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Spotify’s microsite offers musical connections

LIKE almost everything these days, how and where people listen to music has also been affected by the pandemic and the various quarantine or lockdown procedures. Music streaming service Spotify noted in a late-March blog post that people are now listening to more “chill” music — more acoustic fare than dance music. And thanks to social distancing, The Police’s “Don’t Stand So Close To Me” (1980) also saw a 135% spike in people searching and listening to it.

Since people can’t physically come together, Spotify created a “Listening Together” microsite to try to bring people together by “visualizing these connections in real-time in a way that has never been done,” according to a release.

“Spotify’s new ‘Listening Together’ campaign is inspired by a simple question to help create human connection: what are you listening to right now?” the company said.

The microsite (spotify.com/together) visually displays when people are streaming the same track on a rotating, 3D map of the Earth. So those listening to indie folk-pop group Ben&Ben’s “Kathang Isip” (2017) can see where other people are listening to the same song.

Spotify got the inspiration for the microsite from a 2014 social experiment by media artist Kyle McDonald where he played with the idea of “finding serendipity of two listeners pressing play on the same song within milliseconds of each other,” according to a release.

The streaming service is also handing over the reins to various Asian artists to “take-over” several Spotify playlists. The artists will curate and present songs they’ve been listening to while in quarantine and to “amplify connections between artists and their fans, bringing them closer together through a shared love of music.”

Some of the Filipino artists taking part in the take-over are Ben&Ben, Moira dela Torre, and Jason Marvin (known for songs like “Tahan Na”). The artists will choose and provide commentary to the songs they included in the “OPM Says Chillax” playlist on the site.

“Fans can look forward to honest commentary about their favorite at-home routines, hobbies, self-care tips, and tracks they’re currently listening to such as [Cynthia Alexander’s] “Owner of the Sky” (2000) and [Side A’s] “Forevermore” (1994) to inspire their days,” said the company.

New artists are set to do the take-overs every week and to keep up to date, check Spotify’s “At Home” playlist hub to see a collection of playlists “to soundtrack your home.” — ZBC

Bloomberry net profit slumps 38% after slowdown in tourism, gaming

BLOOMBERRY Resorts Corp. (Bloomberry), the listed operator of Solaire Resort & Casino (Solaire), posted a 38% profit drop in the first quarter as measures to counter the coronavirus pandemic led to a decline in tourism and the suspension of gaming activities.

The Razon-led company told the stock exchange on Thursday its consolidated net profit slumped to P1.4 billion from P2.2 billion last year. Total revenues fell 13% to P9.4 billion, as gaming revenues contracted 10% to P12.2 billion.

Solaire had to suspend gaming operations since March 16 in compliance with government regulations to limit the spread of the coronavirus. This resulted in a 19% volume decline at its VIP gaming tables, which posted 21% lower revenues at P4.73 billion. Mass tables and slot machines also recorded 2% lower revenues at P3.93 billion and P3.56 billion, respectively.

Solaire Korea’s Jeju Sun contributed gaming revenues of P93.1 million, down 63% also due to pandemic-related restrictions in South Korea. Suspension of its operations began as early as March 6.

Non-gaming revenue streams of Bloomberry generated P1.7 billion in the first quarter, lower by 10% from a year ago. A decline in hotel occupancy at Solaire at 67.3% from 87.8% in the first quarter of 2019 pulled its revenues down 11% to P1.7 billion.

Jeju Sun’s non-gaming revenues added P17.9 million or 42% higher as its amenities were partially reopened in the first quarter.

Operating expenses fell 7% to P5.8 billion as the company had to pay lower gaming taxes due to lower gaming revenues. It likewise spent less on advertising and promotions during the first quarter.

“We look forward to restart the gaming segment soon after the quarantine is lifted,” Bloomberry Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Enrique K. Razon, Jr. said in a statement.

He noted recovery is expected to be slow as customers and employees would have to adjust to the so-called “new normal.” Nonetheless, the company is laying out a comprehensive plan to maintain a safe working and recreational environment post-quarantine.

“At Solaire, we plan to meet and exceed the acceptable local safety standards. Our stringent regimen of safety measures will be world class examples of the safe re-opening of entertainment venues and of kickstarting the local economy to return the livelihoods of our communities,” Mr. Razon said.

Shares in Bloomberry at the stock exchange picked up 15 centavos or 2.80% to P5.50 apiece on Thursday. — Denise A. Valdez

WFH during the ECQ: Ateneo de Davao’s Mark “Macoy” Samante

FOR a unit involved in community engagement and advocacy, with disaster response and resilience among its main programs, working from home during a health emergency sounds rather contradictory.

But as people’s movements are restricted by quarantine protocols, Ateneo de Davao University’s Community Engagement and Advocacy Council (UCEAC) Chair Mark Paul O. Samante said they had to quickly adapt to keep their commitments — both internal or within the university’s different units, and external or those with other civil society organizations (CSOs) and local government units (LGUs) — going.

In an e-mail interview with BusinessWorld, Mr. Samante shared some of the challenges and lessons learned from adjusting to a work from home (WFH) scheme.

The interview has been lightly edited.

How has the WFH arrangement affected your tasks/responsibilities?

At the onset of the WFH arrangements brought about by the ECQ (enhanced community quarantine), greatly affected was our ability to interact and interface with CSO’ meetings, which may have led to a general response to uplift affected communities because of this pandemic.

While we were able to organize a goods distribution for stranded AdDU (Ateneo de Davao University) students in their boarding houses, coordinating in an online setting was something new for most of us. We were so used to being able to call for volunteers to repack and prepare the goods for distribution. This time around, we had to limit the volunteers physically present during the repacking. We had to re-tool volunteer work for online coordination with the affected students. It is tough to adjust to work that entails physical coordination and interaction, such as the one we have in the UCEAC.

What is your preferred meeting method and why?

For large meetings involving fellow university administrators, we use Zoom. The capability of Zoom to accommodate several users at once works well for administrative meetings. For office and other meetings, we usually use FB Messenger as the go-to method since most have access to this, and it uses fewer resources. We only have a small number of participants in these meetings.

Where is your “home office”?

I converted part of my toy customizing work station in my home as my office. It serves as my home office during the day and my regular hobby space during weekends.

What time do you start your workday now compared to when you actually went to the office? What time does it end?

On a regular workday, I usually start at eight in the morning and end at five p.m. With this WFH scheme, I typically begin daily office work at nine a.m., paper works, follow up with staff, online meetings, etc. However, I start checking e-mails as early as 8 a.m. and plot my schedule for the day based on the e-mails and the tasks entailed to those e-mails. I usually end my WFH office day at five p.m.

How do you take breaks at home?

You lose track of time when at home. You start working, and before you know it, it is already time for lunch. The first couple of days working from home was much like this, late lunches and working breaks. As it went on and I got adjusted to the routines, I have managed to squeeze in breaks. I join my kid for a while, watching him play his video games or prepare lunch as my breaks from the work I have to do online.

Any interesting or funny stories from working from home?

In one Zoom meeting I had, I had to use my wife’s laptop. I forgot to log off her account, and I just realized that the profile I had on was hers when we were about the begin the meeting. I had no time to log her off. In short, I had to continue using her account for the whole meeting duration. With her account I am using, I couldn’t turn off my video and had to stay put since turning off video would display her profile picture. It might make other administrators wonder who is in their meeting.

As a result, I had to stay “on video” the whole meeting and drink from my daughter’s Hello Kitty mug, which was the only thing available near me since I could not just turn off the video and stand up while the meeting was ongoing. It also meant no bathroom breaks while the meeting was going on. Next time, check your accounts before using Zoom.

When restrictions are eased, how do you and your organization intend to carry on with work arrangements? Will they be more flexible now in terms of a WFH scheme?

We are only five in the office; we can go back to regular reporting once this is allowed again. However, working from home may be an option for anybody who wants to avail of it. We just set up a regular meeting day in the office where we are all present, and then we can do three-day shifts per staff. It would mean only three people reporting per day. It also helps in maintaining physical distancing in the office while carrying out our tasks.

Right now… we are working on developing a system to help those affected by the No work, No pay policies.

As for the Ateneo de Davao University operations, we are preparing for a near fully online mode of class delivery, which has already started this summer. Near fully online education means to deliver outcomes expected of education in the Philippines based on minimum standards set by CHED (Commission on Higher Education) and DepEd (Department of Education).

Faculty were trained for the summer and are all preparing their online materials for the coming school year.

To quote University President Fr. Joel E. Tabora, “We will be harnessing the power of technology to deliver the education it is committed to give based on its mission and vision as a Filipino, Catholic, and Jesuit University operating in and for Mindanao.” — Marifi S. Jara

Franchise group lists post-pandemic top businesses

The Philippine Franchise Association (PFA) has identified new market opportunities for the retail sector as a result of the pandemic, including home-cooked meal deliveries, health products, and cheap makeup.

“Stores promoting hobbies, arts, crafts, board games and gardening will also start to prosper,” PFA Founding President and Chairman Emeritus Samie C. Lim said in a webinar on Thursday.

He said stores selling fitness products, personal protective equipment, “inexpensive indulgences” like beer, chocolate, junk food, and makeup will also see growth.

“In the next couple of years, one of the fastest-selling items — interesting to note — will be eye makeup because of everybody covered with masks. The only thing people can see are the eyes,” he said.

Service sector opportunities, he said, include home schooling, healthcare, mental health and counselling clinics, professional cleaning, and crematorium services.

Mr. Lim said businesses should immediately cut unnecessary operating costs and consider closing down underperforming stores.

“Negotiate aggressively with your landlord for a win-win agreement and immediately open stores that are profitable or at least making enough to break-even. Implement strict health and sanitation practices to keep both your employees and customers safe,” he said.

He encouraged companies to move to digital systems and to secure business financing through loans.

Mr. Lim said the crisis has created new potential franchisees, including stay-at-home mothers who have been buying and selling products during the lockdown, noting that they have the business experience and have created intimate connections within their communities. — Jenina P. Ibañez

A novel of its time

By Deo Giga

BOOK REVIEW
Normal People
By Sally Rooney

Everyone has rained plaudits upon Sally Rooney. I think I’m alone in expressing ambivalence.

On one hand, there is nothing especially novel in the books she has written when it comes to plot/theme (a love affair threatening to ruin a friendship in Conversations with Friends, a “Langit ka, lupa ako” situation in Normal People). On the other, there are some new things in them: in the first, the love affair is actually a ménage à quatre involving a lesbian relationship.

Rooney’s hyperarticulate characters are wont to aver such pronouncements as, “No one who likes Yeats is capable of emotional intimacy” (Conversations with Friends), or “Time consists of physics, money is just a social construct” (Normal People). Her plots’ underlying impulse is from the 19th century — I half-expected someone to say something like “She was wont to aver such-and-such.”

But what is remarkable about “the great millennial novelist” is that she has performed the feat of bringing the way we currently write text messages and e-mails to the novel: her prose is terse and clear and uncomplicated and doesn’t aspire to poetic fancies. However, it manages at times to be simultaneously so ambiguous it’s as if, unaccompanied by an emoji, her characters’ declarations or opinions could be interpreted as either awestruck or mocking, serious or jocular. (You do not break up via SMS [obsolescent] or the myriad messaging platforms we now have. With or without an emoji.) One writer calls it the Internet Voice.

Normal People opens with the delineation between the classes to which our protagonists belong. Lorraine, Connell’s mother, is shown cleaning the mansion of Marianne, the rich but unpopular girl suspected to be mentally ill by her high-school classmates who bully her. Smart and well-read, she sees school as an “oppressive environment,” where a teacher calls her out for inattentiveness, to whom she snaps back, “Don’t delude yourself, I have nothing to learn from you.” (Digression: I know of someone in college who walked out on a dull professor, saying, “I am not growing in this class.” She became a professor herself.)

Equally smart and well-read, Connell belongs to that rare species in school: the nerdy jock. Unlike Marianne, he’s popular and seems well-adjusted. They awkwardly get together and become unavowed fuck buddies, not an official item. They ignore each other in school as if afternoons never see them exploring each other’s bodies with the savage lust of hormone-raging teenagers. They don’t define their relationship except that it should be kept under wraps. Connell doesn’t immediately disclose why he didn’t ask Marianne to the Debs (the Irish version of prom) but they will discuss it, however elliptically, years later. They break up for the first time. During college, Connell puts off presenting the idea of moving in together, eventually causing their umpteenth break-up by then. There are so many things unsaid in this novel and I suppose this is also why Rooney is celebrated. The silences are as much part of the novel as the expositions. I suppose this is also why she’s been compared with Jenny Offill (read between the lines) and Rachel Cusk (nothing outwardly happens but something somehow has).

Still later, tables turn. Marianne proves to be this cosmopolitan girl liked by many, lusted for by men, but unsure of what to do with her life. Privilege and adulation have made her oblivious to the fact that there’s life after college. Connell becomes the misfit, the outsider, whose relationships are vapid because of Marianne’s shadow. Then he gets medicated for depression.

Rooney peppers the book with protests (the war in Gaza, for instance, is casually mentioned) and other newsworthy events but never really commits to them. Maybe she merely wants to display her political leanings or to be perceived as au courant. Maybe she feels that her book’s sexual politics are too parochial and that world politics can make it less narcissistic. How people get labeled as “damaged” and yearn to be “normal” is somewhat disappointingly glossed over — there are conversations about childhood physical abuse, fraternal bullying, noncommittal sadomasochism, suicide, etc., but all this is eclipsed by the lovers’ weird chemistry. An early distasteful character vaguely matures and apologizes in the end but it feels a bit staged.

Both of Rooney’s novels are set in Trinity College, Dublin. If she sets her third book there once more, she should call them The Trinity Trilogy. (The Trinity Trinity?)

Recommended for people who want to know how depression diagnoses are started with a questionnaire.

(Side note: In a recent pedantic essay, Joseph Epstein wrote that contemporary novels have killed the art form because, among other, more supercilious reasons, they have stopped discovering “the inner lives of men and women in their engagement with the larger society in which they live out their days.” [Why this condescending homophobic bigot still has a publishing career is beyond me: I should stop getting deceived by clickbait.] Let me tell you, Mr. Stuck-Up-Who-Has-Cowardly-Denied-Comparing-Gayness-to-Committing-Murder: the novel is still alive and well and ambitious as ever. Ms. Rooney’s might not pass your ridiculously blinkered standards but it is a novel still, one that captures her generation’s dialect and zeitgeist, aiming to cross certain social categories and constructs.)

Shakey’s to cut capex by 70%

SHAKEY’S Pizza Asia Ventures, Inc. (SPAVI), the listed firm behind Shakey’s Pizza and Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, is reducing its capital spending for the year to focus on reopening its store network and ramping up its delivery business.

“[W]e continue to prioritize a strong cash and liquidity position, and have taken action to reduce our original capex budgets by 70%, as well as suspended all national advertising, focusing on store opening and delivery availability instead,” SPAVI President and Chief Executive Officer Vicente P. Gregorio said in a statement yesterday. It did not provide the specific amount of its capex.

SPAVI said it has now partially opened more than 200 stores, which represent almost 75% of the company’s store network. These stores are currently limited to delivery and carry-out services and are open on shortened hours and reduced workforce.

In the coming weeks, as the government relaxes quarantine measures in different parts of the country, SPAVI said it was looking to open more stores such as those in malls.

“[W]e are looking beyond the short-term disruptions. In a new ‘post COVID’ world, we believe that a strong brand available in multiple channels is key. As a result, we have been strengthening our off-premise capabilities which include further investing in our existing in-house delivery platform, working closely with third-party aggregators, and building on new innovations such as the curb side pick-up,” Mr. Gregorio said.

The company is yet to report its earnings for the first quarter. In 2019, its net income grew 10% to P923 million, driven by an 11% growth in sales to P10.4 billion.

Shares in SPAVI at the stock exchange slipped 15 centavos or 2.30% to P6.37 each on Thursday. — Denise A. Valdez

OFWs subsidy program receives additional P1B

LABOR SECRETARY Silvestre H. Bello said his department was granted an additional P1 billion to expand a subsidy program for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

In a briefing Thursday, Mr. Bello said that the Department of Finance (DoF) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) approved the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DoLE) request for additional funding to support the Abot Kamay ang Pagtulong (DoLE-AKAP) program.

“I just received a notice from the Department of Finance and the (Department of) Budget and Management na dinagdagan ang pondo namin…nagdagdag sila ng (they supplemented our funding by) another P1 billion,” he said.

AKAP is a one-time subsidy program for OFWs displaced by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis. OFWs will be given $200 or P10,000.

DoLE said earlier this week that its initial P1.5 billion allocation for AKAP is close to being depleted. The initial total covered expected payouts based on DoLE’s initial estimate that 150,000 OFWs will be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, but AKAP has since received over 411,000 applications.

DoLE initially asked for an additional P2.5 billion but Mr. Bello said after being granted P1 billion, “We will live with it for the meantime.”

Only a little over 100,000 OFW beneficiaries were granted the subsidy while over 20,000 were denied. — Gillian M. Cortez

Stuff to do at home (05/15/20)

Classic Spanish films

THE Instituto Cervantes de Manila and the Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences of Spain will be showing Spanish film classics with “Clásicos contigo / Classics with You,” a cycle that will be shown through the Instituto Cervantes channel on the Vimeo platform, for free. “Classics with you” presents 11 movies that today are considered reference works of Spanish cinema. The selected titles, presented by Spanish actors, directors, or screenwriters, belong to the AECID Film Library catalog and will be screened with English subtitles. They will be shown over 11 weekends — one film per weekend, available only for 48 hours. The film cycle, which started last May 9 with Death of a Cyclist, will continue this weekend with Welcome, Mr. Marshall!, a comedy directed by Luis García Berlanga that bagged the International Prize at the 1953 Cannes Film Festival. The film will be available for the Filipino audience on May 16 and 17. The link and password to the movie are available at the Instituto Cervantes de Manila’s website: http://manila.cervantes.es. Other films to be shown during the series are Luis Buñuel’s Viridiana (1961); Luis García Berlanga’s El verdugo (1963); Luis García Berlanga’sh La vaquilla (1985); Víctor Erice’s The Spirit of the Beehive (1973) and The South (1983); Ricardo Franco’s The good star (1997); Mario Camus’ The Holy Innocents (1984); Montxo Armendáriz’ Tasio (1984); and, Imanol Uribe’s Carol’s Journey (2002). For further information and updates on this film series, check out http://manila.cervantes.es or Instituto Cervantes’ Facebook page: www.facebook.com/InstitutoCervantesManila.

‘Portrait for a Cause’

THE Gateway Gallery brings back ArtHeals Portrait for a Cause to support Araneta City’s #TogetherWeHeal campaign and help families affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Get a free portrait in digital format upon donating a minimum amount of P1,050 to the #TogetherWeHeal donation drive from May 15 to 22. Gateway Gallery’s artist friends Cee Cadid, Raks Molata, Naning Molata-Gavin, Joem Chua, Ronald Lopez, Dave Temperamente, Joseph Espino, and Adrian Karl Gutierrez will render the donor’s portraits in gratitude for the support. To join: 1.) Donate through http://bit.ly/AranetaDonationDrive; 2.) Send proof of donation and a clear photo reference to gatewaygallery@aranetagroup.com; 3.) Portraits in digital format will be sent through e-mail. The #TogetherWeHeal campaign was launched by Araneta City on March 31 in partnership with J. Amado Araneta Foundation, Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc., and TicketNet. It aims to help indigent Filipino families who have difficult access to basic food needs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For as low as P350, a donor may be able to provide one food pack that contains two kilos of rice, canned goods, packs of noodles, and vegetable seed packets provided by the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Plant Industries. Interested donors may donate to the #TogetherWeHeal campaign until June 150.

Mabining Mandirigma songs

Musical numbers from Tanghalang Pilipino’s Mabining Mandirigma, a Steampunk Musical are available for listening on the YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCikwxIlkRNifg0zQN3BtraA/videos.

Documentaries on iWant

American filmmaker Lauren Greenfield’s The Kingmaker, a documentary about former first lady Imelda Marcos, her family’s rise and downfall, and recent rise again, and Babyruth Villarama’s documentary Sunday Beauty Queen, which follows the lives of OFWs in Hong Kong, will stream online for free on iWant on May 15. Watch at https://www.iwant.ph/.

The National Theatre’s Anthony & Cleopatra

The National Theatre streams Shakespeare’s Antony & Cleopatra, directed by Simon Godwin and starring Ralph Fiennes as Antony and Sophie Okonedo as Cleopatra. It will be available until May 14. Meanwhile, Inua Ellams’ Barber Shop Chronicles premieres on May 14 (7 p.m.). To watch, visit https://www.youtube.com/user/ntdiscovertheatre.

Repeat Attenders

Mark Dooley’s Repeat Attenders, a documentary on musical fanatics, will stream online on May 16. The documentary, which took over six years to film on Broadway and the West End, features musicals including Cats, Starlight Express, Les Miserables. To subscribe and watch, visit https://www.repeatattenders.com/.

Razorback holds charity auction

The rock band Razorback, together with Kevin Roy and Basti Artadi, will have a special online performance on May 15, 8:30 to 10:30 p.m., for the benefit of Rise Against Hunger Philippines. The concert — presented by Jam88.3, Red Horse Beer, PouchNation, and clique — will be streamed via Facebook Live @razorbackmusic and Google Play’s myclique.app.

Andrew Llyod Webber’s Cats

Andrew Llyod Webber’s Cats will be streamed for free online on his YouTube page The Show Must Go On, from May 15 (7 p.m. BST). It will be available for 48 hours. The stage production stars Elaine Paige, John Partridge, Jacob Brent, Jason Gardiner and Sir John Mills. To watch, visit https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdmPjhKMaXNNeCr1FjuMvag.

Jerrold Tarog’s Senior Year

Written, directed, edited and scored by Jerrold Tarog, the film Senior Year (2010) is now streaming on Vimeo (https://vimeo.com/404089376). Set in a Catholic school the story follows the struggles and anxieties of students during their final year in high school.

Dulaan UP’s Adarna

Dulaang UP’s play Adarna (2013) is now streaming online. Adapted by Vlad Gonzales and directed by José Estrella, the story is based on the narrative poem about three princes’ quest to save their ailing father by capturing the Adarna bird which is believed to have curative powers. To watch, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=hV2UPXi1wMA&feature=emb_title.

Mir-I-Nisa on CCP Online

Catch Philippine Ballet Theater’s Mir-I-Nisa starting on May 16 (3 p.m.) on CCP Online. Based on the story by National Artist for Literature Jose Garcia Villa, revolves around a Muslim princess who follows the Muslim betrothal custom. Watch the ballet for free at bit.ly/CCPOnlineYT.

PETA’s Rated: PG

Liza Magtoto’s Rated: PG, a play on positive discipline which was directed by Mae Quesada-Medina, is now available for streaming on PETA’s YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/petatheateronline).

National Library of the Philippines

The National Library of the Philippines offers free scholarly eResources including research related to COVID-19. The list of resources come from the National Emergency Library, Cochrane Library (Medical & Health Science), De Gruyter — Journals (Multidisciplinary), and more. To view access links to eResources, visit https://www.facebook.com/NLP1901/photos/a.375779479606724/912930019224998/?type=3&theater.

Jenkins at Royal Albert Hall

Welsh mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins performed alone at The Royal Albert Hall. The online show is the first in a series of performances of the London Together initiative as a tribute to the COVID-19 frontliners. Watch the concert at The Royal Albert Hall’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCugNt9gmBgZSFEv4lc4B6Zg.

The Royal Opera House online

As part of its #OurHousetoYourHouse, the Royal Opera is now streaming Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata at its official Facebook page at (https://www.facebook.com/royaloperahouse/). The show stars Renée Fleming as Violetta and Joseph Calleja as Alfredo.

PBT’s Darangen ni Bantugen

Philippine Ballet Theater’s 2016 production of Darangen ni Bantugen is currently streaming on its YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn-3UHbvnSrbZY8fXPViw4A). Depicting the story of the Maranao hero Bantugen, the show is choreographed by Gener Caringal and Ronilo Jaynario, with music by Jesse Lucas. It is available until May 15.

Guggenheim artbooks

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum offers downloadable items from its archives for free. Titles include modern and contemporary art books about Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Vassily Kandinsky, Gustav Klimt and more. The archive is searchable by artist, year, medium and artistic style or movement. Visit the archives, https://archive.org/details/guggenheimmuseum.

Silverlens Galleries’ At Home With series

To keep in touch with art lovers, Silverlens presents Art Boost, an online drive to maintain engagement with art through social media, exhibition catalogues, and videos. The current At Home With series features Bernardo Pacquing, Hanna Pettyjohn, and Chati Coronel. Revisit contemporary artist Gary-Ross Pastrana’s notes on collage making; and Mit Jai Inn’s use of light, color, and structure in his Actantis exhibit. Visit Silverlens’ official social media accounts and its website (https://www.silverlensgalleries.com/) to view the exhibitions.

BenCab Museum online

Azor Pazcoguin’s solo exhibition, TAYP. RAYT. ER, which features oil paintings of items such as typewriters, phones, cameras, is now online from the BenCab Museum’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pg/bencabmuseum/photos/?tab=album&album_id=3024306460961023&__tn__=-UC-R.

BioBalance Wellness consultation

The BioBalance Wellness Institute offers the following services and features: free online consultation with its clinical nutritionist and nurse practitioners, wellness expert psychologist; online health and immunity risk assessment; and more payment options for availed services and products. For more information, contact 0917-521-4860 or concierge@biobalanceinstitute.com.

IkotMNL tour from home

The Museo de Intramuros, Ayala Museum, and Presidential Museum and Library in Malacañang Palace have partnered with Google to put their works online. Learn new things at home and visit the museums through a virtual tour: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/malacanang-presidential-museum-and-library; https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/ayala-museum; and https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/intramuros-administration.

CAST recordings on Spotify

CAST PH offers CAST Recording, a collection of one act plays, recorded online and released as radio/audio drama. The first recordings are A Matter of Husbands by Ferenc Molnár, featuring Pinky Amador and Giannina Ocampo-Van Hoven; and Enemies by Neith Boyce and Hutchins Hapgood, featuring David Bianco and Jennifer Blair-Bianco. Listen at https://open.spotify.com/show/5bLSOsJPkZnlaEFDfSSHbl?si=fDsW-kNpT6iP89En-dWbog.

National Bookstore delivery

National Book Store has reopened its branch in Cubao, Quezon City and now offers delivery services for its supplies to selected areas around Metro Manila. For orders from Marikina, San Juan, and Quezon City, contact 0917-631-1374; Mandaluyong, Pasig, Pateros, and Taguig contact 0917-834-3224; Caloocan, Manila, Navotas, and Valenzuela, contact 0917-302-7475; Makati, Muntinlupa, Parañaque, Pasay, and Las Piñas, contact 0917-791-0916. Orders are accepted on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Film masterclasses

Learn film concepts through interviews and film retrospectives from more than 60 directors, producers, writers, and actors including Bong Joon-Ho, Abbas Kiarostami, Agnès Varda, Spike Lee, Werner Herzog (with Roger Ebert), Jane Campion, Jodie Foster, Todd Haynes, Ang Lee, Jessica Lange, and Clint Eastwood. To watch, visit https://walkerart.org/magazine/series/dialogues-film-retrospectives.

Fully Booked delivery

FULLY BOOKED is back in business for book orders (https://www.fullybookedonline.com/). In a Facebook post, Fully Book stated: “[O]ur Lazada and Shopee stores will be back online, too. Please do expect some delays and changes in our processes.” For advisories, visit bit.ly/fb-ecq-advisory.

English National Ballet shows online

ENGLISH National Ballet launched ENB at Home, releasing one show weekly for its Wednesday Watch Parties. The first in the lineup is Broken Wings, a Frida Kahlo-inspired production starring lead principal and ENB artistic director Tamara Rojo as Frida. It is available to stream for free for 48 hours. Watch at https://www.youtube.com/user/enballet or https://www.facebook.com/EnglishNationalBallet/.

The Royal Opera House shows online

THE Royal Opera House in London launched its #OurHouseToYourHouse series where shows can be streamed through its official Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/royaloperahouse/. Watch Arthur Pita’s dance-theater adaptation of Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis at https://www.facebook.com/royaloperahouse/videos/217068512883588.

Radiohead Concerts

BRITISH rock band Radiohead has been uploading some of its concerts via its official YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/user/radiohead). Fans of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band, known for songs like “Creep” (1992) and “Fake Plastic Trees” (1995), can watch the concerts Live from a Tent in Dublin (2000) and Live in Berlin (2006).

David Guetta: United at Home

FRENCH DJ David Guetta, the man behind the song “Titanium” (2011) featuring singer SIA, held a live concert fundraiser inside his Miami home benefitting the World Health Organization and other charities. The two-hour concert is currently available on his YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/user/davidguettavevo).

Josh Groban concerts

JOSH Groban brings his concerts to your home via online, streaming every Thursday on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/user/joshgroban). The second concert in the series, Stages: Live (2016), premiered on April 30. The singer has also includes commentary throughout each film. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/JoshGroban/.

Worldwide Concert for Our Culture

JAZZ at Lincoln Center’s annual Spring Gala: Worldwide Concert for Our Culture is now available to stream online. The honorees of the event are Clarence Otis and Jacqueline L. Bradley (Ed Bradley Award for Leadership in Jazz) and Phil Schaap (Jazz at Lincoln Center Award for Artistic Excellence). Performers at the gala include: Wynton Marsalis, Cecile McLorin Salvant and Sullivan Fortner, Chucho Valdes, Nduduzo Makhathini, and Baqir Abbas. For more information, visit jazz.org/gala2020. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/IjJbZetCvGw.

Dior’s Designer of Dreams exhibition

DIOR’S exhibition titled Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams is now available to view online. Originally held at Paris’ Musée des Arts Décoratifs from 2017 to 2018, the exhibition traces the evolution of the house of Dior from post-war Paris to the present through a behind-the-scenes in-the-making of the exhibition, plus a virtual tour of its rooms. Visit Dior’s YouTube channel to watch the documentary (https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1521&v=FLWDWzMrkBE&feature=emb_title).

Frank Lloyd Wright virtual tours

THE Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, in partnership with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and Unity Temple Restoration Foundation is offering #WrightVirtualVisits every Thursdays (1 p.m. Eastern/10 a.m. Pacific time) in participating sites. Check the participating sites at https://savewright.org/news/public-wright-sites-swap-virtual-visits/.

Color Tolkien characters

THE official Facebook page of the late author J.R.R. Tolkien has uploaded an illustration of Smaug the Magnificent from The Hobbit Movie Trilogy Colouring Book. Download the coloring sheet at https://bit.ly/2wKY3lp.

MoMA free courses online

After offering virtual tours, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is now offering free online courses. The courses include a series of five free classes for contemporary art, fashion, and photography. It includes readings and exercises which can be completed within 12 to 38 hours. For details, visit https://www.coursera.org/moma.

Print & Play activities for kids

Keep kids entertained with new curated Print & Play activities from HP. The activities from craft making, mazes, dot-to-dot drawing and puzzles are suitable for ages 2 to 12. With HP Print & Play, parents can choose from a range of activities that are best suited to their children’s needs to achieve the best possible learning outcomes. To try the activities, visit https://www8.hp.com/ph/en/printers/printandplay/index.html?jumpid=va_u19mhncewr.

Harry Potter exhibit online

The British Library’s Harry Potter: A History of Magic exhibition is available online through Google Arts and Culture. Its features include video clips and sketches, a Q&A with exhibit curator Julian Harrison. To view, visit https://artsandculture.google.com/project/harry-potter-a-history-of-magic.

The Nanny’s Pandemic Table Read

The cast of the ‘90s comedy sitcom The Nanny reunites for The Pandemic Table Read of the show’s pilot episode. It stars Fran Drescher as Fran Fine who finds a job as a nanny to the three children of wealthy widower and theater producer Maxwell Sheffield (played by Charles Shaughnessy). To watch, visit Sony Pictures Entertainment’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3a6KuP1X14&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR1eEwvK0A7lrLMnt2GTXBPoDR7y8_Q5TXMexTLIo9es9Gei4W1Yi-asITM.

Science experiments at home

Enjoy 44 science experiments with the kids at home with the James Dyson Foundation Challenge cards. To download the challenge cards, visit https://www.jamesdysonfoundation.co.uk/resources/challenge-cards.html.

Hogwarts online

Hogwarts Is Here, an online version of the Harry Potter series’ magical school by Harry Potter fans that allows visitors to take courses like the characters from J.K. Rowling’s book series. Various courses include Astronomy, Herbology, History of Magic, and Transfiguration. The website also includes a forum, groups, and library feature. Visit http://www.hogwartsishere.com/.

Color Manolo Blahnik designs

Manolo Blahnik shares a selection of his original sketches for coloring. The shoe designs are downloadable at https://www.manoloblahnik.com/gb/smile.html.

Podcasts on Philippine crime

Stories After Dark features podcasts on Philippine true crime and mystery stories. It currently has 14 episodes including The Maguindanao Massacre (2009), The Ozone Disco Fire (1996), and Pepsi Paloma: Rape or Publicity Stunt? Suicide or Murder? (1982/1985). To listen, visit https://www.facebook.com/storiesafterdarkph/.

Palacio de Memoria virtual tour

Art and history enthusiasts can now go on a virtual tour of Palacio de Memoria, the resplendent Colonial Revival mansion, and marvel at its luxurious facilities and hundreds of Euro-Filipino paintings, sculptures, art displays, and historical pieces online. It features the showroom of Palacio de Memoria’s auction house, Casa de Memoria or the Casa, which houses the Lhuilliers’ unrivalled collection of antiques, the Mosphil Lounge, and a passenger plane that was refitted to be a lounge for special occasions. To view the complete Palacio de Memoria’s virtual tour, visit https://www.palaciodememoria.com/tours. For more updates, follow @thepalaciodememoria on Facebook and @palacio.de.memoria on Instagram.

E-coloring books

The Getty Museum and the Getty Research Institute of Los Angeles offers the Color Our Collections edition for 2020. To view, visit http://library.nyam.org/colorourcollections/page/11/.

Managing cash flow in this crisis

John Clements CEO Carol Dominguez invited me to join Professor Marc Bertoneche of Harvard Business School in the John Clements Leadership series on the topic Managing Cash Flow During the COVID-19 Crisis. Marc reminded that cash is king (or queen), and more so today that it’s even like god (with small g)! He said there is a need to reward the cash culture in any business today — to shift the focus from profit and loss/balance sheet to cash flow. It’s very important to stabilize and keep essential operations going. Liquidity is of immediate concern. On the cash to cash conversion of a business cycle, these are his suggestions:

* Inventory management — Find the right balance to limit inventory to the basic minimum but without disrupting production and affecting customer satisfaction.

* Receivables management — It’s very critical to collect in a timely manner. Bill fast and bill correctly to avoid any delays in collections. Good quality control is critical to avoid delays.

* Payables management — Try to extend/delay payables as long as possible, but as Marc cautioned, be sure to do it in “an intelligent way,” meaning in agreement with suppliers. Otherwise, you may not have supplies for your production. Take time to review and renegotiate payment terms and suppliers credits. It is also important to prioritize payments as to which supplies are critical to your operations.

On a positive note, he said companies may actually emerge even stronger if they take advantage of the good opportunities coming out of this crisis.

Cash culture should be continued and cultivated even after the crisis. This means companies should plan better, making sure cash is always used wisely.

Companies need to accelerate and speed up digital connectivity and e-commerce. With the lockdown/enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), business models have already changed. Practically every business (even families) now do virtual meetings and it works well! Digitization, e-commerce, online ordering and delivery and payment systems are the new normal.

Firms must also recruit best talents. With travel and tourism industries severely affected and a number of skill-trained OFWs returning, there is excellent opportunity to hire good talent. Companies should take advantage of this valuable talent now available especially in finance and customer service.

Marc suggests that companies:

* Anticipate. Be forward looking. What new ways/products can generate revenues? Do more strategic scenarios. This COVID-19 is the blackest “black swan” I have ever experienced.

* Communicate. Communicate with your bankers, shareholders, suppliers and especially your staff to continue to motivate them in this difficult situation, as well as to avoid destabilization.

* Discipline. Have discipline and always move towards cost efficiency.

* Prioritize. You can’t do everything at the same time so you need to prioritize.

* Empathy. We need to support our people in these difficult times.

The COVID-19 health crisis has severely affected the economy. The pre-COVID 2020 GDP growth forecast of at least 6.5% is now down to -2.5%, with first-quarter GDP showing -0.2%. Fortunately, the Philippines has strong fundamentals to weather this passing storm and has the four-pillar socioeconomic strategy. There is also the Philippine Economic Stimulus ACT (PESA). SEC Commissioner EF Amatong reported the highlights of the PESA to provide government support in last Wednesday’s meeting of the Capital Markets Council. Support has been given to banks and financial institutions through regulatory reliefs, cuts in reserve requirement as well as revival of the SPV Law. For small and medium enterprises and corporates, trainings, bridge loans, SB Corp. special programs specifically for SMEs, and support for tourism, exports and transport industries as well as Philippine Guarantee Corp. and National Development Co. assistance. For households, through the Bayanihan Law, some were given wage subsidies and massive testing. For the government, flagship projects and an enhanced “Build, Build, Build” program will help the economy recover. PESA is currently pending in Congress and we hope it will be passed soon.

With this COVID-19 experience, let’s ensure we conserve cash and use it wisely. Continue social distancing and keep safe! This will pass. God is in control!

 

Flor Gozon Tarriela is chairman of the Philippine National Bank. She is a former undersecretary of Finance and the first Filipina vice -president of Citibank N.A. She is a Go Negosyo 2018 Woman Intrapreneur Awardee. She is a trustee of FINEX Foundation and FINEX Academy and an Institute of Corporate Directors fellow. Contact her at

ftarriela@yahoo.com

Fruitas to launch chicken line with PeriPeri Corp.

FRUITAS Holdings, Inc. has teamed up with the operator of Eduardo’s Peri-Peri Chicken to launch a new chicken line.

In a statement on Thursday, the food and beverage kiosk operator said it signed a partnership with PeriPeri Corp. to introduce Porto’s Peri-Peri Chicken to the market.

“This new collaboration is in line with our vision for Fruitas to be synonymous with innovative offerings. Leveraging on the experience and technical expertise of PeriPeri Corp., Fruitas is now in a position to offer a new twist on the beloved grilled chicken enthusiastically patronized by the public,” Fruitas President and Chief Executive Officer Lester C. Yu said.

The partnership is in accordance with Fruitas’ efforts to adapt to the “new normal” amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

“It is in line with our commitment to mitigate the impact of the current challenging business environment by adding new revenue and profit streams,” Fruitas said.

In light of the partnership, the food company expects higher demand for value rice meals that are fit for takeout and delivery.

Fruitas has raised an estimated P820 million net proceeds from its initial public offering.

Since its listing, the company said it has completed the acquisition of Heat Stroke Grill, Kuxina, The Tofu Store, and CocoDelivery.

Fruitas has also partnered with Pan de Manila and Bukidnon Milk Company.

On Thursday, shares in the company went up by 3.05% to end at P1.35 per piece. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Employee motivational strategies during coronavirus disease 2019

Now that we’ve been locked down due to COVID-19, what would you advise people managers about motivating workers, including those under flexible work arrangements like work-from-home? — White Lily.

A young man was whiling away a lazy afternoon when he found himself in the middle of a pasture with an angry bull charging him. The only safe haven was a tree, but the nearest branch was 10 feet off the ground. Adrenaline rushing, the young man ran for it and made a tremendous leap.

He missed it on the way up, but caught it on the way down.

In this pandemic, many of those who are lucky enough to still have jobs face the challenge of working to the satisfaction of their bosses, which has become more difficult if not impossible. How do we continue working when we need to maintain social, physical distancing but are still required to do our best?

The answer may appear simple and easy to everyone — job security. It’s the same adrenaline that pushed our carefree, young fellow to do his best to avoid that raging bull. The trouble is that job security makes some people complacent. They think they can’t be dismissed from work unless there’s a serious charge against them.

The pandemic changes the landscape. Even the most stable job can be gone tomorrow if the organization continues to lose money while being saddled with a demotivated workforce. Therefore, there’s no better way for management but to exert its utmost effort to boost morale so workers can do a good job and remain secure in their employment.

BASIC ZERO-CASH STRATEGIES
In good and in bad times, there are many approaches to boosting morale within any organization, regardless of size and nature of product or service. As part of the management team, you can do much to encourage workers and their managers. And since we are in belt-tightening mode during the pandemic when everyone is required to minimize expenditure, I’m recommending several measures that don’t require spending money:

One, act promptly to manage employee complaints and suggestions. This doesn’t mean management should agree with every employee concern to appease them. The key is to review the issue with the help of the concerned line supervising executive. Establish a 24-Hour rule similar to that in place at Ford Motor Co. to fast-track the resolution of issues. If the boss can’t settle the issue in one day, he must elevate the matter to the next level.

Two, agree on a reasonable daily work performance target. This means requiring both the boss and the workers to agree on achievable performance standards, even for those assigned to work at home. At times, when workers are tasked to work from home, management is often tempted to assign unusual or difficult tasks to keep people fully occupied. If that happens, all line managers must stand ready to provide online assistance, if needed.

Three, be courteous to all workers and managers. Even in the most difficult times, common courtesy must not be ignored. Requesting, rather than demanding that a certain task be done is far more likely to get positive results with employees. In addition, a sincere word of thanks is often effective and costs nothing. Being sincere means being specific about the things you like instead of making a general statement like “you’ve done an excellent job!”

Four, help the workers achieve their career goals. The best approach is to hear it directly from the horse’s mouth. Find out what motivates people to work hard. Does it have anything to do with sustaining one’s family, achieving a post-graduate degree, or enjoying foreign travel? If you don’t know the answer, it would be difficult to help your workers achieve their personal goals.

Five, appreciate what the workers have done beyond expectations. Identify those who have exceeded management expectations and place them on the ABCD (Always Beyond the Call of Duty) list. They are different from average individuals who perform the minimum requirements to avoid dismissal. The ABCD category must be commended publicly via online meetings and video conferences, followed up with a commendation letter, copy furnished their personnel file.

Last, continue paying the workers’ full salary and benefits. This is difficult for many organizations, but if your company can afford it, it’s much better to help them financially during this pandemic, out of humanitarian considerations. It’s one basic approach to motivate people. No amount of motivation can help hungry workers. You can improvise by continuing to pay out bonuses, other merit-related rewards or the statutory 13th month pay.

LINE SUPERVISION IS KEY
External motivational speakers won’t do the job, even the most expensive of them all, no matter how popular and good they are at public speaking. The best motivational coaches are your line supervisors and managers. That’s because they interact daily with the workers and they know them well, including their personality quirks.

Even the world’s most popular and highly-paid motivational speaker, Zig Ziglar, admitted he can’t do a good job motivating your people: “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing — that’s why we recommend it daily.” And who else can do it daily to your people, but your line executives.

That’s assuming your line executives can do a good job. If they can’t do a good job motivating their people, then that’s a bigger problem that you must solve first. How can they possibly lead by example?

ELBONOMICS: You can’t give what you don’t have.

 

Send anonymous questions to elbonomics@gmail.com or via https://reyelbo.consulting

World-leading Data Scientist joins UnionBank’s drive to next level of digital transformation

Dr. David Hardoon

Consistent with its commitment to make banking simpler and more inclusive via best-in-class digital and mobile capabilities, Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) recently appointed global data science expert Dr. David Hardoon Ph. D., as the Bank’s Senior Advisor for Data and Artificial Intelligence (D &AI), reporting to President and CEO Edwin R. Bautista.

The announcement was made as the Bank continues to see a surge in digital transactions among customers as a result of evolving consumer behavior amplified by the current enhanced community quarantine. These transactions mean an increased volume of data running through the Bank’s systems which data science and AI can unlock to allow the Bankto serve its customers better.

“Leveraging Data and AI is a key driver to our next-level of digital transformation as we continue to put the customer – both individuals and businesses – at the heart of our business,” said UnionBank President and CEO Edwin Bautista in a statement.

Dr. Hardoon replaces John Januszczak, who is now focused in his role as president and CEO of UBX, UnionBank’s fintech subsidiary.

Dr. Hardoon is a graduate of Royal Halloway, the University of London with First-Class Honors B.Sc. in Computer Science and AI, and a holder of a PhD in Machine Learning from the University of Southampton School of Electronics and Computer Science United Kingdom.

Prior to his appointment at UnionBank, Dr. Hardoon was the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s (MAS, Singapore’s counterpart of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) first appointed Chief Data Officer and Head of the Data Analytics Group, and subsequently MAS’ Special Advisor on Artificial Intelligence. In these roles, he led the development of the AI strategy both for MAS and Singapore’s financial sector as well as efforts in promoting open cross-border data flow.

In addition, he led and established the ASEAN Advanced Analytics of Ernst & Young Advisory Singapore as Director of EY Data, IT Advisory Services, and co-founded Azendian Solutions Pte. Ltd., an information management and data science consultancy between 2013 and 2017. He was also Head of Analytics at SAS Institute Ltd. Singapore from 2010 to 2013.

As Senior Advisor for Data and AI, Dr. Hardoon will be working with various centers, groups, and units to reinforce data infrastructure and governance, behavior modelling, machine learning, and AI capabilities as well as applications in the Bank and its parent company Aboitiz Equity Ventures.

Aside from his role with the Bank, Dr. Hardoon is concurrently Senior Advisor for AI to Singapore’s Corrupt Investigation Practices Bureau, and Senior Advisor for Data Science to Singapore’s Central Provident Fund (CPF) Board.

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