UN expert: Myanmar junta will seek legitimacy in ‘sham’ vote

the coup, he said. Andrews, a former US congressman who has appointments at the Yale Law School and Harvard’s Asia Center, said a new coordinated international response to the crisis in Myanmar is imperative.

Since the military came to power, he said, at least 2,900 people and probably many more have died, 17,500 people are political prisoners and at least 38,000 homes, clinics and schools have been burned to the ground. In addition, 1.1 million people have been displaced, more than 4 million children don’t have access to formal education, and 17.6 million people are expected to need humanitarian aid in 2023, up from 1 million before

The army’s ouster of Suu Kyi’s elected government was met with widespread public protests that security forces suppressed with lethal force. The futility of nonviolent protest drove opponents to armed resistance, which some UN experts and others have characterized as civil war.

According to Andrews’ report to the UN Human Rights Council, in the 22 months from the coup through December 31, there were approximately 10,000 attacks or armed clashes between the military and anti-junta, ethnic resistance forces, and other groups.

Andrews urged all members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to distance themselves from the junta, condemn its actions, and support enforcement of international sanctions. While Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Brunei have reduced diplomatic engagement and rejected its claims of legitimacy, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam have engaged with the military, though Vietnam and Cambodia have said this doesn’t equate to recognition.

The Associated Press journalists Evens Sanon and Fernanda Pesce contributed to this report from Port-au-Prince and accused the international community of failing to address the crisis along with “the junta’s systematic crimes against humanity and war crimes.”

Myanmar is a member of Asean and its military leader, Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, agreed to the organization’s five-point plan in April 2021 calling for an immediate cessation of violence, a dialogue among all concerned parties mediated by an Asean special envoy, but the junta has made little effort to implement it.

Andrews said the military’s hold on the country “is weakening,” saying that his investigation has found that international sanctions have made it difficult for the junta to move and access funds to keep its operations going. But “the problem is that the sanctions are not coordinated,” he said.

₧1-M cash awaits winner of 2023 BCYF Innovation Award

TO further encourage innovators in the country, the Benita and Catalino Yap Foundation (BCYF) is once again leading the holding of its Innovation Award this year to recognize individuals, teams or organizations who have initiated or developed an innovation that have measurable and tangible results improving their operations or their areas of concern.

Through the Shell LiveWIRE Program, the global flagship enterprise program of Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. that promotes entrepreneurship, innovation and meaningful employment, the awardee shall receive the P1,000,000 cash prize that could be used for business upgrades, additions, expansion, or any other steps in order to elevate the innovation.

The award is part of BCYF’s Comprehensive Social Development Program, which consists of Research, Education, Events and Developmental Social Enterprise.

It was conceived as a result of meeting various organizations and young people who have implemented innovative initiatives that improved their operations and their areas of concern.

Among the criteria of the award is that the innovation must have been implemented in a viable, functioning and registered organization and/or business for at least the last five years with two years of profitable operations both on Profit and Loss and Cash basis, and must have material impact on the bottom line of the company.

Also, there must be better-than-sufficient technical facilities, laboratory equipment and technology investment support over the past five years, including training of appropriate and adequate personnel and that there must be proven commitment to sharing the innovation with others.

Nominations may be submitted under the five categories: government service, small-medium enterprises, education, technology, and industry.

Anyone may submit an entry with no cost involved and selfnomination is encouraged.

Submission of nominations is on February 15. 2023.

Nominations with complete requirements must be emailed to bcyf.innovationawards2023@gmail.com.

Original copies of the requirements must be mailed to BCYF-SABRE, Saint Mutien College, Don Cornelio Subd., McArthur Highway Dau, Mabalacat City, Pampanga 2010.

During the virtual launch of the BCYF Innovation Awards 2023 on December 15, 2022, with assistance from the Science and Technology Information Institute of the Department of Science and Technology, Science Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr., expressed support to the 2023 BCYF Innovation Awards and other shared initiatives of BCYF.

The BCYF Innovation Awards is among the activities organized by the BCYF in celebration of the Philippine Innovation Month, which aims to highlight the role of Innovation in Social Development.

It was launched in Malacañang under Presidential Proclamation 172, s. 2017, declaring the third week of February as “Philippine Innovation Week.”

Other activities lined up are the Innovation Forum, CEO Breakfast, Philippine Game Changers Conference (ChangeCon), and Ideas Conference. S&T Media Services

National Scientist Angel C. Alcala, 93

NATIONAL Scientist Angel

Chua Alcala passed away on February 1 at age 93.

Alcala was recognized for his outstanding scientific contributions to the systematics, ecology, diversity of amphibians and reptiles and marine biodiversity, reef fishes, and conservation of marine protected areas, the National Academy of Science and Technology said.

He was a former secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

He was known for his fieldwork to build sanctuaries and to promote biodiversity in the aquatic ecosystems of the Philippines

He was named a National Scientist by President Benigno S. Aquino III in 2014 in recognition of his research on ecology and diversity of Philippine amphibians and reptiles, marine biodiversity, and marine-protected areas.

His pioneering establishment of no-take marine protected areas (MPAs) in the 1970s helped the Philippines increase and preserve marine biodiversity, including fisheries, the Pew Charitable Trusts said in its web site.

No-take MPAs have been institutionalized by the Philippine government and are now part of the provisions of the country’s Fisheries Code. There are now more than 1,000 MPAs throughout the Philippines.

Among the awards and recognitions that he received were the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1992 that acknowledged him for pioneering scien -