To make things clear, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is just one of many Studio Ghibli feature films that will be playing through SM Cinema branches with the Studio Ghibli Fest 2025 launching today. Other Studio Ghibli feature films include My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, The Wind Rises and Ponyo. All of those anime productions were directed by Miyazaki but in my personal anime viewing experience, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind remains the most memorable one.
A captivating piece of art from the 1984 anime feature film of Hayao Miyazaki.
To put things in perspective regarding the Studio Ghibli Fest 2025, posted below is an excerpt from the lifestyle news article of GMA Network. Some parts in boldface…
The Studio Ghibli Fest 2025 is happening this month, and six films from the highly acclaimed Japanese animation studio will be screened in select local cinemas.
SM Cinema announced the happy news on its social media pages last August 31.
“Six worlds. Endless wonder. One big screen. From Totoro’s forest to Chihiro’s spirit world, journey back into the imagination of Hayao Miyazaki and experience the timeless magic of Studio Ghibli,” it said.
Several classic Studio Ghibli films will be screened in select SM Cinemas nationwide from September 10 to 16.
Here is a list of the films part of the Studio Ghibli Fest 2025: Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, The Wind Rises, Ponyo, (and) Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.
These are the SM Cinema branches around the country showcasing the Studio Ghibli anime feature films. (source – SM Cinema)
Why Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is significant
Among the works of Hayao Miyazaki, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is the one that resonates with me the most and I have a long history of viewing the anime feature film. The first time I saw it was in its mid-1980s, butchered English-dubbed version titles Warriors of the Wind on home video. Being so young back then, I was not aware of the original Japanese version and I simply enjoyed what was presented in English. The leading lady Nausicaä was renamed as Princess Zandra while the Ohm were referred to as gorgons.
For the newcomers reading this, the 1980s was not exactly a good time of anime productions being released in the West in English and alterations for the Western market was the norm. Warriors of the Wind was more than 20 minutes shorter than the original Japanese version.
In the early 2000s, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind was released uncut with a new English-dubbed version (plus English subtitles with the original Japanese audio) involving the talents of Patrick Stewart, Uma Thurman and Alison Lohman. The footage that was missing in Warriors of the Wind easily made the new version – released on DVD in 2005, Disney Blu-ray in 2011, GKIDS and Shout! Factory Blu-ray in 2017, and limited edition steelbook Blu-ray in 2020 – a must-buy for both fans and anime enthusiasts who enjoy classics.
I myself acquired the 2005 DVD of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind by trading an old video game for it and enjoyed it a lot. I saw both the English-dubbed and English-subtitled versions in different times, and the complete footage added to my enjoyment of it. If I were to make comparisons, I prefer the 1984 film over Princess Mononoke (I had a Blu-ray copy of it).
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind on Blu-ray disc format (limited edition steelbook version) is still available for purchasing online and you only need to click here. I wonder when will a 4K Blu-ray version of it be announced.
The Japanese movie poster from 1984.
What it is lacking for me is the experience of watching Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind on the big screen inside the movie theater. This is why I am personally interested in replaying it at an SM Cinema branch during the week-long Studio Ghibli Fest 2025. At the same time, it is rare for anime classics to be screened in movie theaters here in the Philippines. As much as I love watching movies on Blu-ray or 4K Blu-ray format in the comfort of home, the cinema experience is still the best way to watch a movie. Definitely better than streaming!
If you wish to join a group of movie enthusiasts and talk about cinema, cinematic trends, Blu-ray releases and more relevant stuff, visit the Movie Fans Worldwide Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/322857711779576
Based on its latest economy research, Moody’s Ratings announced that the economy of the Philippines will achieve 5.7% growth for the year 2025, according to a BusinessWorld news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the BusinessWorld. Some parts in boldface…
THE PHILIPPINE ECONOMY is on track to grow by 5.7% this year on the back of strong household spending, steady remittances and sustained public investments, Moody’s Ratings said.
“We expect the Philippines to maintain strong economic growth relative to regional and rating peers,” Moody’s said after the completion of a periodic review of Philippines’ credit rating.
“Growth will be supported by resilient household consumption, stable remittance inflows from overseas workers, and public investment spending, and ongoing structural reforms,” it said in a report.
Moody’s forecast is within the government’s revised 5.5-6.5% gross domestic product (GDP) growth target for this year.
In the second quarter, GDP expanded by an annual 5.5%, up from 5.4% in the first quarter but slower than the 6.5% in the same period last year. For the first half, GDP growth averaged 5.4%, slower than the 6.2% a year ago.
Moody’s flagged downside risks to the outlook arising from the US tariff policies.
“Although the Philippines’ exposure to trade and global value chains is relatively low, uncertainty around US trade policy and tariffs presents some downside risks to domestic consumption and investment,” it said.
Since Aug. 7, the United States has been imposing a 19% tariff on Philippine goods entering the US. The US is one of the top destinations for Philippine-made goods.
Growth will also be supported by its fiscal consolidation efforts, but Moody’s flagged the government’s high debt stock and interest burden.
“Fiscal consolidation efforts are on track to meet the government’s revised Medium-Term Fiscal Framework of reducing the deficit to 4.3% of GDP by 2028, supported by the implementation of reform measures at enhancing revenue collection and spending efficiency,” Moody’s said.
While this will help temper Philippines’ debt burden, Moody’s said debt will remain “above pre-pandemic levels.”
As of June, the Philippines’ sovereign debt hit a fresh high of P17.27 trillion, up 11.5% from P15.48 trillion in the same month in 2024.
This brought the debt-to-GDP ratio to 63.1% at the end of June, the highest ratio since 2005. This is above the 60% debt-to-GDP threshold considered by multilateral lenders to be manageable for developing economies.
“Debt affordability, measured by the ratio of interest payments to revenue, is expected to weaken over the next two years, before gradually normalizing as global refinancing rates decline and economic growth returns to its long-term trend,” the debt watcher said.
“Despite rate cuts by the central bank since the second half of 2024, elevated government funding costs and a lag in the monetary policy transmission will keep interest burden higher,” it added.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think Moody’s Ratings of a 5.7% economic growth for 2025 will turn out true? What do you think it will take for the Philippine economy to reach 6% growth this year?
As far as the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) is concerned, the economy of the Philippines will still grow stronger in the 3rd quarter by 5.8% despite the 19% Trump tariffs, according to a BusinessWorld news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of BusinessWorld. Some parts in boldface…
PHILIPPINE economic growth may pick up in the third quarter despite higher US tariffs and “milder” typhoons, the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) said.
“Despite the Trump tariffs, milder typhoon season will help accelerate GDP expansion in Q3 to 5.8%, given a low base in 2024,” it said in its latest The Market Call released on Friday.
If realized, this would be faster than 5.2% in the third quarter of 2024 and 5.5% print in the second quarter. This forecast is also within the government’s revised 5.5% to 6.5% target this year.
“Consumer spending remains strong, aided by low inflation but limited by new US taxes on OFW (overseas Filipino Worker) remittances,” UA&P said.
Inflation cooled to a near six-year low of 0.9% in July as utilities and food costs continued to ease. This brought the seven-month average to 1.7%, slightly below the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) 2-4% target band.
UA&P said government infrastructure spending may also regain momentum in the third quarter. This was after state spending slumped due to the 45-day election ban on public works spending from March 28 to May 12.
UA&P said residential construction will remain subdued due to elevated policy and interest rates.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has so far lowered borrowing costs by a total of 125 basis points (bps) since it began its easing cycle in August last year. The policy rate now stands at 5.25%.
UA&P said the US dollar rate will “move either way” depending on rate cuts by the BSP and the US Federal Reserve.
“The peso-dollar rate has a fundamental depreciation bias although it will depend much on extent and timing of policy rate cuts by BSP and the Fed,” it said.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the economy of the Philippines will be able to grow stronger in the 3rd quarter even though the 19% Trump tariffs are already in effect? Do you see any signs of Philippine exports to America slowing down already?
Remember the big meeting between United States President Donald Trump and Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., over a month ago? A 19% tariff by America on Philippine goods was set and now the government of the Philippines is seeking exemptions specifically for exports of agricultural commodities, electronics, vehicle tires, bags and aircraft parts, according to a BusinessWorld news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of BusinessWorld. Some parts in boldface…
THE PHILIPPINES is asking the US to exempt exports of agricultural products and other goods from the 19% tariff imposed by US President Donald J. Trump, a Trade official said on Thursday.
Trade Undersecretary Allan B. Gepty said the government is seeking US tariff exemptions for exports of agricultural commodities, electronics, vehicle tires, bags and aircraft parts.
“We submitted a list of products we asked the US to exempt from the imposed tariff rates, because these are key and complementary items. And some of them, in fact, are not even produced or manufactured there (in the US),” he told senators at a Senate briefing on the tariff set by Washington on Philippine exports.
“The immediate need right now is we want to negotiate for an exemption, because we want to protect our industries whose main export market is the US,” he added.
The US began imposing a 19% tariff on Philippine goods starting Aug. 7.
“We already submitted to the US the products that should be exempted from the reciprocal tariffs,” he said.
Mr. Gepty said about 23% of the country’s total exports to the US are exempted from the 19% tariff.
In June, the United States was the top destination for Philippine-made goods amounting to $1.22 billion, 35.2% higher from the same month a year ago. Around 53% of the Philippines’ total exports to the US were semiconductors and electronics, Mr. Gepty said.
The US has yet to set new global tariffs for semiconductors and pharmaceuticals. Mr. Trump had earlier said he plans to announce higher tariffs on imports of semiconductors, but companies that plan to build manufacturing facilities in the US would be exempted.
“Ninety-nine percent of our semiconductors as of now are still exempted, there’s still no problem” he said. “If the 100% continues, that’s a big problem,” he added.
Mr. Gepty said most of the semiconductors are made by US companies in the Philippines and exported to the US. He noted the higher tariffs would pose problems for the US supply chain, particularly for its defense industry.
Meanwhile, the Philippines has not formally granted zero tariffs on US products, as negotiations over a reciprocal trade agreement remain ongoing, he said.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to the recent developments? Do you think the Philippines will succeed in getting an exemption from the Trump tariff on key exports?
For the newcomers reading this, the Philippines BPO sector (sometimes referred to simply as the call center industry even though many local firms have gone beyond taking calls) is now a major part of the national economy with more than 1.7 million Filipinos employed, $35 billion in annual export revenues and the United States of America (USA) alone is the single largest market with 2024 export revenues reported at $25 billion (reported by BusinessMirror).
In the Filipino perspective, call centers are very important because they offer a lot of high-paying jobs for Filipinos who badly need employment. The so-called call center effect on local society and economics includes new stores and food vendors opening up nearby, the opening of new convenience stores operating 24/7, the established restaurants nearby serving customers around-the-clock, and the opening of new branches of banks. Of course, the income Filipinos earned from their BPO jobs enabled them to acquire new things, pay their bills, subscribed to digital services, and move into better residences while helping their families make ends meet.
Having been a call center agent myself a very long time ago, I have witnessed such socio-economic developments happen whenever a call center is present and I was in Cebu province.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of the PNA highlighting the reaction of the DTI. Some parts in boldface…
Diversification will help cushion the possible impact of the proposed “Keep Call Centers in America Act,” aimed to protect local jobs by removing federal grants to companies that have call centers outside the United States.
The business process outsourcing (BPO) industry contributes a big part to the Philippine economy, with employment of around 1.4 million in 2024 and revenues of about USD38 billion. Around 70 percent of clients are based in the US.
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Cristina Roque said there are no discussions yet with officials of the Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) but expressed openness to talk about possible measures to help the sector.
“But for us, (the) DTI, of course, we’ll continue to help the IT-BPO (and) IBPAP businesses in whatever they need from us. Of course, we’ll assist the same way we’ve assisted in the past,” she said.
“We can’t just look at the US as the only market. The world is the market. If you look at their population as compared to the world, it will show you that we should really find other avenues to explore.”
Next, the Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) confirmed it is still evaluating the potential impact of the Keep Call Centers in America Act of 2025. For insight, posted below is an excerpt from the BusinessWorld report. Some parts in boldface…
THE IT & Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) said it is still evaluating the potential impact of the proposed Keep Call Centers in America act.
“It talks about US call centers so I really do not know who that will affect with the way that it is worded,” IBPAP President and Chief Executive Officer Jonathan R. Madrid said on the sidelines of an ECCP AI Forum.
“We need to understand it a little bit more. I think I know what their intention is. But I don’t know the likelihood of this passing. Obviously it is something we are monitoring, and with the way that it is worded, we need to study it more,” he added.
Introduced in the US Senate last month, the bill aims to impose restrictions on US firms outsourcing their call center operations.
In particular, the bill, if signed into law, will render employers outsource call center work overseas ineligible for new federal grants or guaranteed loans.
“I am speaking to the American Chamber of Commerce; we are discussing it and we will see. But we are all aligned on how we will manage this,” he said.
“While the bill is still in the early stages of the legislative process, we remain committed to keeping our stakeholders informed, providing timely guidance, and ensuring that the Philippine IT-BPM industry is well-positioned to adapt and thrive in a changing regulatory environment,” he said.
Philippine Institute for Development Studies Senior Research Fellow John Paolo R. Rivera said that the proposed bill poses a “clear risk to the Philippine IT-BPM industry, especially in the call center segment.”
“By restricting access to US federal grants, contracts, and loans for companies that offshore customer service jobs or do not properly disclose them, the bill raises the regulatory and reputational costs for offshore operations,” he said via Viber .
He said the Philippine industry has been evolving beyond voice-based call centers, which are less exposed to call center-specific legislation.
“We now see strong growth in high-value services such as finance, healthcare information management, legal process outsourcing, software development, and data analytics,” he said.
With the US Senate’s proposal to bring back call centers to the US, he said that the Philippines must continue to move up the value chain to reduce exposure to such policies.
“While the bill underscores vulnerabilities in our call center export model, it also reinforces the importance of accelerating investment in high-value, tech-enabled services where the Philippines can maintain global competitiveness,” he added.
Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said the bill could be “a potential drag on future growth of the industry.”
For this year, the IT-BPM industry is expected to generate $40 billion in export revenue and increase its workforce to 1.9 million.
To examine the details of the Keep Call Centers in America Act of 2025, click here and here.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to the recent developments? Do you think the IT-BPM sector of the Philippines has what it takes to protect itself from whatever effects the Keep Call Centers in America Act of 2025 could create if ever it gets signed into law? Do you personally know anyone who is working in a BPO firm or a call center here in the Philippines? What kind of assistance do you think the national government will offer to the IT-BPM sector? Do you think the existing call centers should search for English-speaking clients in England, Ireland, Scotland, Israel and the like?
In the middle of mixed reactions towards the United States’ 19% tariff on Philippine exports, Nomura Global Markets Research stated that the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth could be cut by 0.4%, according to a BusinessWorld news report. Recently, US President Donald Trump and Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., met in the White House which resulted in the new tariff.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of BusinessWorld. Some parts in boldface…
THE United States’ 19% tariff on Philippine goods could cut the Philippines’ gross domestic product (GDP) growth by 0.4 percentage point (ppt), Nomura Global Markets Research said.
In a report, Nomura said the US tariff of 19% on Philippine goods is “fairly high” and poses downside risks to growth.
“We estimate the direct effects could reduce our baseline GDP growth forecasts by a still-substantial 0.4 ppt in the Philippines.”
Nomura said this projection is “relatively substantial” compared to its baseline growth forecasts of 5.3% and 5.6% for this year and 2026, respectively.
“This is partly because we assigned 10% as the level where the reciprocal tariff rate could settle, on the assumption that the Philippines is a strong ally of the US and is not a third country for transshipments,” Nomura said.
“As it turns out, despite the visit to Washington by President Marcos and both sides reiterating the need for a strong partnership, the tariff was still set at 19%, which is even higher than the ‘Liberation Day’ level of 17%.”
Last week, Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. met with US President Donald J. Trump at the White House in Washington, DC. Mr. Trump announced a 19% tariff would be imposed on Philippine goods, which will take effect starting Aug. 1.
“The trade ‘deals’ therefore represent upside surprises in terms of tariff rates, especially for the Philippines,” Nomura said.
“As a result, if implemented and these tariff rates are sustained, these will likely further weigh on growth in both countries relative to our current baseline forecasts.”
The government expects GDP to grow by 5.5-6.5% this year, lower than its previous target of 6-8%.
“While these ballpark estimates make sense to us, uncertainty remains high and these are ‘only’ taking into account the direct effects on these ASEAN countries’ exports to the US,” Nomura said.
These estimates do not account for sectoral tariffs, such as in semiconductors and pharmaceuticals, which are currently exempted, it added.
“But as our US team highlights, the risk is these could be set higher, though some countries could be exempted, adding to the uncertainty. As mentioned above, the details of the trade deals with Indonesia and the Philippines are still limited.”
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the Philippines is in a serious disadvantage with the American tariff of 19% imposed on the nation’s exports? Do you think the Philippine economy still has strong momentum to reach 6% GDP growth by the end of this year?
Welcome back fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs!
When it comes to watching movies – both old and new – the best place for me is still the movie theater. The very large screen, high-tech sound systems and comfortable seats of the cinema all make the theater viewing experience very immersive which streaming apps and the home theater setup could never match. The cinema experience is always better than streaming.
That being said, it is disappointing for me – as a resident of Muntinlupa City here in the Philippines – that local theaters in Alabang had to close down. The original cinemas of Festival Mall, which first opened in 1998 and grew from six to ten screens, are no more. Before they were all closed down, those cinemas had deteriorated over time and I still remember how bad the projection in one of their premium cinemas was when I saw Star Trek Into Darkness in 2013. It was like I was watching a VHS copy of the movie on their screen. It was that bad!
This year, the 4-screen cinemas of Commercenter in Filinvest City had closed down (refer to my past blog posts by clicking here and here) and it is very unfortunate not just for me but also for others who enjoyed watching movies at that mall. In my experience, Commercenter was my favorite local place to watch movies at and the cinema operators were consistent with maintaining each screen, the comfortable chairs and the sound systems. At the same time, it was pretty convenient for me to park the car in the basement parking (really spacious), climb up to the cinemas at the 2nd floor (ticket counter and snacks counter were beside each other), enjoy a movie, and visit a local store or a restaurant within the mall after leaving the cinema.
With the closure of Festival Mall’s original cinemas and Commercenter cinemas, that is a combined loss of ten screens along with the many seats and equipment combined. Along the way, many people who worked directly in those lost cinemas either became unemployed or got re-assigned to a new task within the local establishment. Sadly, not too many people here in the Philippines are talking about the jobs lost with the closure of cinemas.
Cinemas of Commercenter have been closed down since March 15, 2025.
This brings me to my next point – BusinessWorld published an article exploring the current struggle of Philippine cinemas in what is now the post-pandemic era. For the newcomers reading this, the Philippines economy has been growing strongly year-by-year after the COVID-19 period ended but the nation’s cinema industry is still struggling in terms of sales and attracting paying customers. The Filipinos’ love for streaming is huge factor but there are also other reasons why not enough moviegoers are supporting cinemas.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the BusinessWorld article. Some parts in boldface…
KAREN LUSTAÑAS, 30, tries to watch a movie in the Philippine capital at least once a month, if the budget allows it.
“I try to save time and money for films that I really want to see,” she told BusinessWorld in a Facebook Messenger chat. “I can barely afford it, but if I’m a fan of the director or actors, I really have to watch it.”
“Otherwise, I’ll just watch it on a streaming platform,” she added.
As good as the movie industry is in imagining alternate realities, it didn’t see this one coming. Five years after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) decimated the box office here and all over the world, movies are still struggling to come back.
Philippine gross movie ticket sales fell 3.7% year on year to $45.5 million (P2.5 billion) last year, a far cry from the $144.5 million posted in 2019, before the pandemic hit, according to US-based box office revenue tracker Box Office Mojo. In 2020, gross sales plunged 95% to $7.7 million.
Global cinema ticket sales fell 8.8% last year to €28 billion (P1.8 trillion) from 2023, the first annual drop since COVID-19, the European Audiovisual Observatory (EAO) said last month.
Regular movie ticket prices cost P300 to P400 in Metro Manila, or about half the daily minimum wage. On the other hand, the basic monthly subscription to streaming platforms like Netflix, Max (HBO) and Disney+ costs P150 to P250, and the titles are virtually endless.
“If you think about it, it’s really worth it and more practical to go with Netflix,” Ms. Lustañas, a freelancer, said.
The annual Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) grossed P800 million last year, hitting the target but failing to top 2023’s record P1 billion despite a week-long extension.
The pandemic forced people to watch movies at home, aiding streaming services like Netflix, whose revenue grew 14% annually to more than $39 billion last year from 2019, according to computations by BusinessWorld using data from the company’s website. Netflix subscribers also doubled to about 300 million over the five-year period.
Since 2020, local box office hits have been few and far between. The latest was Star Cinema’s My Love Will Make You Disappear starring Kim Chiu and Paulo Avelino, grossing P12 million on its opening day in March.
“Today, going to the cinema is a more intentional experience, rooted not just in the movie being shown but in the overall ambiance that brings the film to life,” Hamm E. Katipunan, Ayala Malls’ Asset Management head, said in an e-mailed reply to questions.
“It’s not just about waiting for blockbusters to hit streaming sites; Filipinos appreciate the good feeling of watching movies that are truly worth experiencing on the big screen,” he added.
While cinemas run by Ayala Malls, SM Supermalls and other mall chains have diversified their offerings, a pattern has emerged in the top-grossing Filipino films that have drawn people to cinemas.
GMA Pictures and Star Cinema’s co-production Hello, Love, Again starring Alden Richards and Kathryn Bernardo set the record for the highest opening day gross for a local film with P85 million in November, surpassing the P75-million gross from The Super Parental Guardians in 2016.
‘FORMULAIC STORIES’ – It shows that Filipinos watch a movie mainly because of its main cast, Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) Chairman Jose Javier Reyes told a news briefing in March, citing a council-funded study involving 800 respondents.
“They can’t afford to go regularly to the movies anymore,” he said. “The biggest blow is that people don’t repeat screenings. They just wait for it to go on streaming platforms.”
The study, done in 2024 in collaboration with De La Salle University to explore the evolving habits, preferences and challenges shaping the local film industry, found that Filipinos from the A, B, and a small part of the C socioeconomic classes regularly watch movies.
The study, which will be released in July as part of the launch of FDCP’s Philippine Film Industry Roadmap, also found that streaming services have become the primary platform for 67% of Filipinos.
Only 21% still frequent cinemas, with many complaining about repetitive movie themes and high ticket prices.
Though stars are still the main movie drawer, the study also found that Filipinos are “sick of formulaic stories,” Mr. Reyes said. He added that the roadmap, mandated by the government, would shed light on how to better support the industry.
In October last year, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. placed the Film Academy of the Philippines under the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to boost Filipino film development.
Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina A. Roque earlier said the budget for the film industry would increase next year as part of the roadmap. She noted that other countries have been using movies and the creative industry to boost tourism and trade.
Mr. Reyes said movie outfits should improve the quality of their films to boost their success overseas. “In the Philippines, star power is important, but the moment you cross borders, there’s a market for people who are more interested in the material itself,” he pointed out.
Rico V. Gonzales, head of distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures Philippines, said the company supports the local industry by distributing two to three Filipino movies yearly, along with the usual foreign releases from Warner Bros. and Universal Pictures.
“It’s part of the goodwill of the company to help local producers who don’t have a distribution arm, compared with the likes of Star Cinema and GMA Pictures, which have the power to do it themselves,” he said.
The current state of the cinema industry of the Philippines is disappointing and the future looks uncertain as of this writing. While a lot of my fellow Filipinos chose streaming to watch movies in the comfort of their home, I prefer watching movies on Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray disc format. The most phenomenal 4K Blu-ray experiences I had was Top Gun: Maverick and that movie never failed to amaze me each time I saw it using my 4K Blu-ray disc player. I also enjoyed watching my 4K Blu-ray copies of Casablanca, Interstellar, Total Recall (1990), and Star Trek: First Contact.
Going back to the state of cinema here in the Philippines, I did not watch a single movie in the cinema in 2024. In fact, the last time I saw a movie on the big screen locally was Sound of Freedom in 2023 (read my review by clicking here). This is because the new movies that were released in 2024 did not interest me at all and the fact that a lot of new Hollywood movies had woke garbage in them turned me off. Not only that, there were times when news movies from overseas were not even released in Philippine cinemas at all such as Jesus Revolution (note: I had to buy the movie on Blu-ray just to watch it).
I saw The Batman at Commercenter’s cinema on March 2022.
As of this writing, the direction of the entire cinema industry of the Philippines remains uncertain and so far there were no real breakthroughs that happened. That being said, I still remember when in 2015, there were long lines of moviegoers at Commercenter waiting to enter the cinemas to watch Jurassic World. Such a memory won’t be repeated here in Alabang and without its cinemas, Commercenter’s value as a place for fun has gone way down.
Even though there are emerging rivals that each have distinctive attractions for businesses and residents, the Filinvest group remains confident and optimistic with its 244-hectare Filinvest City in Alabang, Muntinlupa, according to a business article by BusinessWorld. This is about the current state of corporate cities or central business districts (CBDs) which are contributing a lot to the economy of the Philippines in terms of financial value, jobs, properties and new residential communities.
For the newcomers reading this, Filinvest City is located within the Alabang area of Muntinlupa City, and it is connected with both the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) and the Metro Manila Skyway (which itself is connected to the NAIA Expressway and the North Luzon Expressway) which makes travel connectivity convenient.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the business article of BusinessWorld. Some parts in boldface…
THE FILINVEST group is banking on unsold inventory and infrastructure readiness at its 244-hectare Filinvest City in Alabang, Muntinlupa to support growth in its township portfolio, as new large-scale developments emerge in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
Catherine A. Ilagan, president and chief executive officer of Filinvest Alabang, Inc. (FAI), said Filinvest City continues to attract interest from businesses and residents, even as estates such as the 3,500-hectare Villar City, the 700-hectare Vermosa in Cavite, and the 74-hectare Arca South in Taguig expand their footprints.
“We’re the most developed. We have the essentials to back it up. We have the infrastructure and all of the utilities. All of that are already in place. Accessibility is also key. We also have access to talent,” Ms. Ilagan said in an interview with BusinessWorld.
“It takes a long time to develop into a real central business district (CBD),” she added.
FAI is the real estate arm of the Filinvest group, overseeing townships and high-end residential developments.
“In terms of densifying, there’s still a lot of potential for Filinvest City. The outlook for Filinvest City is really positive,” Ms. Ilagan said.
“The release of inventory is very deliberate,” she added.
According to a regulatory filing by the Filinvest group’s listed conglomerate, Filinvest Development Corp. (FDC), FAI beneficially owns 76.4 hectares of unsold lots in Filinvest City as of end-2024, indicating further growth capacity.
Launched in 1995, Filinvest City is a mixed-use township that integrates a CBD, residential communities, leisure destinations, educational institutions, and medical and wellness centers.
It is the country’s only CBD to hold both Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence (BERDE) certifications.
“The LEED and BERDE certifications are testaments to Filinvest City being a green development,” Ms. Ilagan said.
Filinvest City’s sustainability features include a district cooling system that reduces energy use and emissions by servicing multiple buildings, an integrated electric-powered transport system known as the 360 Eco-Loop, and dedicated green spaces and sustainable buildings in Northgate Cyberzone.
Under Ms. Ilagan’s leadership, FAI is replicating the Filinvest City model in other areas as it grows its portfolio of master-planned, sustainable townships and premium real estate developments under the Filigree brand.
Ms. Ilagan brings more than 30 years of experience in real estate and urban development.
“Filinvest City is a ten-minute city. Everything can be reached in ten minutes. This is the DNA that we want to replicate in the other townships,” Ms. Ilagan said.
“We’ve always subscribed to the idea of a balanced live-work-play. That’s the DNA of all of our townships, a well-rounded and balanced development,” she added.
Other FAI-led townships include the 58-hectare City di Mare in Cebu, the 201-hectare Filinvest Mimosa Plus in Clark, Pampanga, the 288-hectare Filinvest New Clark City in Tarlac, and the 677-hectare Timberland Heights in Rizal.
“Whether it’s a small development, a bigger development, a high development, or a denser development, there should always be that balance of live-work-play components. As a real estate developer, that is the sustainable way to do things. Now, we want everything to be walkable,” Ms. Ilagan said.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? What do you think that Villar City, Arca South and Vermosa don’t have when compared with Filinvest City? If you are developing properties, do you find Filinvest City advantageous and attractive for your business needs?
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The tourism of the industry of the Philippines accounted for a share of 8.9% of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) for the year 2024, according to a BusinessWorld news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of BusinessWorld. Some parts in boldface…
THE SHARE of the tourism industry in the Philippine economy rose to a five-year high of 8.9% in 2024, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said on Thursday.
Tourism direct gross value added (TDGVA) — an indicator of the economic contribution from tourism-related activities — jumped by 11.2% year on year to P2.35 trillion last year, preliminary data from the PSA showed.
However, TDGVA growth was slower than the 49.9% surge logged in 2023 and the slowest annual growth since the 10.3% expansion in 2020.
Despite the slower growth, the share of TDGVA to the economy rose to 8.9% in 2024, the highest share since the 12.9% recorded in 2019.
By industry, country-specific tourism characteristics goods – shopping accounted for 21.8% of the total with P512.68 billion. It was followed by miscellaneous services (20.2% share or P476.23 billion) and accommodation services for visitors (18.4% share or P432.9 billion).
Domestic tourism expenditure, which includes resident visitors’ spending within the country on a domestic trip or as part of an international trip, grew by 16.4% to P3.16 trillion last year.
Outbound tourism spending reached P345.68 billion in 2024, rising by 37.5% from P251.35 billion in 2023.
Inbound tourism expenditure, meanwhile, inched up by 0.4% annually to P699.99 billion. Total employment in the tourism sector grew by 6.1% to 6.75 million in 2024. Tourism accounted for 13.8% of the total jobs in the country in 2024.
The majority of the tourism-related jobs were centered on miscellaneous activities. The health and wellness sector employed 1.83 million, accounting for a 27.1% share.
The accommodation and food and beverage sector had 1.69 million workers (25% share), while passenger transport had 1.67 million workers (24.7%).
Reinielle Matt M. Erece, an economist at Oikonomiya Advisory and Research, Inc. said easing inflation helped boost tourism spending last year.
“Lower inflation relative to 2023 and better economic conditions in the country may have encouraged tourists due to better prices,” he said in an e-mail. Inflation averaged 3.2% in 2024, cooling from the 15-year high of 6% in 2023.
Last year, the Department of Tourism recorded 5.95 million visitor arrivals, falling short of its 7.7 million target.
“While Philippine tourism has made substantial progress — particularly in revenue generation — it hasn’t achieved full recovery in terms of visitor numbers, and the pace of recovery appears to be slowing in early 2025,” Leonardo A. Lanzona, Jr., an economics professor in Ateneo de Manila University, said in an e-mail.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think Philippine tourism will end up being weaker as an economic sector this year? Do you think the weakening Philippine Peso will convince foreigners to visit the Philippines very soon?
In what could be a possible sign of economic slowdown in the Philippines, manufacturing activity for the month of May this year slowed down as demand from foreign markets weakened, according to a BusinessWorld news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of BusinessWorld. Some parts in boldface…
GROWTH in Philippine manufacturing activity slowed in May due to declining output and weaker demand from foreign markets amid global trade tensions.
The S&P Global Philippines Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), which measures the country’s monthly factory performance, settled at 50.1, slipping from 53 in April. This was the lowest index since the 49.4 contraction in March.
A PMI reading above 50 denotes better operating conditions month on month, while a reading below 50 shows the opposite.
“The promising growth observed at the beginning of the second quarter signaled a notable cooling in May,” Maryam Baluch, an economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said in a report on Monday. “While new orders continued to increase, they did so at a slower pace, overshadowed by contractions in other areas.”
S&P Global data on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) showed that only the Philippines expanded in May, while Vietnam (49.8), Myanmar (47.6) and Indonesia (47.4) all declined.
In its report, S&P Global said output declined in May, the second contraction in the past three months.
“Overall, the downturn was marginal, but companies noted softer demand conditions weighed on production,” it said.
Despite continuing to signal a rise in new sales, the rate of expansion in new orders was slight and weaker than in April, it added. This was reflected in the softer rate of increase in input buying activity.
“The situation was further exacerbated by a deteriorating demand from foreign markets, with May witnessing a sharper drop in new export orders,” Ms. Baluch said. “As global trade tensions escalate, the outlook for overseas demand appears increasingly precarious,” US President Donald J. Trump paused his reciprocal tariffs in April for 90 days but continues to apply a 10% baseline tariff rate for most trading partners.
Ms. Baluch said the drop in production requirements was accompanied by a fresh decline in employment and the inventories of both purchases and finished goods.
S&P said employment numbers declined for the first time in four months.
The pace of job shedding was marginal, but the strongest in 11 months, which factories attributed to voluntary resignations and the nonreplacement of those roles.
S&P also cited the limited manpower for a renewed buildup of backlogs across Filipino producers.
“On a brighter note, inflationary pressures remain modest and historically subdued, which could play an important role in supporting demand moving forward,” she said.
However, cost burdens and output charges rose to the highest since January.
“The stability of price pressures may also provide a necessary buffer against the challenges posed by a cooldown in new orders and external market uncertainties,” she added.
S&P Global said manufacturers expect new orders to continue to rise, supported by confidence in the year-ahead outlook for production, but the degree of optimism was the third weakest in the series’ history.
Analysts also said trade tensions and softer demand weighing down the country’s manufacturing activity in May.
The anticipation for higher tariffs likely caused subdued exports, said Reinielle Matt M. Erece, an economist at Oikonomia Advisory and Research, Inc.
“The persistent trade tensions continue to weigh on global trade, causing exports to drop as higher tariffs may be imposed,” he said in a Viber message.
Philippine exports in the first four months rose 9.5% to $26.87 billion, according to the local statistics agency.
Mr. Erece said domestic demand slowed as the election-spending season ended. Stronger manufacturing activity is expected later this year, as local authorities continue trade talks with the US Trade Representative, he added.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the Philippines’ manufacturing sector will rebound this month?
Author Carlo Carrasco 