Facing a crisis, New York hopes to reinvent itself again

NEW YORK -- People fleeing town, widespread joblessness, a rising crime rate: the coronavirus pandemic has plunged New York into crisis, deeply concerning for many, but for others a chance for this famously dynamic city to reinvent itself.

"We may be going through one of the most painful and exceptional moments in our history," Mayor Bill de Blasio said Friday. "We may be going through profound social dislocation." 

The epidemic has claimed more than 23,000 lives in America's economic capital, making it the hardest-hit Western metropolis. 

Despite a sharp drop in the number of cases since May, the city has limited its reopening amid fears that a surge of infections felling southern and western states could strike New York.

With tourism evaporating, office towers nearly deserted, many stores shuttered, unemployment at 20 percent, and city services trimmed: this metropolis of 8.5 million people, synonymous with crowds and consumerism, has become a muted version of its former self.

For the reopening of schools in September, city officials are planning on a maximum of three days of in-class time a week, frustrating parents desperate to return to normal work schedules. 

And the crime rate, in decline since the mid-1990s, is surging: police have tallied 634 shootings and 203 murders since January, respective rises of 60 percent and 23 percent from the same 2019 period.

Against that background, many New Yorkers have fled the city, leaving thousands of vacant apartments behind. Manhattan real estate rental prices declined slightly in this year's second quarter for the first time in 10 years, according to the StreetEasy real estate website. 

- 'A perfect storm' -

"This is a perfect storm, in some ways, of bad events," said Kenneth Jackson, a Columbia University professor who specializes in the city's history. 

For Jackson, who left Manhattan for the countryside as the pandemic struck, today's situation is reminiscent of the dark period in the 1970s and 1980s when New York, facing financial bankruptcy, was ravaged by crime and an exodus to the suburbs. 

But like many New Yorkers, Jackson tries to keep matters in perspective. New York, after all, survived the cholera epidemics of the 19th century and the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, after which some predicted that people would no longer want "to work in a tall building."

And people are not fleeing urban hubs as they were in the 1970s. 

"There's been a rebirth of central cities," Jackson said, as US crime rates have fallen sharply and the quality of urban life has improved, with more personal, professional and entertainment opportunities.

- 'Adjusting to the realities' -

Thirty-year-old Kyle Scott, an online real estate specialist, agreed. 

He and his wife, a pediatrician, had left New York two years ago for a pleasant suburb, before growing disillusioned. 

While in the suburbs "there's so much more space, you have such a better family life and much better sort of quality of living," he said, "you don't have the same benefits that the city has to offer."

Now back in New York, and parents of a seven-month-old baby, they plan to stay in the city that "always reinvents itself" -- hoping a decline in real estate prices will allow them to own their first apartment.

Eva Kassen-Noor, an urban planning professor at Michigan State University, believes New York "will adjust to the realities that the epidemic is here."

Already, certain changes which environmentalists once thought unattainable have become reality: the number of cyclists, already on the rise in New York for years, has exploded. More than 100 miles (160 kilometers) of roads have been, or will soon be, closed to cars. 

Meanwhile, nearly 9,000 restaurants opened outdoor terraces in recent weeks, after city authorities streamlined the approval process to help compensate for the loss of indoor dining.

Scott Ellard, who owns the well-known 55 Bar jazz club in Greenwich Village, is currently negotiating to have his street converted to a pedestrian zone. He hopes to use the outdoor space for the club's reopening after a painful four-month closure. 

"We are doing whatever we can," he said. "Who the hell wants to close?" 

"You spend time building a reputation for a place; it would be a shame to let all that history go."

Jackson, the Columbia University professor, said he is sure the city will come back and will gladly return to his Upper East Side apartment.

"No later than the summer of 2021," he said, "...there will be clear signs that the city is recovering."

Agence France-Presse

Beijing overtakes NYC as 'Billionaire Capital of the World'

BEIJING — Move over, New York City: Beijing is the new "Billionaire Capital of the World." The Chinese capital has overtaken the Big Apple as home to the most billionaires — 100 to 95 — according to Hurun, a Shanghai firm that publishes a monthly magazine and releases yearly rankings and research about the world's richest people and their spending habits.

The study, which comes months after reports suggested China now has more billionaires than the United States, highlights how China's elite are continuing to accrue vast wealth despite a wobbling stock market and cooling economy.

Different tabulations of wealth, such as the Hurun Report and the Forbes list, have historically produced somewhat different results depending on their methodology.

Rupert Hoogewerf, the founder of Hurun, attributed China's explosive wealth creation to Chinese market regulators allowing a flood of new initial public offerings after holding back new IPOs for several years.

Hoogewerf said his wealth calculations were made using stock prices as of Jan. 15, which means they took into account the Chinese market's 40 percent tumble over the past half year.

Had the calculations been made at the market's peak last summer, the number of Chinese billionaires would have been nearly 150, Hoogewerf said.


Beijing took the title from New York after minting 32 new billionaires last year, while New York gained four. Moscow came in third place, with 66 billionaires, while Hong Kong and Shanghai came in fourth and fifth with 64 and 50, respectively, Hurun said.

China's richest man, real estate tycoon Wang Jianlin, came in 21st place globally behind Wal-Mart scions, the Swedish family that owns Ikea and Brazilian investor Jorge Paulo Lemann. Other Chinese billionaires in the global top 100 included Alibaba founder Jack Ma, beverage magnate Zong Qinghou, and the tech bosses at phone maker Xiaomi, social media firm Tencent and Baidu, the search engine.

Hoogewerf said China had a particularly high proportion of self-made billionaires compared to the United States.

"What we showed today is that at the super-wealth creation level, the Chinese are now leading," Hoogewerf said. "People will look at China the same way that people looked at Stanford or Silicon Valley in the 1990s."

source: philstar.com

Charo, Piolo make historic Filipino firsts in iEmmys

NEW YORK -- New York is home to some of the Philippines' best. From Broadway to Wall Street, the "galing ng Pilipino" or the innate greatness of the Filipino shines brightly in the Big Apple.

For instance, the “Philippine Gold: Treasures of Forgotten Kingdoms” exhibit at Asia Society is a testament to the Filipino's greatness that dates back to the 10th century.

Two of the exhibit's recent visitors are making historic Filipino firsts in this year's International Emmy Awards in New York.

ABS-CBN president and CEO Charo Santos-Concio will be the first Filipino to chair the 43rd International Emmys Awards Gala on Monday night, while award-winning Kapamilya star Piolo Pascual will be the first Filipino presenter at the iEmmys.

"I'm very very proud to represent my company ABS-CBN, and I'm very, very proud also that I am Filipino and I'm here to represent our country," Santos-Concio said.

"Pride, honor, you know being in the business I love and having this kind of gift is a reward," Pascual said.

At the HBO welcome cocktails Sunday, International Emmy Awards president Bruce Paisner said Santos-Concio's appointment as this year's chair was a clear-cut choice because the academy recognizes not only the excellent TV programs and actors from the Philippines but also the outstanding achievements of ABS-CBN under her watch.

"You have to be really somebody who is a person of importance in their country, in their organization as well. We think that Charo is wonderful chairman for us," Paisner said.

As chair, Santos-Concio will open the International Emmy Awards Gala at the New York Hilton with a welcome speech, while Pascual will present a telenovela award near the latter part of the awards show.

"Part of the mission of ABS-CBN is to make sure that we share stories of Filipino strength and resilience and I think it should go beyond the Philippines. Our content should reach the international shores. I hope to be able to bring that to the consciousness of the international community here at the iEmmys," Santos-Concio said.

Pascual is no stranger to the iEmmys: his teleserye "Lobo” (She Wolf: The Last Sentinel) with Angel Locsin, was nominated in the 37th International Emmys.

"I just hope it opens doors for other showbiz people to be able to penetrate the international scene," Pascual said.

Pascual will join other celebrity presenters such as Academy Award winner Michael Douglas and "Star Trek" veteran actor George Takei.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Pinay's tribal-inspired fashion a big hit in NY

NEW YORK — Twinkle Ferraren's design style features traditional Filipino handwoven fabric made for modern everyday wear.

It's an uncommon combination but the Filipino designer rose to the challenge to make it her own distinct style.

"I love tribes. For me tribes speak about our heritage, our culture. It's the soul of a country. It's how you know who you are," she said.

From Benguet Province to Sulu, Ferraren has been working with ethnic and tribal communities around the Philippines to find that special heritage materials that would give her design a distinct Filipino look and feel.

Her modern silhouettes are hand-embellished with embroidery, bead work, and print-painting. Inspired by tribal artisans, the geometric details of her creations are organic and natural.

"A lot of it geometric, because of the weave meanings, some of it are mountain, turtle, frogs, crabs, fishbone, the ocean. So you can just imagine this is the kind of area that they are living in," she said.

A designer for 10 years, Ferraren learned what it takes to make her ethnic designs relevant to the modern fashionistas. Even her swimwear and island wear collections are everyday wearable fashion.

For young Filipino American customers who are always on the lookout for designs that would showcase their ethnic roots, the wearability of Ferraren's creations is also a big plus.

"It's really great because it provides a jumping point for me to talk about the Philippines with my friends, even strangers," New Yorker Stephanie Chrispin said.

Founders of the Second Annual Ethical Pop-Up Shop said Ferraren's designs are a big hit in the Big Apple.

Andy Katz, co-founder of Jewel Lotus Global Ethical Market Place, said, "There's something really unique and special about the designs coming from the Philippines. They're a bit more like an earthy grounded feel. Some of the weaves and the thread that are being used, they're so incredible."

Ferraren said, "We have everybody from all over the world here in New York and then they appreciate it. So then you realize that it's not only for Filipinos, but it's for the world. So it's exciting, she said.

The Jewel and Lotus Ethical Marketplace for a Better World runs until August 23 at the Mark Miller Gallery in Manhattan's Lower East Side.

Read more on Balitang America.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

'Mariah Carey of PH' living his dream in the Big Apple

NEW YORK - Geo Ed Rebucas wowed the Philippines when he auditioned for Pilipinas Got Talent (PGT) Season 3, singing Mariah Carey's songs.

His audition video became viral and the Zamboanga del Sur native was nicknamed the 'Mariah Carey of the Philippines'.

Then 20-year-old Rebucas made it to the semifinals before he got eliminated from the reality television show.

"Malaki ang pasasalamat ko sa PGT for having me, and of course, sa mga people na naniniwala pa rin sa akin hanggang ngayon," he said.

He moved to California late last year under a family petition.

Today, he is trying his luck in the Big Apple where he appreciates the openness as the most gay-friendly state.

"I'm gay. But then, I'm happy with this life," he said.

Rebucas said if his showbusiness thing doesn't pan out, he always has his nursing degree as a fall back plan.

"You can never tell kung hanggang kailan ito. Most of the arists naman hindi naglala-last," he said.

Rebucas will be performing with Jo Awayan at the Payag in Queens on Sunday. He will also be hosting Pilipinas Got Talent Season 1 winner Jovit Baldovino and heartthrob JM de Guzman's New York show in April.

 Read more from Balitang America.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

New York defends storm shutdown

NEW YORK, United States - New York authorities on Tuesday vigorously defended a decision to shut down America's biggest city for a storm that skirted the Big Apple, dumping the worst snow on Long Island and New England.

Travel bans were lifted, public transport resumed and parks reopened in the city of eight million people, easing many of the measures put in place as Winter Storm Juno moved in on Monday.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city got only a fraction of the two feet (60 centimeters) of snow that had been widely predicted in the 48 hours leading up to the storm.

Nevertheless UN headquarters, schools, museums and numerous shops and restaurants remained closed Tuesday.

The National Weather Service warned that life-threatening conditions persisted along the coast from Long Island into Connecticut and Massachusetts, where more than two feet of snow blanketed some areas.

"You plan the best you can and you lean toward safety," New York state Governor Andrew Cuomo told a news conference under a barrage of questioning.

He conceded there were likely to be "some" loss of business, but said he had no estimates.

"It may actually have brought us back to full operating capacity sooner but I do not criticize weather forecasters. I learn," Cuomo said.

The clean-up is expected to continue until Wednesday, when schools will reopen, and city and state employees will return to work.

Broadway theaters announced that most shows would go ahead Tuesday as planned, after the Great White Way went dark Monday.

A 'no-brainer'

De Blasio, who repeatedly warned before the storm struck that it was likely to be one of the worst in the city's history, fended off accusations that he had been needlessly alarmist.

"To me, it was a no-brainer. We had to take precautions to keep people safe. God forbid this storm had not moved east, we would then have been hit," he said.

Had travel not been banned, city residents would have been in possible mortal danger, and any economic impact would have been far more negative had there been more destruction, he said.

"We are going to be very forceful in our messages to people when we sense danger. This is what you saw in the last 48 hours," De Blasio said.

On the streets of Manhattan, there were mixed feelings about whether the authorities had over-reacted.

"This is a mere dusting and I've been here for my whole life, with a little bit in London, and this is ridiculous, when they call it a storm," said financial consultant Curtis Brill.

Jennifer Daly, who comes from New Orleans but works on New York's Fifth Avenue, took it in stride, saying she was used to similar hype about hurricanes that do not always turn out as severe as warned.

"People do have to be cautious and ice and driving do not mix, so it's better to take precautions and not have accidents," she said.

Air travel disrupted

In the end, snowfall varied throughout the New York area, with some parts of the city receiving as little as four inches -- far short of the city's record 26.9 inches in February 2006.

Long Island was however still being hard hit with up to 20 inches of snow, and easternmost Suffolk County continues to see blizzard-like conditions and face "serious issues," Cuomo said.

County police confirmed that a teenage boy died late Monday in a sledding accident.

Cuomo lifted the travel ban, which was imposed at 11:00 pm Monday, at 8:00 am (1300 GMT). Limited service on city rail and subway lines resumed an hour later.

Service was expected to be back to normal by Wednesday.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie also lifted the travel ban in his state, but officials in both states nevertheless warned against all but essential travel.

Driving bans were still in effect in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Flight disruptions are still extensive. Around 5,250 flights within, to and from the United States have been cancelled for Tuesday and Wednesday, according to flightaware.com.

Officials said virtually all flights at New York's LaGuardia airport were cancelled Tuesday as well as most at Newark and John F. Kennedy international airports.

In Boston, 85 percent of flights were cancelled, said flightaware.com.

Thousands were without power along the coast of Massachusetts, including on Nantucket Island, where some were evacuated from their homes, local media reported.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Which city is home to the ultra-rich?

MANILA, Philippines - The United States is home to the world's largest population of billionaires.

According to Wealth-X's special report on America's Ultra Wealthy Population, the US has 571 billionaires.

"There are more ultra-high net worth (UHNW) individuals worth $30 million to $49 million in the United States than there are UHNW individuals of all wealth tiers combined in any other single country," the report said.

UHNW individuals are defined as those with $30 million and above in net assets.

Wealth-X named California as the state with the highest number of ultra wealthy individuals in the US. There are 13,445 UHNW individuals who live in California, mostly in San Francisco (5,460) and Los Angeles (5,135).

California has a bigger UHNW population than the United Kingdom, which has 11,510.

New York state ranks second in the US with 9,530 UHNW individuals.

"California and New York added the largest number of new UHNW individuals - there were 1,470 new UHNW individuals in these two states alone. Although these states’ GDP growth was not as impressive as that seen in other states, they have a number of advantages, one of them being the high concentration of UHNW population and businesses already established there," Wealth-X said.

Texas ranked third with 6,510 UHNW individuals, even more than Canada.

Florida ranked fourth with 4,710 super wealthy individuals, followed by Illinois with 2,905 UHNW individuals.

City for the super-rich

However, more than 90 percent of the super rich in New York state (8,655 individuals) live in the Big Apple.

Wealth-X said New York City has the biggest ultra wealthy population not just in the US, but all over the world.

Wealth-X said it used the individual’s primary business address as a determinant of his or her location.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Fil-Am is New York City's first-ever chief technology czar

NEW YORK -- A Filipino-American has been named the first-ever chief technology officer of New York City.

Appointed by New York mayor Bill de Blasio as the city's first technology czar, financial technology veteran Minerva Tantoco will be placed at the helm of making the Big Apple the most tech-friendly and innovation-driven city in the world.

"Our City’s digital infrastructure should reflect the 21st century innovation hub we want New York City to be. With the appointment of Minerva Tantoco as the City’s first Chief Technology Officer, we are moving one major step towards the creation of a modern government that connects City agencies to the best ideas and brightest people to streamline the delivery of government services, and increase transparency,” de Blasio said in a statement.

“Minerva is an experienced technologist with vision and technical expertise to make New York City the number one center for tech and innovation in the country, and I am thrilled to have her join my administration," he added.

Tantoco thanked de Blasio for the opportunity.

"I have dedicated my career to creating and deploying forward-thinking, innovative technology... There is a great opportunity in New York City for government and the tech community to work together to challenge the status quo and improve people’s lives. I’m honored to join the de Blasio administration and look forward to working with City agencies to transform our government – and our city – with technology and innovation," she said.

Tantoco is known for her business transformation expertise -- from launching her own startup to directing technology and innovation for large enterprise.

The Flushing, Queens native is a product of New York City public schools - she graduated from Bronx Science High School and Vassar College.

In her position as chief technology officer for UBS, Tantoco was responsible for the bank's operations in the Asia Pacific region.

She holds four patents in artificial intelligence and workflow systems.

She also held senior positions at Palm and Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Pacquiao wants to fight at 'Big Apple'

MANILA – Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao is open to fighting in New York, particularly at Madison Square Garden where some of the most historic boxing matches have taken place.

Carl Moretti, Top Rank Inc. vice president, told ESPN’s Michael Woods that Pacquiao mentioned New York when they were talking about Miguel Cotto’s upcoming match against Sergio Martinez.

"It came up at the gym about Miguel Cotto fighting at the Garden June 7 against Sergio Martinez, because Freddie Roach is training Cotto for the fight," Moretti said.

"Manny indicated he was enamored of the atmosphere at a big Garden fight, like when Cotto fought Antonio Margarito there [in 2011]. He would love to fight at the Garden if it could be worked out."

Most of Pacquiao’s bouts in the US have been held in Las Vegas, Nevada, considered the gambling capital of the world. He also fought once at Cowboy’s Stadium in Dallas.

Among the monumental battles that were held at the Garden was the 1942 bout between "Sugar" Ray Robinson and Jake LaMotta, the 1951 fight between Rocky Marciano and a fading Joe Louis, and the "Fight of the Century" between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier.

A Pacquiao fight in New York bout would have to take place after his WBO welterweight title fight with Timothy Bradley. The rematch will be held in Las Vegas on April 12.

With regard the tax obligations that come with a New York fight, Moretti said this can be cushioned by other benefits a boxing superstar can get from the Big Apple.

"The tax thing, I think, could maybe be worked out if you went over it with a fine-tooth comb," he said. "What you lose on taxes, you might pick up in value you cannot measure exactly, in exposure and marketing."
 

 source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

New York mourns end of hot dog classic

NEW YORK - No more "Recession Specials," neon lights and cheap bites washed down with papaya juice: New York has lost one of its most iconic hot-dog joints after three decades.

"Gray's Papaya" in Greenwich Village, a reputed favorite of late rocker Lou Reed, has fallen victim to the near daily roll call of New York institutions crushed by exorbitant rent increases.

Shops, bars, cafes and restaurants that for generations are considered integral to the world's most exciting city suddenly disappear overnight, no longer able to pay the rent.

"I'll miss getting those hot dogs at midnight," jobbing actor Peter Coleman, 28, told AFP in a nearby bar, waxing lyrical about the shuttered premises on Sixth Avenue and 8th Street.

"It's sad to see another neighborhood staple go the way of Ray's Pizza," said Coleman, who works in the neighborhood and still misses the beloved pizzeria that closed a few years ago.

Famous for its "recession special" -- two hot dogs and a medium soda for $4.95 -- Gray's Papaya was a veteran culinary landmark.

Kids, late-night drinkers, clubbers and the homeless counting out their last coins came for a dog and the legendary papaya drink "made from the magical melons of the tropics".

They flocked to the 24-seven joint, as much for its food as its quirky decor -- paper-mache fruit hanging from the ceiling and its witty ads: "If you're hungry, or broke or just in a hurry".

Another fan, filmmaker Ashbey Riley, paid tribute in an emotional blog on the Huffington Post.

"I can hardly remember the first time my father took me there. I must have been about three. It doesn't matter really. Gray's became an everlasting part of my life," she wrote.

"Gray's has always been there through every phase. Gray's was enduring, never changing, always dependable, forever delicious and conveniently, Gray's was always open," she added.

Tourists came for a genuine taste of the Big Apple.

The place featured on the small and silver screen in among others "Sex and the City," "How I Met Your Mother," and the 1998 rom-com "You've Got Mail" with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks.

Owner Nicholas Gray confirmed the reason for the closure was the sharp increase in renewing the lease.

"They wanted to raise my rent to $50,000 from $30,000," he was quoted as saying in the local media.

Employees and the manager of Gray's remaining branch, away from the Manhattan bar scene on the Upper West Side, declined comment.

Journalist Jeremiah Moss who has written for The New Yorker, Playboy and the Paris Review, has cataloged rent casualties on his blog "Jeremiah's Vanishing New York" since 2001.

Moss blames much of the loss of "6,926 years of history" on billionaire mayor Michael Bloomberg, who left office in January after 12 years of rising inequality and booming property prices.

"It's been 12 merciless years of destruction and loss, from 'significant' losses to countless 'smaller' ones -- neighborhood laundromats, shoe repair shops, drugstores," Moss wrote.

Besides "Gray's Papaya" 2014 has already seen the loss of a clutch of other businesses, including the "Famous Oyster Bar", which shuttered after 55 years Seventh Avenue and 54th Street.

It put up a sign saying that it was closing "due to exorbitant rent prices". The owner was quoted as saying that four years ago the rent was $12,000 and now it's more than $30,000.

Another was well-known clothing store "Camouflage" in uber-chic Chelsea, kicked onto the kerb after 38 years when the rent more than tripled from $7,000 to $24,000 a month.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Pinoy food gets spotlight in New York mag

MANILA – A magazine in New York puts the spotlight on Filipino food, saying that the Big Apple is “finally ready” for our cuisine.

In an article titled “Blazing a Lumpia Trail: Filipino Cuisine Finds a Foothold in New York,” New York Magazine featured a list of promising Filipino restaurants in the city.

Citing how it has been recognized in the United States since last year, particularly by “Bizarre Foods” host Andrew Zimmern, the magazine agreed that Filipino food is the “next big thing.”

“It seems that New Yorkers are finally ready for Filipino food, which has long languished in the shadow of Thai, Indian, Chinese and other Asian standbys,” New York Magazine said in the article, which was also published in the Grub Street blog.

“If you have yet to acquaint yourself with the characteristically tart, sour and fermented flavor palate [of Filipino food], now’s the time,” it added.

Nine Filipino restaurants in New York were mentioned in the article: Vekslers, which combines Filipino and Spanish cuisine; Pig and Khao, which blends Filipino and Thai influences; Lumpia Shack Snackbar, which infuses Chinese elements into Filipino food; Papa’s Kitchen, which is known for its affordable Filipino dishes; Talde, which is owned by Filipino-American chef Dale Talde; Pan de Sal, a Filipino-style bakery; Maharlika, which highlights “ancestral cuisine”; Ugly Kitchen, which offers Filipino drinks and an Asian fusion menu; and Jeepney, a gastropub serving a modern take on Filipino food.

Last October, the Filipino restaurant Purple Yam in New York was chosen by the Michelin Guide as a “Bib Gourmand,” which denotes excellent and budget-friendly cuisine.

In August, popular American men’s magazine Details declared Filipino cuisine the “next great Asian food trend.”

Filipino delicacies such as halo-halo and balut have also been getting a lot of raves in New York.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com