The local music industry has had to say goodbye to significant gig spots that just couldn’t survive the pandemic, no matter how well-loved they were.

As the country prepares to ease restrictions, B-Side takes stock of what it’s been like for local and independent musicians to collaborate and perform in a socially distanced world. 

“Collaborating online has taught us how to streamline our music creation process which we believe is a lesson we can take with us after the pandemic,” said Renzo R. Lumanog, vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the local alternative pop band Any Name’s Okay. The band has performed in famed venues such as Route 196 on Katipunan Avenue, as well as in international music festivals in Taiwan. “A lot of musicians right now have either stopped making music, and there are some who have released more music than they ever have, there is a scale there.” 

In this B-Side episode, Mr. Lumanog talks to BusinessWorld reporter John Victor D. Ordoñez about venues closing down, people losing jobs, and musicians pursuing their passion. 

Recorded remotely on Jan. 28, 2022. Produced by John Victor D. Ordoñez, Jino D. Nicolas, and Sam L. Marcelo. Music used with permission from John’s Dirty Old Sneakers. 

In this B-Side episode, Froilan C. Calilung, a political science professor at the University of Santo Tomas, talks about the legalities and loopholes that have allowed vote buying to become part of the Philippine political system, with structures built by those with power and money.

“We could simply say that poverty is one of the contentious issues why we have vote buying, and why it is still very much prevalent in our society nowadays,” he tells BusinessWorld reporter Alyssa Nicole O. Tan. “Many Filipinos actually see election time as a frivolous event, more like a carnival of sorts if I may say.”

Recorded remotely in December 2021. Produced by Brontë H. Lacsamana, Jino D. Nicolas, and Sam L. Marcelo. 

It’s campaign season and election fever is on the rise. Comedian Red Ollero has been interviewing political candidates of all stripes on his show Bago Matulog with Red Ollero, a casual conversation that’s more approachable than the debates aired on television. While platforms are still discussed, Mr. Ollero also grills his guests and gently roasts them.

In this B-Side episode, Mr. Ollero tells BusinessWorld reporter Joseph L. Garcia what he finds funny about politics. They talk about the role of entertainers and influencers in the elections and why it’s good to poke fun at yourself when you are in the serious business of running an entire country. 

Recorded remotely in December 2021. Produced by Paolo L. Lopez, Jino D. Nicolas, and Sam L. Marcelo. 

While the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has dominated the headlines, other issues such as mental health concerns, tuberculosis, and cancer still need to be addressed.

“There are a lot of patients who are not able to get treatment because of COVID-19, and access to treatment is an issue,” said Dr. Erwin G. Benedicto, head of medical affairs at Johnson & Johnson Philippines.

In this B-Side episode, the second on strengthening the country’s health system, he tells BusinessWorld reporter Brontë H. Lacsamana how the public and private sector can work together to provide better healthcare and protect the country from multiple health-related threats. 

“Moving forward… we will have to enhance the private and public partnership because I know that the government cannot do it alone, and private cannot do it alone,” Dr. Benedicto said.

Recorded remotely in December 2021. Produced by Brontë H. Lacsamana, Jino D. Nicolas, and Sam L. Marcelo. 

The days of zero-COVID policies are long past, and learning to live with the coronavirus will require major adjustments to how things were done in the first year of the pandemic. “Coping with it, living with it, adjusting our policies and the way we live with the COVID threat (is) a matter of reducing risk,” said Dr. Regina P. Berba, head of infection control at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH).

In this B-Side episode — the first of two parts on the future of healthcare — Dr. Berba speaks with BusinessWorld reporter Brontë H. Lacsamana about a wide range of topics, including how to take care of the medical frontliners who are taking care of us, how civic spaces have to transform themselves just as hospitals have, and how the universal healthcare law can expand access to quality and affordable health services if implemented properly.

Recorded remotely in December 2021. Produced by Brontë H. Lacsamana, Jino D. Nicolas, and Sam L. Marcelo.

Digital infrastructure may not be a campaign talking point but it will be important for the next administration and the Philippines’ post-pandemic future.

“Whether you’re talking about agriculture or housing, all these will ultimately be driven by a broadband connection,” said Mario R. Domingo, founder of deep learning solutions company Neural Mechanics, Inc. and director of the Ateneo Institute for the Digital Enterprise. “In no uncertain terms, I want to make it clear that a national broadband network is the project of the national government because the moment you privatize it, it becomes a profitability play.”  

In this B-Side episode, Mr. Domingo tells BusinessWorld reporter Patricia B. Mirasol about the relationship between the internet and nation-building.

Recorded remotely on Dec. 15, 2021. Produced by Paolo L. Lopez, Jino D. Nicolas, and Sam L. Marcelo.

The Omicron surge doesn’t dampen expectations that the Philippine internet economy will hit $40 billion in terms of value by 2025.

“We don’t look at our estimates from an event point of view because we can’t forecast individual events like Omicron and who knows what’s going to happen next,” says Willy Chang, associate partner at Bain & Company. “It’s based on foundational views.

In this B-Side episode, Mr. Chang explains the e-Conomy SEA Report released in November 2021 by Google, Temasek, and Bain & Company to BusinessWorld reporter Revin Mikhael D. Ochave.

He identifies “pockets of opportunity” for small and medium enterprises and how they can become part of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing digital economy. “The headroom for growth is tremendous.” 

Recorded remotely on Nov. 30, 2021. Produced by Paolo L. Lopez and Sam L. Marcelo.

It’s 2022 and as we head into year three of this pandemic, Omicron, the latest coronavirus variant of concern, continues to surge.

Due to pandemic-related restrictions, digital wallets have become the primary mode of sending and receiving money.

Because of the large number of overseas Filipino workers, fintech or financial technology plays a key role in financial inclusion in the Philippines. 

“You can see that the market is shifting towards digital receive methods,” said  Earl Allan E. Melivo, country director of cross-border digital payments service WorldRemit. “We’re already seeing that as evidence of ... a more efficient industry.”

In this B-side episode, Mr. Melivo explains to BusinessWorld reporter Brontë H. Lacsamana how the pandemic is spurring the rise of digital financial services, and how internet penetration is hobbling it.

Recorded remotely on Dec. 16, 2021. Produced by Brontë H. Lacsamana, Paolo L. Lopez, and Sam L. Marcelo.

With the holiday season in full swing, there’s going to be a lot of opportunity for online fraud during e-commerce transactions. 

“Merchants are so focused on growing as quickly as possible, that they forget to put the right fraud tool,” said James L. Melon, country manager of fraud prevention services company Vesta. “The need is [only] realized when they get exposed from fraud attacks. Merchants make up for this by selling more volume, but it’s like pouring more water into a leaky bucket.”

In this B-Side episode, Mr. Melon tells BusinessWorld reporter Patricia B. Mirasol about reputational risks and red flags that online merchants should watch out for. 

Recorded remotely on Nov. 9. Produced by Paolo L. Lopez and Sam L. Marcelo.

A percentage of those who recover from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) still suffer from long COVID, a condition characterized by symptoms such as chronic fatigue, shortness of breath, and cognitive dysfunction. 

Initiatives such as the global AFTERCOR study, a two-year research program on the long-term outcomes of COVID-19 ICU (intensive care unit) survivors, are gathering data from its partner institutions to gain a better understanding of the medical condition’s mechanism.  

 “What’s quite peculiar with COVID-19 is that it’s such a chameleon,” says Dr. Karin Wildi, an Australia-based ICU specialist and principal investigator of the AFTERCOR study.

In this B-Side episode, Dr. Wildi tells BusinessWorld reporter Patricia B. Mirasol how the virus attacks every organ in the body.

Recorded remotely before the Omicron variant (first reported to the World Health Organization from South Africa on Nov. 24) was classified as a variant of concern by the World Health Organization on Nov. 26.

Produced by Paolo L. Lopez and Sam L. Marcelo.