BusinessMirror July 17, 2023

‘STRONG’ BANKS HELPED POST-LOCKDOWN BOOST

THE strength of Philippine banks may have helped the country fight off the lingering effects of the lockdown on economic growth, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

W hile BSP Governor Eli Remolona did not elaborate on this point in a recent economic briefing in Canada, he noted that Philippine bank’s capital adequacy ratio and liquidity ratio have been above international standards.

R emolona said the capital adequacy ratio of local banks was at 16 percent, above the 10 percent regulatory floor established by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision. See “Strong,” A2

REMOLONA: “We’re now looking at 6.5 to 8 percent growth in the coming year. How did we pull it off?...The banking system had something to do with it. Our banks have remained very strong.”

MUP ‘bloodiest’ bill to pass in 2nd regular session–Migz

SENATE President Juan Miguel Zubiri predicts the measure reforming the pension sys -

tem for the military and uniformed personnel (MUP) will likely be the “bloodiest” that lawmakers will tackle in the second regular session of the 19th Congress.

EXPLAINER »B4

DEMYSTIFYING AGING:

INSIGHTS INTO THE DIVERSE PATHWAYS OF AGING AND THE QUEST FOR EFFECTIVE ANTI-AGING INTERVENTIONS

By Andrea E. San Juan

LOCAL business groups have tagged better employment opportunities for Filipinos as one of the priorities they wish included in the State of the Nation Address (Sona) of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

M akati Business Club (MBC)

Chairman Edgar O. Chua said the business group has listed down around nine priority measures that they wish to see in the President’s second Sona on July 24.

However, Chua only zeroed in on the top three measures that the MBC is looking at. These three are the Ease of Paying Taxes, the Apprenticeship Bill and the Public-Private Partnership (PPP).

O n the first bill, Chua said, “Apprenticeship is one which will also address two things: one is enhancing the competency of our staff—of our people. And then second is it will lead to better employment opportunities for them.”

I n May 2023, the MBC released a statement urging the Senate to prioritize passage of their version

of the measure.

WET AND FOGGY Tagaytay City, known for its cool, mild climate, experienced an atypical weekend with continuous rain and heavy fog brought by the southwest monsoon, surprising visitors. Some areas in Luzon are forecasted to endure heavy rains until early next week following the departure of tropical storm Dodong from the Philippine area of responsibility. NONIE REYES

MIF set for signing Jul 18, but not estate tax amnesty

THE Congress-approved Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) bill is set for signing into law on Tuesday (July 18), but the awaited estate tax amnesty extension bill’s signing was deferred by Malacañang.

S enate President Juan Miguel Zubiri confirmed this at the weekend, but clarified that the postponement of the estate tax amnesty extension is simply a problem of scheduling, given the President’s busy calendar.

“There’s no problem with the measure itself,”  Zubiri told DWIZ in an interview at the weekend, adding that the Palace simply wanted to schedule signing of the two measures on separate dates.

Zubiri noted that “many people” are looking forward to the estate tax amnesty extension, and expressed hope it could still be signed before the State of the Nation Address on July 24, or soon after that, though he conceded that President Marcos has a “busy schedule” next week after the Sona as he is set to join several key events of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

T he business group earlier said that passing the Apprenticeship Bill will enable businesses to train workers for available jobs and higher-skill jobs.  Such a bill would allow adequate time for training—in line with practices in some of the world’s most labor-friendly countries—while ensuring it is not used to violate labor rights,” MBC said in May.

A nother priority reform that the MBC chairman unveiled is the Ease of Paying Taxes. In fact, last May, the business group released a statement urging the Senate to pass the measure.

“An Ease of Paying Taxes law will make it easier for all taxpayers, especially micro and small taxpayers, to do their duty to fund government infrastructure, programs, services, and national security,” MBC said in its statement in May.

It will also enable businesses, especially MSMEs, to focus more time and effort on creating more and better jobs, the group said.

C hua also cited the PPP among the priority measures/programs

that the business group wishes to land in the Sona of the president.

Given the fiscal space, the very limited fiscal space [of] the government...then the PPP should really be pushed so that we don’t slow down the country.

We need to continue and even expand our growth rate,” Chua told reporters on the sidelines of the MBC “F2F with Cab Secs featuring Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual” recently.

Meanwhile, for the Management Association of the Philippines’s part, MAP President Benedicta Du-Baladad urged the government anew to declare malnutrition as a top priority.

There’s a different impact if it lands in SONA because then all the government agencies that are involved in that program have to step up and do concrete measures but what we want is, there is also a budget accompanying those measures so these are sustained...and they can work,” Du-Baladad told reporters on the sidelines of MAP General Membership Meeting on “Business Opportunities in Asean.”

Bank secrecy lifting

MEANWHILE , Zubiri said the 19th Congress may finally tackle the proposals to lift the bank secrecy in the Philippines when it holds its second regular session, owing to strong pressure, he said, from the Department of Finance (DOF) and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

T he Senate leader disclosed that Congress is being repeatedly reminded that “we are the only country in the world” which does not have a law lifting bank secrecy, adding that this makes the Philippines attractive to money launderers.

“

So I think we are going to prioritize that measure also [that would allow] government agencies, [when there is a court order], to inquire into bank accounts,” Zubiri said, speaking partly in Filipino. He  recalled that “the last country [that lifted bank secrecy] is Lebanon I think, which passed their measure. So we’re the only one.

DBM: Agencies not ready for ‘modern world’ face abolition

THE national government intends to abolish agencies that are not ready for the “modern world” in order to meet the goals set in the Medium Term Fiscal Framework (MTFF), particularly bringing down the deficit to 3 percent of GDP by 2028, according to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

I n a recent briefing in Canada, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said this measure will be complemented by efforts to rightsize the bureaucracy as well as the reform of the country’s pension system, particularly the Military and Uniformed Personnel’s (MUP) pension system.

T hese, Pangandaman said, will be part of a slew of efficiency

of digitalization and our modern world,” Pangandaman said. Pangandaman said the reform of the MUP pension could lead to savings worth P250 billion which could be used for other priority programs. However, this is not the only program that could lead to savings.

T he Budget secretary also echoed recent World Bank findings that efforts to improve efficiency, particularly in procurement, could lead to 20 to 30 percent worth of savings for the national government.

The liquidity ratio of Philippine banks, meanwhile, was at 188 percent, above the 100 percent standard globally.

us for the next six years and we’re on track. So we are doing better than our original plan.”

D iokno said efforts to attain the goals set under the MTFF will also mean higher revenues. He said the current tax system, which was already reformed by the previous administration, is a key component of increasing government revenues.

to contributing to the country’s efforts to achieve net zero through its 11 sustainability strategies.

T his is why, he said, several agencies are holding dialogues with both military and police personnel while Congress keeps refining the controversial bill, which is meant to forestall a “fiscal nightmare” of government funds being

reforms that could lead to billionsworth of savings for the government. These savings could be allocated for “priority programs” that will lead to faster economic growth.

Well, first it’s right-sizing. These are governance and efficiency reforms that we are going to introduce in the national government. We will abolish agencies that are no longer relevant in the area

drained just to pay MUP pensions entirely from the budget, because cops and soldiers have never been asked to contribute to their pension fund, unlike members of the Social Security System (SSS) and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).

Zubiri said in a weekend interview with DWIZ’s Cely Ortega Bueno that Defense Secretary Gilbert Te -

M eanwhile, as part of the ground-breaking reforms, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno cited “the Medium Term Fiscal Framework, the first ever in the Philippines.” Another first, he added “is that this was adopted by both houses of Congress so even the congressional leaders embrace this package. That was the design of this fiscal program. I call this our north star, this is what will guide

odoro Jr., “is doing his best” holding dialogues with military men to explain the situation and the inevitability of exacting even modest contributions from future pensioners.

I nterior Secretary Benhur Abalos, on the other hand, is also holding dialogues with members of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

T he chairman of the Senate defense committee, Sen. Jinggoy

W hile the five packages included in the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP) have not all been passed, those that have been passed include the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law and the Comprehensive Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act.

He noted that the government is bent on pursuing other measures such as a tax on single-use plastic to respond to the need to attain net zero and the tax on digital transactions on the back of increased digitalization in the economy.

Estrada, is also holding nonstop consultations with stakeholders in order to come up with the best possible version of  such a controversial, “but necessary” measure, according to Zubiri.

I think this will be the bloodiest [measure to tackle].... We don’t want the military and police to resent having deductions” to contribute to their pension fund, Zubiri said, partly in Filipino. And yet, Zubiri explained, “if we don’t do this, all government funds will be lost to paying MUP pensions because there’s no personal contribution.”

T he Department of Finance and Department of Budget and Management have estimated that in five years or so, the government could be paying, entirely from budget, for pensions of MUPs in a sum exceeding the budgets for operating the AFP and PNP.

“ Everything will go to pensions,” Zubiri warned, adding, “this is not sustainable,” echoing earlier warnings by Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno.

In a separate interview, Zubiri said, partly in Filipino, that the dire projections need to be heeded because “with a P6-trillion budget, for instance, P1 trillion could be used just for pensions alone.” Much of that one-sixth budget expense could go to fund health, education and other vital human services, he added.

Zubiri said Teodoro has assured the military that the most just and fair arrangement will be crafted, and, Zubiri said, there will probably be “just small deductions” from the salaries of the current crop of uniformed personnel.

Deductions, liquify assets

THERE are “many proposals on the table, but we’re saying to make it as painless as possible,” the Senate chief added.

“Right now, the magic number is 5 percent [deductions from MUP pay]” to go to their pension fund. So far, he said, the military top brass he has talked to “are amenable to it.”

Besides imposing mandatory but modest pay deductions on MUPs for the first time, policy makers are also looking to tap idle assets in military reservations in order to create wealth to augment the seed resources for a sustainable pension fund, Zubiri revealed.

“Some people are asking, ‘why don’t you also use military reservations’ [to raise funds]?” The AFP, he said, “can use PPPs [private-public partnerships]” and resort to “joint development” with conglomerates so they can have another revenue stream for their pension seed fund.

W hile the MUP bills are projected to be “bloody,” Zubiri said the target for passage of the measure is “hopefully, before December, or at the very least, by first quarter of next year.”

“ We’re now looking at 6.5 to 8 percent growth in the coming year. How did we pull it off? I would say that the banking system had something to do with it. Our banks have remained very strong,” Remolona said.

“ That’s how I think they supported the recovery after the lockdown. Unlike in previous crises, the banks have been part of the solution this time, rather than part of the problem,” he added.

R ecovering from the pandemic and the subsequent ills brought by the longest lockdown in the world is one of three main challenges faced by the BSP, according to Remolona.

Fertilizer

HE said the other challenges are battling inflation and the third is climate change. Remolona said inflation is a concern not only because of what has already been reported on in the media.

R emolona noted that fertilizer prices have been elevated and this has a significant impact on the country’s ability to attain food security and keep prices low.

Based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the value of the country’s imports in January 2023, when inflation peaked at 8.7 percent, grew 43.2 percent. The value of urea imports alone surged 233.9 percent in January 2023.

“[Because of] sanctions on Belarus, in Russia, the price of fertilizer went through the roof. This is a very important import for the Philippines, especially urea, which comes from nitrogen,” Remolona said. “That spiked and it led to the second-round effects of food prices, for example.”

H owever, inflation has since cooled. By May, the inflation averaged 6.1 percent and food inflation slowed to 7.5 percent while fertilizer imports contracted 40.8 percent and the value of urea imports declined 48.6 percent.

R emolona noted that the BSP maintains that inflation will be within target range of 2-4 percent by the fourth quarter of 2023. He said the BSP expects that the country will “overshoot on the low side” of the inflation target by the first quarter of next year and settle within target by the rest of 2024.

Now, 2-4 percent is not an arbitrary range. That’s the range that we think, based on our analysis, that is ideal for an economy like the Philippines growing at full capacity. So while we’re not in the forefront of pushing for growth, I think we’re laying the environment for the growth that is being planned,” Remolona said.

Kahiyaan ON the challenge of Climate Change, Remolona said the BSP is committed

MIF...

O ne of these is to mandate banks to make climate-related disclosures. He explained that banks will be tasked to report which of their loans and assets are good, bad, or worse for the climate.

T he taxonomy to be used for this disclosure system, Remolona said, is being crafted together with climate scientists. Some of the questions that will be asked include whether bank’s loans or assets slow down or accelerate climate change and promote carbon emissions or absorb carbon emissions. E ach metric, Remolona explained, will be weighted, allowing the BSP to give each bank an overall rating in terms of its role in climate change. “ We hope this disclosure alone will do the trick. In the Philippines, we call it kahiyaan but if it doesn’t do the trick, then we have other tools that can [sort of] persuade the banks to help out with climate change,” Remolona said.

T he 11 sustainability strategies of BSP include vulnerability assessments; enhanced disclosures; climate stress testing; environmental and sustainability risk in prudential policy; and climate change in monetary policy.

T he strategies also include incentives for green lending; sustainability in BSP’s portfolio and risk management; task force for inclusive green finance; sustainability in BSP’s operations; and capacity building.

Foreign borrowings

MEANWHILE , the Monetary Board (MB) approved a total of $2.73 billion of public sector foreign borrowings in the second quarter of 2023, which is $0.81 billion or 23 percent lower than the $3.54-billion approval in the same period in 2022.

T hese are all borrowings by the Republic of the Philippines (RP), BSP said, and consist of three project loans from the Japan International Cooperation Agency. These borrowings will fund various railway projects of the National Government (NG).

“ The BSP promotes the judicious use of the resources and ensures that external debt requirements are at manageable levels, to support external debt sustainability,” BSP said.

Under Section 20, Article VII of the 1987 Constitution of the RP, prior approval of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), through its MB, is required for all foreign loans to be contracted or guaranteed by RP. Similarly, Letter of Instructions No. 158 dated 21 January 1974 also requires all foreign borrowing proposals by the NG, government agencies and government financial institutions to be submitted for approval-in-principle by the MB before commencement of actual negotiations.

Continued from A1

T hat’s why it is so hard to transact in the Philippines, because the Anti-Money Laundering Council of other countries have sort of redflagged us.”

Moreover, he said, “We are becoming a hub for money laundering as reported to us by the Bangko Sentral. So in order to stop that, we need to pass a Bank Secrecy Law.”

T he Senate President pointed out that “people who have no need to hide ill-gotten or illegal wealth, should not be scared of such a law.”

In the past, the Paris-based Fi-

nancial Action Task Force (FATF) has pressured the Philippine government into lifting that protection for bank clients, warning that failure to do so would subject Philippine parties— including migrant workers—to more hurdles when making money transfers or similar transactions.

Meanwhile, Zubiri said Congress will also work on an “anti-financial account scamming act” that is targeted to stop widespread fraud using e-wallets. This will be a “complimentary bill to our cybercrime law.”  Butch Fernandez

China: Connecting its glorious past to the future

Continued from A12

This is a very good example of how companies and societies benefit from openness, mutual collaboration and inclusiveness. The BRI, for me personally, is a very good example of openness and inclusiveness,” Chan said.

He said the BRI was initially conceptualized as a massive invest -

ment infrastructure endeavor but when it was launched, President Xi expanded to technology sharing and fund-setting to support countries joining the initiative. So there’s a lot of social aspect to it. It’s not just infrastructure projects. That’s the real key. I think it is based on China’s experience that infrastructure promotes social development,” he said.

• Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

Sen. Zubiri firm on increasing wages by ₧150 via legislation

THE Senate remains unwavering in its commitment to increase the pay for all daily wage workers nationwide through a legislated wage hike of P150.

Senate President Juan Miguel F. Zubiri said at the weekend he is confident that with the release of the most recent Pulse Asia nationwide survey a few days ago showing an overwhelming clamor for wage increases, the Senate will listen to the Filipino people and fulfill its mandate of advancing their welfare.

“’Yan ang kailangan nating tutukan at pangako ko po yan [We have to focus on that and that’s my promise]. The Senate will make a stand on this issue. Alam ko maraming magagalit sa ating mga negosyante, but share-share lang Kailangan dinponilangmagshare ngbiyayasaatingmga manggagawa[I know many businessmen will dislike this, but we need to share our blessings with workers],” Zubiri said in an interview with DWIZ over the weekend.

Zubiri earlier explained his full support for pending bills for a legislated wage hike, noting what he observed as the

“slow” processing of wage hike appeals by the legally-mandated Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Boards. He has also expressed concern that, as it is, the already “inadequate” P40 daily wage hike ordered by the Metro Manila regional board recently will not likely be granted in other regions, given past experience when non-NCR regions always give smaller daily pay hikes.

Zubiri insisted in a separate interview his advocacy is data-driven, as recent data indicate “it is no longer true” that Philippine wages are among the highest in the region, even as he warned that unless something is done to improve wage levels, the country will keep losing a huge chunk of its skilled work force to overseas jobs. He cited as examples Malaysia, which raised its minimum daily wage to the equivalent of P880; and Indonesia, to about P810.

Vietnam, he added, is “also looking at increasing” its minimum wage.

Meanwhile, Zubiri cited the latest Pulse Asia survey undertaken from June 19 to 23 about the most urgent national concerns overall. In the poll, increasing the pay of workers ranked second among the top issues at 44 percent after controlling inflation,

which stood at 63 percent.

Pulse Asia also surveyed Filipinos on how much they spend on regular monthly household expenses such as housing, food, electricity, water, communications, transportation and the like. Some 38 percent of the respondents answered P15,001 or more, while 17 percent answered P14,001 to P15,000; and only 13 percent said they spend lower than P8,000.

In the same survey, a question was posed asking respondents whether or not they are in favor of the proposal to increase by P150 the daily minimum wage of workers in the private sector. A whopping 97 percent said they agree to the proposal.

This question, Zubiri explained, was actually a “rider” that his office pushed for inclusion in the Pulse Asia survey questions, asking respondents whether or not they are in favor of a P150 wage hike nationwide.

He said the results were “astounding,” as almost a hundred percent agreed to the proposal and means that, without a doubt, there is a clamor for a P150 wage increase among private sector workers in Metro Manila.

He said, partly in Filipino, that “only 2

Exporters back reducing e-commerce packaging

percent said their pay is enough, and the other 1 percent is undecided. That means, 97 percent of our population is really asking the government to raise their wages because these are really not enough.”

The Senate leader said will use the recent Pulse Asia survey as an “Exhibit A” to persuade his colleagues to support the measure when the Senate resumes deliberation on the legislated wage hike.

The idea, he clarified, is to have a uniform P150 minimum wage increase nationwide, and they are eyeing several proposals on how to accomplish this.

“We can make it graduated. For example, in the NCR [where a P40 hike was already ordered by the regional wage board] we will add P100, right? For Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao we will make it P150 so that everyone has the same level. Or let’s make it P110 for Metro Manila, then everyone will have P150,” Zubiri continued.

The National Wages Productivity Commission approved in June a P40increase in the minimum wage for private sector workers in Metro Manila. The order takes effect July 16 and is expected to directly benefit 1.1 million minimum wage earners in NCR.

complement wage hike, govt must address inflation’

THE chairman of the House Committee on Labor and Employment said the government should aggressively move to bring down the cost of basic goods, by strengthening the agriculture and transportation sectors, as a complement to a wage hike.

Rizal 4th District Rep. Juan Fidel Felipe

F. Nograles issued the statement during the weekend after the regional wage board approved a P40-increase in the minimum wage in the National Capital Region and

taking effect on July 16.

Nograles believes the government’s efforts to improve workers’ quality of life should not stop with a wage hike.

“We also need to aggressively move to lessen the cost of commodities to increase workers’ purchasing power,” Nograles said.

With the wage adjustment, the daily minimum wage rate in Metro Manila would be raised to P610 from P570. There are also 10 other wage hike petitions pending with various Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWPBs), the Department of Labor and

Employment announced in May.

Nograles hailed the wage increase, though he admitted that workers might consider it a pittance considering the soaring prices of goods.

This is why parallel efforts should be implemented in the agriculture and transport sectors so that workers pay less for food and transportation, the lawmaker said.

“We need to have a balanced response to the issues that our workers face. A pay raise is not the only option, we must simultaneously address the issues in agriculture and transportation so that our citizens may earn more money.”

Foreigners keen to invest in Maharlika fund–solon

AHOUSE of Representatives leader claimed that significant investment funds have already expressed interest in the proposed Maharlika Investment Fund Act, which is anticipated to be signed before the President delivers his second State of the Nation Address on July 24.

House Committee on Ways and Means

Chairman Joey S. Salceda said strategic partners and co-investors are already being engaged in preparation for its launching.

“Temasek [International Pte. Ltd.] of Singapore and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation have expressed interest in investing,” Salceda said during the weekend.

“Major investment funds are already interested. Moving forward, I will continue to engage the BTr [Bureau of Treasury] for the implementation of this measure,” he added. According to Salceda, the MIF will be a major milestone for the Marcos administration.

“I have called the MIF PBBM’s weapon of mass development,” he said.

Before the Maharlika Investment Fund, Salceda said the Philippines was the only major Association of Southeast Asian Nations economy without a sovereign wealth fund or sovereign investment fund.

“We are also among the few major countries with the state banks being dominant players in the financial sector. The other one that’s close to us is Indonesia. So, we have a strong base of investable assets even as we have a massive investment gap,” he said.

“Finally, we have a highly liquid financial sector and a cash-rich corporate sector with few options for investment in the domestic capital markets,” Salceda added.

Multilaterals

EARLIER, the lawmaker, in a meeting, told the International Monetary Fund, World Bank team that the MIF “could help solve liquidity problems on the equities side of Philippine capital markets. There are only 286 listed companies in the Philippine Stock Exchange and MIF would immediately cause waves once listed.”

Salceda also emphasized the need for technical assistance from the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and the International Finance Corp. for setting up the investment fund.

“The expertise of the multilaterals will ensure that we start on a strong footing. There are three ways they can help us. First, their credibility will help attract foreign investors. Second, their presence will encourage good corporate governance and accountability in the MIF. Third, their financial resources are staggering. The World Bank alone has been able to support around 115 billion USD in commitments every year,” Salceda said.

“And they can be co-investors or strategic partners, themselves, once the institutions within MIF are organized,” he added.

The Congress-approved measure said the Maharlika Investment Fund shall initially be sourced from the capitalization of the Maharlika Investment Corp (MIC), which includes the investible funds of the Land Bank of the Philippines, Development Bank of the Philippines and from contributions of the national government.

Investments

THE bill said that other GFIs and GOCCs may invest into the MIF, subject to their respective investment and risk management strategies, and approval of their respective boards.

Also, the measure said that government agencies and GOCCs providing for the social security and public health insurance of government employees, private sector workers and employees, and other sectors and subsectors, such as but not limited to the SSS, GSIS, PhilHealth, PAGIBIG Fund, OWWA and PVAP pension fund shall be absolutely prohibited, whether mandatory or voluntary, to invest in the MIF.

It also said that investments from the Land Bank of the Philippines and Development Bank of the Philippines and other GFIs shall not exceed 25 percent of their net worth.

The bill creates a corporate body to be named as the Maharlika Investment Corp (MIC). The MIC shall act as the sole vehicle for the purpose of mobilizing and utilizing the MIF for investments in transactions in order to generate optima returns on investments, while contributing to the overall goal of reinvigorating job creation and accelerating poverty reduction by sustaining the economy’s high growth trajectory, while ensuring sustainable development.

fund in accordance with the objectives and purposes set forth in this proposal and other laws, rules and regulations and it shall adhere to the Santiago Principles and other internationally-accepted standards of transparency and accountability.

The MIC shall have an authorized capital stock of P500 billion to be divided into five billion shares, with a par value of P100 per share which shall have the following classifications and features: Common shares of 3.750 billion equivalent to P375 billion to be subscribed by the national government, its agencies or instrumentalities, including GOCCs. Provided that 1.2 billion shares equivalent to P125 billion shall be subscribed by Land Bank of the Philippines with P50 billion; Development Bank of the Philippines P25 billion and national government with P50 billion.

For the first and second fiscal years upon the effectivity of this proposal, 100 percent of the BSP’s total declared dividends, as computed under Republic Act (RA) 7653, as amended by RA 11211 or the New Central Bank Act, shall be remitted to the national government for the capitalization of the MIC, in the amount not exceeding the P50 billion initial subscription of the national government to the capitalization of the MIC.

Capitalization

THE bill also provides that the monetary board may recommend to the President of the Philippines the reduction of BSP’s dividend contribution to the MIC whenever economic conditions may warrant. Thereafter, the dividends of the BSP shall be remitted to the national government to fund the increase in the capitalization of the BSP in accordance with Section 2 of RA 7653, as amended by RA 11211.

Of the government shares in Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor), 10 percent of the national government’s share comes from the income of the Pagcor, as provided for in PD 1869, as amended: Provided, That the share earmarked for the Universal Health Care Act shall not in any manner be diminished.

The board, upon the recommendation of the Advisory Body, shall request Congress for legislation to increase the capitalization of the MIC up to such an amount, as may be necessary to attain the objectives of this proposal.

Marie N. Dela Cruz

THE volume of e-commerce packaging globally, which was driven by average annual growth of 20.1 percent in the last six years, underscores the importance of manufacturers reducing the environmental damage caused by its production and discarding, according to global trend forecasting firm WGSN.

In a statement released last Friday, the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) cited Katie Raath, senior analyst for packaging at WGSN, who said it is “imperative” for brands and manufacturers to concentrate on reducing e-commerce packaging, eliminating excess material and avoiding shipping air in oversized boxes, which “inflates” transportation emissions. With this, Raath urged brands and manufacturers to make it zero-waste, whether it be returnable or biodegradable.

According to Philexport, the packaging analyst noted in a report, “the three keys to ecommerce packaging are protection [of product], preservation [of environment], and presentation—creating a great unboxing experience for the consumer.”

Meanwhile, Raath said the volume of e-commerce packaging globally, driven by average annual growth of 20.1 percent in the last six years, highlights the importance of manufacturers reducing the environmental damage caused by its production and discarding.

Directly to landfill

CITING the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Raath said global plastics recycling is at just 9 percent. This means that the majority of this volume is headed directly to landfill.

“Advances in materials technology are opening up possibilities for sustainable packaging, reducing plastic components with alternatives that are easier to recycle and fully biodegradable,” she said.

For instance, Raath said a Canadian manufacturer CelluloTech’s patented chromatogeny process using a chemical reaction to make paper permanently “super hydrophobic” and boost its mechanical properties.

“For e-commerce, this means thinner boxes, saving material and shipping labels with no waterproof silicone layer, making them recyclable,” she said.

According to a story by the BusinessMirror in 2022, Southeast Asia generates over 31 million tons of plastic waste each year, with 91 percent of consumers stating that they are concerned about plastic waste issues in the region.

The solon expressed optimism that the Marcos administration “also recognizes these issues and is exerting great effort to address them.”

Nograles also vowed that Congress would continue deliberating on the various proposals to increase wages once session resumes this month.

The packaging analyst of WGSN bared projections for e-commerce plastic packaging produced annually show it rising to 4.5 billion pounds by 2025, more than doubling in the last six years, Philexport noted.

Raath also noted that e-commerce plastic waste figures “closely match” production, showing this type of packaging is almost exclusively single-use.

To address this, e-commerce brand Lazada launched a LazEarth campaign as part of the company’s commitment to support sustainable practices in the digital commerce ecosystem. The campaign will initially focus on plastic waste reduction in product and packaging. Lazada will work with LazMall brands and partners to make eco-friendly products easily assessable and identifiable to consumers. Under this campaign, Lazada will recognize and feature more than 70 brands and 5,000 items across mainly fashion and FMCG product categories that are made, packed, or shipped with reduced or better plastics. (Full storyhere:https://businessmirror.com. ph/2022/04/24/sustainability-in-thedigital-commerce-ecosystem/)

‘To

ERC seeks DOJ’s aid in filing cases vs violators of Epira

THE ENERGY Regulatory Commission (ERC) is seeking assistance from the justice department to pursue the filing of cases against violators of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (EPIRA) and ERC regulations.

ERC Chairperson Monalisa Dimalanta said her office wants to discuss with the Department of Justice (DoJ) the procedures for the filing of necessary cases against violators who refused to comply with ERC rulings or pay the imposed fines.

“We already wrote DOE [Department of Energy] and met with DOE and DOJ so that we can enforce the imprisonment provisions, the ability to pursue prosecution for noncompliance with EPIRA and noncompliance of ERC rulings.”

Dimalanta added: “What we are trying to work out with DOJ is the procedure. Do we file the complaint as a complainant in the fiscal office?”

Currently, the ERC can only impose a P50 million maximum fine per violation. The agency proposed that the fine be adjusted to a maximum of P500 million.

“For example, the ERC imposed a penalty, ordered a refund but the violator did not do anything, did not comply. So, we want to discuss this with the DOJ the procedure of filing cases so we can fully implement the provisions on EPIRA for imprisonment as penalty,” said Dimalanta.

Also, the ERC is proposing the creation of a task force with the DOJ to enforce prosecution against those found liable.

Committee Chairman Raffy Tulfo earlier said lawmakers would consider the measly fine to be increased when the committee proposes amendments to the EPIRA.

The ERC under EPIRA is tasked to promote competition, encourage market development, ensure customer choice and penalize abuse of market power in the electricity industry.

The DOE is also pushing for amendments to EPIRA that will give the ERC more teeth. “We are focusing on different aspects of the amendments,” DOE Secretary Raphael Lotilla earlier said.

EMPLOYERS and recruitment agencies, who abuse overseas Filipino workers (OFW) abroad, can now face charges from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) in their home countries.

“Our plan is for the department to file cases onsite with illegal recruiters and human traffickers including abusive employers,” DMW Secretary Maria Susan V. Ople said

THE family of slain environmentalist and broadcaster Dr. Gerry V. “Doc Gerry”

Ortega yesterday hailed the decision of the Supreme Court (SC) to order the rearrest and detention of former Palawan Gov. Mario Joel T. Reyes while undergoing trial as principal suspect in the killing.

“The Ortega family welcomes the latest development to re-arrest former Governor Joel Reyes. Our family is thankful that the Supreme Court sided with truth and justice,” Doc Gerry’s family said in a statement.

“We have long hoped and prayed for the trial to continue. This fair decision restores our faith that, one day, we will find justice,” they added.

The trial of the murder case came to a halt after the SC issued on June 14, 2021, a temporary restraining order (TRO) enjoining the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Puerto Princesa City from implementing its arrest warrant issued on March 27, 2012, against Reyes pending the resolution of the petition

in a media forum last week.

This was a departure from the previous government policy of just trying to work out a settlement between the aggrieved OFWs and their erring employer or recruitment agencies, according to the DMW chief.

The reform, she said, was made possible since they already got the portion of the Assistance to National (ATN) fund meant for OFWs, which was previously lodged with the budget of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

filed by the former governor. Reyes’ petition sought the reversal of the November 28, 2019 amended decision of the Court of Appeals’ Special Former Eleventh Division that ordered the Puerto Princesa City RTC, Branch 52, to reinstate the murder case against Reyes and issue a warrant of arrest against the former governor.

The Court, in a resolution made public only yesterday (July 16, 2023), finally denied Reyes’ petition and affirmed the November 28, 2019, amended decision and resolution dated February 24, 2021, of the CA’s Special Former Eleventh Division (Special Division of Five).

At the same time, the SC ordered the lifting of the TRO it issued on June 14, 2021 and ordered Reyes’s re-arrest.

It also directed the trial court to continue with the proceedings on the murder case filed against Reyes.

The SC held that Reyes failed to present any convincing evidence to prove his allegation that the trial court “acted in capricious and whimsical exercise of judgment” in ordering the continuation of the criminal proceedings

The proposed adjustment in fines is included in ongoing discussions related to EPIRA, or Republic Act 9136, amendments. Senate Energy

The DMW earlier announced it will receive some P1.2 billion worth of ATN budget this month for the creation of its action fund, which can be used for legal aid, repatriation services, welfare and laborrelated services, and emergency response.

“Our labor attaches are empowered to hire lawyers when needed and even enter into agreements with experts that can provide counsel especially [in cases] involving gender-based victims abroad,” Ople said.

against him and in issuing an arrest warrant against him.

“The CA, like the trial court, found evidence on record sufficient to support a finding of existence of probable cause against petitioner. These include: Bumar’s statement implicating petitioner and others as the persons who masterminded the killing of Dr. Ortega; [Arwin] Arandia’s statement that he was the person initially hired by Bumar to kill Dr. Ortega; [Dennis] Aranas’s statement similarly identifying petitioner as the mastermind of the killing of Dr. Ortega; and the admission of gunman [Marlon] Recamata that he was hired by Bumar’s boss to kill Dr. Ortega,” the SC said in an 8-page resolution.

Rodolfo “Bumar” Edrad was the former bodyguard of Reyes.

“Finally, this particular stage of the criminal proceeding against petitioner requires neither absolute nor moral certainty; opinion and reasonable belief is already sufficient. His arguments against admissibility and credibility of the prosecution’s evidence are all matters which are, at bottom, factual and evidentiary in

The DMW pointed out the onsite filing of charges is crucial in cases wherein the abuse or illegal activity happened abroad such in case of third country illegal recruitment. Under the said scheme, OFWs are recruited, while they are already working outside of the country and without going through the processing of the DMW. “We will use the action fund to build cases onsite. [We will] use the law of the host government to obtain justice for the aggrieved or distressed OFW,” Ople said.

nature best threshed out in a full-blown trial on the merits,” the SC added.

Prior to the SC ruling, the OSG asked the Court to dismiss Reyes’s petition and instead reinstate the murder case against the latter and to order his re-arrest.

The OSG argued that there is clear basis for the RTC’s issuance of a warrant of arrest against Reyes, citing the lower court’s finding that there is strong evidence of petitioner’s guilt in the murder of Dr. Ortega.

Reyes has been charged with murder along with his brother, former Coron town mayor Mario Reyes, and eight others for the death of Ortega.

The OSG asserted that the high bench should order the re-arrest of the petitioner and allow the continuation of the trial proceedings on the ground that the RTC’s issuance of the warrant of arrest against the petitioner is supported by legal and jurisprudential basis, rather than arbitrary and unfounded conclusions.

A known critic of Reyes, Ortega was gunned down in front of a thrift store in Puerto Princesa City on January 24, 2011.

CLARK FREEPORT—The

Clark Development Corp. (CDC) and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) have formalized their partnership through a signed agreement on July 13, establishing a database interconnection to facilitate real-time data exchanges, improving efficiency and security. This collaboration streamlined visa processing for foreign nationals within the Clark Freeport Zone, in line with the government’s ongoing efforts to digitize public transactions and enhance service delivery.

Under the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), the CDC and the BI will leverage digital platforms to verify identities, conduct checks on derogatory records of foreign nationals, and validate travel and admission statuses. By integrating these processes, a seamless and efficient visa processing system will be achieved while ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations set forth by Republic Act (RA) 10173, also known as the Data Privacy Act of 2012.

The interconnection of databases brings substantial benefits to visa processing, enabling CDC to effectively carry out due diligence and screening protocols for investment proponents, according to CDC President and CEO Agnes VST Devanadera.

“The new memorandum of agreement will actually make good use of technology, and we’re starting to use technology in doing due diligence regarding the people who apply for endorsement of their visa within the zone,” Devanadera said.

The CDC and BI pledged to

enhance their fraud detection and profiling capabilities through training and retooling. This will allow them to evaluate potential investors more accurately, and effectively address the challenges posed by evolving trends in business and global trade practices in the digital age.

BI Commissioner Norman G. Tansingco, in his message, commended the partnership between CDC and BI, emphasizing its role in facilitating efficient monitoring and enforcement of immigration, citizenship, alien admission, and registration laws within the Freeport.

CDC inks agreement with BI on database interconnection Ortega family hails SC decision ordering re-arrest of ex-Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes

“This [MOA signing] opened for a discussion of how CDC and BI would strengthen the partnership, the coordination, the cooperation, and the collaboration. With this Memorandum of Agreement, CDC will have real-time connectivity with BI, and I am happy to say that BI is now ready to accept the connection from CDC,” Tansingco said.

The Freeport’s strategic promotion as a preferred destination for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) and tourism highlights the significant value of the database interconnection. With the new Clark International Airport terminal attracting more international flights, the Freeport is preparing to host the Philippine MICE Conference 2024, reinforcing its position as a premier choice for hosting major events and driving the expansion of the tourism industry.

This agreement aims to facilitate real-time data exchanges, thereby improving efficiency and security.

CLARK Development Corp. (CDC) President and CEO Agnes VST Devanadera (second from the left) and Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman G. Tansingco (2nd from the right), signed a memorandum of agreement to establish a database interconnection. Also present during the event were CDC Vice President for Business Development and Business Enhancement Group Noelle Mina D. Meneses (leftmost) and BI Deputy Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado (rightmost). PHOTO BY CLARK DEVELOPMENT CORP.

Abusers of OFWs can now be sued onsite, DMW says

Govt, private sector want to build salt plants

Senior Agriculture Undersecretary Domingo F. Panganiban said government officials and representatives from the private sector discussed a proposal for reviving the salt industry during a meeting held at the DA’s central office in Quezon City last week.

Panganiban said the proposal focused on the establishment of a national network of advanced salt

production plants through investment and policy interventions.

“The presentation cited the weakening condition of the Philippine salt industry through various factors, such as climate change, land conversion and economic globalization,” the DA said.

Aside from Panganiban, the meeting was also attended by

Agriculture Undersecretary for Fisheries Drusila Bayate and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (B FAR ) National Director Demosthenes Escoto who gave an update on the various legislative measures that seek to revitalize the country’s salt industry.

“The existing law that we have

on salt is still the old salt law, the old iodization act. There is a written initiative in the Congress and Senate, so the House of Representatives will pass the bill. For Senate, it will be open for deliberation on the plenary. The good thing is that these particular bills have been included

Agri producers urged to practice rainwater collection, storage

THE Department of Agricul-

ture (DA) is encouraging food producers to practice rainwater harvesting to help them cope with the adverse impact of El Niño on farm production.

With an average rainfall of 2,348 millimeters, the DA said food producers can take the opportunity to stock rain water for future use.

“The DA has put in place water management strategies as part of its adaptation and mitigation efforts on the effects of El Niño on agricultural production. One of the strategies that DA is campaigning for is the rainwater harvesting or the collection and storage of rain, rather than letting it run off,” the agency said in a statement.

It is also implementing other water management projects, including the improvement of irrigation canals and other small scale irrigation projects. The agency is banking on the Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) technology, which uses relatively much less water. AWD is the controlled and intermittent release of irrigation water.

“Other mitigation projects that are underway is the replacement of unserviceable pump and engine sets. These are just some of the measures that the government has been doing early on to prevent production losses due to the dry spells that El Niño entails,” DA’s National El Niño Team Chairman U-Nichols Manalo said in a statement.

With the latest advisory related to the presence of El Niño in the Tropical Pacific, weather experts expect unusual warming of sea surface temperatures, which may lead to the strengthening of the abnormal weather phenomenon in the coming months.

As such, the likelihood of belownormal rainfall is anticipated, causing dry spells and droughts in some areas of the country. However, with the enhanced Southwest monsoon season or Habagat, the western part of the Philippines may still get above-normal rainfall.

“We are constantly coordinating with different bureaus and agencies under DA so we can come up with a unified strategy to help our food

producers improve production and increase income event during the possible drought,” Manalo said.

The DA is the lead agency tasked to ensure the food security agenda under an inter-agency task force which includes the Departments of Trade and Industry, Labor and Employment, Interior and Local Government, Social Work and Development, Energy and the National Economic Development Authority. Other cooperating agencies are the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development under the Department of Science and Technology and the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation under the Department of Finance. Raadee S. Sausa

DAR ties up with local govt, group to boost coffee output

The growing market of coffee in the province of Negros Occidental is triggering the shift to planting coffee from sugarcane farming.

The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Negros Occidental, Cadiz City local government unit (LGU), and the Dalayapan Agrarian Reform Cooperative (DARCo) located at Brgy. Caduhaan, Cadiz City are coming together to form a coffee enterprise partnership to boost coffee production in the area.

At a recent meeting with Cadiz City Mayor Salvador G. e s calante Jr. and its agriculture council, e d win N. Mendame Jr., DAR-Negros Occidental Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer (PARPO) I, discussed the increasing demand triggered by increasing local coffee consumption, compelling enough for the local chief executive to agree to the proposal and engage with the DAR and DARCo in a coffee venture.

An agrarian reform beneficiary organization (ARBO) DARCo has 102 members and about 135 laborers under its employ.

Of the 342.49 hectares of land acquired by the ARBO under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), 251 hectares are planted with sugarcane.

The proposed coffee venture with the DAR, LGU, and ARBO aims to introduce crop diversification, adapt to the evolving and new market trends, and pursue the farmers to become competitive entrepreneurs in the coffee industry.

Through its Program Beneficiaries Development Division (PBDD), DAR will provide development and support services interventions through training programs, access to essential social services,

as one of the priority bills of the president. We are hoping that by this year, a new salt law will be implemented and will be effective,” Escoto said.

In line with the facilitation of production, such as identifying suitable locations for salt farms and making infrastructure investments, Bayate suggested that the parties should have access to the integrated plan of the national government “to effectively align with the operational requirements.”

“The government has an integrated plan that will match the logistic need, plan of DPWH [Department of Public Works and Highways], the farm-to-market road, and tourism road. If there is any development plan from a local government na hihingi siya ng appropriation, it should be within that big plan. I think we should have access to that integrated plan because it includes

logistics that can help in the planning of this proposal.”

Acknowledging the importance of a private-public partnership in enhancing local salt self-sufficiency, Panganiban told B FAR a nd the private sector representatives to collaborate and work together to accelerate the modernization and industrialization of the Philippine salt industry.

“[The DA] has implemented several initiatives aimed at improving salt production and providing technical assistance to marginal and artisanal salt makers, with the support of its attached agencies.”

In March, the DA launched Oplan Asin to conduct consultations with salt farmers nationwide and allocated a total of P200 million to fund the purchase of postharvest facilities and materials and training sessions to improve salt quality.

Report: Over 122M more people facing hunger due to Covid-19, weather shocks

Ov E R 122 million more people are facing hunger in the world since 2019 due to the pandemic and repeated weather shocks and conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, according to the latest State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report recently published by five United Nations specialized agencies.

If trends remain as they are, the Sustainable Development Goal of ending hunger by 2030 will not be reached, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) warn.

The 2023 edition of the report reveals that between 691 and 783 million people faced hunger in 2022, with a mid-range of 735 million. This represents an increase of 122 million people compared to 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic.

and construction and rehabilitation of infrastructure facilities to ensure holistic support for the ARBs.

e s calante wants to put Cadiz City on the coffee map by investing in vast tracts of land and building a coffee processing plant. The mayor’s office has so far committed to providing training, farm inputs, and linkages to institutional buyers.

Representatives from the DAR, LGU, and ARBO are set to visit a successful coffee farm in Cadiz City to get more inputs, ideas, and recommendations and share knowledge with the hope of convincing more sugarcane farmers to plant coffee as well.

Soaring cost of sugar threatens to push up prices across the EU

eUROP e A N consumers may soon have to pay more for sweet treats as summer heatwaves push up the price of sugar.

Sugar buyers and producers are currently negotiating contracts for the 2023-24 harvest season, which starts in October. Prices being cited are over €1,000 a ton, said people with knowledge of the matter—more than double what they were in the middle of last year. That’s set to raise costs in the snack aisle.

Last year’s drought-related drop in sugar output offers a glimpse into what might unfold if the same were to happen again. Sugar production for the current 2022-23 season fell 12 percent relative to the previous one, and at 14.6 million tons, was one million tons below initial e U e stimates. While large companies—and in turn, consumers—were shielded from big price hikes thanks to long-term contracts, prices in the spot market have surged 58 percent since last October, squeezing smaller and medium-sized confectioneries.

Warning signs are already flashing: rain delayed this year’s planting by roughly a month, and rising temperatures have since increased the risk of both drought and pests spreading faster and ravaging small sugar beet crops.

Producers have so far taken a cautious approach to pricing, said John Stansfield, a senior sugar analyst at DN e X T Intelligence.

“Critically, it’s what happens in the next two or three months: do we get rain or do we get just drought conditions?”

With supplies already tight and the threat of drought looming, Germany’s Suedzucker AG and France’s Tereos are among those who expect prices to stay high. And this year, with new contracts being signed at record price levels, the extra costs won’t be easy to avoid.

Kona h a que, head of commodities research at e D &F Man, said some companies will have to

pass the burden along to consumers.

“It’s not the end of sugar price inflation for europe,” said Yury Sharanov, president of CIUS, a lobby group representing both sugar consumers and industrial-scale buyers in europe.

The situation has been exacerbated by low levels of sugar stock, which shrank last year as companies dipped into their reserves. Destocking will be “the ultimate driver for e U s ugar prices, which are incredibly sticky,” said Julian Price, an independent sugar consultant and former president of the e u ropean Association of Sugar Traders. Despite all this, some analysts are

cautiously optimistic that production may increase. The e U has forecast that output could reach 15.5 million tons this season, with a spike in Poland’s sugar beet acreage offsetting a decline in France.

Not everybody agrees. Analysts have also expressed concern about yellow virus, a disease that can wipe out sugar beet crops. Following France’s restrictions on neonicotinoids—a type of pesticide that protects against the yellow virus—experts at Green Pool Commodity Specialists estimate that eu rope’s sugar production could drop below the e U estimate to 14.8 million tons.

“Whilst there have been few reports so far of virus yellows symptoms, it is still too early to say if 2023 beet crops have dodged the yellow virus bullet,” Green Pool analysts noted. “It is possible that symptoms appear this month.”

Such instability isn’t limited to eu rope. The world’s sugar comes from cane—grown in tropical climes—and beets, which thrive in traditionally cooler areas further north. e x treme weather is hurting both kinds, with e l Niño threatening to curb cane harvests in Southeast Asia and Africa, and rising temperatures making eu rope less hospitable to beets. Bloomberg News

While global hunger numbers have stalled between 2021 and 2022, there are many places in the world facing deepening food crises. Progress in hunger reduction was observed in Asia and Latin America, but hunger was still on the rise in Western Asia, the Caribbean and throughout all subregions of Africa in 2022. Africa remains the worstaffected region with one in five people facing hunger on the continent, more than twice the global average.

“There are rays of hope, some regions are on track to achieve some 2030 nutrition targets. But overall, we need an intense and immediate global effort to rescue the Sustainable Development Goals. We must build resilience against the crises and shocks that drive food insecurity-from conflict to climate,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres through a video message during the launch of the report at the UN Headquarters in New York.

The heads of the five UN agencies, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu;

IFAD President Alvaro Lario; UNICEF

Executive Director Catherine Russell;

WFP’s Executive Director Cindy McCain; and WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus write in the report’s Foreword: “No doubt, achieving the Sustainable Development Goal target of Zero Hunger by 2030 poses a daunting challenge. Indeed, it is projected that almost 600 million people will still be facing hunger in 2030. The major drivers of food insecurity and malnutrition are our ‘new normal,’ and we have no option but to redouble our efforts to transform agrifood systems and leverage them towards reaching the Sustainable Development Goal 2 [SDG 2] targets.”

Beyond hunger

T HE food security and nutrition situation remained grim in 2022. The report finds that approximately 29.6 percent of the global population, equivalent to 2.4 billion people, did not have constant access to food, as measured by the prevalence of moderate or severe

food insecurity. Among them, around 900 million individuals faced severe food insecurity.

Meanwhile, the capacity of people to access healthy diets has deteriorated across the world: more than 3.1 billion people in the world—or 42 percent— were unable to afford a healthy diet in 2021. This represents an overall increase of 134 million people compared to 2019.

Millions of children under five continue to suffer from malnutrition: in 2022, 148 million children under five years of age (22.3 percent) were stunted, 45 million (6.8 percent) were wasted, and 37 million (5.6 percent) were overweight.

Progress has been seen in exclusive breastfeeding with 48 percent of infants under 6-months of age benefiting from this practice, close to the 2025 target. However, more concerted efforts will be required to meet the 2030 malnutrition targets.

The report also looks at increased urbanization as a “megatrend” affecting how and what people eat. With almost seven in ten people projected to live in cities by 2050, governments and others working to tackle hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition must seek to understand these urbanization trends and account for them in their policymaking.

In particular, the simple rural and urban divide concept is no longer sufficient to understand the ways in which urbanization is shaping agrifood systems. A more complex rural-urban continuum perspective is needed considering both the degree of connectivity that people have and types of connections that exist between urban and rural areas.

For the first time, this evolution is documented systematically across 11 countries. The report illustrates that food purchases are significant not only among urban households but also across the rural-urban continuum, including those residing far from urban centers. The new findings also show how consumption of highly processed foods is also increasing in peri-urban and rural areas of some countries.

Unfortunately, spatial inequalities remain. Food insecurity affects more people living in rural areas. Moderate or severe food insecurity affected 33 percent of adults living in rural areas and 26 percent in urban areas.

Children’s malnutrition also displays urban and rural specificities: the prevalence of child stunting is higher in rural areas (35.8 percent) than in urban areas (22.4 percent). Wasting is higher in rural areas (10.5 percent) than in urban areas (7.7 percent), while overweight is slightly more prevalent in urban areas (5.4 percent) compared to rural areas (3.5 percent).

The report recommends that to effectively promote food security and nutrition, policy interventions, actions and investments must be guided by a comprehensive understanding of the complex and changing relationship between the rural-urban continuum and agrifood systems.

The government and the private sector are keen on putting up advanced salt production plants as one of the interventions to revive the Philippine salt industry, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).

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US Southwest swelters under deadly triple-digit temperatures

Charle S S ander S 59, and his dog Babygirl, cool off inside the Justa Center, Friday, July 14, 2023, in downtown Phoenix. Sanders, from denver, has been spending the days at the center, a day center for homeless people 55 years and older in the downtown area. Several dozen people stop by daily for cold water, a meal, a shower and an electrical outlet to charge a mobile phone. AP Photo/M At t York

The Associated Press

PHOENIX—A dangerous heat wave threatened a wide swath of the Southwest with potentially deadly temperatures in the triple digits on Saturday as some cooling centers extended their hours and emergency rooms prepared to treat more people with heat-related illnesses.

“Near record temperatures are expected this weekend!” the National Weather Service in Phoenix w arned in a tweet, advising people to follow its safety tips such as drinking plenty of water and checking on relatives and neighbors.

“ Don’t be a statistic!” the weather service in Tucson advised, noting extreme heat can be deadly. “It CAN happen to YOU!”

Over 110 million people, or about a third of Americans, were under extreme heat advisories, watches and w arnings Saturday as the blistering heat wave was forecast to get worse this weekend for Nevada, Arizona and California. Temperatures in some desert areas were predicted to soar past 120 degrees Fahrenheit (48.8 degrees Celsius) during t he day, and remain in the 90s F (above 32.2 C) overnight.

Around 200 hydration stations distributing bottles of water and cooling centers where potentially thousands of people can rest in airconditioned spaces opened Saturday in public spaces like libraries, c hurches and businesses around the Phoenix area.

Charles Sanders spent Friday afternoon with his Chihuahua mix Babygirl at the air-conditioned Justa Center, which offers daytime services to older homeless people in downtown Phoenix. It’s also serving as a hydration station, distributing free bottles of water.

Because of funding and staffing limitations, the center can only stay open until 5:30 p.m., so Sanders, a 59-year-old who uses a wheelchair, has spent the sweltering nights with his pet in a tattered tent behind the building.

“I’ve been here for four summers now and it’s the worst so far,” said Sanders, a former welder originally from Denver.

David Hondula, chief heat officer for the City of Phoenix, said Friday that because of the health risks some centers were extending hours that are sometimes abbreviated because of limited volunteers and money.

“This weekend there will be some of the most serious and hot conditions we’ve ever seen,” said Hondula.

H e said just one location, the Brian Garcia Welcome Center for homeless people in downtown Phoenix, planned to be open 24 hours a nd direct people to shelters and other air-conditioned spaces for the night. During especially hot spells in the past, the Phoenix Convention Center has opened some space as a nighttime cooling center, but Hondula said he had not heard of that p ossibility this year.

Stacy Champion, an advocate for homeless people in Phoenix, took to Twitter this week to criticize the lack of nighttime cooling spaces for unsheltered individuals, saying they are “out of luck” if they have no place to go.

In Las Vegas, casinos offered respite from the heat for many. Airc onditioned libraries, police station lobbies and other places from Texas to California planned to be open to the public to offer relief for at least part of the day.

Emergency room doctors in Las Vegas have been treating more people for heat illness as the heat wave threatened to break the city’s all-time record high of 117 degrees Fahrenheit (47.2 degrees Celsius) this weekend.

Dr. Ashkan Morim, who works in the ER at Dignity Health Siena Hospital in suburban Henderson, Nevada, spoke Friday of treating tourists this week who spent too long drinking by pools and became severely dehydrated, and a stranded hiker who needed liters of fluids to regain his strength.

In New Mexico’s largest city of Albuquerque, splash pads will be open for extended hours and many public pools were offering free admission. In Boise, Idaho, churches a nd other nonprofit groups were offering water, sunscreen and shelter.

I n Southern California, temperatures soared into the triple digits in i nland areas, and a ridge of high pressure was expected to keep its hold on the region for a couple of weeks.

By mid Saturday afternoon, it was 122 degrees Fahrenheit (50 degrees Celsius) in Death Valley, California, where forecasters have said the temperature could hit 130 degrees Fahrenheit (54.4 C) this weekend. The hottest temperature recorded at Death Valley was 134 F (56.6 C) in July 1913, according to the National Park Service.

In Lancaster and Palmdale, north of Los Angeles, temperatures hit 108 degrees Fahrenheit (42.2 degrees Celsius), said National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Wofford. In Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley, the thermometer cleared triple digits in some areas.

“We are going to be pretty warm for a while,” Wofford said, adding that temperatures would be a bove normal for about two weeks. “There’s been a lot of triple digits” across the region.

In Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass announced the city was opening cooling centers where residents c an escape the heat. “The extreme heat that is forecasted this weekend can pose serious risks,” she warned.

The hot, dry conditions sparked a series of blazes in Southern California southeast of Los Angeles, w here firefighters Saturday were battling three separate brush fires amid blistering heat and low humidity in sparsely populated, hilly a reas. The fires were all within 40 miles (65 kilometers) of each other in Riverside County, where temperatures in some areas spiked into the

t riple digits.

“Heat is definitely a concern out there,” said April Newman of the Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department, adding that the blazes were b urning through dense, dry brush in rugged terrain.

Phoenix on Saturday saw the city’s 16th consecutive day of 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 degrees Celsius) or higher temperatures, hitting that mark before noon and putting it on track to beat the longest measured stretch of such heat, w hich was 18 days, in 1974.

By late afternoon, the temperature in Phoenix had hit 118 degrees Fahrenheit (47.8 degrees Celsius), breaking the daily record set on July 15, 1998, of 117 F (47.2 C), the National Weather Service in Phoenix t weeted. The normal high for the date is 107 F (41.6 C).

Emphasizing how dangerous the heat can be, police in the Phoenix suburb of Surprise said Saturday its officers on Friday found two older women sweltering at home in 114 degrees Fahrenheit (45.5 degrees Celsius) with just a tiny, overtaxed unit that failed to cool most of the house. After the women were taken to senior center to cool off, the d epartment’s community services team bought and installed an adequate air conditioner and several f ans in the home.

Extreme heat is especially dangerous for older people; medications t hey may take or chronic conditions like heart or kidney disease c an make it harder for their bodies to cool down.

Regional health officials in Las Vegas launched a new database Thursday to report “heat-caused” and “heat-related” deaths in the city and surrounding Clark County from April to October.

The Southern Nevada Health District said seven people have died since April 11, and a total of 152 deaths last year were determined to be heat-related.

Arizona’s Maricopa County, home to Phoenix, reported this week that so far this year there have been 12 confirmed heat-associated deaths going back to April, half of them people who were homeless. Another 55 deaths are under investigation.

There were 425 confirmed heatassociated deaths in Maricopa County last year, with more than half of them occurring in July and 80% of them happening outdoors.

Closer to the Pacific coast, temperatures were less severe, but s till have made for sweaty days on picket lines in the Los Angeles area, where actors joined screenwriters in strikes against producers.

In Sacramento, the California State Fair kicked off with organizers canceling planned horseracing e vents due to concerns for animal safety. Pet owners around the S outhwest were urged to keep their animals mostly inside. Associated Press reporters Michael Blood in Los Angeles, Ken Ritter in Las Vegas, and Susan M ontoya in Albuquerque, New Mexico, contributed to this report.

S. Korea to expand support for Ukraine as President Yoon makes surprise visit

The Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine — South Korean President Yoon Suk

Yeol made a surprise visit to Ukraine on Saturday, offering support for the invaded country in its war with Russia while demonstrating his own nation’s cooperation with NATO.

Yoon’s office said he traveled to Ukraine with his wife, Kim Keon Hee, following trips to Lithuania for a NATO summit and to Poland. It’s his first visit since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Yoon toured Bucha and Irpin, two small cities near Kyiv where bodies of civilians were found in the streets and mass graves after Russian troops retreated from the capital region last year. He laid flowers at a monument to the country’s war dead, before he sat down for a summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

South Korea, a key US ally in Asia, joined international sanctions against Russia and has provided Ukraine with humanitarian and financial support. But the Asian nation, a growing arms exporter, hasn’t provided weapons to Ukraine in line with its longstanding policy of not supplying arms to countries actively engaged in conflict.

During a joint news conference with Zelenskyy later Saturday, Yoon announced plans to expand support shipments to Ukraine but didn’t touch upon weapons supplies.

Yoon began his statement with a mention of the U.N. forces’ support of South Korea during the 19501953 Korean War that helped repel a North Korean invasion.

“The current situation facing Ukraine reminds us of the past situation of the Republic of Korea,” Yoon said.

Zelenskyy thanked Seoul for its “firm support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” and the “significant political, security, economic and humanitarian aid” it has supplied since the start of Russia’s invasion.

Yoon said that South Korea will increase the shipments of nonlethal military items such as body ar -

mor and helmets this year. He said that South Korea will also provide humanitarian aid worth $150 million this year, up from $100 million last year. He said that South Korea has also sent the de-mining equipment and other aid items that had been requested by Ukraine.

Yoon said that he and Zelenskyy agreed on cooperating on post-war reconstruction efforts in Ukraine. Yoon said South Korea will also launch a scholarship fund named after him and Zelenskyy to expand support for Ukrainian students in South Korea.

South Korea isn’t a NATO member, but like Japan, Pakistan and a handful of other countries, it’s considered a global partner of the military alliance. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited Ukraine in March.

In his recent written responses to questions from The Associated Press, Yoon said that the security of the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions is closely intertwined, saying: “In particular, the war in Ukraine has reminded us all that a security crisis in one particular region can have a global impact.”

Yoon took office last year amid a mix of tough foreign policy challenges such as North Korea’s advancing nuclear program and the intensifying rivalry between the US, South Korea’s main security ally, and China, its biggest trading partner.

During a January visit to South Korea, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called for the country to provide direct military

At least 35 people killed as storms batter South Korea: Yonhap News

AT l east 35 people have died and 10 are missing in flooding and landslides across storm-battered South Korea, with heavy rainfall forecast to continue, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters.

Eight bodies were recovered from a tunnel in the central city of Osong, North Chungcheong Province, where about 15 vehicles, including a bus, were trapped, the news agency said. The underground road was flooded after a nearby river overflowed, according to Yonhap.

As of Sunday, 13 cities and provinces had evacuated 7,540 people from their homes, Yonhap said. Authorities said 300 millimeters (11.8 inches) of rain is expected in the central region of the country by Tuesday.

Prime Minister Han Duksoo on Sunday convened a meeting to organize swift rescue activities and to coordinate cooperation between the mili -

support to Ukraine, saying Kyiv was in urgent need of weapons to fight off the prolonged Russian invasion.

In May, when Yoon met Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska in Seoul, the president said he would expand South Korea’s nonlethal aid to Ukraine. Yoon’s office said at the time that Zelenska made no request for South Korean weapons supplies.

Later in May, Yoon and Zelenskyy met for the first time on the sidelines of a Group of Seven industrialized nations summit in Hiroshima, Japan. Zelensky thanked South Korea for its humanitarian shipments of medicines, computers and generators and requested additional provisions of non-lethal items, Yoon’s office said.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, South Korea has reached billions of dollars worth of deals to provide tanks, howitzers, fighter jets and other weapons systems to NATO member Poland.

An American official said in November that the United States had agreed to buy 100,000 artillery rounds from South Korean manufacturers to provide to Ukraine, although South Korean officials have maintained that the munitions were meant to refill depleted US stocks.

“Yoon’s visit to Ukraine reflects his globally-minded foreign policy and shows South Korean solidarity with NATO partners in defending the rules-based international order,” Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, said. “Seoul’s support of Ukraine includes not only humanitarian assistance, but also arms sales to backfill NATO countries providing military aid to Kyiv, and plans for post-conflict reconstruction of infrastructure.”

tary and police, after calls from President Yoon Suk Yeol’s for an urgent response from the government. Yoon, who attended a NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania last week, met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Ukraine on Saturday. South Korea suffers from storms and heavy rainfall every summer, with natural disasters claiming dozens of lives and damaging property annually.

In 2022, at least 570 people lost their homes and thousands of buildings were flooded, especially in the Seoul metropolitan area.

Meanwhile in Japan, the northeast Tohoku region has been hit by record heavy rain over the past few days, causing floods, damaging property and leading to power blackouts that affected hundreds of households and delays in public transportation systems. At least one person died because of the bad weather, according to local media.

Japan’s meteorological agency said rain will continue to fall in the region Sunday and warned of further damage. Bloomberg News

Yoon and his wife’s visit came two days after Russia launched another barrage of Iranian-made drones at the Kyiv region. Ukrainian officials said their air defenses intercepted the drones but that wreckage fell on four districts of the capital, wounding two people and destroying several homes.

Although Kyiv didn’t come under attack in the hours before the South Korean president’s arrival, Ukrainian forces on Friday and overnight downed 10 Russian drones across the country, the Ukrainian air force reported Saturday.

In a Telegram post, the air force added that Moscow fired six Iranian-made Shahed drones at Ukraine’s south and east during the night, four of which were shot down. It did not immediately give details of any casualties or damage.

In southern Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia province, where Ukraine has been engaged in a counteroffensive to take back occupied territory, there were 45 air and artillery attacks between Friday and Saturday, Gov. Yurii Malashka reported.

Russian forces shelled neighboring Kherson province 70 times over the same period, using mortars, artillery, drones, tanks, aviation and multiple rocket launchers, Gov. Oleksandr Prokudin said Saturday. No civilians were wounded, he said.

Russian shelling over the past day killed one civilian in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk province, Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko reported Saturday. Ukrainain forces have been pressing their counteroffensive in the area, inching their way from Velyka Novosilka down toward the Russianoccupied city of Mariupol.

Russia’s Federal Security Service, or FSB, said Saturday that a group of neoNazis was arrested in connection with a Ukrainian plot to kill Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of the state-funded RT international television channel, and journalist and celebrity Ksenia Sobchak.

When Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the full-scale invasion, he vowed to “denazify” Ukraine, alleging that radical neo-Nazi groups dominate the country led by a Jewish president. Kyiv and its Western allies dismissed his assertion as a bogus cover for an unprovoked act of aggression.

The FSB, which is the main successor to the KGB, didn’t say how many people were arrested, but Russian news media later said seven suspects had been put in detention by a Moscow court. Hyungjin Kim reported from Seoul, South Korea. Joanna Kozlowska in London and Jim Heintz in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed to this report.

UK signs treaty to join Pacific trade deal; focus turns to China

THE U K signed a treaty to join a Pacific trade deal on Sunday, formally becoming the first new member since the framework came into force and shifting attention to a list of other applicants led by China.

Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch signed the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership in New Zealand, the government said in a statement. New Zealand is chairing a meeting attended by 11 trade ministers and delegations from CPTPP economies.

“The United Kingdom has come through the robust accession process and the overall quality of its commitments has set a good precedent for future economies that wish to join,” New Zealand Trade and Export Growth Minister Damien O’Connor said in a separate statement.

Formerly known as the TPP, the agreement at one time included the US and was seen as a way of containing China’s growing influence in the Asia Pacific. Former President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the pact in 2017 and China made its application to join in 2021.

CPTPP-owned businesses employ 1% of UK workers, and membership is expected to “turbocharge investment” further, according to the UK government statement. British whiskey and cars are

WASHINGTON—On the heels of a trip to Beijing, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is back in India for the third time in nine months, this time to meet finance ministers from the Group of 20 nations about global economic challenges like the increased threat of debt defaults facing lowincome countries. Yellen will use her time in Gandhinagar to try to foster warming relations between the US and India. She also plans a stop in Hanoi, Vietnam, to address supply chain reliability, clean energy transition and other matters of economic resilience.

Yellen’s goals for her time in India: press for debt restructuring in developing countries in economic distress, push to modernize global development banks to make them more climate-focused and deepen the ever-growing US-India relationship.

Yellen’s frequent stops in the country signal the importance of that relationship at a time of tensions with China.

India’s longstanding relationship with Russia also will loom as the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine continues despite US and allied countries’ efforts to sanction and economically bludgeon Russia’s economy. India has not taken part in the efforts to punish Russia and maintains energy trade with that country despite a Group of Seven agreed-upon price cap on Russian oil, which has seen some success in slowing Russia’s economy.

Still, the US increasingly relies on India and has courted its leaders.

President Joe Biden hosted a White House state visit honoring Indian

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June, designed to highlight and foster ties. The two leaders pronounced the US-India relationship never stronger and rolled out new business deals between the nations.

Raymond Vickery Jr., a policy expert on US-India relations at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said Yellen’s coming to India shortly after visiting China is meaningful in that Indian officials “are going to want to know in great detail what happened in the meetings with her Chinese counterparts and see where it fits with their perspective on economic relations with China.”

“They’re going to want to know whether or not the United States is serious about moving some of its sourcing activity from China to India.”

A senior Treasury official, speaking on condition of anonymity to preview Yellen’s trip, said there was hope that debt treatments for Ghana and Sri Lanka will be discussed and completed quickly at the meetings.

Sri Lanka and Ghana defaulted on their international debts last year, roughly two years after Zambia defaulted. And more than half of all lowincome countries face debt distress, which hurts their long-term ability to function and develop.

Last month, Zambia and its government creditors, including China, reached a deal to restructure $6.3 billion in loans, on the sidelines of a global finance summit in Paris.

The agreement covers loans from countries such as France, the U.K., South Africa, Israel and India as well as China — Zambia’s biggest creditor at $4.1 billion of the total. The deal may provide a roadmap for how China will handle restructuring deals with other nations in debt distress.

China intensifies military drills with Russia amid US sanctions

President Xi Jinping has resisted crossing Washington’s red lines over arming r u ssia’s war machine in Ukraine. But that hasn’t stopped China edging closer to Moscow’s military in another way: direct engagement.

China and the armed forces of Vladimir Putin conducted six joint military exercises together last year, the most in data going back two decades. t hat a ccounted for two-thirds of all China’s drills with foreign militaries in 2022, according to data compiled by the U s n at ional d e fense University’s Center for the s t udy of Chinese Military Affairs.

among 99% of current UK goods exports to CPTPP that’s set to be eligible for zero tariffs, it added.

“The UK’s formal accession to CPTPP marks a significant milestone for UK trade, enabling ambitious British businesses to connect with the world’s most exciting growth markets for start-ups, innovation and technology,” Ian Stuart, chief executive officer at HSBC UK, said in the statement.

China next

B E IJING is next in sequential order to enter negotiations as the CPTPP seeks to expand, followed by Taiwan, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Uruguay and Ukraine. But China’s accession would be divisive, given tensions with existing members including Japan, Australia and next year’s chair, Canada.

The 12 CPTPP members are: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the UK and Vietnam. The bloc, which is home to 500 million people, would account for 15% of global GDP with the inclusion of the UK, according to the International Monetary Fund.

While the US last year established a rival pact known as the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity, it doesn’t include provisions for market access. China is not among the 14 members negotiating that agreement. Bloomberg News

Five of the exercises took place after Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine, the data shows. Four of them were bilateral, while two were held with U s adversaries including i ran and s y ria.

“ Xi has every reason to preserve and enhance China’s strategic alignment with r u ssia,” said Alexander Korolev, a senior lecturer in politics and international relations at the University of n e w s o uth Wales in Australia. “ i t ’s the most effective way to counterbalance against U s power.”

As China ramps up pressure on tai wan, the self-ruled island Xi has vowed to claim someday, the U s has expanded its military presence in Asia. i t recently signed a defense pact with the Philippines and opened another base on g uam . China’s concerns over U s mil itary encirclement come as r u ssia protests n o rth Atlantic tr eaty o r ganization forces inching up to its borders.

Against that backdrop, Xi has refused to condemn Putin’s war. i nstead, China has provided economic and diplomatic shelter to Moscow by buying its cheap commodities and via political engagement. t he Chinese leader’s sole trip abroad this year so far was to Moscow.

A t the same time, China has frozen highlevel military dialogue with the U s over sanctions it imposed on d e fense Minister Li s han gfu for a 2018 r u ssian arms purchase.

t h e U s and China haven’t held joint drills since 2020, and those involved disaster response. r i sky interactions between their militaries have raised fears an accident could spill into a confrontation.

China and r u ssia have a tumultuous defense history that’s marred by suspicion

and includes a months-long conflict along their lengthy border in the 1960s. t h e recent upgrade in trust came in 2015, after the U s an d e u rope imposed sanctions on r u ssia for seizing Crimea the year before. t h ose measures, along with U s criticism of Beijing’s military expansionism in the s o uth China s ea , spurred both sides to look for alternative defense partners. t hat ’s caused some U s policymakers to exp ress concern China and r u ssia now have a de facto alliance, according to a February report to Congress. r u ssia and China have conducted at least 36 drills together in the wake of Putin’s annexation of Crimea, according to the nd U and a Bloomberg n e ws tally. t hat compares to just ten drills over the decade preceding 2014. Putin’s announcement in 2019 that r u ssia would help China build a system to warn of ballistic missile launches was “unprecedented,” according to Korolev, and signaled a new degree of defense cooperation. s u ch systems require both ground-based radars as well as space satellites.

“Putin and Xi have managed to mitigate, if not eliminate, the existing psychological and political barriers to closer cooperation,” he added.

Political message

t he d rills between r u ssia and China are generally smaller than those between the U s and its allies. t h e U s and the Philippines recently held their largest-ever drills featuring more than 17,000 troops. B ut China’s exercises with r u ssia are often loaded with political significance. t h eir annual drills around Japan, for example, aggravate a democracy with whom both countries have a territorial dispute. i n 2019, the two nations’ air forces held their first long-range bomber flight patrols in the i ndo-Pacific. Japan scrambled planes in response, while s o uth Korea said the drills entered its air-defense identification zone. Both countries are key U s security partners. t hese exercises will become more frequent, more kind of politically charged and have a lot of like political signaling value,” said Andrew ta ffer, a research fellow at the nd U’s Center for the s t udy of Chinese Military Affairs. “ i t su ggests the possibility they might work together in ways that the U s and its allies find unpalatable, if not offensive.”

Yellen back in India to promote closer ties, tackle global economic problems

Will China ever show respect for UNCLOS?

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which was ratified by 168 countries including China and the Philippines, provides for a dispute settlement regime that establishes a compulsory and binding framework for the peaceful settlement of all ocean-related disputes.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague settles issues involving territorial and maritime conflicts. On July 12, 2016, the PCA ruled in Manila’s case against Beijing’s claims in the South China Sea. It ruled in favor of the Philippines, determining that major elements of China’s claim—including its nine-dash line, land reclamation and other activities in Philippine waters—were unlawful.

As the Philippines marked last week the seventh year of its legal victory at the Permanent Court of Arbitration invalidating China’s claims over the South China Sea, 22 countries have shown their solidarity with the country. At a forum organized by the Stratbase ADR Institute, ambassadors from Australia, Japan, European Union Delegation, France, United Kingdom, United States, and India expressed concern over China’s continued militarization of the rocks and reefs in the West Philippine Sea and disregard for the ruling of the arbitration tribunal. (Read, “22 countries show solidarity with PHL in SCS arbitral award,” in the BusinessMirror, July 13, 2023).

France and 15 EU members subscribed to the EU Delegation statement supporting the Philippines’ call for freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. They include Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, The Netherlands, Poland, Austria, Romania, Slovakia, Finland, and Sweden.

Canada also issued a statement castigating China’s “continued refusal to accept the tribunal decision, and its coercive behavior in the East and South China Seas.”

In Tokyo, Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa stressed that the Arbitral Tribunal’s award is “final and legally binding.”

“The claim by China that it will not accept the award is against the principle of peaceful settlement of disputes and undermines the rule of law as a fundamental value of the international community,” Hayashi said.

Indian Ambassador to the Philippines Shambhu Kumaran said India also lost in an international arbitration ruling on their maritime boundary with Bangladesh at the Bay of Bengal in 2014. “The judgment was not in India’s favor but we have recognized and implemented that award,” he said.

China reacted negatively to the ruling, maintaining it was “null and void.”

Last week it claimed that there are countries in the world that have shown solidarity with China not abiding by the arbitral tribunal’s decision. It said more than 100 countries support China’s decision to ignore the ruling of the PCA’s unbiased adjudicators.

Without naming the 100 countries that allegedly condone its behavior in the South China Sea, China likes to flaunt how it ignores international law by intensifying is reclamation activities and militarization in contested areas. It employs intimidation in occupying parts of the West Philippine Sea. Beijing is also intensifying its militia buildup in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

Although former president Rodrigo Duterte was criticized for kowtowing to China during his term, he told the UN General Assembly in 2020 that the PCA ruling “is now part of international law, beyond compromise and beyond the reach of passing governments to dilute, diminish or abandon.”

Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. gave a more forceful articulation on the importance of the arbitral ruling: “We firmly reject attempts to undermine it; nay, even erase it from law, history and our collective memories.”

The PCA ruling invalidated the nine-dash line, saying it has no basis in international law. Given China’s vow to disregard the ruling, will the community of nations take a stand on the principle and application of international law and help stop China from bullying smaller neighbors, imposing unilateral norms in disputed areas, and maintaining its expansive claims in the West Philippine Sea? Will China ever show respect for the UNCLOS, which establishes the international legal order of the seas and oceans?

The Listening Biennial 2023

RISING SUN

AN interesting event is happening in the realm of sound artworks. It is called The Listening Biennial (TLB) and it’s dubbed “an art and research initiative focusing on questions of listening”. The second edition of TLB opened in early July 2023 (the first one happened in 2021) with an exhibit at PAROLA UP Fine Arts Gallery, which will run until the 11th of August this year.

TLB was founded by Brandon LaBelle, a Berlin-based artist and a scholar in Sound and Media Studies. The curator for TLB 2023 is Dayang Magdalena Nirvana T. Yraola, PhD, an associate professor at the UP College of Fine Arts. Other curators include Luisa Santos, PhD from Portugal; Guely Morato from Bolivia; and Rayya Badran from Lebanon.

TLB is not limited to the sound installation exhibit in UP Diliman because it also features exhibits, listening sessions or tambayans, performances, symposia, and a sound camp happening in various

TLB is not limited to the sound installation exhibit in UP Diliman because it also features exhibits, listening sessions or tambayans, performances, symposia, and a sound camp happening in various locations in Asia. Aside from UP, the other activities are happening in Alitaptap Artists Community (Cavite, Philippines), Silpakorn University (Bangkok, Thailand), Multimedia University (Cyberjaya, Malaysia), on the air and online via DZUP.

locations in Asia. Aside from UP, the other activities are happening in Alitaptap Artists Community (Cavite, Philippines), Silpakorn University (Bangkok, Thailand), Multimedia University (Cyberjaya, Malaysia), on the air and online via DZUP. With the theme “Listening to/as Connection”, the event is presented by UP College of Fine Arts (UPCFA Admin) and PAROLA UP Fine Arts Gallery; co-presented by Alitaptap Artists Community (Philippines), DZUP, University Hotel, Multimedia University Faculty of Creative Media (Malaysia), Silpakorn University

(Thailand), Camões, I.P. Instituto da Cooperação e da Lingua Portugal (Japan); sponsored by UP Diliman Office of the Chancellor, UP College of Mass Communication, GoetheInstitut Philippinen, The Japan Foundation, Manila; and supported by Anima Art Space, BMLab (Philippines), Drawing Room Manila, UPD Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts, UP President’s Committee for Culture and the Arts, and the UP Computer Center.

The public can still catch the “there is no sound artist, just sound art” exhibit at PAROLA from

Tuesdays to Fridays until August 11, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Please send an e-mail to cfagallery. upd@up.edu.ph if you’d like a guided group tour. The exhibition is free and open to the public. However, pre-registration is requested via the same e-mail address.

The first section of the exhibit at the ground floor lobby of PAROLA is titled “use your ears,” a playful take on the old Filipino adage “Mata kasi ang gamitin, hindi bibig!” (“Look with your eyes, not your mouth!”). It is a listening exhibit that features the works of 25 artists from different regions selected by the Biennial’s curators.

One can find the second and third sections of the exhibit in various locations throughout the building. These feature sound installation works from 19 Philippine-based artists, as well as a restaging of “Sandata” by Lirio Salvador, and “Atang, a Sound Prayer” from last year’s UP Diliman Arts and Culture Festival.

For more details about TLB 2023, visit the website for Asian events at  https://listeningbiennial2023.dayangyraola.com/ or the web site of TLB 2023 global project:  https://listeningbiennial.net/biennial-editions/ listening-biennial-second-edition

The 2016 Arbitral ruling on the West Philippine Sea

Dennis Gorecho

Pinoy Marino Rights

IWAS the president of the Maritime Law Association of the Philippines (MARLAW) when the five-member Arbitral Tribunal released its July 12, 2016 decision in favor of the Philippines on most of its submissions on the West Philippines Sea (WPS) issue.

MARLAW is an organization of lawyers and other professionals engaged in maritime practice, and helps spur the development and advancement of the interests of the various stakeholders in the Philippine maritime industry, as well as the maritime interests of the Philippines. MARLAW has been actively involved in the WPS campaign.

Since around 2009, China has steadily increased its efforts to consolidate its position in the WPS with varied tactics, including using its military, coast guard, and maritime militia to harass foreign ships; exploring and extracting resources in disputed areas; and constructing artificial islands and basing military

Since around 2009, China has steadily increased its efforts to consolidate its position in the WPS with varied tactics, including using its military, coast guard, and maritime militia to harass foreign ships; exploring and extracting resources in disputed areas; and constructing artificial islands and basing military and civilian assets there.

island capable of generating a 200nm exclusive economic zone;

and civilian assets there.

The Philippines initiated in January 2013 the arbitration case (Philippines vs. China, PCA Case No 2013-19) wherein it sought, among others, a declaration that the countries’ respective rights and obligations regarding the waters, seabed, and maritime features of the West Philippine Sea are governed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The key findings of the July 12, 2016 ruling include:

(a) China’s claims to historic rights and resources within its ninedash line have no legal basis;

(b) None of China’s claimed land features in the Spratly Islands are an

(c) China violated the Philippines’ sovereign rights by interfering with Philippine oil exploration activities, prohibiting Philippine fishing vessels from operating, failing to prevent Chinese fishing vessels from operating, and conducting land reclamation in areas where the Philippines enjoys sovereign rights to explore for and exploit natural resources;

(d) China violated its marine environmental protection obligations under UNCLOS by causing “severe harm to the coral reef environment” with its land reclamation activities and harvesting of endangered species. China is legally bound by the tri-

bunal’s ruling by virtue of its ratification of UNCLOS. But China reacted negatively to the ruling, maintaining it was “null and void.”

Former Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio said that “the battle to defend the nation’s EEZ from China mirrors those our forebears waged against colonizers from the 16th to the 20th century, where the country’s best and brightest gave their lives to make the Philippines free”. MARLAW has organized several public fora with Justice Carpio as the main speaker.

In an earlier published statement, MARLAW called on the national leaders to capitalize on the landmark Arbitral Award and to undertake a focused, determined and unwavering defense of our maritime jurisdiction and entitlements under the UNCLOS.

MARLAW noted that Congress must urgently and clearly define the limits of the maritime areas of Philippine archipelago as provided under UNCLOS by passing into law the pending Act to Define the Maritime Zones of the Republic of the Philippines.

MARLAW strongly believes that the rule of law, alliance with like-minded States and diplomacy

Is NGCP being treated unfairly?

DEBIT CREDIT

Part four

AS discussed in my article las week, when compared to what was provided in the concession agreement between the National Transmission Corp. and the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), the latter is receiving even less than the prescribed levels of financial returns.

So, where does the issue of unreasonableness of returns of NGCP come from? Is it because the net income amounts derived by NGCP are quite high at about P22 billion yearly on the average? The above comparison shows it is much lower than the Energy Regulatory Commission-approved returns with an average of about P28 billion annually. We may be missing the fact that the amounts invested by the owners of NGCP are quite significant at $3.97 billion or close to P200 billion. At an average rate or return of just 12 percent, this translates to about P24 billion annually. But it is to be noted that the weighted average cost of capital determined by consultants and approved by ERC was 15 percent for the period 2011 to 2015 and, was about 13.2 percent for the periods after 2015. So, NGCP is earning less than what was allowed by ERC. In another related topic, some quarters allege that since NGCP only paid P46.3 billion as initial investment, the investors immediately earned an Internal Rate of Return of 40 percent and a payback period of 2.5 years. There is an accounting principle called going-concern. Here, the entity is viewed not in segments but as a whole. Therefore, paying on installment is just a management prerogative to immediately pay, or pay in several periods. This does not change the total funding or investment for the project. I now digress to another issue that has been raised, on the threat to national security and to the physical grid assets owned by the government.

There is no such thing as 100% invulnerability. Not here and not anywhere in the world. The threat of China’s intervention is not only limited to the grid. There is intervention everywhere, especially now in the West Philippine Sea. If this is a threat, why do we allow China to be present in those territories? Let us be consistent. Is the move against NGCP now part of a move to get even or retaliate? Let’s accept it—one does not have to be a shareholder to be considered a risk factor in transmission. Because of China’s incursions in the Philippine Sea, Filipinos are angry. We are mad, and we want to get even with a big brother. But diplomacy prevails, and so we are after a younger and smaller brother?

So, where does the issue of unreasonableness of returns of NGCP come from? Is it because the net income amounts derived by NGCP are quite high at about P22 billion yearly on the average? The above comparison shows it is much lower than the Energy Regulatory Commission-approved returns with an average of about P28 billion annually. We may be missing the fact that the amounts invested by the owners of NGCP are quite significant at $3.97 billion or close to P200 billion.

maybe sabotage? Threat to physical assets can happen anywhere the transmission facility is located— not only in the head office, and the threat to physical assets is present irrespective of whether there are Chinese investors or none. I remember a mining company that has achieved operating stage, but cannot go into regular production because of lack of power. The plant was connected to the grid of the National Power Corp. Insurgents would bomb one tower initially. As it nears repair completion, another tower is bombed. This can go on and on until a large generation unit was installed. So, real and significant physical damage to NGCP facilities are more possible outside than inside the facilities.

Even the threat to information confidentiality—this is possible irrespective of whether there are foreign investors or none. Every company has to deal with this issue every time, especially now with more technical developments. So, not allowing foreign investors is no guarantee to eliminate the risk on information leak. We just have to have a very good risk management systems. Again, we have to accept the fact that with or without foreigners as owners in NGCP, the threat to security of the grid—physical or information-wise will always be present.

To be continued.

The best doula ever

THE PATRIOT

STATiSTiCS reveal that 9 out of 10 people want to be kept at home once they become terminally ill. Yet, the same study showed that over half are dying in the hospital or in a long-term care facility. Palliative care in the Philippines is unfortunately underused since it is not covered by the usual insurance policies or health coverage plans and is not available in most parts of the Philippines. in this country, palliative care appears to fall under the responsibility of “untrained” family members. it is common in the Filipino culture for a child or an extended family member to provide bedside care during the last moments of a dying relative.

The term doula was first used during birth events. Over time, death doulas evolved as to support the dying through their waning moments. They help people at the end of their lives. Whether for birth or for death, a doula is a non-clinical worker who provides continuous care before, during, or after the life-changing event. According to one provider, death doulas are also known around the world as end of life coaches, soul midwives, and transition guides, among others. In a nutshell, death doulas render spiritual and emotional help and physical comfort. As opposed to hospice workers, death doulas transform the perspectives of the dying when it comes to life and help those left behind process the grief that accompanies the end of life.

A Stage 4 breast cancer survivor, Charity Joyce Marohombsar spoke about navigating grief while sharing her experiences as someone who became a doula for those stricken with cancer. Charity said that “the goal is not to look at cancer as your whole life, but as a chapter of your life and that you keep living life to the fullest whatever it is that you do.”

One other death doula, Alua Arthur, who is based abroad, suggested that all family members, including the dying, should embrace every feeling of the moment so we can live presently and die gracefully.

When it comes to dying gracefully, one clan managed to collectively perform death doula duties. Soon after being informed that a loved one was dying of pancreatic cancer,

those in the US took little time to fly over to Manila, regardless of the cost, as if the dying loved one barked marching orders. Of course, those in Manila were the first responders who brought their loved one to the hospital for various procedures, none invasive nor aggressive given that the patient was already in his nineties and personally opted for palliative care. There were family members who served as the flyers, the watchers, and the prayer warriors. The flyers kept running errands buying supplies, medical or otherwise, especially food for the watchers who took turns comforting the dying by way of watching masses and entertaining videos on YouTube, giving soothing massages to the sick, and just by their sheer presence. The loved one never ran out of prayer warriors, as his sisters prayed with him the rosary as often as they could and the parish priest gave him the sacraments of communion and healing of the sick every morning. Some of his children prayed silently; others worshipped openly.

As a whole, these family members can be called as “unwitting doulas” because, individually, they were given a gift to render a service for a dying loved one at this crucial stage of life and, collectively, they all managed to help the dying person find meaning in life, ensure that he was “comfortable” and, most importantly, assist one another in going through the grieving phase.

Like death, grief is a natural process that all of us will have to go

Pagcor cracks whip on illegal gambling

LITO GAGNI

iT is heartwarming to note that the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) is cracking the whip on illegal gambling even as it primes itself for gaming regulatory reforms that are seen to deliver ever higher dividends to the government coffers that saw its contributions rise from P22.91 billion in 2021 to P34.67 billion in 2022.

For Pagcor Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco, the reforms that are envisioned for the gaming agency include that of privatizing its own casinos to take out the conflict from its being a regulator and a casino owner. That means Tengco is embracing transparency and good governance while addressing the social ills that come with gaming operations.

pino, and by ensuring that it divests itself of its own casinos, the gaming agency will be able to concentrate fully on its regulatory functions. For Tengco, this is the right track as he moves to hurdle new challenges from the illegal gambling sites that have tainted the agency’s reputation.

and Cybersecurity infrastructure, including its Casino Management System and introduction of the Casino Filipino Online; upgrading of more than 3,000 electronic gaming machines (EGMs); and the updating of Pagcor’s Technical Standards for EGMs.

To combat the proliferation of illegal gambling in the country, Pagcor continuously coordinates with various law enforcement agencies. It has instituted reforms to address activities linked to the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations, which have been recently associated with crime, money laundering and corruption.

through. While death is supposed to be the most feared experience in life, grief is the most complicated to contend with, as people grieve in various ways. For believers, Jesus came to cast away all fear—fear of death and fear of grief included. Grief opens a gap in our lives for Jesus to fill.

I was taught that grief, like any other tragic feeling, has an antidote provided in the Holy Book, my favorite of which is found in Psalms 23:4, which says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

That clan will definitely go through this dark valley, fearing no one, fully knowing that the Lord is by its side. In life and in death, He will always be our eternal doula, who said “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.” (John 11:25-26). No other doula can help us die gracefully better than Jesus.

A former infantry and intelligence officer in the Army, Siegfred Mison showcased his servant leadership philosophy in organizations such as the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Malcolm Law Offices, Infogix Inc., University of the East, Bureau of Immigration, and Philippine Airlines. He is a graduate of West Point in New York, Ateneo Law School, and University of Southern California. A corporate lawyer by profession, he is an inspirational teacher and a Spirit-filled writer with a mission. For questions and comments, please e-mail me at sbmison@gmail.com.

can facilitate expansions, upgrades and innovations.

Tengco vowed that Pagcor “shall undertake the painstaking process to weed out the unscrupulous companies and individuals using the Pagcor license for illegal activities, tainting the name of the whole industry and most especially the Philippines.”

Aside from this, the gaming agency is also looking at other options in regulating other facets of its overseas gaming operations that include having a special class of Business Process Outsourcing.

We have to clearly define what is considered a threat to national security. There are those concerned about information leak. Others are concerned about physical threat—

Gorecho

continued from A10

Tengco discussed the twin thrusts of the gaming agency in a keynote address at the G2E Asian IR Summit in Macau last week, where he unveiled a grandiose plan to make the Philippines a leading gaming destination in the Asean region. That will mean an uptick in tourists, especially with the rise of integrated gaming resorts that cater to families.

“By focusing on its regulatory functions, Pagcor will be able to avoid the complexities of running two different shows. It can also streamline its processes and create more revenues that will fund more high impact government projects,” Tengco told the delegates to the Macau event where new ways of gaming avenues were discussed.

Pagcor has canceled the contract entered into by the previous Board with the third-party auditor for offshore gaming operations and has introduced new fees and imposed heavy fines and penalties to licensees and service providers found to be engaging in criminal activities. Furthermore, accreditations were suspended and canceled and licensees were held responsible for the conduct of their service providers.

That means new jobs will be created. Tengco’s vision for a new Pagcor shows his new focus for the health system of the country. During Pagcor’s 40th anniversary, he unveiled the construction of regional specialized hospitals in Clark, Pampanga in support of the present administration’s thrust to provide more specialty hospitals in provinces and highly urbanized cities.

“It will consist, among others, of a heart center, kidney center, cancer center, and a children’s hospital. This project is intended to alleviate the plight of our fellow Filipinos by bringing quality healthcare closer to people living outside Metro Manila,” he added.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said that the arbitral decision is a settled landmark and a definitive contribution to the progressive development of international law.

“Just as lighthouses aid vessels in navigating the seas, the award will continue to illuminate the path for all who strive toward not just the peaceful resolution of disputes but also the maintenance of a rules-based

Alfredo Non is a CPA by profession and a former Partner at SGV & Co. He served as Commissioner of the Energy Regulatory Commission till he completed his term in 2018. He also served as Director and Executive Officer of several private companies and a former professor in Financial Management at the Ateneo Graduate School of Business.

international order,” the DFA added.

The DFA said the tribunal ruling has “since facilitated the plotting of new paths and trajectories, reflecting the rich maritime heritage of our country and our people, firm in the conviction that our rights over our maritime jurisdictions are indisputable.”

Sen. Risa Hontiveros has filed a resolution to declare July 12 of each year National WPS Victory Day to commemorate the landmark 2016 ruling.

“Let’s be proud of the courage and heart of every Filipino who stands up to China. Let’s fight for the Philippines,” said Hontiveros.

Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the seafarers’ division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan law offices. For comments, e-mail info@sapalovelez. com, or call 0917-5025808 or 0908-8665786.

Foreign gaming firms are expected to bid for the casinos that Pagcor owned under the brand Casino Fili-

Associated Press

JERUSALEM—Tens of thousands of protesters packed the streets of Tel Aviv on Saturday night, marking the 28th straight week of demonstrations against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to overhaul the country’s judiciary. Protest leaders promised further “days of disruption” lie ahead.

Netanyahu’s government gave initial approval to a key portion of the overhaul earlier this week, breathing new life into the grassroots movement. The bill still needs to be approved in two more votes, expected by the end of the month, before it becomes law. Saturday night protests have be-

Tengco said that before the privatization aspect is rolled out, Pagcor will upgrade its own casinos to add value to the properties. Programs include the modernization of Information and Communication Technology

Thus, since its assumption a year ago, the new Pagcor Board of Directors has started strengthening the agency’s regulatory function and has promoted the privatization of Pagcor-run Casino Filipino facilities. Such a move will allow the corporation to grow and compete in both domestic and international markets through the infusion of new capital and advanced technologies, which

come a mainstay of the grassroots movement—but this week’s was larger than usual.

In Tel Aviv, protesters unrolled a massive banner reading “SOS.” They threw paint powder into the sky, streaking it pink and orange. “Handmaids”—women dressed in red robes as characters from the dystopian novel and TV series “The Handmaid’s Tale”—once again took to the streets. Their jarring appearance is meant to drive home the notion that, if the overhaul passes, women could be stripped of their rights.

On Tuesday, protesters blocked major highways and disrupted operations at the country’s main international airport after Netanyahu’s parliamentary coalition ad-

vanced a bill that is part of the overhaul. Organizers said they would hold another “day of disruption” on Tuesday if he continues to move ahead with the plan.

The Israeli leader was hospitalized on Saturday for dehydration after suffering a dizzy spell and having spent the previous day in the sun without drinking water. He later released a video from the Tel Aviv hospital, saying he felt good. However, Netanyahu was to spend the night in the hospital, according to his office, and a weekly Cabinet meeting scheduled for Sunday was pushed to Monday.

Saturday’s protest in Tel Aviv was joined by others across the country. Protesters brandished lit torches outside Netanyahu’s home in Jerusalem

and demonstrated in the coastal cities of Herzliya and Netanya.

For Tengco, Pagcor has to continually evolve. “I know that much still needs to be done, but I believe that we are on the right track towards making the Philippines a prime gaming destination in the Asean region,” he said. especially with Asean are effective tools to achieve a peaceful resolution of the dispute in the WPS on the basis of the Philippine Constitution, UN Charter, UNCLOS and relevant principles of international law.

After more than six months of protests, the movement shows little sign of abating. Israel’s national labor union and its medical association have joined a long list of groups speaking out against the bill. Military reservists, fighter pilots and business leaders have all urged the government to halt the plan.

Arnon Bar-David, head of the country’s national labor union, the Histadrut, threatened a possible general strike that could paralyze the country’s economy.

“If the situation reaches an extreme, we will intervene and employ our strength,” Bar-David said, calling on Netanyahu to “stop the chaos.”

Protests swell in Tel Aviv for 28th week as anti-govt movement vows more ‘days of disruption’

Front Page

Monday, July 17, 2023

China: Connecting its glorious past to the future

X i’an used to be the seat of power of China, from its first unified Chinese empire—the Qin Dynasty, whose emperors were entombed in an impressive complex together with their soldiers. Aside from its archaeological wonder, the terracotta warriors are stark reminders of how important China was in ancient history, at the crossroads of people from Central Asia and the Middle East.

But Chinese President Xi Jinping had a grander vision of bringing China back to its glorious ancient past. In 2013, Xi boldly embarked on an ambitious project called the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), with Xi’an City and its financial capital of Shanghai City as one of its hubs.

Under the BRI, China will link East Asia to Europe, Africa and even Latin America with physical infrastructures such as railways, highways energy pipelines, and even seaports. It is also a way for the world to promote Chinese technology as well as generate jobs for

its people. China said this project is a “win-win” solution for other countries in their infrastructure and development initiatives.

The Philippines, especially during the administration of President Duterte, became one of the countries which shared Xi’s dream under the BRI.

Shaangu Group

ONE of the Chinese state enterprises which embarked on projects under the BRI is the Shaangu Blower Group Ltd. (Shaangu Group), based in Xi’an.

Shaangu Group provided energy, manufacturing and industrial solutions with products and services that are widely used in the petroleum, chemical industry, power industry, subway, environment protection and pharmaceutical sectors. In a briefing to visiting Filipino journalists, Shaangu Group said its products and services have already reached more than 100 countries worldwide.

In the Philippines, Shaangu Group said it has a $3.5-billion project together with another Chinese company, Panhua Integrated Steel Inc.

The project in Sarangani province in Mindanao aims to build a comprehensive steel industrial park with an annual output of 10 million tons and a seaport terminal with 2.5 kilometers of shoreline and 300,000

tons of berths.

The two Chinese companies are hoping that the steel slabs to be produced in Sarangani would help supply the government infrastructure projects in the Philippines.

L i Hong’an, chairman of the board of Shaangu, told the BusinessMirror he hopes that this investment would pave the way for more projects in the Philippines under the BRI.

Oishi in China

A LOT of Filipinos grew up eating the famous Oishi Prawn Crackers and Kirei Yummy Flakes and, like me, are probably not aware that it is a Filipino brand.

In 1984, when China opened up its economy to the world, Oishi’s patriarch, Filipino-Chinese businessman Carlos Chan, jumped on the bandwagon and risked entering the highly competitive snacking industry. With two state-owned Chinese firms as partners, Chan opened Oishi’s first overseas manufacturing plant in Pudong, Shanghai. After more than 20 years, it has expanded its operations throughout the mainland with plants in Helongjiang, Hubei, Tianjin, Hebei, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Shandong and Xinjiang.

L arry Chan, son of Carlos Chan and chairman of Liwayway (Global) Co. Ltd., said they benefited most from their early exposure to China’s market.

“Our presence in China, including the infrastructure project under the Belt and Road Initiative, has allowed us to look into other markets such as South Africa and most recently in Uzbekistan and Bangladesh,” Chan told visiting Filipino journalists. With their foothold in South Africa, Uzbekistan and Bangladesh, Oishi was able to expand further to African, South Asian and Central Asian markets.

C han said their overseas expansion outside China started when they joined the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai. At that time, the deputy prime minister of Uzbekistan was also a guest of the CIIE and became very interested at Oishi.

Continued

BEIJING—Most Filipinos probably have no idea about the ancient city of Xi’an unless they have read about or watched documentaries on the Terracotta Warriors, the renowned underground sculptures of soldiers of a Chinese emperor.

Companies

B1

Monday, July 17, 2023

Meralco power sales up 4%

This brings total electricity sales for the first half of the year to 24,458 GWh, up 3.4 percent from the same period a year ago.

according to Meralco First Vice President and Chief Commercial

Officer-Customer Retail Services

Ferdinand Geluz, last month’s sales represent its highest monthly electricity sales, buoyed by the growth in residential and commercial sectors.

The resumption of in-person

classes benefitted business establishments such as restaurants, retail shops, among others. Social gatherings in hotels, concert venues, and shopping malls also contributed to the 8-percent increase in commercial sales last month to 1,673GWh compared to June last year.

“Real estate was also up as BPOs [business process outsourcing] continue to shift towards onsite shift,” added Geluz.

Residential sales recorded a 6-percent growth to 1,700 GWh last month from June last year driven by a warmer temperature.

However, industrial sales went down by four percent to 1,196 GWh.

The balance, Meralco said, represent flat sales from streetlights.

For January to June this year, commercial sales went up by 10 percent to 8,971 GWh. Residential sales for the six-month period this year went up just by 1 percent to 8,625 GWh while industrial sales went down by 2 percent to 6,790 GWh.

Meralco services over 7 million customers from Metro Manila and parts of Cavite, Batangas and l ag una.

l ast Friday, Meralco said it has partnered with the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) and the Pasig City local government unit (lGU) to promote the greater use of renewable energy (RE) resources.

Representatives from Meralco,

ALC Group, PRC-Caloocan team up for blood donation campaign

ERC, and Pasig City lGU signed a tripartite agreement for the conduct of information education campaigns to encourage more consumers to join the net-metering program. The agreement also involves setting up a booth at the Office of the Building Official-Pasig City for net-metering and distributed energy resources applications.

The Pasig City lGU will be in charge of the logistics, while the ERC will provide the technical and regulatory expertise to ensure the proper implementation of the program.

Meralco, for its part, committed to provide a booth and a personnel to handle inquiries, consultations, and applications for net-metering. It also pledged to share experience and expertise through the conduct of workshops for city engineers and employees of the Pasig lGU that are involved in the handling of permits for net-metering and other renewable energy projects.

Ayala Land to conduct transport infra study

Ayala l a nd Inc. ( a l I ) is developing a “transport infrastructure study” and is concurrently reviewing the urban plan of the Makati Central Business District (CBD) to make its roads more inclusive for all commuters.

a f ter receiving backlash from active transport group Make It Safer Makati, ay ala l a nd said it is undertaking a comprehensive eval-

uation on how to make the roads of the Makati CBD more inclusive and sustainable.

“ay ala l a nd continues to engage with the biking community in finding an optimal solution for all stakeholders including pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, and commuters. We have started with a transport infrastructure study which will be complemented with

an urban plan review of the Makati CBD,” the company said in a statement on Sunday.

l a st week, Make It Safer Makati called out ay ala l a nd for supposedly “not honoring” its written commitment to “study a full protected bike lane,” claiming that the company “ignored the data and testimonies.” The group further alleged that ay ala l a nd “agreed to

maintain the protected bike lanes and to implement street design solutions through a technical working group.”

To recall, ayala l and decided to reconfigure ayala avenue to 3 meters during the height of the pandemic. However, it reduced it to 1.5 meters after the demand for motor vehicles increased with the lifting of mobility restrictions. Lorenz

THE a lC Group of Companies, in partnership with the Philippine Red Cross (PRC)Caloocan Chapter, successfully organized a blood donation drive called “I am a #lifesaver” on Wednesday, July 12. The event took place at the Mezzanine Training Room of Dominga Building III in Makati City.

The bloodletting activity witnessed participation from the dedicated employees of the a lC Group, who willingly volunteered to donate blood. Prior to the donations, all donors underwent screening to ensure their eligibility. By the end of the drive, the generous contributors successfully produced a total of 40 bags.

The “I am a #lifesaver” blood donation drive exemplifies the commitment of the a lC Group of Companies and its employees to make a positive impact on the community. Through

initiatives like this, the conglomerate aims to extend its assistance and support to those in need.

Founded by the late a mbassador a ntonio l Cabangon Chua, the a lC Group of Companies continues to uphold its humanitarian legacy under the leadership of its Chairman, D. Edgard a Cabangon. The group strives to contribute to the betterment of society by engaging in various corporate social responsibility activities and partnering with organizations like the Philippine Red Cross.

Expressing his gratitude for the successful blood donation drive, D. Edgard a Cabangon stated, “We are proud of our employees who wholeheartedly participated in this blood donation drive. We are honored to collaborate with the Philippine Red Cross and contribute to their noble mission.”

The Manila electric Co. (Meralco) recorded a 4-percent increase in electricity sales to 4,582 gigawatt hours (GWh) in June from 4,405 GWh in the same month last year.

Perspectives

The future of tax

IN the world today, and especially when it comes to tax, the blistering pace of change and extreme, unprecedented events make it seem impossible to predict what’s around the next corner. But in some respects, we can glimpse how global forces at work today—from the pandemic and inflation to the energy crisis and war— might be molding the tax landscape of tomorrow.

What will taxation look like in 2030?

We asked 17 of the tax world’s most inspirational and imaginative leaders for their unique views of what to expect in 2030—and how we may reach that point.

Predictions for 2030

THE tax landscape is changing at a faster pace than ever before—but what does that transformation mean for the future? To consider the potential answers to that question, KPMG asked tax leaders, policymakers and tax authorities from around the world to give us their views of what tax may look like in 2030.

Their predictions on tax span five areas where they—and KPMG—expect change could be most profound.

The 2030 citizen CITIZENS of 2030 are much more aware of the importance of tax than people of earlier eras. The tax transparency movement that began in the 2010s fed a growing appetite for tax fairness and transparency. Then pandemic-related emergency spending and the ensuing financial toll in the 2020s highlighted the importance of governments’ fiscal responsibility and prudence.

Citizens find it much easier to deal with their taxes than it used to be. Advances in artificial intelligence and data analytics are allowing tax authorities’ systems to prepare the most straightforward income tax returns automatically, with taxpayers simply obliged to review and approve them. Many governments have streamlined their tax, benefit, and other services within a single organization. This means the citizens of 2030 have a one-stop shop to access all tax compliance and social welfare programs.

The Philippines, like many other countries, faced fiscal pressures and the need for responsible financial management due to pandemic-related emergency spending and financial challenges. As a result, the government implemented recovery measures that led to greater tax transparency, improved technological advancements, and more streamlined government services.

The integration of modern technology into the Philippine tax system has significantly enhanced efficiency and improved the overall taxpayer experi-

ence. This includes the implementation of online tax filing and payment systems, an electronic invoicing and receipting system, data analytics for risk assessment, online taxpayer identification verification, enhanced taxpayer services through digital platforms, and automation of tax assessments and refunds.

KPMG in the Philippines Head of Tax Maria Carmela Peralta shared that “these technology-driven initiatives aim to simplify tax compliance, increase transparency, reduce administrative burdens and improve revenue collection—ultimately benefiting individuals and businesses by creating a more efficient and user-friendly tax environment.”

Globalization and geopolitics

WHILE there are forces at work leading to fragmentation in areas like trade, supply chains, and energy security, globalization remains a success as far as international tax co-operation is concerned.

In the 2020s, a number of forces converged to move geopolitics from adversarial ‘wars of maneuver’ to ‘wars of position’ to win power by gaining influence. Success in the new arena requires the parties involved to be more transparent, collaborative and open to a diversity of ideas.

This innovative approach was key to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)’s ability to forge breakthroughs in tax cooperation among over 135 countries. From the automatic exchange of information to the multilateral instrument, common approach and, most importantly, the agreement on global tax regulation via Pillars One and Two, the OECD was able to get all parties to agree on minimum standards that each party must meet while giving them room to tailor the rules for their own jurisdiction’s needs.

The excerpt was taken from the KPMG Thought Leadership publication: https://kpmg. com/xx/en/home/insights/2023/03/tax-voiceson-2030.html#/

© 2023 R.G. Manabat & Co., a Philippine partnership and a member-firm of the KPMG global organization of independent member-firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. All rights reserved.

For more information, you may reach out to KPMG through ph-kpmgmla@kpmg.com or visit www.home.kpmg/ph.

This article is for general information purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice to a specific issue or entity. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the BusinessMirror, KPMG International or KPMG in the Philippines.

SEC pushes for crowdfunding as MSMEs’ fund-raising tack

financial position. Hence, in our continuous bid for financial inclusion, we recognize that there really is a need to broaden the financing instruments available for MSMEs,” Bello said.

The SEC has presented crowdfunding, among others, as an accessible and convenient means for such businesses to secure funds for expansion.

Crowdfunding is a fundraising activity typically conducted by startups and SMEs, where the public can support or fund a business idea through an online platform.

A total of 627 companies or 70 percent of the 888 target have already listed and accessed the capital market as of May 2023. This consists of companies listed on the PSE; non-listed PSE companies but are registered on the Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp.; companies registered through direct public offering; and companies with pending IPO and DPO applications.

The SEC is optimistic it will reach the its target with 261 companies or issuers needed to access the capital market by 2024, SEC director Vicente Graciano P. Felizmenio Jr. said.

“Most of [small businesses] rely on internal resources for their capital needs. While those who apply for traditional bank loans face tedious documentation, high interest rates, and mandatory collateral requirements,” SEC commissioner Karlo S. Bello said during the agency’s roadshow.

Data from the International Finance Corp. showed there is an estimated $220-billion credit gap in

the Philippines.

A survey conducted by the Asian Development Bank in 2020 also revealed that 47.5 percent or almost half of MSMEs used their funds or retained profits to survive during the pandemic while only about 4.8 percent obtained credit from banks.

“Further, the recent economic slowdown due to the Covid-19 crisis has exacerbated our MSMEs’ poor

The roadshow was led by the newly-created SEC Office for the Advancement of Strategic Investments in SMEs, which was established with the aim of encouraging SMEs to consider the capital market as a financing option.

The effort is part of the SEC’s goal to see a minimum of 888 companies accessing the capital market in time for the SEC’s 88th anniversary in 2024.

He touted MSMEs as heroes in lifting the country’s economy during the pandemic, and their potential to contribute further by making use of the capital market to meet their capital needs.

The agency has so far brought its nationwide roadshow to Davao, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Zamboanga, and Bacolod. Next stops include Iloilo, Tarlac, Baguio, Legazpi and Tacloban.

BIR cancels permit of 2 cigarette makers in Subic

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—The

Bureau of Internal Revenue

(BIR) canceled the license of two cigarette manufacturers in this free port following findings they engaged in unregistered activities, including illegal sales of cigarettes and printing of packs of unregistered foreign brands of cigarettes without prior permit.

BIR Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui Jr., who inspected the factories of erring firms here last Friday, identified them as OneSubic Premier Manufacturing Corp. (OPMC) and Hongcim International Corp. (HIC), both located at the Subic Bay Gateway Park, Phase II.

BIR records showed the OPMC was given a permit to operate as manufacturer of cigarettes in October 2021 and a license to operate a non-tobacco material warehouse in May. However, it was found out to have violated BIR regulations during a tax compliance and verification drive (TCVD) conducted by revenue officers on July 13.

The TCVD team reportedly discovered that there was neither manufacturing machines nor finished cigarette products manufactured

by OPMC in its warehouse.

Instead, the investigating team found various printing machinery, paper, inks, paints, and other materials used in printing cigarette packs and boxes at the OPMC warehouse.

The BIR said OPMC printed boxes for six brands of cigarettes: RGD, Baisha, Liqun, Saat, Furongwang, and Nanjing, all of which were not registered with the BIR’s Large Taxpayer’s Service.

OPCM personnel reportedly admitted to the BIR that the firm did not make cigarettes and instead only

produced cigarette boxes in packs and in reams, and that these were not only sold locally in the Clark Freeport, but also exported abroad.

Moreover, upon inspection of used manual sales invoice, it was discovered that OPMC also sold packs of finished cigarettes from Hongcim to Vietnam and Cambodia, along with empty printed cigarette boxes.

Hongcim was alleged to be OPMC’s sister company. The two firms occupied separate but neighboring manufacturing facilities at the E-3 Warehouse of the Subic Bay

Gateway Park, Phase Il. Lumagui said that due to said unregistered activities, the BIR’s TCVD team padlocked the OPMC warehouse.

He added that Revenue District Office-19 at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone will make a progress report to the BIR regional office with recommendation that the case be forwarded to the Large Taxpayer Excise Tax Division, which has exclusive jurisdiction on OPMC’s series of violations.

Meanwhile, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) expressed its support for BIR’s initiative to enforce tax laws.

“We laud the efforts of the Bureau of Internal Revenue in taking action against companies in the Freeport that have been remiss in their tax obligations,” SBMA Chairman and Administrator Jonathan D. Tan posted on his social media account the following day.

“While the closure of certain companies is an unfortunate incident, the SBMA commits to be one with them in ensuring that pertinent tax laws are followed and investors are fully aware of their responsibilities as our partners in nation-building,” Tan added.

Pagcor strengthens regulatory controls to make PHL a prime gaming destination

THE Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. announced

last July 14 that Pagcor Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco discussed the agency’s plans and programs to make the Philippines a leading gaming destination in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) region.

Tengco was invited to deliver a keynote address on the third day of the “G2E Asian IR Summit” in Macau on July 13, a statement issued by Pagcor last week read.

“In his speech, the Pagcor chief expressed optimism that with the gaming regulatory reforms [that] the agency is undertaking, the Philippine gaming industry will be more responsive to the needs of the changing times while addressing the social ills that come with gaming operations.”

The Pagcor statement said that the Philippine gaming industry started to bounce back as it gradually transitioned into the new normal.

“Following its mandate to regulate and uphold the integrity of gaming operations in the Philippines, Pagcor generated P58.96 billion in 2022, an impressive 66.16-percent year-on-year increase from its P35.48 billion total income in 2021,” the regulator added. Pagcor’s net in-

come last year reached P4.45 billion, a 2,000-percent leap from P203.57 million recorded in 2021.

Contribution to NG

ACCORDING to the Pagcor, this achievement enabled the agency to fulfill its other role as the government’s partner in generating revenues for socio-civic programs by increasing its contributions to the national government from P22.91 billion in 2021 to P34.67 billion in 2022.

“In view of Pagcor’s dual role as operator and regulator, its operations have been the subject of scrutiny by key decision makers and major gaming industry players,” it added.

Thus, since its assumption a year ago, the new Pagcor Board of Directors has started strengthening the agency’s regulatory function and has promoted the privatization of Pagcor-run Casino Filipino facilities, read the statement by the government-owned and –controlled corporation (GOCC). “Such move will allow the corporation to grow and compete in both domestic and international markets through the infusion of new capital and advanced technologies, which can facilitate expansions, upgrades and

innovations,” it added.

“By focusing on its regulatory functions, Pagcor will be able to avoid the complexities of running two different shows. It can also streamline its processes and create more revenues that will fund more high impact government projects,” Tengco was quoted in the statement as saying.

Projected GGR

BEFORE, Pagcor gaming venues are privatized, however, they will be upgraded to add value to the properties. Programs include the following: modernization of information and communication technology and cybersecurity infrastructure, including its casino management system and introduction of the “Casino Filipino

Online” system; upgrading of more than 3,000 electronic gaming machines (EGMs); and, the updating of Pagcor technical standards for EGMs.

To combat the proliferation of illegal gambling in the country, Pagcor continuously coordinates with various law enforcement agencies. It has instituted reforms to address the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations that have been recently associated with crime, money laundering, and corruption. It has canceled the contract entered by the previous Board with the thirdparty auditor for offshore gaming operations and has introduced new fees and imposed heavy fines and penalties to Licensees and Service Providers found to be engaged in criminal activities. Furthermore, accreditations were suspended and canceled and Licensees were held responsible for the conduct of their Service Providers.

Despite these, gross gaming revenue of online gaming operations is projected to reach P24 billion by the end of this year, more than double last year’s P11 billion.

“We shall undertake this painstaking process to weed out the unscrupulous companies and individu-

als using the Pagcor license for illegal activities, tainting the name of the whole industry and most especially the Philippines,” Tengco said.

Regulations studied PAGCOR announced that it has, likewise, accredited gaming system service providers for traditional Bingo, electronic Bingo, electronic (eCasino) games, sports betting, and e-Billiards. Its licensed casinos were recently allowed to use remote gaming platforms for their live casino games that cater to their registered casino players.

Currently, Pagcor is studying the possibility of regulating other facets of the overseas gaming operations, or the possible regulation of a special class of business process outsourcing.

“Through closed borders during the Covid-19 pandemic, Pagcor has evolved and continues to adapt to the changing times by licensing new gaming options within its jurisdiction and properly regulating them,” the GOCC added.

“I know much still needs to be done, but I believe that we are on the right track towards making the Philippines a prime gaming destination in the Asean region,” Tengco said.

THE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is pushing for crowdfunding and other means of sourcing funds to alleviate the financial status of micro-sized, small-scale and medium-scale enterprises (MSMEs) in the country.

DEMYSTIFYING AGING: Insights into the diverse pathways of aging and the quest for effective anti-aging interventions

You likely know someone who seems to age slowly, appearing years younger than their birth date suggests. And you likely have seen the opposite—someone whose body and mind seem much more ravaged by time than others. Why do some people seem to glide through their golden years and others physiologically struggle in midlife?

I have worked in the field of aging for all of my scientific career, and I teach the cellular and molecular biology of aging at the University of Michigan. Aging research doesn’t tend to be about finding the one cure that fixes all that may ail you in old age. Instead, the last decade or two of work points to aging as a multi-factoral process—and no single intervention can stop it all.

What is aging?

There are many different definitions of aging, but scientists generally agree upon some common features: Aging is a time-dependent process that results in increased vulnerability to disease, injury and death. This process is both

intrinsic, when your own body causes new problems, and extrinsic, when environmental insults damage your tissues.

Your body is comprised of trillions of cells, and each one is not only responsible for one or more functions specific to the tissue it resides in, but must also do all the work of keeping itself alive. This includes metabolizing nutrients, getting rid of waste, exchanging signals with other cells and adapting to stress.

The trouble is that every single process and component in each of your cells can be interrupted or damaged. So your cells spend a lot of energy each day preventing, recognizing and fixing those problems.

Aging can be thought of as a gradual loss of the ability to maintain homeostasis—a state of balance among body systems—either by not being able to prevent or recognize damage and poor function, or by not adequately or rapidly fixing problems as they occur. Aging results from a combination of these issues. Decades of research has shown that nearly every cellular process becomes more impaired with age.

Repairing DNA and recycling proteins

Mo S T research on cellular aging focuses on studying how DNA and proteins change with age. Scientists are also beginning to address the potential roles many other important biomolecules in the cell play in aging as well.

o n e of the cell’s chief jobs is to maintain its DNA—the instruction manual a cell’s machinery reads to produce specific proteins. DNA maintenance involves protecting against, and accurately repairing, damage to genetic material and the molecules binding to it.

Proteins are the workers of the cell. They perform chemical reactions, provide structural support, send and receive messages, hold and release energy, and much more.

If the protein is damaged, the cell uses mechanisms involvingspecial proteins that either attempt to fix the broken protein or send it off for recycling. Similar mechanisms tuck proteins out of the way or destroy them when they are no longer needed. That way, its components can be used later to build a new protein.

Aging disrupts a delicate biological network

The cross-talk between the components inside cells, cells as a whole, organs and the environment is a complex and ever-changing network of information.

When all processes involved in creating and maintaining DNA and protein function are working normally, the different compartments within a cell serving specialized roles—called organelles—can maintain the cell’s health and function. For an organ to work well, the majority of the cells that make it up need to function well. And for a whole organism to survive and thrive, all of the organs in its body need to work well.

Aging can lead to dysfunction at any of these levels, from the subcellular to the organismal. Maybe a gene encoding an important protein for DNA repair has become damaged, and now all of the other genes in the cell are more likely to be repaired incorrectly. o r p erhaps the cell’s recycling systems are unable to degrade dysfunctional components anymore. e v en the communication systems between cells, tissues and organs can become compromised, leaving the organism less able to respond to changes within the body. r a ndom chance can lead to a growing burden of molecular and cellular damage that is progressively less well-repaired over time. As this damage accumulates, the systems that are meant to fix it are accruing damage as well. This leads to a cycle of increasing wear and tear as cells age.

Anti-aging interventions

The interdependence of life’s cellular processes is a double-edged sword: Sufficiently damage one process, and all the other processes that interact with or depend on it become impaired. h o wever, this interconnection also means that bolstering one highly interconnected process could improve related functions as well. In fact, this is how the most successful anti-aging interventions work.

There is no silver bullet to stop aging, but certain interventions do seem to slow aging in the laboratory. While there are ongoing clinical trials investigating different approaches in people, most existing data comes from animals like nematodes, flies, mice and nonhuman primates.

o n e of the best studied interventions is caloric restriction, which involves reducing the amount of calories an animal would normally eat without depriving them of necessary nutrients. An FDA-approved drug used in organ transplantation and some cancer treatments called rapamycin seems to work by using at least a subset of the same pathways that calorie restriction activates in the cell. Both affect signaling hubs that direct the cell to preserve the biomolecules it has rather than growing and building new biomolecules. o v er time, this cellular version of “reduce, reuse, recycle” removes damaged components and leaves behind a higher proportion of functional components.

o t her interventions include changing the levels of certain me -

tabolites, selectively destroying senescent cells that have stopped dividing, changing the gut microbiome and behavioral modifications.

What all of these interventions have in common is that they affect core processes that are critical for cellular homeostasis, often become dysregulated or dysfunctional with age and are connected to other cellular maintenance systems. o f ten, these processes are the central drivers for mechanisms that protect DNA and proteins in the body.

There is no single cause of aging. No two people age the same way, and indeed, neither do any two cells. There are countless ways for your basic biology to go wrong over time, and these add up to create a unique network of aging-related factors for each person that make finding a one-size-fits-all anti-aging treatment extremely challenging. h o wever, researching interventions that target multiple important cellular processes simultaneously could help improve and maintain health for a greater portion of life. These advances could help people live longer lives in the process.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/aging-is-complicated-a-biologist-explainswhy-no-two-people-or-cells-agethe-same-way-and-what-thismeans-for-anti-aging-interventions-202096.

Barge Ramos and the barong Tagalog’s dignified identity

‘FILIPINIANA lives forever!” is the battle cry of Barge Ramos, the foremost proponent of the barong Tagalog. He recently showed his “Filipinesque” collection as his first foray into “Fashion Forte,” the brainchild of designer-producer Nardie Presa which is now on its 17th edition.

COS CAPSULE COLLECTION FEATURING WORK OF ARTIST STEPHEN DOHERTY

GLOBAL lifestyle brand COS showcases its latest collaboration with Manchester-based, multidisciplinary artist Stephen Doherty. Limited-edition pieces adorned with exclusive floral artwork, crafted using Doherty’s unique ink and water technique, evoke the epitome of summer dressing. Focusing on the flower in bloom, the collaboration celebrates the beauty of nature in its most exquisite form.

Embracing the synergy between art and fashion, the 17-piece collection embodies effortless elegance, with Doherty’s florals reimagined on canvas of silk and linen, transforming classic COS silhouettes. Set dressing is embraced throughout the capsule, with each garment designed to be interchanged and styled in endless ways, dressed up or down to suit the mood or occasion.

Exploring craftsmanship, delicately beaded embroidery embellishes bandeau tops, while unique waistband finishes provide versatile styling and a functional element to the collection. The floral print is also embraced on accessories, reworked onto a leather mule and silk scarves.

The capsule is available at the COS Store at SM Aura Premier.

With Presa’s perennial director Audie Espino, “Fashion Forte” has found a home in Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria at the Ortigas Center. On June 29, newbie designers displayed their efforts with Ramos serving as the fitting finale.

“I thought of the word ‘Filipinesque’ when I was doing my collection for ‘Fashion Forte’ with a Filipino inspiration. I used handwoven fabrics from Mindanao, but giving the fabrics a contemporary feeling by mixing them with abstract batik handpainting and re-inventing the barong Tagalog in a loose silhouette and wider sleeves with no cuffs,” revealed Ramos.

The fabrics he used were an exquisite mix of sheer organdy, handwoven textiles from the Cordilleras and Mindanao, with handwoven pinya in black against black, and pleated jusi fabric.

“The emotions behind the collection are mixed. Coming out of the pandemic was the strong urge to express individuality, a need to break loose and look for new beginnings. A Filipino collection but not quite. My desire was to pit texture against texture and challenge visual effects,” said Ramos.

Besides the refreshing takes on the barong Tagalog, Ramos also presented two womenswear pieces—a swing coat and a tunic—that were previously shown in New York to critical acclaim and commercial success. As with any designer in the country, Ramos laments the scarcity of materials that should be at any creative’s easy reach.

“There are always challenges to a designer who’s in need of presenting new options over the traditional. There are no shortcuts. One has to be patient in gathering materials and different textures,” he asserted.

For the longest time, Nardie Presa had been asking Ramos to be the finale of his ‘Fashion Forte’ series but the beloved and respected designer always declined.

“When our mutual friend, designer Edgar

New sunscreen converts bad to good

Madamba, passed away recently, I decided to say [finally] yes to Nardie. There are so many things I still want to accomplish, and one never knows when his journey ends,” Ramos shared. “Audie himself was surprised because since Philippine Fashion Week, which he and his brother Joey started, I’ve turned down a lot of their letters.”

Amid the onslaught of avant-garde interpretations, like what’s happening to the terno, how should the barong Tagalog retain its dignified identity?

“The barong Tagalog is not as easy to create as it looks. The cut and proportion are crucial, as also the collar construction which frames the face. I introduced the ‘double collar’ for this barong Tagalog collection, and the loose silhouette with wider sleeves that are folded and buttoned at the wrist.

“Always with respect to tradition and culture, but with a keen eye for innovative details, the designer strikes a delicate balance.” ■

water-soluble collagen, Rosa Roxburghii fruit extract, natural plankton extract, and yellow flower extract.

During the Day Serum launch, dermatologist Windie Villarica, managing director of Skin Inc. Dermatology and Laser Center, talked about the damaging effects of UV rays and the importance of sunscreen.

I ALWAYS say that if it’s Anessa, it must be good. It’s been Japan’s No. 1 sun care brand for 22 consecutive years. It’s a Shiseido brand and I fully trust anything from that company because I have been using their products for years.

When I visited Japan recently, Anessa’s Doraemon collaboration bottles of sunscreens were kept under lock and key at Don Quijote. You had to request to buy one from the cashier.

“All Anessa products were formulated based on formulas that utilize powerful UV-blocking technology and 50 percent skincare ingredients that defend skin against UV rays in any environment.

When you use Anessa, your UV protection becomes stronger when it comes in contact with heat, sweat, water and humidity,” said Dani De Leon, lead for Anessa Philippines.

Anessa’s Intense Water Resistance, in fact, extends to over 80 minutes. Anessa’s Gold Milk or the Perfect UV Sunscreen Skincare Milk (Gold Series) is the brand’s bestseller. It has a light milky texture and matte finish. It really is a lightweight when it comes to texture and a heavyweight when it comes to protection. Anessa recently introduced an addition to its range of sun protection products during a luncheon hosted by The Beauty Edit.

UV essence equipped with the world’s first ingredient approach technology Sun Dual Care, which “cuts” ultraviolet rays and converts a portion of sunlight into “Beauty Beams” for moisturized and plump skin. Green light technology reduces redness and improves skin surface and tone. Meanwhile, red light technology is anti-inflammatory and improves skin’s firmness. Consistent use of the Anessaa Day Serum will result in skin that is rejuvenated.

Based on Clarivate Analytics Japan survey, May 2021, the Day Serum contains UV filters that protect skin, spirulina platensis extract, and fluorescent zinc oxide that convert a portion of sunlight into Beauty Beams, and PEG/PPG-14/7 dimethyl ether that amplifies them.

According to De Leon, Anessa Day Serum SPF50+ PA++++ is all you need for a makeup-ready morning. Use it as your emulsion, UV protection, and makeup

primer all in one.

The Anessa Day Serum does not only protect skin against UV rays, but it also provides skin with 12 hours of long lasting moisturization. With a hint of pink hue, Day Serum gives skin a moderately rosy complexion and a bright translucent look.It can also be used as a makeup primer. This essence emulsion features a featherlight texture that blends easily with the skin, making it pleasant to use every morning while improving the appearance of the bare skin.

As you know, Anessa products are formulated with 50 percent skin-care ingredients and the Day Serum is no different. It has hyaluronic acid and,

“A common mistake people make is that they think not being exposed directly to the sun means it’s okay. Aside from UVA, there’s UVB, and then there’s UVC, which can cause cancer. Fortunately, you can block UVC with a piece of white paper while you can block UVB with a hat or your typical sunblock. However, UVA penetrates deeper into the skin and cause more damage. It can stimulate pigmentation and directly damage DNA.”

to

Villarica’s advice as a dermatologist is: Don’t just wear sun protection to the beach. Remember that even when you drive or commute, you are exposed to the sun.

I have been using the Anessa Day Serum SPF50+ PA++++ for around 10 days and in my opinion, it looks better used on its own with some blush and bronzer. I am speaking for me, as someone who is a morena. When used under a foundation, it looks a bit light on me. I love the Day Serum’s light texture. It’s so easy to apply. I’ve never used a tone-up cream or something like it before this and I quite enjoyed the experience.

The Anessa Day Serum retails for P2,190 and is only available at LOOK Aura, LOOK MOA, Rustans stores nationwide, and the Anessa Official Store on Lazada.

Korean Chef Presents a Symphony of Flavors at Hilton Clark Sun Valley Resort

culinary scene in the future.

When asked about his personal favorite food, Chef Hans enthusiastically revealed, “Dak galbi, a spicy Korean chicken stir fry, is my absolute favorite.” He emphasized that the dish is best enjoyed with somaek, a popular combination of soju and beer frequently featured on TV shows.

Regarding the current menu at Hilton Clark, Chef Hans expressed his fondness for the Yang-nyeom Chicken.

“This deep-fried chicken dish with chili sauce perfectly balances flavor and spiciness,” he enthused. It is an enticing addition to the Hilton Clark dining experience.

Experience a blend of wellness in every cup with Kingsley All-Natural 13-in-1 Turmeric and Ginger Tea

OPTIMUM Marketstrat International

HILTON Clark Sun Valley Resort

welcomes its new Korean Chef de Cuisine, Hwansu Kim. Chef Hans, as he is called by the team, has more than 15 years of experience in the kitchen. In 2016, he became one of the Korean Consulate General’s official embassy chefs in Vancouver, Canada. He later moved to the Philippines and joined the City of Dreams in 2021. Prior to joining Hilton Clark, he served as a Korean Cuisine Specialty Chef at a renowned hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam When asked about his motivation to become a chef, Chef Hans revealed that his wanderlust fueled his culinary aspirations. “When I was around 19 years old, I dreamed of traveling the world,” he said. “That’s what ultimately led me to pursue a career in the culinary arts.” Over the years, Chef Hans has had the opportunity to explore various countries, including Australia, Canada, Vietnam, and now the Philippines.

WESTWOODS STOREYS BREAKS GROUND IN CDO.  Pueblo de Oro Development Corporation (PDO), the residential development arm of the ICCP Group, has broken ground for the Westwoods Storeys, a seven-tower mid-rise condominium project in Barangay Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City. Westwoods Storeys offers studio-type and two-bedroom units in an idyllic property nestled within a protected urban rainforest. In photo during the groundbreaking ceremony are (from left) Cagayan de Oro Real Estate Board (COREB) president Dale Lagonera, PDO vice president and general manager for Mindanao Chrysler Acebu, Cagayan de Oro City councilors Atty. Edgar Cabanlas and Malvern Espacia, Home Development Mutual Fund (HMDF) housing relationship officer Jackeylou Asuncion, and PDO vice president for sales and marketing Lemuel Branal.

When it comes to his culinary inspirations, Chef Hans credits a former colleague from his time in Vietnam. “I used to report to the Executive Sous Chef, and we would often engage in spirited debates,” he explained. “He was a tough and hardworking individual who pushed me to strive for excellence.” This experience instilled in Chef Hans a relentless drive to constantly improve and surpass expectations.

Chef Hans has a diverse repertoire of dishes he loves to prepare, but he particularly enjoys cooking fried foods, such as deep-fried chicken, pork, and tangsuyuk. Additionally, he proudly highlights his specialty, nangmyeon, a cold noodle dish from his hometown. “I am confident that I can make the best nangmyeon in the world,” Chef Hans asserted. Although relatively unknown in the Philippines, he hopes to introduce this delicacy to the local

Reflecting on his time with the team at Hilton Clark, Chef Hans expressed his gratitude and enthusiasm. “The team has welcomed me with open arms, showing kindness, helpfulness, and support,” he shared. “I feel extremely comfortable working with them, and I am excited about the many great things we will accomplish together.”

In celebration of the rich Korean culinary heritage, Chef Hans and his team invite you to the Korean Weekend Festival at Olive, every Friday – Sunday of July. Available during lunch and dinner for only P2,800 nett per adult and P1,400 nett per child. Come and try our Korean specialty dishes like jaeyuk, braised pork knuckle, samgyeopsal, bibimbap, and Korean fried chicken that Chef Hans and the team will prepare for you! For reservations or more information, please visit www. hiltonclark.com or email CRKPP_FB@ hilton.com, or call +63 917 823 1580.

Inc., a leading professional distribution company in the Philippines, proudly presents its latest addition to its wellness portfolio: Kingsley All-Natural 13-in-1 Turmeric and Ginger Tea. A flavorful fusion of herbal remedies, this tea is poised to revolutionize wellness regimens with its potent and holistic benefits. For centuries, traditional medicine has revered the powers of turmeric and ginger for their robust health benefits. Turmeric is enriched with curcumin, a compound known for its potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Ginger is celebrated for its medicinal benefits, including soothing stomach discomfort and boosting immunity.

Blending these two time-tested ingredients, Kingsley All-Natural 13-in-1 Turmeric and Ginger Tea offers a powerful punch of health benefits in every cup. Combined with the healing properties of its other ingredients - Black Pepper,

Peppermint, Banaba, Pandan, Lagundi, Ashitaba, Honey, Sambong, Lemon Grass, Malunggay, and Red Chili Pepper, Kingsley All-Natural 13-in-1 Turmeric and Ginger Tea provides a health solution that helps enhance physical wellness. An all-natural product free from harmful additives, it is safe and beneficial for regular consumption. “We wanted to offer a product that makes holistic health attainable and enjoyable. Kingsley Tea does just that – it’s more than a beverage; it’s an invitation to take a proactive step towards better health,” adds Mayette Acuña, Managing Director at Optimum Marketstrat International Inc. Kingsley All-Natural 13-in-1 Turmeric and Ginger Tea is now available in selected Mercury Drugstores. For more information about Kingsley All-Natural 13in-1 Turmeric and Ginger Tea, please visit http://optimummarketstrat.com/ or contact 09175642233. Visit their Facebook page: Kingsley All Natural 13in1 Turmeric and Ginger Tea

H2 Christie’s International Real Estate is exclusive master sales agent for Hotel101 Niseko project

DOUBLEDRAGON Corporation (“DoubleDragon”) worldwide hotel expansion subsidiary, Hotel101 Global Pte. Ltd. recently announced that it had signed the Exclusive Master Sales Agency Agreement with H2 Christie’s International Real Estate as the sole principal sales and marketing of its first international project, Hotel101-Niseko located in Niseko Hokkaido Japan.

H2 Christies may also tap sub-agents under it to market the Hotel101-Niseko units that come with the perpetual titled individual unit ownership in the sprawling

1.17 hectare free-hold titled land of Hotel101-Niseko.

Hotel101-Niseko, Hokkaido Japan units project is expected to generate US$128.88 million (P7.12 Billion) in unit sales revenue.

The Hotel101-Niseko units are seen as solid investments since the unit owners can directly and perpetually own a real estate hard asset through the full ownership of the unit through a condominium title.

Niseko is a world-class premier ski destination which remains popular all yearround thanks to its picturesque landscapes and natural hot springs. Hotel101–Niseko

will be one of the largest value hotels in Niseko encompassing 482 signature HappyRooms offering comfort, convenience and accessibility to all types of travelers.

Hotel101-Niseko sits on a sprawling 1.17 hectare property in Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan and is expected to be patronized by local domestic travelers in Japan, and foreign tourists from other countries. The extension of the Shinkansen bullet train to Niseko and Sapporo will further improve access to the region which is also reported to be in the running to host the 2030 Winter Olympics.

THE biggest convention center in the Visayas and Mindanao has officially opened its doors at NUSTAR Resort and Casino.

As the region’s newest landmark attraction, the NUSTAR Convention Center is set to become the most sought-after venue for events both big and small. Its Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) facilities will create the perfect setting for the most remarkable of occasions. The largest outside Metro Manila, capable of catering up to 2,000 guests, it is composed of three banquet halls, a lobby, a pre-function foyer and hallway, an open area lounge, and a bridal lounge.

The convention center has an expansive interior spanning an impressive total area of 2,449 square meters, creating ample space for various events. The ceiling height of six meters enhances the grandeur and versatility of the venue, accommodating elaborate installations and dynamic event setups, from corporate to social functions.

The panoramic sea view in the foyer makes for a breathtaking backdrop, adding a touch of elegance to any event.

NUSTAR Convention Center offers a range of dedicated spaces for different needs. As an example, the bridal lounge, complete with a dressing room, provides a luxurious holding room for the bride and her party before the reception. Connected to

the lounge is a powder room equipped with restroom amenities, ensuring the utmost comfort and convenience for guests.

The venue also features an open area lounge, perfect for casual gatherings, networking sessions, and after-parties for guests. These thoughtfully designed spaces offer flexibility and cater to the diverse preferences of attendees.

The convention center’s pre-function hallway, measuring 60.7 meters by 8.6 meters, provides a welcoming entrance and smooth transition into the main event area. Complementing the hallway, the prefunction foyer spans 436 square meters, offering ample space for registration, cocktail receptions, and networking opportunities. Furthermore, the spacious lobby, measuring 179 square meters, enhances the overall experience for guests as they arrive at the venue.

Robinsons Hotels and Resorts is now accepting bookings for business conferences, social gatherings, exhibitions, and other events at the NUSTAR Convention Center. With its state-of-the-art facilities, unparalleled service, and dedication to creating exceptional experiences, the region’s largest banquet hall sets a new standard for event venues in the region. For more information and booking inquiries, contact NUSTAR Resort and Casino at (032) 888 8282.

IN the photo during the contract signing held in Hokkaido, Japan are Hotel101 Global team led by DoubleDragon Chairman Edgar “Injap” Sia II and Hotel101 Global CEO Hannah Yulo-Luccini with H2 Christie’s International Real Estate team led by Michael Chen and Paul Butkovich.

Niseko is famous worldwide for its powder snow and Kutchan Town where the property is located is one of the foremost areas of heavy snowfall reaching 13 meters on average with some of the best quality snow in the world. Because of its northern location, Niseko is internationally renowned for consistently delivering good falls of light powder snow and a long ski season that stretches from November until May. Hokkaido is the northmost island of Japan. During the summer Hokkaido stays cool with average temperatures of about 20 degrees Celsius and is also famous for its stunning nature scenes, hot springs, and panoramic flower fields during summer.

NUSTAR Convention Center, the biggest in the Visayas and Mindanao, opens in the Island of New Celebration

Why writing still matters in the age of AI

BlockchAIn councIl of the PhIlIPPInes unveIls Pl An for WeB3 AdoPtIon And PArtnershIP WIth dIc t At the lAunch MIxer MANILA, PHILIPPINES—The Blockchain Council of the Philippines (BCP) hosted a highly successful “The Launch Mixer” event last June 27 at The Astbury in Orion, Makati City. The event highlighted the council’s efforts

SEVERAL weeks ago, my dear IPRA colleague Joy Buensalido wrote two very thoughtprovoking columns on the onset of AI and how this would affect our lives.

Definitely, it’s a mixed bag and a work in progress.

On July 7, robots held an AI forum in Geneva saying they expected to increase in number and help solve global problems, and not steal our jobs or rebel against us. But in the world’s human-robot press conference, they gave mixed responses on whether they should submit to stricter regulation.

Earlier in June, Geoffrey Hinton, one of the so-called godfathers of artificial intelligence, urged governments to step in and make sure that machines do not take control of society. Hinton made headlines last May when he announced that he was quitting Google to speak more freely about the dangers of AI, after the release of ChatGPT.

In an article in Inc.com, Jessica Stillman notes that Elon Musk and some 1,800 artificial intelligence experts signed a letter calling for a pause in AI to develop better safeguards.

in driving Web3 adoption and saw it announce its plans and objectives for the future. BCP has also announced its partnership with the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT).

“The Launch Mixer” served as a platform for the council’s founding members to share their insights and visions with the attendees. The event featured notable industry experts and thought leaders, including Dr. Donald Lim, the Founding President of BCP, DICT Director Emmy Lou Delfin, Coins.ph CEO Wei Zhuo, Direct Agent 5 and SurgePay CEO Raymond Babst, Yield Guild Games (YGG) Country Manager Luis

But pause or no pause, it’s clear that AI is advancing incredibly rapidly and soon will transform how a lot of white-collar work gets done. What exactly those changes will be like remains to be seen, but already “impressive tools like Chat GPT make plain that a lot of routine writing will probably be done by bots in the future.”.

She notes that “marketers are already experimenting with having chatbots write social media posts and ads. College professors are rethinking the essay for the age of AI. Real estate agents are handing off writing listings to the bots.” Does this mean that we should decrease the time and effort we invest to write well? Not so, as she explains in Why Learning to Write Well is Still Important in the Age of AI.

n Writing makes you smarter

W R ITING i sn’t just banging out the right string of words to get your meaning across, says Stillman. In fact, “the most important function of writing isn’t to teach others, but to teach yourself.”

Farnam Street blogger Shane Parrish agrees. “Writing is the process by

Buenaventura, Dr. Guido David, Chief Data Scientist of Capstone Intel-Corporation, and Mayeth Cruz of Moneybees.

DICT Director Emmy Lou Versoza-Delfin, stated, “Our nation is no stranger to blockchain technology. We have seen the rise of innovative blockchain in startups, the success of blockchain-based business solutions, and the birth of the initiative that makes blockchain for the public good. So this development signifies that the Philippines’ investment is not just ready for blockchain adoption, but poised to be a leader in blockchain education, and definitely will be a global leader in the blockchain industry.”

which you realize that you do not understand what you are talking about,” he says. “Writing about something is one of the best ways to learn about it.”

He is not alone. Venture capitalist Morgan Housel has argued that everyone—even those without a literary inclination—should prefect their writing. Not to persuade others, but to make themselves smart.

“Everyone is full of ideas they’re not aware of,” argues Housel. “They’re got feelings. Intuitions. You use them a dozen times a day. But you’d shrug your shoulders if someone asks why.”

Why, for example, do you invest the way you do? Why you like some people and dislike others. We’re all brimming with opinions on these topics we may never discuss, “not even with ourselves.”

Writing, says Stillman, “allows you to figure it out. It unearths the things you half know so you can get a handle on them and actually use them. Spilling your thoughts onto a page is among the best ways to tame anxiety, learn about yourself, and generally boost your mental health.”

n If you want to learn to think, you need to learn to write S T ILLMAN predicts that “one day in the not too distant future, a chatbot may be able to write a convincing email to your boss or polish up that important presentation in minutes.

While it is good to use those abilities to your advantage, “no bot is going to figure out how complex ideas fit together and apply to your specific situation any time soon. No bot can help you pick your way through a challenging intellectual puzzle.”

Undoubtedly, chatbots can convincingly regurgitate human knowledge, but Stillman believes “they still

Dr. David presented Capstone Intel-Corporation’s comprehensive report on blockchain, cryptocurrency, and NFT in the country. Among 1000+ respondents, 28% of financially capable individuals aged 25 to 34, and 22% aged 18 to 24, expressed involvement in cryptocurrency. 88% of respondents depend on social media for cryptocurrency information, seeking news and insights from experts and influencers. The majority expressed a strong interest in learning about various digital assets to understand the process of investing and mitigate risks.

BCP unveiled an array of comprehensive plans and strategies designed to propel Blockchain adoption in the Philippines. These initiatives encom -

struggle to expand it or even combine it in new and enlightening ways.

In the end, “emphatic, experimental, humane writing may end up being a more valuable career skill.” That’s because even if you are not a communicator or wordsmith, you still need to be able to think.

And the best tool for humans ever invented—including today’s mindbending new AI tools—is good oldfashioned writing. That’s why, “if you want to be able to think clearly, you still need to learn to write.”

But how can we incorporate these digital innovations into our writing skills? In an article in prnewsonline. com, Eitan Goldstein, communications manager at Propel, is aware of the fact that “the rise of generative AI is reshaping the way we think about which skills are necessary to succeed in the PR industry. One of these on-demand skills will soon be proficiency in AI prompt writing.

As someone who uses generative AI to create PR content every day, he shares with us Three Tips to Master the Art of AI Prompt Writing.

n k n ow what you want from the AI F IRST of a ll, “make sure you have a clear understanding of what you are writing, be it a press release announcing a funding round or a simple post. Communicate it clearly, directly, and in detail in your prompt. Beyond the format, you should know what you want the content to say.”

To get the best result, one strategy would be to ask open-ended questions. By making the AI use critical thinking, he says that he has been able to get results that are both fuller and more creative.

pass a multifaceted approach that in -

cludes opening the council for membership, with the formal induction process set to commence next month.

BCP aims to educate, engage, and collaborate with various stakeholders in the Philippine Blockchain ecosystem, including government bodies, Web3 developers, businesses, civil society organizations, NGOs, and the Filipino population as a whole. The objective is to ensure the safe, secure, and responsible integration of Blockchain technology into the everyday lives of individuals across the nation.

The council also aims to position the Philippines as a global leader in blockchain technology, propelling it as the Blockchain capital of Asia.

“Our vision is to be the prime mover

n Iterate, iterate, iterate F ROM h is experience, Goldstein has observed that “AI will create content based on what you ask it.” This means, “the more detailed your prompt, the better your result will be. If you don’t initially succeed, determine exactly what it is you don’t like about your result and tell the AI.”

Also, it follows that the more you use AI, you will be able to get better results.

n Provide detail

G OLDSTEIN h as also found out that the more detailed the background story he provides, the better the pitch or press release it drafts. To be successful, “it’s always important to keep in mind that great prompt writing requires a thorough understanding of what you want to get out of the prompt, constant iteration, and the ability to communicate effectively to the A.I.

Like in all things, the better your input into the AI, the better the AI’s output will be.

As we journey along the A.I. route, it’s important to remember that writing teaches you to think, and you can’t outsource that to a bot.

PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the United Kingdom-based International Public Relations Association (Ipra), the world’s premier association for senior professionals around the world. Millie Dizon, the Senior Vice President for Marketing and Communications of SM, is the former local chairman.

We are devoting a special column each month to answer the reader’s questions about public relations. Please send your comments and questions to askipraphil@ gmail.com.

and the largest industry organization that drives the adoption of blockchain and Web3 technologies for the Philippines,” announced Dr. Donald. Among its roster of speakers, Wei stated, “Despite the bear market, which is kind of hurting… I think we’re almost there, we’re gonna get more people interested in digital assets. And what I’m really excited about the Philippines, and why I’m here all the time, and why we’re building non-stop [is that] we’ve been listing tokens on Coins.ph, we’ve been adding ownership on Coins.ph, and in about three months, we’re gonna get spend and earn on Coins.ph. What I’m really excited about, is we can actually start building a local ecosystem here.”

Editor: Jun Lomibao

Breaks go against Caluag, Coo in Asian BMX in Tagaytay

MISFORTUNES struck Daniel Caluag and Patrick Coo as Thailand and Japan took the elite category gold medals and, more importantly, berths to the Paris 2024 Olympics at the close of the Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC) BMX Championships at the Tagaytay City BMX Park on Sunday.

C aluag, the Philippines’ sole gold medalist at the Incheon 2014 Asian Games, lost some two seconds when his front wheel got stuck momentarily at the starting gate in the semifinals of the men’s elite race. The London 2012 Olympian managed to get his desired speed and rhythm at the table top but couldn’t get into the final of the

championships calendared by both the International Cycling Union (UCI) and Asian Cycling Confederation and hosted by the PhilCycling and Tagaytay City led by Philippine Olympic Committee president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.

Breaks of the game,” said Caluag, 36, who has never ceased to train in the US while juggling his profession as a Registered Nurse—he’s completing his Nursing Administration Masters—and dad to his two daughters and husband to former BMX racer Stephanie, who’s also a nurse in the US.

Coo, a former Asian junior champion, made the final and was in contention to break up front until he was caught in a tight bind also on the table top.

FIRST UNSEEDED CHAMP

WIMBLEDON,

England—Mar

-

keta Vondrousova came to the All England Club a year ago unable to play tennis at all. She had a cast on her surgically repaired left wrist, so her visit was limited to sightseeing around London with her sister and cheering for a friend who was competing at Wimbledon. This trip was a lot more memorable: She is leaving as a Grand Slam champion.

Vondrousova became the first unseeded woman to win Wimbledon on Saturday, coming back in each set for a 6-4, 6-4 victory over 2022 runner-up Ons Jabeur in the final.

When I was coming back, I didn’t know what’s going to happen, if I can play at that level again,” said Vondrousova, a 24-year-old left-hander from the Czech Republic who was

the runner-up at the 2019 French Open on clay as a teenager and a silver medalist at the Tokyo Olympics on hard courts two years ago. “On grass, I didn’t play well before. I think it was the most impossible Grand Slam for me to win, so I didn’t even think of it. When we came, I was just like, ‘Try to win a couple of matches.’ Now this happened. It’s crazy.”

A fter being sidelined from April to October, she finished last season ranked just 99th. She was 42nd when she arrived at Wimbledon and was the first unseeded woman to even reach the final at the All England Club in 60 years— the last, 1963 runner-up Billie Jean King, was seated in the front row of the Royal Box on Saturday alongside Kate, the Princess of Wales. Following the match, King greeted Vondrousova with a hug and told her: “First unseeded ever. I love it.” Centre Court’s retractable roof was closed for the final, shielding everyone from the wind that topped 20 mph (30 kph) outside, and that allowed Vondrousova’s smooth strokes to

Coach Joe Lipa: The coach and legend, ‘Da Nose’

LEGENDARY, mercurial, disciplinarian, principled, frank and  an achiever.

These are just some of the best words to describe Joe Lipa, who at 79 years old still is involved in his passion, basketball, albeit tamer from his previous role as head coach in practically all major leagues in the country—not to mention the national team for countless times.

He was coach at the University of the Philippines (UP) and Ateneo and at Manila Beer, Magnolia and Air21 in the Philippine Basketball Association, and even for Nueva Ecija in the Metropolitan Basketball League and Philips Sardines in the Philippine Basketball League.

He was national team head coach in the Southeast Asian Games, Asian championships before it became known as FIBA Asia Cup, Asian Games and the Asian youth tournament.

H is involvement in basketball spans half a century from the old MICAA with San Miguel Corp., to coaching and running major leagues, including both the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), National Collegiate Athletic Association and the Philippine Collegiate Champions League.

He’s currently a consultant at PBA team Terra Firma, a role he jokingly calls “sulsoltant” more than anything else.

Lipa’s also “Da Nose” referring to his obviously oversized nose. He’s also given the alias “anak ng pongalangala,” an original favorite expression he makes when he gets frustrated with a player or a referee’s call—he actually gets away from a technical foul each time he says that.

L ipa now lives alone in a condominium unit in Bicutan after his wife of 40 years, Ma. Luisa Artadi, passed away five years ago.

I am completely happy with how my life has been, with what I have accomplished in basketball, and to think that not in my wildest imagi-

nation when I was young that I would be a coach, actually, it was just by accident that I became a coach after being told do the job,” Lipa said.

His two biggest achievements came in 1986 when he coached the UP Maroons then led by Benjie Paras and Ronnie Magsanoc to their first UAAP title and the national team to a bronze medal finish at the Seoul Asian Games.

The UAAP championship was tougher for me because it took a very long time for that to happen,” he said. “For the Asian Games, it was special because nobody gave us a chance to do well there—they said that out of the 12 teams in Seoul, we’d finish 13th.”

It was short of a miracle as his team of collegiate players made the podium behind China and South Korea. His team had Alvin Patrimonio, Jerry Codinera, Samboy Lim, Allan Caidic, Eric Altamirano, Dindo Pumaren and  Jojo Lastimosa—all became PBA legends.

Lipa said he prefers mentoring college players.

I can teach them a lot and help in their development inside and outside the court,” he said. “In the pro ranks, it’s more of being a strategist and win games, and motivating the players to play at their best.”

The current generation of players and those he coached decades ago have their differences.

The players now are definitely more skilled and I believe sports  science is a factor, players now enjoy things we could not even dream of during our time,” he said. “If we were to have a game between these two generations of players, both at their prime, I think the present players will prevail.”

But I firmly believe the older players can find more ways to win, I would say they are  more ‘madiskarte,’” he said.

He picked Robert Jaworski, Francis Arnaiz,  Allan Caidic and Ricky Brown as players who could easily match up with the current crop.

But Ramon Fernandez would find it harder now because players are bigger and wider than

We need more like Rory McIlroy

repeatedly find the intended mark. She also liked that she didn’t have to worry about any gusts or the sun or anything else while playing—a reminder of days practicing at indoor courts during winters in Prague.

“I always play good indoors,” Vondrousova said.

“I was like, ‘Yeah, maybe that’s going to help me.’”

O n this afternoon, she trailed in each set but collected the last four games of the first, then the last three games of the second as Jabeur fell to 0-3 in major finals.

The 28-year-old from Tunisia is the only Arab woman and only North African woman to make it that far in singles at any Grand Slam tournament.

You cannot force things,” the sixth-seeded Jabeur said. “It wasn’t meant to be.”

S he lost to Elena Rybakina 12 months ago at the All England Club and to No. 1 Iga Swiatek at the US Open last September.

I think this is the most painful loss of my career,” Jabeur said Saturday, pausing to wipe away tears. AP

need more shooters who will not be afraid to play against bigger players,” he said. “Our shooters need more experience playing bigger opponents. I believe having good outside shooters will help negate the size advantage of other countries. “

He was unable to squeeze into the front in the process lost his left foot on the pedal and was left behind by the eight-rider final to finish last behind gold medalist Komet Sukpraser. Sukpraser and women’s elite winner Hatakeyama of Japan earned automatic qualification to the Paris Olympics from the championships witnesses by ACC secretary-general Onkar Singh of India and UCI management committee member Datuk Amarjit Singh of Malaysia. Tagaytay City’s hosting of the championships earned praises from both UCI and ACC officials that inspired Tolentino to seek hosting major international competitions in the future.

Fil-Am Brown gets ticket to worlds as area champion

BANGKOK—Robyn Lauren Brown got automatic qualification for the world championships next month in Budapest after winning the women’s 400-meter hurdles gold medal at the 25th Asian Athletics Championships on Saturday at the Supachalasai National Stadium.  Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) president Terry Capistrano said on Sunday morning that Brown qualified for the world championships as a “continental area” champion. “ It just came really fast,” Brown said of her qualification to the worlds set from August 19 to 27 at Hungary’s capital. “It’s definitely been one of my ultimate goals this season, but it’s something of a very exciting part when you’re running alongside world-class athletes.”

him,” he said. “Hector Calma, whom he picks as  one of the best point guards together with Brown and Johnny Abarrientos, will also find it difficult because he’s small.”

L ipa’s frank about how economics became a primary factor for the current generation of players. when I was recruiting before, if I say the school will provide lodging, the expectation is it’s a condo,” he said. “If I say there will be transportation provided, they think it’s a car.”

“Honestly, if I were to coach present day players, I will stick to my way of coaching and let them adjust,” he said. “I will not be a party to this prostitution in local basketball, but I do understand though the economics side of the matter.”

He described Philippine basketball as having been stuck in the past. We became contented with what we had. It is a peak and valley situation for local basketball but the bottom line is we need to make adjustments, primarily, we

O n Filipino-foreign players, Lipa said “these guys improve our talent level and I believe playing in the PBA is based on merit, you need to earn it.”

L ipa is currently completing a book about his life with writer Peter Regalado Lopez. The book includes his memoirs and his own narrative of his life in basketball.

The on line edition is scheduled to come out November when he turns 80 while the hardbound coffee table edition will be out in 2024.

L ipa and Regalado recently came out with Coach Joe Lipa’s Basketball 101, a follow up of Lipa’s first book in 1993. The book intends to serve as a reference readering for schools, local government units and coaches. When his memoirs come out, Lipa said he’ll be ready for his next life.

Brown won in 57.50 seconds to beat Japan’s Eri Utsunomiya (57.73) and Ami Yamamoto (57.80) and win the country’s first gold medal at the Asian championships. Her time was below the 54.90 world championships qualifying mark for the event but managed to get a ticket to Budapest through the area champion criterion. A sia’s top pole vaulter and first Filipino qualifier to the Paris Olympics Ernest John “EJ” Obiena has earlier booked his own slot in Budapest.

“I’ll have to talk to my coaches and see what our training schedule would look like,” she said. “I might have to take a little bit more time off my work so I can better prepare myself.”

The Filipino-American Brown, whose mother Susana Crisostomo is a Registered Nurse in Los Angeles, and father Kurtis Brown, a retired respiratory therapist, works part time in the evening as activity coordinator and assistant team manager for basketball events for players aged 4 to 17 in Los Angeles.

Brown, who’s turning 29 on July 27, intends to compete in the Hangzhou 19th Asian Games in China in September where she hopes to secure qualification for Paris.

“I hope everything goes even better for the Asian Games later and I’m so excited about it,” she said. “This is a stepping stone to get where I want to go and hopefully win another medal.”

Southeast Asian Games champion Janry Ubas, meanwhile, was seventh in men’s long jump with a 7.98-meter effort. Taiwan’s Lin Yu Tang won the gold with an Olympicqualifying jump of 8.40 meters.

Eric Cray was sixth in the men’s 400m hurdles with 49.76 seconds while Sarah Dequinan registered a new national record in women’s heptathlon by finishing fifth with 5.446 points.

WITH golfer Rory McIlroy baring his feelings about the Saudi Arabia-backed LIV golf these past few days, I totally get him. And I agree with him.

If LIV Golf was the last place to play golf on Earth, I would retire,” said McIlroy. “That’s how I feel about it.”

Plenty strong, huh?

I recently wrote that I was against politicking in sports or using sporting events to make political statements. I must admit that I too, am also against sportswashing where countries or business entities are allowed to organize sporting events that make them palatable to the public eye.

Th at is the problem when sports organizers go to countries or corporations loaded with money. They cannot bite the hands that feed them. And as a consequence, there is so much compromise.

T he sad thing there is—it isn’t just related to sports.

We once complained to this government agency about how this popular grocery has spurious practices when it comes to issuing receipts and how they seem to tack on

amounts or prices from products that were never even swiped at the cashier’s area. Their answer was: we cannot look into it because we have a deal going on with them.

T hat is where the compromise and corruption begins.

S ports-wise—on the players’ part—I would say it is about greed. From the country or the corporations’ part—it is about distracting from their policies that are highly prejudiced against a people or certain types of people or even tyranny.

W hile I understand that no one or nothing is perfect one can still strive to be. If a coach uses skill, coachability, potential and some other similar criteria in selecting a player, why cannot the same be said for a sporting event?

O h, because there isn’t much money and those with a lot of money are probably the problematic ones?

L ike when the Philippines initially lost its bid to host the FIBA World Cup about eight years ago to China. Granted the traffic and lack of venues put a huge dent

in the Philippines’ bid, but isn’t China’s human rights record of bigger concern? They have repressed people in their territories or even claimed territories. They have taken by force land in the West Philippine Sea.

I a m not foolish or blind and naïve. I do understand the need to compromise and meet in the middle ground. But some things should not be negotiable.

Do companies not look for candidates with good moral character? With no criminal records? Then it should be the same for those wanting to host sporting events.

O therwise the problem isn’t with those questionable countries or business entities, but the people who agree with them. I am willing to bet that these people get something in return. Now that opens up a whole new can of worms.

S o bravo to Rory McIlroy who said what those LIV rebels have not said because they have turned a blind cheek. May his tribe increase. And really. Shame on those who sold their souls for monetary gain.