Maniolas

MANILA, Philippines – Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc. (RRHI) spent P3.53 billion in the first half or more than two-thirds of the full year budget as as it continues to grow its business. As of the end of June, Robinsons Retail had 1,527 stores while its gross floor area increased by 10.7 percent to about 998,000 square meters. Including The Generic Pharmacy’s franchised store portfolio of 1,878, the group’s total store network hit 3,405. RRHI reported an 8.6 percent rise in its first half earnings to P2 billion while core earnings went up 13.5 percent to P1.75 billion. In the second quarter, RRHI’s net income climbed 14.4 percent to P1.24 billion while core net earnings rose 16.3 percent to P1.05 billion. Consolidated net sales for the second quarter expanded by 18.5 percent to P25.64 billion due to the sustained high single-digit same-store sales growth, sales contribution of the new stores as well as sales from Savers Appliances (acquired in September last year) and The Generics Pharmacy (acquired in May). Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 For the first six months, net sales went up 16.9 percent to P48.33 billion, partly due to the successful and peaceful national elections in May, lower commodity prices and stable interest rate environment. RRHI said its balance sheet remained solid with cash, cash equivalents and liquid marketable securities amounting to P27.65 billion as of the end of the first half.

THE Philippines is a “rare safe haven” for investors, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said, adding that Mindanao, as the focus of the new government’s economic strategy, will be particularly attractive for businesses.

MANILA, Philippines – Achieve that mastery of spoken English – be it British English or American English. When you enroll at the Center for Global Best Practices pioneering seminar-workshop, “Master Class on English Pronunciation and Effective Presentation,” they will teach you how to speak using the global English standard: with correct phonology, accurate diction, proper enunciation, and precise articulation. The superiority and your confidence in speaking in English comes with your awareness and practice that you are saying it the right way. You will also learn presentation best practices that can transform you to become a more effective speaker. This new program is scheduled on Sept. 1 and 2, 2016 at the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel, Mandaluyong City. This unique program will feature professor Louie Agnir-Paraan Ph.D.,the course director and lecturer of best practices communication programs of CGBP. She took her doctorate degree at the University of the Philippines in Diliman majoring in English Studies where she garnered the highest grade of 1.04 and was awarded the outstanding dissertation. She earned her Masters in Language and Literature at the University of the Philippines in Baguio where she graduated with a 1.01 GPA. She also has a master’s degree in Educational Psychology from UP Diliman. Her AB in Philosophy was also earned at UP Diliman. She graduated high school at the International School of Kuala Lumpur where she was the first Asian and first woman editor-in-chief of the school paper. For more details about this program and other upcoming best practices seminars Read More …

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino-owned Starlite Ferries launched last week the latest addition to its fleet of 15 modern roll-on, roll-off (ro-ro) vessels at the Batangas Port, boosting its efforts  to modernize inter-island travel in the country. The brand-new M/V Starlite Saturn, built by the Kegoya Dockyards in Kure near Hiroshima, Japan, is equipped with the latest state-of-the-art amenities, including CCTV cameras and a helipad for emergency medical evacuation, among others. Starlite Ferries president Francis Cusi said the new vessel follows the customized design of the three earlier ro-ro units. The company has ordered an initial seven ships from Japan, with eight more to be custom-built later. M/V Starlite Saturn has a service speed of 13.5 knots or nautical miles per hour. The 2,700-gross ton ship can ferry 711 passengers and 20 drivers in bunk comfortably on its upper decks and up to 21 buses in its hold. Unlike the second-hand ships now plying Philippine seas which were built for sailing in Japan’s calm inland seas, Starlite’s Saturn and other vessels in the Batangas-based shipping company’s fleet are designed to navigate the country’s open sea routes and seasonal rough waters. Starlite Ferries is a 100-percent Filipino-owned company that started operations in 1995 with its first route, Batangas-Calapan (Mindoro). To date, Starlite has brought convenience to Filipino sea travelers by opening new routes such as Roxas-Caticlan and Roxas-Odiongan, and guarantees more routes to open as they connect Luzon to Mindanao. What differentiates Starlite Ferries from other domestic shipping companies is its emphasis Read More …

MANILA, Philippines – LT Group Inc. grew its net earnings in the first semester to P4.56 billion, 28 percent higher than the previous year. The banking business contributed 38 percent of LTG’s income or P1.73 billion while the tobacco business comprised 32 percent or P1.45 billion. PNB reported a net income of P4.42 billion, up eight percent year on year. Equity in net earnings from the 49.6 percent stake in PMFTC Inc., the partnership between Fortune Tobacco and Philip Morris, reached P1.4 billion, significantly higher than the P420 million recorded a year earlier. The conglomerate attributed this to the change in mix of PMFTC’s sales, with premium Marlboro accounting for a higher share of total volume. LTG said that while there is some improvement, illicit trade continues to affect the overall profitability of the tobacco business. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Asia Brewery Inc. (ABI) was also a significant contributor to total earnings, making up P720 million or 16 percent. Tanduay Distillers Inc. (TDI) added P444 million or 10 percent. ABI’s Cobra energy drink, Absolute and Summit bottled water, Tanduay Ice alcopop and Vitamilk soymilk continue to be market leaders, LTG said. “The exceptionally hot summer and some impact from election-related spending resulted in the growth in volumes of ABI’s products. In late May, the company signed a joint venture agreement with Heineken for the beer business,” LTG said. TDI reported a 148 percent jump in net profit to P444 million as revenues grew with the Read More …