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Global Ferronickel loss expands by 16% to nearly P158M

GLOBAL FERRONICKEL Holdings, Inc. posted a 16.1% increase in net loss attributable to the equity holders to P157.54 million in the first quarter after a double-digit fall in revenues.

In a disclosure to the stock exchange on Wednesday, the holding firm with interest in mineral resource exploration reported a 38.4% fall in revenues to P39 million, versus P63.34 million it posted a year ago.

The miner and nickel ore exporter said it was only able to complete one shipment of low-grade ore, compared to one shipment of medium-grade ore in the same period last year.

In addition, it said the mining season of its Surigao del Norte-based Cagdianao mine is from March until October each year, adding that the company’s lower revenues were due to the lower product type and lower prices.

“The mining season explains the quarter-to-quarter volatility in the operating results with more revenues being earned and more expenses being incurred during the second and third quarters compared to the first and fourth quarters of each year,” the company said in the disclosure.

“Despite the challenges brought about by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, we continue to build on the success of last year and remain optimistic that we can meet our adjusted shipment target of 5 million wet metric tonnes (WMT) for 2020,”Global Ferronickel President Dante R. Bravo was quoted as saying.

For the long term, the company said it had designed a strategy to maximize the profitability of its existing base of operations while driving growth via continued exploration and development of its Cagdianao mine.

Other parts of the company’s strategy include the expansion of its customer base, ongoing monitoring of value-added opportunities particularly in downstream processing, and opportunistic acquisition of other suitable properties and businesses.

On Wednesday, Global Ferronickel shares rose 3.49% or P0.03 to close at P0.89 per share. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Arla pushes organic credentials in new powdered milk product

Powdered milk was an especially important commodity during times of war and famine. Removing most of the water content of the milk enabled it to be transported more easily, but more importantly, give it a longer shelf life. Now, during a pandemic, Scandinavian organic dairy giant Arla is filling in a gap in the shelf-stable organic category with its own powdered milk.

“Kids get the same nutrients from fresh milk, but get it in more convenient packs with a longer shelf life,” said Raymund Lao, Head of Marketing for Arla Foods in the Philippines. “More importantly you are able to stock up more with powder and (this) minimizes your shopping trips, and minimizes your getting out of your home during a pandemic.”

Of course, there are already more familiar brands of powdered milk out there, but Mr. Lao lays out his cards. “Arla Organic Powdered Milk Drink retains all the nutrients of fresh cows milk including all the milk proteins which are not retained in other powdered milk drink brands,” he said in an e-mail to BusinessWorld. Furthermore, with the fact that the brand is organic, he adds, “Having organic-certified products means that the processes are within the EU guidelines of using no artificial ingredients, no chemicals, no GMOs in the farming and milk production process.”

A press release says that Arla Organic Powdered Milk has 50% more protein than other powdered milk drink brands. “Arla Organic also has the essential nutrients naturally found in milk such as Vitamin A, B2, B12, phosphorus and potassium.”

Arla Foods is structured as a cooperative, with thousands of farmers spread out across Europe. In 2000, two dairy giants in Denmark and Sweden joined forces and formed Arla as it is today. EU guidelines on production as well as sustainability measures are also in place to ensure that the final product isn’t only healthy for the body, but also for the planet. The release says, “Arla’s carbon emissions are just about only 50% of the global average per liter of milk.” According to its website, some of Arla’s sustainability measures include using recyclable or biodegradable packaging, recycled plastic equipment in their factories, and the use of some renewable energy in some of the farms.

The sustainable factor also comes into play with their cows: Jens Christian Nielsen, Arla Foods Senior General Manager in the Philippines says, “Arla Organic is 100% European Organic certified and produced only from cows that have been raised according to stringent European organic farming methods. This means that the cows can roam on lush green fields, fed with organic grass and feeds that are free from chemical fertilizers and our farmer-owners do not use growth hormones/artificial methods to increase milk production.’

The cooperative structure also helps in creating a superior product. Mr. Lao says: “As a cooperative, Arla is owned by farmers so our milk is produced by the owner/farmers. We have control over the entire value and food safety chain from farm to table and we make sure our cows have nutritious feed, fresh water, clean housing, soft bedding and expert care through our Arlagården program.” The Arlagården program is a sort of database about the farms, herds, and even individual milk-producing cows. “Arlagården Plus ensures transparency — all the way from cow to consumer,” Arla’s website says.

Arla Organic Powdered Milk Drink is available at key retailers including All Day, Landmark, Metro Gaisano, Puregold, Robinson’s, Rustan’s, Shopwise, Savemore, SM Supermarket, Shopwise, and SM Hypermart (among others) with a starting price of P50 per one liter pack. The milk product is also readily available online at Lazada, Shopee, Metromart and Cloudmart.ph. — Joseph L. Garcia

A taste of democracy: South Korea’s 16-year fight for a green onion breakfast cereal

SEOUL — It is being hailed as a major win for democracy in South Korea. After 16 years in exile, a president this week triumphantly returned to claim his rightful place — on the front of a box of green onion-flavored cereal.

The limited edition of the Chex cereal sold out within two days when it hit online stores, following years of almost ceaseless campaigning by enthusiasts.

The long road to the cereal aisle began in 2004 when Kellogg’s Korea launched a light-hearted marketing campaign for Chex, a five-grain cereal, asking South Koreans to vote on a new flavor.

A TV commercial offered two cartoon candidates in the presidential election for the Chex Choco Empire — chocolate-flavored Cheki and green onion-flavored Chaka.

The PR stunt was meant to end in an easy victory for sweet Cheki. But the people did not agree.

Votes for Chaka surged past those for Cheki, catching Kellogg’s unawares. Citing multiple votes by individuals, the company halted online voting, threw out duplicate votes and declared Cheki the winner.

Chaka fans cried foul, and decried Cheki’s subsequent 16-year rule as that of an illegitimate tyrant. Chaka remained in the public consciousness via regular hashtags like #PrayForChex, and memes depicting the onion character as a freedom fighter.

“We never expected consumers would be interested in this product for over 16 years,” Kim Hee-yeon, a spokeswoman for Kellogg’s Korea, told Reuters. “Every time we launched new cereals or had promotional events, online communities would repeatedly ask for the flavor.”

Chaka’s success was so momentous that on the day it was announced earlier this month it surged past North Korea’s bombing of an inter-Korean liaison office to become the top trending topic on South Korean social media.

“The cheating forces of Cheki were ousted and Mr. Chaka’s 16-year struggle has finally come to an end,” one fan wrote on Twitter.

A TV advertisement apologized for the delay and featured a small child whose dreams of onion cereal were crushed. Promotional materials included a faux political poster with an image of Chaka over former US President Barack Obama’s campaign slogan “yes we can.”

Limited edition cereals are usually on sale for about three months, but that could be extended if sales are strong, Kim said. The company had been working on developing the cereal for 15 years, but had struggled to find the right onion flavor, she added. When it called for 50 “early tasters” it received more than 14,200 applications.

Traditional Korean breakfasts are often savoury and even spicy, and many people seemed to envision the onion flavor as a potential bar snack with beer, rather than in a bowl with milk.

“I had adult-like taste in food since I was young, so I love local food with garlic, green onion or kimchi,” said food blogger Lee Soo-jeong, 24, who voted for Chaka as a child and was an early taster.

Her verdict on the long-awaited cereal?

“The green onion flavor is too mild.” — Reuters

Profits of Global-Estate Resorts decline by 48%

TOWNSHIP developer Global-Estate Resorts, Inc. (GERI) reported a 48% decline in earnings for the first quarter due to the eruption of Taal Volcano and the coronavirus outbreak.

In a regulatory filing Wednesday, the listed subsidiary of Megaworld Corp. said its attributable net income in the three months to March fell to P247.96 million from P477.47 million last year.

Its consolidated revenues decreased 18% to P1.53 billion as real estate sales were slower during the period.

In a statement, it said sales from condominium units and residential and commercial lots stood at P1 billion, down 16% from last year’s record performance.

Revenues from hotel operations also dropped 13% to P149 million, attributed to the temporary closure of hotels in Batangas and Boracay.

The declines in these two segments failed to offset the 13% increase in leasing revenues, which stood at P186 million at the end of the period.

What helped temper the slowdown in GERI’s bottomline was the 12% easing of its expenses to P1.2 billion.

“Our operations particularly in Southern Luzon were significantly affected by the eruption of Taal Volcano during the start of the year, then came the coronavirus pandemic,” GERI President Monica T. Solomon said in the statement.

“But we strongly believe that we are in a good position to recover fast from this crisis given the geographic spread of our property portfolio across the country, and our strategic recovery plans that are already in place,” she added.

GERI currently has eight integrated developments in its portfolio accounting for 3,300 hectares of land. Its shares at the stock exchange slid four centavos or 4.60% to 83 centavos each on Wednesday. — Denise A. Valdez

Apple cancels some arcade games in strategy shift to keep subscribers

APPLE, INC. has shifted the strategy of its Apple Arcade gaming service, canceling contracts for some games in development while seeking other titles that it believes will better retain subscribers.

The Cupertino, California-based technology giant scrapped development contracts with multiple game studios earlier this year and informed them of the new approach, according to people familiar with the matter.

On calls in mid-April, an Apple Arcade creative producer told some developers that their upcoming games didn’t have the level of “engagement” Apple is seeking, the people said. Apple is increasingly interested in titles that will keep users hooked, so subscribers stay beyond the free trial of the service, according to the people. They asked not to be identified discussing private conversations.

Apple Arcade, which launched in September with a one-month free trial, charges $4.99 a month for unlimited access to a wide variety of games, including with some that support hardware controllers. Unlike many mobile games, Arcade titles eschew intrusive ads and don’t push players to pay extra to win or make progress. The approach won praise from video game critics.

Apple releases new games on Arcade every month, but none of the 120 titles has become a huge hit. Developers say the recent strategy change suggests subscriber growth has been weaker than expected so far. The company hasn’t said how Apple Arcade is performing, but it recently started offering a second free trial month, indicating that some users likely aren’t remaining subscribers for very long.

“Apple Arcade has redefined what a gaming service can be, putting unlimited play at the fingertips of subscribers and their families across all their Apple devices,” Apple said in a statement. “We are proud to have launched the first-ever mobile game subscription service that now features more than 120 games, many of which are award-winning and widely celebrated for their artistry and gameplay. The vision has always been to grow and evolve the Apple Arcade catalog, and we can’t wait for our users to try the games developers are working on now.”

Apple added that it has always planned to make changes to its Arcade games lineup based on subscriber feedback.

The company has earmarked tens of million dollars to support the creation of games for the Arcade service and has spent $1 million to $5 million on several titles so far, according to the people familiar with Apple’s efforts. Apple pays outside studios to build games, bundles them into the service and sells subscriptions via the iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV. For these large investments to pay off, the company needs gamers hooked on Arcade titles.

On the calls with developers in April, the Apple Arcade representative cited a specific example of the type of game the company wants: Grindstone, an engaging puzzle-action game by Capybara Games that has many levels.

Some developers who had contracts canceled by Apple were suddenly faced with financial woes, compounded by the pandemic, according to the people briefed on what happened. While Apple ended contracts, it still paid studios based on the development milestones they already hit. The company also told developers that it would work with them on future titles that meet the new requirements.

This need to better retain subscribers is the latest challenge for Apple’s services division, which the company is relying on to generate revenue beyond popular hardware such as the iPhone. The App Store has been under fire from developers and regulators. The Apple Card, launched in August, is still only available in the US Apple News+ lost its business head at the end of last year and the New York Times on Monday stopped providing content to the free tier of the digital news service after skipping the paid offering. Apple TV+ is still in its infancy, but has had no smash hits yet. The first free trials expire in November.

The gaming subscription service could eventually flourish, and the company’s new approach may help. At its developer conference last week, Apple announced an upgrade to Arcade, adding multi-user support for the Apple TV box and a feature that lets users pick up game progress on another device.

Apple’s services division is still one of the company’s fastest growing segments. It generated a record $13 billion in revenue in the fiscal second quarter, accounting for about 23% of total sales. The segment is mostly fueled by the App Store and the share Apple takes from subscriptions and in-app purchases. — Bloomberg

TDF yields drop on BSP’s policy easing

YIELDS on the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) term deposit facility (TDF) dropped on Wednesday as the central bank resumed offering the longest 28-day tenor and following the rate cut last week.

Total bids for the term deposits auctioned off by the BSP on Wednesday amounted to P441.631 billion, more than double the P210 billion on offer. This was also higher than the P418.775 billion in tenders seen last week for a P170-billion offer that only included the seven- and 14-day deposits.

The one-week papers recorded total tenders of P232.3 billion, higher than the P120 billion on the auction block but lower than the P278.475 billion logged the previous week.

Lenders sought yields ranging from 1.75% to 1.79% for the seven-day deposits, sharply lower than the 2.25% to 2.2505% band logged on June 24. With this, the average rate for the one-week papers stood at 1.7573%, down by 49.31 basis points (bps) from the 2.2504% recorded last week.

Meanwhile, the 14-day papers fetched total bids of P149.68 billion, going beyond the P70 billion up for grabs as well as the P140.3 billion in bids seen last week for the P50 billion on offer.

Banks asked for rates between 1.75% and 1.78% for the two-week deposits, also lower than the 2.25% to 2.251% range logged last week. This caused the average rate for the 14-day papers to drop by 49.86 bps to 1.7522% from the 2.2508% in the previous auction.

For 28-day term deposits, bids totaled P232.3 billion, surpassing the P120 billion auctioned off by the BSP as well as the P79.813 billion in tenders seen against a P50-billion program on March 11, which was when the papers were last offered.

Yields on the one-month papers ranged from 1.75% to 1.79%, plunging from the 3.675% to 3.78% band recorded in the March 11 auction. The average rate for the 28-day deposits stood at 1.7562%, sinking by 198.74 bps from the 3.7436% quoted previously.

The TDF is the central bank’s primary tool to shore up excess liquidity in the financial system and to better guide market interest rates.

“[The] auction results also reflect market preference for longer-tenor TDF amid ample liquidity in the financial system. The BSP will continue to assess current market developments and liquidity conditions in deciding on the volume of its TDF operations,” BSP Deputy Governor Francisco G. Dakila, Jr said in a statement.

“Strong market appetite as well as the 50-bp policy rate cut by the BSP effective 26 June 2020 led to further declines in TDF rates,” he added.

The Monetary Board cut benchmark rates by 50 bps last week. Rates now stand at record lows of 2.25%, 2.75 and 1.75% for the BSP’s overnight reverse repurchase, lending and deposit facilities, respectively.

The central bank has slashed rates by 175 bps so far this year as it looks to cushion the economic impact of the coronavirus disease 2019.

BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno earlier said they are maintaining an accommodative stance to ensure ample credit and liquidity amid the crisis.

Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said the BSP’s decision to start offering the one-month papers after nearly four months is a sign of better liquidity in the financial system.

“This reflects the large/excess peso liquidity in the financial system that may have prompted the resumption of the 28-day TDF tenor to better manage the increased amount of liquidity sloshing around the economy,” he said.

BSP data showed domestic liquidity or M3, the broadest measure of money supply in an economy, rose by 16.2% to P13.6 trillion in April, faster than the 13.3% pace seen in March. — LWTN

Keep calm and bake on

Staying at home for the past months has brought out the inner baker in many people. Even before the pandemic, baking served as a therapeutic way of managing fears and anxieties. And it isn’t just about enjoying something warm and delicious. Baking involves all the senses and requires one’s full attention, forcing the baker to focus on the recipe and mute their inner dialogues. It gives people a semblance of control.

That is why The Maya Kitchen encourages pandemic bakers to continue their new baking hobby even as the country gradually emerges from quarantine. Baking is not only meditative, it also unleashes creativity as bakers experiment with substitutes, and troubleshoot baking problems. It teaches patience while waiting for the dough to rise or the cake to bake. Baking can also offer a chance to bond with loved ones — cooking together or sharing the spoils.

In support of this, The Maya Kitchen offers these easy-to-follow recipes.

PANDESAL

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 teaspoons yeast
  • 1 ½ cups warm water
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons shortening
  • 4 ½ – 5 cups sifted MAYA All-Purpose Flour
  • breadcrumbs, as needed

INSTRUCTIONS

Dissolve yeast in ¼ cup of water.

In a bowl, combine the remaining water, sugar, salt and shortening.

Add 4 cups of the flour and the yeast mixture. Mix well then transfer to a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Use the remaining flour for dusting the table and your hands if the dough gets sticky.

Place dough on a greased bowl, cover and let it rise until double in bulk.

Preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C.

Place the risen dough on a floured surface. Flatten with your hands to form a rectangle of about 16 x 3 inches. Starting at one end, roll up the dough with the right hand while sealing with the left hand to form a cylindrical strip of dough. Roll the dough in bread crumbs. Let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes.

Cut dough into pieces about 1 ½-inch thick. Place in a baking sheet cut side up. Let the dough pieces rise until light, for approximately 1 hour.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Yield: 2-3 dozens

COFFEE HOTCAKES

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pack MAYA Fluffy n’ Tasty Original Hotcake mix, 200 grams
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • ½ cup brewed coffee cooled (or dissolve 1-2 tablespoons instant coffee powder in ½ cup water)
  • unsalted butter
  • maple syrup as needed

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix all ingredients in a bowl until slightly lumpy (do not over mix).

Pour ¼ cup hotcake batter mix onto pre-heated, lightly greased pan or flat skillet. (As much as possible, try to make your pancake round)

Cook until bubbly then turn to cook the other side.

Serve with butter and syrup.

Yield: 5 to 6 hotcakes

CARAMEL CHOCO FUDGE BROWNIES

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pack MAYA Chocolate Fudge Brownies prepared according to package directions
  • Caramel layer:
  • ½ cup butter
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • ¾ cup sweetened condensed milk
  • ½ cup light corn syrup
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Chocolate ganache:
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup dark chocolate chopped
  • Assorted nuts chocolate chips, for topping

INSTRUCTIONS

Bake brownies according to package directions. Set aside.

In a nonstick pan, heat up caramel ingredients until thick (Softball stage 200-220°C). Pour this over the prepared brownie.

In a microwavable bowl, heat up cream for about 30 seconds. Add in chocolate. Microwave in 20 second bursts until chocolate is melted and ganache is smooth. Spread top caramel layer. Top with desired nuts, chocolate chips and other toppings.

Set aside to set. Cut into bars. Serve.

Yield: 16 bars

SEC adjusts submission schedule of annual reports

THE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has adjusted the schedule for submission of annual reports following the three-day closure of its main office last week.

In a notice on its website, the regulator said it started accepting annual financial statements and general information sheets sent via courier Wednesday, against the original June 29 schedule.

The SEC main office in Pasay City was closed from June 26-30 for disinfection activities after employees tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) through rapid antibody tests. They eventually tested negative in the confirmatory test, and the SEC office resumed operations yesterday.

Submission of reports will follow a schedule based on the last digit of a corporation’s SEC registration or license number. Those whose registration numbers end with 1 or 2 must submit within July 1–10; with 3 or 4 within July 13–17; with 5 or 6 within July 20–24; with 7 or 8 within July 27–30; and with 9 or 0 within Aug. 3–7.

The SEC also allowed corporations that held their annual stockholders’ meetings during the lockdown period until Aug. 31 to submit their general information sheets without penalties.

Hard copies of reports are required to be sent through courier to avoid the spread of COVID-19 among SEC personnel. The date of receipt of the submission will be indicated in the acknowledgment receipt that the SEC will send to companies through email.

Companies that want a return copy of their submissions must include a prepaid return envelope with stamp in their submissions. They may also avail of the queuing and round-trip services offered by delivery providers.

While hard copies must be sent through courier, the SEC will continue to allow submission of reports through e-mail.

Companies whose headquarters are outside Metro Manila may send their reports to the SEC extension offices in their respective regions. — Denise A. Valdez

BSP okays payment system oversight rules

THE CENTRAL BANK will exercise cooperative oversight with other regulators for activities and interlinkages between payment systems and other financial market infrastructures.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said in a statement on Wednesday that the Payment System Oversight Framework was approved by the Monetary Board on June 5, which streamlines the BSP’s regulatory approach in the oversight of payment systems in the country.

The framework is in line with the provisions of the Republic Act No. 11127 or the National Payment Systems Act (NPSA).

The BSP said the framework mandates the BSP to assign “systems which are systematically and prominently important.”

“Payment systems which pose or have the potential to pose systemic risk that could threaten the stability of the national payment system (NPS) are considered systemically important,” the central bank said.

Meanwhile, those which will be classified as “prominently important” are seen with “no systemic implication but may have major economic impact or could undermine the confidence of the public in the NPS or in the circulation of money in general.”

The BSP has the authority to accredit and revoke the accreditation of a Payment System Management Body (PSMB).

“Following this provision, the Monetary Board has also approved the accreditation of the Philippine Payments Management, Inc. (PPMI) as a PSMB. This accreditation deepens the foundation of the self-regulatory function of the PPMI over its members,” it said.

The PPMI was established by the Bankers Association of the Philippines to support the BSP in its monitoring and facilitation of the clearing of digital payments in line with the National Retail Payment System framework.

Ayala Land lists P10-B bonds

AYALA Land, Inc. (ALI) has listed its P10-billion fixed-rate bonds at the Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp. on June 26 in a move that it hopes will help boost the local bond market.

The two-year bonds have a coupon rate of 3% yearly with an issue size of P6 billion and an oversubscription option of P4 billion. They are due in 2022.

The listed real estate developer said these were “strongly received,” being oversubscribed 1.75 times, which led it to raise the size to P10 billion.

“Our primary objective during the last three months was to ensure that we preserve value for Ayala Land and maintain financial sustainability. It was therefore imperative that we ensure that we have more than adequate liquidity to meet our obligations and that we manage our cost of funding during this period,” ALI President and Chief Executive Officer Bernard Vincent O. Dy said.

ALI secured the approval of the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 11 to issue the bonds, which were offered between June 15 to 19.

The company is the first non-bank entity to have issued bonds in the local debt capital market since the quarantine period.

Mr. Dy said he expects that the success in issuing the bonds would help reinvigorate the local market, encouraging more investors to participate despite the impact of the global pandemic.

“We are confident that as the economy continues to reopen, business will continue to pick up and we hope to resume our expansion program within the next few months,” he added.

ALI tapped BPI Capital Corp., BDO Capital & Investment Corp., and Chinabank Capital Corp. as joint lead underwriters for the issuance. It also joined PNB and Investment Corp. and SB Capital Investment Corp. as co-lead managers. — Adam J. Ang

Lenovo sees surge in sales during lockdown

LENOVO Philippines reported a surge in sales for its devices after lockdown measures were put in place in Metro Manila and other locations in the country.

“The demand actually surged in the last couple of months, even before the announcement of the flexible learning by the Department of Education. We’ve actually seen the inquiries and the sales rising and I think the trend will continue,” Michael Ngan, Lenovo Philippines president and general manager, said during a digital conference on June 25.

Mr. Ngan declined to give exact figures and which product lines saw much of the surge as he said the company hasn’t gotten the data for the quarter yet.

“I think it’s part of the new normal. Everybody, whether you’re studying or working from home, all of our activities are now online [the majority of it],” he explained.

In the same briefing, Lenovo Philippines, in partnership with Microsoft, launched their EdVision program where they will be partnering with select schools in the country where students and their teachers will be given free access to online resources “that will help them through their education transformation journey, as well as complimentary or subsidized access to the latest solutions in education [technology],” a press release said.

Some of the partner schools will also be invited to join the EdVision Summit and receive a classroom makeover and subsidy for “smart classroom deployment and support in faculty education,” the statement said.

A Lenovo smart classroom will have “a combination of Lenovo devices, hardware, and software from industry-leading partners” said to provide enough customization to match the needs of partner schools.

“We really don’t select schools. The EdVision program is open to all schools who are willing to partner with Lenovo,” Mr. Ngan said, adding interested schools can get in touch with Lenovo so the company can see what “support we can actually extend.”

The same program will also be introduced in Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia.

Lenovo is also holding a Travelling Storybook contest where students can share how they envision the future of education and the classrooms of the world through words and images.

Shortlisted contestants will have their artworks shown in public and up for voting. The winning entry will receive a smart transformation package from Lenovo. The full mechanics of the contest will be announced soon.

Schools who want to join the EdVision program can register their interest via https://www.lenovo.com/ph/en/edvision. — Zsarlene B. Chua

Swedish drinkers to go the distance with new pub app

STOCKHOLM — Pub drinkers and restaurant-goers are set to get digital help from Swedish-based developers whose new app aims to make social distancing rules work as the hospitality industry cautiously reopens amid ongoing coronavirus concerns.

Sweden has kept bars and restaurants open for table-only service during the pandemic, but authorities have still fretted about overcrowding.

With other countries now cautiously opening up — the United Kingdom is set to re-open pubs and restaurants on July 4 — Stockholm-based developer Chris Mortimer hopes to help diners and tipplers keep their distance and minimise the risk of spreading the virus.

With Mortimer’s app BYEVID, drinkers can either book their pub visit online, ahead of time, or scan a QR code once in the bar, allowing punters and owners to see if the venue has reached its safe capacity.

“So the information we’re looking at is — on the map where the place is, how many people are at the place right now and what the maximum is,” Mortimer told Reuters.

Owners can vary the maximum number of customers, depending on the rules in their country.

“We also see… information on what they do to keep the place clean in coronavirus times,” Mortimer added.

Sweden’s state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell — the public face of Sweden’s much-discussed strategy to slow the spread of the virus — is not convinced such apps will have a big effect.

But he welcomed any attempt to provide more data that authorities can use to control the spread.

“How much (apps) add to non-digital contact tracing still remains to be proven… most virus spread is done through people you’re already aware of… in your workplace, your family,” Tegnell told Reuters.

For Stockholm-based bartender Mawhinna Howell it’s a welcome help in the art of managing social distancing rules.

“It’s nice to know how many people we can expect, it helps us to prepare for the day,” she said. — Reuters

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