Facebook Instagram Linkedin X Youtube
Home Blog Page 9207

The Philippines’ place in space

The Philippines has a space agency. Not space as in land area, which might make more sense for a country that is among the densest and most populous in the world, but space as in the final frontier. “I know that some people ask, ‘Why should we even care about space?,’” said Joseph S. Marciano, Director-General of the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), a national body founded in August 2019 with an initial operating fund of P1 billion.

At a webinar held on August 6—the same day that Curiosity rover landed on Mars eight years ago—representatives from the Philippine space program outlined its projects. 

Of interest is Diwata-2, a microsatellite equipped with a high-precision telescope, a space-borne multispectral imager, and enhanced resolution cameras. Images taken by these instruments are beneficial because of their large coverage, their spatial resolution, and their ability to capture daily, weekly, or monthly snapshots. Diwata-2 is one of three satellites the Philippines has in orbit.

It is through satellite imagery that earthbound humans are able to grasp the devastation wrought by typhoons such as Haiyan, which destroyed the Visayas in 2013, or by fires that are still raging in the Amazon rainforest. 

Satellite images and data, along with data from thousands of sensors deployed all over the country, are processed and used by stakeholders such as the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, and the University of the Philippines-Los Baños, among others.

Flood mapping is the most common application of satellite data. Beyond that, data was used to evaluate the extent of the Taal Volcano’s ashfall when it erupted this January; to monitor the 2019 drought of Occidental Mindoro; and to detect damaged structures caused by the Battle of Marawi in 2017.

Optical imagery from Diwata-2 was also used to determine the relationship between:

• air quality and COVID-19 cases — cities in the National Capital Region with high levels of nitrogen dioxide, a gaseous pollutant from cars that burn fossil fuels, also had a high number of COVID-19 cases and deaths

• night lights and monitor economic growth — fewer night lights in the second quarter of the year coincided with the biggest drop in the country’s Gross Domestic Product since the 1980s.

Satellite imagery and spaceborne data, Mr. Marciano said, “can provide geospatial information in a timely and accurate fashion” for improving health systems improvement and food security, and enabling a digital government and economy. This spaceborne data is more relevant now given travel restrictions. And who knows, one day, PhilSA might send a Filipino to Mars (there will no shortage of volunteers). — Patricia B. Mirasol

The public can access the Philippine Space Agency’s space data at space.gov.ph/spacedata/login. The user name is spacedatademo and the password is space2020. The site is still in development. Expect data updates on traffic monitoring, air quality, water quality, and night lights. 

Duterte accepts Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine offer

President Rodrigo R. Duterte has accepted Russia’s offer of its coronavirus vaccine, volunteering to take the first shot as a gesture of trust and gratitude.

“When the vaccine arrives, I will have myself injected in public. Experiment on me first, that’s fine with me,” he said in a briefing Monday night. Mr. Duterte—who has called President Vladimir Putin his “idol” and who’s seeking to boost ties with Russia—added that Manila can assist Moscow in clinical trials and local production.

Russia is poised to allow a vaccine developed by Moscow’s Gamaleya Institute for civilian use even before clinical trials are completed, triggering safety warnings from pharmaceutical companies. Russia’s elite has been given the experimental vaccine as early as April.

The Philippines has 136,638 confirmed coronavirus cases, the highest in Southeast Asia. On Monday, it reported new 6,958 infections, the largest daily increase which the Department of Health attributed to an error in its database that failed to count earlier test results.

Mr. Duterte last month said he also asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to help the Philippines get priority access to a Covid-19 vaccine. — Bloomberg

BSP sees no reason for further easing

By Luz Wendy T. Noble, Reporter

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is not inclined to cut rates further at this time and will likely keep rates steady in the next quarters, BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno said on Monday.

“There is no compelling reason why the BSP has to move sooner on further policy cuts at this time. Monetary policy works with a lag so our reading is that our aggressive monetary policies have yet to be digested by the market,” Mr. Diokno said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel.

The Philippines plunged into recession for the first time since 1991 after gross domestic product (GDP) contracted by 16.5% in the second quarter. Economic activity collapsed as the government implemented one of the world’s strictest and longest lockdowns to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The central bank already slashed rates by a total of 175 basis  (bps) points this year, with the latest cut worth 50 bps unleashed at the June 24 Monetary Board (MB) policy meeting. This reduced the overnight reverse repurchase, lending, and deposit rates to record lows of 2.25%, 2.75%, and 1.75%, respectively.

Mr. Diokno said keeping rates unchanged for the rest of the year is “a possibility.”

“In fact, the current monetary policy stance will probably hold for the next few quarters because as I said, we have acted decisively in anticipation of the crisis,” he said.

Mr. Diokno was asked regarding the next policy action of the MB for its Aug. 20 meeting, given he has previously said the sharp contraction in the second-quarter GDP is temporary and will not hurt the country’s macroeconomic fundamentals.

“The 16.5% contraction of Q2 GDP does not mean that the Philippine economy is structurally weak. It is inappropriate to compare the Q2 performance of the economy with other crises in recent Philippine history,” Mr. Diokno said in a text message.

Mr. Diokno said the country used to belong to a select group called “heavily indebted countries” in the 1980s which is not similar to its standing today. The Philippine economy, he said, is backed by a strong peso, low interest rate environment, ample dollar reserves, and low debt-to-GDP ratio.

“The economy plunged because of the strict nationwide lockdown to save lives and to allow the buildup of health facilities and testing capacity due to the pandemic. It is not because the economy is weak,” he said.

The previous policy cut, which was “a pre-emptive anticipation of the steeper Q2 GDP contraction,” may have yet to work its way into the financial system, said Security Bank Corp. Chief Economist Robert Dan J. Roces.

“Probably the monetary authorities will seek to preserve its ammunition for the time being while confidence levels stay low and an adequate fiscal stimulus response is being discussed in Congress,” Mr. Roces said in a text message. 

Meanwhile, Euben Paracuelles and Rangga Cipta, analysts at Nomura Global Markets Research, are pricing in further easing due to delays in enacting a sizable fiscal support package, as the government looks to be “placing higher priority on longer-term reforms.”

“Despite some indications from the governor that the BSP may ‘pause,’ we still forecast a 25bp policy rate cut to 2% in Q3, and add another 50bp in cuts in Q4, which would take the policy rate to 1.5% by year-end. We believe the Q2 growth outturn disappointing official forecasts and a weaker economic outlook, as reflected in the government’s downward revision of its 2020 GDP growth forecast range and the risk of a fiscal cliff in H2, should support further monetary easing by BSP,” Nomura analysts said in a report.

Emmanuel J. Lopez, economist and dean at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran Graduate School, said the central bank should continue its aggressive easing to boost market sentiment during the recession.

“I believe Mr. Diokno should employ further cuts in the policy rates to ease the effects of the recession, to attract borrowing and investment plus consumer spending,” Mr. Lopez said in a text message.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed household spending, which makes up 70% of the economy, slumped by 15.5% in Q2, a reversal from the 5.6% expansion a year ago. Meanwhile, private investment or capital formation plummeted by 53.5% which was its worst since the 54.6% decline in the first quarter of 1985.

Coronavirus hammers building sector as workers get trapped in their homes

By Denise A. Valdez, Senior Reporter

RANDIE O. GALUPO, 37, has been trying to work on the side since mid-March after a building company where he used to work as a mason was shut down amid a coronavirus pandemic.

“I don’t have a choice but to leave everything to chance,” he said by telephone when asked about the risk of getting the virus. “If I’m jobless, there will be no food on the table.”

BW Bullseye 2020-focusPresident Rodrigo R. Duterte locked down the entire Luzon island in mid-March, suspending work, classes and public transportation to contain the pandemic that has sickened about 127,000 and killed more than 2,200 people in the Philippines.

He has vowed to continue his government’s “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program to stimulate an economy that has entered a recession after shrinking by 16.5% in the second quarter.

But construction companies continue to struggle as a number of workers have been unable to return to work because public transportation remained constricted.

EEI Corp., one of the country’s biggest construction companies that employs more than 24,000 workers, has resumed operations but with limited manpower.

“Some of our workers who went back to the provinces are still unable to return due to travel restrictions,” the company said in an e-mailed reply to questions last month.

“EEI remains cautious with its outlook, and keeps a keen eye toward possible changes that this crisis could further usher in not only for our business but for the economy as a whole,” it added.

Roland C. Roldan, 39, remained jobless because travel to the construction site that’s 25 kilometers away from his home in Novaliches City remained difficult, he said by telephone.

“I was forced to find jobs closer to home,” he said in Filipino. Medical requirements have also become stricter, with some companies requiring applicants to submit a certification that they are coronavirus-free, he added.

Mr. Roldan said he would rather spend the P2,000 on food than on getting tested. “During these times, you’d rather prioritize feeding your family.”

Roel D. Romano, a 48-year-old construction worker in the financial district of Makati City, said work protocols have become harsher. Strict social distancing is enforced at their site and they must submit a health declaration form daily.

“From 50 workers working at the same time before the pandemic, that’s down to eight,” he said in a Messenger chat.

Mr. Romano, who is from Binangonan in Rizal province, is one of the lucky ones because his company, Ethan International Corp. spent for their tests and provides transportation to and from the job site.

There was a time when he got worried about getting infected after his boss tested positive for the virus.

‘CHALLENGING’
“You can’t help but worry,” he said. “When I talked to my boss, I kept my distance although he has since recovered.”

About 400 workers at a building site in Taguig City had tested positive for the coronavirus last month, forcing the local government to declare a localized lockdown. All the workers have since recovered, according to the mayor.

The construction sector declined by 33.5% in the second quarter even after it was allowed to reopen in mid-May. The impact may be far worse, said Michael L. Ricafort, chief economist at Rizal Commercial Banking Corp.

“Construction accounts for at least 6% of Philippine gross domestic product, but its contribution to the economy could be more if the supply/value chain is considered,” he said in an e-mail last month.

Related sectors such as property and building suppliers have also been affected by the slowdown, Mr. Ricafort said.

The building industry faces another uphill battle after Mr. Duterte put Metro Manila and nearby provinces back under a strict lockdown amid surging infections. The modified enhanced community quarantine will last until Aug. 18.

“The stricter quarantine and resulting slowdown in construction, manufacturing, imports and overall business/economic activities could result in weaker GDP data for this quarter,” Mr. Ricafort said.

The level of decline would depend on the length of the strict lockdown “and ultimately how the spike in new COVID-19 cases would be managed,” he added.

D.M. Wenceslao & Associates, Inc. (DMW), which developed Aseana City along Manila Bay, has been trying to resume operations with a limited capacity.

“The year 2020 is definitely challenging,” DMW Chief Executive Officer Delfin Angelo C. Wenceslao said in a July 16 e-mail. “Absent a vaccine, all businesses are in a constant state of pivot and everyone is just trying to ride the pandemic out,” he added.

Aboitiz Construction, Inc. (ACI), which has three projects in Luzon affected by the lockdown, is also careful about its projections because it’s operating with reduced manpower.

“In the short and medium terms, a number of projects have been either deferred, delayed or canceled,” Aboitiz Construction President and Chief Executive Officer Alberto A. Ignacio, Jr. said in a July 16 e-mail.

The company expects revenue and profit to shrink this year until 2021.

Electricity rates down for fourth straight month

Consumers will likely see lower electricity bills for August, Manila Electric Co. said on Monday. — PHILIPPINE STAR/MICHAEL VARCAS

ELECTRICITY RATES in Metro Manila slipped this month, with typical households likely to see a P41 cut in their total bills, according to Manila Electric Co. (Meralco).

The utility giant on Monday said August’s rate will decrease by P0.2055 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to P8.4911 per kWh.

Power rates continued to dwindle for the fourth straight month on a relaxed supply contract due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Households consuming 300 kWh, 400 kWh, and 500 kWh could expect a decrease in their power bills by P61.65, P82.2, and P102.75, respectively.

Meralco’s generation charges fell for five straight months to P4.1241/kWh mainly brought by the lower prices at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) and natural gas repricing.

It bought supply from the spot market, which forms 15.5% of its requirements, at P1.1200/kWh. The lower charge is due to the improved supply situation in the Luzon grid with lower average plant capacity on outage.

The company also saw a P0.3284/kWh cut in the cost of power from independent power producers, which supply 33.9% of the utility’s needs. This was attributed to the decline in natural gas prices as part of quarterly repricing. It noted the price of its Malampaya gas supply reflected that of the significant reduction in crude oil prices globally.

Meralco said purchases from power contracts, which make up more than half of its total supply needs, inched up because of decreased average plant dispatch and a drop in force majeure claims. Its relaxed contract with First Gen Hydro Power Corp. led to a customer savings of P0.0285/kWh or about P82 million this month.

Since March, its total force majeure savings totaled around P1.9 billion.

Meanwhile, the utility noted a slight cut in transmission charges for its residential customers because of lower ancillary service charges.

Last week, the listed company said it will continue meter reading activities in its service areas under modified enhanced community quarantine, which runs from Aug. 4 to 18, to reflect its customers’ actual power usage in their upcoming bills.

Meralco’s controlling stakeholder, Beacon Electric Asset Holdings, Inc., is partly owned by PLDT Inc. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Adam J. Ang

House approves Bayanihan II

THE House of Representatives on Monday gave final approval for the P162-billion fiscal stimulus measure, which includes providing much-needed financial aid for sectors hardest hit by the pandemic.

With 242 affirmative votes, six negative votes and zero abstention, the chamber approved on third reading House Bill No. 6953, or the “Bayanihan to Recover as One Act” (Bayanihan II).

The bill prioritizes support for the healthcare sector, small businesses, low-income households and unemployed individuals, including displaced overseas Filipino workers.

“We want Bayanihan II to be a living piece of legislation that will power our industries and revitalize sectors of society that have been decimated by this virus, or were otherwise forgotten and neglected in the past,” House Speaker Alan Peter S. Cayetano said during Monday’s session.

The P162 billion allotted under the House version is higher than the P145-billion standby fund under Senate Bill No. 1564.

Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III said he is in favor of increasing the funding, provided the government has resources.

“The House version is around P165 billion; but then I understand there was some amendments that were proposed in the budget supposed to be for the Department of Tourism, naalis (was removed),” he added.

Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III earlier said the government is ready to spend P140 billion for an economic stimulus plan this year, saying this would “keep our fiscal deficit in a manageable zone.”

Mr. Sotto noted the Bicameral Conference Committee that will reconcile the two versions may convene any time this week.

If enacted, President Duterte will be allowed to realign items in the 2019 and 2020 national budget as well as ease procurement processes for medical equipment and supplies among others. The bill will be in effect until Dec. 31, 2020.

The measure will also continue to grant the P5,000-8,000 subsidy for low-income households in areas under enhanced community quarantine.

Around P20 billion will be used to continue cash-for-work programs for displaced workers, and another P20 billion for the agriculture sector.

A total of P50 billion will also be provided as capital infusion to government financial institutions, which will support state-owned banks as well as fund credit guarantee program and lending programs to MSMEs.

The bill allocates P10 billion to the expanded testing and confinement of COVID-19 patients, and another P10 billion for healthcare workers.

Some P3 billion will be used to procure face masks and personal protective equipment and P4 billion for the construction of temporary medical isolation and quarantine facilities.

Mr. Cayetano said that while the Bayanihan II will boost various sectors hit by the Luzon-wide lockdown, the country will need a roadmap to address the coronavirus pandemic.

“It takes more than just a law to get things going. We need both a roadmap for the familiar places we need to go, and to blaze a trail out of the wilderness when we get lost,” he said. “We need a pragmatic plan that can be funded and implemented effectively.” — C.A.Tadalan

TV5 to buy entertainment content, enter into block timing

By Zsarlene B. Chua, Senior Reporter

AFTER several years of not producing entertainment content and banking on sports and news for the network’s content, TV5 is poised for a comeback with a new setup: buying shows from producers such as APT Entertainment and having its pay TV sister channel Cignal TV block time in the network.

“We are looking for programs, not stars,” Percival “Perci” M. Intalan, programming head of TV5, told reporters in a digital briefing on Aug. 8 via Zoom.

This means that the network, instead of producing its own entertainment content, will be looking at show pitches from independent content producers which it can then buy (“if the price is right,” according to Mr. Intalan) and program into the network. This includes getting shows from Cignal TV which has its own library of content owing to its annual CineFilipino film festival and other productions.

Cignal will also handle the entertainment shows to be shown on TV5.

“With productions, we’re working with third parties who will create shows with Cignal talking with the producers. Cignal will define which programs will be shown but it should also pass Perci’s (Mr. Intalan’s) standards,” Robert P. Galang, president of both TV5 and Cignal TV, said in the same briefing.

APT Entertainment is the production company behind the longest-running noontime show in the country, Eat Bulaga, which has entered its 41st year. The show airs on GMA.

Mr. Intalan described the process as something similar to how networks in the US work where they buy shows from studios.

TV5, formerly known as ABC, is a TV network which has been on air since the 1960s. In 2010, the network was bought and operated by Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., with the aim of becoming one of the top local channels. It was apparent since its early days as TV5 that the network’s strength lay in sports broadcasting, with the Philippine Basketball Association tourneys being among its top draws. In 2017, the network ceased producing entertainment shows and focused on sports and news.

But was TV5’s renewed interest in entertainment shows brought upon by the recent closure of TV giant ABS-CBN after it failed to renew its franchise? Not exactly, as Mr. Galang said TV5 had been planning to reintroduce entertainment shows since last year.

“I think we’ve never had a network that is in this position before. Before, it’s like a Hollywood studio, everything is [done] in-house and everything is created internally… but now TV5 is open, whoever wants to collaborate, we can,” Mr. Intalan said, before adding that is the beauty of the new setup.

Since ABS-CBN’s closure in early July, rumors have floated around saying several of the talents and production staff from the network were looking to move to TV5 and GMA, and Mr. Intalan confirmed that there are currently talks “in different levels” happening.

In a separate briefing, Manuel V. Pangilinan, chairman of the TV5 Network, Inc., confirmed that there are ongoing conversations with ABS-CBN talents.

“I think there are ongoing conversations with talents, but it’s not as expansive as one would assume because we are being careful with any contractual arrangements that these talents have with ABS-CBN, and we would like to respect that,” Mr. Pangilinan said in a separate briefing on July 6.

He added that they are looking to employ cameramen, directors, and “people behind the camera,” as they need more people to produce content.

THE NEW TV5 SHOWS
Starting Aug. 15, TV5 will be showing a mix of lifestyle programs and game shows “hosted by various artists with proven versatility and mass appeal,” according to a statement.

The new programs include a morning show called Chika, BESH! (Basta Everyday Super Happy), an APT Entertainment show hosted by Pokwang, Pauleen Luna, and Ria Atayde; a fitness show called Fit for Life hosted by Jessy Mendiola; a show focused on “intimate conversation and real life talk” called Usapang Real Life hosted by Luchi Cruz-Valdez; and two game shows — Bawal na Game Show hosted by Paolo Ballestereos and Wally Bayola, and Fill in the Bank hosted by Jose Manalo and Pokwang. Both game shows are produced by APT.

TV5 is also bringing back the talent show Talentadong Pinoy, to be hosted once again by Ryan Agoncillo. The new iteration is called Bangon Talentadong Pinoy which “aims to reflect the creativity of Filipino artists regardless of the current situation.” Talentadong Pinoy was on air from 2008 until 2014.

A show produced and hosted by Kris Aquino was also supposed to premiere in August but Mr. Intalan said that they had to delay its airing because of production issues.

Eagle Cement loses momentum as profit falls

EARNINGS of Eagle Cement Corp. fell about 92% in the second quarter as construction work was restricted in Luzon and several areas to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

In a statement, Monday, the cement manufacturer said its net profit stood at P128 million in April to June, slumping from P1.7 billion in the same period last year. Net sales during the three months were cut 73% year on year to P1.4 billion.

This brought its six-month net earnings down 61% to P1.3 billion, as net sales were reduced 44% to P5.9 billion.

Construction work was among the many sectors affected by the quarantine to contain the virus outbreak in the country. Eagle Cement had to limit operations during the lockdown period, resulting in its weaker performance.

“These are very difficult times but we remain confident that the economy will recover from this pandemic and emerge stronger,” Eagle Cement President and CEO John Paul L. Ang was quoted as saying in the statement.

The company is planning to engage in “aggressive strategies in pricing and marketing” to help it recover for the remainder of the year.

“The government’s steady push for the completion of major infrastructure projects and the private sector’s readiness to bounce back offer encouraging signs for our company’s prospects moving forward,” Mr. Ang said.

“We continue to expand our production capacity despite the pandemic, underscoring our confidence on the economy’s ability to recover once quarantine restrictions are further eased,” he added.

Eagle Cement currently has three production lines in San lldefonso, Bulacan and a fourth production line under construction in Malabuyoc, Cebu. It is now expanding its Bulacan facility, which will be completed by the first quarter of 2021.

Shares in Eagle Cement at the stock exchange fell 24 centavos or 2.34% to P10 each on Monday. — Denise A. Valdez

DMCI Holdings income down 69% on low market prices

DMCI HOLDINGS, INC. reported a 69% decline in total net income to P2 billion in the first semester as it was “severely” affected by low market prices.

The listed firm said its second-quarter earnings were down 62% to P1.4 billion. In the previous quarter, its net profit fell by 78% to P616 million.

Between January and June, the diversified conglomerate’s core net income, which excludes one-off items, decreased by 61% to P2.6 billion.

“Most of our businesses showed resilience during the lockdown period since they belong to essential industries like power, mining and water distribution,” DMCI Holdings Chairman and President Isidro A. Consunji said in a statement on Monday.

“Unfortunately, we were severely affected by low market prices,” the official said, citing that these businesses “remained profitable” in the period.

Semirara Mining and Power Corp. (SMPC) delivered P1.3 billion as core income contribution, which is lower by 64%, due to decreases in sales and selling prices from its coal and power businesses.

DMCI Homes’ core profit share went down 97% to P38 million as the pandemic-induced quarantine prevented it from accomplishing constructions and recognizing revenues.

Quarantine policies also dragged the income share of D.M. Consunji, Inc. by 79% to P92 million.

Further, west zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services, Inc. brought in P847 million to its parent’s core income, falling 24% from the previous period, as its commercial and industrial sales volume sharply dropped during the lockdown months.

Meanwhile, only DMCI Power Corp. and DMCI Mining Corp. boosted their income shares by 10% and 6%, respectively. The former chipped in P256 million on higher power sales in Palawan and reduced fuel costs, while the latter brought in P184 million from increased nickel ore exports during the period.

To preserve cash amid a grueling business environment brought by the pandemic, DMCI Holdings decided to cut its capital expenditure by 52% to P19.4 billion, with its real estate business enduring the most of the reduction, forcing it to cap its acquisition spending for the rest of the year.

On Monday, both shares in DMCI Holdings and SMPC dropped by 3.78% and 8.20%, respectively, to close at P3.56 and P9.40 apiece. — Adam J. Ang

Of broken records, falling stars, and sampaguita: A look at some of Cinemalaya’s short films

By Zsarlene B. Chua, Senior Reporter

THE Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival opened its 16th iteration online on Aug. 6 with a main competition focused on short films instead of its usual full-length features. But with a surfeit of short film choices — 10 in the main competition and another 20 in the exhibition section — Cinemalaya remains successful as a celebration of Filipino independent filmmaking.

It has also made the festival more accessible as film bundles can cost as low as P75, with a premium pass priced at P350.

This writer will be reviewing the 10 short films in competition with this first story focused on the five short films in the Main Competition Shorts A category.

ANG GASGAS NA PLAKA NI LOLO BERT
Directed by Janina Gacosta and Cheska Marfori

A heartwarming love story about two men: a closeted gay man in his 60s who is living with HIV and a lonely widower in his 50s. The story starts out as a day in the life of Lolo Bert (Dido dela Paz). Everything is normal until his old vinyl record starts skipping and he has to bring it to a shop for repair. There he meets the widower (Soliman Cruz) whose mischievous personality hides a loneliness he has carried since his wife died.

The beauty of the film is in the shared experience of loss between the two as Lolo Bert has also lost his longtime lover, and how a broken record brings the two together. It is a sentimental and melancholic tale about second chances.

PABASA KAN PASYON
Directed by Hubert Tibi

The film, whose title translates to Chanting the Passion, is a Bicolano short film about a family whose poverty forces them to make ends meet by working during Holy Week. In this heartbreaking film, told in all of 14 minutes, a family’s sole way of making money is by chanting the pasyon (a Phillippine epic narrating the life and death of Jesus Christ), playing in Holy Week tableaus, and being voice actors in a struggling radio station. And while the film focuses on the reading of the pasyon and the various events happening during Holy Week, it also tells of the life and sufferings of a poor family in Bicol.

The film shows how central the concept of faith is to the Philippines, the only Christian nation in Asia with more than 86% of its population being Roman Catholic. Religion and faith serve two purposes — as a source of hope that everything will get better and a source of financial sustenance, if only for a little while.

FATIGUED
Directed by James Robin Mayo

Fatigued was billed during its first few seconds as an interactive film which required participation from its viewers. In fact, the main character is the viewer, an overworked, underpaid employee whose punishing work schedule led him to sleep for a straight 30 hours and is seemingly trapped in a neverending nightmare.

It is a horror film, with never ending hallways, disembodied voices murmuring “mussah,” and a repeating sequence featuring a dog. But more than a straight-up horror film, what makes Fatigued work is how it illustrates the social ills of being overworked in a society that does not reward hard work as the employee is described as someone who has had to experience bad labor practices and afforded not one social benefit under the law, which in itself is the real nightmare in waking form that millions of Filipinos are currently experiencing.

TOKWIFI
Directed by Carla Pulido Ocampo

Tokwifi (tok-wee-fee) in the Bontok Igorot language means “star” and in this short film, a Bontok Igorot meets a star after it crashes near their village. But this is not any ordinary star as she is a film star from the 1950s and is trapped in an old television set. Despite the language barrier — the actress speaking in Tagalog and the Igorot in his own language — the two form a bond.

It is a charming film and was perfect to wash away the dread from Fatigued. Though it never explains the purpose of the falling star, the film’s charm is in the unlikely love story between a tribesman and a woman trapped inside a television, how their bond lasts through time, and the beauty of the rice terraces in the early morning sunrise.

QUING LALAM ALDO
Directed by Reeden Fajardo

Quing Lalam Aldo (Under the Sun) is another charming film with a very simple premise: a transgender sampaguita farmer attempts to renovate the family’s outside kitchen after she learns that her son is coming home. She reminisces about her son, who has suddenly called and announced he is coming back, which puts the farmer and her friend into a tizzy trying to renovate the kitchen in order to welcome the son home in style.

As she attempts to get everything ready, everything goes into disarray — which includes a family emergency and a runaway chicken. Disheartened, the farmer looks over the vast sampaguita field she planted and has become a source of employment for the town. The film does end on a happy note with everything working out in the end.

Cinemalaya runs until Aug. 16. For tickets and access to the films, visit cinemalaya.org/tickets.

Meralco seeks delay of 1,800-MW power

MANILA ELECTRIC CO. (Meralco) requested to defer the conduct of a competitive selection process (CSP) to procure 1,800 megawatts (MW) of power supply.

Last week, the Department of Energy (DoE) disclosed to reporters that the listed utility wanted to proceed with the bidding process in October as the pandemic pushed it to further move its timeline.

“Yung request nila (Their request) was actually to delay it; (by) October na sila magsimula ng CSP (They would start the CSP by October),” Energy Assistant Secretary Redentor E. Delola said.

Earlier, the company said it requested to move the basis forecast year for the supply procurement to 2022 from 2020, assuming that fuel prices would normalize by that time.

“That will provide a level-playing field for all generators and will ensure there will be more competition in the CSP,” Meralco Regulatory Affairs Head Jose Ronald V. Valles said.

“Of course, that will assure us that the rate will be competitive for our customers,” he added.

The DoE does not want the utility to further delay the conduct of the bidding, which it already approved. In a reply that Meralco has yet to receive, the department tasked Meralco to look for other platforms to hold the process.

“What we’re trying to say is to explore other medium to able to proceed (to) be able to hit the target of delivery of supply,” Mr. Delola said.

The latest CSP is Meralco’s third attempt in sourcing greenfield capacity.

“We have not yet received a copy of the reply, but we will immediately endorse it to the TPBAC (Third Party Bids and Awards Committee) as soon as we get it,” Meralco Utility Economics Head Lawrence S. Fernandez told the publication.

In September last year, the company declared its 1,200-MW CSP from upcoming power plants a failure as Meralco Powergen Corp.’s Atimonan One Energy, Inc. only came up with an offer.

The DoE later signed off its second round of bidding which was opened for all generators, both old and new.

Meralco then delayed the process due to disruptions caused by the pandemic.

Finally, it is set to proceed with an updated program that seeks to bid an additional 600 MW from the 1,500-MW baseload supply that is scheduled for bidding this year.

Meralco’s controlling stakeholder, Beacon Electric Asset Holdings, Inc., is partly owned by PLDT, Inc. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Adam J. Ang

American Idol creator looks to find next superstar on TikTok

AMERICAN IDOL creator Simon Fuller is turning to TikTok to find the next pop superstar, a sign of how much clout the controversial app has gained in the music world.

Fuller said Friday that he’ll conduct an audition process over TikTok, the short-form video app that has become a kingmaker in the music industry — and a focus of President Donald Trump’s widening crackdown on Chinese technology. He didn’t disclose how the auditions would take place, or whether they would be recorded for a television show, but Fuller has a long track record of marrying TV with pop music.

Already, record labels scour TikTok for new talent, looking to find the next Lil Nas X, Benee or Doja Cat — artists who gained stardom and millions of fans after their songs went viral on the app.

“With the help of the TikTok audience, I will bring together a lineup of incredible artists to shape the next level of pop fandom,” Fuller said in a statement.

After years of working as a record label executive and a manager of artists including the Spice Girls, Fuller created the British series Pop Idol in 2001. The competition show pitted aspiring musicians against one another in front of judges, including a record executive named Simon Cowell. Adapted for US audiences into American Idol, the program became the most popular show in the nation. Along the way, host Ryan Seacrest, Cowell and many contestants turned into global celebrities.

Fuller has since formed a new company to manage entertainers and was the executive producer for So You Think You Can Dance.

The partnership with TikTok comes at a fraught moment for the company. Trump has threatened to ban the app, prompting its owner ByteDance to explore a sale of the US version. On Thursday, Trump signed an executive order barring any transactions with its parent company starting in 45 days.

But TikTok has a loyal following among users in their teens and 20s, and its influence has only grown in the music industry.

“Together with Simon Fuller, we have the opportunity to find the next stars, many of whom are on TikTok today, and empower them to become a cultural phenomenon,” said TikTok Chief Executive Officer Kevin Mayer. — Bloomberg

1...9,2069,2079,208...14,236Page 9,207 of 14,236
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
© 2024 BusinessWorld Publishing.
All rights reserved.
Read our privacy guidelines
Facebook Instagram Linkedin X Youtube