Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Another member of the Ang family is stepping into the boardroom.

Jacob Paolo Ang, son of San Miguel Corp. (SMC) chair and CEO Ramon Ang, has secured a seat on the board of Ginebra San Miguel Inc., adding another corporate role to his growing portfolio.

In a disclosure on Wednesday, the liquor maker said the younger Ang was elected director on Nov. 4, filling the vacancy left by the death of Leo Alvez in September.

Jacob currently serves as president of SMC Asia Car Distributors Corp., a position he has held since November 2025.

He is also a director and chief planning officer of Velocita Motors Inc. and executive assistant to his father at San Miguel Corp., both since 2023.

A European Studies graduate of the Ateneo de Manila University, he also completed the university’s Leadership and Management Development Program in 2024. He owns 5,000 Ginebra shares.

The boardroom reshuffle did not end there.

Ginebra appointed Aurora Calderon to its Audit, Risk Oversight and Sustainability Committee, while John Paul Ang joined its Corporate Governance Committee and Executive Compensation Committee.

The company also ratified Cynthia Baroy’s appointment as general manager and named Ariel Victoria chief finance officer and treasurer, effective Nov. 4.

Meanwhile, shareholders have another reason to raise a glass: Ginebra declared a fourth-quarter cash dividend of P2.50 per common share, payable on Dec. 4 to stockholders on record as of Nov. 19.

With another Ang taking a seat at the table, the San Miguel family’s presence in the corporate boardroom continues to grow. -Emmanuel John B. Abris

Taking away the AI punch bowl

Former US Federal Reserve Chair William McChesney Martin Jr. famously said it was the central bank’s job to ‘take away the punch bowl just when the party is getting good.’

For Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Eli Remolona Jr., however, that may be easier said than done.

Speaking to European business leaders in the Philippines, Remolona weighed in on the growing frenzy around artificial intelligence (AI), warning that the excitement could be reminiscent of the dot-com bubble of the late 1990s.

The AI boom is already making waves in Philippine financial markets, he said. AI companies, for instance, have started shifting from stock to bond financing, a trend that could push up borrowing costs and yields.

‘It’s crowding out our investments,’ Remolona said.

The BSP, meanwhile, is keeping a close eye on how much Philippine banks are exposed to AI-related investments.

But when it comes to cooling the AI party before it gets out of hand, the central bank chief admitted that ‘we don’t know how to take away the punch bowl.’

Instead, the BSP is focusing on making sure banks do not take on too much risk.

‘We could make sure the banks are not overexposed … and then try to pick up the pieces if something goes bad,’ Remolona said. – Ian Nicolas P. Cigaral

ALI’s suite success

Ayala Land Inc. has picked up a pair of luxury honors, with winning addresses in both Makati and El Nido.

Robb Report Philippines named Park Central Towers and Lagen Island to its 2026 Best of the Best selections for real estate and travel, respectively.

At Park Central Towers, the magazine highlighted space and greenery within the Makati business district.

The development has four sky terraces in each tower and about 6,900 square meters of amenities and common areas. Select residences come with private plunge pools.

Over in Palawan, Lagen’s appeal takes a different form: fewer rooms, a wider beach and a revamped resort experience drawing on Filipino architecture and craftsmanship.

The resort’s year-long transformation has already attracted another distinction-Two Michelin keys in September.

For the Zobel-led property giant, that makes two settings for its latest luxury credentials: above the city bustle and beside Bacuit Bay. – Emmanuel John B. Abris

GCash’s oversubscription plot twist

An oversubscribed initial public offering (IPO) can draw a crowd. Getting that crowd to stay is another matter.

GCash’s initial stock price weakness despite strong subscription demand illustrates that distinction, according to COL Financial chief equity strategist April Lee-Tan.

‘Not all investors who buy an IPO are long-term investors,’ she said.

Some subscribers are looking for a quick gain. When the expected rally fails to materialize, they may sell instead-adding pressure just as a stock starts trading.

The market backdrop also matters. Tan pointed to peso weakness, sharply higher interest rates and unfavorable global conditions as factors weighing on appetite for equities.

‘We had the BSP raising rates by a larger than expected pace. So that hurt investor sentiment for equities as well,’ she said.

‘Big Boy’ resumes land banking

The shopping spree quieted for a while as the local real estate market slumped.

But now, tycoon Henry ‘Big Boy’ Sy Jr., chair of SM Prime Holdings Inc. and SM Investments Corp. vice chair, is back on the prowl for assets that could fuel future developments.

He also expects the unsold condominium inventory of residential arm SM Development Corp. (SMDC) to be ‘wiped out in three years.’

While SMDC had ‘overconstructed’ like the rest of its peers, Sy said their advantage was that many of their projects are near their shopping malls.

As people prioritize convenience, Sy said SMDC’s strategically located developments continued to attract homebuyers.

‘Demand is still strong,’ he said in a rare media chat.

SMDC typically offers a 10-percent discount to attract buyers.

Thus, while other groups are unloading raw land to raise cash, Sy deems it timely to do the opposite.

‘We are starting to buy land now,’ he said.

Asked which areas he is keen on, Sy cited Bulacan, Pangasinan, Iloilo, Bacolod, Cebu, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Pampanga and Cavite.

By capitalizing on cheaper land prices today while clearing existing inventory, Sy is positioning to ride the sector’s eventual recovery. – Doris Dumlao-Abadilla

Insurers feel market jitters

The weak peso, stock market jitters and stubborn inflation may be giving insurers a bit of a headache, as cash-strapped consumers think twice about buying financial protection.

Soon Liang Lau, president and CEO of FWD Life Insurance Corp., said rising living costs had weighed on demand for insurance products, particularly among lower-income customers.

Some businesses, meanwhile, have been tapping their insurance funds to keep their operations going in the second quarter, as high prices continued to squeeze their finances.

‘Market-wise, yes, it’s slowed down,’ Lau said.

But FWD is not leaving its clients out in the cold.

Lau said diversifying its products and investments had helped cushion customers from market swings, keeping their funds protected.

The insurer has also been reminding clients to maintain adequate insurance coverage even when they need to make withdrawals, so they do not leave themselves financially exposed.

‘Our customer is actually quite protected through the fund diversification that we actually put in place,’ Lau said. – Ian Nicolas P. Cigaral

Swift Foods clips its wings in Palawan

Swift Foods Inc. is putting its Palawan chicken-growing business on pause as poor results and the prospect of El Niño cloud its outlook.

‘During a meeting held today, the board of directors resolved to suspend the corporation’s broiler operations or its chicken growing operations in Palawan due to continued negative results in the previous months, alongside with the possible occurrence of El Niño,’ the agribusiness firm said.

The company’s board approved the suspension of its broiler operations on Nov. 3.

That means a pause in raising chickens, although its dressing plant will continue operating as usual, Swift said in a stock exchange disclosure.

The brief filing offered no timetable for restarting broiler operations.

It also did not quantify the losses or say how the suspension would affect workers, production volumes or the company’s overall earnings.

For now, Swift is keeping the processing side running while taking a step back from growing the birds-a smaller poultry footprint in Palawan as it waits for business conditions to improve. – Emmanuel John B. Abris

Cabinet ‘rigodon’ over?

One would think that we’ve seen the last of the changes in the Cabinet following the transfer of familiar names from their old positions to new ones, or in the case of Vince Dizon, a move back to where he came from.

After all, the Marcos administration has less than two years left before it bids adieu and angry, weary and impatient Filipinos are demanding concrete actions that will ease their daily burden, not more platitudes.

But word has it that even if there is precious time left and 2028 elections on the horizon, the current secretaries are not exactly feeling secure in their positions.

This explains a sudden need to build up their profile by making new policy announcements that they hope would play to the crowd and thus prevent them from leaving.

If those are enough to see them through until the end of the Marcos administration remains to be seen.

But what is sure is that some of those announcements that will soon come from the key departments will benefit some more than others.

So don’t be surprised if the next few months will see the awarding of some stalled but juicy government contracts worth billions of pesos to a select few, courtesy of some high-ranking officials with less-than-noble intentions.

Philippine businesses face constant pressure to manage operating costs. Procurement teams compare prices, negotiate contracts, and seek lower upfront spending. Yet one area can escape scrutiny: the true cost of printing.

For many organizations, the printer’s price remains the most visible number. But hardware cost tells only part of the story. Energy, maintenance, consumables, service requirements, and print volume can have a greater impact over its lifetime.

This creates an industry-wide blind spot around Cost-Per-Page (CPP) and total cost of ownership (TCO).

When ‘Free Use’ Is Not Really Free

The issue is especially relevant to the ‘free use’ model, where businesses receive equipment at little or no upfront cost.

These arrangements appear attractive because immediate capital expense is reduced. But ‘free’ equipment does not necessarily mean free printing.

In some arrangements, hardware cost is embedded in higher-priced consumables, service agreements, or volume commitments. Businesses may also be required to purchase predetermined quantities of toner or other supplies regardless of actual consumption.

Companies can therefore accumulate supplies they do not need while absorbing equipment costs through consumables.

The result can be a higher effective CPP, along with unnecessary inventory, storage, and waste. What initially appears to be a cost-saving arrangement may therefore create expenses that are less visible but no less real.

Looking Beyond the Upfront Price

Procurement decisions should consider the complete economics of printing rather than simply comparing acquisition costs.

A meaningful assessment looks at how much an organization spends to produce documents over the equipment’s life. This includes consumable usage, energy requirements, maintenance, replacement components, service interventions, and actual printing volume.

For high-volume businesses, small CPP differences can accumulate into substantial costs. The question is not simply, ‘How much does the machine cost?’ but ‘How much will it cost us to print?’

That broader view can reveal costs that an attractive upfront offer may conceal.

A More Complete Approach to Printing Efficiency

As organizations become more conscious of efficiency and sustainability, manufacturers are developing technologies that address costs beyond the initial hardware purchase.

One example is Epson’s WorkForce Copiers series, which uses Epson’s Heat-Free Technology. Unlike conventional laser printing processes that require heat during operation, Epson’s inkjet technology does not require a heating element for ink ejection. Epson says its Heat-Free technology can use up to 85% less energy than comparable conventional laser copiers, depending on model and usage conditions.

The technology also supports high-capacity ink systems designed to reduce consumable replacement, while its printing mechanism has fewer components subject to mechanical wear.

Making the Cost of Printing Visible

The broader lesson for Philippine businesses is straightforward: an attractive upfront price does not automatically translate into lower long-term costs.

Whether equipment is purchased outright or offered under a ‘free use’ arrangement, procurement teams should examine the complete cost structure. Actual consumption, contractual commitments, consumable pricing, energy use, maintenance, and CPP all deserve consideration.

In an environment where every operational expense matters, understanding the cost behind the printed page may be as important as understanding the machine’s price. Shifting from upfront price to total cost of ownership can help organizations determine whether an apparent saving is truly a saving.

Newly-appointed chief justice Rodil Zalameda, 63, is a longtime public servant, having served as city prosecutor and associate justice of the Court of Appeals (CA) and the Supreme Court (SC).

Under a scholarship grant, Zalameda obtained his law degree from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1987.

As a law student, he was active in extracurricular activities, being part of the Ateneo Law Journal and Ateneo Law Bulletin.

After passing the bar examination in 1988, he entered government work as a branch clerk of the Makati City Regional Trial Court (RTC).

He had a brief stint in private practice starting 1990, but returned to public service in 1995.

By 2002, he was named city prosecutor of Mandaluyong at 39.

In 2009, then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo appointed Zalameda as associate justice of the appellate court, where he served for more than a decade.

He became the chairperson of the CA’s 17th Division.

Ten years later, then-President Rodrigo Duterte appointed him to the SC, the first to have undergone a written examination for the position.

Zalameda is the most senior Duterte appointee among the other shortlisted candidates who were nominated to succeed outgoing Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo as he is set to retire on Nov. 6 upon reaching the age of 70.

Zalameda was among the justices who dissented from the main ruling on unprogrammed appropriations in the national budget under the Marcos Jr. administration.

He argued that Congress was not barred from proposing new programs, activities and projects that were absent from the National Expenditure Program submitted by the executive branch.

He also authored the Supreme Court decision acquitting former first lady Imelda R. Marcos of seven counts of graft, reversing a November 2018 Sandiganbayan ruling that had sentenced her to prison terms totaling as much as 77 years.

In defending the importance of judicial procedure, Zalameda stressed that rules on the sufficiency of allegations, admissibility of evidence and evidentiary weight could not be disregarded simply because a case attracted intense public interest.

Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense team has asserted that the Senate impeachment court must still enforce the sub judice rule on articles dropped by the prosecution.

Senate impeachment court spokesperson Atty. Reginald Tongol confirmed on Thursday that the defense counsel filed this manifestation.

The move is in response to the court’s previous ruling wherein all parties in the trial may publicly address the merits of the allegations previously charged against Duterte.

‘[Duterte] is not waiving Rule 18 and that she remains uninterested in any form of trial by publicity,’ Tongol wrote, citing the manifestation of the defense.

He noted that the vice president also ‘takes the position that the Court must maintain and enforce the sub judice rule to preserve the integrity of the proceedings and respect her constitutional rights.’

The prosecution withdrew Impeachment Articles I, III and IV, or Duterte’s alleged misuse of confidential funds, bribery and grave threats.

The defense’s manifestation activated Senator-judge Francis ‘Kiko’ Pangilinan’s motion to reconsider the ruling of presiding officer Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero, which lifted the sub judice rule on the three articles.

Escudero previously explained that, in doing so, Duterte may speak on the evidence already presented before the court, but will no longer be used in the verdict.

Defense lead counsel Sheila Sison said the panel will first consult their client on the matter.

But she believes that abandoning the sub judice rule for articles already discussed will encourage the action of accusing Duterte without consequence.

Coron in Palawan and Dipolog in Zamboanga del Norte are forecast to record the highest heat index at 43°C on Thursday, Nov. 5, according to the state weather bureau.

This is based on the latest heat index forecast issued by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa). Both areas are under the dangerous category, where the heat index ranges from 42°C to 51°C.

These areas are also placed under the same category, with the heat index expected to reach 42°C: Iloilo City, Iloilo; Dumangas, Iloilo; and Butuan, Agusan del Norte.

Pagasa warned that dangerous heat indices can cause heat cramps and heat exhaustion, while continued exposure to the sun can lead to heat stroke.

It encouraged the public to limit outdoor activities if possible, drink plenty of water, use umbrellas, and wear comfortable clothing with sleeves.

Pagasa earlier said that a ‘very strong El Niño’ is present in the tropical Pacific and is expected to continue until the first half of 2027.

During a congressional briefing on Wednesday, Pagasa Climate Monitoring Chief Ana Liza Solis said that ‘there will be prolonged dry spells that will lead to meteorological drought conditions, and even forms of drought, such as agricultural and hydrological drought.’

An entire 10-member Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) council in Malungon, Sarangani province has resigned altogether-declining two more years in office as a result of the postponement of the Barangay and SK Elections (BSKE)-saying they can’t keep postponing their personal and career plans.

Last September, President Marcos signed Republic Act No. 12326, postponing the BSKE set for Nov. 2 to the second Monday of November 2028, effectively extending the term of current barangay and SK officials by two more years. RA 12326 also fixed their terms at five years.

In a joint statement posted on their official Facebook page on Tuesday, Nov. 3, the entire SK council of Barangay Banate formally announced their resignation, saying they wanted to pursue other goals, explore new opportunities, and grow beyond their responsibilities in public service.’Serving the youth of Barangay Banate has been an up-and-down, and a meaningful experience for all of us,’ the statement read, describing their three years in office as a period that taught them lessons in leadership, teamwork, and local governance.

Banate is a rural barangay in Malungon town with 3,914 residents in 1,096 households. It is the seventh most populous among Malungon’s 31 barangays, according to the 2024 Census of Population.

The SK council members, who submitted their resignation to the mayor’s office, said they saw their departure as an opportunity for other young leaders to step forward, take on responsibilities and bring their own ideas to the community.

The SK secretary and SK treasurer also tendered their resignations.

In a separate statement, SK chairperson Phejay Pacaña explained that they had initially expected to complete their term with the scheduled 2026 BSKE, which Marcos postponed to 2028 and effectively extended their mandate for another two years.

According to him, the postponement makes it difficult for them to pursue their individual career and personal plans.Pacaña said the council members, several of whom are already licensed professionals and college graduates with Latin honors, have careers to build, further studies to pursue, and other opportunities to explore.

The last BSKE election was held on Oct. 30, 2023. ‘I know the oath I took was serious, and I never treated this position as something temporary or insignificant. But I also realized that I cannot keep postponing my own life indefinitely. I have dreams outside this office, too,’ he said.Pacaña clarified that the decision was not prompted by a disagreement with the barangay council, saying both bodies had maintained a good working relationship during their three-year tenure.He acknowledged that the council was not perfect but said it had tried to introduce new approaches to youth development and provide opportunities for young people in the barangay.Some of the resigned SK members also explained their reasons for not serving out their extended terms.

‘I believe it is now the right time for me to focus on my development as an educator and to fully embrace my responsibility in guiding and nurturing the next generation of learners,’ Cristine Joy Salda said.

Chelsea Alexa Rafinian explained: ‘I have decided to focus more on my personal and professional growth, particularly in pursuing my career goals and responsibilities.’

‘I am preparing to embark on a vessel in January 2027, which will require me to be away from the community for an extended period. Given the nature of my work and the uncertainty of my availability, I believe I may no longer be able to consistently fulfill my duties and responsibilities as an SK Kagawad,’ Jayvee Navales said.

‘I want to ensure that I can give my full commitment and dedication to my teaching profession,’ Jazz Gonzales said.

Xcylla Fritch Baguio: ‘As of now, I am currently pursuing employment opportunities abroad, which takes my time, commitment and preparation in the application process and interviews. I believe that this is an important step toward building a more stable future and pursuing the goals I have set for myself and my family.’

Police seized around 1,420 liters of suspected illegally traded diesel fuel worth P120,700 and arrested a 56-year-old man during a buy-bust operation at Purok Nami-Nami, Barangay Banago here on Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 3.

The suspect, identified only by his alias ‘Panoy,’ a resident of Barangay Banago, was apprehended at around 5 p.m. following reports of illegal siphoning, storage, and trading of petroleum products in large volumes, the Police Regional Office Negros Island Region (PRO NIR) reported.

A police poseur-buyer successfully bought a container of diesel fuel worth P1,000 using marked money, triggering the suspect’s immediate arrest, the PRO NIR said.

A search of the area led to the recovery of five 200-liter drums and fourteen 30-liter containers filled with suspected diesel fuel, priced at P85 per liter.

Operatives also confiscated 13 empty buckets, approximately 150 empty containers, four manual rotary pumps with discharge hoses, three panel vans, and one L300 vehicle allegedly used to store and transport the fuel.

Initial police findings revealed the operation lacked the required Certificate of Compliance from the Department of Energy (DOE) and fire safety clearance from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).

The suspect was informed of his constitutional rights upon arrest and was brought to Bacolod City Police Station 3 along with the confiscated evidence for proper documentation and disposition.

Authorities said the seized fuel is being secured under safety measures pending coordination with regulatory agencies.

Panoy faces charges for violating Batas Pambansa Blg. 33, as amended by Presidential Decree No. 1865 and Republic Act No. 10588, which will be filed for inquest proceedings before the City Prosecutor’s Office.

The joint operation was spearheaded by the PRO NIR Regional Intelligence Division, with support from Police Station 3 of the Bacolod City Police Office, the Regional Intelligence Unit, the Regional Field Unit, the City Intelligence Unit of the Bacolod City Police Office, and the Bureau of Fire Protection NIR.

Late last month, The IdeaFirst Live held a press conference unveiling their 2027-2028 season with some really interesting productions. They announced ‘Die Beautiful: The Musical,’ the Eugene Domingo-led one-woman show ‘Victorina,’ and the adaptation of the book ‘Teorya ng Tanong,’ a companion piece to the film and its theatrical adaptation, ‘About Us But Not About Us.’

‘Teorya ng Tanong’ will reunite Elijah Canlas, Romnick Sarmienta, and Epy Quizon, who performed in the hit production as the characters in the book, making it an extremely meta experience.

During the launch of this season, ‘Die Beautiful: The Musical’ is also revealed to have been updated (book and lyrics by Jun Robles Lana and Elmer Gatchalian) so that the play will revolve more around the art of drag rather than beauty pageants.

It has been 10 years since the movie was released, so this shift will make it feel more present-more contemporary, even. It’s an interesting pivot and can create a lot of creative moments for its musical numbers.

Catching the theater bug

There have been a whole lot of film-to-stage adaptations lately. Just in the past five years, we had ‘Bagets: The Musical,’ ‘Dagitab,’ ‘Kisapmata,’ ‘One More Chance,’ ‘Bar Boys: The Musical,’ ‘Himala: The Musical,’ and ‘AKO: Alpha Kappa Omega’ (based on Mike De Leon’s ‘Batch ’81’). And while not a film, ‘Tabing-Ilog’ is still a play that is based on a story first told through the screen.

(I’m sure there’s a lot more that I’ve missed, but I’m just running through the ones I can name on the fly. And that’s a lot!)

Some of these titles may be one of the factors why there is a renewed interest in theater. A lot of non-theatergoers might have been interested in watching a play based on a popular movie and got the theater bug because of it.

While the thought of a play may be daunting for the uninitiated, I am one to believe that once you watch a play, it can get very addictive. And we have a lot of really good productions-great Filipino talent all over the theater scene-so most likely, you get to see one; there’s a huge chance it is going to be an amazing experience for the first-time theater-goer.

A history of interconnectedness

Theater and film have always intersected throughout history. When the technology of film led to telling stories on the new medium in the late 19th century, the pioneering filmmakers-the Lumiere Brothers-incorporated theatrical conventions into their work, taking inspiration from vaudeville and melodrama.

Later, French filmmaker Georges Melies used stagecraft to create his whimsical, fantastical films and pioneered special effects using theatrical techniques with editing wizardry (at that time) and made the timeless imagery of ‘A Trip to the Moon.’

As technology developed and longer films became a possibility, cinema took stage actors and brought them to the screen-while adapting popular plays and turning them into cinematic spectacles. Directors of the stage then made the transition to the screen, and the likes of Elia Kazan, John Huston, and Ingmar Bergman became known on both platforms.

In the Philippines, films began screening as early as 1897 when the technology was flown in, but it wasn’t until 1919 that the Filipinos were able to produce their own full-length movie. Jose Nepomuceno’s ‘Dalagang Bukid,’ which marked the beginning of Philippine cinema, was based on a Tagalog sarsuwela by Hermogenes Ilagan of the same name.

Many of the early works of film were based on existing theatrical productions-both here and globally-until the theories on film language bloomed and it diverged in storytelling techniques and styles. But the three-act structure, which was the basis of all Western drama founded by Plato and Aristotle, was also the foundation of cinematic narrative structure for most of its first 50 years.

So while it may seem like it’s a ‘growing trend’ in Philippine theater to take stories from popular films, their histories have long been intertwined. In a way, this is just a lovely cyclical interweaving of the two art forms.

From screen to stage to screen

Possibly one of the most interesting adaptations is that of Ishmael Bernal and Ricky Lee’s ‘Himala,’ which was adapted into the musical, ‘Himala: Isang Musikal’-rewritten for the stage by Lee with music by Vincent A. De Jesus.

The musical was first staged in 2003 and had a successful revival in 2019 by The Sandbox Collective and 9 Works Theatrical. A lot of the cast of that revival found themselves on screen for an adaptation of the musical-which was released as ‘Isang Himala,’ directed by Pepe Diokno and premiered in the 50th Metro Manila Film Festival in 2024.

From screen to stage and back to the screen, the material-which is a timeless look into how impoverished communities cling to any semblance of miracles to rescue them from their suffering; an exploration of the Filipino psyche-is mined for all its nuance and sociological textures in the various iterations that it takes.

If the adaptation, whether it’s from stage to screen or screen to stage, manages to further illuminate or expound on any new insight that one can glean from the story, then the endeavor is worth the time and effort.

Constantly evolving, constantly growing

It’s like how ‘Bar Boys: The Musical’ by The Barefoot Collective and ‘Dagitab’ by Scene Change were able to stay true to the original essence of the films they were based on-but managed to fully utilize the immediacy and urgency of the stage to bring out new discoveries that the material could offer.

A film is a static art form. Once completed and shown, it’s fixed. There’s power in that. But a play is dynamic and transformative by nature. A change of director on a revival, a change of venue, or a different approach by an actor in a given role can evoke different themes and open up new possibilities.

I’m excited about this correlation between the two art forms. Movie studios have opened a theatrical division to capitalize on the growing audience for theater, which is great, as more money will be funneled towards theater actors and practitioners.

This means more employment for these artists and more chances for the audience to grow. And this might force filmmakers to take notice of the changing attitudes of the viewers and pivot their own stories to accommodate these changes.

Art should always be evolving, and referencing and interacting with each other. While there is a capitalist thrust that is forcing these intersections, I am enjoying how these are forcing both industries to level up and grow.

And if it gives the audience more to absorb and digest and enriches their lives because of it, I don’t see why not.

Unilab, Inc. (Unilab), the leading and most-trusted pharmaceutical brand in the Philippines, has emerged as the highest-ranked company of ASEAN origin in TIME magazine and Statista’s Asia-Pacific’s Best Employers of 2027, placing 24th among 500 companies across the region.

The Campos-Hess-led Filipino pharmaceutical company scored 89.15 out of 100, outperforming other companies founded and headquartered in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including some of Southeast Asia’s largest conglomerates.

Unilab also led Philippine companies on the list, ahead of Ayala Corp., which ranked 32nd with a score of 88.07; Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co. at 44th; San Miguel Corp. at 55th; and Jollibee Foods Corp. at 89th.

Other Philippine companies included Del Monte Philippines at 105th, BDO Unibank at 164th, Philippine Airlines at 186th, Aboitiz Power at 196th and SM Investments Corp. at 206th.

The TIME-Statista inaugural ranking, announced globally on November 3, was based on an independent survey of more than 80,000 full-time and part-time employees across Asia-Pacific, using data gathered from 2024 to 2026. TIME and global data firm Statista evaluated an initial pool of more than 7,000 companies to identify the region’s 500 best employers.

Companies that employ at least 1,000 people in Asia-Pacific and maintain operations in at least two markets were covered by the study. The survey used independent online panels, with respondents identifying their employers through an open-ended question designed to minimize company influence over participant selection.

Employees rated – on a scale of 0 to 10 – their willingness to recommend their current or former employers to family and friends. They also assessed other companies within their industries, indicating whether they would recommend them, would not recommend them, or had no opinion.

Statista combined these direct employee recommendations with indirect assessments of other employers, assigning greater weight to employees’ evaluations of their own workplaces. Companies were then given overall scores out of 100, with the 500 highest-scoring employers making the final list.

Unlike corporate rankings based on revenues, profitability or market capitalization, the TIME-Statista study focused on workplace reputation and employee recommendations.

Unilab was founded in 1945 by Jose Y. Campos and Mariano K. Tan as United Drug, a small corner drugstore in Binondo, Manila. The company celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2025.

From its beginnings in pharmaceutical distribution, Unilab expanded into manufacturing and developed into one of Southeast Asia’s major pharmaceutical enterprises.

Unilab’s top ranking puts the Filipino company ahead of other ASEAN-origin enterprises in the regional employer ranking, reflecting its standing in an assessment centered on employee satisfaction and workplace reputation.

Global heating reaching 1.8 degrees Celsius may now seem unavoidable in the next few years, meaning that for the first time since the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change began warning about the catastrophic impacts of a human-induced climate crisis, humanity is about to cross multiple tipping points that could cause irreversible damage.

In my previous column (see ‘Navigating the global warming ‘overshoot,” 10/22/26), I discussed the UN Environment Program’s (Unep) ‘Limiting Overshoot Spotlight Report,’ which warned that ‘under current policies and alternative near-term trajectories, exceedance of 1.5 degrees Celsius is now widely assessed as unavoidable.’

The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change adopted by 195 countries in 2015. Unep’s report warned that despite progress in climate change mitigation, failing to expedite global action to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from fossil fuels could push global warming past the Paris Agreement’s landmark 1.5 degrees Celsius goal. The peak temperature rise could reach 1.8 degrees Celsius in the next few years. ‘Even an optimistic scenario of current government pledges (full implementation of all national climate plans plus meeting additional net-zero targets) puts expected peak temperature rise at 1.8°C,’ Unep said.

After examining studies on peak warming and its attendant risks and impacts on our planet, Unep suggested an ‘overshoot, peak and decline’ mitigation pathway for subsequent temperature decline, and adaptation and development approaches that could reverse this overshoot. (You can access the report here: https://tinyurl.com/2xfpuzj6). Burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas for electricity and heat, manufacturing and industrial production, and transportation drives about a third of global GHG emissions.

The Unep report is timely, calling for political will from governments worldwide to strengthen and sustain global climate action ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference in Antalya, Turkiye, scheduled for Nov. 9 to 20. ‘Today’s decisions are therefore critical: the lower the peak warming reached, the lower the risks faced by people, societies, economies and ecosystems,’ Unep said.

The reverse is also true: ‘the shorter the duration of overshoot, the lower the probability of crossing irreversible thresholds and adaptation limits. The central message is clear: mitigation and adaptation must advance together. Overshoot is not an argument for resignation, but rather for urgency to action,’ Unep added.

It’s important to reiterate that exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius will not lead to any positive outcomes. We can expect faster sea level rise, a higher likelihood of coral reef collapse, impacts on food security and water supplies, more frequent and intense heat waves, droughts and flooding, and greater risks of pathogen spillover.

As an example, Unep pointed out that glaciers could lose more than a quarter of their mass by 2100, a scenario that could raise sea levels by 9 to 12.5 centimeters (cm) (assuming global warming of up to or less than +3 degrees Celsius). ‘There is also a higher risk of irreversible tipping points to global systems such as the West Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets, the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation and the Amazon rainforest-which would reshape the world forever,’ it added.

But other climate scientists and researchers say that climate tipping points (CTPs)-planetary thresholds beyond which changes in part of the climate system become self-perpetuating-become likely even within the Paris Agreement’s target range of 1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius of warming. These CTPs include the ‘collapse of the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets, die-off of low-latitude coral reefs, and widespread abrupt permafrost thaw’ (source: tinyurl.com/33wu5afy).

Faster sea level rise. Such a scenario will accelerate sea level rise-depending on the rate of global warming-and drive a slow but steady encroachment of seawater into outlying parts of islands and coastal communities, including archipelagos such as the Philippines.

Faster sea level rise puts Manila Bay reclamation projects and similar projects in island provinces, such as Masbate and Cebu, at great risk, and some ecosystem losses that affect water and food security could become irreversible.

Active reclamation and waterfront projects in Pasay, Manila, and Bulacan will face the double whammy of localized ground subsidence (sinking ground) and sea level rise, which is three times faster than the global average (21 to 24 cm/8 to 9 inches since 1880)-up to 9 cm a year in Metro Manila, according to one study. In 2023, the global average hit a new record high-101.4 millimeters (3.99 inches) above the 1993 levels (source: https://tinyurl.com/ys45vfjd).

Government planners and private developers should read the writing on the wall.

Beyond the high cost of developing these reclaimed lands to address these environmental vulnerabilities, the biggest problem is seasonal flooding-water displaced by reclaimed land must go somewhere else, causing prolonged inland flooding and increasing tidal heights.