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WFH during the ECQ: Lazada’s Neil Trinidad

IT is more than a month into the Luzon-wide quarantine and while many people still go to work as essential workers and frontliners, even more employees have had to adjust to a work from home lifestyle where video conferencing is the name of the game.

For Neil Trinidad, the chief marketing officer of e-commerce platform Lazada Philippines, it came as a surprise just how productive the company could be even without employees being physically present in an office. It says a lot about the importance of more companies going digital, he told BusinessWorld in an e-mail interview on April 21.

He also discussed how it’s important for him to keep a routine and shift into “work mode” at home — which means wearing linen shirts and pants and house slippers, and learning how to cut his own hair.

The interview has been edited for clarity.

WHAT IS YOUR PREFERRED MEETING METHOD AND WHY?
We use Dingtalk, which is [the Alibaba Group’s] enterprise communication and collaboration platform. Lazada is a regional company, so working remotely is not something new.

Daily, our communication tools enable me to stay connected with my team, make fast decisions, run multiple workstreams, and do quick work turnarounds. We also have video conferencing tools to stay engaged — we do weekly coffee sessions with the marketing team, dress up according to a theme, and share positive focus — things we’re grateful for or new things we’ve learned.

We also utilize the software to conduct company-wide livestreams for our employees, alternately hosted by our executive team, keeping them up-to-date on what’s happening with the business and staying connected even as we all work apart in our homes.

WHERE IS YOUR HOME OFFICE LOCATED?
My home office is in our study room/guest room. I have a great view of [Bonifacio Global City] with lots of natural light and fresh air. I realized early on how important it is to create an inspiring workspace at home. I set up my desk with a plant, an aromatherapy diffuser, a lamp, and a Google Home Mini for ambient music, which I turn on in between calls.

WHAT TIME DO YOU START YOUR WORKDAY NOW COMPARED TO BACK WHEN YOU ACTUALLY WENT TO THE OFFICE?

My day starts before 9 a.m., answering messages from the various teams and catching up on e-mails. Like many others, I have back-to-back meetings and calls throughout the day. I also always make sure that I do regular alignments with the team so we’re all aligned on things that need to be accomplished for the week.

I’ve been amazed at how productive work from home can be for us at Lazada. During the ECQ, we’ve been: able to resume operations of essential goods on our e-commerce platform; start a digital giving fundraiser for frontliners through LazadaForGood; created and operated new livestream shows, like our LazadaForGood #RadioGives Charity Concert Series, and a brand-new show, Sing It! with Mimiyuuuh, all of which were written, produced, and streamed from home.

DO YOU TAKE BREAKS?
In between meetings, I play with my dogs and catch up on social media. In the afternoon, I grab myself a cup of Nespresso and play blinks from Blinkist. I’ve been wanting to read more, but I haven’t had the time, so I catch up on the books I’ve wanted to read by listening to 15-minute blinks.

DO YOU STILL DRESS UP FOR WORK OR ARE YOU MORE CASUAL IN THE WORK FROM HOME SET UP?

It’s really important for me to mentally and physically transition to work mode. I still maintain my morning routine and I try to “dress up” for work, which now means linen shirts and pants and house slippers. And I learned how to cut my own hair, an [enhanced community quarantine] skill unlocked!

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON YOU LEARNED ABOUT WORKING FROM HOME? HOW WILL THE “NEW NORMAL” AFTER THE QUARANTINE ENDS AFFECT THE WORLD OF WORK?

From a personal view, working from home during ECQ has underscored the importance of empathy and staying connected. With so much uncertainty, I learned that you can never go wrong when you over-communicate with your team. It’s important to constantly reassure them, to clarify directions, and to keep them motivated.

From a business view, what’s clearer to me is that in this “new normal” all businesses need to be digital businesses and that all businesses need to do good. COVID-19 has been a disruptor for many SMEs (small-medium enterprises), but it’s also shown that it’s not too late to reposition your business and find new opportunities online.

Besides putting together consumer experiences as people stay indoors more, we also rallied the teams to develop a P100-million incentive seller package — the Lazada Bounce Back Together program — to help businesses have an easy, convenient [way], and the knowledge to tap into online selling for business continuity.

As I’ve mentioned, one important lesson that I share with the team was how we are able to pull off major campaigns and initiatives while working remotely. With the unprecedented circumstances, we were able to quickly rethink our strategies on what is badly needed during this time — help out in every way you can. And the only way to pull this off, it’s communication, communication, communication!

COVID-19 has also shown us that businesses and brands have the power to do good — whether it’s in helping frontliners, helping the community, or making it easier for people to transact and “live online.” Moving forward, I think all businesses and brands need to activate “purpose” as part of their business as usual. — Zsarlene B. Chua

PSALM provides grace period, staggered fees for energy sector

THE GOVERNMENT-owned Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) is providing power stakeholders with a grace period of paying their fees which due dates fall during the period of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), as well as it is allowing them to pay their dues in installments in the next four billing months.

On Tuesday, PSALM released its latest advisory adhering to the recent orders by the Department of Energy and the Energy Regulatory Commission on the payments of dues and obligations within the energy sector, as the ECQ, which was originally set to end on April 14, was extended up to the end of April.

Payments of PSALM’s fees on power billings and ancillary services that fall within the quarantine period from March 15 to April 30 were put on hold.

The order covers payments of distribution utilities, industries, ecozones and government entities of regular power bills, deferred accounting adjustments (DAA) on GRAM (generation rate adjustment mechanism) and ICERA (incremental currency exchange rate adjustment), ACRM (automatic cost recovery mechanism) true-up adjustments, remittances entitled to prompt payment discount (PPD), restructured accounts on power, and ancillary services payments due from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).

Also, a deadline extension is given to independent power producers (IPP) administrators for their capacity and energy payments to PSALM. They are also allowed to pay their deferred dues in installments, provided that IPPs and fuel suppliers adopt the same due date extension and payment scheme.

Entities collecting universal charges are expected to provide a grace period and a staggered bills payment scheme to electricity consumers, while PSALM also grants the collecting entities (CE) with the same extension for their remittances of universal charges to the agency.

These universal charges include missionary electrification charge, environmental charge for watershed rehabilitation and management and stranded debts.

The agency tasked to privatize the government’s power assets has been given a grace period to disburse funds from these payments to its beneficiaries.

“PSALM strongly reiterates its requirement to power customers, CEs, NGCP and IPPAs to immediately remit to PSALM any proportionate amounts that they may have already collected from their own customers, if any, without awaiting the extended due dates,” it said in the advisory.

“Customers who have the ability to pay are encouraged to continue to timely settle their bills with PSALM within the original due dates,” it added.

In a separate statement, PSALM said on Tuesday that it had again moved the deadline for the submission of bids for the third round of public bidding for the Malaya thermal power plant and its underlying land.

It set the new deadline at 12:00 noon on June 30 from May 30, citing the extension of the enhanced community quarantine.

PSALM said the dates of the other bidding activities were also adjusted. The new deadline for the filing of a request to bid as a consortium is on May 11. The submission of documentary deliverables is rescheduled to May 15, while the release of asset purchase agreement to qualified bidders is set to happen on June 16 or not later than seven days before the bid submission deadline.

PSALM said it would disclose the minimum bid price to qualified bidders immediately after it had secured the board’s decision on the matter. Its board is awaiting feedback from the Commission on Audit on the request of PSALM to allow a discounting mechanism that would lower the minimum bid price.

The agency said it was monitoring the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and that it would issue appropriate supplemental bid bulletins to modify the dates of the bidding process should these are needed. — Adam J. Ang

Untried and untested: the festival of one-act plays goes online

ALREADY a hotbed of the new and cutting edge in theater, the 2020 Virgin Labfest theater festival does not disappoint this year. Instead of cancelling outright in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival will stage its new “untied and untested” plays online for the first time. The use of green screens, recorded material, and meeting platforms are all being considered in this unique staging of the festival.

This year’s Virgin Labfest (VLF) — a production of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) in collaboration with the Writers Bloc and Tanghalang Pilipino — will push through as originally scheduled and stream online from June 10 to 28 according to an April 12 announcement by festival director JK Anicoche, made via a Facebook video.

In a video interview with BusinessWorld, Mr. Anicoche noted that this year’s play directors were consulted about adjusting to an online medium.

“We had that good conversation with our directors, because to do it on a virtual stage is a lot of things to ask. I’m proud of this roster of directors because initially they just took the challenge and said, ‘Let’s do it.’”

When making the decision to go on in this manner, they considered the welfare of the artists and production teams, and the support for the livelihood of artists.

“For a lot of artists, it’s very important for them. That they’re looking forward to something that they’re doing on a regular basis. A lot of artists are looking forward to those rehearsals and they get to do what they do best, which is to perform,” Mr. Anicoche said.

The festival — this year titled Kapit (Hold On) — will feature nine new one-act plays, three restaged plays which had been performed at previous Labfests, and six new works for staged readings.

The new one-act plays are: Tyron Casumpang’s Blackpink, Dustin Celestino’s Doggy, Norman Boquiren’s Mayang Bubot sa Tag-araw, Jay Crisostomo’s Dapit Hapon, Juliene Mendoza’s Multiverse, Luis Nario’s Gin Bilog, Daryl Pasion’s Papaano Turuan ang Babae Humawak ng Baril, Floyd Tiogangco’s Pilot Episode, and Jobert Grey Landeza’s Teacher Kit.

The revisited plays are: UZ Eliserio’s Anak Ka Ng, Herlyn Alegre’s Fangirl, and Rick Patriarca’s Wanted: Male Boarders.

The new works for staged readings are: Nicko de Guzman’s Bagahe, Dingdong Novenario’s Dominador Gonzales-National Artist, Buch Dacanay’s Jenny Li, Rouchelle Dinglasan’s Lady Masters, Bernice Dacara’s Matira Matibay, and Claro De Los Reyes’ Mongoloida’s Casa de Pun.

Aside from the stagings, the festival will include conversations with the directors and writers prior to the live streamed staging. There will also be talkback sessions, which Mr. Anicoche noted as a chance for audiences to “dig deeper into these narratives.”

The stories themselves will not be adapted to address COVID-19, they will retain their original premise.

“The selection of stories that we have for this year are the stories that present new perspectives into our understanding of history, into our way of looking at present day society, and, of course, how we are reimagining the future,” Mr. Anicoche said.

PREPARATIONS
In preparation for the online staging of the plays, some directors are making use of recorded material, exploring the use of green screen, and reflecting on how to stage the story while distanced.

“The CCP shall mobilize [a] budget to acquire the appropriate software, conduct re-tooling training for directors, playwrights, creatives, and actors to get ‘friendly’ with the online platform,” CCP Vice-President and Artistic Director Chris B. Millado told BusinessWorld in an online interview.

The VLF team is currently studying which streaming platforms — such as Open Broadcaster Software (OBS), Zoom, or Facebook — to use to present the online stagings.

As for the festival’s ticketing procedures, Mr. Millado said that it is “still an ongoing discussion” with the CCP’s marketing team.

“The creative challenge for all involved was to look for ways to implement a festival known for its intimate, face-to-face engagement between artists and audiences, while maintaining social distancing,” Mr. Millado said. “By delivering theater in an exciting new way, CCP’s VLF continues to inspire audiences and, at the same time, protects livelihoods of artists, creatives and technical staff during a time of vulnerability.”

Mr. Anicoche noted that the same lineup of works will be restaged in next year’s festival.

“We continue to gather, build a community, and then we create, even in most difficult times. The role of theater is to gather people, and the role of the theater is to make people listen to each other, and make sense of what is happening in our everyday lives,” Mr. Anicoche said.

For updates on the VLF, visit https://www.facebook.com/culturalcenterofthephilippines/. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

PSE eases rules on Islamic finance

THE Philippine Stock Exchange, Inc. (PSE) is adjusting its guidelines in screening companies’ compliance with Islamic principles of finance, removing some previously imposed restrictions.

The PSE released an April 20 memorandum in line with the amended Shari’ah Rulebook. The new guidelines immediately took effect.

“This is to further align the PSE Shariah Guidelines with the recent change in the guidelines of our screening provider, IdealRatings Inc., to its Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) Shariah Rulebook,” it said.

For one, hotel operators that source their income from accommodations will now be accepted among Shari’ah-compliant securities. Only if a hotel business gets more than 5% of its income from pork, alcohol, gambling and casinos will it be considered non-compliant.

Businesses engaged in embryonic stem-cell research were also removed from the list of prohibited securities. The PSE said this was not covered in the amended AAOIFI Rulebook.

For financial screening, the PSE will no longer require that a company’s accounts receivables not exceed 67% of its 12-month trailing average market capitalization. It said the AAOIFI guidelines exclude cash and liquidity ratios from the financial screening requirements to be Shari’ah compliant.

These adjustments mean companies that used to have these characteristics may now be entertained by Muslim investors. If they follow all other requirements, these companies may be included in the PSE list of Shari’ah-compliant securities where Muslims refer to when investing in the local bourse.

The other requirements to be Shari’ah compliant are that a company has less than 5% of its income derived from businesses in adult entertainment, alcohol, cinema, defense and weapons, financial services (insurance, conventional banking, conventional financial institutions, derivatives, mortgage, among others), gambling, gold and silver hedging, interest-bearing investments, music, pork, and tobacco.

Its cash or interest-bearing deposits or investments must also not reach more than 30% of its market capitalization, and its interest-bearing debt must not go beyond 30% of its market capitalization.

The PSE releases the list of Shari’ah-compliant securities every quarter through a memorandum on its website. The latest was in early April, which included 52 listed securities. — Denise A. Valdez

Stress relief when you are stuck at home

During times of stress, an option for many people in normal times would be to go to a resort such as The Farm at San Benito. Under the extraordinary circumstances of a global pandemic however, we’re supposed to stay at home. Dr. Marian Alonzo, Medical Chief of The Farm at San Benito, gave a list of tips on what one can do to destress at home.

RHYTHMICAL SELF-WILLED SELF-CARE
In a statement, Dr. Alonzo said, “Doing activities rhythmically is a key principle in this endeavor for optimal health. When we think or work too much, at a certain point, mental fatigue or physical tiredness sets in. The opposite, prolonged rest/pause, is a recipe for boredom. Now, consider the quality of movement of our lungs and heart. The life-giving rhythm allows these organs to move unceasingly from the time of birth.”

STARTING YOUR DAY
Said Dr. Alonzo, “Before sleeping, imagine how will it look like, how will it feel like — if you are already living the future that you want for yourself, your loved ones and for the whole world. The theme or the mood of your last thought and feeling will help dictate the frequency by which your body vibrates as you sleep.” She continues, “Upon waking up, connect to the beauty of the last thought or feeling you had the night before. Appreciate the comfort of your linen, bed, pillows and in a mood of gratitude, gently stretch your body. Conscious stretching, especially at that moment of widely outstretched arms, signals to the cells of the body that you are building up the consciousness of victory. Think of your first and last thoughts as the ends of a necklace and imagine wearing this around your neck as energetic protection for the throat area. This body area is actually a protective gateway for the lungs.”

She also advises to gargle warm salt water — alternatively you can do oil pulling: swishing virgin cold-pressed coconut oil, sesame oil, or olive oil around your mouth and spitting it out into the toilet bowl or the garden. “Not onto the sink which might, later on, cause pipe clogging,” she says. She also says to drink warm water, and that you may also take probiotics around this time. “Take a shower (or wash your face) in the space of mindfulness,” said Dr. Alonzo.

PRAY OR MEDITATE.
“There is available guided meditation on the net. Ocean breath or Ujayyi breathing densifies your energy not just for the throat but for the entire body. Doing this breathing for at least three to five minutes helps create an energetic shield. Do Qi-gong/Tai Chi/Shibashi, all of which are available through the net. The concept of rhythm as a healing factor cannot be overemphasized. This flowing movement brings the body — often hard-beaten by corporate deadlines — back to it’s healthy biological rhythm.”

ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE DAY
Dr. Alonzo recommends doing the following activities throughout the day, advising that they should come “from a space of love and gratitude: these are the two emotions that bring your cells to a high vibration.” These include vocal warm-up and vocal resonance exercises — “This helps prevent stagnation in the throat and nasopharyngeal areas. Flow or movement in these areas creates a certain frequency that the virus will not want to live in. For those who are open to chanting, this even creates a higher vibration.” She also advises doing body warm-up and cool-down exercises. “In between, you can do cardio, and dance to the hits of your childhood or high school days, or yoga exercises. Special focus on the lower legs and feet area to ground oneself. The idea of grounding is another key healing principle; the higher the tree, the deeper the roots shall be,” she said. “The need for grounding (centeredness) is especially relevant to prevent tendencies for dizziness or anxiety during the lockdown. Gardening or joyfully doing household chores are grounding/centering activities.”

And, yes, you can tuck in with a nice book. “Welcome this as a time to catch up on your reading. While it is important to stay abreast of what’s happening outside, there’s a big difference between informing oneself and getting dragged into the low frequency of fear. Know when to stop and disengage before you are dragged or pulled into a place of despair and hopelessness. And if you catch yourself in that space, go back to praying and meditating (or shaking it off with upbeat music) to neutralize that momentum.” She also adds that one could “lovingly clean the house, organize your things or do gardening while listening to Solfeggio Healing Frequencies: 741 Hz cleansing toxins and anti-virus; 285 Hz for immune boosting.”

The statement goes on to say, “Enjoy creating healthy meals in the kitchen. Try including curry or ginger tea — without sugar — sometimes.” She also emphasizes to “hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.”

She also advises to learn new things like playing the piano or other musical instruments by taking advantage of online music tutorials, or doing artistic activities like painting, clay modeling, and knitting.

Dr. Alonzo, meanwhile, warns against being online for a long time. “Avoid too much screen time. The blue light of our smartphone/laptops blocks the melatonin release which later on will affect quality sleep. Could the global decline of Vitamin D levels in the human body, despite ample sunlight especially in the tropics, partly be due to too much blue light from our modern gadgets?”

AT THE END OF THE DAY
To end the day, Dr. Alonzo says, “Lastly, daydream about that beautiful life after the quarantine period. This interesting time of our history is the Universe shifting to a higher (from 3D to 5D) reality, and we co-create with the quality of our thoughts. Let our contribution count with imaginations of vitality and freedom rooted to that beautiful glow in our belly, magnified by the victorious flame in our hearts.” — JLG

Online hiring stays strong, survey says

ONLINE hiring demand in the Philippines remained strong in the first quarter despite the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the Monster Employment Index (MEI) said.

MEI in a report said online hiring demand in the country saw 14% and 15% year-on-year growth in January and February, respectively, while March hiring demand grew by 10%.

The growth was led by demand in the outsourcing sector, with a 23% growth in January, 28% in February, and 25% in March.

Among specific roles, software, hardware, and telecom professionals saw demand growth of 14% over the quarter.

But some sectors are seeing declining demand.

Demand for jobs in the hospitality sector dropped 8%, while demand in the retail sector fell 5%.

MEI said that among specific roles, purchase, logistics, and supply chain jobs saw the steepest year-on-year declines of 5% in January and 7% in February. Demand for these jobs dropped by 19% by March.

Monster.com Asia Pacific and the Middle East Chief Executive Officer Krish Seshadri said that although hiring growth in the Philippines remains steady, challenges will come as the country sees more of the impacts of the pandemic.

“These are some truly unprecedented times, and it’s more important than ever for employers — particularly in hard-hit industries such as travel and retail — to do what they can to support their employees through this storm,” he said.

“Now is the time for employers to take a step back and think about how they can build agility and resilience in their teams, and ensure that their employees have the right skill-sets and support to navigate the changes that will be brought on by this adversity.”

The International Labour Organization projects a 6.7% loss in total job hours globally, or the equivalent of 195 million full-time workers, in the second quarter of 2020 as a result of the pandemic.

The National Economic and Development Authority said that 116,000 to 1.8 million Philippine jobs could be lost.

The MIE is a monthly analysis of online job postings done by Monster India, an online job search platform. MIE started collecting Philippine data in 2014. — Jenina P. Ibañez

Gov’t makes full award of 35-day Treasury bills as demand climbs

THE GOVERNMENT fully awarded the Treasury bills (T-bill) auctioned off on Tuesday and opened the tap facility for another P10-billion offer as investors holding excess cash flocked to safe-haven assets.

The Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) on Tuesday raised P15 billion as planned via the 35-day T-bills as its offer was more than four times oversubscribed, with total tenders reaching P62.2 billion.

The BTr also opened its tap facility to offer another P10 billion and take advantage of low rates offered and strong demand.

The 35-day papers fetched an average rate of 2.714%, 41.8 basis points (bps) lower than the 3.132% quoted at the secondary market yesterday.

This compares to the average rate of 3.39% this tenor would have fetched on March 31 had the BTr made a full award that time.

National Treasurer Rosalia V. de Leon said they opened the tap facility to accommodate the strong demand.

Carlyn Therese X. Dulay, Security Bank Corp. first vice-president and head of Institutional Sales, said rates dropped due to high demand and following the 50-bp off-cycle cut fired off by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) last week.

“The lower rate is attributable to the extremely high demand, as well as the lower policy rate after the 50 basis point cut by the BSP last week,” Ms. Dulay said via e-mail.

A bond trader said demand was strong as most investors prefer bonds or cash “at these uncertain times,” with those holding excess cash try to park their funds in safer assets, or government securities.

The BSP Monetary Board, in an off-cycle meeting last Thursday, cut the key policy rate or the overnight reverse repurchase rate to 2.75%. Accordingly, interest rates for the central bank’s overnight deposit and lending facility have been trimmed to 3.25% and 2.25%, respectively.

These rates are the lowest on record and also since the BSP shifted to an interest rate corridor in 2016.

The cut came less than a month after the 50-bp reduction in a scheduled Monetary Board meeting on March 19, which took effect on March 20.

For this year alone, the central bank has slashed rates by a total of 125 bps after a 25-bp cut on Feb. 6. This followed 75 bps in cuts implemented in 2019. This means the BSP has completely unwound the 175 bps in hikes done in 2018.

The BSP also slashed the RRR of universal and commercial banks by 200 bps earlier this month, with analysts projecting another 200-bp cut to boost liquidity.

Ms. De Leon said they will see if the 35-day T-bills will be included in their borrowing plan for next month following strong demand seen in yesterday’s auction.

For Ms. Dulay, “the strong demand is an indication that the market is highly interested in the 35-day bills, so it would be nice if the BTr continues to offer it.”

“Expect rates to stay range bound in the next few days as market awaits further news,” Ms. Dulay added.

The BTr reintroduced 35-day T-bills in its April borrowing plan, scheduling two auctions worth P15 billion each. The Treasury is expected to release its May borrowing plan this week.

The Treasury has set a P190-billion local borrowing program for April, broken down into P130 billion in Treasury bills and P60 billion in Treasury bonds. — Beatrice M. Laforga

Order in the good stuff (or cook Ikea’s meatballs)

Here’s a mix of global and Filipino favorites you can order in or make at home during the quarantine. We really mean global: we’ve got Ikea’s recipe for meatballs, straight from their Twitter account.

CIBO
Italian favorite Cibo is open for delivery at the following branches (and the surrounding cities that they deliver to): Araneta City (Quezon City and San Juan), Ayala Malls The 30th (Pasig, Mandaluyong), Powerplant Mall (Makati, Pasay), SM Aura Premier (Taguig, Parañaque), and Alabang Town Center (Muntinlupa, Las Piñas). Available on the menu are soups, pastas, mains, pizzas, and desserts. Visit Cibo’s Facebook page, facebook.com/ciboPH/ for the phone numbers of each of the branches and a complete menu.

CHICKEN BACOLOD
Chicken Bacolod’s 25 Matalino St., Quezon City branch is now open for deliveries and pickups via Lalamove or Grab Delivery. The menu includes various parts of a chicken, grilled inasal-style (and a selection of different rice dishes; we suggest the crab fat one). Text or Viber 0917-537-4143 or 0939-842-0252 to place orders.

BROWN’S GOURMET
Craving for roasted chicken and adobo flakes pasta? Brown’s Gourmet is taking orders for delivery and pickup at Regis Center, Katipunan, Quezon City. A complete menu can be found at their Facebook page, facebook.com/BrownsGourmet/. Deliveries can be made via Lalamove, Grab, Happymove, or Food Panda, and one can pay via bank transfers, or cash for takeout and pickups.

PIZZAEXPRESS
BGC favorite PizzaExpress is back for deliveries. One can order via Food Panda, GrabFood, Grab Express, or LalaMove Pabili, or by giving them a call at 0917-710-1567. One can pay via Gcash or bank transfer. Check out a menu either at their Facebook page facebook.com/pizzaexpressph/ or through bit.ly/PizzaExpressDelivers.

IKEA
Furniture giant Ikea released its recipe for its signature meatballs for its customers in quarantine. This recipe is from Ikea UK’s twitter account (twitter.com/IKEAUK).

Ingredients:

500 grams beef mince

250 grams pork mince

1 onion, finely chopped

1 clove of garlic (crushed or minced)

100 grams breadcrumbs

1 egg

5 tbsp. of whole milk

Generous salt and pepper

Ingredients for the cream sauce:

Dash of oil

40 grams butter

40 grams plain flour

150 ml vegetable stock

150 ml beef stock

150 ml thick double cream

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Procedure:

Combine beef and pork mince and mix thoroughly to break up any lumps. Add finely chopped onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, egg and mix. Add milk and season well with salt and pepper.

Shape mixture into small, round balls. Place on a clean plate, cover and store in the fridge for two hours (this will help them hold their shape while cooking).

In a frying pan, heat oil on medium heat. When hot, gently add your meatballs and brown on all sides.

When browned, add to an ovenproof dish and cover. Place in a hot oven, 180 degrees Celsius, and cook for a further 30 minutes.

Cream sauce:

Melt 40 gm of butter in a frying pan. Whisk in 40 gm of plain flour and continue cooking, and stir for two minutes.

Add 150 ml of vegetable stock and 150 ml of beef stock and continue to stir. Add 150 ml of thick double cream, two tsp. soy sauce and one tsp. of Dijon mustard.

Bring to a simmer and allow the sauce to thicken.

When ready to eat, serve with your favorite potatoes — either creamy mash or mini new boiled potatoes.

Megaworld gives P60 million for virus fight

MEGAWORLD Corp. is ramping up its support to the fight against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) through a P60-million donation to the Philippine Red Cross.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Andrew L. Tan-led property development firm said it gave funds to the humanitarian organization to be used in putting up COVID-19 testing laboratories across Metro Manila.

Specifically, the allocation was used to buy four sets of COVID-19 test laboratories, with each test laboratory comprising of two RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) machines, one RNA (ribonucleic acid) machine, a lab freezer and a bio-safety cabinet.

RT-PCR machines are widely used globally in “detecting, tracking, and studying the coronavirus,” Austria-based International Atomic Energy Agency said. Through this laboratory method, the RNA of the coronavirus may be extracted from a person’s own genetic material.

The testing laboratories put up through Megaworld’s donation are supposedly able to process 10,000 COVID-19 tests every day, with the results of each test available as fast as three hours.

“This will further strengthen our government’s efforts in detecting COVID-19 cases so we can really get to focus on them and prevent more people from being infected,” Megaworld Chief Strategy Officer Kevin Andrew L. Tan said in the statement.

“The Philippine Red Cross has the experience and capability to operate these testing laboratories, and we are confident that this project can greatly help in having more people tested fast,” he added.

Before the recent donation, Megaworld distributed food and grocery bags to frontliners in hospitals and city borders. It has also fielded buses as free transportation to medical personnel.

Its foundation arm likewise gave face masks to elderly and orphan beneficiaries, while its hotel arm gave toiletries and personal protective equipment to hospitals and local government units.

Megaworld booked a net income of P12.8 billion in the first nine months of 2019, higher by 14% from the earlier year. Its shares at the stock exchange stood at P2.78 on Tuesday, down four centavos or 1.42% from the previous session. — Denise A. Valdez

HSBC cuts top investment bank jobs despite freeze

LONDON/HONG KONG — Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp. (HSBC) has cut a number of top management roles in its investment bank, memos seen by Reuters showed, a sign that Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Noel Quinn is pressing on with plans to shake up the group despite having put a wider job cut program on hold.

Mr. Quinn last month announced a temporary halt to plans for 35,000 redundancies across the bank because of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Mr. Quinn, who took on the permanent CEO role in March after a lengthy audition process during which Chairman Mark Tucker courted several external candidates, faces a nightmarish task to steer Europe’s biggest bank through the crisis.

HSBC’s twin homes of Britain and China have been particularly hard hit by the pandemic, while cuts to central bank interest rates worldwide will curb the bank’s already pressured profits and it faces a shareholder revolt in Hong Kong over dividend halts.

The new strategy for the bank that Mr. Quinn announced in February already needs overhauling, as the lender tries to adapt to the crashing global economy.

“It’s hard to feel anything but sympathy for Noel who’s doing okay in exceptionally tough circumstances,” said Hugh Young, managing director at Aberdeen Asset Management Asia, one of HSBC’s 10 largest investors.

Mr. Quinn’s management reshuffle includes cutting the regional head roles of the Global Banking & Markets (GBM) business which houses HSBC’s investment banking activities, the memo seen by Reuters on Monday, said.

As a result, Asia-Pacific head of GBM Gordon French will take a six-month sabbatical from the bank, while the Americas head Andre Brandao will stay on until the end of the year before a further announcement is made.

In Europe, GBM head Thierry Roland will step down from that role to take charge of a unit focused on asset disposals, as HSBC seeks to shrink its balance sheet.

A spokesman for the bank confirmed the contents of the memos.

WORST OF ALL WORLDS
Two other memos seen by Reuters and sent to bank staff in recent weeks announced further changes.

GBM Chief Operating Officer Andre Cronje will leave the bank as part of the reorganization, a separate memo seen by Reuters said, and his role will not be replaced.

The bank is combining support functions for the Global Banking and Commercial Banking businesses into a single “back office” unit, the memo said.

A third memo spelled out the new regional heads of the Global Banking business, with former China CEO David Liao taking over Asia, Philippe Henry running Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Andre Brandao looking after the Americas pending a later decision, the memo said.

HSBC will be the first major British bank to reveal the early impact of the crisis on its business, when it reports earnings for the January-March period on April 28.

Early indications are that the bank will follow the lead of US peers that earlier this month reported a sharp rise in provisions against bad loans, as lockdown measures worldwide choke economic activity.

HSBC is, for example, among creditors to Singapore oil trader Hin Leong Trading (Pte) Ltd., which is struggling to repay debts following a collapse in the oil price, Reuters reported on April 16.

HSBC has declined to comment on the situation.

Investors said Mr. Quinn and other HSBC bosses are donating some of his salary to coronavirus-related charities, faces a battle to implement his cost-cutting plans for the bank amid public pressure to support workers at big companies.

“Not only is Quinn not going to be paid for this job, he’s not actually going to be able to implement his strategy as he intended,” said Richard Buxton, head of UK equities at Merian Global Investors.

“It’s the worst of all worlds in a way. You have declared what you’re going to do but you cannot execute it.” — Reuters

Stuff to do at home (04/22/20)

Cultural Center of the Philippines Online


The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) will stream the following recordings of its shows through CCP Online this week at 3 p.m.: Dustin Celestino’s Mga Eksena sa Buhay ng Kontrabida, directed by Roobak Valle (Virgin Labfest 14), premieres on April 22; and Tanghalang Pilipino’s Batang Mujahideen, written by Malou Jacob and directed by Guelan Luarca, premieres on April 24. The shows will be available for streaming for a week before they are replaced with new shows. To watch, visit https://www.youtube.com/user/culturalcenterphils.

Cooking Singing show with Carla Guevara Laforteza

The Open House fundraising campaign presents the Cooking Singing show with Carla Guevara Laforteza on April 23 at 4 p.m. The program is part of Philstage’s efforts to raise funds to help displaced workers in the performing arts. To watch and donate, visit https://www.facebook.com/lovephilstage/?tn-str=k*F.

Cooking with Chef Rosebud Benitez

Mega Prime kicks off its partnership with Chef Rosebud Benitez through a Facebook Live cooking demo on April 25, 3 p.m., featuring healthy, nutritious, and practical recipes to upgrade our everyday meals. Ms. Benitez will showcase some of her go-to Mega Prime products that can turn simple dishes into special meals. To watch, visit https://www.facebook.com/MegaPrimeQuality.

Moviemov Italian Film Festival online

The Moviemov Italian Film Festival, produced and organized by acplaytown Roma, shows movies in a virtual cinema through My Movies. Some of the directors and interpreters of the selected films, including Laura Luchetti, Fulvio Risuleo, Gianni Di Gregorio, Paolo Calabresi, together with this year’s festival “godmother” Elena Radonicich, will take part at the event with live social and video contributions in the virtual theater to present their films. La Dea Fortuna (The Goddess of Fortune) by Ferzan Ozpetek premieres on April 23 at 9 p.m. (Manila time). Il Testimone Invisible (The Invisible Witness) by Stefano Mordini premieres on April 24 at 9 p.m. (Manila time). For more information and instructions on how to watch films, visit https://www.facebook.com/MoviemovItalianFilmFestival/, and https://www.facebook.com/events/2719489801613065/.

Love Never Dies online

Andrew Lloyd Webber will stream the 2012 Australian production of Love Never Dies — the sequel to the Phantom of the Opera — as the fourth musical on The Shows Must Go On YouTube channel on April 25 (2 a.m. in the Philippines). Directed by Simon Phillips, the show stars Ben Lewis as the Phantom and Anna O’Byrne as Christine Daaé. It will be available for free viewing for 48 hours. To watch, visit https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdmPjhKMaXNNeCr1FjuMvag.

Dior’s Designer of Dreams exhibition


Dior’s exhibition titled Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams is now available to view online. Originally held at Paris’ Musée des Arts Décoratifs from 2017 to 2018, the exhibition traces the evolution of the house of Dior, from post-war Paris to the present, through a behind-the-scenes view of the making of the exhibition, plus a virtual tour of its rooms. Visit Dior’s YouTube channel to watch the documentary (https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1521&v=FLWDWzMrkBE&feature=emb_title).

Frank Lloyd Wright virtual tours

The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, in partnership with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and Unity Temple Restoration Foundation, is offering #WrightVirtualVisits every Thursdays (1 p.m. Eastern/10 a.m. Pacific time) in participating sites. Check the participating sites at https://savewright.org/news/public-wright-sites-swap-virtual-visits/.

Movie night with Jamie Lee Curtis

Every Saturday (in the Philippines) until May 8, Lionsgate and Fandango’s Movie Clips YouTube channels will be streaming films. The show, called Movie Night with Jamie Lee Curtis, will be hosted by the actress. On April 25, 9 a.m. Philippine time, the show will be streaming Dirty Dancing (1987) by Emile Ardolino. The week after, on May 2, watch La La Land (2016) by Damien Chazelle, and John Wick (2014) by Chad Stahelski. Aside from the screening, Ms. Curtis will also engage with the online audience via real-time chats and movie trivia.

Live poetry reading

Publisher Random House will be holding a live poetry reading program starting April 22, 8 a.m., called Big Ideas Night. “Just because we’re stuck inside doesn’t mean our minds have to be: Big Ideas Night is going online! Big Ideas Night is Random House’s forum for the curious, where innovative authors and moderators take a deep dive into compelling new books and thought-provoking topics,” the publisher said on the event’s page on eventbrite.com. The event features a “diverse lineup of six voices, each reading and performing their work in five-to-seven-minute intervals,” it added. Poets include Olivia Gatwood (“Life of the Party”), Nate Marshall (“Finna”), Jana Prikryl (“No Matter”), Jenny Zhang (“Sour Heart”), Fatimah Asghar (“If They Come for Us”), and Billy Collins (“Whale Day”). Register for the event for free via https://www.eventbrite.com/e/random-house-x-bustle-presents-big-ideas-night-national-poetry-month-tickets-102990786214?aff=Media on Eventbrite.com and join the Zoom virtual event.

Color Tolkien characters

The official Facebook page of Lord of the Rings author J.R.R. Tolkien has uploaded an illustration of Smaug the Magnificent from The Hobbit Movie Trilogy Colouring Book. Download the coloring sheet at https://bit.ly/2wKY3lp.

Turtle illustration online

The National Museum of the Philippines offers its second coloring sheet to raise awareness about Philippine biodiversity. The coloring sheet was illustrated by Larie Dianco. To download the illustration, visit www.facebook.com/nationalmuseumofthephilippines/photos/a.195151237175869/3165177150173248/?type=3&theater.

The Paris Opera Online

The Paris Opera is offering free ballets and operas for streaming. The scheduled shows are: The Tales of Hoffmann (2016) on April 20 to 26; Carmen (2017) on April 27 to May 3; and the Cycle of Tchaikovsky’s six symphonies played by the Orchestra of the Paris National Opera, conducted by Philippe Jordan, from March 17 to May 3. To watch, visit https://www.operadeparis.fr/.

Business courses online

Business microlearning platform GLOBIS Unlimited offers the teaching experience of Japan’s GLOBIS University through online business education. In light of the COVID-19 outbreak, GLOBIS Unlimited is giving free unlimited access to all resources online. Sign up for courses until April 24, and get unlimited access until April 30. For details, visit https://www.globis.ac.jp/unlimited-offer/?_ga=2.19086384.96919973.1587114462-682746198.1585895060.

BGC for frontliners

The Fort Bonifacio Development Foundation, Inc. (FBDFI), the corporate social responsibility arm of BGC, continues to ask for support through cash or in-kind donations #ForTheFrontline. For cash donations to the Fort Bonifacio Development Foundation via BPI online bank transfer, send to account number: 1921-1158-37. E-mail deposit slips to: info@bgc.com.ph. All donation items and proceeds will be used to provide food, PPEs, and other necessities for the front liners of BGC.

Andrea Brocelli’s Music for Hope

Listen to all the songs from Andrea Bocelli’s Easter Sunday concert Music for Hope at the Duomo cathedral in Milan, Italy on AndreaBocelli.lnk.to/MusicForHope1FP.

MoMA free courses online

After offering virtual tours, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is now offering free online courses. The courses include a series of five free classes for contemporary art, fashion, and photography. It includes readings and exercises which can be completed within 12 to 38 hours. For details, visit https://www.coursera.org/moma.

Celebrities read children’s books

Enjoy reading time with the kids as celebrities read children’s stories online. Watch Eddie Redmayne read Julia Donaldson’s Zog about a clumsy dragon who wants to be the best student in his class (https://www.facebook.com/MagicLightPics/videos/247819456374650/). Chris Evans reads Laura Numeroff’s If You Give a Dog a Donut (https://www.facebook.com/cevansonline/videos/214260509657142/). Kate Winslet reads Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham (https://www.facebook.com/campbestival/videos/253265512478422/).

Print & Play activities for kids

Keep kids entertained with new curated Print & Play activities from HP. The activities, from craft making and mazes, to dot-to-dot drawing and puzzles are suitable for ages two to 12. With HP Print & Play, parents can choose from a range of activities that are best suited to their children’s needs to achieve the best possible learning outcomes. To try the activities, visit https://www8.hp.com/ph/en/printers/printandplay/index.html?jumpid=va_u19mhncewr.

Harry Potter exhibit online

The British Library’s Harry Potter: A History of Magic exhibition is available online through Google Arts and Culture. Its features include video clips and sketches, and a Q&A with exhibit curator Julian Harrison. To view, visit https://artsandculture.google.com/project/harry-potter-a-history-of-magic.

The National Theater online

London’s National Theater offers free plays online on its YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUDq1XzCY0NIOYVJvEMQjqw). The National Theatre at Home will release a new play free to watch for one week every Thursday (7 p.m. GMT/2 p.m. EST). It includes cast and creative interviews and post-stream talks. The remaining shows are Treasure Island on April 16 (available until April 23), and Twelfth Night on April 23. For more information, visit https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/nt-at-home?queueittoken=e_safetyevent25mar20~q_b79a6e28-67d9-44de-88e6-29cedc812122~ts_1585490458~ce_true~rt_safetynet~h_8c7928d22caa971981f7edf53563d20e2fe8f68a3a3a1458b34b1cb17f11b50b.

The Nanny’s Pandemic Table Read

The cast of the 1990s comedy sitcom The Nanny reunites for The Pandemic Table Read of the show’s pilot episode. It stars Fran Drescher as Fran Fine, a beautician who finds a job as a nanny to the three children of wealthy widower and theater producer Maxwell Sheffield (played by Charles Shaughnessy). To watch, visit Sony Pictures Entertainment’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3a6KuP1X14&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR1eEwvK0A7lrLMnt2GTXBPoDR7y8_Q5TXMexTLIo9es9Gei4W1Yi-asITM.

Hogwarts online

Hogwarts Is Here is an online version of the Harry Potter series’ magical school, created by Harry Potter fans, that allows visitors to take courses like the characters from J.K. Rowling’s book series. Among the various courses are Astronomy, Herbology, History of Magic, and Transfiguration. The website also includes a forum, groups, and library feature. Visit http://www.hogwartsishere.com/.

Free Nikon photography class online

Nikon is offering free online photography classes until April 30. Topics include fundamentals of photography, shooting for landscape, portraiture, music videos, and speedlight control. To participate, visit https://www.nikonevents.com/us/live/nikon-school-online/.

Science experiments at home

Try to do 44 science experiments at home with the kids with the James Dyson Foundation Challenge cards. To download the challenge cards, visit https://www.jamesdysonfoundation.co.uk/resources/challenge-cards.html.

PETA’s Charot! The Unwanted Prequel

Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) launches episodes of Charot! The Unwanted Prequel once a week at its official Facebook page. The story is a prequel to its play, Charot! The Musical. The prequel is set in a country known as “P.I.,” which is governed by Papsy, as the nation deals with the “Charona veerus.” New episodes will be uploaded on PETA’s official Facebook page weekly. Aside from online content, the theater company is also conducting two donation efforts. One for the distribution of rice to 300 families in Brgy. Kristong Hari, Quezon City; and another for medical equipment such as personal protective equipment for the frontliners of East Avenue Medical Center. To stream the show and for more information on donation efforts, visit https://www.facebook.com/PETATHEATER/.

Color Manolo Blahnik designs

Shoe designer Manolo Blahnik shares a selection of his original sketches in an online coloring book. The shoe designs are downloadable at https://www.manoloblahnik.com/gb/smile.html.

DUP’s plays online

Three Dulaang UP plays — Floy Quintos’ The Kundiman Party, Ang Nawalang Kapatid, and Nick Joaquin’s Father’s and Sons — are now available for streaming on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm2k83BMK9Fq39P6yJH9lng.

Podcasts on Philippine crime

Stories After Dark features podcasts on Philippine true crime and mystery stories. It currently has 14 episodes including The Maguindanao Massacre (2009), The Ozone Disco Fire (1996), and Pepsi Paloma: Rape or Publicity Stunt? Suicide or Murder? (1982/1985). To listen, visit https://www.facebook.com/storiesafterdarkph/.

Palacio de Memoria virtual tour

Art and history enthusiasts can now go on a virtual tour of Palacio de Memoria, the Colonial Revival mansion, and marvel at its luxurious facilities and hundreds of Euro-Filipino paintings, sculptures, art displays, and historical pieces online. It features the showroom of Palacio de Memoria’s auction house, Casa de Memoria, which houses the Lhuillier family’s collection of antiques, the Mosphil Lounge, and a passenger plane that was refitted to be a lounge for special occasions. To view the Palacio de Memoria’s virtual tour, visit https://www.palaciodememoria.com/tours.

Intramuros virtual tour

Visit the sites of Intramuros through its virtual tours at https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/intramuros-administration?fbclid=IwAR0aRtUOboFvmpk73FwjO_OZBBD5OKRfoFBWUOGgPAUUpaA7DquxNG0Jlks. The walled city’s sites may also be visited through the Experience Philippines augmented reality app. The app is free and available on Google Play or the App Store.

Photography workshops with Canon PH

Canon Philippines is offering photography workshops for the month of April via its official Facebook page. The workshops will feature Canon brand ambassadors and professional photographers who will tackle basic to advanced techniques, and specialized topics such as food, architecture, wedding, and music events photography, and vlogging. View the workshop schedule at https://www.facebook.com/canonphils/photos/a.436807569702668/2967524323297634/?type=3&theater.

MSO’s music online

The Manila Symphony Orchestra (MSO) presents Ennio Marricone’s “Nella Fantasia” from The Mission (1986), which was recorded separately by its musicians while in quarantine, in the hope that it brings some comfort to the listener’s soul. To listen, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceKQHi-9OKQ&feature=youtu.be. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/manilasymphony/.

E-coloring books

The Getty Museum and the Getty Research Institute of Los Angeles offers the “Color Our Collections” edition for 2020. To view, visit http://library.nyam.org/colorourcollections/page/11/.

NFB animated shorts online

Watch animated short films from the National Film Board of Canada at https://www.nfb.ca/animation/.

Silverlens launches Art Boost

To keep in touch with art lovers, Silverlens presents Art Boost, an online drive to maintain engagement with art through social media, exhibition catalogues, and videos. Follow Silverlens’ official social media pages for a series of #athomewith, #weeklyartwork, #trivia, and #sundayread. Visit Silverlens’ official YouTube and Vimeo for artists profiles such as Gary-Ross Pastrana, and Patricia Perez Eustaquio.

National Museum of the Philippines

The National Museum uploaded a coloring sheet of Juan Luna’s Spoliarium by Bryan Ferrer which may be physically or digitally colored. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/nationalmuseumofthephilippines/posts/3123148164376147.

Children’s books online

Enjoy digitized children’s book titles from the University of California (UCLA)’s children’s book collection at https://archive.org/details/yrlsc_childrens&tab=collection; and University of Florida’s digital collection of the Baldwin Library of Historical Children’s Literature at https://ufdc.ufl.edu/baldwin/all/thumbs.

Five-hour museum tour

Experience a five-hour tour in Russia’s Hermitage Museum, shot by filmmaker Axinya Gog on an iPhone 11 Pro. To watch, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=49YeFsx1rIw&feature=emb_title.

Guitar lessons with Fender

Fender is offering three months of free lessons for guitar, bass and ukulele. It includes high-resolution videos with teachers, and a progress tracker. Follow along to videos, and practice at your own pace with the adjustable scrolling tablature and a metronome. To sign up, visit https://try.fender.com/play/playthrough/?utm_source=bouncex&utm_medium=popup&utm_campaign=PlayThrough_BXPopup&utm_term=fender&src=emaill00DTplaypopup/ .

Toei anime on YouTube

Japanese animation studio Toei’s YouTube channel will stream shows for free. Seventy shows with English subtitles have been released including episodes of National Kid (updated on Mondays) and Suki Suki Majo Sensei (updated on Tuesdays). To watch, visit https://www.youtube.com/user/ToeiAnimationUS.

Educational TV shows return to ABS-CBN

ABS-CBN brings back 1990s educational TV shows every Saturday. Sineskwela (8:30 a.m.) explains topics on science, Bayani (9 a.m.) is about historical figures and events, and Hiraya Manawari (9:30 a.m.) which focuses on values.

Cirque Du Soleil online

Enjoy free 60-minute specials from shows such as Kurios — Cabinet of Curiosities, O, and Luzia. To watch, visit https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/cirqueconnect.

Ayala Museum online

Continue learning at home with the Ayala Museum’s resources available online. Enjoy previous exhibitions and performances, coloring pages, and playlists. Visit https://www.ayalamuseum.org/online-resources/?fbclid=IwAR2psdA2kvBhhEC-iJs-seLvPXICAZ4zWO-bBIwvxjrhuTm18C_0zyOm3VE.

E-books for kids

Expand your kids’ library at home through the BuriBooks app. Titles include books from publisher Adarna House, reviewers, and Filipino textbooks. Access the app via iOS, Android, or a web browser. Sign up via https://buribooks.com/. Enjoy it free for 30 days.

National Gallery of Victoria’s virtual tours

The National Gallery of Victoria has developed several virtual tours. Audiences can view exhibitions such as Companionship In The Age Of Loneliness of New York-based artist Brian Donnelly, a.k.a. KAWS; and the world premiere of Crossing Lines, featuring the works of Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Visit https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/channel/.

Ballets at the Bolshoi Theatre

The Bolshoi Theatre in Russia showcases The Golden Series of classic opera and ballet performances via livestream on the theater’s YouTube channel. Livestreaming began on April 1 with The Tsar’s Bride. To watch, visit https://www.youtube.com/user/bolshoi.

Free Murakami books online

Japanese best-selling author Haruki Murakami’s stories are made available online for free at http://www.openculture.com/2014/08/read-five-stories-by-haruki-murakami-free-online.html. Titles include Kino, A Walk to Kobe, and Samsa in Love.

Free books on modern art

Enjoy PDF and ePubs on modern art from the Guggenheim Museum’s archive. The collection includes books on Francis Bacon, Max Ernst, and Mark Rothko. Visit https://archive.org/details/guggenheimmuseum.

Free vet consultations online

Dr. Cyron Sarmiento opened his Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/mcejsarmiento) and Twitter (@Cyrooon) accounts for free online consultations. For more inquiries, visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/648196199302932/. Consultations will run for the entire duration of the enhanced community quarantine.

Free Japanese courses

The Japan Foundation Manila launched an e-learning program of free Japanese courses. It includes six-month beginner and intermediate lessons on calligraphy, vocabulary, grammar, and conversation. Sign-up for your chosen course at https://minato-jf.jp/?fbclid=IwAR2SrhYV-9nH4Hbc9TbTspxg0t39DH6xtLQ-jz1n1uOkeGMK3bCdL022O8I.

Arts and Culture

Learn something new every day with Google Arts and Culture from virtual tours of sites, and museums to food, fashion, and design. Visit https://artsandculture.google.com/.

Frida Kahlo’s artworks online

View Frida Kahlo’s work online through the Google Arts & Culture platform. The website has 800 paintings, photographs, and objects by the Mexican artist from 33 international museums. To view the exhibition, visit https://artsandculture.google.com/project/frida-kahlo.

Scribd materials for free for 30 days

Enjoy free books, audiobooks, magazines, and documents for 30 days at Scribd. To view titles, visit https://www.scribd.com/readfree?fbclid=IwAR363ywNP9yoBbKJVQFYCtilfGfljPDGeOatqKJgWMV5Pj9-p7j-gkaGOb8.

Classic Pinoy films online

Director Mike de Leon uploaded classic Filipino films from the 1930s to 1960s on his Vimeo account, Citizen Jake. Titles include Manuel Silos’ Pista sa Nayon (1948), Gregorio Fernandez’s Kung Ako’y Mahal Mo (1960), and Lamberto V. Avellana’s Aklat ng Buhay (1952). Watch films at https://vimeo.com/user83013343.

Free Neil Gaiman stories online

Best-selling author Neil Gaiman offers free essays, audiobooks, book excerpts, and videos at his official website under “Cool Stuff and Things.” Visit https://www.neilgaiman.com/Cool_Stuff.

Arts BGC at Home

Every Wednesday, Arts at BGC offers creative prompts at the Arts at BCG (https://www.facebook.com/artsatbgc/ and @artsatbgc) and BGC Art Center (https://www.facebook.com/BGCArtsCenter/ and @bgcartscenter) Facebook and Instagram pages. Join the Arts at BGC Community to get in touch with other participants. https://www.facebook.com/groups/artsatbgc.

Ballet and opera free online

The Royal Opera House is showing its performances online through its Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/royaloperahouse/) and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/user/RoyalOperaHouse) pages.

Meg Cabot’s The Princess Diaries — Quarantine Edition online

Best-selling author of The Princess Diaries Meg Cabot offers The Princess Diaries — Quarantine Edition for free on her official website. Entries are updated daily. Visit https://www.megcabot.com/2020/03/corona-princess-diaries-day-1/?utm_content=122945851&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&hss_channel=fbp-67512624694.

NHCP Documentaries on YouTube

The National Historical Commission of the Philippines makes Philippine history education accessible through documentaries on YouTube. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/historymuseumsPH/posts/997233837339314. Titles include: Jose Rizal: Sa Landas ng Paglaya, Apolinario Mabini: Talino at Paninindigan, Kababaihan ng Rebolusyon, and, Gregoria de Jesus: Lakambini ng Katipunan.

Drawing lessons for kids with Mo Willems

Best-selling author and illustrator Mo Willems is hosting drawing lessons for kids called “Lunch Doodles” every weekday on YouTube. Each session will be between 20 to 28 minutes long. Mr. Willems is also welcome to questions (send to: LUNCHDOODLES@kennedy-center.org) which he will try to answer during sessions. For sessions of Lunch Doodles, visit https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL14hRqd0PELGbKihHuTqx_pbvCLqGbOkF.

Paulo Coelho’s books online

Best-selling author Paulo Coelho has made his books available for free. Titles include: The Way of the Bow, The Manuscript Found in Accra, and Brida. Visit his blog at https://paulocoelhoblog.com/books-online/.

Shakespeare plays online

Shakespeare’s plays recorded at the Globe Theater are now available for online streaming. Titles include Hamlet and The Two Noble Kinsmen. To watch, visit https://globeplayer.tv/

Learn at home with Scholastic

Scholastic is offering free online courses for levels pre-kindergarten to Grade 6. Duration of the courses is approximately three hours per day. They include writing, research projects, and virtual field trips. The website is accessible on any device. Visit https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html

Free opera streaming online

OperaWire will host Nightly Met Opera Streams of the Metropolitan Opera for free. The performances begin at 7:30 p.m. EST and will be available to stream for 20 hours. Visit https://operawire.com/metropolitan-opera-to-offer-up-nightly-met-opera-streams/. The Paris Opera is also streaming operas for free. Visit https://www.operadeparis.fr/.

Free films on YouTube

Catch Filipino films for free on the following channels: Regal Entertainment (https://www.youtube.com/user/regalcinema/featured); Cinema One Originals (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzggCZVkynvnjNV29L9EccA); and TBA Studios (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChh0rmwGvToBd3owvN2vRMg).

Free online courses

Enjoy 1,500 free online courses from leading universities such as Stanford, Yale, Harvard, and more. Download the audio and video courses (from iTunes, YouTube, or university web sites). Topics include archeology, art, finance, writing, law, health, religion, mathematics, and personality development. Visit http://www.openculture.com/freeonlinecourses.

Online yoga classes

YogaPlus offers daily yoga classes via Facebook live. For schedules, visit https://www.facebook.com/yogaplusph/.

Free Broadway performances online

Enjoy your favorite Broadway performances online for a limited time at https://www.broadwayhd.com/.

Virtual tours

Explore museums around the world through virtual tours: the Solomon R. Guggenheim (https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/solomon-r-guggenheim-museum?hl=en); the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (https://naturalhistory.si.edu/visit/virtual-tour/current-exhibits); the Louvre Museum (https://www.youvisit.com/tour/louvremuseum). View animals such as otters, penguins, turtles, and corals on live camera at https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/live-cams.

PT&T ties up with UST to provide IT services

THE Philippine Telegraph and Telephone Corp. (PT&T) has partnered with the University of Santo Tomas to provide internet and IT services to critical health facilities in Manila as the country battles the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

The listed telecommunications service provider said in a statement on Tuesday that UST intends to enable selected health centers in the Philippine capital “to tap into the University’s pool of medical professionals” for pandemic-related assistance.

PT&T said it had installed internet connections at Delpan Evacuation Center, Belmonte Health Center, and Health Center District Office.

The company has also tapped Lenovo, a technology company headquartered in Hong Kong, to provide Lenovo Ideapad and Thinkpad model laptops that will be used in the said campaign.

The internet connectivity and laptops will help UST’s Simbahayan (Community Development Office) and the Santisimo Rosario Parish in their efforts to assist local communities, PT&T said.

PT&T President James G. Velasquez said his company “remains committed to providing its customers with fast and reliable internet service, as it braves through this unprecedented and challenging time.”

The company said its core network and technical field teams will remain on duty during the enhanced community quarantine period to ensure continuous and uninterrupted delivery of services to its existing and potential clients.

“PT&T also extended logistical support to I Am Hope Org, which has provided PPE’s (personal protective equipment) for frontliners in hospitals including Las Piñas Doctors Hospital and Las Piñas General Hospital. The I Am Hope’s mission, led by Rina Navarro and Bea Alonzo, is to augment support for the immediate and long-term needs of the frontliners,” the listed company said further. — Arjay L. Balinbin

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