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Winter is coming (and so is the malware)

By Zsarlene B. Chua, Reporter

GAME OF THRONES is days away from the premiere of its final season (April 15 in the Philippines) and those who will miss the premiere will find themselves disappointed as Netflix isn’t carrying the series for people who want to catch up.

Desperate times might lead to desperate measures but Russian cybersecurity and anti-virus company Kaspersky Lab is warning people that their illegal search for certain shows online might not only violate anti-piracy laws but also put their mobile devices and computers at risk of getting malware.

Malware are software intentionally designed to cause damage to a computer, client, server, or computer network.

In a study published on April 1, Kaspersky Labs noted that “TV shows downloaded from illegitimate resources can be replaced with malware-carrying versions,” according to a press release.

Leading the list of the most popular shows which have compromised files is HBO’s Game of Thrones which topped the list for 2017 to 2018. In 2018 it accounted for 17% of all infected pirated content with 20,934 attacked users. Game of Thrones is followed by AMC’s The Walking Dead with 18,794 attacked users and The CW’s Arrow with 12,163.

This despite the fact that in 2018, no new episodes of Game of Thrones were released.

Although viewers now have access to a growing number of legal streaming sites, the Annual Piracy Report published by Muso, a technology company providing anti-piracy and market analytics, this year showed that the number of pirated content consumers is growing: the company registered 300 billion visits to pirate websites in 2017, a 1.6% increase from 2016.

The same study showed that the US had the greatest number of pirate website visitors (27.9 billion visits per year) followed by Russia (20.6 billion), and India (17 billion).

WebKontrol, a Russian anti-piracy company, noted in a 2019 report that “torrent websites are still leading in Russia in terms of volume of pirated content, followed by file-hosting and streaming services.”

The same report said that the share of links to illegal content posted on torrent websites grew 14% from 2018, overtaking illegal streaming websites.

TV shows remain the most popular product among users consuming copyright-infringing content, the Muso report said, with 106.9 billion visits last year, followed by music at 73.9 billion and films at 53.2 billion.

FIRST AND FINAL EPISODES
According the Kaspersky report, it is the first and final episodes, “which attract the most viewers,” are “likely to be at greatest risk of malicious spoofing,” said the release, noting that malware distributors opt to infect these episodes because “online fraudsters tend to exploit people’s loyalty and impatience [and] so may promise brand-new material for download that is in fact a cyberthreat.”

In fact, Game of Thrones’ first episode of Season 1, “Winter is Coming,” is said to be one of the “most actively used by cybercriminals.”

Among the malware that can infect one’s device by illegally streaming or downloading content is the Trojan.WinLNK.Agent, a malware that contains links for downloading malicious files designed to destroy, block, modify or copy data, as well as interfere with the operation of computers or computer networks.

The company warned that “it is highly likely there will be a spike in the amount of malware disguised as new episodes of the show” now that Game of Thrones is entering its final season.

“Keeping in mind that the final season of Game of Thrones starts this month, we would like to warn users that it is highly likely there will be a spike in the amount of malware disguised as new episodes of this show,” said Anton V. Ivanov, security researcher at Kaspersky Lab said in the release.

KEEPING SAFE
In order to keep safe from threats like these, Kaspersky Labs advised users to “use only legitimate services with a proven reputation for producing and distributing TV content.”

The company also advised users to pay attention to the downloaded file extension and the websites’ authenticity (legitimate and secure websites start with “https”).

“Even if you are going to download TV show episodes from a source you consider trusted and legitimate, the file should have an .avi, .mkv or .mp4 extensions or any others, yet definitely not the .exe,” according to the press release.

Finally, “don’t click on suspicious links, such as those promising an early view of a new episode; check the [show’s] schedule and keep track of it.”

Bloomberry to break ground on QC resort-casino in June

WITH the planned Solaire North in Quezon City, Bloomberry Resorts Corp. hopes to replicate the success of the first Solaire Resort and Casino in Entertainment City. — CATHY ROSE A. GARCIA

By Arra B. Francia, Senior Reporter

BLOOMBERRY Resorts Corp. is on track to break ground on its integrated resort and casino project in Quezon City in June, despite steps by the local government to impose entrance fees on visitors of gaming facilities in the area.

The listed owner and operator of Solaire Resort and Casino said it has completed the masterplan for the project called Solaire North, but has yet to finalize the total cost.

“We should be done by mid-April or May, so we can come out with the announcement (for the masterplan),” Bloomberry Chairman Enrique K. Razon, Jr. told reporters after the company’s annual stockholders’ meeting in Parañaque on Thursday.

“As soon as the site is clear, we’ll have the groundbreaking. Our target is June or July,” he said.

Mr. Razon noted that they have secured all necessary permits to proceed with the project, including the Letter of No Objection (LONO) from the Quezon City government.

This comes amid a proposed ordinance by the QC government which seeks to require the collection of entrance fees from gaming enterprises to minimize access, among others.

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR), however, said that the local government unit (LGU) cannot issue such an ordinance, since it has the sole authority to regulate games of chance.

“That ordinance came after, but PAGCOR has something to say about that. Hindi na kami gigitna dun, basta kami tuloy tuloy na (We won’t involve ourselves in the issue. We are moving forward with the project)… But the clearance has been given by the LGU and PAGCOR,” Mr. Razon explained.

Solaire North will stand 40 storeys tall on a 1.5-hectare property inside Vertis North, Quezon City. The company is looking to capture the mass gaming population in Quezon City given its large population, as well as those from nearby provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga.

Meanwhile, Bloomberry said it will start construction on Solaire Cruise Center by the third quarter of the year, as it looks to take advantage of the booming tourism industry in the country.

“With the growth of tourism, we have more and more cruise ships, we have 10 or more coming here so timing is ripe to develop that,” Mr. Razon said, adding there are no leisure destinations in the South Harbor Manila where most cruise ships dock in the country.

The company will complete the first phase of Solaire Cruise Center by 2021, which will include the pier, retail outlets, food and beverage destinations, and immigration facilities.

Aside from its local expansion, Mr. Razon said they are also looking at bringing its casino operations to Japan, due to improvements in the country’s regulatory environment. He said they are scouting for locations as well as potential partners.

The company also owns and operates Jeju Sun Hotel and Casino in South Korea.

Bloomberry’s net income attributable to the parent grew 18% to P7.19 billion in 2018, driven by a 14% increase in consolidated net revenues to P38.22 billion.

Hitman’s worth $770M with worldwide K-Pop craze

THE GLOBAL K-Pop music craze is generating a fortune for Bang Si-hyuk, a South Korean producer known as “Hitman.”

Thanks to legions of fans obsessively devoted to boy band BTS, known collectively as the Army, the estimated value of his production company has soared, making him one of the biggest winners in the K-Pop boom. Mr. Bang, 46, is worth $770 million, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

The band — short for Bangtan Sonyeondan, which translates to Bulletproof Boy Scouts — sold out London’s 90,000-seat Wembley Stadium in 90 minutes earlier this year. The BTS members, all in their 20s, bond with fans by opening up about their anxieties and struggles through social media, which Bang called a “window into the soul of BTS.”

The producer and his Big Hit Entertainment Co. are riding a 20-year wave of popularity for a formula of highly choreographed, photogenic performers and synthesized beats. The industry that unleashed such hits as Psy’s “Gangnam Style” is now worth $5 billion, according to Korea Creative Content Agency.

DRIVING FORCE
“Bang’s focus on fan communications has become the biggest driving force of BTS’s popularity,” said Kwak Young-ho, co-founder at Hanteo Chart, which partners with Billboard on album sales data. “BTS has now become a platform.”

The mania has delivered sold-out concerts, No. 1 albums, billions of YouTube views and made the group’s seven members the world’s most tweeted-about celebrities. The band collaborated on Unicef’s anti-violence campaign, with the hit Love Yourself albums, and last year its members became the first K-Pop stars to address the United Nations.

Big Hit had weighed a potential initial public offering in 2017, but Bang said at the time that the company would need to become bigger and establish a more sustainable production system before making that move. The firm’s second-biggest investor, after Bang, is Netmarble Corp., a gaming company led by his cousin.

FEELS SURREAL
Mr. Bang’s stake representing 49% of Big Hit common shares was valued by the Bloomberg Billionaires Index using 2018 financials and price-to-earnings multiples of publicly traded industry peers SM Entertainment Co., JYP Entertainment Corp. and YG Entertainment, Inc.

Big Hit’s revenue more than doubled to 214 billion won ($187 million) in 2018, according to regulatory filings.

Bang and Big Hit declined to comment for this story.

“I’m happy, but at the same time it feels surreal,” Mr. Bang said of his success in a rare 2017 interview with Bloomberg.

A songwriter and fan of American hip-hop, Bang entered the music industry in his 20s and came up with a string of hits at JYP Entertainment, helping to set the foundation for K-Pop idol culture. Although the “Hitman” moniker was derived from his family name, Mr. Bang earned his reputation as a hit-maker and launched Big Hit in 2005.

NINTENDO TENNIS
He struggled initially, and the company edged toward bankruptcy in its early years. Business was sometimes so quiet that artists stopped by the office only to play tennis matches on Big Hit’s Nintendo Wii, he said in the interview.

While BTS remained insulated from a sex and corruption scandal that rocked the K-Pop world last month, the band had its own controversy in late 2018 when a T-shirt worn by one member sparked a furor in Japan.

As the band’s popularity surged, companies from Coca-Cola Co. to Puma SE and Hyundai Motor Co. have signed up the stars as brand ambassadors. In addition to Big Hit’s proprietary merchandise such as games and cushions to pajamas featuring characters created by BTS, there’s even a line of Barbie dolls.

Bang himself is a low-key figure not known for the ostentatious displays of wealth often seen in K-Pop. While known as something of a foodie, he was downing a $3 bowl of soup from a convenience store during the 2017 interview. Appearing as a mentor in an Idol-style television show, he bluntly scolded contestants for not trying hard enough.

The BTS whirlwind is now sweeping the US, with the band making its debut on Saturday Night Live this weekend and a May 1 appearance at the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas. It is also set to release a new album later this week.

In 2017, Mr. Bang was asked if Big Hit would make as much money with BTS as artists like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé.

“Yes,” he said. “Only if I make the right moves.” — Bloomberg

PLDT taps Cisco to upgrade IP transport network

By Denise A. Valdez, Reporter

PLDT, Inc. announced on Thursday it is tapping technology provider Cisco Systems, Inc. for the digital transformation of its IP transport infrastructure, which will support the telco’s preparation for fifth generation (5G) network.

The two companies, led by PLDT Chairman, President and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan and Cisco Chairman Charles H. Robbins, signed the multimillion-dollar contract on Thursday at Shangri-la at the Fort in Taguig City. The investment will cover the three-year implementation of the first phase of the program.

“The first phase contract is (worth) multimillion dollars. But it will grow. It’s a multi-year thing,” Mr. Pangilinan told reporters after the signing.

Under the partnership, Cisco will provide PLDT with the technology to craft automated, reliable and scalable infrastructure that will improve its existing fiber network and prepare it for the massive rollout of 5G.

“The transport infrastructure is typically a neglected element of our transport architecture, but it’s actually a critical component… For the past 15 or 20 years, we’ve been continuously laying our fiber. But it’s time now to modernize our transport network and we have no better partner than Cisco,” Mr. Pangilinan said.

As of February this year, PLDT said its total fiber footprint was at 255,000 kilometers all over the country, making it the most extensive in the Philippines at present.

PLDT Chief Technology and Information Advisor Joachim Horn said partnering with Cisco will allow them to build “one of the most modern transport networks in Asia by maximizing the capabilities of the fiber infrastructure that (they) have already put in place.”

For his part, Mr. Robbins said the partnership is timely as emerging technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence and Internet of Things will give them “incredible opportunities together.”

“Our partnership with PLDT shows the breadth of Cisco’s capabilities in implementing a fully automated, software-driven network that can serve millions of subscribers, scale rapidly and be ready for 5G,” Miyuki Suzuki, Cisco president for Asia Pacific, Japan and China, added.

Mr. Pangilinan said the company expects to enter one to two more deals for 5G within the year. This comes after PLDT also signed contracts with Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.; Ericsson Telecommunications, Inc. and Nokia Corp.

“There might be one or two more this year,” he told reporters was asked for future plans for 5G.

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.

Hip Hop Dance tilt at the CCP

THE Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), together with Hip Hop International Philippines presents the 2019 Philippine Hip Hop Dance Championship, with the eliminations happening on April 13, noon and 6 p.m., and the finals on April 14 at 1 p.m Around 70 crews and over 800 dancers are expected to participate this year. The dance championship will also be followed by the World Battles Philippines 2019 and After-party at the Cove Manila on April 14, 9 p.m.

Hip Hop International Philippines is the official Philippine affiliate of Hip Hop International which is based in Los Angeles, USA. Hip Hop International holds the World Hip Hop Dance Championship and World Battles annually. With over 50 countries and thousands of dancers participating, it has grown to be known as the “Olympics” of Hip Hop and Street Dance. The Philippines has been one of the strongest competitors in the competition, garnering back-to-back gold medals as well as numerous podium finishes in the past years. In the championship last August in Phoenix, Arizona, the Philippines took home four medals out of nine entries, with seven teams making it to the finals — the most teams coming from one country.

The competition has 5 divisions: Junior Division (5-9 members, 7-12 years old), Varsity Division (5-9 members, 13-17 years old), Adult Division (5-9 members, 18 and above), Megacrew Division (10-40 members) and the Minicrew Division (3 members).

For inquiries, contact the CCP Box Office at 832-3704.

ICTSI in talks with banks to acquire Hanjin assets

INTERNATIONAL Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) is negotiating with banks for the possible acquisition of Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Philippines’ (HHIC-Philippines) assets, a top official said.

“We’re still making presentations to the banks, the banks own it now…We’re developing a masterplan for Hanjin,” ICTSI Chairman and President Enrique K. Razon, Jr. told reporters after the company’s annual stockholders’ meeting in Solaire Resort and Casino on Thursday.

The discussions for the acquisition will include the payment of HHIC-Philippines’ loans and whether ICTSI will have a partner for the venture, among others.

Mr. Razon expressed his interest for the bankrupt shipbuilder’s assets back in February. HHIC-Philippines’ facilities are in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. The local unit of the South Korean shipping company left some $412 million in outstanding loans from Philippine banks after it filed for corporate rehabilitation last Jan. 8. Overall, the company’s assets are estimated at about $1.6 billion.

“The banks will eventually give it to someone, they’re not going to run it themselves. The banks definitely want to get rid of it,” Mr. Razon said, although noting that they can opt to forego the deal “if it doesn’t work for us.”

The listed firm is looking to turn the property into a multipurpose facility, since Mr. Razon said they are not interested in the shipbuilding business.

“It’s a very large facility, so it will be several. The problem is the road is not really good. It’s okay for shipbuilding because they’re only there. But for other things, the road is the problem,” the tycoon said.

ICTSI Global Corporate Head Christian R. Gonzalez explained that there are concerns on the length and width of the road, as well as the safety of the community and commercial establishments near it.

“On top of that, why would someone drive an extra 50-60 kilometers when they could just go to Subic? You could eventually, but that will have to be something that the government considers in the long term,” Mr. Gonzalez said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Razon said they are “cautiously optimistic” for 2019, as he expects flat growth for global trade.

“So even if global trade doesn’t grow at all, which is more or less my expectation overall, you’ll have strong growth in places like Africa and other markets. But the main trade routes, Pacific, Atlantic, probably won’t grow. But we’ll get growth from having modern (facilities), almost all our facilities are modern na,” he explained.

ICTSI is spending $380 million in capital expenditures this year, half of which will be used for expansion of terminals in Manila. The rest will be used to fund its terminals in Mexico and Iraq, as well as for new equipment, upgrades, and carry-over maintenance. — Arra B. Francia

Listening trends for Game of Thrones

GAME OF THRONES (GOT) is as much about sounds as sights, and as the show prepares to enter its 8th and final season, Spotify has dug into how it has influenced listening.

With more than 380 million streams of all GOT soundtracks and related playlists on Spotify since Jan. 1, 2016, it’s clear that fans of the show are also fans of the music. More than 250,000 listeners have created their own GOT-themed playlists, and many more have created character playlists. With what could be a hint as to who Spotify listeners think should sit on the Iron Throne, Tyrion Lannister has the most fan-made playlists: More than 7,700.

Also a big draw is the GOT soundtrack, scored by composer Ramin Djawadi, which provides instant recall of the characters’ most dramatic moments. “Light of the Seven,” the piece heard when Cersei blows up the Sept of Baelor in the Season 6 finale, is the most-streamed Mr. Djawadi composition since Jan. 1, 2016, followed by the show’s eponymous “Main Title” and then “The Winds Of Winter,” which accompanies Arya as she sails to Braavos at the conclusion of Season 4.

As fans prepare to return to Westeros for Season 8, Spotify has unveiled a refresh of its rock-influenced playlist, “Game of Thrones: The End Is Coming” (formerly named “Songs of Ice and Fire”), a collaboration between GOT co-creators David Benioff, D.B. Weiss and Spotify. “We were looking for songs that made us feel the way the show made us feel,” Messrs. Benioff and Weiss told For The Record, Spotify’s blog.

Fans of the show can stream seven different playlists curated by HBO and featuring Mr. Djawadi score songs that relate to each family’s journey on GOT.

There are individual playlists for House Baratheon, House Targaryen, House Stark, House Lannister, The White Walkers, The Night’s Watch, and, The Great Houses.

CHARACTERS WITH THE MOST USER-GENERATED PLAYLISTS GLOBALLY:

• Tyrion Lannister
• Hodor
• Jon Snow
• Cersei Lannister
• Arya Stark
• Samwell
• Sansa Stark
• Melisandre
• Khal Drogo
• Jaime Lannister

MOST-STREAMED SONGS FROM OFFICIAL GAME OF THRONES SOUNDTRACKS IN THE PHILIPPINES
(from Jan. 1, 2016 to April 1, 2019)

• “Light of the Seven,” Cersei blows up the Sept of Baelor, Season 6, Ep. 10
• Main Titles, longer version that’s featured during every episode
• “The Winds of Winter,” Arya sails to Braavos at the conclusion of Season 4
• Main Title — From The Game Of Thrones Soundtrack, featured during every episode.
• “Blood of My Blood,” Daenerys flies over her Dothraki khalasar on Drogon. Season 6, Ep. 6
• “Winter Has Come,” White raven flies over Winterfell, Jon and Sansa talk post Battle of the Bastards. Season 6, Ep. 9
• “Khaleesi,” Daenerys emerges from the Temple of the Dosh Khaleen after setting it alight. Season 6, Ep. 4
• “My Watch Has Ended,” Jon Snow, revived from the dead, greets his friends in the courtyard of Castle Black. Season 6, Ep. 3
• “Game Of Thrones” from The Game Of Thrones soundtrack, the main theme of the series, with a more drum-driven beat.
• “Hear Me Roar,” Cersei is crowned on the Iron Throne. Season 6, Ep. 10.

MOST-STREAMED SONGS FROM OFFICIAL GAME OF THRONES SOUNDTRACKS GLOBALLY
(from Jan. 1, 2016 to April 1, 2019)

• “Light of the Seven,” Season 6, Ep. 10
• Main Title from the Game Of Thrones soundtrack
• “The Winds of Winter,” conclusion of Season 4
• “Blood of My Blood,” Season 6, Ep. 6
• “The Rains of Castomere” (performed by The National), end credits of Season 2, Ep. 9, after the Lannisters win the Battle of the Blackwater
• “My Watch Has Ended,” Season 6, Ep. 3
• “Winter Has Come,” Season 6, Ep. 9
• “Khaleesi,” Season 6, Ep. 4
• “I Need You by My Side” (bonus track), Ser Jorah reveals to Daenerys that he has contracted the deadly disease, greyscale. Season 6, Ep 5
• “Maester,” Sam sees the Citadel library for the first time. Season 6, Ep. 10

Self-employed join gov’t compensation program

THE government-run Employees’ Compensation Program (ECP) will expand its health and welfare compensation benefits to self-employed workers, the labor department said.

Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III said in a statement on Thursday that the compensation program, will now serve self-employed workers who are members of the Social Security System (SSS). The ECP provides a compensation and benefits package to employees and their dependents in case of work-related sickness, injuries and even death.

“We recognize that most self-employed members of the SSS are also workers who need to be protected in time of work-connected sickness, injuries, or death,” Mr. Bello, who also sits as the Employees Compensation Commission (ECC) chair, said.

The program formerly only covered workers from private establishments and also employers in the public sector. ECC Executive Director Stella Z. Banawis said now that self-employed SSS beneficiaries will be covered by the ECP, “(T)he ECP will be able to serve more Filipino workers.”

Self-employed workers qualified for the ECP must be SSS members and have a monthly income of at least P2,000. The worker must also not be over 60 years old during the time of the initial coverage.

DoLE listed the following as self-employed SSS beneficiaries who are automatically entitled to the ECP: “Self-employed professionals who have their own business offices; Partners, single proprietors of businesses, and Directors or Trustees of the Board of corporations duly registered with appropriate government agencies; Actors, directors, scriptwriters, and news correspondents who do not fall within the definition of the term ‘employee’ in Section 8(D) of the SSS Law; Professional athletes, coaches, trainers, jockeys, individual farmers, and fisherfolk; Workers in the informal sector such as market and ambulant vendors, transport workers, and those similarly situated; Contractual and job order personnel engaged by the government through a Contract of Service and who are not covered under the GSIS Law; and, any other self-employed as determined by the Social Security Commission is subject for compulsory coverage, if for initial membership.”

Contributions will depend on monthly income levels. Self-employed workers with a monthly salary of P14,500 pay P10 monthly, while the fee for those earning P15,000 and above contribute P30 monthly. — Gillian M. Cortez

URC opens baking school

UNIVERSAL Robina Corp. (URC) on Wednesday said it opened its first baking school which is aimed at helping its customers expand their portfolio of flour- and pasta-based products.

In a statement, the Gokongwei-led food giant said the Baker John Academy, which is under the URC Flour and Pasta Division, will offer classes where customers can upgrade their baking skills and help set up their baking operations.

“With Baker John Academy, our focus is on the customer. We want to give them a helping hand, so they can expand their businesses faster through innovations and efficiencies,” Ellison Lee, business unit general manager of URC Flour and Pasta Division, said.

The school, named after parent company JG Summit Holdings, Inc.’s founder John L. Gokongwei, Jr., will develop its own recipes as well as produce branded bread and specialty products such as cheese rolls and ensaymada.

At present, Baker John will be open only to URC’s current and potential customers. However, there are plans to eventually open it to the public.

Baker John’s facility can be found in Robinsons Exxa Tower along E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave. (C5 Road) in Quezon City. It will have a laboratory with 10 workstations that can handle up to 50 participants.

Maynilad warns future investments may be put on hold

MAYNILAD Water Services, Inc. said its current rift with the government over its water contract may likely impact future investments in its west zone concession.

Asked if the government’s move to review all contracts with companies including Maynilad may set a bad precedent for future investments, Maynilad Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan told reporters on Thursday, “yes.”

Last week, President Rodrigo R. Duterte expressed through his spokesman that he wants a review of all government contracts with foreign and private firms, including water concessionaires.

Mr. Pangilinan said earlier this week that they were willing to drop the company’s arbitration proceedings against the government in exchange for a tariff settlement that compensates for lost revenues from 2013 to 2017.

Last year, the Singapore court ruled that the Philippine government must pay Maynilad P3.4 billion for failing to allow it to implement tariff adjustments as granted in its contract.

“It’s stipulated in the contractual arrangements. That was a right given to us under the contract, so we just exercised it… We won the arbitration first round, we won it the second round, they just ignored us,” Mr. Pangilinan said.

The government, through the Office of the Solicitor General and the Department of Justice, is currently reviewing the Maynilad contract.

Meanwhile, Maynilad said it will be conducting several water network enhancement activities during the Lenten break within Metro Manila’s west zone for projects that include facility maintenance works, pipe decommissioning, pipe interconnections, and valve replacements.

As a result, Maynilad said some of its customers in parts of Manila, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela, Quezon City, Parañaque, Pasay, Las Piñas, and Bacoor in Cavite will experience temporary water service interruptions.

“The duration of service interruptions will differ per area. Some will have no water for five hours only, while others will have no water for 30 hours,” Maynilad Water Supply Operations Head, Engr. Ronaldo C. Padua said in a statement on Thursday.

“We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience. These activities are being done so we can continue to improve the water infrastructure and ensure better water services for the long term,” he added.

The enhancement activities are in line with the water concessionaire’s continuous efforts to improve water services in the west zone.

Maynilad said the activities are scheduled during the Holy Week, when fewer customers are expected to be home. This will lessen the impact of service interruptions on water consumers.

“Besides these major activities, Maynilad will also take the opportunity to conduct smaller, parallel activities like leak detection and leak repairs, which would otherwise require the implementation of separate service disruptions,” the company said.

Maynilad advised its affected customers “to store water at least three days before the scheduled interruption to prevent simultaneous heavy withdrawals of water from its pipelines, which can reduce water pressure and cause some customers to have no water earlier than schedule.”

It said 40 water tankers are on standby and ready to deliver water to affected areas when needed.

Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which has majority stake in Maynilad, is one of three Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT, Inc. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Denise A. Valdez and Victor V. Saulon

PULP marks 20 years with special issue

PULP Magazine marks its 20th year in print and this coincides with the release of the publication’s 200th issue which celebrates its lasting legacy in the Philippine music industry as the country’s longest-running music and lifestyle publication.

“Honestly, I do not believe there was a proper music magazine published locally prior to PULP,” says CEO and Publisher Vernon Go. Inside this special issue, Mr. Go answers 20 Questions to tell the story of PULP. This release highlights 20 iconic PULP covers. It rounds up 20 epic photographs that appeared on its pages. And that’s just the first round as PULP will continue to dedicate the rest of its 2019 issues to PULP’s 20th anniversary.

There will also be exclusive coverage of Taking Back Sunday’s 20th anniversary show in Manila; the bands that set the stage on fire in the recently concluded PULP SUMMER SLAM XIX: The Second Coming; the lowdown on how Mayday Parade became one of the Philippines’ favorite bands; how Jason Mraz inspired his Filipino fans with the positivity and good vibes. There is also an exclusive interview with The Story So Far’s Ryan Torf ahead of their first show in Manila, presented by PULP Live World, on April 15 at the Skydome, SM North EDSA.

The issue includes a free poster featuring all 200 PULP Covers. PULP Magazine’s special 200th issue is now available for P250 at major bookstores nationwide and online (e-mail to sales@pulp.ph).

Chinese employees stole corporate secrets from ASML, impact limited — report

AMSTERDAM — Chinese employees stole corporate secrets from Dutch semiconductor equipment maker ASML, resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars in losses, Dutch financial newspaper Financieele Dagblad (FD) reported on Thursday. The paper said, citing its own investigation, technology had been stolen by high-level Chinese employees in the research and development department of ASML’s US subsidiary and ultimately leaked to a company linked to the Chinese government.

But ASML itself “found no hard proof of involvement of the Chinese government,” the FD reported.

An ASML spokeswoman told Reuters the company was aware of the FD report and was preparing a response.

ASML is the dominant maker of lithography systems, used to trace out the circuitry of semiconductor chips.

The newspaper based its report partly on company sources and partly on a November 2018 ruling by a California court in a suit between ASML’s US subsidiary and a subsidiary of a Chinese company, XTAL Inc.

The documents from the Santa Clara, California Superior Court show six former ASML employees, all with Chinese names, breached their employment contract by sharing information on ASML software processes with XTAL, the FD showed.

“The FD’s investigation found XTAL’s Chinese parent company Dongfang Jingyuan has ties with the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology,” the paper said.

The court awarded ASML $223 million in damages and XTAL filed for bankruptcy a month later.

The Dutch intelligence agency has included warnings in its annual threat assessments for the past several years, saying that China is targeting tech companies in the Netherlands, as it does in other countries, for intellectual property theft.

In 2015, ASML disclosed a breach of its computer systems, but said at the time damage from the hack was limited and released few further details.

ASML’s sales to China doubled to 1.8 billion euros ($2 billion) in 2018 from 919 million euros in 2017 as Beijing makes growth of its semiconductor industry a priority.

ASML CEO Peter Wennink told Reuters in January he saw no let up in demand from China, despite an economic slowdown. — Reuters

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