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Manila Luzon joins Madonna for Vogue performance
Filipino-American drag queen Manila Luzon saw another dream come true after performing with the "Queen of Pop" Madonna......»»
Gretchen Ho dismayado sa performance ni Jo Koy sa Golden Globes
NAGLABAS ng saloobin ang kilalang personalidad at host na si Gretchen Ho ukol sa ginawang hosting stint ng Filipino-American comedian na si Jo Koy sa 2024 Golden Globe Awards. Sa kanyang X (dating Twitter), ipinahayag ng dalaga ang kanyang saloobin sa kontrobersyal na hosting ng komedyante kalakip ang video ng aktwal na pagdyo-joke nito. “Hosts.....»»
SEC affirms role as business and investor champion as it approaches 88th year
Following a record performance in 2023, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is heading toward the new year with optimism and vigor to help advance the national government’s vision of robust economic growth in the years ahead......»»
Team Jhong, Kim, Ion named ‘Magpasikat 2023’ grand champion
The group of Jhong Hilario, Kim Chiu and Ion Perez was announced as the “Magpasikat 2023” grand champion on “It’s Showtime” on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. Hilario, Chiu and Perez’s performance—which centered on the harmful effects of social media—garnered an average score of 9.6 from the panel of judges comprising Tirso Cruz III, director Olivia Lamasan,.....»»
Mattel posts strong Q3 results, boosted by ‘Barbie’ mania
American toy maker Mattel revised its annual earnings forecast after its third-quarter results beat analysts' expectations, riding on the success of the "Barbie" blockbuster. "Consumer demand for our product increased in the quarter, and we continued to outpace the industry," Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz said in a press release. He added: "Our results benefited from the success of the Barbie movie, which became a global cultural phenomenon, and marked a key milestone for Mattel." In a call with analysts, Kreiz said ticket sales, the movie toy line, and consumer product partnerships contributed to the company's performance. The film has grossed more than $1.44 billion worldwide since it was released in theaters in July. The group posted $1.92 billion in sales from July to September, which was higher than the $1.84 billion forecast by FactSet analysts. It posted a net income of $146,3 million, half the figure for the same period last year, due to a one-time charge of $212 million linked to taxes on foreign assets, the company said. However, its adjusted per-share profit of $1.08 beat analysts' estimate of 86 cents. "Given our year-to-date performance and expectations for a strong holiday season, we are updating our guidance for 2023 to reflect anticipated upside to our margin and bottom-line results," Chief Financial Officer Anthony DiSilvestro said in a statement. The company now expects annual adjusted earnings per share between $1.15 and $1.25, compared with $1.10 to $1.20 estimated previously. Operating profit is expected to be between $925 and $975 million, compared to $900-950 million in previous forecasts. Mattel shares fell 7 percent in extended trade. The post Mattel posts strong Q3 results, boosted by ‘Barbie’ mania appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
REVIEW: ‘KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON’ Pure cinematic delight
The plot of Killers of the Flower Moon is rather simple: the shocking true story of the series of mysterious deaths of Native Americans from 1910s to 1930s in the oil-rich Osage Nation in Oklahoma. Called the “Reign of Terror,” this horrific period in American history is marked by the uninvestigated murders of the Osage tribe — the richest people in the world per capita at the time due to the vast deposits of oil found in their reservation. As black gold richly flows in their land, white men descend into the territory and begin to systematically murder the Osage tribe to steal their oil money, or headrights. Greed takes the form of grisly, nonchalant murders, compounded by racial injustice. Director Martin Scorsese takes us to Fairfax 1920s, where one such greedy white man, Ernest Buckhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) arrives in the Osage county from a non-combatant role in World War I. His guts destroyed in the war, he seeks a job from his uncle, King Bill (Robert de Niro), the powerful boss in the area and the mastermind behind the Osage killings but pretending to be a “friend to the Osage.” King Bill tells his nephew to marry a beautiful Osage woman, Mollie (Lily Gladstone) in a scheme to get her headrights. The movie focuses on the “love story” of Ernest and Mollie, and how Mollie is slowly poisoned to death. The colossal running time (3.5 hours) is barely felt. This epic revisionist Western drama is a visual spectacle and should be seen on the big screen to experience Scorsese’s glorious cinematic vision. Scorsese adapted David Grann’s 2017 bestselling non-fiction book on this grim chapter in American history. I haven’t read Grann’s book, but research revealed that it’s chiefly a detective story, with the murders viewed from the lens of the newly formed Bureau of Investigation (now the FBI) headed by Tim White. In The Irish Times interview with Scorsese, the director shared that he and co-writer Eric Roth initially wrote a script that was faithful to the book, with Scorsese’s muse, Leonardo DiCaprio, set to play White. But two years into the writing process, DiCaprio made a suggestion that completely overhauled the script, shifting the focus to Ernest (DiCaprio’s modified role) and Mollie. Lacking momentum The script often feels like it lacks momentum and depth, reducing Ernest and King Bill, and even Jesse Plemons as White, to stock characters. Roth is known for overhyped shallow films such as The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Forrest Gump and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, so he’s partly to blame for the lack of insight into the psychology of the film’s fascinating characters. Plemons came in too late into the show, nearly in the third hour. The film feels like it took its leisurely time to establish the greed and the machinations of the non-threatening King Bill, then realized it is getting too long and finally crammed the investigations into the last hour. Punctuated with dark humor, the movie is crafted to entertain rather than to appeal to our sympathy. This feels rather conflicting and mildly disturbing, as the Osage, victims of greedy white men, and whose story is just now spreading into public consciousness, are merely the sideshow. If they were robbed back then, this film also robs them of central attention, choosing to focus instead on their killers, particularly DiCaprio, with a strong supporting role from Gladstone’s Mollie. The Osage are also depicted as gullible and helpless, and we often crave to understand what goes on in their minds, which the movie does not really provide us. But Scorsese’s films have always been from the POV of the criminals, and the title says it all — so perhaps it is unfair to expect a different narrative. Compelling vision Thankfully, Scorsese, despite the oftentimes frustrating script, manages to redeem the entire film with his compelling vision, orchestrating pure cinematic delight with the film’s stunning cinematography, production design and costume. Despite the focus on the killers, he still redeems the Osage by showcasing, with reverence, their culture and pantheistic religion — their belief in the invisible world of Wah-kon-tah and eventual blend with Christianity. The era’s racism and greed are also profoundly felt in the movie — from the white guardians that controlled the Osage money, to the insurance frauds they were subjected to and, most chilling of all, the calm way the whites murdered the Native Americans, as if these people were mere nuisances. Di Caprio, with his fake sordid teeth, delivers, as always, a competent performance. But it is Gladstone, with her regal beauty and intelligent eyes, that truly shines in the film. Killers of the Flower Moon, despite its imperfections, triumphs in fully immersing the viewer in its story and putting the spotlight on an important chapter in American history. It reminds us that theaters are still a necessity for this kind of epic movie experience. 3.5 out of 5 stars/ In cinemas The post REVIEW: ‘KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON’ Pure cinematic delight appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
White House cancels B-52s’ performance
United States First Lady Jill Biden deemed inappropriate a performance by iconic American rock band the B-52s at the state dinner for visiting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, so she canceled it. “While we had initially planned for the legendary B-52s to perform their iconic dance and party music, we are now in a time when so many are facing sorrow and pain, and we have decided to make adjustments to the entertainment portion of the evening,” Biden told reporters. The New Wave band, named after a US bomber aircraft but more famous for their beehive hairdos, will still attend the state dinner but as guests, she added. Presidential military bands will provide “instrumental music” instead. Albanese arrived at the White House on Tuesday ahead of a formal state visit on Wednesday when he is expected to discuss topics including China, Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war. The state dinner originally features a guest chef, dishes including sarsaparilla-braised short ribs and design featuring US and Australian elements, plus music from band best known for the 1989 hit “Love Shack.” The post White House cancels B-52s’ performance appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Pure cinematic delight
The plot of Killers of the Flower Moon is rather simple: the shocking true story of the series of mysterious deaths of Native Americans from 1910s to 1930s in the oil-rich Osage Nation in Oklahoma. Called the “Reign of Terror,” this horrific period in American history is marked by the uninvestigated murders of the Osage tribe — the richest people in the world per capita at the time due to the vast deposits of oil found in their reservation. As black gold richly flows in their land, white men descend into the territory and begin to systematically murder the Osage tribe to steal their oil money, or headrights. Greed takes the form of grisly, nonchalant murders, compounded by racial injustice. Director Martin Scorsese takes us to Fairfax 1920s, where one such greedy white man, Ernest Buckhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) arrives in the Osage county from a non-combatant role in World War I. His guts destroyed in the war, he seeks a job from his uncle, King Bill (Robert de Niro), the powerful boss in the area and the mastermind behind the Osage killings but pretending to be a “friend to the Osage.” King Bill tells his nephew to marry a beautiful Osage woman, Mollie (Lily Gladstone) in a scheme to get her headrights. The movie focuses on the “love story” of Ernest and Mollie, and how Mollie is slowly poisoned to death. The colossal running time (3.5 hours) is barely felt. This epic revisionist Western drama is a visual spectacle and should be seen on the big screen to experience Scorsese’s glorious cinematic vision. Scorsese adapted David Grann’s 2017 bestselling non-fiction book on this grim chapter in American history. I haven’t read Grann’s book, but research revealed that it’s chiefly a detective story, with the murders viewed from the lens of the newly formed Bureau of Investigation (now the FBI) headed by Tim White. In The Irish Times interview with Scorsese, the director shared that he and co-writer Eric Roth initially wrote a script that was faithful to the book, with Scorsese’s muse, Leonardo DiCaprio, set to play White. But two years into the writing process, DiCaprio made a suggestion that completely overhauled the script, shifting the focus to Ernest (DiCaprio’s modified role) and Mollie. Lacking momentum The script often feels like it lacks momentum and depth, reducing Ernest and King Bill, and even Jesse Plemons as White, to stock characters. Roth is known for overhyped shallow films such as The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Forrest Gump and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, so he’s partly to blame for the lack of insight into the psychology of the film’s fascinating characters. Plemons came in too late into the show, nearly in the third hour. The film feels like it took its leisurely time to establish the greed and the machinations of the non-threatening King Bill, then realized it is getting too long and finally crammed the investigations into the last hour. Punctuated with dark humor, the movie is crafted to entertain rather than to appeal to our sympathy. This feels rather conflicting and mildly disturbing, as the Osage, victims of greedy white men, and whose story is just now spreading into public consciousness, are merely the sideshow. If they were robbed back then, this film also robs them of central attention, choosing to focus instead on their killers, particularly DiCaprio, with a strong supporting role from Gladstone’s Mollie. The Osage are also depicted as gullible and helpless, and we often crave to understand what goes on in their minds, which the movie does not really provide us. But Scorsese’s films have always been from the POV of the criminals, and the title says it all — so perhaps it is unfair to expect a different narrative. Compelling vision Thankfully, Scorsese, despite the oftentimes frustrating script, manages to redeem the entire film with his compelling vision, orchestrating pure cinematic delight with the film’s stunning cinematography, production design and costume. Despite the focus on the killers, he still redeems the Osage by showcasing, with reverence, their culture and pantheistic religion — their belief in the invisible world of Wah-kon-tah and eventual blend with Christianity. The era’s racism and greed are also profoundly felt in the movie — from the white guardians that controlled the Osage money, to the insurance frauds they were subjected to and, most chilling of all, the calm way the whites murdered the Native Americans, as if these people were mere nuisances. Di Caprio, with his fake sordid teeth, delivers, as always, a competent performance. But it is Gladstone, with her regal beauty and intelligent eyes, that truly shines in the film. Killers of the Flower Moon, despite its imperfections, triumphs in fully immersing the viewer in its story and putting the spotlight on an important chapter in American history. It reminds us that theaters are still a necessity for this kind of epic movie experience. 3.5 out of 5 stars/ In cinemas The post Pure cinematic delight appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
A skilled workforce — a critical component of Phl energy transition
Amid the Philippine energy transition, Aboitiz Power Corporation recognized the growing scarcity of skilled power industry workers and, hence, the necessity of developing a workforce that can adapt and willingly carry the important task of ensuring energy security, affordability, and sustainability for today’s and tomorrow’s Filipinos. “There has to be a workforce now and in the future that will keep our energy system functioning and serve the needs of our country,” said AboitizPower chief people officer MaLu Inofre. “However, among our most difficult challenges is building a skilled talent pipeline that can effectively adjust and work with the fast-paced transformation within the industry's energy mix, digital systems and regulations.” “It has become exceedingly vital to ensure that workforce skills align with the changes of the times,” she further explained. “In the same way, attracting talent in a competitive global market is crucial to a sustainable, efficient, and innovative Philippine power sector that meets our country’s growing energy demands and sustainability objectives.” Inofre made her remarks during the first Philippine Power Industry HR Forum at Shangri-La The Fort, Taguig City. The event was presented by the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc. in partnership with AboitizPower. Young academic and professional achievers were recruited and trained by AboitizPower to operate, monitor, and control the company’s National Operations Control Center, which oversees over 20 renewable energy facilities spread across the country all from one central location. In the Philippines, the Department of Labor and Employment said that an estimated one million skilled workers in engineering, architecture and construction are lacking. They cited “Power Plant Maintenance Engineer” and “Maintenance/Powerplant Engineers” as among the hard-to-fill occupations in the country. This can be due to a lack of qualified applicants or brain drain (or when better opportunities abroad are taken advantage of by skilled locals). “Between 2016 and 2021, the employment in the power industry declined by 15,444 individuals,” said DOLE Bureau of Local Employment Director Patrick P. Patriwirawan Jr. during the same event. “The Philippines saw an increase in the employment in the renewable energy industry last year but could have employed more if not for the delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic on various project developments in the sector.” Inofre added that a major factor influencing the labor shortage is the shift in the type of skills sought by employers, especially as the sector tries to balance the entry of renewable energy whilst maintaining traditional energy systems. “Knowing this, upskilling will be key to facilitating a just transition for those who will be affected by the transition to a greener economy, as well as the new generation of workers. It is imperative that we successfully cultivate both thermal and renewable energy, so that we can ensure reliable and affordable energy supply for the country,” she said. Meralco Power Academy Program management director Engineer Marc Lester Malibiran explained that, on top of upskilling the workforce, the industry should also help develop interest for the sector, especially in the youth. In a panel discussion, AboitizPower Chief People Officer MaLu Inofre (2nd from right) said that the energy industry must come together to craft and implement programs that strengthen the talent pipeline for the Philippine power industry. “The Philippines boasts a young and vibrant population brimming with innovative potential. By investing in talent development, we tap into this dynamic workforce, harnessing their fresh ideas and energy,” he said. “Unfortunately, we are seeing a decline in both take-up and completion of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), averaging only a 21 percent completion [rate].” “Young Filipinos avoid STEM as it is seen to be an intimidating course of study. This is important to know as this signals us to develop programs that remove this preconceived notion,” he added. The Philippine Power Industry HR Forum served as an avenue for human resources professionals in the Philippine power industry to connect, collaborate and communicate ideas, knowledge and best practices. Sentiments from the breakout sessions revealed that skills and competency gaps or mismatch, a limited external talent pool and difficulty in retaining talent due to global and local competition are the most cited challenges in the human resources field of the Philippine energy sector. A panel discussion moderated by Atty. Jose Layug Jr. of Divina Law saw Michael Page regional director and country head Albert Perez, Meralco chief HR officer Edgardo “Egay” Carasig, Philippine Independent Power Producers Association, Inc. president Atty. Anne Estorco Montelibano and ACEN chief HR officer John Philip Orbeta discuss the need to calibrate existing government programs to be more in sync with the needs of the energy industry. This includes building competencies within communities to turn locals into more competitive applicants. Meanwhile, another panel discussion moderated by AmCham Human Capital & Resources Committee co-chair Ernie Cecilia had Global Business Power Corporation VP-Human Resources Maria Luz Blanco-Uriarte, One Renewable Energy Enterprise, Inc. founder and president Erel Narida and AboitizPower’s Inofre talk about how retaining workers involves investing on their skills, ensuring talent mobility opportunities and giving them a sense of purpose. “The energy industry must create an acceptable, progressive plan to resolve the talent crisis. AboitizPower, for one, makes an effort to resolve the shortage of estimated skilled workers in our industry by maintaining academic-industry linkages with universities in the country, providing long-term scholarships [and] establishing programs with TESDA that help promote electrical engineering skills at the grassroots level, among other initiatives,” Inofre said. “Through similar initiatives, I believe we can successfully empower a community of like-minded individuals who work towards implementing human resource programs that strengthen the talent pipeline for the Philippine power industry,” she concluded. The post A skilled workforce — a critical component of Phl energy transition appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sept. auto sales surge 27% — CAMPI
Reflecting the robust economic rebound, the automotive industry reported sales in the year to September posted a strong double-digit growth from 2022. In a joint report on Sunday, the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers Philippines Inc. and the Truck Manufacturers Association said industry sales in the first nine months were 314,843, which was 26. 9 percent higher than the 248,154 units sold last year. For this year, CAMPI said it is targeting to sell 423,000 units, including imported vehicles. “We recorded the highest monthly sales in September, and we hope that positive consumer outlook will be sustained in the fourth quarter,” according to CAMPI president Rommel Gutierrez. On the other hand, sales of locally assembled vehicles in September 2023 posted an uptick of 9.5 percent or 38,628 units compared to 35,282 units sold in 2022. Cars selling hot anew The sales of passenger cars also surged to 9,558 units in September 2023, improving 19.8 percent from 7,976 units a year ago. The industry group also stated that commercial vehicle sales went up by 6.5 percent year-on-year to 29,070 units from 27,306 units. Moreover, sales of passenger cars managed a 33.2 percent increase to 80,009 units from 60,058 units in September 2022. Commercial vehicle sales jumped by 24.8 percent to 234,834 units from 188,096 units last year. “The auto market has remained resilient since 2021 and the current trend indicated that we will breach the highest pre-pandemic sales performance and achieve full industry recovery in 2023,” Gutierrez said. The brand with the greatest number of units sold in September 2023 was Japanese brand Toyota with a 45.81 percent market share, trailed by Mitsubishi with an 18.44 percent market share, followed by American brand Ford with 7.33 percent; Japan’s Nissan, with 6.36 percent; and Suzuki, with 4.28 percent market share. The post Sept. auto sales surge 27% — CAMPI appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘The Eras Tour’ serves up Taylor Swift, larger than life
That Taylor Swift is a great songwriter is no longer in question. What’s up for debate is whether she’s a great concert artist as well. By artist we don’t mean a gifted vocalist. The era of the pop concert as a singing showcase and a straightforward live onstage performance of recorded music ended in 1990 with Madonna’s third concert tour. Called Blond Ambition, the highly theatrical show combined music, spectacle and, most crucially, storytelling with a several-act structure based on themes or narrative arcs, deconstructed songs and elaborate sets to redefine the pop concert as performance art. It has since been the template and gold standard by which all concerts, especially those by female superstars, have been measured. Yes, even Madonna’s own subsequent tours have been assessed through the Ambition lens and, arguably, none of them has quite equaled the one that gave the world the cone bra as an icon of female sexuality and woman power. [caption id="attachment_201371" align="aligncenter" width="1987"] LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 11: Taylor Swift attends "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" Concert Movie World Premiere at AMC The Grove 14 on October 11, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)[/caption] Feast for the eyes Swift’s The Eras Tour, as seen in the filmed concert currently showing in cinemas worldwide, certainly serves up a feast for the eyes. Most of it is courtesy of the massive stage consisting of a backdrop that stands several stories high, a huge main platform and a long runway that juts well into the audience floor and features its own diamond-shaped mini-stage with a “hyperactive” central hydraulic platform consisting of several mobile blocks that rise to various heights throughout the almost three-hour show. It’s not only one of the biggest stages ever built for a pop concert, but is also probably the biggest LED installation ever assembled in and outside the music world. And it’s never not in use, lighting up the cavernous 70,000-seat SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles (where the movie was filmed over three shows) with eye-popping digital images, pre-recorded videos and live footage from the concert itself. The set is so massive that it makes Swift and her troupe of dancers look like ants. But thanks to the big screens, she literally looks larger than life to the live audience at different points in the show. The film does the opposite, and is the better for it: It brings Swift into the intimate space of the cinema and, thus, closer to the audience. Eras further highlights and celebrates the main thing that has helped the 33-year-old singer-songwriter conquer the pop world, the core attribute that makes Taylor Swift Taylor Swift: relatability. [gallery columns="2" size="full" ids="201372,201370"] It’s all over her music: a repertoire of mostly slow and mid-tempo ballads that tell about the blush, excitement, joy, ecstasy, frustrations, confusion, sadness, heartbreak, anger and regrets of modern-day romantic relationships, in creative confessional journal prose that listeners of all ages, colors and persuasions find no difficulty accessing and plugging into. It’s all over her wholesome, winsome, non-threatening all-American girl-next-door public persona. This is on fuller display in her performance in Eras than even in her 2020 documentary movie, Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince, which chronicled mostly the period between her Reputation Tour in 2018 and the release in 2019 of her seventh studio album, Lover. Between the many floral, even pastoral, and fluid graphic images onscreen and the tasteful, immaculate set pieces, between the squarely schematic album-era sectioning and the billowy ball gowns and sparkly and sexy but modest bodysuits, between the Cheshire-Cat grin Swift wears through most of the show, even during moments in some heartbreak songs, and her dorky cheerleader energy, The Eras Tour plays like Little Miss Sunshine & The Hearty Princess. It’s all what anyone would expect from the reigning America’s Sweetheart. Thoroughly entertaining It’s a great Taylor Swift show, for sure — thoroughly entertaining and one that sends stans to Swift heaven. But it stops at being a Taylor Swift show with a faithful rendition of her songs when, for something called Eras, it should be giving audiences, both fans and casuals alike, more to chew on than what they already know and are familiar with — a recast, a reinterpretation, a recontextualization of her music and impact. [caption id="attachment_201373" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] US singer-songwriter Taylor Swift performs onstage on the first night of her "Eras Tour" at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on March 31, 2023. (Photo by SUZANNE CORDEIRO / AFP)[/caption] The show is content to be a pop concert about Taylor Swift. Coming almost 20 years into her career, it should’ve reached for the world outside of Taylor Swift, or even just a small part of it: What do Taylor and her songs, for instance, say about the times we are living in? The Eras Tour could have aspired to life and art, or at least something approaching it, and thereby become a truly era-defining experience. The post ‘The Eras Tour’ serves up Taylor Swift, larger than life appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Obiena never tested positive
Dubai-based American CEO and athletics benefactor Jim Lafferty said yesterday world No. 2 pole vaulter EJ Obiena never tested positive in any drug test and doesn’t need a performance-enhancing-substance to win. Lafferty lashed out at Anais Poumarat’s malicious and unsubstantiated rant where she accused Obiena of doping in a recent Facebook comment......»»
Villanueva files reso commending Gilas Pilipinas for its victory in Asian Games
Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva on Monday filed a resolution urging the Senate to commend the Philippine men’s national basketball team Gilas Pilipinas for winning the gold medal in the recently concluded 19th Asian Games. In filing Proposed Resolution No. 822, Villanueva congratulated Gilas Pilipinas for their victory in the 5x5 basketball event of the 19th Asian Games held in Hangzhou, China from 25 September to 6 October 2023. “[T]his is the country’s fifth gold medal in the basketball tournament of the quadrennial regional games and the first since the 1962 Asian Games, ending the country’s 61-year title drought,” he said. “Gilas Pilipinas brought great pride and honor to the country, delighting millions of Filipino basketball followers around the world as they once again ruled Asian basketball after more than six decades,” he added. He continued: “Gilas Pilipinas displayed determination, discipline, resilience, and perseverance and their outstanding performance deserves the highest praise, recognition, and commendation as they showed the world the indefatigable spirit of Filipino basketball excellence.” The 12-man Gilas Pilipinas won the 19th Asian Games basketball championship, bringing the title back to the Philippines after more than 60 years since its last victory in 1962. The basketball team is composed of Japeth Aguilar, Kevin Louie Alas, Justin Brownlee, Junemar Fajardo, Angelo Kouame, Marcio Lassiter, Chris Newsome, Calvin Oftana, Christian Jaymar “CJ” Perez, Christopher Ross, Earl Scottie Thompson, and Arvin Tolentino. Gilas Pilipinas was led by head coach Earl Timothy Cone and assistant coaches Richard del Rosario, Jong Uichico, Josh Reyes, and LA Tenorio. The post Villanueva files reso commending Gilas Pilipinas for its victory in Asian Games appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PEZA chief lures potential Rotarian investors with ecozone perks
Members — particularly those in such business enterprises as manufacturing — of the Rotary Club of Manila, Asia’s oldest and biggest Rotary organization, were personally enticed by Philippine Economic Zone Authority director-general Tereso Panga of the benefits, particularly tax perks if they expand operations in the country or poured in investments in the ecozone. Panga, who served as guest speaker at RC Manila’s 14th General Membership Meeting at the Manila Polo Club, Makati City, on 5 October 2023, relayed to the prospective ecozone investors the various fiscal and non-fiscal Incentives offered by PEZA. He said the investment promotion agency offers income tax holidays or ITH of four to seven years depending on the industry tier and location, once onboard PEZA-run ecozones. For the National Capital Region, locators are entitled to four years of ITH for those that are in Tier 1; five years of ITH for Tier 2, and six years for those belonging to Tier 3. For locators in Metropolitan areas or areas contiguous and adjacent to NCR, a five-year ITH is given to Tier 1; six years for Tier 2, and seven years for Tier 3. “A five percent Special Corporate Income Tax holiday is also provided for 10 years for export-oriented projects, while enhanced deductions for five years are given to locators involved in domestic-oriented project activities,” Panga said. Other notable benefits awaiting interested PEZA locators include Customs duty exemption on importation of capital equipment, raw materials, spare parts, or accessories directly and exclusively used in the registered project/activity for a maximum period of 17 years unless otherwise extended under the Strategic Investment Priority Plan of the Philippine government; domestic sales allowance of up to 30 percent of total sales for export-oriented companies; value-added tax exemption on importation and VAT-zero rating on local purchases of goods and services directly and exclusively used in the registered project or activity for a maximum period of 17 years, unless otherwise extended under the SIPP; and exemption from payment of national and local government taxes and fees for the period of availment of the 5 percent special corporate income tax incentive Also, PEZA locators are entitled to employ foreign nationals; can enjoy long-term land leases of up to 75 years, and are entitled to the PEZA 2-year special non-immigrant visa issued to expatriates and their dependents as well as foreign workers. [caption id="attachment_194752" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Philippine Economic Zone Authority Director General Tereso O. Panga[/caption] PEZA performance Panga earlier reported that the investment promotion agency had reaped an overwhelming 114 percent increase in investments in the second quarter of the year, following the approval of 61 new and expansion projects for the period of April to June 2022. PEZA records showed that total investments are expected to bring in a total of P14.347 billion, 114.93 percent higher than the P6.675 billion approved investments for the second quarter of 2022. Of the 61 approved new and expansion projects, 16 are for the Information Technology industry, 15 for export/manufacturing, 13 for facilities, 13 for ecozone development, and two for IT Facilities and Logistics. Meanwhile, expected jobs to be created by those projects total 11,186, which is 29.06 percent higher compared to the 8,667 projected jobs in the 2nd quarter of 2022. For the January to June period of 2023, a total of 90 new and expansion projects have been approved and are expected to bring in P22.488 billion in investments, $747.093 million in exports, and 14,354 jobs. Japan remains PEZA’s top country investor in the first half with P8.007 billion in investments followed by Singapore with P2.169 billion. Also, Panga said that Japan topped the countries with the highest approved foreign investments at 27.34 percent, followed by Filipino companies at 23.19 percent, and American companies in the third spot at 14.82 percent. “PEZA accounted for 60.5 percent of the total foreign investment commitments in Q2 2023 with P35.75 billion,” he told the Rotary Club of Manila members. From 1995 to 2022, PEZA’s total dividends turned in to the National Treasury was a total of P26,889,567,738.07. Ecozones on the rise To date, Panga said PEZA hosts 422 ecozones and 4,352 locator companies/projects throughout the country. Of said number of ecozones, 299 are dedicated to IT Parks and Centers, 79 to manufacturing firms, 24 to agro-industrial parks, 17 are to tourism and three are to medical tourism ventures. Based on the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has projected that “the creation of ecozones will…maximize investments and promote industrial dispersion, especially outside metropolitan areas. Further, the ecozones will be integrated into the local economy by relaxing the requirements, facilitating the free flow of parts, components, and other inputs, and increasing open trade between zone locators and firms outside the zones.” In the coming years, various ecozones will be sprouting, while the ecozones that have already been officially proclaimed by the Office of the President include Robinsons Cyberpark Bacolod, Lima Technology Center (Expansion), Hermosa Ecozone Industrial Park (Expansion), Philtai Central Luzon Industrial Park, Felcris Centrale IT Park, ECCO 4 Building, Lopue’s Mandalagan IT Center, Marina Town Dumaguete, Naga City Industrial Park and Kamanga Agro-Industrial Economic Zone (Expansion), altogether with investments totaling P3.418 billion. Ecozones pending approval are MetroCas Industrial Estates-Special Economic Zone, Suyo Economic Zone and the expansions of Kamanga Agro-Industrial Economic Zone and Lima Technology Center, with a total investment amount of P773.962 million. As of September 2023, the governing board of PEZA has approved big-ticket investments with a total committed investment of P193.200 billion, and these are the First Pangasinan Property Development Corp., Raedang International Builders and Development Corp., Green Energy with Torrefaction Technology Inc., Dyson Electronics PTE, Ltd. Philippine Branch, Sunpower Philippines Manufacturing Ltd., Isla Import Terminals Inc., MJ Landtrade Development Corp., YCO Cloud Malvar Inc., Savya Land Development Corporation, RLGB Land Corporation, Robinsons Land Corporation, TDK Philippines, P. Imes Corp., Best-one Ever Luck Realty Corp., Knowles Electronics (Phil) Corporation, WIPRO Phils. Inc., Glensworth Development Inc., ACI Inc., Megaworld Corporation and Kyungshin Pampanga Philippines Inc. Currently, Panga said PEZA is focused on seven priority sectors, that is, advanced manufacturing, extractives (green ores processing), agriculture and blue industries, IT services and frontier technologies, eco-industrial park development (renewable energy and alternative energy, clean water and wastewater treatment, circular economy, sustainable development goals, green buildings, smart systems integration), Science, Technology and Innovation and the integration of small and medium enterprises into the ecozone value chain. Cannot be done alone by PEZA Panga, in conclusion during his speech at the Rotary Club of Manila meeting remarked that attracting foreign direct investments cannot be done by PEZA alone or by any other investment promotion agency left to its own devices. He emphasized that what is needed to make things work is a whole government, industry and society approach to lessen the cost and improve ease of doing business in the country. “Through our collaborations and strategic alliances, PEZA, together with the Rotary Club of Manila, other ecozone industries, and stakeholders, will strive for success in attaining our country’s goals and objectives, and continue to push for eco-zoning the Philippines towards inclusive and sustainable development,” Panga said. The post PEZA chief lures potential Rotarian investors with ecozone perks appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
REVIEW: ‘HAMILTON’ — Astonishing stagecraft
“Hamilton,” Lin-Manuel Miranda’s rap musical about the eponymous Founding Father, has finally landed in Manila — the first stop of a new international tour that replicates the exact production currently running on Broadway and London’s West End. This is, in other words, essentially the same production that’s won every major theater award conceivable in the West, and whose live stage recording released on Disney+ three years ago was a global success among Covid-captive home viewers. You wouldn’t immediately know all that, however, just from watching this production: Even as it brims with dazzling theatricality and refreshing erudition, it also feels surprisingly small, rid of its status as a phenomenon, pared down to human size. It’s a show that’s almost oblivious to its own celebrity, even as entrance applause (erupting to diminishing returns) dotted the first 15 minutes of its 21 September gala performance at The Theatre at Solaire. Instead, it knows when to build up to the big musical moments, which are few and far between, and does so organically and therefore quite satisfyingly. The logical progression of the narrative and individual character drama — the musical’s unassailable structural precision — are rendered very clear; put bluntly, it is a storytelling apologist’s wettest dream. Never mind that the musical itself — evidently a product of modern-day liberalism, the politics of the American Dream made manifest through the eyes of 21st-century immigrants — is by now indivisible from the very valid criticisms it has received from many corners of American scholarly thought. For the uninitiated, Hamilton tells through rap the rise of the Founding Fathers, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, as they built America in the latter half of the 18th century. Admittedly, given what we know now and what we’ve been through since the musical premiered in New York in 2015, it feels weird, to say the least, to be watching a show that hero-worships to varying degrees the likes of Washington, Jefferson and Hamilton — all products of and complicit to the sins of their time. Moreover, the way the musical intentionally casts non-white actors to play these historically white figures (and slavers) can, depending on how one looks at it, come across as a stroke of meta subversion or “revisionist and insulting nonsense,” to quote one critic. Unique brilliance Again — all valid criticisms, which some have suggested are actually part of the musical’s unique brilliance. Watching the musical (through this particular production) in Manila, however, you entertain those thoughts mainly in retrospect. Inside the theater, it’s all those aforementioned merits — and more! — that surround you: a show that’s so technically precise in ways that highlight the material’s inventiveness, a feast of astonishing stagecraft, a display of just how good musical theater can get when given vast resources. [caption id="attachment_187901" align="aligncenter" width="1148"] DeAundre’ Woods as Aaron Burr. | photograph courtesy of IG/dre_woods[/caption] Despite the title, the crux of this production is DeAundre’ Woods’ Aaron Burr (Hamilton’s archrival, if you will). It’s a performance for which the phrase “no notes” seems to have been coined. Whenever Woods disappears from the stage, you look for him. But, more importantly, the genius of Woods’ performance is in how it becomes the anchor through which the musical itself can be better understood: as a story of wanting and longing, a warning against the folly of ambition, a morality tale run parallel to the uncertainty and messiness of nation-building. When Woods sings (and brings down the house with) Burr’s first big solo “Wait for It,” you instantly comprehend the song — and, for that matter, the musical. Arguably, Burr is the central and meatiest role here. Next to Woods’ interpretation, however, the smallness and silliness inherent to the story Hamilton tells become all the more coherent. You grasp how Hamilton and his posse were essentially just kids bumbling their way through a revolution. It’s all very grand on paper, but it’s also a journey chockfull of pettiness and foolishness — and on that stage, a history lesson that revels in its occasionally juvenile, highly accessible nature. [caption id="attachment_187903" align="aligncenter" width="1432"] JASON Arrow as Alexander Hamilton. | photograph courtesy of ig/jason arrow[/caption] Three other male performances stand out in the process: Jason Arrow’s Hamilton, who convincingly pulls off the title character’s transformation from “young, scrappy, and hungry” to world-weary; Darnell Abraham’s Washington giving gospel-preacher-showdown realness; and Brent Hill’s King George literally putting the “mad” to delectably comic effect in his interpretation of the famed mad king. [caption id="attachment_187906" align="aligncenter" width="1512"] DARNELL Abraham as George Washington. | photographs courtesy of ig/darnell abraham[/caption] [caption id="attachment_187900" align="aligncenter" width="1348"] BRENT Hill as King George. | photographs courtesy of ig/darnell abraham[/caption] Dreamcasting Elsewhere, this is a production that’s supplied with all the right parts — but, on a local stage as technologically impressive as the Theatre at Solaire (the best acoustics in Metro Manila, hands down), it also invites “dreamcasting” — permitting you to imagine in real time how certain Filipino theater performers cast in certain roles would, without a doubt, totally slay those parts. No matter: As it is, this Hamilton is one that lives up to the hype surrounding its supposed brilliance — while simultaneously earning that reputation before a live audience night after night. Among others spots of pure artistry, it has a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it onstage costume change involving the terrific ensemble early in Act I, a historical battle conjured through frenzied dance, and entire scene changes and moments evoked simply through the deliberate arrangement of performers’ bodies (that climactic bullet scene, anyone?). In lieu of an arduous and expensive trip to New York or London, this production more than does the job. Hamilton runs at the Theatre at Solaire, Pasay City, until 26 November. The post REVIEW: ‘HAMILTON’ — Astonishing stagecraft appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
LGUs urged to adopt eBOSS
The Anti-Red Tape Authority on Wednesday encouraged the local government units to comply with the Electronic Business One-Stop Shop or eBOSS to boost the ease of doing business in the Philippines. ARTA Director General Ernesto Perez said that the eBOSS is a program developed by ARTA in partnership with the Department of Information and Communications Technology to provide LGUs with a digitalized and streamlined business processing and licensing system. "The eBOSS makes it easier and faster for businesses to register and obtain permits, which can help to attract more investors and create more jobs," Perez said in a public briefing. Perez added that ARTA is working with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to ensure that all LGUs comply with the eBOSS requirement. "We are providing LGUs with the necessary support and guidance to help them implement the eBOSS. We are also working with the DILG to monitor the compliance of LGUs," Perez said. As of September 2023, only eight out of 17 LGUs in Metro Manila have been verified by ARTA as compliant with eBOSS. Among them are Quezon City, Valenzuela, Marikina, Parañaque, Muntinlupa, and Quezon City, all of which have seen an increase in revenue collection and business registration. Outside Metro Manila, Lapu-Lapu, Cagayan de Oro, and Batangas City have also complied. "We urge all LGUs to comply with the eBOSS requirement. This is not only a legal requirement, but it is also in the best interest of our businesses and our economy," Perez said. ARTA's Partnership with the Civil Service Commission ARTA has also partnered with the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of government services. Under the partnership, ARTA and CSC will work together to develop and implement training programs for government employees on anti-red tape and ease of doing business. The partnership is also expected to promote the use of technology to improve government service delivery, Perez said. In addition, he said both ARTA and CSC will monitor and evaluate the performance of government agencies in terms of anti-red tape and ease of doing business. "We believe that this partnership with CSC will be instrumental in our efforts to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of government services," Perez said. "A more efficient and effective government will benefit both businesses and citizens. It will make it easier for businesses to operate and create jobs, and it will make it easier for citizens to access government services," Perez added. The post LGUs urged to adopt eBOSS appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Our team
The 19th Asian Games have yet to start, but Gilas Pilipinas is already winning the hearts and minds of Filipinos. Gilas coach Tim Cone swept local fans off their feet when he allowed them to watch their joint training session with the Gilas Women team last Thursday at the PhilSports Arena. After their workout, San Miguel Corporation director Alfrancis Chua gave the fans five minutes to have their pictures taken with their basketball idols. But when Cone approached Chua, he suddenly changed his mind and increased the allotted time to 15 minutes. Seeing Gilas — a collection of the country’s most popular and wealthiest athletes — go out of their way to mingle with fans is truly heartwarming. And it won’t be the last time they will see their basketball heroes as Cone has invited them anew to watch their friendly match against Changwon LG Sakers on Friday. But just a few weeks ago, this beautiful bond between Gilas and their fans was unthinkable. Gilas struggled to gain public support during the country’s hosting of the FIBA Basketball World Cup. At the same time, their head coach, Chot Reyes, was being bashed and heckled mercilessly due to their forgettable performance. Fans questioned Reyes’s integrity as a coach, especially when he benched Kai Sotto in their first game against the Dominican Republic. He was also criticized for relying too much on National Basketball Association star Jordan Clarkson, raising speculations that he was unprepared for the world’s biggest and most prestigious basketball event. The fans inside the Smart Araneta Coliseum made their presence felt. They booed Reyes during the player introductions against Italy, prompting some of his players, like Kiefer Ravena, Rhenz Abando and Clarkson, to rush to his defense. Even Reyes’s outfit didn’t escape the eyes of the public. Social media exploded with insults, adverse reactions, and comments after Reyes flaunted an ultra-expensive Thom Browne suit during their game against Angola. The money he spent, reportedly around P200,000, wasn’t worth it as Gilas suffered a 70-80 loss to the Angolans, dealing a major blow to their chances of advancing to the knockout stages. But his manner of coaching and posh outfit were not the only reasons Reyes struggled to deodorize his public image. When Gilas was preparing for the World Cup, Reyes shut the doors of their practice facility to fans and sportswriters. Instead of making the team available, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas assigned a media liaison who disseminated information and narrated what was happening through short videos and photos regularly posted on social media. That was the practice when Gilas trained at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, as well as when they were in Estonia and Lithuania. Gilas also played friendly matches against Ivory Coast, Mexico, and Montenegro at the PhilSports Arena with no one but a very few team staffers and federation officials in attendance. With the friendly matches being inaccessible, sportswriters had to resort to checking the social media pages of Gilas’s opponents and the SBP to get information and avoid the wrath of their editors. They jokingly called it “socmed journalism.” That’s why the appointment of Cone as Gilas’ head coach is a breath of fresh air. The 65-year-old Cone may be an American, but he knows the importance of gaining public approval. In fact, he started his career as a villain in the eyes of the masses after engaging with the charismatic Robert Jaworski in numerous coaching battles. But he let his coaching do the talking as he led Alaska to a grand slam in 1996 before winning another triple crown with San Mig Coffee in 2014. At Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, the most popular professional team in the country, Cone further cemented his reputation as a well-loved, well-respected coach when he turned the likes of LA Tenorio, Japeth Aguilar, Scottie Thompson and Justin Brownlee into fan favorites. Now, Cone is at the helm of Gilas Pilipinas, armed with a mission of not only winning an Asian Games medal but also bringing the national players closer to the public. It’s a tough order. But Cone is carrying it out to perfection. The post Our team appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Gauff defeats Sabalenka to win US Open crown
American teenager Coco Gauff came from behind to win the US Open on Saturday, clinching her first Grand Slam title with a battling win over Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus. Gauff, 19, produced a gutsy performance on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court to win 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 in 2hr 6min to complete a fairytale transformation in her season's fortunes. The sixth seed from Florida had gone into the final as the underdog against the hard-hitting second seed Sabalenka, who will become world number one in next week's rankings. But with both players making a slew of mistakes throughout an error-strewn final watched by a record crowd of 28,143 it was Gauff who held her nerve when it mattered to seal a deserved victory. The win completed a remarkable turnaround for Gauff, who was left distraught after a first round exit at Wimbledon in July. However she bounced back to win titles in Washington and Cincinnati and has now landed the biggest win of her career, after a shattering loss at the French Open last year. "It means so much to me," an elated Gauff said afterwards. "I feel like I'm a little bit in shock in this moment. "That French Open loss (last year) was a heartbreak for me. That makes this moment even sweeter than I could imagine." Gauff, the third American teenager to win the US Open after Tracy Austin and Serena Williams, also used her victory speech to thank those who doubted her talent. "Honestly thank you to the people who didn't believe in me," she joked. "To those who thought they were putting water on my fire, they were putting gas on my fire and I'm burning so bright right now." - First set struggle - Gauff was in trouble in the opening game, Sabalenka breaking her straight away with a rasping backhand that drew a roar of "Come On!" from the Belarusian. She held easily to take a 2-0 lead but Gauff then took advantage of a shaky service game from Sabalenka to break at 2-2 in the fourth. The Belarusian double-faulted twice to allow Gauff to get back on level terms. But that hard-won parity was surrendered in the next game as Sabalenka broke back to go 3-2 ahead. Sabalenka then wobbled on her own serve once more as Gauff eked out two break points in the sixth game. But Sabalenka got it back to deuce with an ace and then took a 4-2 lead with an emphatic smash. Gauff's problems on serve continued and Sabalenka broke for the third time to race 5-2 ahead, and she duly wrapped up the set by holding in the next game. Yet with the match threatening to become a rout, Gauff finally clicked into gear in the second set, making fewer unforced errors and ironing out the kinks in her serve. Instead it was Sabalenka who began to show signs of brittleness as the tension mounted. She double-faulted to hand Gauff the only break of the set and a 3-1 lead. Gauff fended off a break point in the next game to hold for 4-1 and went on to hold for the remainder of the set to level the match when Sabalenka smacked a forehand long. The momentum remained firmly with Gauff in the final set and she secured another crucial break in the opening game when she put away an underhit Sabalenka lob with a smash. Gauff then held easily for a 2-0 lead as Sabalenka struggled to regain any semblance of composure. She coughed up four unforced errors to gift Gauff a break and a 3-0 lead, and the American then held with ease to go 4-0 up. Sabalenka stopped the rot by holding serve in the fifth game, before taking a medical timeout to receive treatment on her left thigh. Gauff was in no mood to let her grip on the match slip though. Although Sabalenka held and broke Gauff to cut the lead to 4-2, Gauff hit back when Sabalenka double-faulted to present a break point. Gauff cashed in to break and grab a 5-2 lead and then swept to victory in the next game, holding to love with a backhand winner. rcw/mw © Agence France-Presse The post Gauff defeats Sabalenka to win US Open crown appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘All Star’ Smash Mouth frontman Steve Harwell dies at 56
Steve Harwell, the former lead vocalist of the American rock band Smash Mouth, has passed away at age 56. His manager, Robert Hayes, announced in a statement that Harwell died “peacefully and comfortably” at his home in Boise, Idaho, surrounded by his family and friends. He died of acute liver failure on 4 September. A day before his death, it was announced that Harwell was receiving hospice care for final-stage chronic liver failure and only had a few days to live. Harwell’s musical career began when he played in a rap group called F.O.S (Freedom of Speech). Later on, Smash Mouth was formed along with drummer Kevin Coleman, whom he met in 1990, guitarist Greg Camp and bassist Paul De Lisle. Rock music While largely performing rock music during their earlier years, record labels saw the group’s potential after a demo of their song “Nervous in the Alley” was played at a local radio station. After signing with Interscope Records, they released their debut album, Fush Yu Mang, in 1997. A ska, reggae, pup-punk album that includes their first major hit, “Walkin’ on the Sun,” which has a distinctive, psychedelic soul and soul-funk music style. Their sophomore album, Astro Lounge, became a global success and one of their most critically acclaimed albums. It included the band’s biggest single, “All Star,” which was frequently featured in films like Inspector Gadget (1999), Mystery Men (1999), Digimon: The Movie (200), Rat Race (2001) and Shrek (2001). “All Star” also earned its first Grammy nomination for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. The Grammy-nominated rock band released five more studio albums in the following years: Smash Mouth (2001), Get the Picture? (2003), The Gift of Rock (2005), Summer Girl (2006) and Magic (2012). Amid his band’s skyrocketing popularity, Harwell’s son, Presley, died in 2001 from acute lymphocytic leukemia. His son was only six months old. Health issues The former rock singer had been battling numerous health issues. In 2013, he was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, a heart condition that can lead to heart failure; and acute Wernicke encephalopathy, a neurological disease that impairs speech, memory and muscle coordination. The “All Star” singer also struggled with alcoholism throughout his adult life. Harwell announced his retirement from the band in 2021 over ongoing physical and mental health issues. With the band’s iconic ‘90s legacy and Harwell’s unique music influence, the rock singer lived a “100-percent full-throttle life. Burning brightly across the universe before burning out,” said Hayes. Smash Mouth’s official Instagram account paid tribute to Harwell: “Steve Harwell was a true American Original. A larger-than-life character who shot up into the sky like a Roman candle. Steve should be remembered for his unwavering focus and impassioned determination to reach the heights of pop stardom.” The post ‘All Star’ Smash Mouth frontman Steve Harwell dies at 56 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Their ‘golden hour’: SB19, JVKE live collab finally happens
P-pop global sensation SB19 finally got to share the stage live with JVKE, at the American singer-songwriter’s What Tour Feels Like finale show at the House of Blues Boston on 2 September. “What an honor sharing the stage with JVKE for his epic ‘What Tour Feels Like’ finale at House of Blues Boston! Thank you all for making it an unforgettable night!,” the quintet wrote on X (formerly Twitter). SB19 members Pablo, Josh, Ken, Stell and Justin released their collab track with JVKE titled “Golden Hour (SB19 remix)” in July. Their own spin on the singer’s hit song featured a Filipino verse after the chorus of the song. The lines read: “Paggising sa umaga, siya agad ang gusto na makita ‘Di ako marunong kumanta pero para sa kaniya harana, harana Teka lang, bakit ba parang ‘la sa tono ‘tong aking gitara? Gusto ko lang naman sabihin na Mala-maharlika ang ‘yong ganda, malaya ‘Di magwawakas tila parirala Oh, Diyos ko (Oh-oh-oh) ‘No pa nga ba’ng masasabi ko? (Oh-oh-oh) Sana ‘di ka mawalay sa’kin, oh, aking sinta.” “SB19 are crazy talented. As an artist, when I open my art to others so they can add their own interpretation, I never know how I’m going to feel about what they contribute. With SB19, I was just blown away. I hope this isn’t the last time we work together,” JVKE said in a statement following the release of the remix. “Golden Hour,” also released in July, debuted in the Top 10 Billboard Hot chart and landed at the top spot on the Global Spotify viral chart. It has an orchestral version by Max Martin as well as remixes by artists Ruel, milee and Fujii Kaze. SB19 recently kicked off its Pagtatag! world tour with shows at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on 24 to 25 June, followed by shows in Chicago, Texas, California, New York, Washington, Toronto, Winnipeg, Vancouver and Edmonton. In Los Angeles, the group shut down Hollywood Boulevard to film a busking performance of their songs “Bazinga,” “Crimzone” and “Gento”, then gathered another large crowd for a similar act at the New York Times Square on 1 September. SB19’s fierce fandom, A’TIN, won Billboard’s 2023 Fan Army Face-Off against K-pop group Seventeen’s CARATs last August. JVKE, born Jacob Dodge Lawson, was also part of the Fast X soundtrack alongside BTS’ Jimin, NLE Choppa, Kodak Black, Muni Long and Charlie Puth. The post Their ‘golden hour’: SB19, JVKE live collab finally happens appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»