The Weekly Journal - Wednesday, February 24- March 2, 2021

Wednesday, February 24 - March 2, 2021 - // no. 096

Puerto Rico and the Caribbean

www.theweeklyjournal.com

Aon Forecasts Health Insurance TRENDS P6 Puerto Rico Open Promotes Sports Tourism P8 Travel Confidence Continues to Improve P10

>All photos courtesy of parallel18

New Gen of Entrepreneurs

at the Forefront of Technology

Pre18 highlights the importance of Puerto Rico’s startup ecosystem

P

>Brandon Cruz González

Giovanna Garofalo

Goat Cheese Galore from Juncos P13

ggarofalo@wjournalpr.com

@giopgarofalo

arallel18’s pre-accelerator program exclusive for Puerto Rican startups, dubbed “pre18,” has celebrated its third cohort with DemoEvent, highlighting the importance of promoting the island as a startup ecosystem and innovation hub.

“Once again, Puerto Rico showcases the pool of high-quality entrepreneurs, with innovative products and services, who want to keep moving their businesses forward and contribute to the economic

development of the island,” said Lucy Crespo, CEO of the Puerto Rico Science, Technology & Research Trust.

During the recent event, 40 local companies presented their products, services and achievements in a two-day live stream. These businesses, called pre18ners, represent the new generation of Puerto Rican entrepreneurship and showcase diversity and innovation, providing an optimistic outlook beyond the economic crisis wrought by the coronavirus.

GO TO PAGE 4

The Weekly Journal > Wednesday, February 24, 2020 > 2

3

/ Wednesday, February 24, 2021

a week in review General Fund Net Revenues Surpass December 2020 Estimates

>Josian E. Bruno Gómez

>Brandon Cruz González

>Josian E. Bruno Gómez

The Treasury Department reported that the General Fund’s net revenues in December 2020 amounted to nearly $1.2 billion. This number represents $179.6 million, or 18 percent, more than the revenues generated in Dec. 2019.

Collections exceeded the fiscal forecast by $311.5 million, or 36 percent. On the other hand, collections during the accumulated fiscal period from July to December are $29.8 million lower, or 0.6 percent less, compared to the same period in 2020.

Treasury Department Disburses Business Interruption Grants The Treasury Department has started disbursing funds from the Business Interruption Grant Coronavirus Relief Fund program to 17,000 small-business owners in Puerto Rico who prequalified. To date, nearly $12 million has been disbursed to some 2,124 small-business owners, such as those owning bars and restaurants. The program has $65 million earmarked for the island. Pictured is La Placita in Santurce.

Powered BY El Vocero de Puerto Rico, 1064 Ave Ponce de León 2nd floor San Juan, PR Postal Address: PO Box 15074, San Juan, PR 00902

President Salvador Hasbún shasbun@elvocero.com Vp of Marketing and Business Operations Michelle Pérez Miperez@elvocero.com

FAA Approves $8.5M Grant to the Puerto Rico Ports Authority The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved a new grant of $8.5 million to the Puerto Rico Ports Authority. The grant will provide financial relief for nine airports - the international airports of Aguadilla and Ponce, and the regional airports of Isla Grande, Arecibo, Ceiba, Humacao, Culebra, Vieques and Mayagüez - as they face the COVID-19 emergency. The funds are only to cover operating expenses and not for capital improvement projects.

VP of Accounting Félix A. Rosa frosa@elvocero.com

Human Resources Director Arlene Rolón, PHR arolon@elvocero.com

VP of Editorial Content Juan Miguel Muñiz Guzmán jmuniz@elvocero.com

Assistant Editor/ Reporter Rosario Fajardo rfajardo@wjournal.com

VP of Production Eligio Dekony edekony@elvocero.com

Traffic Director Ilia M. Pérez Centeno iperez@elvocero.com

Multi-Platform Graphic Director Héctor L. Vázquez hvazquez@elvocero.com

Multi-Platform Digital Director Stephanie Gómez Álvarez sgomez@elvocero.com

Phone: 787-622-2300, 787-721-2300 Customer Service: 787-622-7480

4

/ Wednesday, February 24, 2021

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Throughout the presentations, attendees were encouraged to participate in polls to enhance the topics discussed and interact with the entrepreneurs in a Q&A format.

Technology Focused

The most common denominator for these startups is that many of them are digital platforms or mobile apps. For example, Paperwork is a Fajardo-based online platform that allows aspiring entrepreneurs and merchants to work the permitting process of their companies. Paperwork compiles the information required for business permits in Puerto Rico to avoid the hassle of navigating through multiple websites.

Another business-oriented company is Caproni, a podcast publishing platform designed for entrepreneurs, freelancers and companies looking to grow their brand. Caproni allows users to publish on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts and YouTube, among others. Users can also track their performance through the company’s analytics system and sell their podcast merchandise.

Innovation abounded in the likes of Patria Tours, which performs virtual reality (VR) tours of the island with an educational focus. These virtual excursions feature live, interactive tour guides, immersive technology through Google Earth, customizable content and Q&A sessions for attendees. Each tour can host up to 1,000 guests at a time.

VeoVeo also optimizes the use of VR technology through games and entertainment. Specifically, the company creates VR experiences for corporate events, tournaments and fundraisers

The winners of the Mentored Engagement Award will receive one-year licenses for Platzi.

for nonprofits. VeoVeo will start renting its VR headsets in March to further enhance the user experience.

Importance of Sustainability

Sustainability was also a key factor in some of the featured business models. VITAL, for instance, develops practical and zero-waste home essentials and accessories with a mission to “mainstream green” as quickly as possible. Likewise, Bana

educates, connects and inspires consumers to be more eco-conscious through a marketing network and its 21-day sustainable living program.

In addition, the Vestigium Environmental Group (VEG) develops biotech as its sustainable water management system called bio-gardens, which emulate natural filtering processes through plants and bacteria.

These startups are a very diverse and diligent group.

Many of them are ready to grow and connect with potential clients, partners and even investors.

- Eduardo Padial, parallel18’s Operations director

Gen 3 of pre18’s DemoEvent participated in a 12-week training and mentorship curriculum.

Meanwhile, Genzier allows users to buy and sell vintage apparel and provides automatic payment to vendors. Its CEO, Vanely Martínez, explained that the company receives 12 percent commissions on every website transaction and has already onboarded more than 50 stores worldwide. It became the first vintage clothing brand to debut at New York Fashion Week earlier this month and has been featured on high-profile fashion publications like Vogue. The company’s mission is to merge fashion with sustainable practices by reducing waste.

5

/ Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Arrecife Beachwear is another fashion-forward company and the first local men’s swimwear brand, although it sells products for all gender identities. Developed by Camilo Pulido and Raúl Vázquez, all manufacturing is in-house. Similarly, A Medias is a brand of stylish, high-quality socks designed in Puerto Rico through collaborations with local artists, such as painter Antonio Martorell and musician Silverio Pérez.

Other businesses are part of the health and personalized care sectors, whose discussion has been propelled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recovery+, developed by surgeon Dr. Eric Escribano, is a research-based and targeted supplement for medical recovery. Meanwhile, VitaRx provides customized vitamins and supplements on a subscription basis. Corewell, on the other hand, is a telemedicine platform that provides in-home psychedelic therapy to patients suffering from depression, while Evocare is an app that connects users with caretakers for senior citizens.

“These founders don’t cease to amaze me.

Ever since I joined the team, I’ve gotten to know what these companies are made of. They’re beyond commitment, energetic and hardworking entrepreneurs eager to expand their branches from Puerto Rico to the world,” said Johann Padilla, Operations manager at parallel18.

Prior to the DemoEvent, all these startups participated in a 12-week training and mentorship curriculum and received $20,000 equity-free funding for their ventures.

Boosting Entrepreneurs

Cuela is a digital platform that connects artisan coffee brands in Puerto Rico with the local market and the U.S. mainland.

their products. These startups are a very diverse and diligent group. Many of them are ready to grow and connect with potential clients, partners and even investors,” Padial added.

Award Winners

Parallel18 is an accelerator program under The two-day event included several awards the Puerto Rico Science, Technology & Research designed for entrepreneurs to take their Trust, dedicated to developing the island as an businesses to the next level. TerraFirma, a digital innovation hub. “Amid this global pandemic, platform for ecologic and urban planning, won this mission has become our the Aeronet High-Speed Award. organization’s guiding light… We This prize consists of a one-year are delighted and looking forward internet granted by Aeronet, to seeing [these companies] a Guaynabo-based network continue their journey,” Crespo provider. The local company has said. been a parallel18 sponsor for the Prior to the Eduardo Padial, parallel18’s past three years.

DemoEvent, Operations director, affirmed The traditional People’s Love all these startups that “pre18 involves a handsAward, voted by the general participated in a on curriculum that requires public, was given to LOFTE, Salon 12-week training achieving weekly goals with Boricua, and Don Rifa, which and mentorship growth and scalability objectives received $2,000 and a Café Global curriculum and set at the beginning of the Membership for one year at received $20,000 program. The commitment Piloto 151, a virtual office and equity-free funding made by these entrepreneurs to coworking space. LOFTE produces for their ventures. achieve them is remarkable and natural personal care products today we saw the results.” and all of its merchandise is “Gen.3 has been a big hardmanufactured in Ponce; Salón working cohort. While we Boricua is a creative workshop of continued in a virtual format, these companies original designs and art pieces inspired by Puerto showcased their greatest potential due to the Rican history and culture, and Don Rifa is a mobile pandemic. The situation didn’t diminish their platform to sell and track raffle tickets to reach commitment; on the contrary, they got stronger broader audiences. and more creative as they carried-out their Meanwhile, Platzi, the largest platform for projects. Thanks to the parallel18 team efforts, the virtual educational content in Spanish, sponsored mentoring and education the startups received, the Mentored Engagement Award, which granted and the collaboration between them made it 10 pre18ners one-year licenses for access to possible for them to achieve the objectives set courses on their online platform. Platzi provides while applying all the knowledge learned to launch over 600 online courses for professionals in

In fact,

various areas, including programming, business development and social media strategies, among others. POLTAGS, Materia Madura, Pintá, Salón Boricua, HALLO App, Remora, CRANEeH, Maranta Power, Equal Love and Pryze will receive the award. These had the highest number of interactions with mentors and the parallel18 team. The interactions were measured through an internal platform used by the program to handle these interactions.

POLTAGS is an app that allows users to register their pets’ information and publish, share and reunite with their pets if they go missing; Materia Madura is a sustainable materials and design company that turns waste into resources; Pintá is a nail gel polish brand that is certified by the Leaping Bunny Organization as vegan and cruelty-free; and HALLO App is a provider-booking marketplace with one app for providers and another for customers to book them on-demand, with aims to promote the gig economy in Puerto Rico.

Meanwhile, Remora provides long-term, costeffective water filtration devices for commercial, residential and environmental use; CRANEeH is a patient engagement app and telehealth service that assists clinicians in treating their patients and improve the quality of service; Maranta Power is a hair product line that guides women in caring for their natural hair and to embrace their curls; Equal Love sells a genderless collection of natural self-care products, and Pryze reduces employee cellphone use at work by motivating workers with rewards.

The next open call for parallel18 will be for P18’s Gen.9, the acceleration program. Applications open on April 5. Entrepreneurs interested in receiving information or updates can access https://parallel18.surveykiwi.com/P18G9Contacts.

6

/ Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Aon Forecasts Cost of Healthcare Plans in Puerto Rico Will Grow 2.3 Percent in 2021

Well below 8.8 Percent Average in Latin America and the Caribbean rfajardo@wjournalpr.com

@RosarioWJournal

on plc, a leading professional services firm offering a wide range of health and risk solutions, forecasts that the costs of company-sponsored medical plans in Puerto Rico will increase by 2.3 percent in 2021, which is considered to be “stable,” according to its 2021 Global Medical Trends Rate Report.

This figure is much lower than the 8.8 percent average forecast for Latin America and the Caribbean. Globally, the expected increase is projected to be 7.2 percent.

“In Puerto Rico, significant claims fluctuations due to COVID-19 are leading to a single percentage point increase in the Net Medical Trend Rate. While a reduction in overall medical premium volume is expected (impacted mostly by member attrition as a result of the contraction of the economy during the pandemic), plan utilization and claiming patterns are predicted to eventually normalize with the recession of the outbreak. As a result, the 2021 Medical Trend Rate is expected to remain stable despite the expected reduction in general domestic inflation,” as per the report.

“COVID-19 has demonstrated the need for better global governance regarding the management of medical programs. Multinational employers are still learning how to manage the pandemic and its effects. They are using this experience to better understand and address the health and wellness needs of employees,” said Maricarmen Burgos, executive vice president, Health Solutions for Aon Puerto Rico.

“Despite the pandemic, we expect the high prevalence of employer-sponsored health plans to continue. We have to consider that the scope of the conditions offered by these plans may change, for example, covering new procedures, fewer coverage exclusions and with more flexible requirements,” added Violetta Ostafin, CEO of Health Solutions for Aon Latin America.

>Carlos Rivera Giusti

A Rosario Fajardo

Maricarmen Burgos of Aon Puerto Rico >Courtesy

The increase in Puerto Rico, although slight, in-person activities, have been impacted due to means that the cost to operate businesses goes the COVID-19 pandemic,” Burgos noted. up. “As healthcare costs increase, employers may Additionally, Aon’s report confirms the have to increase the employee cost share, outgrowing impact of noncommunicable diseases of-pocket expenses and reduce on healthcare costs globally. In or limit benefits. The employer Latin America and the Caribbean, may assume the total impact cancer, cardiovascular disease, of the increase or may share diabetes, hypertension and part of the increase with the pulmonary respiratory disorder employees,” Burgos said to THE were the most prevalent health In Latin WEEKLY JOURNAL. “Additionally, conditions that increased America as more costs need to be shifted medical costs. and the to employees, it may also impact This report also speaks about Caribbean, cancer, employee engagement and the increasing prevalence of risk cardiovascular productivity. In addition, it may factors for unhealthy personal disease, diabetes, impact employee participation habits in Latin America and the hypertension or enrollment in the healthcare Caribbean, such as high blood and pulmonary benefit.” pressure, poor nutrition, high respiratory disorder She recommends that blood glucose, obesity and were the most employers have wellness high cholesterol. In response to prevalent health programs for their staff, but these risks, wellness strategies conditions that in-person activities may not be have become more relevant in increased medical possible due to the coronavirus different regions, especially in costs. emergency. “Employers should Latin America, with a prevalence focus on prevention and of 88 percent. According to wellbeing. We recommend a the report, the most common holistic approach to wellbeing programs to deal with these risk that considers physical, emotional, social and factors are at the prevention level, education and financial wellbeing. Employer wellbeing programs, detection, and include wellness activities and particularly those that have traditionally relied on health coaching.

In fact,

/ Wednesday, February 24, 2021

7

Eagerly waiting to attend concerts once again... >Archive

Learning the Quirks of Puerto Rico’s Entertainment Industry

Jafet Santiago launches podcast, magazine for an inside look at this economic sector

O Giovanna Garofalo

ggarofalo@wjournalpr.com

@giopgarofalo

nce Puerto Rico declared that the coronavirus had reached the island in March 2020, Jafet Santiago, CEO of Sparkof Entertainment and an events producer with over 15 years of experience in the entertainment industry, knew he had to reinvent himself as all venues would be put on hold indefinitely.

“The entertainment industry has been severely hit in recent years on the island, because when we were just beginning to recover from the hard blow that [Hurricane] Maria gave us, the earthquakes and then the pandemic arrived, which completely paralyzed us to the point that we have not yet been able to resume events,” Santiago explained.

When analyzing consumer trends, Santiago noticed a rise in podcasts and decided to venture into that market. On May 8, 2020, he launched the first episode of “El negocio del entretenimiento” (The Entertainment Business), a podcast focused on the idiosyncrasies of the entertainment industry from a business angle rather than the theatrics of showbiz, which merely covers the surface of this multibillion-dollar industry. This podcast is available on multiple streaming platforms, such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio and YouTube,

educational look into the industry. the latter of which pairs the audio with video The magazine is published monthly on sparkof. recordings and footage. com/magazine and has celebrated four editions “I wanted to show what happened behind the since its inception. The covers scenes. There wasn’t anybody have featured Gustavo López, from the Latin American industry CEO of Saban Music Group and detailing that or focused 100 founder of the Machete Music percent on that. I called some label, which helped popularize friends of mine, with whom reggaeton; Thomas Kookman, I’ve done business in the past, CEO of Nacional Records; Sergio and I decided to launch the George, a critically acclaimed podcast, sharing their business music producer with 16 Latin stories within the entertainment Grammys, and Wesley Cullen, industry. That is how ‘El negocio general manager at Casa del entretenimiento’ was born,” Bacardi.

Santiago told THE WEEKLY “The content of my magazine JOURNAL. is intended to help people who As of press time, the podcast want to understand how the has released three seasons and entertainment industry works, in 23 episodes. Listeners can tune the Spanish language. The most in to learn about topics such as serious and comprehensive general responsibilities for artist Jafet Santiago gathered his content about the industry is all managers, the challenges of peers to share anecdotes and in English. I want to serve these traditional media in the context tips on how to triumph in the young people and executives of the pandemic, adapting to entertainment industry. >Courtesy who want to be music producers, changes and intellectual property rights. They can also pick on the show promoters, managers and those who want to invest money in the industry minds of musicians and seasoned managers and and do not know how,” he stated. producers, such as Andy Martínez, Fede Lauría, Despite working in a competitive industry, Ricardo Cordero, Félix Bonnet and Eduardo Cabra, Santiago believes that the key to success is sharing formerly “Visitante” of the band Calle 13.

According to Santiago, the podcast was released knowledge. “Unfortunately, for many years, our to international success, making it to the top 200 in industry has told us not to share ideas because the U.S. mainland and reaching broader audiences they will get stolen. But we are at a historic moment when the most important factor for in Colombia, Spain and Argentina.

A couple of months after launching the podcast, industries to grow is to share the knowledge and bounce ideas with peers, with other people who Santiago released the “Sparkof” magazine are doing the same thing in other cities and other in October 2020. Like its audio predecessor, countries,” he affirmed. the publication seeks to provide an in-depth,

8

/ Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Puerto Rico Open Economic Impact: Over $3 Million

Projects 2,500 hotel room nights

T Giovanna Garofalo

ggarofalo@wjournalpr.com

@giopgarofalo

oday marks the beginning of the 13th edition of the Puerto Rico Open, the island’s official PGA Tour FedExCup Tournament, which aims to provide economic activity to the eastern region while encouraging the reactivation of sports activities during the pandemic.

David Chafey, chairman of Puerto Rico Open, told THE WEEKLY JOURNAL that despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this golf competition “is still an important component to the economy of the region.” This year’s event is projected to contribute more than $3 million to the local economy through taxes collected from room nights, restaurant outings and other tourism contributions.

Furthermore, roughly 2,500 hotel room nights are expected throughout the Puerto Rico Open, and the production of the event is estimated to contribute to more than 1,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Kelly Jensen, of the PGA Tour Tournaments Business Affairs division, reported that there will be 132 athletes and their respective caddies.

Between them and attendees, Jensen estimated that “there’s probably going to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 500 people that would probably come in, give or take.”

The qualifiers start today and extend until Feb. 25 and 26. As informed, 132 professional golf players will participate in this round. Those who pass the qualifiers will face off on Feb. 27 and 28 at the finals. As with other years, the tournament will be held at the Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico, in Río Grande.

Showcasing Puerto Rico to the World

In addition to attracting hundreds of athletes and attendees, the Puerto Rico Open offers a unique opportunity to bolster the island’s tourism, thanks to the 25-hour coverage on the Golf Channel. Like previous tournaments, the programming will feature videos that highlight Puerto Rico’s natural assets and tourism diversity.

“We work really closely with the Puerto Rico

This year’s tournament is expected to attract roughly 500 athletes and visitors. >Courtesy of Puerto Rico Open

Tourism Co. and the DMO (Discover Puerto Rico) as well, and we’ve been working probably for a good solid couple of months here, trying to get ready for the telecast. That’s a big marketing piece to showcase what the island is all about. There definitely will be some of those things moving forward in the telecast, very similar to what we’ve done in the past, so I think viewers can expect very similar things,” Jensen stated.

The Golf Channel is present in 220 countries and, per the fact sheet on this year’s event, is estimated to have around 4.3 million viewers.

Moreover, since the PGA Tour resumed its tournaments with the Charles Schwab Challenge in June 2020, the company reported a 20 percent increase year-on-year on its broadcast ratings, Jensen affirmed. “And then this season so far, our ratings have been up more than 100 percent than last year, and that was a week or so ago,” he added. As such, millions of subscribers will be exposed to Puerto Rico’s tourism offer through the telecast.

Strict Health Protocols

Both Jensen and Chafey underscored that all players, caddies and attendees will be subject to COVID-19 mitigation protocols. Per the local

government’s travel requirements, travelers must take a coronavirus screening exam up to 72 hours before flying to the island. Players and guests will also be required to undergo testing in special centers established at the hotel for this tournament.

“We have created a bubble that includes caddies, players, essential personnel people who can’t socially distance like the CDC guidelines dictate, and those people have to do a special set of testing in order to be inside the bubble.

They’re governed by a wristband and all the people that have the wristband are able to get in these areas. Everybody else who is going to be out on the course will be able to social distance,” Jensen explained. He added that the PGA Tour has conducted roughly 32,000 COVID-19 tests since last year.

For his part, Chafey said that “it is probably the model to be used by many sports in being able to continue their activities but at the same time keeping all the players and the fans, and everybody that is working with the tournament safe, and that has happened in over 30 tournaments that happened in the last year.”

For more information about the Puerto Rico Open, visit puertoricoopen.golf.

9

/ Wednesday, February 24, 2021

The Christmas market and reenvisioned “SanSe” festivities allowed artists to sell their works during the pandemic. >Courtesy of the ICP

ICP Launches Monthly Ballajá Market for Artisans and Plastic Artists By popular demand; provides economic relief to this sector

T Giovanna Garofalo

ggarofalo@wjournalpr.com

@giopgarofalo

he COVID-19 pandemic has devastated many of the island’s artisans and plastic artists. As previously reported by THE WEEKLY JOURNAL, Daniel Rosa, the president of the Puerto Rico Artisans Federation, revealed last month that only 45 percent of entrepreneurs in this sector were able to receive the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) of $600 a week.

The government’s restrictions in continuous executive orders addressing the coronavirus outbreak have severely limited tourism and public events, which for many artists represent their primary livelihood. In its ongoing commitment to support this sector, the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture (ICP by its Spanish initials) announced that it will hold monthly fairs at the Ballajá area of Old San Juan, where plastic artists and artisans will be able to exhibit and sell their works while adhering to health protocols.

The Ballajá Market will kick off on Sunday, Feb. 28, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and going forward, will become a permanent feature on the last Sunday of every month. The initiative stems from the success of the ICP’s Christmas market in December 2020 and the reenvisioned San Sebastián Street Festival in January.

“We had been contemplating the idea of being

textiles and more. In addition, the selection of able to create a fixed market in the Barrio Ballajá artists will rotate in each event to assist as many of area for some time. We understood that it was these entrepreneurs as possible. necessary to have a constant “We open a call where we offer... that the public could enjoy let the artist know all kinds of and for people to know that they valuable information about can attend the Barrio Ballajá how to prepare to participate and have a wide cultural offer.

That, added now to what has in the event, from what type of The Ballajá been happening in the pandemic tent should they take, how they Market will kick off should have their sales systems and the cancellation of all the on Sunday, Feb. 28, prepared - either by ATH Móvil different face-to-face events, from 10:00 a.m. to or some other payment method made it an urgent matter,” said 5:00 p.m., and going - the entire exposure protocol Jessabet Vivas, director of the forward, will become Popular Arts program at the against the coronavirus, and we a permanent feature always attend to any particular Institute. on the last Sunday of query that the artist may have According to Vivas, the artists every month. because plastic artists generally who have participated in the have very different assemblies,” previous markets provided said María del Mar Caragol, positive feedback and remarked director of the ICP’s Plastic Arts program. on the urgency of hosting more events that can boost this economic sector. She said that “again and again there were also many people from the Artisans App a Win public who approached us to say ‘well, we love this, Moreover, the Institute’s ArtesaníasICP mobile but we would like to have more,’ because many app, which connects users with a string of artists times people... do not know what the offer is,” thus and cultural trivia, has been reportedly wellreinforcing the idea of establishing a permanent received. The app was released earlier this year cultural fixture. to provide another sales mechanism for artists, The Ballajá Market will follow the same logistics so even those who are still pending or unable as its predecessors throughout the pandemic. The to participate in the markets can establish their participating artists will establish their own tents presence and gain customers. in Ballajá’s plazas with at least six feet between “We have received a lot of comments from each other to ensure social distancing. Roughly people who are happy to have, on the one hand, 70 artisans and multiple other plastic artists will an opportunity to have direct communication with exhibit their works in the first edition. artisans, and also from artisans to have a tool to To provide a diverse offer, the ICP will ensure tell their clientele that they are there. They have that multiple art forms are represented, such as a new platform through which people can find goldsmithing, woodcarving, painting, sculptures, them,” Vivas affirmed.

In fact,

10

/ Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Deloitte: Consumer Perception of Travel Safety Improves

Welcome news for restaurants, hoteliers and airlines rfajardo@wjournalpr.com

@RosarioWJournal

xpectations for a rebound in tourism are rising, as six weeks after COVID-19 vaccine distribution began in the U.S., more than 50 percent of U.S. adults expect to be fully vaccinated in the next six months, according to a nationwide survey released by Deloitte.

As a result of the vaccine rollout, the percentage of U.S. adults feeling safe staying in a hotel and flying reach highest levels since April 2019 at 46 percent and 34 percent, respectively.

Of those already vaccinated, 70 percent feel safe staying in a hotel and 54 percent feel safe flying.

More than half (53 percent) of those already vaccinated are likely to spend more on travel in the next four weeks.

As nearly 30 million vaccine doses have been administered in the U.S., the latest responses show improving travel intentions and increasing consumer activity, pointing to a gradual recovery in the travel sector, Deloitte indicated.

“After being virtually homebound for the last year, the vaccine rollout is providing consumers with an increased sense of safety, meaning they are ready to get back on the road and in the air. Travel intentions across all categories have increased, which should be welcome news for restaurants, hoteliers, airlines and a host of other consumer and hospitality-focused businesses [that] have been preparing for this shift with increased safety measures to instill confidence for the long-term,” said Ramya Murali, principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP. According to the survey of 1,000 adults, 53 percent of those already vaccinated are likely to spend more on travel in the next four weeks compared to 30 percent for the overall population.

Over the next three months, vaccinated consumers indicate that they are two times more likely to take a domestic flight and 1.7 times more likely to stay in a hotel than the rest.

These vaccinated consumers are also more likely to engage in activities such as renting cars (63 percent) and booking private accommodations (61 percent).

>Courtesy of Marina Puerto Chico

E Rosario Fajardo

“While this early-spring time period would usually be filled with spring break trips, many upcoming vacations have been canceled, or are in doubt, because of the pandemic. However, consumers are beginning to look post-vaccination.

With pent up travel demand, we expect that many consumers look forward to the ability to travel freely and responsibly, once again,” said Anthony Jackson, principal, Deloitte & Touche LLP.

Increase in Puerto Rico Booking Continues As Discover Puerto Rico, the island’s destination marketing organization (DMO), has pointed out, there has been an increase in booking pace, which aligns with improving consumer sentiment. The DMO’s data partner Adara, which looks at internet search and booking activity, shows a dramatic increase in bookings around the beginning of the year, bringing bookings off about 10 percent from a year ago.

“While the leisure market will be the first and quickest to recover, we are also encouraged to see growing interest in the meetings, convention and incentive segments,” said Brad Dean, CEO of Discover Puerto Rico.

When shifting the marketing strategy for the destination, the DMO has focused on the trip

characteristics that potential travelers are looking for, explained Leah Chandler, CMO of Discover Puerto Rico.

A survey by Destination Analysts shows 60 percent of travelers are looking to enjoy scenic beauty, 58 percent want warm weather activities, and 55 percent want to visit beach destinations or resorts. When asked in January what types of leisure vacations consumers sought, “beach and resort destinations” consistently ranked among the most desired experiences. “We know beaches and warm weather are always a key driver during the winter, but specifically during the pandemic, we know travelers are looking for outdoor product, which we have in abundance and need to lean into,” Chandler added.

When surveying attributes specific to meeting planners, they were asked what type of elements they most wanted to see in destination advertising, and the top-three responses included: images of socially-distanced meetings in the destination, what’s new in the destination and outdoor or group meeting venues. For Puerto Rico, pace reports suggest that the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) recovery starts to have an impact in October 2021 and beyond.

11

< The Weekly Journal > Wednesday, February 24, 2021

12

/ Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Dan Torunian

VP of Technology and Employee Experiences and Data Centers, PayPal

Amid Crisis, PayPal Reforms Workforce

W

hen COVID-19 forced us to move our global workforce of around 39,000 employees in 72 locations to a workfrom-home model, our approach evolved from ensuring your safety to improving efficiency.

But when it became clear that the workforce would remain out of offices for the foreseeable future, we used the rapid shift to remote work as an opportunity to reexamine the ways we work together, in teams, and as a company.

To achieve our business goals and continue to provide a world-class experience to all employees, whether in or out of the offices, we are developing new ways of working and collaborating. Our goal is to enable the workforce to be productive in terms of speed and performance, while promoting learning, innovation and collaboration. We also want to help employees deal with some of the fundamentally human challenges of working outside of a corporate office.

Before the pandemic, work processes, collaboration tools, communication channels, learning opportunities and culture - even the way we socialized with colleagues - were necessarily optimized for the traditional workplace. For example, approximately half of our employees perform operational roles in customer service, collections and fraud. Before the pandemic, they worked in highly controlled, results- and metricfocused call centers, where their colleagues were all close at hand. COVID-19 forced us to assess the sustainability of these traditionally designed kits.

Now these same employees are working alone, or with new roommates, spouses, and/or children, in unstructured settings. Even so, they are meeting their productivity goals, but with new challenges related to communication, collaboration, skill development and networking, as well as the difficulty of maintaining social connections with colleagues, interacting with family members during working hours and maintaining a balance between work and personal life.

The digital workplace requires employers to redesign the way their people connect, communicate, collaborate and support each other within and across various functional areas, interact with family members during work hours and maintain a work-life balance.

Given that most employees work from home, it is up to employers to optimize remote worker experiences, intentionally evolving them to be as efficient and enjoyable as on-site experiences.

>Courtesy

At PayPal from now on, we are constantly looking for ways to adapt the digital collaboration process. We are exploring how to offer the same capabilities and experiences across multiple collaboration platforms so that each employee can work with others using their preferred tools.

Employers can also identify and encourage local and regional work standards, differences in IT infrastructure, and technology preferences that could affect employees’ work styles and processes. For example, bandwidth, internet support and network capabilities, along with cultural differences and attitudes toward working from home, vary between regions. Understanding and adapting to these factors can help companies further differentiate and personalize the employee experience.

It’s also important to be able to capture the

natural feeling of spontaneously tapping a colleague on the shoulder and having a coffee, a feeling that is clearly lacking in video conferencing.

To help with this, we created an app that randomly matches interested employees for virtual coffee.

We plan to implement it soon to create a virtual environment where users feel like they are enjoying coffee together at their favorite coffee shop instead of staring at a square on the screen.

The rapid move to remote work provided PayPal and other organizations with an unprecedented opportunity to reexamine how people work.

Ultimately, this will help our employees meet business goals effectively and serve our customers in more than 200 countries, while enhancing the experience of working from a corporate workspace, office, bedroom, a cafeteria or a shared desk.

13

/ Wednesday, February 24, 2021

María Teresa Juan-Urrutia, owner of Finca Renacer, where Lucía goat cheese is made. >Brandon Cruz González

Finca Renacer is home to 125 goats. >Brandon Cruz González

Lucía Aims to Launch More Products and a New Agrotourism Experience Juncos farm specializes in goat cheese

U Stephanie Gómez Álvarez

sgomez@elvocero.com

stephaniegomeza

nder the seal of Lucía goat cheese, produced at the Renacer farm in Juncos, two new products were recently launched and there are already plans to further expand the product family and also create an agrotourism

experience.

The project that began with four milking goats in 2016, one of these named Lucía - the name of the brand – has already expanded to 50 milking goats, in a farmstead-type operation, where the raw materials and the final products are produced in the same space.

Its owner, María Teresa Juan Urrutia, explained that the new varieties of cheese, available for now through the Produce platform, are goat cheese with “recao” (cilantro) and another with passion fruit. For now, it is a pilot project, but they already have other flavors that they would like to integrate

into the pipeline.

“We want to bring honey, which is a classic that everyone likes, but we also want to focus a lot on tropical products, on those flavors like tamarind and pomegranate. That type of flavor that is more tropical and more targeted to Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, “ said Juan Urrutia to THE WEEKLY JOURNAL. Currently, the original product, which can be found in many supermarket shelves, in the international cheese section, is a goat cheese with the French recipe, which is known as chevre.

“It has a similar consistency as cream cheese, made with goat cheese. So, it is spreadable, it is not an aged cheese, it is a fresh cheese. And since it was my favorite, it was the first one I started, but within that pipeline or product line that I want to have, that is the first. We launched the second and third, which are flavored with cilantro and another with passion fruit, with the flavors already integrated into the cheese, “she said.

Other products that she envisions launching with goat cheese as a raw material are aged or semi-aged cheese, yogurt and dulce de leche, made with sweetened milk.

For all this, Juan Urrutia foresees to gradually increase the production of milking goats to 200.

“The future investment is to try to have a dairy

farm with 200 milking goats with more mechanized milking facilities than what you saw, “she said excitedly.

And this intention to increase production is also in line with the reality of local goat cheese consumption. In 2016 - before Lucía goat cheese existed -, 100 percent of this product was imported. Even bow, this local factory only reaches 1 percent of total consumption.

In addition to new products, María Teresa wants to create an agrotourism experience where people can meet the protagonists of cheese and learn about its production process. That experience would include an area to feed and interact with baby goats, and other spaces to taste a buy the products.

She is also committed to creating a culture of appreciation and pride for what is produced locally.

“The success of projects like this one that I am working on, is that the Puerto Rican identify and have that intention of supporting the local product.

I understand that the biggest challenge is to make Puerto Ricans decide to choose Lucía cheese, rather than a cheese that has been traveling for a month to get to the supermarket shelves. For me, that is the most important thing about this project, “ she said.

14

/ Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Everyday Mindfulness: Five Practices That Will Rejuvenate Your Daily Routine For a renewed focus on your wellbeing

M

Women’s Wellness

indfulness is a concept that many wellness practices incorporate, and for good reason - if you’re living mindfully, you’re actively aware, without judgment, of your current mental, physical and emotional wellbeing. This awareness ultimately leads to a more purposeful and focused life.

If you’re ready to start down this path, here are five simple ways to begin introducing the practice of mindfulness into your daily routine.

Start and End with Breathing

One of the easiest and most effective ways to introduce mindfulness into your day is to focus on your breathing. As something that almost always happens by instinct in the background of our lives, being aware of the rhythm and sensations of breathing can instantly calm and re-center your focus.

As a beginning step, try to start and end your day focused on breathing with this simple exercise: breathe in through your nose to the slow count of 4, then hold for 4, and finally exhale through your mouth for 3 - as you complete this exercise, place your hands on your stomach and notice the rhythmic rise and fall. It may seem uncomfortable at first, and you might sense you’re getting restless, but allow your mind to return to focusing on your breath each time – it’ll get easier the more you do it!

As you get more comfortable doing this morning and night, you’ll be able to incorporate it into your day whenever you feel yourself needing some focus and calm.

Eat with All of Your Senses

Eating is an activity that can be a chore, an indulgence, a background task, or a chance to practice mindfulness. For many of us with busy schedules, eating meals or snacks while multitasking has become the norm. Because eating is such an important part of your life, though, it’s one of the best ways to introduce more mindfulness into your day.

Next time you eat, try to focus on engaging all of your senses – what textures do you feel? How does the food smell and taste? What do you see on your plate? Do you hear crunching? By actively using all of your senses while you eat, you’ll not only feel more present in the task, but you’ll be better able to listen to your body’s hunger cues. Paying attention to all five senses will also require you to slow down as you eat – a much healthier way to consume! Mindful eating will add joy and meaning to the nutritional parts of your day.

Let Your Thoughts be Thoughts

Often when we have anxious thoughts or get caught up in over-analyzing something, our default is to give those thoughts focus and weight. To incorporate mindfulness into your day, try to repeat the mantra, “my thoughts are just thoughts.” Don’t try to talk yourself out of these ideas that float into your head, and likewise don’t direct unneeded energy and attention towards them; let your thoughts be thoughts and nothing more.

Being aware, without judgment, of your mind’s focus is the first step in choosing where you direct your day’s energy and deciding which thoughts

should become actions.

Practice Gentle Redirection

An essential part of mindfulness is letting go of judgment - this is often easier to do for others than for ourselves! Mindfulness means noticing your current state and then gently redirecting to your goal state. If you find your mind wandering during work, for example, rather than getting frustrated or feeling the need to work faster to make up for lost time, try this: take a minute to focus on your breath (see tip #1!), acknowledge in neutral terms that your mind was focused on another task, gently redirect your thinking to the current goal, and then move forward at a normal pace.

If you find that it’s hard to keep on task, try writing down the thoughts that seem to grab your attention and verbally acknowledge that you will get to them later (or, per tip #3, don’t be afraid to acknowledge your thoughts as only thoughts without making an action plan).

Be Part of Nature

In our fast-paced world, many of our tasks and environments make it harder to practice mindfulness. To begin a mindfulness routine, it’s often easiest to connect with yourself and notice your current state when you’re in nature. Head to the backyard, the park, the mountains, the beach – then let your mind focus on how your body feels in the space using all five senses. Out in nature is a beneficial place to let your mind wander where it pleases while staying present in those thoughts.

You may be surprised to find yourself rejuvenated after only a short time outside.

You’ll find plenty of opportunities to incorporate these mindfulness practices into your day – and you’ll start noticing an impact sooner than you might think!

/ Wednesday, February 24, 2021

15

Impress Your Loved One (or Yourself!) With the Ultimate Cheese Board

An easy way to add some elegance and fun to your menu

T

The Holiday Entertainer

he best gatherings (or Friday nights at home with the family) always include delicious food. If you’re looking to take your menu up a notch, consider offering cheese boards (or charcuterie boards) to your loved ones. With a few simple steps, you’ll impress even the pickiest food critics with these visually stunning and equally tasty creations.

Choosing a Board

Your cheese board can say a lot about your personality. From slate to wood, round to square, there are so many options available for a quality board. When not in use, cheese boards can be part of your kitchen décor, so think about a finish that coordinates with your current style. Choosing something with edges is also a great way to keep the food contained on the board (and a great option if kids are on the guest list).

Boards that come with cutouts for small bowls are nice but not as versatile, so think about your future cheese board plans when purchasing. This expandable option is a great choice for a large board that doesn’t permanently take up a lot of space. Whatever you choose, make sure to follow any instructions about cleaning and oiling the board pre/post-feast.

Cheese Choice

Firm, soft and semi-soft cheeses all bring something different to the party, and you should put at least one of each type on your cheese board (try for at least four cheeses total). Start by adding your favorites and branch out from there. When compiling options, think about bold versus mild flavors; Cheddar and Feta are strong, so adding a milder Swiss cheese will help balance your platter.

Don’t be afraid to include flavored cheeses as well - if you need something spicy on the platter, try a

jalapeño Havarti!

The final consideration? Shape! Cut some cheese into triangles, some into squares, and put the soft cheeses in small dishes or mold into round domes. Aim for 1-2 ounces of cheese per person.

Meats/Proteins

Aside from the cheese, meats are the next most important part of a cheese board. Traditionally speaking, cured Italian meats are the best option (think salami, prosciutto, etc.). Aiming again for 1-2 ounces per person, choose meats that are your favorite and go from there. Looking for a vegetarian option? Try roasted chickpeas or nuts along with a spreadable bean dip.

Accompaniments

Even though the accompaniments aren’t the star of a cheese board, choosing the right ones can make your platter pop! Breads and crackers are a must - choose options that pair well with the cheeses you’ve selected (so round crackers for round cheese and crispy bread for spreading warm Brie). Beyond these items, try to add fresh and sweet elements to balance out the salt and tanginess of your meats and cheeses.

Fruits and vegetables are easy choices here, and you can use whatever is in season (or already in your fridge!). Think of these as palate cleansers – biting into a crisp cucumber slice leaves you ready for the next round of cheese! Dried fruits and honey or jam are also great options for some crunch and sweetness.

Add Color and Surprises!

The best cheese boards have a bold visual impact. Make sure to consider color when you’re adding final touches and accompaniments. Some sprigs of parsley or rosemary will add a nice fragrance and pop of green, while a berry compote can infuse some bright color. If you have a lot of cute cheese knives to show off, adding a bowl of olive tapenade or homemade hummus is a great surprise.

Arranging it All

You’ve assembled the delicious components – now what? When it comes to placing everything on your board, don’t overthink it. Whether you

end up with something neatly organized or more whimsically arranged, your board will showcase all of your hard work.

Start by placing something in the center of the board (your baked Brie, a bowl of roasted nuts, etc.), then add similarly-sized elements to each corner. Once you have these anchors, start filling in the gaps! It’s best if you have some separation between cheeses so you can easily see all the offerings. If you like the abundant look, don’t be afraid to pile things up a bit. Finally, take a step back and look at your creation – where can you add the pops of color? And don’t forget to snap a picture!

Once you start experimenting with cheese boards, you’ll want to prepare all of your meals this way! So make your grocery list and jump right in!

TORIUM RA MO

United Way de Puerto Rico y la organización sin fines de lucro Consumer Credit Counseling pueden ayudarte.

Llama ahora al Centro de Información y Referido 2-1-1 de United Way de Puerto Rico, te podemos empezar a ayudar.

United Way de Puerto Rico