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‘Efficient’ Netflix sought during lockdown

THE Philippines’ telecommunications commission has asked US media-services provider Netflix to “efficiently manage” its streaming bit rates to ease data congestion as the Luzon-wide lockdown to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has slowed Internet speeds due to a surge in users.

In a statement on Wednesday, the National Telecommunications Commission said Netflix Pte Ltd. had already responded to its request.

“[Netflix] conveyed solidarity and support to the Philippine government’s efforts, recognizing that the internet should continue to run smoothly at this time,” the commission said.

“Netflix also developed a way to reduce its traffic on telecommunications networks by 25% while maintaining the quality of service. Netflix added that its consumers should continue to get the quality that comes with their plan — whether it’s Ultra-High, High or Standard Definition. Netflix’s move will provide significant relief to congested networks for the next 30 days,” it added.

Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Undersecretary Eliseo M. Rio, Jr. has said the improved services by telecommunications companies have helped cushion the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on their operations.

Telco service providers have been seeking to ensure continuity of operations to handle the surge of users working from home during the lockdown period.

The DICT official noted the Philippines has one of the lowest tower densities in Asia, which means Internet congestion is normal during the lockdown period.

Mr. Rio also asked the public to be patient in the event of outages caused by congestion.

“Our infrastructure is not enough but the department has done something about it. For example, we started adding common towers this year. But it takes time to build towers. Perhaps, we have added 400 towers all over the country,” he said in a recent interview.

The DICT has been pushing for telcos to share infrastructure since 2017.

The government is hoping 50,000 shareable towers will be built within the next seven to 10 years to close the tower density gap with neighboring countries. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Toyota, NTT teaming up on development of smart cities

TOKYO — Toyota Motor Corp. and Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. (NTT) have agreed to work together on developing smart cities and will invest 200 billion yen ($1.8 billion) in each other to cement the relationship, the two companies said on Tuesday.

The two companies will develop a data platform which will compile and analyze information from homes, vehicles, and public institutions, which will be used to create new services focusing on transportation, health, and energy usage.

Under the agreement, Toyota will take a 2.07% stake in Japan’s biggest telecoms company, while NTT will take a 0.9% stake in the automaker.

The platform will be rolled out at the prototype, zero-emissions, hydrogen-powered city near Mt. Fuji in Japan which Toyota is developing to incorporate smart homes, robotics as well as autonomous driving and AI technologies.

After decades spent focusing on making and selling cars, Toyota is increasingly turning to partners in the technology sector to help develop expensive new vehicle technologies as it tries to transform itself into a mobility services company.

“It is necessary not only for each company to engage in its own projects but also for both companies to work closely in jointly building and operating the ‘Smart City Platform,’” the companies said in a statement.

A growing number of global tech giants including China’s Tencent Holdings, Alphabet, Samsung Electronics, and Panasonic, are looking at developing hi-tech, connected cities, although many remain in the early planning stages.

The partnership between Toyota and NTT will build on an existing collaboration under which the companies are jointly developing technology for connected cars.

Toyota has also tied up with other domestic telecoms firms to come up with new technologies, including its partnership with SoftBank Corp. to design and market an on-demand, self-driving service platform which will be used in Toyota’s prototype city.

NTT sees smart city-related solutions as a growth area as phone usage plateaus at home. It has partnered with the city of Las Vegas to use its data systems technology to analyze real-time car traffic and crowd density data to enhance public security. — Reuters

NGCP to consumers: conserve power

WHILE THERE is a continuous supply of electricity, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) urged consumers to conserve energy given the uncertain impact of the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

On Wednesday, the privately owned grid operator reported that it expected the peak demand for the day to be around 6,900 megawatts (MW), which is “below the projected peak.”

“Sa kasalukuyan, may namo-monitor tayong malaking decrease, lalo na sa Luzon, nung konsumo, ‘yung expected consumption natin ng kuryente,” NGCP Spokesperson Cynthia P. Alabanza said in an interview with DZBB on Wednesday morning.

(At present, we are seeing a big decrease, especially in Luzon, in the expected consumption of electricity.)

“Nasa 12,181 MW ’yung kakayahan ng grid na mag-supply ng kuryente pero ang inaasahan nating peak demand o ’yung pinaka-mataas na konsumo for today nasa 6,900 lang, so malaking-malaki ang diperensya,” she added.

(The grid is capable of supplying 12,181 MW but our expected peak demand today is only 6,900 [MW], so there is a big difference.)

The grid operator told consumers to limit their energy usage amid the falling demand for power. — Adam J. Ang

Microwaved and one-pot recipes for the quarantined beginner cook

IT must be a challenge to be stuck at home with nowhere else to eat, and all you’ve got are your cooking skills (we’re working under the assumption that they’re not top-tier). We got a few idiot-proof recipes to tide you over during these trying times. Three of these recipes are from San Miguel Foods Culinary Center’s Home Foodie recipes, made using just a microwave and your own two hands. Recipes from restaurateur Myke “Tatung” Sarthou and the late culinary grande dame Nora Daza might sound a bit daunting, but these start with the words “mix all ingredients.” There is no way you could screw this up. The recipes from Mr. Sarthou and Mrs. Daza also have the advantage of keeping well, a true need during times of uncertainty.

WARTIME ADOBO

As we can say we’re figuratively in a state of war with a microbe, we find it appropriate to crack out Mr. Sarthou’s recipe for Wartime Adobo, a crisis food that saved his grandparents during the Second World War. From his book, Philippine Cookery: From Heart to Platter, he said, “Before they escaped, they slaughtered their pigs, then boiled the pork in vinegar and salt until the liquid dried up and the fat was rendered to take its place… when they stopped to make camp, they would eat pork lard melted on top of steaming rice, boiled camote or gabi, and with a sprinkling of salt that tasted like heaven. When they finally found a place to settle, they would break out the precious meat, heat the lard and fry chunks of pork adobo until golden.”

1 kg pork chunks, preferably fatty parts like pork belly

1 cup vinegar

1 cup water

1 tbsp salt

6 cloves garlic, crushed

2 bay leaves

cracked peppercorns

Mix all ingredients in a pot. Slow-cook until liquid has evaporated and fat rendered. Remove from heat and serve.

HUMBA

We got this recipe from Nora Daza’s cookbook cum autobiography, A Culinary Life: Personal Recipe Collection (written with Michaela Fenix). She swears that the dish keeps for days, and like adobo, “the humba is better-tasting days after it is cooked.”

1 kg pork leg or pork shoulder

2 cloves garlic

1 cup water

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup vinegar

1 sprig oregano

1/2 bay leaf

1 heaping tbsp salted black beans

2 tbsp fat or oil

Mix all ingredients in a pot and cook until pork is tender. Slice pork into serving pieces. Arrange on a platter, set aside. Strain sauce and pour over pork. Serve hot.

PULLED PORK TAQUITOS

Ingredients:

1 can Purefoods Pulled Pork BBQ Pinoy Style, heated either through microwave or pan

1 pack Magnolia Cheezee Squeeze

24 pcs taquitos (mini tacos)

1 head lettuce, shredded

1 onion, chopped

3 tomatoes, diced

Procedure:

Fill taquitos with lettuce, onion, tomatoes and pulled pork.

Drizzle with cheese.

Makes 8 servings.

Tips: One can opt to use regular taco shells. Can be served with sour cream.

FIESTA HAM CHICKEN CREAMY CHEESE ROLLS

Ingredients:

8 slices Purefoods Fiesta Ham Chicken, microwaved for 30 seconds

1 pack Magnolia Cheezee sliced into 8 equal sticks

Cream Cheese Mixture

1 pack Magnolia Cream Cheese, softened

1 tbsp finely chopped red bell pepper

1 tbsp finely chopped green bell pepper

1 tbsp chopped parsley

Procedure:

In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, bell peppers and parsley. Mix well and set aside.

Place a slice of ham flat on a plate. Spread the cream cheese mixture on top. Arrange a stick of cheese on one end and roll tightly. Repeat with the remaining ham slices. Chill a bit before serving.

Makes 8 pieces.

HAM AND MILKY CHEESE PINWHEELS

Ingredients:

6 pcs Purefoods Sweet Ham, microwaved for 30 seconds

1/2 pack Magnolia Cheezee Milky White

2 pcs large flour tortillas

4 pcs lettuce leaves

Procedure:

Spread half of the cheese on one tortilla. Arrange the lettuce leaves and place three ham slices in the middle of the tortilla. Roll into a tight log. Secure with toothpicks if necessary. Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients.

Cut each roll into five diagonal slices and arrange on a platter.

Makes 5 servings.

MICROWAVED CHEESECAKE

Ingredients:

1/3 cup Magnolia Cream Cheese, softened

1 pc Magnolia Brown Egg

2 tbsp sour cream

1/2 tsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp sugar, add more if needed

Procedure:

Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a microwavable-safe bowl.

Cook on high heat for 90 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds to mix.

Garnish with mixed oats and apricots or any preferred fruit. Consume immediately.

Makes 1 serving.

BPOs in Davao City checked for compliance with DTI rules

DAVAO CITY — Business process outsourcing (BPO) companies here are being checked by a joint team from the city government and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for compliance with guidelines on continued operations.

“You only have two options based on the DTI memo: skeletal workforce provided they observe social distancing and employees should have a temporary accommodation within the vicinity of the workplace with shuttle service; and work from home arrangement. If they cannot comply they must close down,” Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said over the state-run Davao City Disaster Radio.

Under the national government’s state of health emergency policy, BPOs are among the sectors allowed to continue operations.

DTI issued a memorandum circular outlining the rules that must be observed by outsourcing firms while the Davao City government also released localized guidelines last Monday.

Samuel R. Matunog, president of ICT-Davao, Inc., the industry council for the Davao region’s information and communications technology sector, said they have reminded members not to waste this concession from the government.

“Government is providing a way to maintain the operation and for us not to lose our clients along the way and provide employment to our workers. To that extent, BPOs will be able to comply and we hope they will be able to follow guidelines,” Mr. Matunog said in a telephone interview.

As of Monday, 26 BPOs have been inspected, according to the mayor.

One call center, Six Eleven, already has about 40% of its employees on home-based arrangement.

“(It’s) those accounts that can be done from home. We lent them computers and all necessary hardware,” Six Eleven owner Joji Ilagan-Bian said in a text message.

For those still reporting to the office, Ms. Bian said they have set up a foot bath and temperature check in all entrances, and social distancing is observed.

“We enforced that strictly by actually removing the chairs in between so the agents will be disciplined to observe social distancing while at work. We also have our floor sanitized every five days,” she said.

Ms. Bian said accommodations and shuttle service are provided for those who require these.

“We understand that we have to be proactive now and really follow strict protocols from our government. We are also doing our utmost best to protect our people and to ensure their safety,” she said. — Maya M. Padillo

PHL bond market’s growth slows in Q4 on maturities, lower issues

THE GROWTH of the Philippine bond market eased in the fourth quarter of 2019 after the stock of government bonds declined as some issues matured and amid lower issuances, according to an Asian Development Bank (ADB) report.

According to ADB’s March Asia Bond Monitor report released Wednesday, the country’s outstanding local currency (LCY) bonds grew nine percent year on year in the fourth quarter to $131 billion (P6.646 trillion), slower than the 15.7% expansion seen in the third quarter.

In the emerging East Asia region, the Philippine bond market was the fourth fastest growing market, behind Indonesia’s 16.6%, Singapore’s 14.7% and China’s 14.1% and also below the region’s average of 12.5%.

Emerging East Asia is composed of the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The quarter’s growth was fueled by the 14.5% jump in corporate bonds and the 7.5% hike in government bond stock.

On a quarterly basis, the country’s outstanding LCY bond market weakened in the fourth quarter last year after seeing a 0.8% year-on-year drop on the back of the four percent growth in corporate bonds, but was dragged by the 2.1% contraction in government’s bond stock.

“A huge volume of Treasury bills and bonds matured in Q4 2019, reducing the stock of government bonds outstanding despite a hefty issuance volume during the quarter,” the report read.

Of the government’s LCY bond stock that stood at $101 billion (P5.141 trillion) as of end-December, Treasury bills (T-bills) grew 7.5% year on year to $101 billion (P5.141 trillion) and Treasury bonds rose 8.5% to $91 billion (P4.615 trillion).

Quarterly, the T-bill stock slumped to $10 billion (P486 billion) in the fourth quarter from the $11 billion (P553 billion) seen in the preceding quarter, while T-bonds also fell to $91 billion (P4.615 trillion) from $90 billion (P4.678 trillion) previously.

For corporate bonds, the LCY corporate bond market expanded to $30 billion (P1.505 trillion) in the last quarter from $28 billion (P1.447 trillion) in the preceding three months as well as the $25 billion (P1.315 trillion) seen in the fourth quarter of 2018.

Meanwhile, total bond issuances stood at $7.5 billion in the last three months of 2019, up 8.8% quarter on quarter on the back of the 42.4% surge in corporate bond issuances and the 0.4% dip in government securities, “as the Bureau of the Treasury had already met its annual issuance target during the preceding three quarters.”

“Reduced government bond issuance was also partly due to lower spending in the first half of 2019 as a result of the late approval of the government’s budget,” ADB said.

In terms of size, China remained largest at $12.090 trillion outstanding bond stock as of end-December, followed by Republic of Korea at $2.083 trillion, Thailand’s $446 trillion and Malaysia’s $363 trillion. Emerging East Asia region’s total bond market size stood at $16.036 trillion.

ADB flagged the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak as a risk to bond markets in the coming months.

“Between 31 December 2019 and 29 February 2020, 2-year and 10-year local currency government bond yields declined in major advanced economies, select European markets, and nearly all emerging East Asian markets amid heightened risk aversion due to the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak and an uncertain global economic growth outlook,” ADB said.

“Many regional governments and central banks engaged in policy actions to mitigate the negative impact of COVID-19 on economic activities and financial markets. These include fiscal stimulus and monetary tools such as policy rate cuts and market operations,” it said.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas last week cut rates by 50 basis points (bps) to help boost the economy amid an expected slowdown due to the outbreak. This brought the overnight reverse repurchase rate to 3.25%, while overnight lending and deposit rates were trimmed to 3.75 to 2.75%, respectively.

On Monday, the central bank announced it will buy P300 billion in securities from the Bureau of the Treasury to help the government fund initiatives to help the economy weather COVID-19’s effects. On Tuesday, it also cut the reserve ratio of universal and commercial banks by 200 bps to 12% effective March 30.

On the fiscal side, economic managers earlier announced a P27.1-billion stimulus package to help sectors most affected by the virus outbreak.

The multilateral lender said other downside risks include geopolitical issues amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, as well as uncertainty over trade and globalization. — B.M. Laforga

Barolo 2016 vintage shines

As of this writing, Italy has sadly already overtaken China with more recorded deaths from the Covid-19, while in many parts of the world including here in Metro Manila, people are under lockdown, quarantined, and restricted to their homes for health preservation reasons. Everything may seem gloomy now, but as Wuhan, China has proven, there will be light at the end of the tunnel for the Italians, and the rest of the world undergoing this pandemic.

On a brighter note, this year’s newly released 2016 vintage of Barolo, one of Italy’s proudest wines, was tasting great almost across-the-board at Nebbiolo Prima, and it could be an iconic vintage in the making — a small but still good cheerful spot for the beleaguered Italians. See below the conclusion of my Nebbiolo Prima 2020 series, ending with the beloved Barolo from 2016 vintage and the Barolo Riserva from 2014 vintage.

BAROLO DOCG PARTICULARS
For the 2016 vintage, total production of Barolo was around 14 million bottles from its 2,091 hectares of vineyards. For Barolo DOCG, a minimum of 38 months of aging, of which a minimum of 18 months should be in a barrel, are required before the earliest commercial release, and this is basically pegged at Jan. 1 on the 4th year from vintage. Barolo is therefore aged a year longer than Barbaresco (38 months vs 26 months) and spends twice as much time in the barrel also against Barbaresco (18 months vs nine months) before its commercial release. For Barolo Riserva DOCG, a minimum of 62 months, of which a minimum of 18 months should be in the barrel, are required before the earliest commercial release, which is Jan. 1 of the 6th year from vintage — also a year longer than their Barbaresco Riserva counterpart.

THE 2016 VINTAGE
The year 2016 can be described as a very long vintage which started as early as January and finished with the late harvesting of Nebbiolo grapes in mid-October. There were some concerns about the low temperature or the “late cold” that caused some delay in the resumption of the vegetative cycle of the vines. But the low temperature and the rains in the spring provided the soil with the right amount of water reservoir for the physiological development of the Nebbiolo.

Despite the delayed vegetative process, consensus among producers was that ripening was achieved for the Nebbiolo grapes. The high temperature in August and September helped immensely the phenolic components of the grapes. Baume count, though, was not as high as previous year, which would also mean slightly lesser alcohol level for the wines.

BACK TO BACK WINNERS
The 2016 vintage came on the heels of the excellent 2015 vintage, another exceptional Barolo year, but of different charm. Having blind-tasted 192 Barolos from this vintage, I found most of the wines were quite balanced, with acids and tannins both in check. Many of the wines were also surprisingly approachable despite Barolo’s notoriety for being too harsh to drink young. Of the 192 Barolos tasted, I gave 86 or 44.8% of them 90 points or above. Some of my highest scored Barolos also came from this batch. The Barolo 2016 is one vintage to stock up on, and with high production and availability, we should be able to get our hands on these Barolos here in the Philippines. As for Barolo Riserva 2014, we only had five wines blind-tasted, to which I gave two, or 40%, 90 points or above. Last year, in the same Nebbiolo Prima, there were 32 Barolo Riserva 2013 wines for review.

My Ratings:

Please note these wines were tasted blind, and each wine was tasted for only a few minutes, given the huge quantity being tasted at any given morning during the entire Nebbiolo Prima event. Also understand that judgment on these wines was purely based on my personal biases and experience drinking, appreciating, and enjoying wines.

Best Barolo DOCG 2016

My top 86 wines from this lot of 192 wines are the following:

1. Gagliasso Mario Barolo 2016: 96 points “red cherries, jammy, vanilla, soft, plummy, super delectable, ripe, luscious and lengthy”

2-7.All with 95 points: Alessandro Rivetto Barolo 2016: “strawberry jam on the nose, a true fruit bomb, very pure, luscious fruits, good acid backbone, succulent and long ”

Bruna Grimaldi ‘Bricco Ambrogio’ Barolo 2016: “tangy, fragrant, ripe berries, alluring nose, persistent flavors, captivating from first whiff to finish”

Cagliero Barolo 2016: “subtle nose, but continues to evolve in the glass, strawberries, fresh and juicy, seamless pleasure”

Dosio ‘Serradenari’ Barolo 2016: “cherries, alluring nose, supple texture, sweet tannins, flinty at the end ”

Fracassi Umberto Barolo 2016: “sweet oak, caramel, maraschino cherries, round and juicy, sweet and ripe all the way”

8. Sansilvestro Barolo 2016: 94 points “leathery, earthy, more complex, blueberries, bitter-sweet tannins, lingering delicious berry taste”

9-14. All with 93 points: Aurelio Settimo ‘Rocche dell’Annunziata’ Barolo 2016; Garesio Barolo 2016; Giacomo Grimaldi ‘Ravera’ Barolo 2016; Giovanni Rosso ‘Serra’ Barolo 2016; La Carlina Barolo 2016; Roberto Sarotto Barolo 2016

15-26. All with 92 points: Abrigo Fratelli Barolo 2016; Boasso Franco ‘Margheria’ Barolo 2016; Cascina Ballarin ‘Bussia’ Barolo 2016; Cordero di Montezemolo Barolo 2016; Franco Conterno Barolo 2016; Gian Luca Colombo Vini Barolo 2016; Le Strette Barolo 2016; Mauro Molino Barolo 2016; Rizieri Barolo 2016; Sobrero Francesco ‘Parussi’ Barolo 2016; Tenuta Cucco Barolo 2016; Veglio Luigi E Massimo Barolo 2016

27-45. All with 91 points: Aurelio Settimo Barolo 2016; Barale Fratelli Barolo 2016; Bovio ‘Gattera’ Barolo 2016; Broccardo ‘Bricco San Pietro’ Barolo 2016; Casetta F. Lli Barolo 2016; Conterno Fantino Barolo 2016; Figli Luigi Oddero Barolo 2016; Fontana Livia Barolo 2016; Fontanafredda ‘Serralunga’ Barolo 2016; Le Ginestre Barolo 2016; M. Marengo Barolo 2016; Morra Diego ‘Monvigliero’ Barolo 2016; Palladino Barolo 2016; Pelassa Barolo 2016; Pira Luigi Barolo 2016; Rinaldi Francesco & Figli ‘Cannubi’ Barolo 2016; Rinaldi Francesco & Figli Barolo 2016; Rocche dei Manzoni Barolo 2016; Sobrero Francesco ‘Ciabot Tanasio’ Barolo 2016

46-86. All with 90 points: Abbona Marziano Barolo 2016; Alessandria Fratelli Barolo 2016; Alessandria Gianfranco Barolo 2016; Angela Negro Barolo 2016; Batasiolo Barolo 2016; Boroli ‘Brunella’ Barolo 2016; Boroli ‘Villero’ Barolo 2016; Bricco Maiolica Barolo 2016; Broccardo ‘I Tre Pais’ Barolo 2016; Bruna Grimaldi ‘Badarina’ Barolo 2016; Burlotto Barolo 2016; Carlo Revello & Figli Barolo 2016; Cascina Adelaide Barolo 2016; Diego Conterno Barolo 2016; Diego Pressenda Barolo 2016; Dosio Barolo 2016; E. Pira E Figli ‘Mosconi’ Barolo 2016; Fenocchio Giacomo Barolo 2016; Francone Barolo 2016; Giacomo Grimaldi ‘Sottocastello di Novello’ Barolo 2016; La Bioca Barolo 2016; La Fusina Barolo 2016; Lodali Barolo 2016; Mauro Veglio Barolo 2016; Monchiero F. Lli ‘Castiglione Falletto’ Barolo 2016; Monchiero F. Lli ‘Rocche di Castiglione’ Barolo 2016; Palladino Barolo 2016; Pecchenino Barolo 2016; Podere Ruggeri Corsini ‘Bricco San Pietro’ Barolo 2016; Podere Ruggeri Corsini ‘Bussia Corsini’ Barolo 2016; Poderi Marcarini Barolo 2016; Reva Barolo 2016; Reverdito Michele Barolo 2016; Roccheviberti Barolo 2016; Silvano Bolmida Barolo 2016; Simone Scaletta Viticoltore Barolo 2016; Tenuta L’Illuminata Barolo 2016; Vajra ‘Baudana’ Barolo 2016; Vico Luigi Barolo 2016; Voerzio Martini Barolo 2016

Please be aware that some brands have been cited more than once, and that is why the “Cru Village” name is attached to the Barolo brand if the cru is included, to show the different labels of the same Barolo producer. From my top 86, Bruna Grimaldi, Dosio, Aurelio Settimo, Giacomo Grimaldi, Sobrero Francesco, Broccardo, Rinaldi Francesco & Figli, and Boroli all appeared twice with different versions of their Barolo 2016. While many new Barolo brands made my list this year, some familiar names with same high scores from last year’s Barolo 2015 vintage review were again included, including Dosio, Boroli, Morra Diego, and Riziera to name a few.

Best Barolo Riserva DOCG 2014

My top two of 90 points score and over from a tiny group of five wines:

1. Lo Zoccolaio Barolo Riserva 2014: 95 points “Very vibrant, cherry notes, silky on the palate, flavorful, soft tannins, long and delectable finish”

2. Gigi Rosso Barolo Riserva 2014: 90 points

Last year, Gigi Rosso Barolo Riserva 2013 also made my list.

 

The author is a member of the UK-based Circle of Wine Writers (CWW). For comments, inquiries, wine event coverage, wine consultancy and other wine related concerns, e-mail him at protegeinc@yahoo.com.

PayMaya opens digital donation facility

DIGITAL PAYMENTS firm PayMaya Philippines, Inc. has launched a one-stop digital donation facility, enabling people to donate to various charitable organizations that aim to help affected communities and frontliners who are dealing with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

PayMaya’s partner organizations raising funds for the initiative include Philippine Red Cross, United Nations Children’s Fund, Oxfam Pilipinas, and Caritas Manila.

“By visiting the #OneAgainstCOVID19 page in the PayMaya website (http://donate.paymaya.com) or going to the Pay Bills section of the PayMaya app (initially available on Android and soon on IOS), Filipinos can choose from a variety of charitable organizations to support with causes that range from providing medical front liners with meals and personal protective equipment to giving relief and medical packages to communities, among many others. Recipient beneficiaries, meanwhile, will be able to receive the donations through PayMaya’s platforms,” PayMaya said.

Anyone, including those living abroad, can donate using their credit, debit, or prepaid cards.

“For PayMaya account holders, donating via the Pay Bills section of the PayMaya app or by scanning a partner’s PayMaya QR online is the fastest way to support #OneAgainstCOVID19 causes,” it said. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Stuff to do at home (03/26/20)

Frida Kahlo’s artworks online

View Frida Kahlo’s work on your screens through the Google Arts & Culture platform. The website has listed 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 at 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 will be screening its shows online through its Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/royaloperahouse/) and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/user/RoyalOperaHouse) pages. It begins on March 27 with Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf. Other performances include Handel’s opera Acis and Galatea on April 3; Mozart’s Così fan tutte on April 10; and the ballet The Metamorphosis on April 17.

Meg Cabot’s The Princess Diaries — Quarantine Edition online

Best-selling author of The Princess Diaries Meg Cabot offers The Princess Diaries — Quarantine Edition free at 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.

Patrick Stewart reads Shakespeare’s Sonnets

Actor Patrick Stewart, best known for playing Star Trek’s Captain Picard, is reading Shakespeare’s Sonnets on his Facebook page in a project called #ASonnetADay.

MyKuya reports climb in bookings, job applications due to Luzon-wide lockdown

PHILIPPINE on-demand service company MyKuya reported a 300% increase in service demand last week as Luzon is under enhanced community quarantine, including getting more than 500 job applications because of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, according to the company’s founder.

“Because of the growing threat of COVID-19, Filipinos in Metro Manila had to quickly confine themselves to their homes. Unfortunately, most still lack basic supplies, such as food, water, and sanitation items. Many of these people are now turning to MyKuya to get help with whatever they need,” Shahab Shabibi, founder of MyKuya, said in a statement on March 18.

In a separate email interview, Mr. Shabibi said they saw service bookings increase by 300% compared to the prior week, with grocery delivery occupying 60% of job bookings and “a considerable chunk of the remaining 40% is for messenger services & shopping.”

The three-year-old company functions via an app that helps users hire people and services from “standing in line for you to pay the bills, grabbing something in particular for you from the stores, or even just simply cleaning your home,” according to the release.

They claim to provide said services “in two minutes or less.”

Mr. Shabibi also said the app has been able to provide work for people who are left jobless because of the lockdown and that they were processing more than 500 applications on the app last week.

MyKuya partners with manpower agencies, service providers, and staffing companies that “train, equip, and manage” the employees. Individuals wanting to work for MyKuya can sign up with said partners or the company will recommend a partner for them.

To date, Mr. Shabibi said they have onboarded 5,000 individuals.

“It’s unfortunate that it had to happen this way, but this story is directly in line with MyKuya’s aims to create jobs for millions of Filipinos. With the values of bayanihan and nation-building in mind, we’ve always been about creating real livelihood opportunities for people here in the Philippines. It’s actually our goal to create 1 million jobs by 2022,” said Mr. Shabibi.

“Over the coming weeks, MyKuya will stand ready to take more of the recently laid off contractors on as service providers. For them, COVID-19 is as much an economic pandemic as it is a biological one: The financial consequences of not having regular income for even as little as a week — to say nothing of a full month or longer — can be devastating for themselves and their families,” he added.

The company is also taking care of the health of its workers by providing them with masks, sanitizers, and alcohol, via their partners. — Zsarlene B. Chua

RCBC closes offer of two-year peso bonds

RIZAL COMMERCIAL Banking Corp. (RCBC) closed its offering of two-year fixed-rate bonds ahead of schedule as orders reached more than double its P3-billion program.

RCBC said in a disclosure on Wednesday that it has closed its bond offer, which started last Monday and was initially set to run until March 27.

“RCBC’s fourth foray into the peso bond market was met with strong demand from investors, allowing the bank to raise more than its target size of P3 billion,” the bank said.

RCBC did not give an exact figure for the funds raised from the offer. It said proceeds from the offering will be used to support its asset growth and other general purposes as well as refinance its maturing liabilities.

“The bank decided to shorten the public offer period in order to provide sufficient time for the submission of the documentary requirements in light of the logistical challenges given the enhanced community quarantine brought about by COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019). This is in line with RCBC’s commitment to restore normalization in the capital markets and support business activity despite current execution challenges,” it added.

The bonds will be issued at a coupon of 4.848% per annum and are set to be listed on the Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp. on April 17.

They were offered in denominations of P100,000 and increments of P10,000 thereafter.

The bonds comprise the fourth tranche of RCBC’s P100-billion bond and commercial program

The sole lead arranger and bookrunner for the bond issuance was the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp. (HSBC) while RCBC Capital Corp. served as the financial advisor. Together, HSBC and RCBC were selling agents for the bonds.

In 2019, RCBC’s net income climbed by 25% to P5.4 billion on the back of the strong performance of its core business, high margins, strong trading gains, and higher fee-based income.

Its revenues also grew by 35% to P35.9 billion, buoyed by growth in interest income from loans and receivables.

RCBC’s shares closed at P16.90 apiece on Wednesday, up by 40 centavos or 2.42% from the previous day’s finish. — L.W.T. Noble

JoyRide offers delivery services

MOTORCYCLE ride-hailing firm JoyRide announced on Wednesday that it now offers delivery services.

JoyRide (We Move Things Philippines, Inc.) said this initiative aims to help its bikers and communities amid the government-imposed community quarantine.

The announcement also came after the pilot run for motorcycle taxis in Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, and Cagayan de Oro officially ended last Monday.

“The public can use the JoyRide app in Metro Manila and Cebu for urgent delivery needs starting March 25 at 6 a.m.,” the motorcycle taxi firm said in a statement.

It said the allowed dimension of an item is 17 x 15 x 10 inches, weighing 12 kilograms maximum.

“Items that can be delivered are food, drinks, medicine, clothing, groceries, parcels and documents which are insured up to P2,000,” JoyRide added.

Its rival Angkas (DBDOYC, Inc.) has also launched its own delivery service to help its bikers.

Angkas will not take any commission from the said initiative.

The Transportation department has said its technical working group will discuss the fate of the motorcycle taxi pilot run after the month-long quarantine period imposed in the entire Luzon island. — Arjay L. Balinbin

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