranks countries’ maintenance of and prospective peacefulness across the domains of societal safety and security, extent of ongoing domestic and international conflict, and degree of militarization.

Philippines rises in Global Peace Index 2025

BoJ’s gloomy projections suggest no hike this year, ex-top economist says

REUTERS

TOKYO — The Bank of Japan (BoJ) is likely to hold off raising interest rates this year unless a dramatic, positive turn of events in US tariffs allows it to overhaul gloomy projections made in May, its former top economist Seisaku Kameda said.

In a quarterly outlook report released on May 1, the BoJ cut its price forecasts and said underlying inflation will stagnate for some time as uncertainty on US trade policy weighs on the export-reliant economy.

The BoJ also cut its growth forecasts for both fiscal 2025 and 2026, a sign it sees the damage from US tariffs to intensify later this year and last through most of next year.

“I was surprised at how dovish the BoJ’s May outlook report was,” said Mr. Kameda, who is well-informed in how the central bank crafts the report and the interpretation of its language.

“Having said so clearly that underlying inflation will stagnate, it would take a very positive turn of events in US tariff talks for the BoJ to justify raising rates any time soon,” he told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday.

Japan’s exports fell in May for the first time in eight months as automakers like Toyota were hit by sweeping US tariffs. Tokyo’s failure so far to clinch a trade deal with Washington will likely put more pressure on a fragile economic recovery.

Given the lack of progress in trade talks and a dearth of data to gauge the impact of US tariffs, the BoJ is unlikely to make substantial revisions to its growth and price forecasts at the next outlook report due on July 31, Mr. Kameda said.

“If there’s a very big, positive change in US tariff developments, the BoJ would take that into account in its July report,” Mr. Kameda said.

“If not, the BoJ might find it hard to revise up its gloomy inflation forecast for fiscal 2026, which is key to the next rate-hike timing,” he said.

Under the current projections made on May 1, the BoJ expects core consumer inflation to hit 2.2% in the year ending in March 2026 before slowing to 1.7% the following year.

For the BoJ, the key would be whether corporate capital expenditure will hold up as the bank currently projects, Mr. Kameda said.

“The BoJ will also probably want to wait for clues on whether firms will remain keen to keep hiking wages next year, Mr. Kameda said. “That means any rate hike would have to wait until January or March next year.”

The BoJ ended a decade-long, massive stimulus last year and raised short-term rates to 0.5% in January on the view Japan was on the cusp of sustainably achieving its 2% inflation target.

On Tuesday, the central bank held interest rates steady and decided to decelerate the pace of its balance sheet drawdown next year, with an escalating Middle East conflict and US tariffs keeping it on a cautious policy track.

While Governor Kazuo Ueda has signaled readiness to keep raising rates, US President Donald J. Trump’s sweeping tariffs have complicated its decision on how soon to hike again.

A slight majority of economists in a Reuters poll expected the BoJ’s next 25-basis-point increase to come in early 2026.

Mr. Kameda, who was involved in drafting the BoJ’s forecasts from 2020 to 2022, is now executive economist at Japan’s Sompo Institute Plus. — Reuters

Discovery World board approves private placement plan

DISCOVERYWORLD.COM

LISTED hotel and resort developer Discovery World Corp. (DWC) is planning to conduct a private placement to raise additional capital.

In a regulatory filing, DWC said its board approved the planned private placement on Thursday.

The final terms and conditions of the offer, including the number of shares to be issued, have yet to be determined.

As part of the planned capital-raising activity, the board also approved the conversion of up to 115 million unissued preferred shares into common shares.

DWC said the private placement will raise additional capital to support the company’s corporate and operational requirements.

Meanwhile, the board approved an amendment to the company’s articles of incorporation to authorize DWC to act as a surety, guarantor, third-party mortgagor, or in any similar capacity for its subsidiaries and affiliates.

“While the amendment has no immediate impact on the corporation’s regular operations, it provides greater flexibility in supporting financial and commercial arrangements involving subsidiaries and affiliated companies, especially in connection with intercompany transactions or credit accommodations,” it said.

DWC shares were last traded on June 17, closing unchanged at P1.08 apiece. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Make the robot your colleague, not overlord

STOCK PHOTO | Image from Freepik

By Catherine Thorbecke

THERE’S the Terminator school of perceiving artificial intelligence (AI) risks, in which we’ll all be killed by our robot overlords. And then there’s one where, if not friends exactly, the machines serve as valued colleagues. A Japanese tech researcher is arguing that our global AI safety approach hinges on reframing efforts to achieve this benign partnership.

In 2023, as the world was shaken by the release of ChatGPT, a pair of successive warnings came from Silicon Valley of existential threats from powerful AI tools. Elon Musk led a group of experts and industry executives in calling for a six-month pause in developing advanced systems until we figured out how to manage risks. Then hundreds of AI leaders — including Sam Altman of OpenAI and Demis Hassabis of Alphabet, Inc.’s DeepMind — sent shockwaves with a statement that warned: “Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks, such as pandemics and nuclear war.”

Despite all the attention paid to the potentially catastrophic dangers, the years since have been marked by “accelerationists” largely drowning out the doomers. Companies and countries have raced toward being the first to achieve superhuman AI, brushing off the early calls to prioritize safety. And it has all left the public very confused.

But maybe we’ve been viewing this all wrong. Hiroshi Yamakawa, a prominent AI scholar from the University of Tokyo who has spent the past three decades researching the technology, is now arguing that the most promising route to a sustainable future is to let humans and AIs “live in symbiosis and flourish together, protecting each other’s well-being and averting catastrophic risks.”

Well, kumbaya.

Yamakawa hit a nerve because while he recognizes the threats noted in 2023, he argues for a working path toward coexistence with super-intelligent machines — especially at a time when nobody is halting development over fears of falling behind. In other words, if we can’t beat AI from becoming smarter than us, we’re better off joining it as an equal partner. “Equality” is the sensitive part. Humans want to keep believing they are superior, not equal to the machines.

His statement has generated a lot of buzz in Japanese academic circles, receiving dozens of signatories so far, including from some influential AI safety researchers overseas. In an interview with Nikkei Asia, he argued that cultural differences in Asia are more likely to enable seeing machines as peers instead of as adversaries. While the US has produced AI-inspired characters like the Terminator, the Japanese have envisioned friendlier companions like Astro Boy or Doraemon, he told the news outlet.

Beyond pop culture, there’s some truth to this cultural embrace. At just 25%, Japanese people had the lowest share of respondents who say products using AI make them nervous, according to a global Ipsos survey last June, compared to 64% of Americans.

It’s likely his comments will fall on deaf ears, though, like so many of the other AI risk warnings. Development has its own momentum. And whether the machines will ever get to a point where they could spur “civilization extinction” remains an extremely heated debate. It’s fair to say that some of the industry’s focus on far-off, science-fiction scenarios is meant to distract from the more immediate harm that the technology could bring — whether that’s job displacement, allegations of copyright infringement, or reneging on climate change goals.

Still, Yamakawa’s proposal is a timely re-up on an AI safety debate that has languished in recent years. These discussions can’t just rely on eyebrow-raising warnings and the absence of governance. With the exception of Europe, most jurisdictions have focused on loosening regulations in the hope of not falling behind. Policymakers can’t afford to turn a blind eye until it’s too late.

It also shows the need for more safety research beyond just the companies trying to create and sell these products, like in the social media era. These platforms were obviously less incentivized to share their findings with the public. Governments and universities must prioritize independent analysis on large-scale AI risks. 

Meanwhile, as the global tech industry has been caught up in a race to create computer systems that are smarter than humans, it’s yet to be determined whether we’ll ever get there. But setting godlike AI as the goalpost has created a lot of counter-productive fearmongering.

There might be merit in viewing these machines as colleagues and not overlords.

BLOOMBERG OPINION

Jurassic World Rebirth brings fans back to dangerous dinosaur realm

Luna Blaise in Jurassic World: Rebirth (2025). — IMDB

LONDON — Scarlett Johansson’s role in Jurassic World Rebirth made her recall her earliest memories of the dinosaur film franchise.

The Black Widow actor recalled seeing the first Jurassic Park film at the movie theater when she was 10 years old.

“It imprinted on me very deeply,” she told Reuters at the London premiere at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square.

“For the next three decades, I was like, I would have done anything to be in a Jurassic movie in any capacity,” she added.

The franchise, created by author Michael Crichton, has spawned several films, merchandising deals, and video games.

Jurassic World Rebirth, directed by Gareth Edwards, follows a team of specialists that embarks on an expedition to a forbidden island, home to a research facility for the original Jurassic Park.

Some of the specialists include Ms. Johansson and Bridgerton actor Jonathan Bailey, who must obtain DNA samples from three dinosaurs to achieve a life-saving medical breakthrough.

The Universal Pictures film arrives in theaters (including the Philippines where the MTRCB gave it a rating of PG) on July 2.

For Rupert Friend, who also plays one of the specialists, this installment in the franchise is exhilarating. “I love adventure. I love being taken on a ride where you don’t know what’s going to happen. I love the unknown. I love risk,” he said.

For well-known science fiction director, Mr. Edwards, the pressure for the film to succeed did not hit until he arrived at the premiere. “It’s all front and center here. It feels a bit weird, to be honest. I can’t quite get my head around it,” the Rogue One: A Star Wars Story director added. — Reuters

‘Constant complainer’ contesting long-established policy

I have a direct report who is a constant complainer. Last week, he challenged an obsolete corporate-wide policy that many people believe should be changed or updated. I agree with them. How do I manage the situation without making it appear that management has failed in its job these past 15 years? — Mountain Joe.

No leader enjoys being challenged, particularly if it emerges years later that a long-standing company policy is wrong. Yet, pushback is inevitable, and how you respond can either erode trust or build a culture of innovation.

An employee complaining about a policy is not always an act of rebellion. It’s often a form of feedback. Great leaders know that handling these moments well tests maturity and emotional intelligence.

Even if it’s obvious that the policy is crazy, frame the situation as something that served a purpose in the past. Emphasize that such a policy was aligned with business needs and organizational priorities when it was introduced 15 years ago.

Be sure to explain that since that time, the landscape has significantly changed. This is a good argument for why every organization should establish and nurture a continuous improvement program (like kaizen and lean thinking) with the help of an army of employee problem-solvers.

If you can do that consistently, then management won’t have to be exposed as wrong or remiss in maintaining an obsolete policy.

SPECIFIC STEPS
With inclusion and transparency mattering more than ever, how you respond to internal critiques even from an employee viewed as a troublemaker says more about your leadership than any inspirational speech you can deliver.

The best leaders don’t shut down dissent. Instead, they refine their strategies by empowering people, not necessarily through a passive suggestion box, but through a dynamic system where all employees are evaluated by the quality of their proposals.

With that in mind, consider the following:

One, don’t take it personally. When an employee questions a policy, resist the urge to feel attacked. It’s not about you or your management style. Being defensive is the enemy of leadership. Take a deep breath, set aside your ego, and treat the situation as an opportunity to engage rather than enforce.

A calm response should be like: “Thanks for bringing that up. Let’s talk about it at length.” That statement can go a long way. It shows you’re confident enough to listen without the need to release toxicity in the air.

Two, be an active listener. Too many managers often skip this part. Real listening means setting aside assumptions and hearing the reasons behind the complaint. Ask probing questions without being emotional. Is the policy objective? Is the policy impractical? Is it being inconsistently applied? Or, is it costly? Is there a better solution?

Sometimes, a worker’s frustration reveals a gap between how a policy looks on paper and how it plays out on the ground.

Three, clarify the policy rationale. Every policy was created for a reason. If the rule in question is still valid, explain the logic behind it. Don’t assume employees understand it well. More often, they don’t. For example, a policy requiring them to arrive 15 minutes early before their shift may feel arbitrary until you explain that it ensures smoother customer service during peak hours.

People may not like that policy, but they’re far more likely to accept it when they understand the intent behind it. If not, they could even propose a better solution.

Four, know your blind spots. What if the employees have a point? Most likely they have a reason for it. Being on the frontlines, they know the ins and outs of your business process. Even “established” policies can become outdated or misaligned with your company’s evolving culture or values.

Ask yourself: Is this policy still serving its original purpose? Is it fair? Is it consistent with your goals? If the answer is no, consider tweaking or updating it.

Five, give credit where it’s due. Letting your team see that their voices can lead to meaningful change strengthens motivation and morale. If you do that, more ideas will come. That alone could galvanize their resolve to remain loyal to the organization.

Best to maintain a reward and recognition system for both individual and team accomplishments.

Six, reaffirm or establish the boundary. If top management doesn’t want to change a “crazy” policy, just the same, be clear, respectful, and firm. Say something like this: “We’ve taken a fresh look at this, and for now, we’ll continue with the current policy until a better solution is made.”

Still, emphasize that management values employee input and encourage them to keep raising concerns when they see something that needs attention. This approach honors the employee’s courage to speak up — without undermining the authority of leadership.

The goal isn’t to win an argument. It’s to lead a team that believes in the direction you’re going. Policy pushback isn’t always a crisis — it’s often a culture checkpoint. It can highlight discontent, confusion, or shifting values inside your team. Smart leaders see patterns before they become problems.

 

Solve your workplace problems with Rey Elbo’s help. E-mail your story to elbonomics@gmail.com or DM him on Facebook, LinkedIn, X, or via https://reyelbo.com

The ‘fractional executive’ and some HR developments

At the recent birthday bash of “super woman” Rosemarie “UT” Rafael, chair of Women’s Business Council, I asked Nora Terrado, founder and former chief country executive of Carelon Global Solutions Philippines, what’s keeping her busy nowadays. She said, “I now serve as a fractional executive for select for-profit and non-profit organizations aligned with my passion and strengths, ensuring no conflict with  my board and advisory roles. Being ‘in the trenches’ keeps me engaged with industry trends and emerging challenges while broadening my perspective across sectors, operational models, and problem-solving approaches. This model satisfies my thirst for learning while maintaining professional autonomy.”

What is a fractional executive? Nora explained that a fractional executive is an experienced professional who provides leadership and expertise to organizations on a part-time or project basis instead of full time. It is a model that works well for start-ups and growing businesses that need strategic leadership but can’t afford or don’t need full-time C-suite roles.

She explained that fractional executives offer targeted expertise in areas such as scaling operations, navigating financial complexities, and driving digital transformation or mission-critical change initiatives. Enabled by technology, platforms now connect businesses with fractional talent globally, facilitating seamless collaboration across geographic boundaries. Organizations leverage this model for agility, empowering them to adapt quickly, seize opportunities, and tackle challenges. Fractional executives also mentor teams, foster leadership development, and instill best practices, leaving organizations equipped for long-term success.

She cautioned that there are challenges both for the company and the executive. Businesses need to be clear about expectations, protect confidentiality and ensure the executive fits into company culture. Fractional leaders must manage workload well and avoid conflicts of interests among others.

So, what are other developments shaping the future of work? Philippine National Bank Human Resources Head Lotus Altavas provided the following insights:

• Managing a multi-generational workforce — Workforces are getting more diverse than ever, with baby boomers, Gen X, millennials, and Gen Zs now working together. This mix brings richness in experience and ideas but also challenges communication styles, expectations, and tech savviness. The challenge is to foster inclusive leadership, open dialogues, and customized approaches to engage different age groups to avoid misunderstandings. The younger generation has high interest in corporate social responsibility and sustainability, so it is also important to create a purpose-driven organization. There is also cross-generational mentorship or reverse mentoring, where both older and younger generations learn from each other. The Gen Zs, being digital natives, are seen guiding the older generations in use of technology.

• Upskilling and reskilling for the future of work — There should be a hyper customization or personalization of trainings for employees that take into consideration the various generations present. Organizations should also have a culture of continuous learning, skilling, reskilling and upskilling to ensure engagement and relevance in a fast-changing environment.

• Rise of remote, hybrid and flexible work models — The coronavirus pandemic accelerated working from home, which has given employees better work-life balance, allowed companies to get talent from anywhere, and lowered operational costs. However, remote work requires strong communication, trust, digital tools and regular check-ins to keep connected and aligned. There should also be a mix of digital and face-to-face interactions.

• Artificial intelligence (AI) and digital tools are changing the game — AI tools that support recruitment, performance management, learning, and development are transforming HR. These tools save time, reduce errors, and allow humans to focus more on strategic work. AI transforms HR functions by automating tasks, provide data analytics and insights, and improving overall employee experience. However, they also require new skills and commitment to ethical and responsible use of data and AI.

• Support for the “gig economy” — Younger generations desire more flexibility at work so they pursue other interests. This is a challenge in terms of hiring. Companies that are progressive have embraced this and created more flexibility in their work dynamics.

• Gamification in HR by integrating game mechanics to make work or engagement activities more fun, like introducing badges and point system leadership boards, among others.

• Concern for employees’ well-being and mental, spiritual social and financial health, not just physical health

Leaders like Nora Terrado represent a new era of flexible, purpose-driven leadership. Work is evolving, whether it’s through digital tools, remote work, or navigating a multi-generational team. Companies that stay open, agile, adaptable, and more importantly, people-focused will thrive. After all, it is talented, driven employees that bring the ideas, passion and expertise that drive business success. 

The views expressed herein are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of her office as well as FINEX.

 

Flor G. Tarriela is a banker by profession and an environmentalist/ gardener.

Tourism’s share to GDP inches up to 8.9% in 2024 — PSA

THE SHARE of the tourism industry in the Philippine economy rose to a five-year high of 8.9% in 2024, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said on Thursday. Read the full story.

Tourism's share to GDP inches up to 8.9% in 2024 — PSA

DigiPlus appoints Huawei alum Tommy Hu as CEO

DIGIPLUS.COM.PH

TANCO-LED digital entertainment provider DigiPlus Interactive Corp. said its board has elected seasoned software engineer and business leader Tommy Hu as its chief executive officer (CEO).

Mr. Hu, also known as Hu Jianguo, has over two decades of experience in platform innovation, gaming operations, and enterprise-scale technology leadership, DigiPlus said in a regulatory filing on Thursday.

Prior to his appointment as CEO, Mr. Hu helped transform DigiPlus from a land-based gaming operator into a technology-driven digital entertainment brand, the company said.

He began his career building scalable technology infrastructure in some of Asia’s most advanced digital environments, including holding a senior technical role at Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., DigiPlus noted.

“As CEO, Mr. Hu leads DigiPlus into its next chapter: expanding into regulated international markets while continuing to set benchmarks in product innovation, player protection, and entertainment excellence,” DigiPlus said.

Mr. Hu holds a master’s degree in software engineering from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China.

Meanwhile, DigiPlus said its board also elected Rick Li as chief digital officer to guide the company’s digital innovation strategy and success in the evolving digital financial ecosystem.

Mr. Li, also known as Li Jiaqi, has more than 15 years of experience in fintech, digital payments, and technical leadership. He previously served as Head of Solutions for South and Southeast Asia at Ant Group, where he led technical solutions across all product lines for Ant International.

Mr. Li earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science and a master’s degree in software engineering from the National University of Singapore.

DigiPlus shares dropped by 0.50% or 30 centavos to P60.30 apiece on Thursday. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

How PSEi member stocks performed — June 19, 2025

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Thursday, June 19, 2025.

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