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Park Bo Gum’s feel good fan meet

By Cecille Santillan Visto

Fan Meeting Review
Park Bo Gum: May Your Everyday
Be A Good Day
June 22, SM MOA Arena

PARK BO GUM’s May Your Everyday Be A Good Day in Manila fan meet over the weekend had all the right ingredients, making it the best fan meeting of any Korean celebrity held locally over the past seven years.

It was a showcase of all the things that the 26-year-old actor can do. He sang, rapped, danced, played an instrument, engaged select fans in a role-playing segment, and even made a personalized gift for a lucky audience member from scratch. In various fora discussing Saturday’s show, some fans jokingly commented that had the Encounter star dished out some magic tricks, it would have been a complete and perfect performance.

But what made the event truly special was the Reply 1988 actor’s genuine demonstration of his appreciation for his Filipino followers, primarily in making the extra effort in speaking almost entirely in English during the fan gathering. Prior to Mr. Park, all K-actors who came to the Philippines needed interpreters to get their messages across.

“It’s showtime!” he quipped during the opening, referencing the noontime TV program of actress and self-confessed fan, Anne Curtis, who hosted the event.

Jointly staged by ABS-CBN and Ovation Productions, the Good Day fan meeting was originally set for April 27 but was postponed after an earthquake struck Manila days before. For the fans, the wait for the former Music Bank host was well worth it.

He sang more than a dozen songs, opening with “I Like You,” by DAY6, and even managing to throw in a few verses of Daniel Padilla’s “Nasa Iyo Na Ang Lahat.” After dancing to BTS’ “Boy With Luv” for the first time during his Asia tour, he bashfully told the MOA Arena that his friend, V, from the phenomenal K-pop group, taught him the moves. He obviously came prepared to please and the fans were very happy.

Although the show followed a script, Mr. Park accommodated impromptu requests, including a sample of his famous “Boombastic” dance, which became popular when he was promoting his smash K-drama hit, Love in the Moonlight, in 2016.

The two-and-a-half-hour show was divided into two parts. The first comprised of the interview portion, where the model-host answered some questions from fans. He shared that there are three main items on his “before age 40” bucket list, namely, to get married and have children, study abroad, and star in a foreign film. He said it was his third time to visit the Philippines, first being when he filmed Wonderful Mama six years ago, followed by a Cebu vacation with the Moonlight stars and crew.

He also shared some behind-the-scene clips of his activities and reenacted three scenes from Encounter, a drama he starred in opposite Song Hye Kyo, with some fans.

Mr. Park likewise told Ms. Curtis that he is shooting a futuristic film with Gong Yoo of Train the Busan fame. He plays a human clone in the movie, which started filming last month and which expected to be shown within the year or early 2020. On a lighter note, when asked what habits he wants to change, he said he opts to keep this “a secret.”

The musical theater major also made a diffuser from scratch, which, along with some personal memorabilia he used in recent dramas and commercials, he gave away to fans.

The second half of the show was a mini-concert where he performed some carefully selected ballads and upbeat numbers.

He rounded the MOA Arena in “Let’s Go See the Stars” and serenaded the fans with “Through The Night,” a well-loved piece first performed by Korean singer-actress IU.

Mr. Park played the piano while singing Steven Curtis Chapman’s “I Will Be Here”(which also has a Gary Valenciano version), and danced to “Bounce” and “Honey” with gusto. His K-pop medley, which included Twice’s “What is Love?”

Seventeen’s “Pretty U,” was a crowd favorite. He also managed to include meaningful songs such as “Yes, We Are Together” and g.o.d’s “One Candle,” in his repertoire to keep up with the “Good Day” theme. He closed with “Blessing,” sincerely expressing gratitude to those who “took time to spend time” with him.

In return, the fans sang “Happy Birthday,” as it was the week of his birthday.

After the show closed, all the attendees were led to backstage of the Arena for a high-touch session. The Hallyu star graciously greeted thousands of fans with a wide smile, not showing any signs of exhaustion after his performance.

Park Bo Gum is one of Korea’s global stars who has successfully maintained a squeaky-clean reputation image amidst the scandals of some of his contemporaries. With his hard work, dedication, versatility, and humility, he has rightfully earned his placed in the Korean entertainment industry.

His Manila fan meeting was, more than very entertaining, a feel-good event. He set the bar very high for similar future K-pop acts. It was truly one for the books.

Employers sound alarm on automation for skills upgrading

EMPLOYERS said it is an urgent matter for companies to invest in upskilling employees, noting that low-skill and medium-skill professions are at risk from automation.

In an interview with BusinessWorld, Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECoP) Director General Jose Roland A. Moya said establishments should take the initiative to reskill and upskill their workers, which are helpful to the workers as they keep afloat amid digitization risks in the work force. A work force trained for the future will also be key in meeting company objectives.

“There is a need for employers to invest in life-long learning… and enterprise-based training… It is a good investment because skills development is the core of any development efforts of the company,” he said.

He added that skills need to be enhanced since new jobs have emerged in response to the growing transformation to artificial intelligence, while more have yet to be created.

“Lalo na ngayon may mga bagong trabaho na nag–e-evolve, kailangan ng reskilling, upskilling. At ang nangangailangan ng bagong i-hire na workers ang panibagong skills (Now that there are new jobs that are evolving, we need to do reskilling and upskilling and even newly hired workers need new skills),” Mr. Moya said.

According to the International Labor Organization (ILO) report “Work for A Brighter Future” by its Global Commission on the Future of Work launched earlier this year, technological advancements may create new jobs but will also lead to job losses as industries transition to full digitization.

The report also noted that stakeholders must adapt a “human-centered agenda for the future of work,” which involves enhancing workers’ capabilities and knowledge in order to cope with the rapid changes brought upon by technological advancement.

As the workplace evolves to a more digitized environment brought about by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, routine jobs or low-skilled occupations will not only be threatened by automation, but also jobs requiring some skills.

“The sector that will be affected by the future of work will be jobs that are routine in nature so mostly low-skilled. Even the medium-skilled, if they do not do upskilling, will also be affected,” Mr. Moya said.

Mr. Moya added that employers are currently in talks with the government to come up with solutions to the potential disruption caused by automation.

During his speech at the ILO convention earlier this month, Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III said that the Department of Labor and Employment is studying the effects of automation on the work force and is pledging to come up with upskilling initiatives. — Gillian M. Cortez

PROSB absorbs seven rural banks

A THRIFT BANK has absorbed seven rural lenders, in line with a push by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) for bank mergers.

In a circular issued last week, the BSP said Producers Savings Bank Corp. (PROSB) has merged with seven rural banks based in different parts of the country.

BSP Deputy Governor Chuchi G. Fonacier issued Circular Letter 2019-044 on July 21 to announce that PROSB has been named as the surviving corporation following a merger plan executed by the banks in January.

The Securities and Exchange Commission approved on the plan and articles of merger last May 31.

The seven rural banks absorbed by PROSB effective June 1 are: Rural Bank of Pamplona, Inc., Bangko Rural ng Pasacao, Inc., Bangko Rural ng Magarao, Inc., and Rural Bank of San Fernando, Inc. in Camarines Sur; Rural Bank of Barotac Nuevo, Inc. in Iloilo; Rural Bank of Sibalom, Inc. in Antique; and Rural Bank of President Quirino, Inc. in Sultan Kudarat.

The assets and liabilities of the seven rural lenders were transferred to and absorbed by PROSB.

PROSB is a thrift lender headquartered in Pasig City led by Andres M. Cornejo as president and chief executive officer.

The bank has 175 branches.

In February, PROSB acquired the Rural Bank of San Quintin in Pangasinan.

In July last year, the PROSB also absorbed Rural Bank of Bustos, Inc. in Bulacan and Rural Bank of Sto. Domingo, Inc. in Nueva Ecija.

PROSB was the 11th largest bank in terms of assets as of end-2018 with P18.39 billion, according to latest available central bank data.

The BSP has been encouraging mergers among small banks in order to fortify their financial footing by dangling a host of incentives for those who pursue such plans.

State agencies have also extended the Consolidation Program for Rural Banks until October to prod lenders located in one province or region to come together and form a new financial entity.

These mergers are seen to bolster the capital and asset base of these lenders, making them more liquid and resilient versus defaults. — RJNI

SNAP invests P24 million for floating solar power project in Isabela

RENEWABLE energy company SN Aboitiz Power-Magat (SNAP-Magat) has invested around P24 million for the 200-kilowatt pilot floating solar project in Ramon, Isabela.

In a statement, SNAP-Magat said the circular installation consists of 720 solar panels that are kept in place by four mooring systems. The facility covers a 2,500-square meter area over the Magat reservoir.

“This pilot holds the potential for significantly greater things in the future. We picked now to turn it on because we are heading into the wet season. As we go into the wet season, we will get to test out how well it will withstand the rain and the wind speed,” SNAP President and CEO Joseph S. Yu was quoted as saying.

This is SNAP’s first non-hydro renewable energy (RE) project. It will provide power to SNAP’s facilities in the area.

The company will conduct a 10-month stress test on the facility to ensure it can withstand typhoons and strong inflows.

SNAP said it will consider scaling up the project if proven to be successful.

The company partnered with Ocean Sun, a Norwegian floating solar technology provider, for the project.

SNAP-Magat is a joint venture between SN Power of Norway and AboitizPower.

General Electric machinists oppose tentative labor deal

NEW YORK — The machinists union said on Wednesday it opposes a tentative labor contract reached this week with General Electric Co, potentially impeding the Boston-based conglomerate’s efforts to avoid labor unrest during a difficult period.

“Our recommendation is to reject,” Brian Bryant, general vice president of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) told Reuters. “It’s what we consider a concessionary contract.”

The IAM, one of 11 unions representing 6,600 workers that would be covered by the deal, has workers in GE’s profitable aviation and health care businesses, not the power unit that has dragged down GE’s profits in recent years.

GE and leaders representing the unions reached the tentative four-year agreement on Monday, following 21 days of talks. The lead and largest union at GE, known as the IUE-CWA, can pass the agreement if 50 percent plus one member vote to approve it.

“We hope that the IUE will also vote it down and lead to more negotiations,” Bryant said.

GE said balloting is expected to take place by July 11. The contract provides $1.80 in wage increases over four years, no medical premiums increases in 2020 and $4,500 in cash payments.

Bryant said workers would lose some overtime they now receive when starting shifts early or staying late at jet engine factories.

Paul Lalli, head of labor negotiations at GE, said in a statement on Wednesday that the company had “achieved our goal of creating a fair deal that provides good wages and meaningful benefits for our employees while addressing the unique challenge we face today to return GE to a position of strength.”

The company was not immediately available to comment on the IAM decision.

IUE-CWA leaders said earlier this week that they endorse the contract and will recommend it to their members. IUE-CWA leaders did not respond to requests for comment on Wednesday.

GE has been laying off thousands of workers worldwide as it restructures in the wake of a $22.8 billion loss last year, caused largely by a write down in the power unit.

Among the unions covered by the agreement the IUE-CWA is the largest and the IAM is the second-largest. The agreement covers workers at facilities Massachusetts, Ohio, Kentucky, Kansas, New York and Wisconsin, GE said. — Reuters

The feeling is mutual: Korean actor loves fans as much as they love him

SOUTH KOREAN actor Park Bo Gum concluded his multi-country fan meet tour which started in Seoul and ended in Manila on June 22 at the Mall of Asia Arena (MOA) in Pasay City.

His fan meet, titled May Your Every Day Be a Good Day, started at the South Korean capital in January with stops in Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Taiwan, and the Philippines.

“I really appreciate the fans [because] regardless of what language they speak and where they live, they are… sparing their really precious time for me,” Mr. Park said during a press conference on June 21 at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel in Pasay City.

The Philippine leg was originally supposed to be held on April 27 but earthquakes which rocked Luzon and Visayas a few days before the scheduled event resulted in his management, Blossom Entertainment, postponing the fan meet until June.

Mr. Park came into the limelight in 2011 as a supporting character in the thriller Blind. In 2014, he gained his first acting nominations for his work in Wonderful Days and Naeil’s Cantabile, an adaptation of the Japanese manga, Nodame Cantabile.

He also starred as a psychopathic killer in Hello, Monster in 2015, a departure from his usual boy-next-door roles. The role earned him rave reviews. The same year, he played as a prodigy Go player in Reply 1988. The show was one of the highest rated cable television dramas in Korean TV history.

But, it wasn’t until 2016 that he solidified his image as a leading man after playing the lead in Love in the Moonlight. His work in the role earned him a Best Actor nomination and a Popularity award at the 53rd Baeksang Arts Awards. He also won the Top Excellence Award at the 30th KBS Drama Awards.

In 2018, he starred alongside Song Hye Kyo in Encounter where he played a free-spirited young man who falls in love with an older woman.

“All of those characters live in my memory because all of those characters in [those] dramas [are] so, so precious to me,” he said before adding that every character he has played “has something in common with me.” — Z.B. Chua

Collaboration between insurers, fintechs eyed

MANUFACTURERS Life Insurance Co. (Phils.), Inc. (Manulife Philippines) eyes to boost collaboration between insurance firms and financial technology (fintech) companies to improve customer experience and increase awareness in insurance.

In an event on Wednesday, Manulife Philippines Senior Vice-President and Chief Marketing Officer Melissa Henson said the life insurer is now the chair of the newly formed “insurtech” committee of Fintech Philippines Association (Fintech PH).

“It’s very important for us to learn new and emerging technologies, and gain access to new solutions that we could potentially use to make our customer experience better and easier,” Ms. Henson told reporters on the sidelines of the event.

She added that one of the committee’s objectives is to promote collaboration among industry players as well as with regulators to explore non-traditional platforms, processes and products for the customers.

“The way we see insurtech is it enables us to deliver the best service for our customers. That’s not always to come in a form of a new product. In some instances, it comes in the form of enhancing the way we deliver our services.”

Eventually, she added the partnerships fostered may eventually translate to improve insurance penetration in the country.

“What we hope to do as chair of the insurance committee is to foster collaboration across the industry so we can increase insurance penetration and adoption and accessibility of insurance in the market.”

The Insurance Commission said insurance penetration in the country — defined as the ratio of premiums compared to the gross domestic product — was at 1.76% as of end-September, up 0.12 percentage point year-on-year.

Meanwhile, Lloyd’s said in a report published last year that the Philippines is one of the countries with the largest insurance gap valued at $4.9 billion.

Within the year, Ms. Henson said the newly-formed committee plans to capture the five biggest life insurance firms in the country before the yearend, and eventually branch out to other insurance sectors.

“The first thing to do is increase our membership among the ranks of our peers in the industry. We have to come together in the spirit of collaboration and come up with that goal together,” she said.

Based on Fintech PH’s website, it currently has four members from the insurance industry, namely Manulife, Sun Life of Canada (Philippines), Inc., Philippine AXA Life Insurance Corp. and FWD Life Insurance Corp.

Manulife said it has been a member of Fintech PH since 2018. Through its membership, it was able to tap fintechs to provide business solutions.

“We’ve actually run tests with one — this one has to do with after-sales service. The experiments were successful, so we’re hopeful this is something we can roll out,” the insurance executive said.

Ms. Henson added it also partnered with another fintech firm to work on another segment of its value chain.

“We get to meet the talent that is out there. We gain access to the new technology and ideas that is really driving a lot of change across many industries,” she noted. — Karl Angelo N. Vidal

Over 100 Popeyes stores in 3 years eyed

THE operator of fastfood chain Popeyes in the Philippines is targeting to open over a hundred stores in the next three years.

Winglip K. Chang, president of Kuya J Holdings Group, Inc., said the first Popeyes store, located in Arcovia City in Pasig City, has been performing well since it opened last month.

“We want to open more than a hundred stores in three years. The first year, we won’t be building that many but hopefully the next year and the year after that we will open more 40, 50 as we become more comfortable in the opening, construction,” he told reporters after an event announcing Popeyes’ official partnership with Coca-Cola Philippines.

Mr. Chang said he estimates a budget of P1.5 billion will be needed for Popeyes’ expansion. He noted each branch requires an investment of around P15 to P20 million each.

“We just want to open as many stores as we can. We feel the market is still there to allow us to compete effectively. Price is competitive, we are similar to other brands,” he said.

Popeyes Arcovia City has been running over a thousand transactions a day, Mr. Chang said.

“For the first Popeyes store in the Philippines, we have surpassed all the sales for opening day and opening month,” he said.

Aside from the famous fried chicken, Popeyes offers Philippine exclusives such as spaghetti and new flavors of its biscuits — hazelnut and white chocolate.

“We introduced hazelnut and white chocolate (flavors) aside from honey biscuit. We felt the biscuits can be eaten as a dessert,” Mr. Chang said.

All Popeyes stores will serve Coca-Cola beverages, as the company tapped Coca-Cola as its official beverage partner in the Philippines.

“As the bottler of Coca-Cola Philippines, it has always been our goal to deliver our beverages and bring refreshing moments to each and every Filipino. This is why we are very excited to partner with Popeyes, a brand that, apart from serving delicious food, creates an experience of happiness and comfort,” Cherry Flores-Du, Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines Inc. national key accounts associate director, said.

Popeyes and Coca-Cola go a long way back. At the opening of the first Popeyes store in New Orleans in 1972, the Louisiana-style chicken was served with a glass of Coke. — Cathy Rose A. Garcia

DTI, TESDA planning training program for Halal butchers

THE PHILIPPINE Trade Training Center-Global MSME Academy (PTTC-GMEA) is looking into offering training in Halal-compliant animal slaughter in partnership with the Technological Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

PTTC-GMEA Deputy Executive Director Nelly Nita N. Dillera told BusinessWorld that the partnership with TESDA is due to the latter’s facilities for Halal slaughter, including laboratories.

“One thing we’re looking at is to help train people in terms of Halal slaughter. We’ll be partnering with TESDA because they have the facilities… We’re looking at Halal slaughter as a training program we can implement in partnership with TESDA,” she said.

Halal slaughter requires a special ritual prescribed by Islamic law before an animal is killed. The accepted procedure forbids the infliction of pain on animals and requires that feed be Halal-compliant. Ms. Dillera stressed that not all cattle and chicken in the Philippines are considered Halal to even undergo the ritual slaughtering.

Ms. Dillera said that facilities are available in Manila but limited trained staff, either as butchers or trainers.

“There is a slaughterhouse here but there are no slaughterers yet. Certain government agencies are addressing the physical structure part but we’re going to address the soft skills and the training,” she said. Ms. Dillera added that a trainer will be flown in from Malaysia to support the program.

PTTC-GMEA is also looking into providing training and education in Halal kitchen basics for compliant food preparation and cooking.

“The equipment has to be different from the ones used with non-Halal…(Also another) Halal kitchen requirement is having a Muslim employee in the kitchen,” Ms. Dillera noted.

Ms. Dillera said Halal observance is growing and the agency is seeing demand from entrepreneurs interested in providing compliant products and services.

“We have a lot of big companies and a lot of small companies which produce products they say are Halal. We have chicken, meat products and even drinks that are considered Halal. It has to undergo several processes before they can claim on their labels that it’s Halal,” Ms. Dillera stressed.

While Mindanao has a number of established Halal slaughter and food preparation facilities and laboratories, she also added that Manila needs to put up more if the Halal hospitality industry is to develop.

“It’s very important to put one here because the entry point of Halal conscious travellers will likely be Manila, which is why we plan to do the training here in Manila,” she said.

PTTC is an agency of the Department of Trade and Industry, and partners with other government agencies and private organizations to conduct training and seminars for entrepreneurs and exporters, mostly from the Micro, Small, and Medium enterprises. — Gillian M. Cortez

Variety the focus of this year’s Eiga Sai f ilm festival

NOW ON its 22nd year, the Eiga Sai Japanese Film Festival presents a selection of 17 full-length features from a variety of genres to “show not only one side of Japanese culture,” said an organizer.

The annual film festival is organized by the Japan Foundation Manila (JFM) and will run from July 3 to Aug. 25 at the Shangri-La Plaza mall cinemas in Mandaluyong City and in several cities across the country: Pangasinan, Naga, Cebu, Bacolod, Tacloban, and Davao.

The Manila run will be from July 3 to 14, 2019 at the Red Carpet, Shangri-La Plaza.

“Every year, the Eiga Sai aims to provide a glimpse into the different aspects of Japanese society through a diverse selection of films,” Kanami Namiki, program coordinator of JFM, said during the festival’s press launch on June 19.

This year, she said, there was no common theme between the films as the purpose was to be as varied as possible, though there was a focus on getting newer films.

The festival’s opening film is Bernard Rose’s Samurai Marathon (2019), based on Akihiro Dobashi’s novel Bakumatsu Marathon Samurai. It is about the Ansei Tooashi, Japan’s first marathon held in the 1800s by the Annaka feudal lord, Katsuakira Itakura, to train the minds and bodies of warriors.

Ms. Namiki said they chose a Japanese film directed by a Westerner as the opening film because it was interesting to see how other people look at Japanese period films or jidaigeki.

Samurai Marathon starts with the call of the feudal lord for his warriors, foot soldiers, or any able-bodied men to run a 50-km course with the winner being granted a wish by the lord. What was supposed to be a fun run is misconstrued as a rebellion by a spy from the central government who tips off the government which then sends assassins to stop so-called rebellion. Now, the race is also on for the spy to right the misunderstanding. The film stars Takeru Satoh, who is best known for his role as Kenshin Himura in the Ruruoni Kenshin live action film series.

Other films to be shown in the festival are The House Where the Mermaid Sleeps (2018) by Yukihiko Tsutsumi, which is also the festival’s closing film. Based on the novel of the same name by Keigo Higashino, the film follows a couple who is confronted by a tragedy involving their child which leads them to a difficult choice; After the Storm (2016) by Hirokazu Kore-eda, about a gambling-addicted father who reminisces about his days as a prize-winning author. While his family moves on without him, he tries to take back control of his life and find a place in his son’s life. The film was selected as an entry in the Un Certain Regard section of the 69th Cannes Film Festival. Mr. Kore-eda previously won the Palme D’Or for Shoplifters in 2018.

Shoplifters is about a family of shoplifters who take in a new family member. The film made its Philippine premier in last year’s Quezon City International Film Festival and will have a special screening at the University of the Philippines’ Film Institute during the Eiga Sai festival.

The Third Murder (2017), also by Mr. Kore-eda, is a psychological thriller about a man, once convicted of murder, who is indicted again this time for killing and setting on fire the president of the company who laid him off and his lawyer who tries to help him get life in prison.

Yakiniku Dragon (2018), by Wishing Chong, is an adaptation of his play and portrays the joys and sorrows of a Korean family living in Japan.

Lying to Mom (2018), by Katsumi Nojiri, is a family comedy-drama about a father and a daughter telling their grief-stricken matriarch a once-in-a-lifetime lie. The director, Mr. Nojiri, will be at the Philippine premiere of Lying to Mom on Aug. 3 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines during the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival.

The Tears of Malumpati (2019), by Keita Meguro, is based on the true story of the Pandan Water Pipeline Project in Panay Island where Japanese and Filipino volunteers try to solve the problem of insufficient drinking water by building a 10-km pipeline.

Mixed Doubles (2017), by Junichi Ishikawa, is a drama-comedy about a woman scorned who forms a mixed doubles table tennis team to defeat her ex and his new girlfriend.

One Cut of the Dead (2018), by Shinichiro Ueda, is a sleeper-hit horror-comedy about an indie movie crew trying to shoot a zombie film in an abandoned building in the mountains who are then attacked by real zombies. The director is thrilled and keeps the camera rolling.

Perfect World (2018), by Kenji Shibayama, is the live-action adaptation of Rie Aruga’s manga of the same name about a paraplegic architect and the girl who has loved him since high school and their life together.

The Eight-Year Engagement (2017), by Takahisa Zeze, is the second feature in this year’s Eiga Sai which stars Mr. Satoh. This time, he plays a dedicated fiancee to a woman who has been in a coma for eight years.

The Crimes that Bind (2018), by Katsuo Fukuzawa, is the series finale for the film The Wings of Kirin and television series Shinzanmono. The film, based on the novel of Keigo Higashino, follows the story of an investigator who tries to solve the killing of a young woman in an apartment whose registered resident also vanished.

Kakegurui (2019), by Tsutomu Hanabusa, is the live-action adaptation of Homura Kawamoto’s manga of the same name. The film follows the lives of the students at a prestigious academy whose social hierarchy is based on a long-standing tradition of gambling.

Laughing Under the Clouds (2018) is another live-action adaptation of a manga, this time by Karakara Kemuri. The film tells the story of a family who is in charge of a shrine who learn that they and their bloodline are tied to the awakening of the dreaded serpent, Orochi, which will wreak havoc on their town.

Lu Over the Wall (2017), by Masaaki Yuasa, is an animated film about the encounter between a young boy and a mermaid.

Finally, Mirai (2018), by Mamoru Hosoda, is another animated feature about a spoiled little boy who gets jealous over his newborn sister. His life is upended after a girl appears and tells him that she is his sister from the future. The film was screened during the 2018 Cannes’ Film Festival’s Director’s Fortnight.

Aside from the films, the festival will also hold a special performance by shamisen (Japanese traditional three-stringed instrument) player Keisho Ohno during its opening week.

Eiga Sai is open to the public and is free of charge except for the showings in Shangri-La Plaza which will cost P100 per screening. For the full screening schedule and dates for other cities, visit www.jfmo.org.ph or call 811-6155 to 58. — Zsarlene B. Chua

HSBC boosts Philippine private banking business

THE HONGKONG and Shanghai Banking Corp. Ltd. (HSBC) has expanded its private banking presence in the Philippines by deploying more relationship managers to service the growing wealth market.

In a statement, the global financial institution said it recruited three new relationship managers as part of HSBC Private Banking’s plans to grow its business in Asia and in the Philippines.

“We are delighted to welcome new talent to our team to serve the increasing wealth needs of our Philippines’ clients,” said Kevin Herbert, co-head for North Asia at HSBC Private Banking.

Valerie See-Tang and Janice Marie Laurel has been designated as its relationship managers in Manila. Prior to this, Ms. See-Tang was the branch head of HSBC’s Quezon City office, while Ms. Laurel was a premier team leader of HSBC Ortigas branch.

Meanwhile, Carmen Wong has joined in Hong Kong as a relationship manager for the Philippine desk. She joined the bank after being a relationship manager for the Philippine market at JPMorgan.

“Not only do we have one of the largest private banking teams supporting the Philippines market, we believe our strong business heritage, global network and experience working with families across generations, all give us a competitive edge,” Mr. Herbert added.

HSBC Private Banking said it is poised to support the growing high net worth (HNW) segment in the country as it has an onshore office in Manila working closely with the full service wealth management hubs in Hong Kong and Singapore.

According to a study conducted by ultra high net worth intelligence and data firm Wealth-X, the Philippines is one of the fastest-growing HNW countries globally, with a compounded annual growth rate of 9.4% between 2018 and 2023.

Ailene Manzano-Litonjua, HSBC Philippines’ head of private banking, said many of its entrepreneurial clients are in the process of transferring wealth and business to the next generation.

“Our extensive knowledge and experience of legacy planning and family governance is another key element of out offering that is important to Philippines clients,” she said.

Last month, UnionBank of the Philippines, Inc. launched its private banking services in partnership with Lombard Odier (Singapore) Ltd. to offer wealth management for individuals and families with net worth of at least P100 million. The Aboitiz-led bank said the private banking unit eyes to grow assets under management by 25% annually.

HSBC was one of the biggest foreign banks in the country as of end-2018 with assets worth P160.5 billion. It operates 10 branches in the country, three of which are HSBC Savings Bank branches. — K.A.N. Vidal

What to see this week

5 films to see on the week of June 28 — July 4, 2019

Annabelle Comes Home

A SCENE from Annabelle Comes Home

DEMONOLOGISTS Ed and Lorraine Warren keep the possessed doll Annabelle in what is supposed to be a safe room, yet she awakens evil spirits in the room and eyes a new target — the Warrens’ 10-year-old daughter and her friends. Directed by Garry Dauberman, the film stars Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, and Mckenna Grace. IndieWire’s Eric Kohn writes, “The movie joins It and Stranger Things as the latest resurrection of the ’80s-kids-in-peril routine, and it’s not exactly aiming to reinvent the genre. Still, it’s something of a relief that the movie pushes beyond the usual self-seriousness of these movies to allow for a more colorful array of characters and some modicum of humor surrounding their plight.”

MTRCB Rating: R-13

Step Up 6: Year of the Dance

YOUTH from all walks of life in Beijing come together to form a dance crew and learn what it means to be family. Directed by Ron Yuan, the dance film stars Jade Chynoweth, Sean Lew, and Janelle Ginestra.

 

MTRCB Rating: PG

Beyond the Edge

A LEGENDARY gambler gathers a team of people with supernatural powers in an attempt to win big at a casino. However, they must first defeat a stronger rival. Directed by Aleksandr Boguslavskiy and Francesco Cinquemani, the film stars Antonio Banderas, Milos Bikovic, Lyubov Aksyonova, and Aristarkh Venes.

MTRCB Rating: PG

Because I Love You

SUMMER followed the footsteps of her father and became a firefighter, despite her mother’s dream for her to become a beauty queen. Things take a turn when she meets Rael, a son of a business tycoon. Directed by Joel Lamangan, the film stars Shaira Diaz and David Licauco.

MTRCB Rating: PG

Kontradiksyon

THE socio-political action thriller depicts scenarios on the country’s controversial war on drugs and how the drugs effect a person’s physical and mental well-being. Directed by Njel de Mesa, the film stars Jake Cuenca and Kris Bernal.

MTRCB Rating: R-16

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