Raslag accelerates spend of IPO proceeds by 6 monthsRaslag [ASLAG 1.68 1.20%] [link], the solar power generation company owned by the Nepomuceno Family, disclosed that its board has voted to re-allocate the disbursement schedule of its IPO proceeds to spend P380 million in mid-November of this year on paying the balance owed on the land for RASLAG-4, and funding the equity portion for RASLAG-4’s construction and development. The original schedule called for this to happen sometime in the first half of next year. ASLAG did not say why it is accelerating the RASLAG-4 project, nor did it say how the proceeds of the loan would be used. MB BOTTOM-LINEI’ve been a vocal opponent of a board’s ability to make changes to the disbursement plan of its IPO proceeds, but that’s usually because these changes are not obviously to the benefit of minority shareholders. They’re putting IPO investor cash to work sooner than anticipated.

Banks’ real estate exposure eases to 21.8% in 1st halfBuildings are seen along EDSA in Quezon City before dawn, Sunday (July 3, 2022). Commercial real estate loans grew by 6.7 percent to P1.58 trillion from P1.48 trillion, while residential real estate loans went up by 8.2 percent to P919.89 billion from P850.34 billion. Past due commercial real estate loans decreased by 7.6 percent to P39.91 billion from P43.21 billion, while past due residential real estate loans slipped by 4.9 percent to P101.41 billion from P106.67 billion. The industry’s real estate exposure from January to June was well within the 25 percent ceiling set by the BSP. These measures also included the heightened surveillance of banks’ real estate and project finance exposures, and the real estate stress test thresholds for universal and commercial banks as well as thrift banks.

Air strikes continue to pound Marawi City on June 29, 2017, more than a month after the Maute Group seized the city. A soldier walks past a bombed-out mosque in Butig, Lanao del Sur after government troops retook Butig town from the Maute group in December 2016. MindaNews photo by Froilan GallardoBut after two weeks, the Maute Group failed in its bid to occupy the town of Butig. It is said that the Maute Group even sent fighters to the ISIS war in the Middle East. The residents’ cash and jewelry were also secured to fill the Maute Group’s war chest.

BEIJING — President Xi Jinping on Sunday kicked-off the 20th congress of China’s ruling Communist Party, a week-long event where he is widely expected to win a third leadership term and cement his place as the country’s most powerful ruler since Mao Zedong. The son of a Communist Party revolutionary, Xi has reinvigorated a party that had grown deeply corrupt and increasingly irrelevant, expanding its presence across all aspects of China, with Xi officially its “core”. The twice-a-decade congress is expected to reconfirm Xi as party general secretary, China’s most powerful post, as well as chairman of the Central Military Commission. The day after the congress ends on Saturday, Xi is expected to introduce his new Politburo Standing Committee, a seven-person leadership team. RELATED STORIESEXPLAINER: The ways China’s Xi Jinping amassed power over a decadeWho is China’s President Xi JinpingRead Next

BEIJING – Chinese President Xi Jinping is to open the 20th Communist Party Congress on Sunday, a week-long event where he is widely expected to win a third leadership term and cement his place as the country’s most powerful ruler since Mao Zedong. ADVERTISEMENTThe congress will likely open with Xi, 69, reading a lengthy report in a televised speech that reviews the party’s achievements of recent years and outlines broad-brush priorities for the next five years. REVOLUTIONARY’S SONThe son of a Communist Party revolutionary, Xi has reinvigorated a party that had grown deeply corrupt and increasingly irrelevant, expanding its presence across all aspects of China, with Xi officially its “core”. The twice-a-decade congress is expected to reconfirm Xi as party general secretary, China’s most powerful post, as well as chairman of the Central Military Commission. The day after the congress ends on Saturday, Xi is expected to introduce his new Politburo Standing Committee, a seven-person leadership team.

Carlo Biado blanked Chinese Taipei’s Hsieh Chia Chen, 10-0, to barge into the semifinals of the US Open 9-Ball Championship Friday, Oct. 14, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Carlo Biado is the last Filipino standing in the US Open 9-Ball Championship. Corteza absorbed a 10-2 beating from United Kingdom’s Chris Melling while Garcia fell short on his bid with a 10-5 loss to Austria’s Max Lechner. Biado, meanwhile, held his ground and bested Poland’s Konrad Juszczyszyn, 10-7, in the Last 16 before routing Chen in the quarters. Lechner trounced United Kingdom’s Chris Melling, 10-4, while Chung squeaked past Albania’s Eklent Kaci, 10-8.

Two 18-year-old men and a 16-year-old girl were arrested for stealing a Tesla that was put for sale on online trading platform Carousell on Friday. A woman earlier put the electric car for sale on Carousell and arranged a meeting with two so-called buyers in Sai Kung. Officers then located the electric car at a Mei Foo parking lot through the GPS. They successfully intercepted and arrested the two men and the girl for taking conveyance without authority. Police have recovered the car key from one of the men and all three are now remanded in custody.

U.S. Navy F-18 fighter jets are parked on the deck of aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) during a goodwill visit in Manila, Philippines. (Reuters)The United States has made available US$100 million in foreign military financing to the Philippines, its ambassador in Manila said on Friday, part of efforts to boost the Southeast Asian country's defence capabilities and military modernization. The new military financing underscores improved defence ties between the treaty allies under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, whose predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, shifted his country's foreign policy away from the United States to pursue warmer ties with China. Manila is looking to buy heavy-lift Chinook helicopters from the United States. The amount includes US$475.3 million worth of foreign military financing to Philippines, among the biggest in Southeast Asia.

UBX, Yield Guild Games and Xave Finance join hands in organizing the Web3 Hackathon to be held on Nov. 12 and 13, 2022 in Makati City. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOUBX, the leading open finance platform in the Philippines, has collaborated with globally renowned Filipino-led web3 companies in the world, Yield Guild Games (YGG) and Xave Finance, to organize the Web3 Hackathon, an official side event of the first-ever Philippine Web3 Festival, to be held on Nov. 12 and 13, 2022 in Makati City. A week-long premier event, the Philippine Web3 Festival will showcase everything that the Philippines has to offer in the metaverse. "UBX has always been at the forefront of driving innovation in the world of finance. "We couldn't have asked for better partners, as UBX and YGG both have the requisite expertise and drive to make this event possible," Xave Finance founder and CEO Chris Verceles said.

Police on Wednesday arrested a 31-year-old university graduate who may have learned how to make drugs online and turned a To Kwa Wan home into a drug lab, where officers seized about HK$4 million worth of dangerous drugs. The unemployed man was arrested on suspicion of manufacturing and trafficking in dangerous drugs. The To Kwa Wan flat that was used is a 300 square feet two-bedroom apartment located on Mok Cheong Street. Officers seized some drug making equipment and packaging tools as well. Cheung also said every corner of the property was used for storing, planting or cooking drugs.

Creating communities where people with and without dementia can all live comfortably is a challenge for Japan and the world. Dementia patients, their families and welfare specialists gather once a month or so at local community centers and elsewhere to enjoy conversations and exchange information. Dementia cafes are meant to be a place for dementia patients to stay engaged with their local community and prevent them and their families from becoming isolated. The appropriate support and ideas of those around dementia patients helps them live as they have before. RELATED STORIESThe dementia timebomb: Ageing Japan faces healthcare crisisNew Alzheimer’s drug shows promise, but needs testing to prove efficacyRead Next

US website Wonderslist recently announced its top 10 most magnificent natural caves in the world, with Son Doong Cave in Vietnam’s central Quang Binh province topping the list. Measuring a total of 38.5 million cubic metres, Son Doong Cave is currently the largest natural cave in the world, recognized by Guinness in 2013. Adventure travellers can book a tour exploring the largest cave on the planet via Oxalis, the only private company licensed to launch tours to Son Doong Cave. The Son Doong tour is open from January until the end of August, with a maximum of 100 groups, with 1,000 guests as the total limit. RELATED STORIESADVERTISEMENTConquering Son Doong: the world’s biggest caveTourism on track in Vietnam’s Son Doong, the world’s largest caveRead Next

In the course of education, teachers are bound to see some rebellious behavior from students, especially when they become teens. In both situations, the schools take students' behavior seriously with different methods used to educate the teens. Stretching it out would do great harm to the students, teachers, school administration and parents. Nobody should be surprised by Zun Zi's topic pick since the incident at St Francis Xavier's School has gripped the city thanks to huge media coverage. Maybe we all should learn to regain a tiny bit of humor after spending so much time living in pandemic restrictions.

When our parents suffered from illness and tiredness, they always hide their true feelings but say “we are fine” in order not to make us worry about them. We should encourage our parents to get regular health check even when everything seems fine for preventive purposes. health.ESDlife, as Hong Kong’s first and only online aggregator of health services, has newly launched the branding campaign to advocate the importance of “keeping your health in check”. Together with a comprehensive range of over 600 health check plans and one-stop comparison & booking function, health.ESDlife ensures you to find the most suitable plan which best fit individual needs and budgets. Tel: (852) 3151 2221Whatsapp: (852) 9418 6565Facebook: health.esdlife

The MTR’s Kwun Tong line saw an incident involving the opening of the doors of a moving train prior to it fully reaching the station platform. The captain soon noticed, however, and immediately closed the doors, allowing the train to restart and arrive at the correct position on the platform. The incident led to train services on the Kwun Tong line being suspended for a while, said the MTR. The incident caused no injury, with the cause determined to be human error after an initial investigation by the MTR company. Further investigation by the MTR is ongoing, with the Train Operations Control Center announcing a recall of the train for inspection while the train captain involved has been temporarily reassigned to another position.