The Weekly Journal - October 2, 2019

Puerto Rico and the Caribbean

www.theweeklyjournal.com

>Carlos Rivera Giusti

Wednesday, October 2-8, 2019 - // no. 023

GOVERNMENT BACKS FISCAL BOARD DEBT ADJUSTMENT PLAN P6

WORLD’S LARGEST PROVIDER OF LANGUAGE SERVICES ARRIVES IN SAN JUAN P15

FISCAL BOARD TURNS EYES ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Vision of sustainable economic growth for Puerto Rico: Debt restructuring on one side, followed by the Fiscal Plan and economic development initiatives

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>Carlos Rivera Giusti

Rosario Fajardo

MADISON ANDERSON PREPARES TIRELESSLY FOR MISS UNIVERSE 2019 P20

rfajardo@wjournalpr.com

@RosarioWJournal

ow that the “heavy lifting” associated with the Financial Oversight and Management Board’s (FOMB) work on debt restructuring is reaching the final stages, the entity is able to focus more energy on pushing its economic development agenda.

“We have always been focused on economic development. In fact, it’s an integral part of the [government’s] Fiscal Plan. There are multiple structural reforms that are asked for,” said FOMB Chairman José Carrión in an interview with THE WEEKLY JOURNAL. “We’ve just been confronted with a political reality and the lack of political will to bring about many of those changes. Not all, but many of those changes. But as [Andrew] Skeel, my colleague, pointed out, Puerto Rico is

incremental and we really need radical change. We are not necessarily in the best position to do so.

We need political leaders to lead and we need the political will to bring those changes about,” Carrión added.

The FOMB has received “pushback” from La Fortaleza, the Legislature and some sectors of civil society in such areas as pension reform, the Christmas bonus for government workers and “just cause” payments for employee terminations.

Economic development has always been an integral element in the Board’s vision and must be seen in conjunction with its main mandates of restructuring the island’s heavy debt load and pension obligations, as well as regaining “fiscal balance” and Puerto Rico’s access to the capital markets through the government’s Fiscal Plan, he indicated.

GO TO PAGE 4

>Carlos Rivera Giusti

OUTMIGRATION FROM PUERTO RICO TO THE U.S. MAINLAND CONTINUES AFTER MARIA P14

The Weekly Journal > Wednesday, October 2, 2019 >

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A WEEK IN REVIEW PUERTO RICO MANUFACTURING PMI ROSE TO 46.0 IN AUGUST

>Archive

> Josian Bruno Gómez

>Archive

On a Non-Seasonally Adjusted (NSA) basis, the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for Puerto Rico’s manufacturing sector edged up to 46.0 in August, but remained below the threshold level for the fifth consecutive month. The New Orders, Production and Employment subindexes increased with respect to the previous month. However, just the Production and Suppliers Deliveries sub-indexes were at or above the threshold level of 50. Puerto Rico Manufacturing-Purchasing Managers Index (PRM-PMI) has been at or above the threshold level in 66 of the 112 months since the survey was first undertaken.

FCC APPROVES $750 MILLION TO IMPROVE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PUERTO RICO AND USVI

CHARGING OF DECREASED SALES TAX ON PREPARED FOODS ALREADY BEGAN

On Thursday, the Federal Communications Commission approved $950 million in funding to “improve, expand and harden” communications networks in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

After the communications infrastructure on the islands was devastated by hurricanes Irma and Maria, the FCC created the Uniendo a Puerto Rico Fund and the Connect USVI Fund.To date, the FCC has provided about $130 million in additional, one-time Universal Service Fund support to assist with network restoration.

“With restoration work substantially complete, the FCC today voted to approve the next stage of funding, which will provide mid- and long-term support to deploy fast, resilient and reliable networks that will stand the test of time,” an FCC release reads.

Gov. Wanda Vázquez, along with Department of the Treasury Secretary Francisco Parés, informed that 6,113 establishments which sell prepared food met the established requirements to begin charging a reduced Sales and Use tax (IVU by its Spanish acronym) rate of 7 percent as opposed to 11.5 percent.

“The total number of participating establishments will be increasing daily, depending on the merchants who are still filling out the documents that we have uploaded onto their SURI (Unified Internal Revenue System) account, “ said Parés during a visit to a bakery in Bayamón. Consumers can access SURI at suri.hacienda.pr.gov if they wish to look at the list of businesses authorized to charge 7 percent or to confirm that the restaurant they are visiting charges the reduced tax.

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 In essence, the vision of sustainable economic growth is viewed through the lens of an equilateral triangle: debt restructuring on one side, followed by the Fiscal Plan and economic development initiatives. The FOMB has touched on the issue of economic development and structural reforms in various public hearings dating back to Dec. 2017, about two months after Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico.

/ Wednesday, October 2, 2019

“We’ve just had to deal with what we could and so we are trying to highlight those issues that we think we can move forward. As demonstrated

by Economic Development Secretary [Manuel Laboy], they have done things, they are well intentioned and the department is moving forward. There is progress. But the reality is that we need more,” Carrión said.

“The proposed Plan of Adjustment is essentially the culmination of several years’ work. It is essentially the beginning of the end of the bankruptcy of Puerto Rico and gleefully, I can state that it is the beginning of the end our existence as well, in light of the fact that postPlan of Adjustment, we are really entering into the fiscal stuff, getting into those four structurally balanced budgets, so that we can be on our way,” he commented. If achieved, this would mean that FOMB would be dissolved in 2023.

For the Plan of Adjustment to be effective, “it is crucial to put to action the structural reforms outlined in the Fiscal Plan, including the ease of doing business reforms, sooner rather than later,” he said. “We

We need to work together to improve the business climate, be it by accelerating the permitting process, improving the property registration procedures or improving the tax administration process at the Puerto Rico Treasury Department.

-FOMB Chairman José Carrión need to work together to improve the business climate, be it by accelerating the permitting process, improving the property registration procedures or improving the tax administration process at the Puerto Rico Treasury Department.”

With regard to the upcoming U.S. Supreme Court hearing in October on the challenge of the constitutionality of the FOMB appointments, the chairman said it has not been a “motive for conversation” among the board members.

“The reality is that if the Supreme Court decides that we are in effect federal officials, then there will be a process of senatorial confirmation. We’ve already filled out the paperwork, gone through the background checks, so it’s already there,” he said.

“As to the composition of the board, I can’t say.

Some people may not want to proceed, others, I can’t say to that, so as to what [the board] looks like going forward, we don’t know. So, we want to move forward as much as we can with this board, which was the congressional intent and we are complying with that.”

Incremental Improvements in Permit Process

Despite some progress on obtaining construction permits, Emilio Colón Zavala, chairman of the Puerto Rico Builders Association, said “these processes can sometimes take years.” >Archive

According to various statements from government officials and private sector leaders, there was a clear disconnect on progress made thus far on the ease of doing business.

While Laboy spoke about the improvements made in the permitting process, businesspeople complained about the chronic delays and paperwork associated with starting a business or obtaining government permits.

Laboy noted that the Single Business Portal, a digital tool created to streamline the processes necessary to do business in Puerto Rico, has been launched, in which an additional 85 “incentive procedures” have been included and divided into 11 categories, such as Air and Maritime Transportation, Agroindustries, Infrastructure and Green Energy, Manufacturing and Tourism.

“There has been a huge backlog of construction permits. In 2015, the average time to get an approval was 98 days. As of early 2019, that was

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down to 20 days,” he said. “Use permits took an average 23 days for approval in 2015, and in 2019, that is down to seven days, not taking into account the automatic use permits issued.

“There is progress, but we aren’t at the stage of where we need to be. Once the CDBG [Community Block Development Grant] funds are moving, we will see three to four times the load we have now,” Laboy said, adding that the government has received a $2 million federal grant to improve the Portal.

The private sector painted a different scenario, as they discussed the obstacles that prevent businesses from establishing and expanding.

The situation is particularly bad when trying to obtain various permits at the municipal level, they said, complaining of bureaucracy and “too many people involved in the process.” They said these circumstances have resulted in the loss of millions of dollars in investment and thousands of jobs.

“We must work so that the procedures established for obtaining permits do not become an obstacle for projects to be executed,” said Emilio Colón Zavala, chairman of the Puerto Rico Builders Association. “Under Law 19 of 2017, infrastructure reconstruction projects must be classified as strategic so that evaluations have an expedited process. Infrastructure agencies need to be agile in issuing authorizations for interconnections. These processes can sometimes take years… Processes under DNER [the Department of Environment and Natural Resources] jurisdiction also take years to complete,” he said.

Colón also noted that Puerto Rico has received low marks from the World Bank on its Ease

FOMB Chairman José Carríon at the recent hearing on economic development initiatives >Carlos Rivera Giusti

of Doing Business index. Ten years ago, for example, the island was no. 144 in terms of obtaining building permits. Today, and despite the World Bank acknowledging the advances that have been made, Puerto Rico’s position has barely moved, as it is ranked no. 141 in this area.

Wanda Otero, the founder of Vaca Negra, a local business that produces cheese and yogurt, outlined the travails of many small businessowners, who must wait “years” for various permits and tax incentives. In Otero’s case, her business faced delays getting permits related to environmental health and inspections related to the fire code.

FOMB members were also aghast FOMB members to learn that were aghast to learn the Puerto that the Puerto Rico Rico Property Property Registry Registry has has a backlog of 15 a backlog years, with 441,000 of 15 years, documents pending with 441,000 registration. documents pending registration.

Joaquín Del Río, who heads the office, said he has a budget of about $16 million a year. Besides funding issues, he noted that since 2017, more than 100 employees have left and the Property Registry now has 314 employees in 11 offices islandwide.

An additional four people are scheduled to leave this month, he added.

“I suggest you write an Action Plan with specific requests on the labor force and budget,” said FOMB member José González said.

“I will,” Del Río responded.

In fact...

Economic Development Secretary Manuel Laboy said in 2015, the average time to get a permit approval was 98 days, as of early 2019, that was down to 20 days. >Carlos Rivera Giusti

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Haircut for govt retirees is smallest of creditor claims Gov. Wanda Vázquez accepts the plan Rosario Fajardo

T

rfajardo@wjournalpr.com

@RosarioWJournal

he Financial Oversight and Management Board’s (FOMB) proposed Plan of Adjustment to restructure $35 billion in Puerto Rico’s debt load and other claims, includes cuts for all stakeholders, with a blended cut of more than 60 percent in total Commonwealth liabilities.

As in many other debt-restructuring plans, there are clear winners and losers.

Government retirees would receive the smallest cut, a flat 8.5 percent after $1,200 a month, with no pensioner receiving a monthly amount below this figure. As a result, 60 percent of retirees would not face any cuts. Based on the universe of government retirees, the average

pension cut is 5 percent, according to THE for holders of General Obligation bonds issued WEEKLY JOURNAL’s calculations. before 2012 and a 28 percent reduction for The FOMB had originally proposed staggered holders of Public Buildings Authority bonds issued cuts to retirees by up to before 2012.

25 percent; this would The Plan of Adjustment, have resulted in an overall filed before U.S. District Judge average cut of 10 percent for Laura Taylor Swain on Sept. 27, government pensioners. proposed to restructure $35 In contrast to the cut for billion of debt and other claims The proposed government pensioners, some against the Commonwealth of Adjustment Plan credit holders lost big. Those Puerto Rico, the Public Building includes the holding Employment Retirement Authority and the Employee following specific Systems (ERS) bonds, which are Retirement System, as well recovery terms: considered unsecured credits, as more than $50 billion of • A 36 percent reduction for holders would receive a massive cut of pension liabilities. of GO bonds issued 87 percent. By way of example, if The Board had already before 2012 an individual bought $20,000 in reached agreements or are in • A 28 percent “zero coupon” ERS bonds 10-12 the process of restructuring reduction for holders years ago, these bonds would other debt obligations totaling of PBA bonds issued now be worth about $4,000 $37 billion, reducing that figure before 2012 today, based on the Adjustment by 27 percent to $27 billion.

• An 87 percent Plan, according to THE WEEKLY These claims were for Cofina reduction for holders JOURNAL’s calculations.

(Sales Tax Financing Corp.), of ERS bonds The Adjustment Plan also P.R. Electric Power Authority, includes other specific recovery P.R. Aqueduct and Sewer terms: A 36 percent reduction Authority and the Government Development Bank obligations.

“This Plan of Adjustment, combined with the completed Cofina debt restructuring, reduces the maximum annual amount of government net-tax supported debt service from $4.2 billion to $1.5 billion. The combined debt service of the Commonwealth and Cofina debt falls from $82 billion to $44 billion over a 30-year period, ensuring long-term sustainability,” the Board said in a statement.

“The Plan of Adjustment we proposed… begins our march out of bankruptcy. We are not there yet. We need court approval, and it will take time to get there. A plan that has the support of certain bondholders, retirees and public employees is the best plan to remove the cloud that has been hanging over Puerto Rico’s economy” said José Carrión, Oversight Board Chairman.

In fact...

Pension Payments Bigger Than Debt Payments

From left, FOMB members José González and José Carrión confer with each other during the recent public hearing on the proposed Commonwealth Plan of Adjustment >Carlos Rivera Giusti

If approved by Swain and eventually carried out, annual payments to government retirees would total $2.08 billion, compared with $1.5 billion annual payments to service debt.

In other words, in the years to come, payments to retirees would become the biggest obligation

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>Source FOMB

of the commonwealth government. Hence, at the end of the day, it is taxpayers who must foot the bill. It should be noted that the $2.08 billion in annual retiree payments are similar to the amount collected by the central government in its share of the sales tax, which is 10.5 percent.

As verified by an FOMB advisor, the Commonwealth’s PayGo payments right now are at $2.2 billion, and with the Plan of Adjustment, this amount would be decreased by some $120 million a year.

Currently, including municipal retirees and others, such as those in public corporations, the total retiree payments are $2.575 billion a year.

With the Plan of Adjustment, this figure would also decrease by $120 million a year.

In a televised address, after analyzing the Plan of Adjustment, Gov. Wanda Vázquez said that she supports it, understanding that “difficult decisions” have to be made for Puerto Rico to move forward.

“I am convinced that the best alternative at this crossroads is to consider the approval of the fiscal adjustment plan that has been presented today by the Financial Oversight and Management Board. My assessment of this situation is not governed by surveys or calculations to gain popularity or the highest number of votes. The only interest on my part has been to make an objective and careful

analysis of what are really the best interests of pensioners in Puerto Rico.

“We cannot remain stuck in bankruptcy for many more years and like you, I want the Financial Oversight and Management Board to

finish its work as soon as possible. I am confident that at the end of this process, Puerto Rico will once again obtain its fiscal autonomy and will be on the road to economic recovery,” the governor said.

Despite receiving the smallest cut and being the clear winners in the proposed Plan of Adjustment, some government retirees and their allies continued their protests this week, as they do not want any cuts at all. >Courtesy

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PRASA Sets Gaze on Roughly $435

Million in Federal Programs

restructured federal debt was issued in parity with other senior debt under PRASA’s Master Agreement of Trust; and the termination of the commonwealth guarantee on the federal debt, that is, reducing overall government contingent liabilities by $1 billion.

According to the PRASA chairman, the debt ggarofalo@wjournalpr.com Giovanna Garofalo @giopgarofalo modification allowed the Authority to have access to additional federal funds. “We estimate approximately $440 million from these federal he chairman of the Puerto Rico programs alone for the next five years,” he said.

Aqueduct and Sewer However, in the PowerPoint presentation, Authority (PRASA), Elí Díaz PRASA estimated that it would receive $435 Atienza, outlined the public million during the next six years. The entity corporation’s debt restructuring estimated that $346 million, or 18 percent of and capital improvement the six-year CIP, may qualify in SRF funding. program (CIP), stressing that Furthermore, it also expects to incur in $24 million PRASA’s forbearance agreements include a debt on projects qualifying for RD funding. relief of approximately $380 million over the next Díaz Atienza said that the water industry’s ten years. main challenges are environmental regulations The presentation was organized by the Puerto by the U.S. Environmental Protection Rico chapter of the Associated General Agency (EPA), which entail higher Contractors of America (AGCPR) at the capital and operating costs; Las Nereidas Room of La Concha an aging infrastructure and Resort in, San Juan on Thursday, capital intensive operation, Sept. 26. and vulnerability to climate Díaz Atienza explained that changes and natural due to the entity’s lack of disasters, as evidenced in market access and the need the aftermath of 2017’s to pay CIP outstanding debt Hurricane Maria, and and improve its financial most recently with yellow situation, on June 30, 2016, waters in the metropolitan PRASA entered into forbearance area due to increased agreements related to manganese levels— State Revolving Funds which the chairman (SRF) loans and Rural attributed to droughts.

Development (RD) PRASA intends to programs, which were tackle these challenges later extended on through its revised various occasions until CIP by renewing its July 31, 2019. infrastructure, ensuring After three water quality to its years of ongoing clients.;. and focusing communication with on increasing the -Elí Díaz Atienza, PRASA chairman federal agencies, system’s resiliency to last July, PRASA reduce its vulnerability consummated to weather-related definitive agreements restructuring its debt events. obligations under the SRF loans and RD bonds All in all, the entity expects to incur in more totaling almost $1 billion. than $3.4 billion in resiliency projects. However, The terms of these agreements include the Díaz Atienza noted that these can only be consolidation of more than 400 loans into executed if federal funding is available for three loans (two SRF loans and one RD loan); 100 percent of the amount, adding that the extended maturities and lower interests; that the Community Development Block Grant for Disaster

Welcomes $380 million debt relief over the next 10 years

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If we don’t have matching funds, it will be very difficult for a government with a large financial problem.

Relief (CDBG-DR) funds must be obligated and disbursed at the same speed as funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

“If we don’t have matching funds, it will be very difficult for a government with a large financial problem... Not only do we need FEMA, we need the CDBG to move at the same speed,” he asserted. Díaz Atienza and Gov. Wanda Vázquez visited Washington, D.C. earlier this month, in which he urged agency heads to approve CBG-DR funding for Puerto Rico.

PRASA Aims to Escape FOMB Scrutiny

Díaz Atienza also informed that PRASA is in the process of establishing a public-private partnership (p3) to delegate the operation of its digital water consumption reading system. This is part of the Authority’s three goals, which also include its debt restructuring and modifying tariffs, which have already been done.

With this in mind, Díaz Atienza—who is also the governor’s representative before the Financial Oversight & Management Board (FOMB) created by the PROMESA Act—aims to convince the FOMB to eliminate PRASA from its list of “covered entities.” That is, to be excluded from the federally-created oversight entity’s fiscal plan.

“Ideally, when we complete these, we should basically be outside [FOMB’s] fiscal plan. One of the things that we trying to push for is that once these processes are completed, we are removed as a covered entity,” the chairman stated.

AGCPR Reacts

The president of the AGCPR, Alejandro Abrams, voiced his approval of PRASA’s restructuring program, highlighting its “benefits” for the construction industry.

“AGCPR welcomes the beginning of PRASA’s Capital Improvement Program and considers it a step toward the right direction. This will result in benefits of immeasurable value for the agency, consumers and economic development,” Abrams told THE WEEKLY JOURNAL via written statement.

“Puerto Rico needs a strong and modern infrastructure on all levels in order to optimize its potential as a destination for investment, tourism and living. AGCPR associates have the capacity and the experience to, along with PRASA, deliver the planned work. We are ready,” Abrams added.

The AGCPR has more than 300 associates, generating roughly 80 percent of economic activity in the island’s construction industry.

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On the Table a Proposal for the Inventory Tax

Businesses could be exempt if they increase supplies Giovanna Garofalo

A

ggarofalo@wjournalpr.com

@giopgarofalo

source from La Fortaleza told THE WEEKLY JOURNAL that the executive is developing a bill that would eliminate the tax on inventory to businesses who increase their reserve. This, with aims to prevent another grim scenario as evidenced in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in 2017, where food, water and other essential items were out of stock due to the island’s unpreparedness for such a large-scale disaster.

Although La Fortaleza’s press office could not be reached to confirm or expand on this information, Manuel Reyes—the executive vice president of the Puerto Rico Chamber of Food Marketing, Industry and Distribution (MIDA by its Spanish acronym), a non-profit association—explained to this paper that he had heard of a similar proposal.

Nevertheless, he could not confirm the executive proposal to the best of his knowledge. As such, Reyes agreed to discuss the reported government proposition on the grounds that it remains purely theoretical.

After learning about the alleged proposal,

The government reportedly seeks to encourage businesses to increase their inventory to prevent a shortage of supplies in the event of a natural disaster. >Josian E. Bruno Gómez

Reyes observed that this wouldn’t be the first time that the government has expressed an interest in eliminating the inventory tax, which the president of the Puerto Rico Society of CPAs (CCPA), Cecilia C. Colón, described as “nefarious for businesses” in an earlier interview with THE WEEKLY JOURNAL. “We have spent years on this battle and we had the commitment—at least in the past two electoral years from all gubernatorial candidates—that the inventory tax would be eliminated. In fact, even in this administration we have had several legislative leaders commit to its repeal but then comes the dynamic of need in terms of municipal resources, and they start looking for alternatives to replace instead of eliminating it, which has its challenges because the problem is that if you need from one side and you place the same amount on another, then we don’t get anywhere,” he stated.

Moreover, based on the information provided, Reyes ventured that this wouldn’t be a repeal on the tax, but rather a mechanism to establish a peak on which businesses will be evaluated to indicate if they are exempt from the tax or otherwise. If so, he warned that this could potentially impact smaller businesses and retailers who might have a lower chance of increasing their inventory.

This, Reyes said, raises a number of questions.

“How would we prevent, for example, penalizing those who in spite of that tax have maintained a high number of items in inventory,” he questioned.

Furthermore, he pondered what the metric to be used for businesses that open after the enactment

of this reported proposal—that is, if they would be immediately exempt from the tax or if they would have to pay contributions until they prove an increased inventory.

“We would have to see the established base point to make the calculations, but you are still penalizing the regular inventory or the inventory that is typical for these companies to have, so I don’t think that this would have the intended effect,” he said.

Colón had previously told THE WEEKLY JOURNAL that she recommended lowering the inventory tax to one percent—currently, the tax ranges between 6.33 percent to 10.33 percent islandwide—as a transition to its repeal so that the government may have time to look for other sources of revenue.

“We are not closed to those alternatives.

Anything that is a step forward is good if we head in the right direction. There can be a transitional period; the issue is whether we are headed toward the right direction,” Reyes said.

While Reyes affirmed that MIDA is open to this and other alternatives, he affirmed that the private sector is hesitant to offer alternatives, “because experience tells us that [the government] enacts new measures and does not give us relief.” As an example, he pointed to the legislation to legalize slot machine-like gambling terminals, which legislators projected would generate roughly $100 million a year in revenue. Reyes indicated that this was received as a solution to the inventory tax, but while the bill was approved, the tax remained.

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International Businesses are Essential for Puerto Rico Providing a stable economic climate to foreign investors is key to meeting market needs Carlo Otero

C

cotero@elvocero.com

@coteroaponte

oncerned over the decreasing amount of foreign commercial banks on the island, Zoimé Álvarez Rubio, executive vice president of Puerto Rico’s Bank Association (ABPR by its Spanish acronym), expressed that international businesses are essential to Puerto Rico’s economic development.

“It’s important to maintain an international business presence in the local ecosystem because this directly impacts how the island’s market is perceived,” said Álvarez Rubio.

“It is essential to promote the development and growth of the commercial banking industry, and the competition this brings, in order to meet

One of the most important things for Puerto Rico’s economic growth is to have investors, businessmen and the private sector see the island as a place where there is law and order; where businesses can count on laws, regulations and institutions that offer the same protections as other national and international jurisdictions - Zoimé Álvarez Rubio, executive vice president of Puerto Rico’s Bank Association

Zoimé Álvarez Rubio, executive vice president of Puerto Rico’s Bank Association. >Archive

supply and demand needs,” she went on to add.

According to Álvarez Rubio, the ABPR has continually expressed the importance of Puerto Rico being perceived as a stable destination for investing so that the island, and thus its financial industry, can further its development.

“One of the most important things for Puerto Rico’s economic growth is to have investors, businessmen and the private sector see the island as a place where there is law and order; where businesses can count on laws, regulations and institutions that offer the same protections as other national and international jurisdictions,” said Álvarez Rubio.

Economist and financial analyst Antonio Fernós Sagebién expressed that although Puerto Rico does indeed need more banks, the consolidations have yet to be established as either a good or bad thing for the banking industry.

Fernós Sagebién went on to state that the investment climate isn’t necessarily going to change as a result of the presence of international banks, Gov. Ricardo Rosselló’s resignation or the changes going on within the new administration.

“Case in point, the investment climate hasn’t gotten worse after Gov. Roselló’s exit, it has, in

fact, improved and in the last few weeks several opportunities have sprung up,’ he said.

The economist went on to say that a specific example of this is the fact that with the consolidations that have occurred within the banking industry, which of course reduce competition, new savings and credit cooperatives have been able to open.

Fernós Sagebién mentioned that Banco Popular’s acquisition of certain operations and assets belonging to Reliable Finance Holding Company, a Wells Fargo subsidiary that offers auto financing, may bring forth new opportunities to “those who would rather obtain their financing from institutions that are not banks,” like cooperatives.

He went on to say that cooperatives need to overcome several challenges in order to garner greater market share. As opposed to banks, cooperatives do not prepare quarterly reports, which he claims would greatly assist in gaining the public’s trust in their operations and stability.

“We also need to know what the final fiscal plan from the Public Corporation for the Supervision and Insurance of Cooperatives in Puerto Rico (Cossec by its Spanish acronym) will look like,” he concluded.

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Most Americans Want to Invest in Ventures that Benefit Local Communities Lighthouse.one surveyed 1,000 American adults to analyze their investment priorities

L Giovanna Garofalo

ggarofalo@wjournalpr.com

@giopgarofalo

ighthouse.one, the digital investment platform for Opportunity Zones (OZ), revealed that most adults in the United States are interested in investing in OZ’s projects for community development.

The platform commissioned a study in which it surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults who are interested in investing in order to learn about their investment priorities. The general consensus indicates that most Americans feel strongly about investing in ventures that benefit society as a whole.

The findings show that 90 percent of those surveyed would prefer to invest in a venture that benefits local communities if the amount of return was the same; that is, if they made the same amount of profit. Moreover, 74 percent would be interested in investing in an OZ if they had the means to invest.

In addition, 81 percent affirmed that they believe it is important to help those in their community who are in financial distress.

Furthermore, almost two-thirds of all respondents would invest in a project that yielded less profit if it boosted their communities.

Regarding the kinds of OZ ventures respondents were most interested in, 74 percent listed job creation as one of their picks, 66 percent mentioned affordable housing, 64 percent picked environmental protection and 54 percent chose fostering local businesses.

In 2017, the U.S. Congress established opportunity zones in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 to spur investment in communities

throughout the nation that are in need of economic Rico as a 21st Century economy by providing a stimulus. After the U.S. Department of the Treasury powerful tool for transformative reconstruction and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) designated and redevelopment.”

OZ’s in Puerto Rico, on May 14, then-Governor Despite providing a unique tax-advantaged Ricardo Rosselló signed into law a investment opportunity—with local bill on OZ’s consonant with tax-free capital gains for 10 the federal initiative. year investments—more than The U.S. Treasury Department three quarters of respondents projects that $100 billion in hadn’t heard of OZ’s. Moreover, private capital will be invested of those who were familiar with 90% would toward job creation and this project, 73 percent had not rather invest in a project if the amount economic development in OZ invested in these areas and only of return was the projects. Of that, the Puerto Rico 27 percent had. same government hopes that at least The report indicated that of 74% would invest in $600 million will be on the island. those who hadn’t invested, 45 an O-Zone if they had Although the precise percent felt the primary barrier the money percentage is up for debate, to investment was not knowing 81% believe it is imthe local government indicates how to find projects. Meanwhile, portant to help those that roughly 98 percent of the 43 percent felt the main obstacle in their community island has been designated as a was determining how to evaluate who are in need Qualified Opportunity Zone, thus the projects. creating numerous investment Given the lack of knowledge opportunities. on how to seek out OZ initiatives, An official document provided Lighthouse.one works by by the Puerto Rico Tourism Co. states that “the matching qualified investors with these communityOZ program will stimulate economic investment geared projects based on geographic, financial or in distressed communities, stern the migration of social characteristics. For more information about people away from the island and position Puerto its services, visit www.lighthouse.one.

In fact...

An estimated 98 percent of the island falls under a Qualified Opportunity Zone, as defined in the 2017 Tax and Jobs Act. >Carlos Rivera Giusti

13 < The Weekly Journal > Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Be on trend... be on trend...

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www.elvocero.com/revistas/zona

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/ Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Population Drops by 4.4 Percent After Hurricane Maria Rural communities falling by the wayside

I

Rosario Fajardo

rfajardo@wjournalpr.com

@RosarioWJournal

t should come as no surprise that the ongoing outmigration from Puerto Rico to the U.S. mainland continued after Hurricane Maria, with the island’s population decreasing by 4.4 percent in the year after the devastating storm of Sept. 2017.

According to the latest data released by the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of people living in Puerto Rico decreased by 142,000 from 3.337 million in 2017 to 3.195 million in 2018.

The data was gleaned from the Census Bureau’s 2017, the 2018 American Community Surveys (ACS) and Puerto Rico Community Surveys.

The number of movers from the island to the mainland U.S. increased by more than a third in 2018. According to the Census, about 133,500 people moved that year, an increase of 36.9 percent from 97,500 residents who left the year before.

More than half moved to the South and more than a quarter moved to the Northeast. Florida was the biggest winner, with about 33.5 percent of all Puerto Ricans who moved stateside 2018 moving to the Sunshine State.

Pennsylvania, Texas and New York also saw significant numbers of Puerto Ricans moving there.

“Popular destinations in previous years,

The impact of the outmigration in Puerto Rico is keenly felt in the countryside, where there are fewer and fewer young people. >Carlos Rivera Giusti

Michigan and Georgia, experienced a decline in the poverty rates in 2018.

The Census Bureau also reported that the age number of Puerto Ricans moving there,” according composition of the Puerto Rican population has to Brian Glassman, an economist in the Poverty changed, with a 1.1 percentage point decline Statistics Branch, Social, Economic and Housing in the share of children under age 18 and a 1.0 Statistics Division of the Census Bureau. percentage point increase in the share of the older Declines were also reported for Massachusetts, population age 65 or older.

Ohio and North Carolina.

“Since children generally have higher poverty How does the Census Bureau know where rates than those age 65 or older, migrants from Puerto Rico 56.9 percent compared to 38.2 settled? percent for 2018, these changes “The ACS asks respondents also impact the island’s overall whether they lived in the same poverty rate,” according to residence one year ago. For Glassman. respondents who moved within The poverty rate However, while the 2018 rate the previous year, the address in Puerto Rico was is a decrease from the 2017 of their previous residence is 43.1 percent in estimate, it is not statistically collected. Information about 2018, still much different from the 2016 estimate, current and previous residence higher than the when the poverty rate was at locations are coupled to produce U.S. national rate 43.5 percent. a migration flow,” Glassman of 13.1 percent Also not surprisingly, the explained. and is more than percentage of people living in double the poverty rural areas of Puerto Rico. This rate of 19.7 percent Slight Decline in Poverty in Mississippi, trend is found across many Rates which had among countries, from the U.S. and The poverty rate in Puerto the highest state China, to Italy and South Korea.

Rico decreased by 1.3 poverty rates in The impact includes fewer percentage points, from 44.4 2018. young people in rural areas percent in 2017 to 43.1 percent and a greater poverty in the in 2018. countryside.

In Puerto Rico, However, poverty in Puerto those who live in rural areas Rico is still much higher than have higher poverty rates than people in urban the U.S. national rate of 13.1 percent and is more areas (52.8 percent compared to 42.5 percent in than double the poverty rate of 19.7 percent in 2018), Glassman said.

Mississippi, which had among the highest state

In fact...

/ Wednesday, October 2, 2019

15

TransPerfect Opens Office in San Juan

Initial plans are to hire 50 people locally Rosario Fajardo

T

rfajardo@wjournalpr.com

@RosarioWJournal

ransPerfect, the world’s largest provider of language and technology solutions for global business, has announced that its Puerto Rico affiliate, known as TPT Puerto Rico LLC, has officially opened its first office in the Hato Rey district of San Juan.

Phil Shawe, president and CEO of TransPerfect, confirmed to THE WEEKLY JOURNAL that the local office has already hired six people and is in the midst of recruiting a total of 50 staff members, as part of the company’s initial plans.

“We are very excited about opening an office in Puerto Rico. San Juan is a rapidly growing business hub, and the local talent pool is motivated and deep,” he said. “Many of our clients spend upwards of $10 million, $20 million and $40 million a year on translation services and it is very important that we provide correct, high-quality and consistent translations.”

TPT Puerto Rico plans to employ a diverse range of professionals and deliver services and solutions Phil Shawe, president and CEO of TransPerfect >Courtesy Transperfect across multiple areas, including language services He noted that many of the jobs are for educated AIG, Citigroup, FedEx, Humana, Oracle and UBS, production, technology R&D, and sales and client Shawe noted. “The issue of infrastructure is very service. Other positions being filled include project and skilled workers, in the sense that they require a certain level of knowledge of English and important so that we remain up and running,” he managers, software developers and software Spanish. said, when asked about possible challenges to engineers. The local Another driver operating in Puerto Rico. office will serve clients for TransPerfect was “We chose the UBS building in Hato Rey because in the mainland U.S. as the availability of tax it has stood up well to hurricanes,” he explained, well as internationally. benefits in Puerto Rico, adding that the company also looked at various TPT Puerto Rico Shawe added. “We options in the metro area, including Old San Juan. expects to hire more will comply with the To date, TransPerfect has invested some than 100 employees in letter and spirit of the $200,000 to get their new office up and running.

San Juan over the next law and create jobs in The company has offices in over 90 cities few years.

Puerto Rico. It’s a winaround the world and offers a variety of services In an interview win for all of us.” in 179-plus languages to its many clients, which with THE WEEKLY The company include Apple, Blackrock, Charles Schwab, JOURNAL, Shawe has rented office IKEA, Microsoft and the Executive Office of the explained that a main Phil Shawe, space suitable for President of the United States. More than 5,000 driver for Puerto Rico president and CEO of TransPerfect 50 employees in global organizations also use TransPerfect’s is that “there is a Hato Rey, one of GlobalLink Product Suite to simplify management tremendous need for Puerto Rico’s primary of multilingual content. TransPerfect has Spanish translations business centers, which is home to offices of many global headquarters in New York, with regional and we know many people are bilingual in Puerto headquarters in London and Hong Kong.

Rico. That was key in our decision-making process.” significant multinational organizations, including

We are very excited about opening an office in Puerto Rico.

San Juan is a rapidly growing business hub, and the local talent pool is motivated and deep. -

16

EmVite

The Puerto Rican Socializing App Connect to an endless social network of opportunities through the innovative use of emojis

T Claudia Guerrero Negrón

cguerrero@wjournalpr.com

@cguerreronegron

he newest socializing app that aims to connect people with people, people with businesses, and businesses with businesses has arrived to Puerto Rico, and it was built from scratch by Puerto Rican individuals.

A group of five doctors and two entrepreneurs, Robert Fournier, Gustavo González, Luis Lugo, Rolando Alvarado and Miguel Alejandro Echevarría, all friends, decided to launch the app with the hopes of creating a magnified network through which, with the use of emojis, you can connect to individuals with similar interests and plans.

The way it works is, -very similar to Tinder and LinkedIn, you log in-, with a search engine and a filter you can select the age of the people you desire to meet, the gender and the mile radius you are willing to travel to meet them. Then, you select the emojis of the activity you are interested in. Once you find what you’re looking for, a chat room can be used to contact the prospects. The company is also working on adding gender-neutral options for individuals within the LGBTQ community.

“Right now we are in the trial phase, we are really open to feedback and recommendations.

This app really has the potential to infiltrate many different industries and markets, as it uses the same algorithm and coding technology that apps like Air BnB and Uber use. We would like to launch

>Courtesy Emvite

/ Wednesday, October 2, 2019

in Jan. 2020,” said co-founder Roberto Fournier. expansion as this market always represents many The app, targeted mostly at individuals who are different areas in which companies can grow,” said 18-32 years of age, is available to download for Fournier. free and all premium features are free as well, for One of the Puerto Rican companies that now. Once the app is launched in the international designed the app is called PIXNABI Lab, a software market, which the group hopes will include the development company who also designed U.S., major cities in South America like Colombia RONPON, a Puerto Rican delivery service app and and a few cities in Europe as well, premium website that lets customers choose items from a features, like Ghost convenience store and Mode, a setting where have them delivered to you can see what their home, like food everyone else is up delivery apps but with to but no one can see a supermarket. you, will have an extra “Technology means cost. constant evolution, so For businesses, we urge Puerto Rico a premium feature users to collaborate could be to pay extra and review us. We to have your business will grow through listed when people our local user’s search for places to eat recommendations.

Amilcar Lugo, for example, and the We want to know the Co-Founder EmVite further the mile radius, opinion of Puerto the more you pay. The Rico users, facing the idea is to have your international release business show up in as many search engine results early next year. Puerto Rico has been chosen as as possible. our focus group to strengthen the application Once this trial phase is done, the group plans before its worldwide presentation,” said Amilcar on aggressively expanding the business side of Lugo, one of EmVite’s co-founders, in a press the app, a venture they plan on conquering as release. the ripe investment atmosphere in Puerto Rico With endless emoji designing opportunities, indicates the perfect conditions to keep exploring. the entrepreneurs hope to eventually cross over According to Fournier, there really are no limits into the areas of tourism, party management and with the app, as the emoji possibilities are endless. entertainment. For now, the company is focused The app currently features 32 emojis that were on training salespeople who will pitch the app to all personally designed. In the next update, the investors. app will introduce 100 new ones, including a EmVite is available for iOS and Android, and book emoji targeted at university students for the it can be downloaded for free in the Apple App interaction and socialization that involves planning Store and the Google Market. To know more about study dates and the like. the app you can visit emvite.com or search on “That student world is a huge opportunity for Facebook, Instagram or Twitter for Emvite.

Socializing through apps has been a reality since the last decade. We thought, then, ‘let’s create a local network with worldwide possibilities of success.’ -

17

Marijuana Banking Bill Waits in the U.S. Senate

The SAFE Banking Act would allow cannabis businesses to access financial services Yennifer Álvarez Jaimes

A

yalvarez@wjournalpr.com

@yalvarezjaimes

mid uncertain prospects in the U.S. Senate, the House of Representatives passed a bill that provides safe harbor to banks that work with legal marijuana businesses.

While 33 states as well as the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico have legalized recreational or medical cannabis, the possession and sale of marijuana remains illegal under federal law, which means that banks — even in states where it’s legal and licensed — have had to reject the business of those in the cannabis industry out of fear of prosecution.

The SAFE Banking Act would allow cannabis businesses to access financial services.

The House legislation wouldn’t change the legal status of cannabis but under the bill, marijuana businesses would be able to open accounts, take out loans, accept credit cards and deposit money

>Archive

/ Wednesday, October 2, 2019

into banks without repercussions from the federal In Puerto Rico, the conditions government. most commonly treated with cannabis are anxiety The legislation faces an uncertain fate in the disorders, followed by chronic pain, depression, Senate, where Majority Leader Mitch McConnell arthritis and muscle spasms.

(R-KY) has been reluctant to bring up marijuanaWith regards to the areas with the highest related bills. number of registered patients, the municipalities On Jan. 2019, Tu Coop, the only banking and quantities are: Fajardo Metropolitan Statistical institution providing financial services to Area with 38.69 percent; Bayamón with 16.93 medical cannabis businesses in Puerto Rico, percent; Caguas with 14.44 percent; Mayagüez discontinued its services. That means that the / Aguadilla has 12.18 percent of users; Arecibo businesses owners need to count, recount, bag has 9.56 percent; and Ponce has 8.2 percent of and transport hundreds of dollars in cash. patients.

In Puerto Rico there are over 100,000 patients and a digital platform where they can register for a marijuana use license immediately.

According to Medicinal Cannabis Office data, Puerto Rico has 70 dispensaries, backed by 20 cultivation and 20 manufacturing facilities.

Of the registered cannabis patients, 42.9 percent, are women and 57 percent are men. The most prominent use is among patients ages 31 to 40, at 21.66 percent, while those aged 20 or younger, are The condition most treated with cannabis in Puerto Rico is anxiety disorders, followed by chronic pain.>Carlos Rivera Giusti at 0.56 percent.

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/ Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Integrand Insurance Company to Appeal Liquidation Order The company will fight in the Court of Appeals and the Federal Court as well Claudia Guerrero Negróc-

A

guerrero@wjournalpr.com

@cguerreronegron

fter the Court of First Instance issued an order exactly one week ago to begin the process of liquidation for Integrand Assurance Company, the company reacted in total shock of the decision. The company claims that after numerous efforts to celebrate a hearing to attend the issue of appealing the appointment of Juan Moldes Rodríguez as the official in charge of its reorganization process due to a conflict of interests, San Juan Judicial Center Judge Carmen Merced Torres has refused to attend the claims, the same judge who has approved the liquidation order petitioned by the Puerto Rico Insurance Commissioner, Javier Rivera Ríos.

“This decision takes us completely by surprise.

We haven’t even received a fair chance to defend ourselves against the illegitimacy of this appointment,” said Rafael Vázquez González, Integrand Assurance Company’s lawyer.

The company’s representative expressed his complete disapproval of the decision as there was a continuous intent to challenge the appointment which has not been attended. On June 25, the Court of Appeals established that Integrand has the right to participate in its rehabilitation process and therefore oppose the Insurance Commissioner’s appointment of Moldes Rodríguez as special auxiliary commissioner. The hearing is supposed to be held this Friday, Oct. 4.

“It is truly sad what this situation really represents because who ends up paying the price is the public. Now, the max amount of claim that an individual can receive is $300,000. If you’re claim was more than that, that is money that you lost,” said the lawyer.

“This entire process has been unsustainable.

This company has had over 47 years of history and this is not the end of Integrand. We will fight this in the Court of Appeals and the Federal Court as well.”

The process of liquidation for Integrand Assurance Company was issued after an

evaluation completed by the Puerto Rico Insurance was originally instituted.

Commissioner revealed that the company was in This liquidation process ordered by the insolvency for $215,717,159 by May 31, 2019.

Court activates a mechanism granted by the “Once we were Miscellaneous Insurance in possession of Guarantee Association Integrand as a that allows for all eligible rehabilitator, we claims made to the initiated, at the insurer be rightfully beginning of June, attended within the an extensive analysis maximum limit amount of the books and of $300,000 per event registries of the claimed, or $1,000,000 in insurer, through total. The Association will which was uncovered function as the insurer in -Rafael Vázquez González, Integrand that, in addition to regards to the pending Assurance Company’s lawyer the situations that claims issued against were exposed May Integrand.

30th of 2019 in “Our office maintains the Petition of Order to Rehabilitate, Integrand itself vigilant and alert to the financial stability presents a critical situation of insolvency due of the entire industry and we are focused on to material irregularities that didn’t come up in executing our fiduciary duty of protecting the the 2018 Annual Statement filed under an oath public, aligned with the public policy of this April 5, 2019 before the Office of the Insurance administration,” said Rivera Ríos.

Commissioner.”

After hurricane Maria ravaged the island of The Commissioner added that the company Puerto Rico, Integrand, like many other insurance presented false and “inexact” information about companies, found itself in a dire economic its operations and withheld from presenting its situation and unable to pay all the claims realistic financial state, what led the Commissioner accumulated, for which it requested a formal to conclude that Integrand is unable to continue reorganization or rehabilitation by the Insurance operations under the process of rehabilitation that Commissioner’s office.

This entire process has been unsustainable. This company has had over 47 years of history and this is not the end of Integrand.

>Archive

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/ Wednesday, October 2, 2019

By Edgardo Vicenty

By Inteligencia Económica

Entrepreneur & Financial Analyst

Thousands of Jobs at Risk

U

p to 124,000 jobs are at risk of being lost in Puerto Rico by 2024 if electricity prices rise by as much as Ramón Cao Garcia’s model predicts they will. Cao, a renowned local economist, was commissioned to analyze the agreements PREPA has reached with bondholders, retirees and FEMA in order to determine how much electricity prices will rise across time and the economic impact of these hikes.

Cao’s paper published Aug. 30, 2019, paints a grim future for Puerto Rico.

According to his analysis, if the current agreements hold, by 2024, Puerto Rico’s electricity prices could increase to 29.83 c/kWh for the industrial sector and to 32.26 c/kWh for residences; up from 19.56 c/kWh and 22.99 c/ kWh respectively for fiscal year 2019.

These prices would completely cripple Puerto Rico’s economy as they would simultaneously reduce consumer’s disposable income and increase the cost of doing business in the island. According to Cao’s estimates, the result would be a net loss of up to 178,756 jobs (17.6% of total jobs in the island).

These are very alarming economic projections, but what is even more disturbing is the fact that they were published

only a couple of weeks ago. Before Aug. 30 , the people of Puerto Rico had no idea how much modernizing the electric grid, honoring PREPA’s retirees underfunded pensions and paying bondholders would cost them.

Much less the impact it would have on the economy. What’s even worse is this is true for all of the agreements that have been reached with bondholders and pension plans. Every deal has been negotiated in a silo, ignoring the fact that they all stack up together and have a direct impact on the government’s ability to maintain a stable society and invest in future growth.

As of today, no independent analysis of what these individual agreements add up to and how their implementation will affect the island’s economic situation has been published by the government or the Oversight Board. In fact, Cao’s paper was commissioned by Tomás Torres Placa, citizen’s representative in PREPA’s board, who had grown tired of waiting for the public corporation to act and decided to use his resources to gather the information and make it public.

Thanks to Tomás we now know the truth; these deals are bad for Puerto Rico. We can’t allow our leaders to blindly agree to them and set us on a path to lose tens of thousands of jobs and destroy our economy.

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Uncertainty Amidst Impeachment Announcement, Global and Local Potential Economic Implications

ews of Trump’s potential impeachment has had repercussions far beyond the political realm, with markets dropping after Speaker Pelosi’s announcement but recovering shortly thereafter. This is just the latest event that has caused uncertainty in the financial world that could end up having long-lasting consequences for Puerto Rico. The trade war with China, uncertainty over new happenings with Iran, the attack on the Saudi refinery, Brexit, all of these are events that end up having a direct influence on Puerto Rico’s economic future.

Doubt Surrounding Puerto Rico Whenever there is any doubt of ambiguity regarding the United States’ economic future, Puerto Rico suffers tenfold. These latest events are only serving to confirm this longheld conventional wisdom regarding our relationship with the United States. Moving forward economically will depend on many factors out of our control.

Puerto Rico has arguably received more attention from U.S. media in the past two years than during any other time in its history. Yet, when it comes to receiving federal funds and assurances from both Congress and the Fiscal Control Board, Puerto Rico ends up on the backburner.

As we find ourselves with uncertainty regarding further investment into the island’s recovery, and with even further doubt regarding concrete measures or timetables, it becomes harder and harder to be able to state with any certainty what the immediate outlook for our island looks like.

The only way to achieve any degree of certainty regarding what will happen in Puerto Rico is to pay very close attention to events happening on the international stage.

Events in places as far-flung as the Middle East, Great Britain, and China

will end up affecting us just as much as events in Washington, D.C. Tourism Economic Update July’s tourism numbers have been eagerly awaited, as people are keen to see what effect this month’s tumultuous politics had, if any, on local tourism.

The local hotel occupancy rate went up by 1.7 percentage points compared to the month of June, going from 74.5 to 76.2. Compared to the previous years rate for the month of July, the occupancy rate remained steady, going down .2 percentage points from 76.4 to 76.2.

Compared to June, July had 16,403 more hotel registrations, or 7 percent more. Compared to July of last year, there were 41,792 more registrations, or 21 percent more. Interesting to note here is that this growth in hotel registrations for the month of July was almost completely due to residents of Puerto Rico staying in hotels. Out of this growth of 41,792, only 551 registrations were from nonresidents.

A New Pattern of Recovery Emerging Here we start to see an interesting pattern take shape.

The three years directly preceding hurricane Maria, had on average more than 200,000 hotel registrations per month. Since Maria, this average has dropped by nearly 50,000 registrations.

However, we are beginning to see the numbers slowly creep up. So far this year, there have been an average of 196,000 hotel registrations per month, with there having been 3 months so far surpassing 200,000 registrations.

The amount of hotel registrations from residents of Puerto Rico have skyrocketed in the past months, going from 49,000 in May to 113,000 in the month of July. While this is the time of year that locals go on vacation, this sort of growth is very encouraging for the future of tourism on the island.

X

X

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/ Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Madison Anderson Berríos Prepares for the Miss Universe

2019

>Courtesy

Competition Spending time with herself, enjoying nature, and taking oratory and language classes are some of the ways the model prepares for the Miss Universe 2019 competition Claudia Guerrero Negrón

R

newsroom@wjournalpr.com

@cguerreronegron

eading, watching documentaries and spending time with her family is how Madison Anderson Berríos centers herself. She says the most important part of preparing for the Miss Universe 2019 competition is doing just that: regrouping, refocusing and centering herself,

as she believes that having a clear mind will help “When I would visit Puerto Rico I would say her succeed. okay ‘I’m going home’, I wouldn’t say ‘oh I’m going Anderson, 23, on vacation,” said the represented the candidate. municipality of Toa Puerto Rico Baja in the Miss was always part of Universe Puerto Rico Anderson’s life. Staying 2019 competition, a with her grandmother lifelong dream she at a young age, always knew she Anderson learned how wanted to accomplish to cook, sew clothing as her mother was a and appreciate nature, - Madison Anderson Puerto Rican beauty which is now one of Berríos, Miss Universe queen herself. her favorite hobbies on Anderson grew up in the island and Orlando, Fla., where something that pulled her mother made sure to raise her conscious of her back to the island of enchantment. Anderson her Puerto Rican heritage. went into Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2019 with the “Tostones”, “alcapurrias”, “mofongo” and Puerto idea of staying in Puerto Rico after the competition, Rican white rice are some of her favorite things regardless of the outcome. She wanted to come to eat. Salsa was always played in the house, home and grow more as a person while she Christmas was not Christmas without Puerto Rican worked hard on her Spanish. traditions and visiting family on the island was The candidate acknowledges that the language more like a ritual rather than a rare occasion. barrier been a limitation, but is confident her hard

I am committed to putting Puerto Rico in the best light...because as Puerto Ricans, that’s what we deserve,

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/ Wednesday, October 2, 2019

work is starting to pay off. She claims that learning and practicing the language has been a humbling experience that has allowed her to see things from a different perspective.

“I found my identity here, in my island of PR and that’s why I’m so passionate about breaking the language barrier that has always existed; that, quote on quote, ‘who’s more Puerto Rican’, because to me, being Puerto Rican is the love that you have for the island,” said the contestant.

Before Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2019, Anderson represented Puerto Rico in Top Model of the World and Miss Grand International, as she became interested in modeling and the world of beauty when she was 16. For the candidate, winning the title would be the ideal tool to take a positive message and spread it around the world.

Anderson spent six months in St. Kitts & Nevis after she graduated from LaGuardia Community College in New York, where she worked on a documentary about a cause she is very passionate about: domestic violence. If she were to win, the candidate has committed to using her social platform to raise awareness on this very important issue, as Puerto Rico currently faces rising domestic violence figures. For the contestant, it is pure coincidence the issue is so relevant on the island. This cause has been close to Anderson’s heart since seeing a close friend deal with a hard situation.

“People think that this only affects the victim but that is not true. Who is really getting hurt is a community of people. This affects family members, this affects friends, this affects children, so I spoke with many different people to better understand how to help these individuals,” said Anderson.

The advocate has done volunteer work in Orlando Fla., Puerto Rico, St. Kitts and Nevis. If crowned Miss Universe, Anderson also commits to spreading awareness on other social causes like helping people with disabilities, hoping to get involved with SER, an organization that provides services to individuals with learning disabilities and autism. Another cause is the stray animal epidemic that permeates the island.

However, for Anderson, her most important commitment with the people of Puerto Rico, if she were to win, would be making sure Puerto Ricans are presented onto the world how they deserve.

“We are people who are brave, who deserve a just form of living. Most importantly, that is why Puerto Rico is called ‘Isla del Encanto’, because the tourists can come to Puerto Rico and leave as a friend. I am committed to representing Puerto Rico in the best light...because as Puerto Ricans, that’s what we deserve,” said Anderson.

Among her favorite Puerto Rican qualities, resilience is the characteristic she cherishes the most.

Not having a clue about where the Miss Universe 2019 competition will be is starting to bring on some anxiety for the candidate, of the good kind. When asked where she would like the competition to be, Anderson mentioned somewhere in Asia as being ideal. Having been to five different continents, she said Thailand has been one of the most eye-opening and lifechanging experiences since it was a completely different culture she was not accustomed to. The

candidate hopes to never stop traveling, as she says it “enriches her soul and there is no better way to expand the mind than to travel.”

As she prepares for the competition, Anderson is focused on her oratory classes, Spanish and English classes, as well as participating in a number of activities daily. She maintains a healthy, balanced diet and goes to the gym on a regular basis, which were things that were already part of her routine. To remain sane, she takes some time out of every day to spend by herself reading or singing. She prioritizes her “me time” as the main way to be ready for the competition.

Anderson soon hopes to add singing lessons to the mix of classes she currently takes, which also include trainings to perfect her catwalk for the big day. As for the highly anticipated traditional dress, designer Joshuan Aponte has been confirmed as its maker. The only thing the model hinted at about the dress was its connection with nature, something that “will be very personal to Puerto Ricans.”

Madison feels honored she is the first Miss Universe Puerto Rico candidate who represents the Puerto Rican diaspora, in a time where there are around 5.5 million Puerto Ricans living in the United States. She represents more than just Puerto Rico, she represents the complexity of what being Puerto Rican has become to mean.

“I think that we live in an era where we need to understand that Spanish or English or Chinese or Portuguese, isn’t the first language. The first language is the language of your frequency, the language of your heart. The language of your desire to communicate through your actions... and I hope that I make that clear throughout my reign and just as Madison. I want to make sure I transmit that through everything that I do.”

When asked what has been the weirdest, or most outrageous comment or question she has received, Anderson replied: “That I’m not Puerto Rican.”

>Carlos Rivera Giusti

>Carlos Rivera Giusti

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/ Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Shimmy’s

Bayside

Lights Up Paseo Caribe With Great Food and Good Fun

From beer pong to a colossal 3-pound burger, this sports bar has it all Giovanna Garofalo

S

ggarofalo@wjournalpr.com

@giopgarofalo

ports, drinks and incredible food come together to provide the ultimate social experience at Shimmy’s Bayside.

Shimmy’s Bayside—or Shimmy’s— is a sports bar located on the first level of Paseo Caribe, at 15

Luis Muñoz Rivera Ave. in San Juan. As its name suggests, it has an open view to the bay, where guests can enjoy hearty food and refreshing drinks while admiring a view of nature and bustling city life.

When guests enter the establishment, they are welcomed by a wall decorated with lush, green grass, ferns and shrubs against which rests the restaurant’s signage. To the left, there is the main bar and seating area, decorated with more plant accents on the ceiling, sports paraphernalia and a giant disco ball—ideal for game nights or parties.

To the right, a smaller bar and seating area offer the bayside view. Further ahead, there is another bar, a VIP room that will soon be transformed into an eSports corner, and an adjacent room that will be transformed into a nook for sports gambling.

The sports theme is scattered throughout the restaurant, through the use of basketballs, jerseys and a boxing bell ring gong.

Shimmy McHugh, the founder of this venue, greeted THE WEEKLY JOURNAL to discuss the quirks of Shimmy’s Bayside and how its idiosyncrasy caters to what he deemed an underdeveloped market. Before starting the interview, McHugh cheerfully drank a shot of tequila with a slice of lime so he could feel more confident in front of the camera. A lively entrepreneur, McHugh also owns Club Brava, a popular dance and nightclub in Carolina’s El San Juan Hotel and the Hard Rock Café San Juan on Condado’s Ashford avenue. However, Shimmy’s not only carries his name but his passion for sports and all-around fun.

“I like basketball, but my thing is football... I love American football; I also like college football and tennis is my thing. I played tennis and I played American football, but I didn’t grow big enough to continue,” he joked.

McHugh opened Shimmy’s last June, though he perceived the concept in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in 2017. Back then, he noticed that Puerto Ricans are overwhelmingly inclined to sports, but “there weren’t fun-friendly sports bars that had great food, a lot of screens and were also women-friendly.”

While Shimmy’s’ main clientele comprises of adults in their thirties upwards, McHugh noted that the venue is a family-friendly establishment.

In fact, he said that sometimes kids play on the beer pong table—something he said would “train” them for their college years—with non-alcoholic beverages, of course.

Remarking on the décor, McHugh said that “we kind of wanted to bring the outside in, since a lot of the games start during the day—you know, 2 o’clock or 11 o’clock with the college football games or the NFL—so when you came here we didn’t want you to feel like you’re going inside on a beautiful day, so you have the outside terrace looking at the lagoon, the bay; we brought a lot of those things inside.”

Whereas Club Brava and the Hard Rock Café are geared toward dance and music, Shimmy’s celebrates bonding over sports events and what he jokingly referred to as “hangover food”, a fitting description, considering the dishes’ colossal proportions and indulgent combinations.

Chef Héctor R. Martínez Fonseca prepared a diverse and enticing assortment of his top picks from the menu. The first of these was a Mediterranean omelette sitting on a bed of arugula, stuffed with homemade pesto, tomatoes and steak, all covered with a generous helping of melted cheese drizzled with balsamic vinegar.

According to Martínez Fonseca, this brunch menu item is a fan favorite. This exemplary dish can easily feed two or three people, but its remarkable flavor could justify one particularly voracious appetite.

The second brunch meal was a classic serving of chicken and waffles. Martínez Fonseca noted that Shimmy’s receives many Americans who want to try something closer to home and this item offers just that. Juicy fried chicken placed right next to fluffy waffles which are slightly drizzled with

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Nutella and accompanied by syrup.

The brunch items were followed by a gargantuan plate of loaded nachos, which consisted of corn chips, steak, pico de gallo, lettuce, cheese and a drizzle of sour cream. Equally delicious, this item is a great option for sharing among friends while watching a football game or boxing match.

While the nachos were alluring, the chef personally recommended the pastelón con arroz mamposteao, a classic in Puerto Rican cuisine.

Pastelón is essentially the island’s version of a lasagna, made with fried sweet plantains instead of pasta sheets, and filled with criollo-style ground beef and white cheese.

Moreover, arroz mamposteao is a Puerto Rican rice with stewed beans, usually red. “I recommend the pastelón con arroz mamposteao because it has a great blend of sweet and savory and you feel like you are here in Puerto Rico,” the chef said.

Expectations were already high for the next dish, Shimmy’s Hot Dog. “It’s a hell of a dog,” McHugh had said, but the ‘dog proved to be that and more.

A huge sausage easily measuring one foot long, served in a bun, crowned with a mountain of potato sticks and the same toppings used in the nachos, save for steak. The freshness of the lettuce and pico de gallo with the warm savoriness of the hot dog provided a fun and appetizing eating experience.

As the meals kept coming, McHugh said that the venue also has DJs warming up the crowd during commercial breaks on sporting events. Asked about what types of

events he likes to host, McHugh said he is very eager to delve into sports gambling and eSporting events, adding that Shimmy’s has its own eSports team, Red Rooster, which will compete at First Attack this month.

As McHugh discussed his future plans, Survivor’s ‘Eye of the Tiger’ started blaring from the speakers.

That’s when several servers triumphantly entered the room with the Monster Burger. A behemoth of meat, cheese and bacon, the Monster Burger weighs three pounds and requires a grand entrance. Whenever a customer orders this intimidating meal, the song most famously featured in Rocky III interrupts the playlist, an employee bangs the boxing bell and other servers present the humongous dish with sparklers.

It’s a burger that naturally draws attention to itself.

McHugh said that Shimmy’s offers a challenge: any person who manages to finish the Monster Burger by themselves does not have to pay for it. When asked if anybody had ever managed to accomplish this feat, he laughed and said no.

The Monster Burger is so large, that it actually had to be cut into slices like a pizza. Served in a customsized bun, the burger is made with angus beef, thick bacon, lettuce, tomato, American, cheddar and Swiss cheeses. It truly is an extraordinary experience.

Shimmy’s is open Mondays and Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m.; Fridays from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m.; Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m., and Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 12 a.m.

Shimmy’s offers big meals with big flavor. From top to bottom, the hot dog, loaded nachos, chicken and waffles, pastelón con arroz mamposteao, a Mediterranean omelette and the Monster Burger. >Photos by Gabriel López Albarrán

Chef Héctor R. Martínez Fonseca personally recommended the pastelón con arroz mamposteao, a Puerto Rican classic.

At Shimmy’s, the hot dog, topped with potato sticks, bacon, cheese, pico de gallo and other delights, easily measures one foot long.

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The ABC’s of

You-Ga Melissa M. Cruz

mcruz@elvocero.com

W

1. TADASANa or mountain pose. Stand with the

water level up to your chest. Make sure you can hold on to the edge of the pool. Invite your body to line up in a way you can breathe with ease. With the body erect and the eyes looking forward, place the feet sufficiently separated to maintain the balance.

The smaller the separation, the greater the challenge. Root your feet to the ground to achieve stability, good support, balance and security. Open and raise your toes like a fan, while pushing the ground with your heels and the base of your first and fifth toes. Next, activate your legs. Firm the quadriceps, feel your kneecaps rise. Keep your knees extended and with a slight flexion. Activate your glutes. Connect your scapulae, open the chest and subtly raise the sternum. Bring the scapulae or shoulder blades slightly down and toward the center of the spine.

Remember to keep your shoulders relaxed. Breathe and center your mind.

@mmcruzrios

ater exercises are a great way to get in shape and keep fit. Water, one of the four elements of nature, offers a natural resistance and a zero gravity environment perfect for workouts. It helps the body float, reduces the stress of body weight and allows for a smoother movement with less tension in the bones, joints and muscles. These benefits make water workouts an ideal option for women and men with physical conditions that limit their movements such as problems in the lower back, the sciatic nerve and arthritis, among other conditions.

With this in mind, Virna Flores, a Yoga instructor at the La Concha, A Renaissance Resort in Condado, created “You-ga”, an aquatic training inspired by yoga poses (asanas), breathing techniques (pranayamas) and stretching PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation), a more advanced form of flexibility training, which involves both the stretching and contracting of the muscle group being targeted.

“It is intended as an alternative within hydrotherapy. But placing the ‘U’ in the name is intended to remind the participant that the priority within the format is her or his well-being,” Flores said.

“We wanted to take a form of inclusive training, where any participant - regardless of his or her condition felt he or she could do the routine,” explained the trainer, who has 25 years of experience in the fitness and well-being field.

2. HASTA UTTANASANA or raised arms pose. In-

hale deeply and raise your arms above the level of your head. Reach as high as you can. Imagine that your spine extends as if you were growing up. Unite your hands gently over your head and slightly tilt your upper body back, look at your thumbs. Keep stretching and reaching up while holding your body in Hasta Uttanasana. Exhale to release the posture.

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3. Virabhadrasana III

or warrior pose III. Put your weight on the right foot. Lift your left leg and gently kick forward. Tilt your torso as much as you need to keep your balance. While recovering your position - before returning your leg to the ground - lean forward bringing your upper body parallel to the floor. Your arms will extend forward. Flex your left foot and stretch your heel as if you were pressing a wall behind you. Keep your leg muscles contracted as much as you need to in order to keep your balance. While standing, stretch your right leg - the knee remains slightly bent - while continuing to lift your left leg back.

Taking from that experience, Flores adapted some of the routines of traditional Yoga, together with music therapy and the properties of water to create a unique and memorable experience. This new alternative is offered daily to hotel guests.

“The density of water creates a uniform and fluid resistance in all directions, toning and

strengthening the muscles with great balance and efficiency. Moreover, in the water, the heart rate is reduced without losing the effects of cardiovascular training. Once in the water, the swelling in the joints or limbs that could be inflamed and in the process of recovery is reduced,” Flores indicated.

The turbulence also contributes to resistance, since the flow of water challenges the body’s stability. “While hydrostatic pressure, buoyancy, resistance and thermal conductivity are properties that make water a magical environment to exercise,” she explained about the benefits of the practice.

Other ideal positions for You-ga are Downward Dog and Cobra. For these, stand at the edge of the pool, so that you can use it as support when pressing backward or upwards.

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Trump Signs Bill Avoiding Medicaid Cliff for Puerto Rico—For Now

Stopgap Measure Provides Funding Until November

A Rosario Fajardo

rfajardo@wjournalpr.com

@RosarioWJournal

s expected, the U.S. Senate passed the federal stopgap spending bill and it was duly signed by President Trump before the Sept. 30 deadline.

The measure not only averts a federal government shutdown—for now, at least—but also provides Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and other U.S. territories with much-needed Medicaid resources to avoid the projected funding cliff.

However, the stopgap spending bill only provides funding for the federal government until Nov. 21.

The bill provides temporary funding for the federal government until just before Thanksgiving.

U.S. lawmakers must then reach another accord, either another temporary funding patch until Christmas or for the entire fiscal year.

The initiative provides a temporary extension of Federal Medicaid Assistance Percentage (FMAP) benefits to Puerto Rico, the USVI and other “insular territories” ahead of the Sept. 30 expiration of

those benefits.

Now signed into law, the Continuing Resolution will extend the temporary 100 percent FMAP to Puerto Rico and USVI to Nov. 21, giving the U.S. Congress an additional eight weeks to work on a long-term solution.

Unlike in the states, where FMAP is not capped and the federal share varies based on the per capita income of residents of that state, federal funding for Medicaid in the territories is subject to a statutory cap and a fixed federal matching rate. As a result, the FMAP to Puerto Rico and the USVI is capped at 55 percent, resulting in a chronic underfunding of the program. Every year, the central government spends more than $1.4 billion in the program, while receiving only $400 million from the federal government due to the cap, according to official figures.

“In Puerto Rico, where median household income stood at $19,775 in 2017, compared to $42,009 in Mississippi, the poorest state, and $57,652 in the United States as a whole, the program has been chronically underfunded. In the poverty-ridden territory, funding limitations further constrain program delivery evidenced in the form of lower eligibility levels, lower federal funding, fewer mandatory benefits, lower provider payments and lower spending per enrollee,” said the Center for a New Economy in a recent report, “Puerto Rico’s Looming 2019 Medicaid Cliff.”

An estimated 1.6 million Puerto Rico residents

are Medicaid beneficiaries and without the additional federal funds, the island’s Medicaid funding shortfall for fiscal year 2020 is estimated at over $1 billion—hence, the Medicaid funding cliff.

As in the U.S. House, the U.S. Senate easily passed the bill, H.R. 4378, by a vote of 81 in favor and 16 against—all Republicans, according to Politico. President Trump promptly signed the bill on Sept. 27. Among the U.S. Republican senators who voted against the Continuing Resolution include Ted Cruz of Texas and Rick Scott of Florida, according to Politico.

In terms of avoiding a federal government shutdown, the new law “buys more time for bicameral negotiations on a dozen fiscal 2020 spending bills that would provide updated funding levels for 15 federal departments and dozens of smaller federal agencies,” Politico said.

Along with other Puerto Rico government officials, Resident Commissioner Jennifer González has been lobbying hard for the island to receive 100 percent parity on Medicaid funds. “We know that [applying 100 percent FMAP parity] was done in recognition of the injustice in which American citizens living in the territories are treated by our Medicaid program. This great step is one of those we hope to achieve until we ensure that the millions of American citizens living on the island can safely count on funds for their healthcare,” she said.

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Step by Step: How to Obtain a Real ID

October 2020 is the deadline to obtain the Real ID, after this date you will have to travel with your passport Hallee Patterson

M

newsroom@wjournalpr.com

y husband and I moved to Puerto Rico eight years ago to retire.

Not being fluent in Spanish adds a dimension of confusion. Although we went to an expeditor to obtain our license, it took six months.

Therefore, this article will better explain the process.

CESCO has a new system in place to apply for the Real ID. October 2020 is the deadline to obtain this card. After this date you will have to travel with your passport. You will also need this identification or your passport when you visit any federal facilities.

Let’s go step by step. CESCO has a website you can log on to in order make an appointment: http://cesco.turnospr.com The website is in Spanish and I had three of my

Puerto Rican friends try to help me. I was lucky on my third friend.

Now I had to collect all the documents that are required. Please note: When you go and you are missing one document you will have to return. Therefore, make sure you bring the correct items on this list!

1. You need to first visit a Colecturia to buy stamps. We learned later that many branches of Banco Popular and other banks also sell these stamps.The cost for the stamps for a driver’s license: $19.00 plus $12.00. You must have these stamps before you go to the location.

2. Go on line to print the application: dtop.pr.gov - Services - Forms - DTOPDIS-260.

3. Bring your existing driver’s license.

You will be required to surrender it in order to obtain your Puerto Rican license or Real ID. 4. Original Social Security card which cannot be laminated.

5. American passport.

6. Proof of local address: utility bill or

local bank statement dated no more than six months and lease contract or deed.

7. Driver’s record from your state’s Department of Vehicles.

8. VISA or Green Card, if applicable.

9. Medical release from your doctor.

Download the form DTOP-DIS-260 online and bring to your doctor to complete.

Please look at the photo below. The one on the left has a star on the right corner. This is the Real ID, the other is strictly for driving.

Good Luck. Next Step by Step: How to purchase a car and a marbete.

>Courtesy CESCO

>Archive

/ Wednesday, October 2, 2019

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How To Prepare Before An Earthquake When stocking up on supplies for an earthquake, the most important thing to get is water

A Yennifer Álvarez Jaimes

yalvarez@wjournalpr.com

@yalvarezjaimes

fter a 6.0 magnitude earthquake shook Puerto Rico last week, THE WEEKLY JOURNAL gathered some expert tips on how to be prepared in case another quake rocks the island.

While Puerto Rico experiences very small earthquakes that no one notices on a daily basis, seismologists have said it’s rare for big ones to strike the island.

The last strong quake to shake the island in recent years occurred in January 2014, when a 6.4 magnitude tremor struck after midnight just north of the island’s north coast at a depth of 17 miles (28 kilometers). Authorities reported broken windows, a busted water line and cracked floors and walls, along with some power outages. Some 70 aftershocks were reported, with at least three of

>Courtesy Homeland Security

a 3.5 magnitude or greater.

The most damaging earthquake to happen in Puerto Rico occurred on Oct. 1918, when a 7.3 magnitude quake struck near the island’s northwest coast, causing a tsunami and killing 116 people.

Earthquakes can happen anywhere, but the Department of Homeland Security says higher risk areas include: California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the Mississippi Valley.

The best time to prepare for any disaster is before it happens. When stocking up on supplies for an earthquake, the most important thing to get is water. Experts recommend a supply of 1 gallon of water per person per day for at least three days.

When you feel the ground begin to shake, experts recommend you drop onto your hands and knees, cover your head with your arm or crawl under a table and hold on to a steady structure near you, or simply hold on to your head and neck with both arms if no shelter is available.

Don’t run. Don’t try to get out of the building because you could get thrown around or move toward falling objects or structures. If you are out and away from a building, you will be safe.

• Practice Drop, Cover and Hold On with family

and coworkers. Drop to your hands and knees.

Cover your head and neck with your arms. Crawl under a sturdy table or desk if nearby. Hold on to sturdy furniture until the shaking stops. If a table or desk is not close, crawl next to an interior wall.

• Secure items, such as bookcases, refrigerators, televisions and objects that hang on walls. Store heavy and breakable objects on low shelves.

• Create a family emergency communications plan that has an out-of-state contact. Plan where to meet if you get separated.

• Make a supply kit that includes enough food and water for at least three days, a flashlight, a fire extinguisher and a whistle. Consider each person’s specific needs, including medication. Have extra batteries and charging devices for phones and other critical equipment. Do not forget the needs of pets and service animals.

• Consider obtaining an earthquake insurance policy. A standard homeowner’s insurance policy does not cover earthquake damage.

• Consider making improvements to your building to fix structural issues that could cause your building to collapse during an earthquake.

For more information you can access: https:// www.ready.gov/earthquakes

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Fiel a La Vega Concert Puerto Rican rock band Fiel a La Vega returns to the Luis A. Ferré Performing Arts Center for a memorable concert.

When: Oct. 4, 9 p.m.

Where: Luis A. Ferré Performing Arts Center, Santurce

Pro Arte Musical: Manuel Barrueco Pro Arte Musical presents Cuban classical guitarist Manuel Barrueco, who will be performing in a special concert titled “Music of Spain and Cuba.” The concert is dedicated to “the strong connection between these two countries,” and the chosen repertoire will take attendees through a musical journey ranging from the Spanish Renaissance to Yoruba musical traditions. More info: (787) 724-4747 When: Oct. 6, 8:30 p.m.

Where: Sala Sinfónica Pablo Casals, Centro de Bellas Artes Luis A. Ferré, Santurce

El Espacio Común Curated by Vanessa Hernández Gracia, El Espacio Común explores the constant transformations that the urban environment has experienced in Puerto Rico in the last ten years.

When: Oct. 6, 11 a.m.

Where: Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, 299 De Diego Ave., Santurce

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DiverCinema

Fort Buchanan Oktoberfest Danny Rivera: Mil Años de Plena

A short film festival. Admission fee is $5.

When: Oct. 6, 1:30 p.m.

Where: Cinema Bar, Norzagaray street, Cuartel de Ballajá, Old San Juan

Danny Rivera will perform in a plena tribute to composer and conductor César Concepción. More info: (787) 653-1511.

When: Oct. 5, 8:30 p.m.

Where: Centro de Bellas Artes, Caguas

Cine Estuario: Smallfoot

The Fashion Brunch

Come with you family and enjoy a movie under the stars. Free Admission.

When: Oct. 5, 7 p.m.

Where: Parque Jaime Benítez, Laguna del Condado. 1110 Vieques St., San Juan

A culinary event series that promotes local talent while providing a unique fusion of brunch, fashion and art to enjoy. More info: (787) 664-0356 When: Oct. 5, 12 p.m.

Where: Drift, PR-187, km 8.1, Loiza

Fort Buchanan invites you to their most anticipated 2019 festival, Oktoberfest. Get ready to enjoy a great atmosphere with German beers and food as well as a variety of local beers. Live music by Black Guayaba, Madame Micelli and “Rock Da House”, a Bon Jovi tribute band. Open to general public and with no entrance fee!

When: Oct. 5, 5 p.m.

Where: Fort Buchanan FMWR, Francisco J. de Goya avenue, Bayamón

5k Superwoman You are a superwoman, dress like a superheroe.

More info: www.SuperWoman5k.com When: Oct.6, 3 p.m.

Where: Mario Quijote Morales Coliseum, Guaynabo

Festival Nacional del Plátan0 The municipality of Corozal is celebrating its annual plantain festival. From delicious fritters like alcapurrias to our famous mofongo, you’ll be surprised by the many delicious ways in which plantains are incorporated into Puerto Rican cuisine. The festivities will feature live music, artisans and an agricultural market.

When: Oct. 4 - Oct. 6, 9 a.m.

Where: Plaza del Recreo, Corozal