Maynilad Water Services Inc. and Manila Water Company Inc., the private water service providers in Metro Manila, and Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) concessionaires are al ready tapping into its vast natural waterHresource.owever,like most bodies of water in the Philippines, Laguna de Bay’s sustainability is currently facing an enormous challenge. En vironmental degradation, plastic pollution and chemical poison ing are aggravating the decades of abuse and neglect, prompting key players in the water sector to renew the resounding call for its massive rehabilitation to maximize its eco nomic potential. Boracay-like rehab AN endeavor similar to the Bora cay Action Plan to rehabilitate, pro tect and preserve the biodiversity of Laguna de Bay and ensure its sustainable development is being proposed by various stakeholders. The Annual Million Trees Challenge, a movement initiated by former MWSS Chairman and Administrator Rey Velasco, and Million Trees Foundation Inc. (MTFI) Executive Director Melan drew Velasco are backing calls for such initiative.Whatwe need is to create a special task force that will take the lead and implement the massive re habilitation of Laguna de Bay, the way it was done in Boracay and now
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www.businessmirror.com.ph n Sunday, August 21, 2022 Vol. 17 No. 317 P25.00 nationwide | 2 sections 14 pages | 7 DAYS A WEEK PANORAMIC
THE LAKE OF LIFE
THE largest inland body of water in the Philippines and third largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, the Laguna de Bay, may soon emerge as an alternative source of raw water to meet the ever-increasing demand for clean, drinking water in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
High hopes DESPITE the current predicament confronting Laguna de Bay, vari ous stakeholders remain hopeful. In fact, Maynilad is currently constructing a new water treat ment plant in Poblacion, Muntin lupa, which will also get raw water from Laguna de Bay. It is designed to produce 150 million liters per day and is target ed for completion by 2023. Once operational, this new facility will produce a “buffer” supply so that Maynilad can sustain water servic es despite sudden shifts in the raw water quality of Laguna de Bay. being done in Manila Bay,” the for mer MWSS chief said. Massive reforestation MTFI’s Velasco added that a “mas sive” tree-planting activity involv ing various national government agencies, local government units, academe, scientific community, church, youth and local govern ment units is needed. Th is, he said, will help Laguna de Bay recover from environmental degradation, allowing it to provide the ecosystem services, including defense against natural calamities, which it used to deliver. He said degraded forest areas around Laguna de Bay should be rehabilitated and planted with a combination of indigenous or na tive trees, including bamboo, while removing garbage and other debris in the now heavily silted portions of the lake itself, thus reviving the entire watershed. Holistic solution WITH its multiple uses, the Lagu na de Bay Action Plan must iden tify key result areas and enlist the collaboration and partnership of all stakeholders.Thechallenges confronting Laguna de Bay call for a holistic so lution. Aside from poor water qual ity due to pollution, it suffers from decreasing water-holding capacity, and its denuded watersheds need to be reforested. “Rather than investing ad broader look at today’s business
By Jonathan L. Mayuga
PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 55.8560 n JAPAN 0.4111 n UK 66.6474 n HK 7.1211 n CHINA 8.2299 n SINGAPORE 40.3089 n AUSTRALIA 38.6133 n EU 56.3587 n KOREA 0.0421 n SAUDI ARABIA 14.8731 Source BSP (August 19, 2022)
Failed rehab attempt A PREVIOUS attempt by the gov ernment during the term of then President Gloria Macapagal-Ar royo, through the Department of Environment and Natural Re sources (DENR), and a Belgian company, Baggerwerken Decloedt En Zoon (BDC), to rehabilitate La guna de Bay was scrapped in 2011
ditional funds to keep upgrad ing our treatment technology, we think the more sustainable option is to protect the lake,” Maynilad President and Chief Executive Of fice Ramoncito S. Fernandez said. “Maynilad’s water treatment ca pacity can be affected by the vary ing water quality of the lake,” he explained. Benefits it brings LAGUNA de Bay has multiple uses and benefits.Itishome to a variety of fish species, mollusks and crustaceans. It is currently the biggest aquacul ture hub in the country, supplying wet markets in Metro Manila and surrounding towns and provinces with affordable fish, such as tilapia and bangus, an important source of protein.Itisalso used as a transport route, a source of animal feed, and provides water for irrigation and hydroelectric generation as well as domestic water supply. Water supply capacity ACCORDING to the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA), it has a total volume of 3.2 billion cubic meters, a shoreline of 220 ki lometers and an average depth of 2.5 meters.Itswaters come from rivers and streams, rainwater, storm wa ter runoff, and sewage. L aguna de Bay is the catch basin of industrial and domes tic wastewater pollution coming from the areas that border the lake among the provinces of Laguna, Rizal and the Metropolitan Manila cities and municipalities. S everal rivers and streams, 22 of which are significant river systems, drain into the lake. The Napindan Channel is the only outlet that drains lake waters into Manila Bay through the Pa sig River.
source of MWSS concessionaires. In April 2019, Maynilad inaugurated another water treatment plant in Ba rangayHoPutatan.wever,the water treatment facilities’ production capacity has been adversely affected by the raw water quality of Laguna de Bay, es pecially during periods when algal blooms occur. Algal blooms REPEATED episodes of algal blooms can be an indication that a river or lake is being contaminat ed, or that other aspects of a lake’s ecology are out of balance. The LLDA, in its advisory on algal bloom, stated that in Laguna de Bay, the algal bloom is a periodic occurrence—in the Central Bay and West Bay—where Muntinlupa City is one of the lakeshore’s local government units. W hile algal blooms are natural occurrences, their acceleration can be triggered by human activity. Al gal blooms arise from shifts in the nutrient balance of the lake water resulting from chemical/industri al/agricultural waste/leachates. These algal blooms also impact water production. It can be recalled that an al gal bloom in Laguna de Bay that happened in June 2019, when the maximum algal bio count reached 13,230 counts/mL, affected Maynilad’s water production.
Laguna de Bay reemerges as viable source of potable water for ‘thirsty’ Metro Manila, nearby provinces
by the late President Benigno S. Aquino III. The project was intended to dredge Laguna de Bay and increase its depth to meet global standards for harvesting lake water for purifi cation. Laguna de Bay’s water qual ity belongs to Class C and is unfit for human consumption without treatment.Theproject also called for the creation of navigational channels. The project, unfortunately, was scut tled, sparking controversy and drag ging the country to an international arbiter for which it paid dearly. Huge water potential THE potential of Laguna de Bay as a source of potable water is enor mous. With the service area of the MWSS located within the PasigLaguna de Bay river basin, it is a viable water source for its conces sionaires. Harnessing the lake’s water for domestic consumption entails investing in technology. In 2011, Maynilad formally un veiled its Putatan Water Treatment Plant. The treatment plant taps La guna de Bay as an alternative water source to Angat, the primary water views of the once majestic and pristine Laguna de Bay. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS
EJAP JOURNALISM AWARDS BUSINESS NEWS SOURCE OF THE YEAR (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 2018 BANTOG MEDIA AWARDS ROTARY CLUB OF MANILA JOURNALISM AWARDS 2006 National Newspaper of the Year 2011 National Newspaper of the Year 2013 Business Newspaper of the Year 2017 Business Newspaper of the Year 2019 Business Newspaper of the Year 2021 Pro Patria Award PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY 2018 Data Champion
THE waterway also separates Jor dan to the east from the Israeli-oc cupied West Bank, seized by Israel in a 1967 war and sought by the Palestinians for a state. It’s a victim of the conflict, definitely. It’s a victim of people, because it’s what we did as people to the river, basically, and now add ing to all this it’s a victim of climate change,” said Yana Abu Taleb, the Jor danian director of EcoPeace Middle East, which brings together Jordanian, Palestinian and Israeli environmental ists and lobbies for regional collabo ration on saving the river. “So it’s a victim in every way.” EcoPeace has said for years that the Lower Jordan, which runs south from the Sea of Galilee, is threatened by decades of water diversions and by pollution. Only a tiny fraction of its historical water flow now reaches its terminus in the Dead Sea. Standing at the Jordanian baptismal site Bethany Beyond the Jordan, Burckhartt grappled with many emotions—among them, sadness for the river’s dwindling. “I am sure God above is also sad.” Scene of miracles THE river’s opposing banks are home to rival baptismal sites where rituals of faith unfold, a reflection of the river’s enduring allure.
It’s very profound,” said the 53-year-old visitor from Indiana. “I have not ever walked where Jesus walked for one thing.”
Bromberg said that “from a Jewish tradition, you know, the river and its banks are a place of miracles…[but] it doesn’t reflect a place of miracles in its current de pleted state.”
Rehab plan IN July, Israel approved plans to rehabilitate a stretch of the Lower Jordan, a decision Environmental Protection Minister Tamar Zand berg called “historic.” “For decades it was neglected and most of its waters were tak en, and it effectively turned into a sewage canal,” Zandberg said in a statement. “In an era of climate crisis and a serious ecological cri sis, there is double significance to rehabilitating the River Jordan.” Speaking by phone, Zandberg said the plan focuses on a stretch that runs in Israeli territory and reflects Israel’s improved water sit uation given its desalination pro gram, which has left it much less reliant on water it has been using from the Sea of Galilee. “It can provide a success story on that segment, and then it will enable more successful partner ships in the future” in the region. Th at’s something that hasn’t always come easily. A regional rehabilitation and development master plan an nounced in 2015 by EcoPeace and others was adopted by Jordan but not by the Israelis or Palestinians due to outstanding “final-status” peace process issues, according to the group.Political tensions have stalled other efforts. A nd not everyone welcomes, or trusts, EcoPeace’s work. We’re always accused of being ‘normalizers,’” or having normal relations with Israel, said Abu Ta leb, the group’s Jordanian director. That is a contentious topic, unpop ular among many Arabs, due to fac tors such as Israeli occupations and a lack of a resolution to the Pales tinian issue. B romberg said he, too, has encountered criticism from a vo cal minority in Israel “inappro priately” branding the group’s ad vocacy as benefiting Jordanians and Palestinians at the expense of Israeli interests. Water woes also complicate re vivalJefforts.ordanis one of the world’s most water-scarce nations, its challenges compounded by a grow ing population swelled by waves of refugees. Climate change threatens to exacerbate such problems. “ We are under stress, so we don’t have a surplus to add to the Jordan River and to revive it,” said Khalil Al-Absi, a Jordanian official with the Jordan Valley Authority. He added: “We have many beauti ful ideas for the Jordan River, but there are limitations.” For all the challenges facing the river, Al-Absi said he remains opti mistic. The alternative could be grim. “ Water is life,” Al-Absi said. “Without water, there is no life.”
| The Associated Press
By Mariam Fam
The river holds further sig nificance as the scene of miracles in the Old Testament. At the Jordanian baptismal site on a recent day, a woman dipped her feet in the waters and then cupped some with her hands, POPE Francis prays in front of the Jordan River at the Bethany beyond the Jordan baptismal site on the east bank of the river, west of Amman, Jordan, on Saturday, May 24, 2014.
MEMBERS of the Eritrean and Ethiopian Christian Orthodox community from Tel Aviv participate in a baptismal ceremony in the waters of the Jordan River as part of the Orthodox Feast of the Epiphany at the Qasr al-Yahud baptismal site, near the West Bank town of Jericho on January 19, 2018. AP/ODED BALILTY
Mideast’s Jordan River: Rich in holiness, poor in water
AP/ANDREW MEDICHINI
‘It’s [the Jordan River] a victim of the conflict, definitely. It’s a victim of people, because it’s what we did as people to the river, basically, and now adding to all this it’s a victim of climate change.’—Yana Abu Taleb
Here, tourists and pilgrims, many driven by faith, come to follow in Christ’s footsteps, to touch the river’s water, to connect to biblical events. Symbolically and spiritually, the river is of mighty significance to many. Physically, the Lower Jordan River of today is a lot more meager thanBmighty.ythe time it reaches the baptismal site, its dwindling wa ter looks sluggish, a dull brownish green shade. Its decline is intertwined with the decades-old Arab-Israeli conflict and rivalry over precious water in a valley where so much is contested. A stretch of the river, for in stance, was a hostile frontier between once-warring Israel and Jordan.
The river’s decline, she said, is especially disappointing to elderly Palestinians who remember “how they used to go fishing, how they used to have a dip in the river.”
ALONG
THE JORDAN RIVER— Kristen Burckhartt felt overwhelmed. She needed time to reflect, to let it sink in that she had just dipped her feet in the water where Jesus is said to have been baptized, in the Jordan River.
rubbing it on her face and head. Others crossed themselves or bent to fillRbottles.ustom Mkhjian, director general of the Baptism Site Com mission in Jordan, spoke passion ately about the Jordanian site’s claim to authenticity—Unesco has declared it a World Heritage Site “of immense religious significance to the majority of denominations of Christian faith, who have accepted this site as the location where Je sus” wasEverybaptized.yearwe celebrate inter faith harmony, and among my hap piest days in my life is days when I see Jews, Christians and Muslims visit the site and the three of them cry,” Mkhjian said. The Jordanian and West Bank sites give visitors access to a nar row stretch of the river, where they face people on the other side. An Israeli flag at the West Bank’s Qasr al-Yahud serves as a reminder that the river is a frontier separating the two worlds. Th at site is also billed as the place where Jesus was baptized. Jordan and Israel, which signed a peace treaty in 1994, compete for these people’s tourism dollars. Several people in flowing white robes waded in from the West Bank. Visitors in another group there stood on the bank or in the water as two men in black poured river water over their heads. Oh, Brothers, let’s go down.... Down in the river to pray,” some sang. The divisions SUCH serene moments contrast with the hostilities that have played out on the river’s banks. “Any fresh water left in the riv er would have in the past been seen as empowering the enemy,” said Gidon Bromberg, EcoPeace Middle East’s group’s Israeli director. “You take everything that you can.” Israel, from a historical per spective, has taken about half the water, and Syria and Jordan have taken the other half,” Bromberg said. Palestinians can no longer ac cess or use water from the Jordan, a 2013 UN-German report noted. Syria doesn’t have access either but has built dams in the Yarmouk River sub-basin, which is part of the Jordan River basin, it added. “ The Jordan River in the past, for Palestinians, meant liveli hoods and economic stability and growth,” said Nada Majdalani, Eco Peace’s Palestinian director. Now, she added, it has been reduced to an “ambition of statehood and sov ereignty over water resources.”
Constantly under threat
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The Bill behind the Bill GATES started wooing Manchin and other senators who might prove piv otal for clean-energy policy in 2019 over a meal in Washington DC. “My dialogue with Joe has been going on for quite a while,” Gates said. “Al most everyone on the energy com mittee”—of which Manchin was then the senior-most Democrat— “came over and spent a few hours with me over dinner.” With President Donald Trump in the White House, there was little prospect the dinner would turn into sweeping policy. Still, the evening was organized around a very Bill Gates theme: “The role of innova tion in climate,” he recalled of the discussion. “How the US was really the only country, given how quickly this needs to get done, that has that innovation power in our universi ties, our national labs, our risktakingGatesability.”asserted to the senators that the world needed American innovation unleashed if there was any hope of halting climate change, and it needed to start with leader ship in Washington DC. “We’ve seen in industry after industry how that matters.”Butinnovations that start in uni versity labs often need even more government support to reach mass adoption, according to the way Gates sees things. Take a startup mak ing carbon-free cement—success means bringing to market a product that’s as much as three times as ex pensive as normal cement. This is no hypothetical for Gates. His investments through Break through Energy, the Gates orga nization that does climate work, has sunk at least tens of millions into green cement startups such as Ecocem, Chement and Brimstone. None have yet reached commercial scale. He saw the bankruptcy filing of a battery startup he backed, Aqui on, that might have had a fighting chance if energy-storage tax credits wereWhileavailable.acarbon tax could level the playing field, the US failed spectacularly when it tried to enact that policy under President Barack Obama. Manchin at the time re leased a campaign ad in which he shot a bullet into a copy of the capand-trade bill favored by many law makers in his party. Tax credits are the other way gov ernments can help overcome what Gates calls the “green premium,” easing the path to commercial adop tion. New climate-friendly technol ogies such as hydrogen, advanced nuclear reactors, carbon capture and sustainable aviation fuel need this kind of support right now. The sum that can be brought to bear by the US government would be “far greater than any individual’s for tune,” said Gates. This fits with the billionaire’s two general approaches to solving prob lems: sponsor the necessary innova tions himself, and find more money from elsewhere that will multiply the effect of whatever funding he puts up. For example, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation seeded the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria with a little over $3 billion—a fraction of the $55 billion spent by the fund from government grants and other philanthropies.Onclimate, the Gates play book has been much the same. He made the case in 2015 that governments spent too little on research and development for en ergy technologies. In the shadow of that year’s Paris Agreement, Gates won a smaller pact between the US and 20 other countries to double funding for clean-energy research within five years. Gates knew he would need to ensure green innovations reach scale, so in 2015 he also moved to launch Breakthrough Energy. Alongside the venture arm, the operation also includes a science arm that produces reports as well as a lobbying arm that pushes for government policies. Gates has committed to give away “virtually all” of his $123 billion wealth to his foundation, and any money he makes on startup investments will also be ploughed back into his climateBreakthroughwork. was up and run ning when Biden took the White House. Within months, the presi dent had unveiled two big bills: the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and the Build Back Better Act.
The infrastructure bill, with at least $80 billion in energy-transition spending, passed with relative ease in the Senate; 19 Republican sena tors voted in favor. It later passed the House after months of progres sives holding it hostage to pressure Manchin on social spending. But most of the climate spend ing—initially as much as $555 billion—was in a draft of BBB that attracted zero Republican support. That made Manchin’s vote absolutely necessary. What happened next has become rather infamous for anyone who has followed the legislative poli tics of Washington over the past 18 months. As the crucial 50th vote for the Senate’s bare Democratic major ity, Manchin held unmatched sway over negotiations that dragged on and on as progressives tried to force his to accept a $2.2 trillion version of the agenda. And then everything crashed to a halt. When Manchin walked away ON December 19, Manchin ap peared on Fox News to announce that he wasn’t willing to sup port BBB because of his concerns over national debt, inflation, the Omicron variant of the Co vid-19 pandemic, and geopoliti cal uncertainty with China and Russia. It emerged that he had months earlier signed a secret document with Schumer set ting out his conditions: smaller spending, anti-inflation actions from the Fed, no “handouts” to low-income individuals. In January, a few weeks later, Gates said he had lunch with the senator and his wife, Gayle Conelly Manchin, in a Washington DC restaurant. The trio talked about the needs of West Virginia, the center of the US coal industry. Gates sug gested that, if coal power plants and mining jobs are eliminated, perhaps those workers can build new small nuclear power plants, including ones from a company he founded BuildandinflationinnewsiateriesstartupCharlestongionalscendedinstance,coal-and-gasspendingonstrationspresentingeBidenhimchin’sactivistsobscuredonegoingsaid. “Thatdidn’tforManchinTerraPower. (Representativescalledfordidnotrespondtorequestscomment.)“IkepttryingbecauseIjustseeanotherchance,”Gatestaxcreditpiecewasn’ttoshowup.Exceptinthispath.”Inthebackground,somewhatbytheloudprotestsofwhokayakeduptoManhouseboatinD.C.orvisitedinWestVirginia,envoysfromandmanufacturinginterstspursuedadifferenttactic:carefullypickeddemofhowclean-energycouldbeaboonforhisstate.InMarch,fortwocabinetofficialsdeontheWestVirginiaReTechnologyParkinSouthtoheraldplansbySparkzInc.tobuildbatthere.SteelofWestVirginInc. andFerroGlobePLCmadeaboutsolarmanufacturingthestate. Butfast-spreadingworriesabouthadManchin’sattention,onFebruary1hedeclaredthatBackBetterwas“dead.”Any attempts to pass a climate bill would have to start from scratch. Most ob servers focused on the end of what had been an enormous chunk of Biden’s agenda. A sense of bitterness set into public discussions of the climate bill, another example of political gridlock. “I wouldn’t have wanted to be in his position,” Gates said. “The last six months have been challenging, even just getting in his car and trying to live a normal life.” But the billionaire didn’t believe it was over quite yet. Five months later, Schumer and Manchin had in fact found a way to make progress on an all-new bill. On July 7, Manchin was spotted at the Sun Valley media conference that draws power brokers to Idaho each year. Gates also attended and met with the senator again. “We had a talk about what was missing, what needed to be done,” Gates recalled. “And then after that it was a lot of phoneAlthoughcalls.” Democrats still had a few months under congressio nal budget rules to ram legislation through the Senate with only 50 votes, lawmakers were preparing to leave for a month-long recess. And Democratic leaders were relying on the same bill—with or without clean energy tax credits—to ex tend Obamacare health insurance subsidies before they lapsed. If the legislation didn’t get done before the August break, the opportunity could close for good, especially if Republicans take control of the House or Senate in the November midterm elections. That pressure drove Schumer to insist on moving quickly, Manchin pushed back, and once again talks collapsed on July 14. Manchin told a local radio host in West Virginia that he was wary of adding to inflation that was running at record highs, including a 9.1 percent spike in the price of gas, groceries and goods in June. So he ruled out passing tax and climate provisions before the AugustThererecess.waswidespread dismay— even tears—among climate activ ists and hardened energy lobbyists alike. It had seemed that a shrunk en-down version of the bill was close at hand, and then the climate provisions were dead once more. One lobbyist who’d been working on renewable tax credits called it a “gutWithoutpunch.” the Senate, Biden vowed to take executive action. White House officials drew up plans for him to declare a climate emergency that would unlock presidential powers to spur clean energy without help from Con gress. Senator Martin Heinrich, a Democrat from New Mexico, questioned why Manchin still had his gavel as chair of the influential energy committee.
BILL GATES
• Editor: Angel R. Calso A3 By Akshat Rathi & Jennifer A. Dlouhy
That’s when billionaire philan thropist and clean-energy investor Bill Gates got on the phone with Sen ate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, whose job it was to hold together the Democrats’ no-vote-to-spare majority.Oneof the world’s richest men felt he had to give one of the na tion’s most powerful lawmakers a little pep talk. “[Schumer] said to me on one call that he’d shown in finite patience,” Gates recounted in an interview last week, describing for the first time his personal effort to keep climate legislation alive. “You’re right,” Gates told Schum er. “And all you need to do is show infinite plus one patience.” Gates was banking on more than just his trademark optimism about addressing climate change and other seemingly intractable problems that have been his focus since stepping down as Microsoft’s chief executive two decades ago. As he revealed to Bloomberg Green, he has quietly lobbied Manchin and other sena tors, starting before President Joe Biden had won the White House, in anticipation of a rare moment in which heavy federal spending might be secured for the clean-energy transition.Thosediscussions gave him rea son to believe the senator from West Virginia would come through for the climate—and he was willing to continue pressing the case himself until the very end. “The last month people felt like, OK, we tried, we’re done, it failed,” Gates said. “I be lieved it was a unique opportunity.” So he tapped into a relationship with Manchin that he’d cultivated for at least three years. “We were able to talk even at a time when he felt people weren’t listening.” Few had any idea at this time that talks remained open at all. In addition to Gates, an ad hoc group of quiet Manchin influenc ers sprang into action just when climate legislation seemed out of reach. Schumer’s office cred ited the bill’s passage to persis tence and otherwise declined to comment.CollinO’Mara, chief executive officer of the National Wildlife Federation, recruited economists to assuage Manchin’s concerns— including representatives from the University of Chicago and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Senator Chris Coons of Delaware brought in a heavy weight: former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers, who has spent decades advising Democrats.
“Joe Manchin was allowed to feel the whole breadth of the blowback that had really been held back up until that point,” said Christy Gold fuss, senior vice president of energy and environment policy with the Center for American Progress and a former adviser to Obama. “Everyone really unleashed the rage.”
IMAGES
Bill Gates: The secret push to save Biden’s Climate Bill
The economists were able to “send this signal that [the bill’s] go ing to help with the deficit,” O’Mara said. “It’s going to be slightly de flationary and it’s going to spur growth and investment in all these areas.” Through this subtle alchemy, clean-energy investments could be reframed for Manchin as a hedge against future spikes in oil and gas prices and a way to potentially ex port more energy to Europe. That additional patience and pushing helped send a history-mak ing climate bill through Congress. The Inflation Reduction Act, spon sored by Manchin and Schumer, in cludes $374 billion in new spending to speed up clean-energy deploy ment, incentivize consumer pur chases of electric cars, and boost other green priorities (alongside expanded federal mandates for oil and gas development). Now Biden has signed it into law. “I am confident this bill will endure as one of the greatest leg islative feats in decades,” said Schumer at the signing on Tues day. Doing so secures a landmark victory for Democrats, who acted in unison without a single Re publican vote, and delivers on the climate agenda that formed a part of the president’s campaign promises.It’sbyfar the biggest financial commitment the US government has ever made to fight climate change. The emissions reductions that will result from this law will be roughly the same as eliminating the annual planet-warming pollution of France and Germany combined, or about 2.5 percent of the total global greenhouse gas output, according to researchers who specialize in climate modeling. It might be just about enough to revive the virtually left-for-dead goal of limiting warm ing to 1.5° Celsius, as enshrined in the Paris Agreement. But this turning point almost didn’t happen. Perhaps more than any previous moment in the effort to reverse rising temperatures, this one hinged on a handful of person alities and interpersonal relation ships. This is the story of how quiet back-channeling helped shape the climate policies in the new law.
It was a moment of reckoning. “Everybody had to kind of look into that abyss together to get their head around the fact that some thing is better than nothing,” said Heather Zichal, another former Obama climate adviser who now leads the American Clean Power Association.Severalloose coalitions of envi ronmental groups, labor unions and clean-energy interests huddled on strategy and enlisted West Virginia interests to once again highlight the economic potential for Man chin. Some labor and environmen tal leaders pushed Schumer away from complacency by arguing that unilateral action by Biden was no substitute for hundreds of billions in clean-energy tax credits. Fredd Krupp of the Environ mental Defense Fund cautioned the White House against acting alone. “I had concerns that de claring that would push Manchin away,” he said. Lobbying blitz gave Climate Bill new life OF course, it wasn’t just Bill Gates who had put in long months court ing Manchin. The BlueGreen Alli ance coalition of environmental and labor groups had spent 18 months building a reservoir of trust they could tap now. “We came to a judg ment that Manchin legitimately wanted to get something done but he had serious concerns, and those concerns needed to be addressed,” said Jason Walsh, executive direc tor of the alliance. “We believed he was still negotiating in good faith.” Gates took the same view. “You know, people say Joe likes coal or something like that,” he said, refer ring to the millions of dollars the senator earned from a company sup plying coal. “That’s really not fair. Joe wanted a climate bill.” Several senators also refused to give up. Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon who heads the tax-writing finance commit tee, went into salvage mode to reclaim bits of defunct drafts that could be reused. “Every time I would talk to people I would say: ‘We’re going to stay at it until this happens. It’s too important. You don’t get this kind of opportunity all the time.’” A small club of senators— Wyden called them the “neversay-die caucus,” including Coons and Senator John Hickenlooper of Colorado—worked together to reassure Manchin. “I was listen ing to every single thing that Joe said that he had a real problem with, and I was trying to address it,” Hickenlooper said. Two labor groups, the West Vir ginia AFL-CIO and United Mine Workers of America, drove home the chance to fund black lung health benefits for miners who are legion in Manchin’s home state. They also emphasized provisions that boost tax credits for projects that use American-made materials, pay prevailing wages or are located in the shadow of former coal plants and mines. at the Sun Valley Conference on July 7. KEVIN DIETSCH/GETTY
SEN. Joe Manchin, prior to a Senate Rules and Administration Committee hearing, in August. AL DRAGO/BLOOMBERG See “Climate Bill,” A4
IT was the middle of July—with temperatures surging through one of the hottest summers in US history, half of the country in drought—and the Senate’s allimportant member, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, had slammed the brakes on legislation to combat global warming. Again.
AFGHAN girls read the Quran in the Noor Mosque outside the city of Kabul, Afghanistan on August 3, 2022. Maulvi Bakhtullah, the head of the mosque, said that the number of girls who come to this mosque to learn Quran has multiplied after the closure of public schools. For most teenage girls in Afghanistan, it’s been a year since they set foot in a classroom. With no sign the ruling Taliban will allow them back to school, some girls and parents are trying to find ways to keep education from stalling for a generation of young women. AP/EBRAHIM NOROOZI
Girls in Afghanistan face uncertain future after one year of no school
ABUL, Afghanistan—For most teenage girls in Afghanistan, it’s been a year since they set foot in a classroom. With no sign the ruling Taliban will allow them back to school, some are trying to find ways to keep education from stalling for a generation of young women.
By Edith M. Lederer The Associated Press U NITED NATIONS—A UN investigator says contemporary forms of slavery are widely practiced around the world, including forced labor for China’s Uyghur minority, bonded labor for the lowest caste Dalits in South Asia, and domestic servitude in Gulf countries, Brazil and HumanColombia.Rights Council Special Rapporteur Tomoya Obokat adds that traditional enslavement, especially of minorities, is found in Mauritania, Mali and Niger in Africa’s Sahel region. He said in a report to the UN General Assembly circulated Wednesday that child labor—another contemporary form of slavery—exists in all regions of the world, including its worst forms. “In Asia and the Pacific, the Middle East, the Americas and Europe, between 4 and 6 percent of children are said to be in child labor, and the percentage is much higher in Africa (21.6 percent), with the highest rate in sub-Saharan Africa (23.9 percent),” he said. His conclusion about Uyghurs in China’s northwestern province of Xinjiang follows a US ban imposed last December on imports from the region unless businesses can prove items are made without forced labor. There have been many claims China engages in systemic and widespread abuse of ethnic and religious minorities in its western region. China’s Foreign Ministry sharply criticized that finding by Okobata, who is a Japanese scholar and professor of international law and human rights at Keele University in England. In the report, Okobata said that based on an independent assessment of available information from many sources, including victims and government accounts, he “regards it as reasonable to conclude that forced labor among Uyghur, Kazakh and other ethnic minorities in sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing has been occurring in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China.”
The World BusinessMirrorSunday, August 21, 2022 www.businessmirror.com.phA4
Bloomberg News Climate Bill. . . Continued from A3
Two weeks of throw-everything-at-thewall lobbying paid off. On July 27, Schumer and Manchin unveiled more than $37 billion in annual spending over the next decade on climate and energy. The tax provisions and drug-pricing reform would contribute to the government’s purse, estimated to reduce the national deficit by $300 billion before 2030. “If you look at the whole arc—from when he went on Fox News in December to the blow-up in July—the fact that we’re here in this moment is nothing short of remarkable,” Walsh said. “That’s a testament to the persistence of a lot of folks—most importantly, Senator Schumer and Senator Manchin.” The final law expands tax credits that Gates and others sought to support that reach beyond renewable power and batteries to also encompass nuclear plants, carbon capture technology, sustainable aviation fuels, hydrogen, and upgrading the grid. It includes a tax credit for advanced manufacturing pushed by renewable and auto interests as a way to nurture a domestic production of solar modules and electric vehicles. “I don’t want to take credit for what went on,” Gates said. In a win for advanced energy manufacturing, hydrogen and carbon capture, tax credits to support those technologies are made refundable so that developers can collect them as direct payments instead of seeking tax-equity financing from investors. That could help many climate startups access government support, even if they don’t have a tax liability. But not every would-be influencer found fulfillment in the new climate law. In a blow to solar and wind developers, Manchin resisted entreaties to make the direct pay option widely available, insisting the focus should be on innovative projects and not more established clean-energy technology.
He cited two systems used by China— the detention of minorities for vocational skills education and training followed by work placement, and a poverty alleviation through labor program in which surplus rural laborers are transferred to other work. He said labor transfer is also practiced in Tibet where farmers, herders and other rural workers are transferred into lowskilled and low-paid employment. While these programs may create jobs and income as the government claims, Obokata said in many cases the work is involuntary and workers are subject to excessive surveillance, abusive living and working conditions, restricted movements, threats, physical or sexual violence, and other inhuman or degrading treatment. “Some instances may amount to enslavement as a crime against humanity, meriting a further independent analysis,” he said.China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin accused Obokata of choosing “to believe in lies and disinformation about Xinjiang spread by the US and some other Western countries and anti-China forces.” He also accused Obokata of abusing his authority as a special investigator to “smear and denigrate China and serve as a political tool for anti-China forces.” He accused unnamed “forces” of fabricating disinformation on forced labor “to undermine Xinjiang’s prosperity and stability and contain China’s development and“Chinarevitalization.”strongly condemns this,” Wang said. “There has never been ‘forced labor’ in Xinjiang.”Hesaid China protects the rights and interests of workers from all ethnic groups to seek employment, participate in economic and social life, “and to share the dividends of socioeconomic progress.” Obokata said minorities are also subjected to forced labor in Latin America, pointing to rural areas of Brazil, including the Amazon, where “slavery is intricately linked with economic activities that are causing environmental devastation, including illegal logging and mining.” The majority of victims are men of African descent with low levels of education, he said. The report also cited two other forms of contemporary slavery—child or forced marriage and sexual slavery. Rates of child marriage spike in marginalized communities like the Roma minority in southeastern Europe, he said. In parts of the Balkans, half of all Roma women ages 20 to 24 are married before age 18, compared to around 10 percent nationally, he said. He said official data in the United Kingdom suggest a large majority of forced marriage cases relate to Pakistan and to a lesser extent Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India and Somalia. In other regions, Boko Haram has forced Christian women and girls to convert to Islam and to marry, Obokata said. Some ethnic minority groups in Nigeria practice forced or child marriage at high rates—74.9 percent among the Kambari and 73.8 percent among the Fulfude, he said. Forced marriage is also a concern in the African nation of Congo, in Cambodia, India, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka and Vietnam in Asia, and in Bolivia, Colombia, Honduras and Panama in Latin America, he said. As for sexual slavery, which has been particularly notable during conflicts and humanitarian crises, Obokata pointed to the more than 6,500 women from Iraq’s Yazidi minority reportedly taken captive in 2014 by Islamic State fighters who used rape as a weapon of war against them. Nearly 2,800 Yazidi women and children remain missing or in captivity today, he said. In Ethiopia, Obokata said, minority women in the northern Tigray, Amhara and Afar regions have been subjected to rape, sexual mutilation and other forms of sexual violence by parties to the conflict. In northern Nigeria, Boko Haram has primarily targeted Christians and moderate Muslims for enslavement, including sexual slavery, he said. In Myanmar, women from the Rohingya Muslim minority “have been subjected to systematic sexual violence by the country’s security forces which may be regarded as war crimes or crimes against humanity,” he said.Despite the persistence of contemporary forms of slavery among minorities, Obokata said governments, national human rights bodies, civil society organizations and regional and other groups “have been playing an important role in preventing the exploitation of minorities.”
UN investigator: Contemporary slavery extensive around globe
By Rahim Faiez & Siddiqullah Alizai The Associated Press K
The final bill also contains just a fraction of the green spending originally envisioned in the far larger climate-and-social spending bill passed by the House. Progressive activists, including Evergreen Action, lost their bid to hasten the retirement of coal plants by having the government pay utilities to boost their carbon-free power generation and fine those that fall short. The law includes requirements—some created by Manchin himself—that would further oil and gas development on federal lands and waters. New renewable power projects on federal lands are contingent on oil and gas leasing over the next decade, and there are mandates to sell drilling rights in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska’s Cook Inlet. Still, climate researchers project the law would cut 24 tons of carbon emissions for every ton it adds through more oil and gas. “We need hydrocarbons in the meantime,” Gates said of the boost for fossil fuel. Also at Manchin’s insistence, automakers also will see new strings attached to electric vehicle tax incentives so they will have to be made in North America and, by 2024, can’t use batteries sourced from China. Labor leaders bemoaned that the final package doesn’t contain much support for workers who lose their jobs in the green transition. Gates looks back at the new law with satisfaction. He achieved what he set out to do. “I will say that it’s one of the happier moments of my climate work,” Gates said. “I have two things that excite me about climate work. One is when policy gets done well, and this is by far the biggest moment like that.” His other pleasure comes from interviewing people at climate and clean-tech startups: “I hear about this amazing new way to make steel, cement and There’schemicals.”been such whiplash from 2016 when, as Gates puts it, green spending from the US government “had dropped to near zero.” Six years later, American climate finance has been “reinvigorated,” and Gates now sees innovation “going way faster than I expected. That’s why I’m optimistic that we will solve this thing.”
At a house in Kabul, dozens gathered on a recent day for class es in an informal school set up by Sodaba Nazhand. She and her sister teach English, science and math to girls who should be in secondary school. “When the Taliban wanted to take away the rights of educa tion and the rights of work from women, I wanted to stand against their decision by teaching these girls,” Nazhand told The Associ atedHersPress.isone of a number of un derground schools in operation since the Taliban took over the country a year ago and banned girls from continuing their ed ucation past the sixth grade. While the Taliban have permit ted women to continue attending universities, this exception will become irrelevant when there are no more girls graduating from high“Thereschools.isno way to fill this gap, and this situation is very sad and concerning,” Nazhand said. The relief agency Save the Chil dren interviewed nearly 1,700 boys and girls between the ages of 9 and 17 in seven provinces to assess the impact of the education restrictions.Thesurvey, conducted in May and June and released Wednes day, found that more than 45 percent of girls are not going to school, compared with 20 per cent of boys. It also found that 26 percent of girls are showing signs of depression, compared with 16 percent of boys. Nearly the entire population of Afghanistan was thrown into pov erty and millions were left unable to feed their families when the world cut off financing in response to the Taliban takeover. Teachers, parents and experts all warn that the country’s multi ple crises, including the devastat ing collapse of the economy, are proving especially damaging to girls. The Taliban have restricted women’s work, encouraged them to stay at home and issued dress codes requiring them to cover their faces, except for their eyes, though the codes are not always enforced.Theinternational community is demanding that the Taliban open schools for all girls, and the US and EU have created plans to pay salaries directly to Afghanistan’s teachers, keeping the sector going without putting the funds through theButTaliban.thequestion of girls’ educa tion appears to have been tangled in behind-the-scenes differences among the Taliban. Some in the movement support returning girls to school—whether because they see no religious objection to it or because they want to improve ties with the world. Others, especially rural, tribal elders who make up the backbone of the movement, staunchly oppose it. During their first time ruling Afghanistan in the 1990s, the Tali ban imposed much stricter restric tions on women, banning school for all girls, barring women from work and requiring them to wear an all-encompassing burka if they went outside. In the 20 years after the Taliban were driven from power in 2001, an entire generation of women returned to school and work, par ticularly in urban areas. Seemingly acknowledging those changes, the Taliban reassured Afghans when they seized control again last year that they would not return to the heavy hand of the past. Officials have publicly insisted that they will allow teen girls back into school, but say time is needed to set up logistics for strict gender segregation to ensure an “Islamic framework.”Hopeswere raised in March: Just before the new school year was to begin, the Taliban Edu cation Ministry proclaimed ev eryone would be allowed back. But on March 23, the day of the reopening, the decision was sud denly reversed, surprising even ministry officials. It appeared that at the last minute, the Tal iban’s supreme leader, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, bowed to the Shekibaopposition.Qaderi, a 16-yearold, recalled how she showed up that day, ready to start the 10th grade. She and all her classmates were laughing and excited, until a teacher came in and told them to go home. The girls broke into tears, she said. “That was the worst moment in our lives.” Since then, she’s been trying to keep up with studies at home, reading her textbooks, novels and history books. She’s study ing English through movies and YouTube videos. The unequal access to education cuts through families. Shekiba and a younger sister can’t go to her school, but her two brothers can. Her older sister is at a private university studying law. But that is little comfort, said their father, Mohammad Shah Qaderi. Most of the professors have left the coun try, bringing down the quality of theEveneducation.ifthe young woman gets a university degree, “what is the benefit?” asked Qaderi, a 58-year-old retired government employee.“Shewon’t have a job. The Taliban won’t allow her to work,” he Qaderisaid. said he has always want ed his children to get a higher education. Now that may be im possible, so he’s thinking of leav ing Afghanistan for the first time after riding out years of war. “I can’t see them growing in front of my eyes with no educa tion; it is just not acceptable to me,” he Undergroundsaid. schools present another alternative, though with limitations.Amonth after the Taliban takeover, Nazhand started teach ing street children to read with informal outdoor classes in a park in her neighborhood. Wom en who couldn’t read or write joined them, she said. Some time later, a benefactor who saw her in the park rented a house for her to hold classes in, and bought tables and chairs. Once she was oper ating inside, Nazhand included teen girls who were no longer allowed to go to public school. Now there are about 250 stu dents, including 50 or 60 school girls above sixth grade. “I am not only teaching them school subjects, but also trying to teach them how to fight and stand for their rights,” Nazhand said. The Taliban haven’t changed from their first time in power in the late 1990s, she said. “These are the same Taliban, but we shouldn’t be the same women of those years. We must struggle: by writing, by raising our voice, by any way Nazhand’spossible.”school, and others like it are technically illegal un der the Taliban’s current restric tions, but so far they haven’t shut hers down. At least one other per son operating a school declined to speak to reporters, however, fearing possible repercussions. Despite her unwavering com mitment, Nazhand worries about her school’s future. Her benefactor paid for six months’ rent on the house, but he died recently, and she doesn’t have any way to keep paying for rent or supplies. For students, the underground schools are a lifeline. “It is so hard when you can’t go to school,” said one of them, Du nya Arbabzada. “Whenever I pass by my school and see the closed door...it’s so upsetting for me.” Faiez reported from Islamabad, Pakistan.
STAR-STUDDED SKY
A DOST-ASTI team installs a weather monitoring station at Luta Norte Elementary School near the Progressive Bank of Malvar. PHILSA PHOTO This situation has led the Phil ippine Space Agency (PhilSA), the Department of Science and Technology’s Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DOSTASTI) and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to turn to satellite Internet in order to provide rural banks financial inclusivity. The technical teams of the three agencies initiated the test deployment of the satellite Inter net service provided by iOne Re source, Inc. in two rural banks in Batangas—The Progressive Bank of Malvar and the Rural Bank of Cuenca, PhilSA said. The banks have earlier been identified by the Department of Information and Communica tions Technology to be situated in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas, where in stallation of additional terrestrial networks may not be feasible to boost“Weconnectivity.believeinthe capability of satellite technology to enhance connectivity in rural areas, there by expanding the capacity of banks to provide digital financial servic es and promote greater financial inclusion in unserved and under served areas,” said BSP Governor Felipe M. Medalla. With enhanced connectivity in rural areas, digital financial ser vices—such as remittances, bills payment, and opening transaction accounts, among others, would be more inclusive and accessible.
This carbon-sink effect shields the planet from even harsher climate effects. This was possible because oceans and seas were in a healthy condition, Garrabou said. “But now we have driven the ocean to an unhealthy and dysfunctional state,” he said. While the earth’s greenhouse gas emissions will have to be drastically reduced if sea warming is to be curtailed, ocean scientists are specifically looking for authorities to guarantee that 30 percent of sea areas are protected from human activities such as fishing, which would give species a chance to recover and thrive. About 8 percent of the Mediterranean Sea area is currently protected.
The provision of technical sup port to BSP is in line with PhilSA’s mandate to enable other govern ment agencies or departments, as well as the private sector, to per form their duties with the use of space science and technology ap plications and space data. “PhilSA and DOST-ASTI will process data to look at the network performance against the actual connectivity needs of the banks. Information from these reports will be utilized by BSP as we move this partnership forward,” said PhilSA Space Business Develop ment Division Officer-in-Charge Ma. Victoria Gazmin-Basto. A Weather and Performance Monitoring System (WPMS) ap paratus, developed by DOST-ASTI, was set up at locations near the two banks to gather data. The WPMS is equipped with a network performance monitoring device connected to the satellite Internet-user equipment deployed at the Progressive Bank of Malvar and the Rural Bank of Cuenca. The device measures network parameters, such as upload and download speeds, throughput, latency and jitter, among others. \ The WPMS also consists of weather stations to simultane ously observe weather conditions, such as rain, temperature, humid ity, and pressure.
The governmentBangsamorocast its eyes on establishing a science high school and a museum in the region to upgrade the quality of science capability of its constituents as well as to enhance the appreciation of its historical and scientific past. Bangsamoro Member of Parliament Engr. Aida M. Silongan has filed a bill seeking to create Bangsamoro Science High School (BSHS) “to maintain and support a comprehensive, adequate, and integrated high school science system for learners in theSilongan’sregion”.
Science HS, museum eyed in Bangsamoro region
The collected data will be ana lyzed to examine and evaluate the performance and reliability of the satellite internet service under lo cal weather “DOST-ASTIconditions.welcomes this collaboration with PhilSA and BSP to demonstrate [the agen cy’s] locally developed technolo gies in applications that benefit the Filipino people,” said DOSTASTI Senior Science Research Specialist Bryan Paler. Paler added that besides the WPMS, DOST-ASTI is exploring “how we can take our other home grown technologies out of our labs and be of service, such as in bridging the digital divide and in improving financial inclusivity.“ At the same time, DOST-ASTI said it is planning on harnessing the gains from the partnership by further educating people about fi nancialBesidesliteracy.doing research on the efficiency and effectiveness of satellite internet services for banks, “we also plan on using digital TV technology and Inter net infrastructure that we are developing to teach people in the unserved and underserved areas about financial literacy,” said DOST-ASTI engineer John Chris“WeKwong.don’t just plan to equip them with the technology, we want to teach them how to use it for their betterment,” Kwong said. A memorandum of under standing among PhilSA, DOSTASTI and BSP to promote access to high-quality financial services powered by internet connectivity is underway. This effort will fur ther enable digital inclusivity as transactions and services move to online platforms.
This star-studded image from the NASA/European Space Agency (ESA) Hubble Space Telescope shows the heart of the globular cluster NGC 6638 in the constellation Sagittarius. The star-strewn observation highlights the density of stars at the heart of globular clusters, which are stable, tightly bound groups of tens of thousands to millions of stars. To capture the data in this image, Hubble used two of its cutting-edge astronomical instruments: Wide Field Camera 3 and the Advanced Camera for Surveys. TEXT BY ESA; PHOTO BY ESA/HUBBLE & NASA, R. COHEN MP Aida M. Silongan
M ADRID—While vacationers might enjoy the Mediterranean Sea’s summer warmth, climate scientists are warning of dire consequences for its marine life as it burns up in a series of severe heatFromwaves.Barcelona to Tel Aviv, scientists say they are witnessing exceptional temperature hikes ranging from 3 degrees Celsius (5.4 Fahrenheit) to 5 degrees Celsius (9 Fahrenheit) above the norm for this time of year. Water temperatures have regularly exceeded 30 C (86 F) on some days. Extreme heat in Europe and other countries around the Mediterranean has grabbed headlines this summer, but the rising sea temperature is largely out of sight and out of mind.Marine heat waves are caused by ocean currents building up areas of warm water. Weather systems and heat in the atmosphere can also pile on degrees to the water’s temperature.Andjust like their on-land counterparts, marine heat waves are longer, more frequent and more intense because of human-induced climate change. The situation is “very worrying,” said Joaquim Garrabou, a researcher at the Institute of Marine Sciences in Barcelona. “We are pushing the system too far. We have to take action on the climate issues as soon as possible.”Garrabou is part of a team that recently published the report on heat waves in the Mediterranean Sea between 2015 and 2019. The report says these phenomena have led to “massive mortality” of marine species. About 50 species, including corals, sponges and seaweed, were affected along thousands of kilometers of Mediterranean coasts, according to the study, which was published in the Global Change Biology journal.Thesituation in the eastern Mediterranean basin is particularly dire. The waters off Israel, Cyprus, Lebanon and Syria are “the hottest hot spot in the Mediterranean, for sure,” said Gil Rilov, a marine biologist at Israel’s Oceanographic and Limnological Research institute, and one of the paper’s co-authors. Average sea temperatures in the summer are now consistently over 31 C (88 F). These warming seas are driving many native species to the brink, “because every summer their optimum temperature is being exceeded,” he said. What he and his colleagues are witnessing in terms of biodiversity loss is what is projected to happen further west in the Mediterranean toward Greece, Italy and Spain in the coming years. Garrabou points out that seas have been serving the planet by absorbing 90 percent of the earth’s excess heat and 30 percent of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere by coal, oil and gas production.
BusinessMirror A5Sunday, August 21, 2022 Science Sunday www.businessmirror.com.ph •
Scientists warn of dire effects as Mediterranean heats up
Garrabou and Rilov said that policymakers are largely unaware of the warming Mediterranean and its impact. “It’s our job as scientists to bring this to their attention so they can think about it,” RilovHeatsaid.waves occur when especially hot weather continues over a set number of days, with no rain or little wind. Land heat waves help cause marine heat waves and the two tend to feed each other in a vicious, warming circle. Land heat waves have become commonplace in many countries around the Mediterranean, with dramatic side effects like wildfires, droughts, crop losses and excruciatingly high temperatures.Butmarine heat waves could also have serious consequences for the countries bordering the Mediterranean and the more than 500 million people who live there if it’s not dealt with soon, scientists say. Fish stocks will be depleted and tourism will be adversely affected, as destructive storms could become more common on land. Despite representing less than 1 percent of the global ocean surface area, the Mediterranean is one of the main reservoirs of marine biodiversity, containing between 4 percent and 18 percent of the world’s known marineSomespecies.ofthe most affected species are key to maintaining the functioning and diversity of the sea’s Specieshabitats.like the Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows, which can absorb vast amounts of carbon dioxide and shelters marine life, or coral reefs, which are also home to wildlife, would be at risk. Garrabou says the mortality impacts on species were observed between the surface and 45 meters (around 150 feet) deep, where the recorded marine heat waves were exceptional. Heat waves affected more than 90 percent of the Mediterranean Sea’s surface. According to the most recent scientific papers, the sea surface temperature in the Mediterranean has increased by 0.4 C (0.72 F) each decade between 1982 and 2018. On a yearly basis, it has been rising by some 0.05 C (0.09 F) over the past decade without any sign of letting up. Ciarán Giles And Ilan Ben Zion Associated Press
PEOPLE cool off on Puerto de Sagunto beach in east of Spain on August 16. AP/ALBERTO SAIZ
MP Amilbahar S. Mawallil PHOTOS FROM BARMM WEBSITE
By Manuel T. Cayon D AVAO CITY—
Satellite Internet to answer rural residents’ lack of bank accounts
Bill 203, titled “Bangsamoro Science High School Act of 2022,” would offer free scholarships to qualified learners in the region interested in pursuing a career in science. The Ministry of Science and Technology of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) was designated in the bill to ensure that BSHS “meets or exceeds the standards of the current Philippine Science High School System [PSHS] and integrates values education to fortify the foundation of both science and faith in the lives of students in the region.” Under the proposal, the BSHS will be established in Parang, Maguindanao. The bill would create a board of trustees for the science school to be headed by the BARMM Minister of Science and Technology and be co-chaired by the Minister of Basic, Higher and Technical Education.Themembers would include the president of Mindanao State University System, the campus director of BSHS, the president of the BSHS Alumni Association and a private campusesrepresentative.sectorMindanaohastwoofthePSHS, one each in Davao City, and in Baloi, Lanao del Sur. Also, the Bangsamoro government would be creating its own museum of historical and scientific artefacts inside the Government Center in Cotabato“ConsideringCity. the valuable properties under the custody of the museum and its important role in the preservation of the artistic and cultural heritage of the Bangsamoro people, the establishment of the Bangsamoro Museum as an agency becomes vital,” Member of Parliament Amilbahar S. Mawallil said in filing Bangsamoro Transition Authority Bill 192. The proposed Bangsamoro Museum would be “dedicated to its people and their history and culture. It will house artefacts, works of art, textual records, and artefacts,berepresentations.”iconographicItsprimarymissionwouldtocollectrecords,conserveanddisplayart and cultural objects that are either indicative of or unique to the natural history of the Bangsamoro region and the artistic and cultural heritage of its people. It would be home to numerous valuable and priceless artefacts, including 125 ethnographic specimens, the most notable of which are the 19 limestone burial jars.The proposed law would make the museum a permanent institution “in the service of the community and its development, accessible to the public and not intended for profit, it will be under the supervision of the Bangsamoro Commission for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage.”Thebill intends to establish provincial museums as well as area and site museums. Their locations would be chosen with geography, population distribution, administrative efficiency, outstanding artistic, cultural, natural heritage significance, and educational, environmental, and tourism considerations. Once approved, a board would be created to supervise and manage the museum. Editor: Lyn Resurreccion O UT of 1,634 municipalities in the country, 33 percent, or 533 municipalities, still do not have bank accounts or access to financial inclusion services.
R OME—On August 27, Pope Francis will place a red biretta on the heads of 18 bishops and two priests, declaring them to be cardinals “to the glory of almighty God and the honor of the Apostolic See.”
Trip in the middle IN between all of these consistories, on August 28, Pope Francis will travel for half a day to the central Italian city of L’Aquila for an important annual event, the Celestinian Forgiveness. The Celestinian Forgiveness ( Per donanza Celestiniana in Italian) is a legacy of Pope Celestine V, who reigned from July 5, 1294, to December 13 of the same year, when he resigned.
Both a controversial and revolu tionary figure, Celestine V established the Celestinian Forgiveness, which of fers a plenary indulgence to all who, having confessed and repented of their sins, go to the Basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio in L’Aquila from Vespers on August 28 to sunset on August 29. In L’Aquila, Pope Francis will cel ebrate Mass outside the Basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio before opening the church’s Holy Door. He will also make a private visit to the city’s cathedral, which is still in disrepair after sustaining severe damage in a 2009 earthquake that killed more than 300 people in L’Aquila and the surrounding area. Following the visit, he will greet the family members of people who died in the quake. 132 cardinal electors WITH the August consistory, the Col lege of Cardinals will have 132 cardi nal electors—that is, cardinals under the age of 80 and, thus, eligible to vote for a new pope in a conclave. Of these 132 cardinals, Pope Francis will have chosen 83, 62 per cent of cardinal electors. By the end of 2022, when six more cardinals will have turned 80 years old, this percentage will be 65. The quorum for the election of a pope is two-thirds or 84 cardinals. At the end of 2022, the cardinals cre ated by Pope Francis will only be two less than the quota necessary to elect a successor.IntheAugust 27 consistory, Pope Francis will also create four new car dinal non-electors, men over the age of 80.Pope Francis had initially named five but later accepted a Belgian Cath olic bishop’s request not to be made a cardinal. Unconventional date THIS will be Pope Francis’s eighth consistory to create new cardinals, but the first time the ceremony has been held in August, typically a time of rest in Rome and the Roman Cu ria due to the intense summer heat. The last time a cardinal was created in August was over 200 years ago, in 1807, when Pope Pius VII made Fran cesco Guidobono Cavalchini a cardinal “in pectore,” or in secret. The new car dinal’s name was not announced until the following year. Hannah Brockhaus/ Catholic News Agency via CBCP News
nation—an encyclopedic knowledge of Islamic law is required, including familiarity with fatwas that have already been issued. India’s influential Islamic seminary, Darul Uloom in Deoband, which adheres to its own D eobandi version o f jurisprudence, has issued enough fatwas to fill 12 volumes. One scholar compares reading these volumes to reading the proceedings of the US Supreme Court. Why are fatwas needed? WHY don’t Muslims simply consult the Quran for answers to religious questions? The simple answer is that the Quran is silent on certain Moreover,issues.different interpretations of various passages are possible—how can a believer decide which reading is correct? While the Prophet Muhammad was alive, he could settle such questions. After his death, Muslims turned to members of his family and inner circle for assistance. Forward-looking followers gath ered accounts of the Prophet’s sayings and way of life, noting the provenance and trustworthiness of these reports. Several collections of these accounts, called hadith, are held in such high esteem that they are shared across many Muslim communities.Becausethey record the sayings and doings of the Prophet, these collections are nearly as important as the Quran itself in providing guidance for daily life. Sharia law and Islamic jurisprudence draw on hadith. And yet, despite the availability of resources like the Quran, hadith and law books, quandaries arise in daily life for which none of these provide clear guidance.
Faith Sunday A6 Sunday, August 21, 2022 Editor: Lyn Resurreccion • www.businessmirror.com.ph
Attack on Salman Rushdie: Was it a fatwa? CONTEMPLATION, PRAYER ARE GOOD FOR MIND, BODY, SPIRIT
What is a consistory? A CONSISTORY is a formal meet ing of the College of Cardinals. The pope can convene them for several different reasons. One of the most common reasons for a consistory is to create new car dinals. The ceremony in which the pope makes cardinals is an ordinary public consistory. In addition to the red biretta, Pope Francis will also place a ring on the hand of each new cardinal while say ing: “Receive this ring from the hand of Peter and know that, with the love of the Prince of the Apostles, your love for the Church is strengthened.”
W HEN news broke on August 12, that the writer Salman Rushdie had been attacked, many people immediately recalled the fatwa, or edict, calling on all Muslims to take his life, issued in 1989 by the Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Iran’s Supreme Leader at the time. Khomeini accused Rushdie’s 1988 novel, “The Satanic Verses,” of insulting Islam and blaspheming against the Prophet Muhammad.Violent riots and credible death threats sent Rushdie into hiding, and he spent the next nine years under British police protection. He did not emerge again until 1998, after Iran promised it would not enforce the fatwa, though it did not rescind it. According to several intelligence sources quoted by Vice news, Rushdie’s 24-year old alleged attacker, Hadi Matar, had been in contact through social media with members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the military branch tasked with protecting the country’s Islamic political system. However, there is no clear evidence that Iran was involved. Whether Matar was inspired by the decades-old fatwa remains a matter of speculation. Given wide media coverage of the fatwa against Rushdie, some may conclude that a fatwa always means a death sentence. However, a fatwa rarely calls for death, can be issued by a variety of religious authorities and is mostly of interest to a particular Muslim individual or community. My explanation of fatwas is based on expertise developed over several years of researching the writings of a Pakistani Muslim theologian and on my collaborative academic work with scholars of Islamic jurisprudence. What is a fatwa? THE Arabic word “fatwa” can mean “explanation” or “clarification.” It refers, in simple terms, to an edict or ruling by a recognized religious authority on a point of Islamic law. The process of issuing a fatwa usually begins when a Muslim, confronted with a problem of life, belief or law, is unsure what to Let’sdo.say, for example, that a Muslim man wonders whether he should accept the teaching position he has been offered at a religious school or continue working in his father-in-law’s better-paying commercial enterprise.Facedwith such a question, the man may turn to a recognized religious authority to request an expert ruling, or fatwa, on the Inmatter.general, Muslims solicit fatwas when in doubt regarding some point of conduct or when entangled in a dispute because they wish to avoid deviating from God’s dictates. They may believe that straying from the path of righteous conduct could jeopardize their entry into heaven. For them, the stakes are high. Who issues a fatwa? WHEN seeking a fatwa, a Muslim can turn to a local cleric or a group of Islamic law scholars—ulama—who collaborate to render decisions, or to a trusted institution of religious learning. Given the subjects that fatwas must address—matters ranging from personal hygiene, marital relations, inheritance law, lifestyle, or allegiance owed to one’s
A CONSISTORY for the creation of new cardinals in St. Peter’s Basilica in November 28, 2020. VATICAN MEDIA
Through yoga, meditation and other contemplative practices, practitioners can achieve a state of meditative consciousness and self-awareness that can lead to better mental, physical and spiritual health. Quieting the mind RELIGIONS emphasize the need for rest and quiet reflection so our overcluttered minds can focus on p rayer a nd o ther contemplative practices. In the Bible, the Apostle Paul discusses how cultivating the “fruit of the spirit” through prayer and contemplation moves us toward patience and away from egocentrism.Buddhists believe that quieting the mind through meditation can help people recognize that their feelings, perceptions, world views and even the self are impermanent features of life that can cause suffering. It can also help people contemplate their connectedness to the world around them. Rest and contemplation help connect religious people with the deeper sources of meaning they seek to cultivate through scriptural study, meditation and prayer. As the American Trappist monk Thomas Merton explains in his 1948 autobiographical book “The Seven Storey Mountain,” contemplation is a time of rest, the suspension of activity and a “withdrawal into the mysterious interior solitude in which the soul is absorbed in the immense and fruitful silence of God.” Health benefits of rest and meditation MEDICAL science has become religion’s unexpected partner in confirming the benefits generated by these religious practices.Researchers have found an association between downtime, learning and creativity. Sleep, nature walks and exercise offer a number of life-enhancing benefits, including improved memory, productivity and physical health. Recent advances in neuroimaging technologies have allowed researchers to observe brain changes during times of intense prayer, yoga and mindfulness meditation.Scientific evidence suggests that engaging in these practices may lead to improved health and well-being. A broad range of clinical studies note that regular meditation can physically alter the brain and how it responds to the world. For instance, these practices have been found to transform the brain’s neural pathways and create new neurological networks that can lead to improved health and well-being. Kristen Lucken, Brandeis University/The Conversation (CC) via AP
Manila clergy to have major reshuffle in Nov.
C ARDINAL Jose Advincula of Archdiocese Manila will soon announce a major reshuffle of priests in the archdiocese. According to Fr. Jerome Secillano of the archdiocese’s public affairs ministry, the new clergy assignments, which will take effect in November, will be announced in October. “But some were already reassigned because of the priests who were ex pected to be in the seminary before the opening of classes,” Secillano said. The scheduled reshuffle was also confirmed to church reporters by Msgr. Jose Clemente Ignacio, the archdiocese’s current vicar general and moderator curiae.Like other dioceses, priests in Manila are usually given a six-year term before they are transferred to otherTheassignments.lastreshuffling of priests’ assignments in the archdiocese took place in 2015 during the term of Cardi nal Luis Antonio Tagle as archbishop. A day after he was installed as Tagle’s successor in June 2021, Cardinal Jose Advincula ordered to maintain the status quo of priests’ assignments “in order that the administration of the Archdiocese of Manila and the pastoral services rendered to the people of God are ensured.” In November 2021, the cardinal made his first curial appointments, naming Fr. Isidro Marinay and Fr. Carmelo Arada Jr., as chancellor and vice chancellor respectively.
In January this year, he appointed Fr. Regie Malicdem, the current rector of the Manila Cathedral, as spokesman of theThearchdiocese.archdiocese had no spokes man for many years. The last to hold the post was then Manila Auxiliary Bishop Socrates Villegas, who is now the archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan.
3 consistories of August A SECOND public ordinary consistory will immediately follow it for cardinals to give their approval for the canon izations of two blesseds: Giovanni Battista Scalabrini, an Italian bishop and founder of the Missionaries of St. Charles, and Artemide Zatti, an Italian immigrant to Argentina, who was a nurse and Salesian Coadjutor Brother. Pope Francis has also called for an extraordinary consistory to take place on August 29 and 30. With this third consistory, the pope has asked the world’s cardinals to come to Rome to discuss the new constitution of the Roman Curia, Praedicate evangelium. This will be only the third extraor dinary consistory of Francis’s pon tificate and the first to take place in seven years. At the end of the two-day meeting, in the afternoon of August 30, Pope Francis will celebrate Mass with the new cardinals and the entire College of Cardinals in St. Peter’s Basilica.
News CARDINAL Jose Advincula of Manila celebrates Mass at the National Synodal Consultation in Tagaytay City on July 4. CBCP NEWS
The pope will also assign each new cardinal a church in the Diocese of Rome, called a “titular church.” This further links the cardinal to Rome and to the pope, who is the Bishop of Rome. The other members of the College of Cardinals, clergy, Catholics, and members of the public may all attend a consistory to create cardinals. Another consistory the pope may convene is an ordinary consistory to vote on the causes of new saints, the last step before a formal canonization can take place. There are also extraordinary con sistories, which every cardinal is ex pected to take part in, barring a seri ous reason.
The cardinal also named Secillano to head the public affairs ministry, and Fr. Enrico Martin Adoviso to the Ministry on Socio-Political Advocacy, or Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting. There are around 220 priests in cardinated to the archdiocese, which covers 86 parishes in the cities of Manila, Pasay, Makati, Mandaluyong and San Juan. Lagarde/CBCP
When this happens, a fatwa may be requested. In a sense, fatwas offer a picture of the projects, wants and fears of Muslim individuals and communities. Islam is composed of diverse branches and communities; it has no overarching institutional structure or single recognized leader. Because of this, divergent religious rulings are possible. As such, fatwas can either serve to preserve traditionalist readings of Islam’s sacred texts or to open the door to reformist interpretations.Fatwasarenonbinding. Muslims are not required to follow their guidance. The force of a fatwa derives from the authority, trust and respect accorded to the clerics, scholars or institutions who issue them. With this authority comes the power to shape the religious and social norms of the fatwa-requesting community. Like anyone in a position of power, issuers of fatwas can use or misuse their authority to hand down rulings meant to achieve political ends.
S UMMER vacations are coming to an end—though not everyone took one. Under federal law, US companies aren’t required to offer a single paid vacation day, compared to the at least 20 required in the European Union. About 1 in 4 US workers don’t receive any, and even among those who do, few make full use of them. More than half leave at least some vacation days untouched, and almost 1 in 5 say they feel guilty leaving the office, according to a 2019 survey by Priceline. Americans in lower income brackets are less likely to get away on vacation—a particular concern this summer, with food and gas prices high. This no-break culture has real consequences for physical, mental and spiritual health. A 2014 Gallup poll found that taking regular vacations with family and friends is linked to a higher sense of well-being, regardless of one’s income. Activities that lead to an improved sense of well-being are positively associated with improved health and productivity. The importance of getting away from it all isn’t just backed up by contemporary research, though. As a scholar who studies the sociology of religion, I know that religious practices have long emphasized rest and contemplation, which not only improve a person’s mental and physical health, but can also boost a sense of spiritual well-being. And escaping the busyness of everyday life does not have to drain one’s wallet. Faith, contemplation and rest THE Abrahamic traditions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam view a day of rest each week as a sacred right and responsibility of believers. The traditional Jewish Shabbat offers a 24-hour period beginning at sundown on Friday, when the busyness of everyday life halts. Participants gather to worship, share a meal, study and pray. Similarly, practicing Muslims celebrate their holy day on Fridays. This is a time when Muslims step away from work to attend a midday jumah, a prayer service at a local mosque, where imams offer sermons on a range of intellectual, spiritual and practical topics and lead congregations in prayer. Although attendance numbers are declining, many Christians observe the holy Sabbath on Sundays through church attendance, communal worship, music and the sharing of the Eucharist, when Christians consecrate and consume bread and wine representing the body and blood of Jesus Christ. The Christian Sabbath represents a time to rest, pray, worship and spend time with Branchesfamily.of Islam, Christianity and Judaism additionally call for regular times of prayer and contemplation as part of daily and yearly cycles. In the Islamic tradition, stopping to pray throughout the day represents one of Islam’s five pillars of faith. Through the practice of meditation, religious traditions quiet the senses to achieve a mindset of rest that they believe brings about heightened consciousness.Hindus,Buddhists and Jains teach the concept of dhyana, which generally translates to “contemplation.”
Pope to create 18 new cardinals on Aug. 27 consistory
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Range of fatwas WHILE fatwas often begin with a request by a Muslim layperson, they may be issued in response to a given situation. Examples include the fatwa issued by Dar al-Ulum Deoband in 2010 against terrorist organizations like the Islamic State because they were judged to be not Islamic; and the fatwa issued by the Indonesian Council of Ulama in 2014 against poaching and the illegal wildlife trade. Rare are the fatwas like the one against Rushdie that call on Muslims to kill a particular individual. But for now, the fatwa against Rushdie stands. Myriam Renaud, DePaul University/The Conversation (CC) via AP
BusinessMirror Sunday, August 21, 2022 A7www.businessmirror.com.ph
THE BEST KICKS E-POWER: EXCEPTIONAL FUEL EFFICIENCY AND POWER BUILT-IN
1Combined city and highway driving based on UNR 101 testing but actual consumption may vary depending on different driving conditions and habits.
The e-Pedal Step feature allows a more relaxed and controllable driv ing. Imagine only using the accelera tor pedal to speed up or slow down. That is an absolute convenience, reducing the need to shift from one pedal to another. But, of course, the brake pedal is still there to bring the vehicle to a complete stop. Intelligent Mobility Of course, Nissan is synonymous with Intelligent Mobility. Apart from e-POWER, this interesting subcom pact SUV offers the brand’s suite of driver-assist functions. Both VL and VE variants are equipped with Intel ligent Forward Collision Warning, Intelligent Emergency Braking, Ve hicle Dynamic Control, and Driver Attention Alert features. Exclusive to the top spec VL is the Intelligent Around View Monitor with Moving Object Detection. The Hill Start As sist function comes standard. Other features are keyless entry with the Intelligent Key and push-button start-stop systems. Experience all-electric drivingwithout breaking the bank
OF BOTH WORLDS ALL-NEW NISSAN
The wonders of e-Pedal Step With the wheels solely driven by an electric motor, the same powerful, instantaneous torque with smooth acceleration as that of an EV is evi dent. But that is not all. The inte gration of the e-Pedal Step feature makes it even more stimulating. How it works is that when the driv er eases up on the accelerator ped al, the electric motor charges the battery using regenerative brak ing while the vehicle decelerates smoothly. Simply because when the vehicle decelerates, energy is cap tured and stored in the battery via regenerative braking.
The price of All-New Nissan Kicks e-POWER starts at P1.209 million. Also included is a five-year warran ty, which only requires twice-a-year preventive maintenance service, promoting fewer visits for a lesser cost of ownership. Available bold exterior colors are Premium Co rona Orange, Cayenne Red, Pearl White, Gun Metallic, Riptide Blue, and Brilliant Silver. Explore Nissan. ph/kicks to know more about, get a quote, find a dealer, and test drive this game-changing SUV today.
By Randy S. Peregrino IMAGINE a subcompact SUV ca pable of powerful yet refined de livery while achieving excellent fuel economy1. If that is not impressive enough, then let us go to figures. This SUV generates a substantial 134 hp and 280 Nm of maximum torque while achieving as much as 22 km/L fuel consumption (UNR101 fuel efficiency testing) in combined city and high way driving, depending on different driving conditions and habits. The to tal distance is a potential range of up to 900 kilometers from a single full tank (41liters) of fuel2. The all-new Nissan Kicks e-POWER is all that. Kicker styling At a glance, this subcompact SUV exudes the brand’s known design cues. The pronounced double V-Mo tion grille bearing the new Nissan logo is evident upfront and aligned to the sleek LED headlights. The rear end, meantime, has its share of sharp-looking LED taillights. The distinct sporty look is complement ed by black and metallic trims, plus the silver-toned roof rail. Inside, it is all about dynamic design and functionality. A sev en-inch color TFT display meter presents the Power Meter, Bat tery Gauge, Drive Range, and Fuel Gauge in an easy-to-read layout. The eight-inch Advanced Touch screen Display Audio, exclusive to VL and VE variants, has Apple Car Play and Android Auto connectivity functions. The stylish Zero Gravity Seats provide that snug feel com plementing the D-shaped leather steering wheel. There is also Elec tronic Parking Brake Switch with Auto Hold Function. Brilliant and one of its kind From the brilliant mind that brought the iconic powertrains of the legendary GT-R and the world’s first mass-market EV, the allelectric LEAF, Nissan Chief Pow ertrain Engineer Naoki Nakada combined the best of both—the speed and power of a sports car and the torque-on-demand na ture of an EV, giving birth to Nis san’s e-POWER technology. The e-POWER is a 100% elec tric motor-driven system where an electric motor always drives the wheels. Electric power is then supplied by a lightweight, compact, and high-performance lithium-ion battery. Meanwhile, the 1.2L DOHC 12-valve, threecylinder gasoline engine, acting as a generator, is used solely to generate electricity to charge the battery while running at an optimal speed. As a result, the e-POWER system is self-charging, unique, and different from typical hybrid engines. Drivers can enjoy a longer, more powerful yet quiet, and smooth EV-like drive. The best part? Say goodbye to range anxiety. Moreover, an inverter con verts electric current (DC and AC) to manage electric power between the battery and electric motor. It makes seamless adjustments to the electric motor for a respon sive, refined driving experience.
2Based on 22 km/L fuel efficiency rate and 41 L of fuel capacity.
Editor: Tet AndolongBusinessMirror Journey»life on the go Sunday, August 21, 2022A8 Story & photos by Bernard L. Supetran Ask any jaded traveler on his favorite destinations, and chances are Cebu is one of them. Adjudged several times by prestigious global publications as among the best islands in Asia and the world, this province boasts of a rich diversity of nature, adventure and culture, and everything in between.
Story & photos by Marky Ramone Go T HE recent maiden Philippine Airlines flights to Tawi-Tawi from Cotabato City paved the way for myself to explore the country’s southernmost province once again. I remember when I first went here, I met a slew of curious queries about safety when traveling to Tawi-Tawi. As we all remember, this province once hogged the headlines for all the wrongMostreasons.visitors are perplexed by the Tawi-Tawi province. When people hear about it, they experience a tug of war of perception. On the other end, are yesteryear’s reports of brazen kidnap pings and insurgency battles with ter ror groups. On one hand, there’s the rich cultural and natural wonders that are made more appealing by the generally friendly nature of the locals. Fortunately, in the last couple of decades, it saw the region flourish ing in peaceful times and the former perception of Tawi-Tawi as a hotspot of insurgency is now far on its rearview mirror. Traveling to Tawi-Tawi today, is no different than journeying to other places in the country. A taste of local cuisine FOR f ive days I get to explore the prov ince once again that includes sampling local cuisines heavily influenced by the gastronomic culture of neighbor ing Indonesia and Malaysia. Tasty grubs like the Murtabak, a pancake pan-fried bread stuffed with fillings, and other Mindanaoan specialty like Satti, which is made of chicken or beef skewers swimming on a plate of sweet and spicy red sauce served with sticky rice balls, and a slew of Tawi-Tawi breakfast delights; Wadjit, Tsikalang, Apam, Putri Mandi, Pangi-pangi, Palikambing, Junay and more, satisfied our cravings in be tween exploring several places. But, of course, the one thing I was looking forward to, was returning to Panampangan. Second time’s a charm in Panampangan Island PAN AMPANGAN I sland is believed to have the longest sandbar in the Phil ippines. The sandbar which extend to its neighboring islet, Basibuli is said to measure roughly three kilometers during low tide. Its end-to-end tip is separated by more than a thousand steps. I must have accumulated a few hundred, which was sufficient for me to thor oughly engross myself in the fascinat ing natural surroundings we were in that day. Nothing prevented me from listening to the waves’ humming as I felt the hot sand of Panampangan Island beneath my bare feet, shining sun or Thenot.island has almost no perma nent structure other than a few small cottage sheds and a long wooden jetty while the rest of the island is popu lated by coconut trees and random shrubs. Rows of Badjao stilt houses erected on the shallow part of the Celebes Sea can be seen half a kilome ter away. As I walked towards where the sandbar’s edge disappears into the deep, I crossed path with one of the Badjaos. He nodded to me while speaking something in Tausug. I can only return his smile. Sacred and historical sites in Tawi-Tawi W E a lso took the opportunity of vis iting the other historical and sacred sites in Tawi-Tawi. One of these is the Sheik Karim al Makhdum Mosque. This mosque, located on the island of Simunul, is the Philippines’ oldest mosque. It was named after its builder, Arab merchant and Islamic preacher Sheik Makhdum Karim, who came here in the 1380s. Even though the mosque has been rebuilt several times, four of its original wooden pillars are still preserved inside. Next is Tawi-Tawi’s sacred moun tain of Bud Bongao. Standing only 1,100 feet above sea level, it holds greater significance in the province’s history, culture, and religion. Some even believe that one of the first fol lowers of Karim ul-Makhdum, the Arab preacher who introduced Islam to the country more than 600 years ago, was buried here. Bud Bongao is still revered by the locals today. It’s also a 250-hectare biodiversity area protected by both the Bongao local government and the hundreds of playful long-tailed macaques who hang out along the trail to the top. For a taste of the hustle and bristle of local scene, there’s the Old Chinese Port where a colorful row of wooden ships, immediately caught my atten tion. Hundreds of years ago, it was the main trading port for Arab, Malay, and Chinese merchants. Today, it remains a major fishing and trading port, as well as an important seaport for the many islands of Tawi-Tawi, and in some cases, a gateway to Malaysia and Indonesia. We also witnessed a trading sys tem that I thought has long since gone extinct—barter trade. In the Munici pality of Panglima Sugala, a town known as Tawi-Tawi’s “food basket”, there exist a market place where trad ers from the islands would exchange fresh seafood catch with agricultural products harvested by traders from the mainland—all without the need to pay in local currency. Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines’ south ernmost province, remains a mystery to most visitors, despite its colorful culture and fascinating history. It would be a shame to overlook it in favor of other destinations. Visitors to this province will be re warded with a memorable experience thanks to its diversity and colorful culture that has been preserved for hundreds of years. Previously over looked and incorrectly associated with security concerns, Tawi-Tawi is quickly becoming a favorite option for travelers looking for a place brimming with cultural wonders and unforget table sights.
At the central part of this ex citing archipelago is the tri-cities of Cebu, Mandaue and LapuLapu where most of the daytime and nocturnal tourist activities take place. And despite suffer ing heavy beating from superty phoon Odette in December last year, these resilient cities are back on their feet and have been luring local and foreign tourists for several months now. And despite being a natural tourist magnet, tourism play ers are not resting their laurels in promoting this gorgeous get away. Just recently, the Depart ment of Tourism Central Vi sayas regional office, bai Hotel and leading carrier Cebu Pacific hosted a media tour to the all-too familiar place to keep it a topof-mind destination even during this lean travel season. With 15 daily flights from Ma nila, and regular flights from 21 domestic destinations across the archipelago, Cebu Pacific has made the Queen City of the South a next-door neighbor where you can breeze in at any time of the day. And for the proverbial home away from home, a hands-down choice is bai Hotel in Mandaue City which is strategically-locat ed between the airport, and the commercial centers and Old World attractions of Cebu. Named after the Visayan word “bai”, a term of endearment to a close friend, this four-star hotel is a gracious host and companion to travelers seek ing a gracious home in the south. According to property general manager Alfred Reyes, the hotel prides itself in being “Your Host in the South” which pampers visi tors with safe, comfortable and memorable stays. And much like a good old friend, the amiable hotelier and stalwart of the hospitality, said that bai takes the extra mile to its guests and customers by exceeding their expectations.Amember of the renowned Worldhotels, this landmark 23-story hotel boasts of 668 well-appointed luxe rooms and a roofdeck infinity pool overlook ing the metropolis, the mountains and the seas. Its claim to fame is its vaunted food outlets which are among the most sought-after in Metro Cebu, topped by Cafe bai, which known for its extensive breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet. The flagship restaurant offers more than 25 food sections of local and inter national dishes, with each station showcasing chefs with live cook ing so guests can witness the art of dish preparation. The luxe hotel also takes pride in its fine-dining restaurant, Marble+Grain Steakhouse for meat lovers, Ume Japanese Cui sine, and Wall Street Coffee and Bar and Twilight Roofdeck and Bar for snacks and in-between meals or after-dinner cravings. Reyes noted that bai was ac corded he 2021 Agoda Customer Review Award, and the Safe Trav els stamp by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and the DOT Safety Seal certification because of its stringent health protocols at the height of the Co vid-19Justpandemic.afewminutes away is Ce bu’s heritage district whose allure never fails to lure even frequent visitors. The observance of the Quincentennial of Christianity last year and enhancements to the iconic Magellan’s Cross, the city’s antiquarian charm remains an in tegral part of the southern sojourn. The poster images of Plaza In dependencia and Fort San Pedro have become more magnetic these days with the people’s preference for open and green spaces to be away from the madding crowd in enclosed buildings. On Sundays, there is a strong probability of seeing the Fort’s checkered past come alive as his torical reenactors of the La Liga Cebu roam around the Spanish-era fortress in their battle regalia, do ing military drills, snapshots with visitors, and rendering pep talks about the Philippine Revolution in Cebu and the elaborate uniforms close to the original. For beach bums and aquas ports aficionados, an interlude with the sea should not be missed. Blessed with long coastlines, pow dery shores and crystalline water, Mactan is veritable hub of water activities such as island hopping, snorkeling, scuba diving, and para sailing, among others. With the recent opening of the 8.3-km Cebu-Cordova Link Ex pressway (CCLEX), the country’s new longest bridge and first toll way in the Visayas, the spotlight has been trained on Mactan’s smaller and more enigmatic half, Cordova town. Often overshadowed by its big ger twin, Lapu-Lapu City, the mu nicipality is a tourism gem hiding from plain sight with its idyllic is lands of Hilutungan, Caohagan at Nalusuan which have some of the richest marine life in central Cebu. Near the foot of the bridge is the 10,000 Roses Café dotted with LED lights which is a mesmer izing nocturnal sight. Nearby is the Mangrove Propagation and Information Center, a corporate social responsibility of CCLEX which is anchored on ecotourism and appreciation of the vast man groveWithforest.masterful blend of old and new elements, Cebu and bai Hotel will always be your gracious host in the south.
Southern GraciouS hoSt
Revisiting Tawi-Tawi’s wonderful sights and culture Cebu Cordova Link expressway In Augur AL Cotabato-Tawi Tawi PAL Flight PAn A m PAng An Island SheIk karim al makdum mosque SunS e T at ba hotel roofdeck pool Antho M A r ino L A Liga Cebu historical reenactors at Fort San Pedro
INSIDE a forest in the Philippines. GREGG YAN
Asean youth give voices for biodiversity
Our native trees, our heritage
THE global community cele brated International Youth Day on August 12, which serves as a reminder of the vital role of the Asean youth in build ing a better tomorrow. In the region, the youth com prise one-third of the total popula tion, with over 213 million people aged between 15 to 34 years old.
stories about female scrap metal dealers, holding impressive art exhibits, or being acclaimed internationally as remarkable photographers.Theirstoriesoffered fresh per spectives through their chosen mediums—touching on topics, such as biodiversity conservation strategies to address challenges in their respective countries, and the cultural traditions of people liv ing around Asean Heritage Parks. “The youth of today are at the forefront of advocating for nature. Not only are they skilled, but they also hold so much influence with the stories they can tell,” said Earl Paulo Diaz, the ACB’s head of Com munication and Public Affairs. Diaz also pointed out that the YAS program taps into the sig nificant potential of the youth to
contribute to the overall goal of achieving a world where society benefits equitably and lives har moniously with nature, in line with the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. “Theseyouth’s voices on biodi versity conservation and protec tion are relevant now more than ever as they will help in paving the way for a better, more sustainable future for generations to come,” he Theadded.stories, which will be cu rated in an online virtual exhibit in October at the Seventh Asean Heritage Parks Conference in Indo nesia, aim to inspire and mobilise their audience, regardless of age, to participate in actions towards promoting biodiversity conserva tion in the region, ACB said. Just as this year’s celebration of the youth holds the theme, “Inter generational Solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages,” the Asean aims to contribute to a vision of a world where no one is left behind, be it people or nature, as told by the region’s creative youth. The YAS program is supported by the European Union, through the Biodiversity Conservation and Management of Protected Areas in Asean Project; and the AseanGermany Cooperation in Biodi versity through the Second Phase of the Institutional Strengthen ing of the Biodiversity Sector in the Asean Project and the Small Grants Programme.
The Asean Centre for Biodiver sity (ACB) recognizes the pivotal role of the youth in effecting trans formative change. With this in mind, the center is spearheading the Young Asean Storytellers (YAS) program, where 20 creative young Asean citizens showcased their skills and talents in storytelling through innovative forms while shedding light on the importance of the innate connec tion between Asean’s people and biodiversity, ACB said. “I’ve also been realizing just the sheer power that young people have in mobilizing, in gathering, [and] in influencing people toward a certain cause,” said Mika Tan, coordinator of the YAS program. Tan also shared that the youth are a vital part of the solution in biodiversity con servation and have a unique quality of using technology to break barriers and inspire and connect with communities. The 20 outstanding YAS are Jang Elroy Anak Ramantan from Brunei Darussalam; Seng Roatha from Cambodia; Abex, Uki Wardoyo and Ameliya Rosita Santoso from Indonesia; SomVang Norlintha and Souksavanh Phom mahaxai from Lao PDR. Also among YAS are Ahmad Amir Isqandar Bin Mohd Zawawi, Ler Wei Rong and Lavinya Kalai Chelvan from Malaysia; Mg Htet from Myanmar; Celine Murillo, Althea Jane Roa and Brikko Iyanev Martillo Dumas from the Philip pines; Cheyenne Alexandria Phil lips and Elliot James Ong from Singapore; Nanticha Ocharoen chai and Siramon Tansiri from Thailand; and Phan Quoc Dung and Vu Hong Trang from Viet Nam. These young creatives have reached a broad audience through their platforms online by lend ing their voices to watercolouradvocacies—whetherenvironmentalutilizingtocreatecompelling
The Philippines has two impor tant measures that seeks to prevent deforestation and biodiversity loss. Executive Orders 23 and 26 signed by former President Benigno S. Aquino declared a moratorium on the cutting of trees in natural forests and establish the National Greening Program (NGP). This led to the current massive treeplanting activities that require the use of native trees as planting materials.
Private sector support DUE to its limited resources, the gov ernment is banking on the help and support of the private sector to imple ment the NGP. The Energy Development Corp. (EDC) of the Lopez Group of Compa nies is taking the lead in one of the country’s biggest private-sector led reforestation initiatives. Launched in 2008 as part of the EDC’s commitment to protect and con serve the environment, not only in its areas of operations but also in other parts of the country, the Binhi Program has engaged 88 forest communities to restore forests within the company’s geothermal reservations and other watersheds and protected areas. As of 2022, EDC Binhi has planted more than 6.5 million seedlings to re store over 10,000 hectares of open and denuded areas. Beyond traditional tree planting
“EDC Binhi also completed the maintenance of 2,192 hectares of ex isting plantations in Bac-Man, Negros, Mount Apo and Leyte,” he added. Saving native trees GIBE said that through EDC Binhi Pro gram, they seek to save the country’s native trees from extinction. The program, he said, is focused on indigenous forest trees. Through its science-based approach and strong partnerships with the academe, local governments and local communities, the program has successfully updated 45 of its 96 priority tree species in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. “EDC Binhi had completed the global tree assessment for 800 Phil ippine endemic tree species with 794 already published in the [IUCN] Red List of threatened species, in cluding 45 Binhi priority species, last December 2020,” Gibe added. Moreover, he said the company is ensuring that there is proper coordi nation among the various stakehold ers involved, from the inventory of the rescued tree species to the documen tation of the remaining threatened tree species. Greening legacy ACCORDING to EDC, the Binhi Pro gram is a greening legacy, specifically with the use of native tree species which are now vanishing. “There is no or only a limited [num ber of] organizations which advocates for the use of our very own Philippine native trees. It’s only ideal and prac tical to invest in the Binhi Program since those native trees are typhoon resilient, highly valuable and economi cally important species and promote local biodiversity,” he said. Based on the study of the Botanic Gardens Conservation International, about 47 percent of the Philippine native tree species are threatened to extinction due to urbanization de velopment and habitat loss due to agriculture. Supporting institutional initia tives GREGG YAN , founder of the Best Al ternatives Campaign, told the Busi nessMirror that the best way to help reforest denuded tracts of the country is to support institutional initiatives which have proven that they actually have the capacity to plant and take care of trees. “As much as possible, planted trees should be native to the coun try and even to the particular areas where they will be planted, though fruit-bearing trees are sometimes acceptable to give people practi cal incentives to take care of the planted trees over the coming de cades,” Yan said via Messenger on August“Proven15. large-scale initiatives in clude GForest and the initiatives of the [EDC],” he added. “But we need not look so far to find places for our native trees. Just look at your backyard and imagine how beautiful it will be with fullgrown trees which hail from our beloved country. Not only will na tive trees provide us with food and shade: they shall attract birds, bees, butterflies and other forms of life which colored our neighborhoods before nature was overtaken by development,” Yan said.
A9Editor: Lyn Resurreccion Sunday, August 21, 2022 Biodiversity SundayBusinessMirror Asean Champions of Biodiversity Media Category 2014 By Jonathan L. Mayuga M EMBERS of the Baguio City Council are stepping up deliberations to pro tect some of the city’s century-old trees and other tree species that are deemed important due to their eco logical, historical or cultural value as “heritage” trees. They include rare trees or those ad jacent to water source, spring or well, and whose cutting or destruction will disrupt or destroy the water source. Known as the city of pines, Baguio City’s unbridled development has led to the “massacre” of trees, including its very own pine trees. The proposed measure seeks to prevent the extinc tion of the city’s all-important trees, the country’s heritage. Massive deforestation WITH half of the country’s total land area of 30 million hectares classified as “forest land,” it is no surprise that the Philippines is rich in biological diversity.Forest ecosystems play a key role in tackling climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and by offering natural defense against extreme weather events. They also provide ecosystem services to the people and keep our natural resources intact. However, massive conversion of forest lands for other purposes like agriculture, commercial, industrial and residential uses have led to de forestation.Besidesland conversion, illegal logging for timber, wood and for firewood or charcoal production, contribute to Destructivedeforestation.development projects like mining are also being blamed for deforestation.Sadly,only half of the country’s so-called forest lands are left actu ally forested.
Important ecological roles THE Asean Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) said native trees play important ecological roles to the ecosystem. They can be important food sources of many faunal, or animal species. “Some wild animals—such as deer, wild pigs, fruit bats, nectar bats, rodents, birds, monitor lizards and insects—are highly dependent on their leaves, fruits, flowers and nec tar in order to survive,” ACB Execu tive Director Theresa Mundita S. Lim told the BusinessMirror via email on August 16.
“THE Binhi Program goes beyond traditional tree-planting activities. Through the years, EDC Binhi has consistently worked with the DENR [Department of Environment and Natural Resources], local communi ties, and other stakeholders to ensure proper site-species matching and high survival rates, prioritize native trees and benefit local communities,” said Forester Nino Gibe, EDC Watershed Management Officer. Despite the pandemic since 2020, EDC’s Binhi established 661 hectares of new Binhi plantations in BaconManito (Bac-Man) geothermal power plant in the Bicol region, Negros Ori ental, Ilocos Norte and Pantabangan, Gibe told the BusinessMirror via e-mail on August 1.
Stronger, better UNLIKE nonnative trees, indigenous, or native trees, have evolved to adapt to local environmental conditions, along with other biological entities in that area “so they have inherent defense mechanisms against indigenous pests andNativediseases.”trees also require less wa ter because they have evolved and withstand conditions where they naturally grow, unlike nonnative trees that can suck too much water from a particular ecosystem. Nonnative trees can also become invasive. “Some nonnative trees could spread quickly and prevent other native plants from growing, dis placing them from their natural environment,” Lim added. Biodiversity loss THE massive deforestation around the world is being blamed for biodi versityAccordingloss. to experts, about 50 to 100 species of animals are being lost each day. This leads to the extinction of animals and plants on a massive scale.
N EW ORLEANS—The federal government has been asked to consider at least two videos made in recent years as evidence that ivory-billed woodpeckers may still exist. The US Fish and Wildlife Service said in 2021 that it planned to declare 23 species extinct, including North America’s largest woodpecker—also dubbed the “Lord God” bird after an exclamation sometimes made by viewers.InJuly, the agency said it was adding six months, including a month for public comment, before deciding whether to declare extinction for the black-bodied bird with black-and-white wings, a 30inch (76-centimeter) wingspan and a call reminiscent of a bulb bicycle horn. What’s needed, the announcement said, was video or photos that all experts could agree showed the bird. Two videos of black-and-white birds were submitted in July, along with extracts and extensive video presentations explaining why the contributors believe they show ivory-bills.Butthedebate—so bitter that it prompted publication of a book last year about dozens of “thinking errors” on both sides—seems as heated as ever. A University of Kansas ornithologist called the videos laughable. One is drone footage from a distance, showing a bird flying in front of trees and landing in one on February 23, 2021. “The landing sequence ... made me almost shout, ‘Ivory-bill!’” Mark Michaels, founder of Project Principalis, a group created to search for live ivory-billed woodpeckers, told Fish and Wildlife officials in a video presentation made on July 22 and posted in the proposal’s public comment area. Mark B. Robbins, ornithology collection manager at the University of Kansas Biodiversity Institute, said the video is so poor that it’s impossible to tell what is flying. “It could be anything,” he wrote in an e-mail.The other is closer, taken from a canoe, and shows a bird crossing part of a swamp and then flying away on October 17, “Although2020. my sighting only lasted 9.8 seconds, it was unmistakable,” said Bobby Harrison, a retired associate professor of photography at Oakwood University, in Huntsville, Alabama, and self-described “independent ivory-bill searcher.” He noted that the bird in his video flaps its wings much faster than the lookalike pileated woodpecker, and that it flew about 500 feet (150 meters) during the brief time he watched it. That speed, which he estimated at 35 mph (55 km/h), and its color pattern identified it, Harrison said. “It is quite clear the bird that they are calling an Ivory-billed is a Wood Duck,” Robbins wrote, adding that pausing a slowmotion video shows that it has a white belly. The frame in question more likely shows a wing in front of the body, and the submitted video shows more detail than the compressed version available online, said Tim Gallagher, former editor-in-chief of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s “Living Bird” magazine and co-presenter of the video. As a birder and bird photographer with 30 years of experience, Harrison knows what wood ducks look like, he said. Gallagher and Harrison’s presentation to the agency, made on July 18, was posted on August 15, the closing day for the public comment period. The last generally accepted sighting of an ivory-bill was in northeast Louisiana in 1944. Janet Mcconnaughey/Associated Press
Do videos show ivory-billed woodpecker, or is it extinct?
FIFA previously said it got three million ticket requests for the World Cup final on December 18—Qatar’s national day—at the new 80,000-seat Lusail Stadium. Tickets sales are now paused with FIFA promising an update in late-September about the last round of selling that runs through the tournament.Moreseats typically become available as stakeholders return some of their allocation, and during the World Cup from fans of teams that are eliminated.
AN Emirates Boeing 777 stands at the gate at the Dubai International Airport as another prepares to land on the runway. AP
The NCAA has yet to issue a notice of allegations related to potential NIL violations to a school. The letter stressed the importance of schools “self-regulating.”“Toachievesuccess and protect fair competition from abuses, member cooperation and communication with the NCAA enforcement staff is imperative when self-regulating requirements fail,” the letter said. The letter said “our focus is not on targeting student-athletes, but rather the actors who pose a threat to the integrity of college sports.” The letter concluded with a plea to its 1,100 member schools with nearly 500,000 athletes to report improprieties.Investigations can be challenging and the enforcement staff needs help from member schools. Specific information about contacts or transactions will expedite investigations and help us secure truthful accounts,” the letter said. “We understand why coaches and student-athletes are reluctant to provide documentary evidence and details on the record, but it’s critically important in our effort to protect compliant programs.”
Rio Olympics finalist banned using evidence from Russian lab
U.S. OPEN CHAMP GETS $2.6M to severe pandemic restrictions. Griffiths said he expects the airport’s traffic to return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of next year. “ It’s a very, very welcome surge of traffic,” Griffiths said. The first World Cup in the Middle East, he added, will send foreign soccer fans flocking to Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central, or DWC. From there, they’ll travel daily to Qatar, a tiny neighbor that faces a hotel squeeze. “ We’ve actually seen a huge amounts of demand at DWC for slot filings for airlines wanting to operate a shuttle service,” he said. “I think the city has a lot to offer and a lot to gain from the World Cup.” A mong the airlines buying extra slots to shuttle soccer fans to the tournament from DWC are Qatar Airways, low-cost carrier FlyDubai and budget airline Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, he said. A mbitions plans to turn the airfield in Dubai›s southern desert into a mega-aviation hub, first unveiled by Dubai before the 2008 global financial crisis, have sputtered in recent years. Long-haul carrier Emirates, based in Dubai, parked many of its double-decker Airbus A380s there during the pandemic as commercial flights halted. A key East-West transit point, Dubai’s air traffic is closely watched as a barometer of the city-state’s nonoil economy. Emirates remains the linchpin of the wider empire known as “Dubai Inc.,” an interlocking series of government-owned businesses. D uring the first half of 2022, Dubai International Airport dealt with nearly 56 percent more flights than the same period in 2021, when contagious coronavirus variants clobbered the industry. Now, in a sign of the health of the industry, Emirates said Wednesday that it would pour billions of dollars into retrofitting much of its Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 fleet. At the height of the pandemic, the airline received a $4 billion government bailout T he widespread lifting of virus restrictions has triggered a rapid increase in air travel demand, filling Dubai’s hub and causing mayhem at airports around the world.
SELLING LIKE HOTCAKES
W hile Dubai has not seen the chaotic crowds overwhelming European hubs in recent weeks, Griffiths said the global disruptions have affected its main“It’sairport.obviously affected growth because some of the caps on capacity that they’ve applied to airports like Heath row have had an impact on our numbers,” he said.
Sports BusinessMirror A10 | SundAy, AuguSt 21, 2022 Editor:mirror_sports@yahoo.com.phJunLomibao
Z URICH—World Cup ticket sales have reached 2.45 million, FIFA said, with more than 500,000 seats still available three months before the tournament starts in Qatar. F IFA said 520,000 tickets were bought in a first-come, first-served phase of sales that closed this week. Brazil’s games against Serbia and Cameroon were among the most indemand.Thetop 10 places ranked by ticket sales to their residents include Qatar and neighboring countries Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The United States, England, Mexico, France, Argentina, Brazil and Germany are also on the list released by FIFA. T he cheapest tickets for fans from outside Qatar are priced at 250 riyals ($69). Fans need a confirmed ticket purchase to book places to stay in Qatar through an official tournament website. T he 64-game tournament in eight stadiums in and around Doha starts on November 20 and has a total capacity of about three million tickets.About two million tickets were placed on general sale and 1 million were allocated for FIFA stakeholders such as member federations, sponsors and broadcasters, plus hospitality programs.
NCAA seeks members for help with NIL violation investigations
MLB said Tatis tested positive for Clostebol, an anabolic steroid. Tatis said he accidentally took a medication to treat ringworm that contained the banned substance. The penalty imposed by MLB was effective immediately, meaning the All-Star shortstop—who had been out the entire season because of a broken wrist but was expected to return to the playoff contenders next week—cannot play in the majors until next year. Tatis will miss the remaining 48 regular-season games this year. Any postseason games the Padres play would count toward the 80 that Tatis must sit out, and he’ll serve the rest of the suspension at the start of next season.“Shocked everybody,” Padres star Manny Machado said after a 10-5 win overThWashington.e23-year-old Tatis, who signed a $340 million, 14-year contract before the 2021 season, became one of the most prominent players ever penalized for performance-enhancing drugs, along with Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez. The penalty will cost Tatis about $2.9 million. MLB said the suspension also will prevent Tatis from playing for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic next March. Obviously, everybody’s very disappointed. Somebody that from the organization’s standpoint we invested time and money into,” Padres general manager A.J. Preller said at Nationals Park, where San Diego played Washington. AP
DUBAI SEES TRAVEL SURGE DUBAI International Airport saw a surge in passengers over the first half of 2022 as pandemic restrictions eased and the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar will further boost traffic to the city-state’s second airfield, its chief executive said Wednesday. Paul Griffiths, who oversees the world’s busiest airport for international travel, told The Associated Press that the airport handled 160 percent more traffic over the past six months compared to the same period last year, part of an air travel rebound around the world. The nearly 28 million people who traveled through the airport over the past six months represent some 70 percent of the airport’s pre-pandemic levels, even as Dubai’s key source market of China remains closed due NEW YORK—The US Open singles champions will receive $2.6 million this year, with total player compensation for the Grand Slam tournament surpassing $60 million for the first time. A larger portion of that total is being allocated to the earlier rounds, the US Tennis Association said Thursday, following input from the men’s and women’s tour player councils. Players will receive $80,000 just for making the main draw and $121,000 for reaching the second round. I n 2019, the last year before the coronavirus pandemic, the singles champions earned $3.9 million. A first-round loser got $58,000 and a player eliminated in the second round earned $100,000. Players will earn $445,000 for reaching the quarterfinals and $705,000 for being a semifinalist. The runner-up gets $1.3 million. The doubles championship teams will earn $688,000 The $60.1 million total surpasses last year’s $57.5 million total, which was already more than the other three Grand Slam tournaments paid this year. Total prize money for the US Open qualifying tournament has now reached $6.26 million, with final-round prize money $44,000. Th is year’s Australian Open purse was about $52 million, with Wimbledon and the French Open nearly $49 million. Main draw play at the US Open begins August 29 at the US Tennis Association Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. AP
M ONACO—A Russian shot putter who reached the 2012 Olympic final was banned Thursday based on 10-yearold evidence of state-backed doping that had long been hidden in a Moscow laboratory database. I rina Tarasova was banned for two years and disqualified from all her shot put results between July 2012 and July 2016, the Athletics Integrity Unit said. Tarasova placed ninth in the Olympic final in London. She was also stripped of her results at the 2013 World Championships held in Moscow and 2014 European Championships in Zurich. The AIU did not specify the evidence against Tarasova found at the Moscow testing laboratory that was part of a years-long standoff between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and Russian authoritiesWADAasked Russia for a clean ver sion of the Moscow database in 2018 to seek closure in the steroid-doping scandal that tainted the 2012 London Olympics and 2014 Sochi Winter Games.The program had relied on Moscow lab staff working with state authorities to hide positive drug tests and manipulate data input to the global anti-doping system. WADA gave evidence to about 40 sports bodies including World Athletics since getting the database in 2019. Tampering of the data prior to the handover led to a Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling that banned the Russian team name, flag and anthem from the Tokyo Olympics last year and Beijing Winter Games in February.Tarasova, now 35, last competed internationally in 2015. Her ban, which expires in July 2024, also prevents her from working in sport. In a separate database evidence case, the AIU disqualified results in 2012-14 for Olesya Sviridova, a Russian athlete in shot put and discus already serving a four-year ban for doping. B oth athletes can appeal against heirTsanctions.ennisplayer Andrej Martin, meanwhile, was suspended for failing a doping test at a competition, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) said. The 32-year-old Slovakian tested positive in June for SARM S-22, a synthetic substance that can copy the effects of testosterone, at a secondtier event in his home country. Martin, whose career ranking peaked at 93 in 2020, was No. 191 at the time of the positive test. He has a career record of 27-38 and lost in qualifying rounds at each Grand Slam singles tournament this year. The ITIA said he is suspended from playing or attending events while the case is prosecuted. San Diego Padres dynamo Fernando Tatis Jr., one of the brightest, freshest stars in all of Major League Baseball (MLB), was suspended 80 games on Friday after testing positive for a performanceenhancing substance and won’t play this season.
AP N CAA officials sent a letter to its membership Thursday noting its enforcement’s staff pursuit of “potential violations” of the name, image and likeness (NIL) compensation policy and emphasizing the need for schools to helpThinvestigations.ee-mailcame from Stan Wilcox, NCAA executive vice president of regulatory Affairs, and Jon Duncan, VP of enforcement. It said NCAA enforcement staff is “actively investigating potential abuses of NIL transactions and we’ll allege any substantiated concerns as soon as possible.” We also constantly review new reports of tampering, recruiting inducements, impermissible benefits, impermissible recruiters and other related behaviors,” the e-mail said. The NCAA in 2020 lifted its ban on athletes earning money for things like endorsement and sponsorship deals, social media posts and personal appearances. An interim NIL policy still in place relies on longstanding NCAA rules against recruiting inducements and pay-for-play deals, but the lack of detailed and uniform rules have made enforcement challenging while also sparking accusations that schools are wielding NIL in the battle for recruitsInMay, the NCAA issued guidance to members aimed at trying to rein in booster-funded collectives.
EMMA RADUCANU holds her US Open champions trophy after defeating Leylah Fernandez in last year’s final. AP
AP THE NCAA in 2020 lifted its ban on athletes earning money for things like endorsement and sponsorship deals, social-media posts and personal appearances. AP
BusinessMirror August 21, 2022 The rise of ‘Dr. Google’: The risks of self-diagnosis and searching symptoms online
BusinessMirror YOUR MUSIC AUGUST 21, 2022 | soundstrip.businessmirror@gmail.com2
National Artist for Film Ricky Lee, who is mostly known for writing the 1982 award-winning drama Himala describes Blue Room as “an engaging film.”
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A FTER initially receiving several awards of Blue Room, first time director Ma-an L. AsuncionDagñalan was already in tears as she received her award for ‘Best Direction’ for full-length film. By Patrick Miguel festival Cinemalaya, Ma-an said that they had to face several challenges in making the film. “Time and money,” Ma-an said, enumerating the main hurdles they had to go through. She mentioned that since it was shot during the pandemic, they only had “limited working hours.” In addition, their budget “bloated” because they had to follow health protocols which came at a high cost. But despite its setbacks in production, Blue Room managed to rise above as it bagged several awards in the film festival. The film received a Special Jury Award for director Ma-an, Best Cinematography for Neil Daza, Best Supporting Actor for Soliman, and Best Production Design for Marxie MaolenAddressingFadul. the people in the film industry, the director said, “Don’t lose hope.” ‘To tell the truth’ Above all else, Ma-an said the big inspiration behind Blue Room is simply her desire to “tell the truth.”
‘BLUE Room’ behind the scenes (Photo courtesy of Cinemalaya) ‘BLUE Room’ director Ma-An L. Asuncion-Dagñalan (seated, center) with the film’s cast and crew at the Cinemalaya 2022 awards night (Photo by Patrick Miguel/BM)
How acclaimed Cinemalaya feature ‘Blue Room’ integrates music and film
The Philippine Business Mirror Publishing, Inc., with offices on the 3rd Floor of Dominga Building III 2113 Chino Roces Avenue corner Dela Rosa Street, Makati City, Philippines. Tel. Nos. (Editorial) 817-9467; 813-0725. Fax line: 813-7025 Advertising Sales: 8893-2019;17-1351,817-2807. Circulation: 893-1662; 814-0134 to 36. www.businessmirror.com.ph Publisher : Editor-In-Chief : Concept : Y2Z Editor : SoundStrip Editor : Group Creative Director : Graphic Designers : Contributing Writers : Columnists : Photographers : She graced the stage familiarly alongside the casts of Blue Room, namely Elijah Canlas, Keoni Jin, Nourijune, and Harvey Bautista. As she held the framed certificate, she expressed her gratitude to the people who have helped her as a director, including her parents, the people behind the film, and her husband. Blue Room tells the story of an indie rock band “Rebel Rebel,” composed of generation Z woke teens who performed in a prestigious local music festival. Throughout, the band members face adversities as they are arrested for “drug possessions,” in which they undergo a palpable experience of police oppression.juankarlos (stylized as lowercase and who happens to be absent at the awarding) is the front man of the band and the film, manifesting itself that the film really uses music not only as a plot device but also as a tool to convey its message. “juan karlos is very professional and very profound and very smart,” Director Ma-an said. “He composed two songs [for the film], so malaki rin ‘yung contribution niya sa film.” juan karlos wrote the songs “Lumisan” and “Bayan Ko” which were played in the film, the director shared. “I gave him the freedom,” Ma-an said, saying that she gave juan karlos the creative freedom to compose the songs. But as the director, she admitted to giving some comments but said that the attribution is really to juanExplainingkarlos. why she chose to integrate music in her film, Ma-an said that it is rooted in her love for music.“Ako naman, mahilig talaga ako sa music, and then my brother and my husband are into bands,” she said. The director added that the film was already in her mind since 2010, proving that Blue Room is years in the making that was shot during the height of the pandemic. Despite its success in the film TELL THE TRUTH’
“Na-mix niya ng tamang tama ‘yung timpla ng kabataan, ng music, social issues, corruption— napagsama-sama niya lahat so ang daling maka -relate ang generation ngayon para panoorin siya ,” the National Artist told Soundstrip Blue Room finished its original Cinemalaya run at the CCP and in select partner cinemas nationwide until August 16. Cinemalaya will also feature an online run this October via CCP’s vimeo account
“For me, truth matters so that’s the main inspiration for me,” she told Soundstrip. “I had to tell the truth, I had to tell the story [...] on everything that’s going on here.” Oppression perpetuated by the police is the main conflict presented in Blue Room, mirroring real-life events that “woke” teens have spoken against in social media and in their art—like the main characters in the film.
NOEL GALLAGHER The Dreams We Have As Children (2022) A REISSUE of Noel Gallagher’s first live concert after leaving Oasis, this complies performances at the Royal Albert Hall for the Teenage Charity Trust in 2009. Thirteen years hence and several shows later with his post-Oasis band, High Flying Birds, the selected tracks can’t help but confirm that Noel Gallagher is a premier talent, an excellent singer-songwriter with or without sparring partner Liam G. But don’t go sniveling that he’s the millionth sixth Beatles wannabe because the remakes of Oasis classics on this collection can stand on their own terms minus the nostalgia. Even the rendition of Beatles immortals bear the marks of well, Oasis-like thereby Gallagher bros-like brashness.
instrumental jazzy package. “In Deep State Boogie,” the combo even summons a kind of kundiman ambience while in “Tungsten Part I,” the hiphop backbeat pushes the lounge feel towards melodic soft-rock. “Holy Ghost” provides ample room for the trumpet to roam circling from scorching to warm to tender and back again without losing its emotive appeal. Given the current state of Pinoy jazz, the Concrete Rats could be chipping away at the border of progressive new music.
CONCRETE RATS Lotus Flower HOT trumpets which at times tussle with lounge-y piano runs and steady drum beats form the bread and butter of this allAn overload of punk, rock, jazz and Noel Gallagher Live!
soundstrip.businessmirror@gmail.com | AUGUST 21, 2022 3 BUSINESSMUSIC
YARD ACT The Overload T HE titular track on UK foursome Yard Act’s debut opens with crunching metal that de-escalates to a pop tune midway to conclusion. Lead vocalist James wraps up the proceedings with broad observations on the restlessness of the young and gifted in present-day England. Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart” is a ghostly presence in “Tall Poppies,’” a tale of an average life in post-pandemic times even as a bit of Franz Ferdinand sends “The Incident” on an interesting spin about the digital age that’s upon us now. It’s the effortlessly catchy tunes that make the songs go down easily despite the verbose discourses on the end of man (“Pour Another”), big trouble in the digital frontier (“The Incident”) and war and peace in “Land of the Blind.”
SoundSampler by Tony M. Maghirang
JUST MUSTARD Heart Under CALLING a band Just Mustard seems offhand but the freshman Irish band who goes by that name sure knows their way around in producing experimental music that matters. Their main deal is overpowering sounds that name-checks shoegaze, industrial and Goth to evoke feelings of “being underwater and under something very heavy” as Just Mustard vocalist Katie Ball told a music journalist. It’s Miss Ball’s ethereal voice that’s the central focus throughout as her bandmates musically conjure sadness at dawn (“Early”), madness on a rainy morning (“Sore”), unexplained sense of loss and menace (“Mirrors”) and futile attempts to fit in (“I Am You”). Overall, the music can be precious, pretentious even, but there’s no denying it’s dizzyingly absorbing track after track.
BINKER Golding and Moses Boyd are a saxophone and drums duo who’s one of the various drivers today of London’s lively jazz scene. Artful, invigorating perseverance is at the core of their continuing exploration of the edges of free jazz. But don’t get the quasiintellectual underpinnings of the term taunt you. It’s simply guitar-less, bassless poking into the outer reaches of progressive rock, what with the sax leading the charge supported by drums that sometimes explode into a Keith Moon kind of rage. Most tracks actually start quietly arguably to draw in all comers to Binker & Because.”“Feedbest:cacophonybeforecyclesoft-strident-loudest-softMoses’sofcommandingartistrythedam-burstingerupts.Bestofthe“AsynchronousIntervals,”Infinite”and“Because
Think of Yard Act as a more ambitious Seaford Mods and you’re halfway ready to enjoy Yard Act’s surfeit of peculiar delights.
BINKER & MOSES Feeding the Machine
GOO In Goo We Trust G OO should be trusted to go forth raucously along punk rock’s well-trodden path. What the band adds to the noise firstly is twisting the dialectic towards rock and roll and secondly, lyrics that have more to do with falling in love rather than get-the-fu*k-outof-my-face tantrum. Okay, opening track, “Itchy Bitch” finds Goo go totally ape-shit hardcore so the object of desire can taste a serving of his negativity. Second track, “Never About Me,” decelerates though to old-school punk to pitch “forever is gone without you” then on to good time rock and roll rather you!heartsongsWith“Worthwhile”rockdestroy-all-monstersthanpunkin“ThingofthePast,”and“LittleYou.”Goo,punk-fueledlovemanagetotugatthewithoutgoingemoon
By taleen Lara Ashekian Simon Fraser University
s
VirtuAL health care was adopted more widely during the Covid-19 pandemic, with many people accessing health care providers remotely. However, easy and convenient access to technology means some people may choose to bypass health care and consult Dr. google directly with online self-diagnosis.
1 Do your research. Information is power. l earn as much as you can about your health condition(s) to gain confidence, make appointments more efficient and even improve your relationship with your health-care provider. Don’t know where to start? Ask your local librarian if they have any research tips or book suggestions. Join a virtual community and look for learning opportunities (like workshops or webinars at the Alzheimer’s society, Diabetes Canada or other big organizations).
Person-centered care and how you can take your health into your own hands
BusinessMirror August 21, 20224
online
Here is a common scenario: picture someone sitting at home, when suddenly their head starts pounding, their eyes start to itch and their heart rate rises. They reach for their phone or laptop to quickly Google what can possibly be wrong. It’s possible that the search results could offer accurate answers about the cause of the person’s symptoms. Or the search might erroneously suggest they’re well on their way to an early death. As a researcher in the virtual care domain, I’m aware that online self-diagnosis has become very common, and that technology has shifted the way health care is delivered. Paging Dr. Google
ACCo rding to Taleen Lara Ashekian, a Health Sciences researcher & Ph d student, some may choose to self-diagnose because they feel it gives them greater control over their health, while others may find it helps them better communicate symptoms to their physician. Some patients may fear misdiagnosis or medical errors.
2 B e prepared. Don’t be afraid to bring in a list of questions and concerns, and take notes to help you remember what the health-care provider said (for example, jargon you’ll want to look up later). You can also bring in a support person, like a friend or family member, for emotional support, to advocate for you, to help with decision-making or to take notes.
Photo by Engin Akyurt on u n P l A s h
3 G ive feedback. The challenge with person-centered care is that problems in the health system, like staffing shortages, can make it harder to do. But you can help change the system. Be kind to your health-care providers. Share your opinions (on the good and the bad) by filling out patient surveys when you get them. You can also join a patient and family advisory council, committee or network. These are groups of people with lived experience that help improve the health-care system.While you might not be able to change the system on your own, always remember that your voice matters. The Conversation The risks of selfdiagnosis and searching symptoms
The rise of ‘Dr. Google’:
OnlIne health information took on a new importance during the pandemic, when using online sources to assess COVID-19 symptoms and self-triage was encouraged. However, the act of self-diagnosis online is notInnew.2013, it was reported that more than half of Canadians polled said they used Google search to self-diagnose. In 2020, 69-percent of Canadians used the internet to search for health information, and 25-percent used online sources to track their fitness or health. Virtual care and online self-diagnosis share some beneficial traits, such as the convenience of not having to schedule an appointment, saving travel time to the doctor’s office and avoiding waiting rooms. However, the key difference between virtual care and Googling symptoms is that there is no direct communication with a physician when self-diagnosingUsingonline.theinternet to learn more about a condition after being diagnosed by a health care provider may be useful and may decrease the stress of a diagnosis if the sites consulted are trustworthy. However, trying to select credible sources and filter out misinformation can be an overwhelming process. Some information found online has little to no credibility. A study focusing on the spread of fake news on social media found that false information traveled faster and wider than the truth. Risks of self-diagnosis
THe risks of using online health resources include increased anxiety and fear. The term cyberchondria can be defined as someone experiencing a high amount of health anxiety from searching symptoms on the Self-misdiagnosisinternet. is also a danger, especially if doing so means not seeking treatment. For example, if a person confidently self-diagnoses their stomach pains as the stomach flu, they may hesitate to believe their doctor’s diagnosis of appendicitis. There is also a risk of becoming so certain that one’s self-diagnosis is correct that it is difficult to accept a different diagnosis from a health care professional. Misdiagnoses can even be very serious if it results in failure to detect a possible heart attack, stroke, seizure or tumor. Further risks may include increased stress on both the patient and doctors, ineffectively taking or mixing medications and increased costs for treatments or medicines that may not be necessary. Social media and mental health SOCIA l media has given people a voice to share personal health-related remedies and stories. The number of active social media users in Canada has increased by 1.1 million since 2021. This raises the question of how people may be influenced by what they see online and if it may affect health choices.In2018, a Canadian internet use survey examined reports of the negative effects of using social media. It revealed over 12-percent of users reported feeling anxious or depressed, frustrated or angry, or envious of the lives of Conversely,others.social networks have also enabled people with mental health problems to feel unity by sharing experiences and support. However, this may also have contributed to self-diagnosis (and potentially self-misdiagnosis) of mental health issues, such as anxiety and personality disorders. This can put people at physical and mental risk if it results in inappropriate treatments.Thereality is that online self-diagnosis cannot be prevented. But those consulting Dr. Google should be aware of the potential risks, confirm information found online with a health care provider and ask health care providers for credible online sources of information about their diagnoses. The Conversation Per SOn Cen TereD care, also known as patient-centered care, is the philosophy of giving power back to patients and putting them “at the center” of care. It can lead to lower health-care spending and better patient health outcomes. That’s why person-centered care has become a top priority in Canada. “Putting patients at the center” is a really vague goal. That’s why your family doctor, pharmacist, physiotherapist and everyone in between probably has different ideas about how to be person-centered. Signs that you’re getting person-centered care include your health-care provider seeing you as a whole person. They want to hear what you have to say and respects your right to make choices about your own body. They also treat you like a partner, wherein rather than telling you what to do, they listen and teach to build a care plan that aligns with your goals. l astly, they navigate your journey to better health. They listen to your concerns and validate your feelings. They also give helpful advice using words you understand and point you to other resources when you need them. Person-centered care has become essential. especially when it comes to chronic diseases, you need to self-monitor, self-care and advocate for yourself. So what can you do to take your health into your own hands?
