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Epson Philippines bullish on growth prospects

By Zsarlene B. Chua, Reporter

AFTER clocking in another double-digit growth year in 2018, Epson Philippines Corp. (EPC) remains bullish on its prospects as the company focuses on growing their business-to-business (B2B) segment, according to a company executive.

“We have a very wide portfolio of products, so we’ve been there but now we’re really pushing our B2B because we are putting our core technology like the printheads and we’re putting them into machines of a different form factor for larger, more commercial and industrial use,” Eduardo Bonoan, general manager of the marketing division of EPC told BusinessWorld on the sidelines of the Epson Fusion event held in Discovery Shores, Boracay island on May 20.

During his presentation, Mr. Bonoan said the company’s sales grew by 23% during the 2018 fiscal year compared to the prior year’s 14% growth. For the last five years, he said the company posted 20% growth year-on-year on average.

The growth was attributed to “the very promising performance posted by select strategic products” like their copiers, scanners, label machines, large format printers and mobile point-of-sale systems.

Majority of last year’s sales come from printers and scanners (both consumer and business), contributing 70% to the total, while business systems contributed 14%, visual instruments at 11% and commercial and industrial machines at 5%.

This year, the company will focus on promoting their Replaceable Ink Pack System (RIPS), LIJ printers (large format printers), scanners, label printers, mobile point-of-sale, computer-aided design (CAD) printers, signage and textile printers, as well as its high brightness projectors.

The official however noted that their push towards B2B does not mean they will be sidelining their consumer market.

“We’re still going to be defending whatever we’ve done here but of course, we have to take a look at other avenues and other pastures already,” Mr. Bonoan said.

SSS condones P9.5B in penalties under LRP

THE SSS condoned members’ penalties under its loan restructuring program. — BW FILE PHOTO

THE SOCIAL SECURITY System (SSS) condoned P9.5 billion in short-term penalties of calamity-affected members under the second round of its loan restructuring program (LRP).

In a statement on Wednesday, the state pension fund said more than 658,000 member-borrowers availed of the LRP during its one-year run that ended in April. This was more than twice the 250,000 applications expected prior to the implementation.

In turn, the SSS restructured P10.9 billion in loans and generated income amounting to P4.4 billion.

“Members who paid their outstanding loans in full through LRP will again enjoy their loan privileges after six months from the time that they have paid their loans. They are now worry-free from any loan deductions on their future benefits such as their retirement pension,” SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Aurora C. Ignacio was quoted as saying in the statement.

The pension fund launched its second LRP in April last year to provide members who reside or work in calamity-stricken areas financial relief by waiving penalties imposed on loans past due for at least six months prior the start of the program.

The LRP covered member-borrowers who had past due loans from programs such as Salary Loan, Emergency Loan, Educational Loan (old) and Study Now Pay Later Plan, among others.

The SSS first implemented the LRP from April 28, 2016 until April 27, 2017 to assist calamity-affected members.

Under the first run, SSS restructured P13.8 billion worth of loans and condoned P13.5 billion in penalties. The pension fund also generated income worth P5.8 billion.

Ms. Ignacio said the SSS was “pleased” with the results of both LRP implementations, especially with the number of members who applied.

“SSS understands that natural calamities make it difficult for its members to pay their loan obligations. We are glad that through the LRP, the pension fund was able to help more than 1.51 million member-borrowers who were affected by various calamities to settle their unpaid loans,” she said.

Ms. Ignacio also encouraged members who are paying their restructured loans in installment terms to pay their obligations on time to regain their good standing with the SSS. — K.A.N. Vidal

Listen to understand, not respond

By Giselle P. Kasilag

Theater Review
The Kundiman Party
By Floy Quintos
Directed by Dexter M. Santos
May 31-June 2
PETA Theater Center, 5 Eymard Drive,
New Manila, Quezon City

AMONG A slew of big-budget productions, a not-so-quiet little play emerged with one of the boldest and loudest, yet sweetest, voice that many have not heard in a very long time. The Kundiman Party, a play by Floy Quintos and directed by Dexter M. Santos, is currently being restaged at the Peta Theater Center.

Originally set prior to the 2019 midterm elections in the Philippines, the second run underwent very minor updates and is now set after the elections (the play opened a week after the midterm elections). That the same material worked as intensely both before and after this particular and pivotal moment is a testament to Mr. Quintos’ gift in moving something so specific to the realm of the timeless, which is also one of the underlying themes of the play.

Maestra Adela (Shamaine Centenera-Buencamino) is a gifted opera singer. Traumatized by the events before, during, and the immediate aftermath of the 1986 People Power Revolution, she has chosen to retire from the stage in favor of teaching young singers the art of kundiman.

Apart from her students — including the young Antoinette (Miah Canton) and the professional kundiman singer Melissa (Rica Nepomuceno) — and her pianist Ludwig (Gabriel Paguirigan), her world is mostly limited to her three girl friends: the activist Tita Mayen (Frances Makil-Ignacio), the motherly Helen (Stella Cañete-Mendoza), and the worldly Mitch (Missy Maramara).

After the senatorial elections where the opposition suffered heavy losses, Mayen, Helen, and Mitch share the fear of a government that is growing more oppressive. They have been joining rallies and protest movements but feel that they are hardly making a dent.

Through it all, Maestra Adela has remained distant to the political grumblings — until she is dragged from her comfort zone by Bobbie (Boo Gabunada), Antoinette’s boyfriend. The rebellious son of a controversial and corrupt senator, he takes an interest in the maestra upon learning of her background. Seems that Maestra Adela lent her voice to the revolution and is no longer able to sing because of it.

It was exactly the heart-tugging story that Bobbie’s millennial generation needed to wake them up to the issues confronting society today. Convincing the maestra to emerge from her “retirement,” she agrees to be filmed talking about her passion for the kundiman and its relevance in modern society while teaching her students to sing the masterpieces of Nicanor Abelardo and Francisco Santiago, Jr.

With Bobbie’s social media expertise, Adela becomes a YouTube sensation, racking up millions of views per video post. But social media has a dark side. And with the views and likes come the bashers as well. Never having to step out of her house, Adela is shielded from the negativity until that day when her views attract real-world consequences.

They say that people should not judge a book by its cover. And The Kundiman Party’s cover make it easy to be dismissed as another “anti-administration” and “pro-opposition” piece. While it criticizes the administration and warns of the dangers ahead with the outcome of the senatorial elections, The Kundiman Party is not a simple “opposition” piece. It is a challenge to everyone from every political leaning to reflect on why the country found itself in the deep hole it is in right now. Because whether we are for or against this government, everyone from all sides has legitimate grievances that need to be addressed, and we are all to be blamed for it.

Except for a brief projection showing likes, emoticons, and viewership on social media, The Kundiman Party has no stunning special effects, revolving platforms, and elaborate choreography. Those elements, while fitting for other productions, have no place in The Kundiman Party which emphasizes simplicity, clarity, and intensity without extraneous matters.

The kundiman as an art form has a singular purpose which is to convey intense passion — whether for a loved one, country, or God. And that singular purpose can be seen in every aspect of the production -— from the sets to the lighting design. But it is most clear in the dialogue where every word has a reason to be uttered and every song a motive to be sung.

Shamaine Centenera-Buencamino shines as Maestra Adela — a woman who has seen too much; a woman who sacrificed everything; a woman, like the kudiman she loves, struggling to be relevant again in a world she believed has already left her behind.

That particular scene when Bobbie questions the value of her sacrifice given that she only lost her voice while many others lost their lives summarizes how most artists — often at the forefront of the fight against oppression — feel about the loss of their gifts. It may have been a little sacrifice but it was her sacrifice. Her voice was not taken away from her. She gave it up freely, knowing what it would cost her. That is the nature of a true sacrifice.

And should everyone sacrifice for this cause, who will remain to enjoy the victory?

The generosity of Makil-Ignacio, Cañete-Mendoza, and Maramara makes this production a dream cast. It was very clear that the three ladies were there to support Ms. Centenera-Buencamino in the same way that Mayen, Helen, and Mitch were there to support Adela. They did so and more. The nuanced performances allowed Ms. Centenera-Buencamino to thrive and conquer. The snappy back-and-forth between the so-called Titas of Manila made the audience feel welcomed into the home, and truly part of the discussion.

We can all relate to the three. At some point, we have felt defiant, afraid, and jaded — sometimes all at the same time. But in a world of uncertainty, we dig deep within us and keep going.

It is interesting to note the role that women play in nation-building. It is the women who plan, who keep things going, and ensure that people are fed in the process. And in the end, it is the women who stay and handle the fall-out.

The Kundiman Party is the post-election discussion we all need to have as families, as friends, and as a nation. And if we try to listen to understand rather than to respond, maybe, just like the music, our lives will be given a chance to be enriched by it.

For information and tickets, visit https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Performance-Art-Theatre/The-Kundiman-Party-at-the-PETA-Theater-1087627344777762/

SEC approves hospital operator’s P1-B offering

ALLIED CARE Experts (ACE) Malolos Doctors, Inc. has secured clearance from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to push through with its P1-billion maiden offering.

In a statement Wednesday, the SEC said the commission en banc approved ACE Malolos’ registration statement and the corresponding order of registration and permit to sell securities.

ACE Malolos said it will offer 36,000 common shares, equivalent to 3,600 blocks with 10 shares per block, at an offer price of P200,000 to P400,000, according to a prospectus dated April 10 posted on its website.

The company said the securities will be traded over the counter through its comptroller, Heidi C. Docot.

ACE Malolos looks to net P997.07 million from the offering, which will mostly be used to finance the construction of its 172-bed health care facility in Malolos, Bulacan.

The company has allotted P500 million to construct the Malolos facility, slated to become the largest private hospital in the area. About P300 million of the proceeds will be used for medical equipment.

ACE Malolos has constructed 14.83% of the hospital so far, with target completion date set for September 2020.

Meanwhile, P165.03 million has been allotted for working capital, while the remaining P32.07 million will be used to pay loans.

Investors who will participate in the offering will be able to have discounts on medical and dental services in all medical facilities of the ACE Group of Hospitals across the country. This benefits may be extended to their spouse, dependents, and natural parents.

The company also noted that subscribing to the offer shares is a prerequisite for physicians and medical specialists who will conduct their practice in ACE Malolos.

“Such stockholders, however, must undergo a screening process and possess the minimum requirements provided in the company’s articles of incorporation, bylaws and internal rules,” according to the statement released by the SEC.

The ACE Group of Hospitals is composed of around 30 medical centers, with five operational facilities in Valenzuela, Baliwag, Pateros, and Quezon City, according to its website. The rest are in different stages of completion, located in Tacloban, Cebu, Dumaguete, and Iloilo.

The SEC also approved the application of ACE Medical Center Iloilo, Inc. to conduct an initial public offering in December 2018. The firm hoped to raise as much as P1.44 billion to finance the construction of its 200-bed tertiary hospital in Jaro, Iloilo City.

The application has yet to be approved by the Philippine Stock Exchange. — Arra B. Francia

Cyber firm Deep Instinct gets deal to secure HP laptops

TEL AVIV — HP Inc. is working with Israeli cybersecurity firm Deep Instinct to launch HP Sure Sense to prevent advanced cyber attacks, the two companies said on Tuesday.

Financial details were not disclosed.

An industry source estimated the deal was worth more than $150 million over a few years for Deep Instinct.

Rolling out on HP’s latest EliteBook and HP ZBook laptops, HP Sure Sense works on or offline.

With over 350,000 new malware varieties being discovered daily, HP said it required a new line of cybersecurity defence, noting that HP Sure Sense uses artificial intelligence and deep learning to predict and prevent security threats.

Guy Caspi, CEO and cofounder of Deep Instinct, said his firm was working with HP to secure millions of devices.

“This is only the first step in what will be a long and strategic partnership with HP,” he said. — Reuters

BSP okays revised rules for external auditors’ selection

THE CENTRAL BANK has rationalized the framework for the selection of external auditors of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Supervised Financial Institutions (BSFIs) to streamline and centralize requirements across agencies.

The BSP said in a statement on Wednesday that its policy-setting Monetary Board has approved revised guidelines “governing the selection, appointment and delisting of external auditors” of BSFIs.

“The new guidelines aim to streamline the selection process for external auditors across the financial sector and promote ease of doing business,” the central bank said.

The new guidelines introduce the adoption of a centralized system for the accreditation and selection of external auditors, streamlining the multiple accreditation requirements of the BSP, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Insurance Commission (IC).

Under the new framework, the BSP said starting next month, all applications — new or renewal — for inclusion in the List of Selected External Auditors for BSFIs shall be submitted to the SEC. The applications will be evaluated by the SEC in coordination with the BSP and shall be subject to the requirements the agencies agreed upon.

The central bank said inclusion in the external auditors list will be valid for five years or for a shorter period, depending on the agencies.

Previously, the selection of external auditors included in the BSP list was valid for three years. Auditors had to apply for accreditation and selection directly with the central bank following the requirements set under BSP Circular No. 410 dated Oct. 29, 2003.

As agencies transition to this new framework, the central bank said auditors whose inclusion in the BSP’s List of Selected External Auditors is valid only for the 2018 financial statements are given a one-year extension to allow them to audit of the 2019 financial statements of BSFIs.

The centralized system is a project of the Financial Sector Forum (FSF) composed of the BSP, SEC, IC and the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation.

“The FSF member agencies recognize the critical role of external auditors in promoting good governance and transparency in financial reporting,” the BSP said in the statement.

“It is in this light that the FSF has been embarking on initiatives aimed at promoting adherence to quality standards in external audit,” it said. — R.J.N. Ignacio

Tough pots

IT’S always a toss-up in the kitchen between equipment and skill, and then nutritious or delicious, but with a new line by Tefal, you can finally get the balance of having both.

Chef Rosebud Benitez, of 2012’s Quickfire on GMA News TV fame, had a cooking demo last week using Tefal’s Titanium Expertise Line. Ms. Benitez made chicken adobo with lemongrass, brown rice veggie stir fry, Asian noodles, and soy fish fillet, dishes which she completed in a little over 10 minutes.

Tefal Titanium Expertise has Titanium Excellence coating which is supposed to last up to three times longer than the previous Titanium Force coating. This premium multi-layer non-stick coating features a patented extra-thick hard base, reinforced with titanium particles, making it built for intensive everyday for use up to 12 years (according to a Tefal representative, defects such as a bubbling coating can be addressed for replacement). The range includes a fry pan, wok pan, sauce pan, shallow pan, stew pot, and grill pan, which retail from P3,000 to P7,000.

The line also features the Thermospot, an innovative mark that turns red once the pan reaches the right temperature. Because of this, Ms. Benitez says that her food always has the perfect texture and color every time. She also professes to use the Tefal line at home. “It’s very durable. Whenever I buy cookware, I make sure that I’d be able to use it for a long time, and it’s safe to use for my family.

“Skill is very important, but equipment helps,” she says about how she makes sure that her dishes always come out both healthy and appetizing. “It’s the same for me. You can always create nutritious food and make it delicious.” — JLG

Fitch affirms PHL telcos’ ratings

FITCH Ratings on Wednesday affirmed the long-term foreign- and local-currency issuer default ratings (IDR) of PLDT Inc. at “BBB,” and of Globe Telecom, Inc. at “BBB-.”

In a statement, Fitch said it also affirmed the national long-term ratings of PLDT and Globe at “AAA(phl),” although this was withdrawn for “commercial reasons.” The outlook for both telecommunications giants was maintained at stable.

“PLDT’s credit profile reflects its robust position in both fixed and wireless markets in the Philippines, strengthening its status as an integrated telco. However, the rating headroom is likely to be limited over the next three years, as capex increases and ongoing dividend commitments will weigh on PLDT’s balance sheet,” Fitch said.

Fitch cited several key rating drivers for PLDT, such as the rising capital expenditures (capex), aggressive fiber rollout, gradual 5G deployment, delay in entry of the third telco, and strong market position.

“PLDT is rated higher than its closest peer, Globe Telecom (BBB-/Stable), due to its robust position in both fixed and wireless markets. Globe has gained revenue share in the mobile segment over the last few years at the expense of PLDT. Globe’s mobile revenue share increased to 56% in 2018 (2017: 54%), but it still trails behind PLDT at 47% of total telecom revenue share. PLDT’s fiber-broadband strategy offers long-term growth and bundling opportunities, against the new mobile entrant,” the credit ratings agency said.

Meanwhile, Fitch said Globe’s ratings reflect its position as the second-largest telco in the country. It cited Globe’s ramp-up in capex, fixed-wireless strategy and strong momentum as key ratings drivers, among others.

“Globe’s ratings are underpinned by its established position as the second-largest telecom operator in the Philippines’ duopoly market and its moderate net leverage of around 3.0x. However, domestic peer PLDT has better service diversification, supported by a stronger fixed-line offering, providing it with a firmer cushion against pricing pressure from mobile services, particularly with the threat of a new telecom operator,” Fitch said.

Fitch said it expects competition in the Philippine telco industry to “remain stable” in the next 12 to 18 months, as third telco Mislatel consortium is likely to launch commercial operations by early 2021.

“The third telco, Mislatel, formally received its telco license in May 2019, following a six-month delay in obtaining necessary approvals from the local regulator. The new entrant is likely to take time to build a comprehensive mobile coverage and customer base in the initial period,” the ratings agency noted.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls.

AgriNurture’s listing anniversary

AgriNurture, Inc. (ANI) marked its 10th listing anniversary as a publicly listed company with a special bell ringing ceremony at the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) on Wednesday. In photo: (from left) ANI Director Ciara Mae Ong-Lim; ANI Corporate Secretary Lisette M. Arboleda; ANI Chairman Antonio L. Tiu; PSE Chairman Jose T. Pardo; PSE President and CEO Ramon S. Monzon and PSE Director Roberto Cecilio O. Lim.

After Honor of Kings failure abroad, Tencent retools overseas strategy

SHENZHEN, China/SHANGHAI — When Tencent Holdings Ltd. made its first big foray overseas with an adaptation of its blockbuster mobile game Honor of Kings in the summer of 2017, executives thought they had a sure-fire success on their hands.

The multi-player role-playing game, in which players hack and slash their way through battle arenas, had 55 million daily active users in China and was raking in roughly $145 million a month, making it the company’s top grossing game.

But missteps in development and marketing, exacerbated by a rift with Tencent’s US-based Riot Games subsidiary, has seen the international version, called Arena of Valor, flop in Europe and North America.

Tencent has now all but written off its original plans for Arena of Valor and disbanded the game’s marketing team for Europe and the United States, two company sources with direct knowledge of the matter said.

“In those markets, we are really just letting it live or die on its own course,” one source said, adding the game currently has just 100,000 daily active users in Europe and 150,000 in North America.

The sources were not authorized to speak to media and declined to be identified.

The company has since revamped its approach to overseas markets, paying more attention to local needs and turning to partnerships, such as the one forged with Singapore-based Sea Ltd to handle marketing. It is also expanding further into desktop and console-based games.

But the sobering failure of Arena of Valor raises questions about Tencent’s international savvy at a time when it is trying to expand its WeChat messenger and other services beyond China.

“Tencent lacked distribution channels and experience in user demographics, so they did not know how to compete,” said IHS Markit games analyst Cui Chenyu.

Tencent declined to comment.

The company, which drew one-third of its 85.5 billion yuan ($12.4 billion) in revenue last quarter from video games, is eager to boost growth abroad as it grapples with problems in its home market.

Beijing has intensified efforts to regulate games it sees as too addictive, while an overhaul of regulatory bodies in China has hurt the industry, with a nine month-long freeze in approvals for new games only just starting to thaw.

INTERNAL TENSIONS
Trouble came early for Tencent in its marketing plans for Arena of Valor.

Its homegrown games operation had long had a strained relationship with US unit Riot, whose employees view Honor of Kings as a knock-off of Riot’s League of Legends — the world’s most popular desktop-based game, the two Tencent sources and one Riot source said.

Those tensions grew when Tencent developed Arena of Valor and promoted it in Europe with esport tournaments featuring gamers such as Spain’s Xpeke and France’s YellOwStaR, best known for their exploits in League of Legends competitions.

Incensed that its own brand was being undermined, Riot complained to a senior Tencent executive group, resulting in a 2-month freeze in marketing for the game, the sources said. Riot was later granted the right to review all marketing plans, even the design of posters, and veto use of certain celebrity gamers.

“We had complaints before about the China market from Riot, but nothing on this scale. Maybe they think we had gone too far by taking the game overseas,” said the source.

For a game that failed to get off the ground, the promotion efforts were costly, the sources said, noting that one of the tournaments cost $4.5 million and a top prize could be a Tesla car. “We burnt a lot of cash,” a source said.

FALSE ASSUMPTIONS
Other mistakes were more fundamental. One blunder, the Tencent sources said, was to replace the Honor of Kings characters, which are inspired by Chinese mythology with figures from European folklore and Western comic-book heroes like Batman and Superman.

“In retrospect, this was meaningless and is actually now hurting us,” said one source, adding that the company should have been more confident in the appeal of Chinese culture.

“Because the game is different in China and overseas markets, it’s difficult for us to organize an international tournament of the game.”

Tencent also realized too late that hardcore gamers in the West prefer desktop-based games and that many consumers in Europe and the United States did not have access to 4G internet connections needed for sophisticated mobile games, the sources added.

The popularity of Honor of Kings also owes much to its huge community with players connected by Tencent’s WeChat and QQ platforms. But efforts to replicate that on Facebook fell flat as not enough PC gamers were on the platform, they said.

In contrast to its European efforts for Arena of Valor, Tencent has outsourced the marketing and operation of the game in Southeast Asia to Sea, which has used its extensive and relatively low-cost sales force to promote the game. Sea said last August the game had achieved daily active users of 14 million.

Tencent has also become more conscious of local sensibilities in the wake of its marketing missteps for Arena of Valor. It made sure to gain the support of the Dubai government for a marketing event of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Mobile and took care to link the desert portrayed in the game with the local area, a source said. The event drew 60 million views online and 5,000 attendees.

To strengthen its presence in the West, Tencent is publishing more independently developed games and has launched its WeGame X gaming platform of mostly Chinese developed games in overseas markets.

Relations with Riot are also on a firmer footing, with sources saying they have been working on a mobile version of League of Legends for more than a year.

“At the end of the day, we are still one family,” one source said. — Reuters

Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam added to US currency watch list

THE US TREASURY added Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam to a watch list for currency manipulation, putting their foreign-exchange policies under scrutiny.

Singapore made the list because of its large current account surplus and net foreign currency purchases of at least $17 billion in 2018, equivalent to 4.6% of gross domestic product (GDP), according to the Treasury. Malaysia and Vietnam were cited for their bilateral trade and current account surpluses.

Countries with a current-account surplus with the US equivalent to 2% of GDP are now eligible for the list, down from 3%. Other thresholds include persistent intervention in markets for a nation’s currency, and a trade surplus of at least $20 billion. Countries that meet two of the three criteria are placed on the watch list.

Being labeled a currency manipulator doesn’t come with immediate penalties but can rattle financial markets.

The Treasury said Singapore should undertake reforms that will lower its high saving rate and boost low domestic consumption, while striving to ensure that its real exchange rate is in line with economic fundamentals, to help narrow its large and persistent external surpluses.

Singapore’s central bank said in a statement that “it does not manipulate its currency for export advantage.” The Monetary Authority of Singapore uses the exchange rate to ensure price stability and can’t use it to gain an export advantage or achieve a current account surplus, it said.

Malaysia was cited for its bilateral trade surplus with the US of $27 billion last year and its current account surplus of 2.1% of GDP. The Treasury noted Malaysia intervened in foreign currency markets in both directions in the past, and had net sales of foreign exchange equivalent to 3.1% of GDP last year to resist the depreciation of the ringgit.

Malaysia’s central bank said the country supported free and fair trade and didn’t have unfair currency practices, adding that inclusion on the list had no consequences for the country’s economy.

“The ringgit exchange rate is market-determined and is not relied upon for exports competitiveness,” Bank Negara Malaysia said in a statement.

The other two Asian countries on the list are Japan and South Korea. India was removed from the watch group, given that it’s met only one of the three criteria — a “significant” bilateral surplus with the US — for two straight reports.

Vietnam was at risk of meeting all three of the Treasury’s new criteria for the currency manipulator tag. The Treasury excused Vietnam’s recent currency intervention, citing movements in both directions and net foreign exchange purposes that had “reasonable rationale” to rebuild reserves. — Bloomberg

Restaurant Row (05/30/19)

3 Michelin Star Master at Solaire

CHEF Jun Yukimura will be cooking at Solaire’s Yakumi restaurant.

SOLAIRE presents “Culinary Masters: Chef Jun Yukimura” as the 3 Michelin Star chef takes over the kitchen of Yakumi on June 6 to 8, from 7 to 10 p.m. “Culinary Masters” is a series of special dinner events that feature the ingenuity of some of the most prominent chefs from all over the globe. Mr. Yukimura’s culinary excellence was sharpened by 25 years of training in the former capital of Japan. Known for his imaginative take on the tradition of Kyoto cuisine, he opened Azabu Yukimura in 2000 which has garnered three Michelin Stars and propelled his restaurant into a must-visit in Tokyo. Mr. Yukimura is bringing his signature touch to Yakumi together with the restaurant’s Executive Japanese chef Norimasa Kosaka for a bespoke eight-course Kaiseki menu which will also features sakes that will complement each course. A traditional Japanese Koto player will provide the music. The Kaiseki dinner is at P10,000++ per person. For inquiries and reservations, call 888-8888 or e-mail restaurantevents@solaireresort.com.

International Pineapple Day

LAZY PIÑA

IN HONOR of International Pineapple Day on June 1, Discovery Shores Boracay will be joining other independent member hotels of Preferred Hotels & Resorts around the world for a week-long celebration of the pineapple as the emblem of hospitality. From June 1 to 9, visitors can try the Lazy Piña, an original, limited-time only pineapple cocktail at the hotel’s San Bar for P390++ per glass.

40% off at Flavors

A HEFTY discount for a hefty meal.

UNTIL July 15, enjoy a 40% discount on the lunch, dinner, or Sunday Brunch buffet when dining at Flavors Restaurant on a Monday, Wednesday, or Sunday. Flavors, the all-day dining restaurant of Holiday Inn & Suites Makati offers a selection of Western, Filipino, and South East Asian fare including US roast rib-eye, Flavors lechon, and Salmon coulibiac, Bicol Express, Pinangat, Singaporean chili crab, Nasi Lemak, and Malaysian Massaman Beef Curry. Lunch and dinner buffet is priced at P1825 nett while Sunday Brunch is priced at P2,050 nett. Reservations are required using promo code: Flavors 40. Holiday Inn & Suites Makati is located in the Ayala Center, adjacent to Glorietta. For details call 909-0888 or visit www.holidayinn.com/makati.

Thai at Marco Polo Ortigas Manila

MARCO POLO goes Thai in June.

MARCO POLO Ortigas Manila will offer authentic Thai dining care of guest chef Nontra-Udon Buapha. With almost 40 years of culinary experience, the guest chef from Prince Hotel Hong Kong is well-known for his authentic specialties and friendly character. From June 4 to 23, Mr. Buapha is bringing flavorful Thailand to the hotel’s Cucina restaurant. Thai beef and seafood salad, Thai steamed fish, Minced pork, and Thai crab yellow curry will be served for lunch and dinner along with the staple Pad Thai. There will also be a Thai Snack Platter featuring fish cake, shrimp cake, spring roll, and chicken with pandan leaf at Vu’s Sky Bar and Lounge. Café Pronto is showcasing its Thai Chicken Wrap, while special cocktails will be served at the Connect Lounge. For details call 720-7777 or e-mail restaurant.mnl@marcopolohotels.com.