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Lifting of rice QR to worsen Filipino farmers’ lot

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Uncertainties in transition

T

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

he lifting of the quantitative restriction (QR) on rice may aggravate the displacement of Filipino farmers, since they would be discouraged to plant the staple with the entry of cheaper rice, according to local experts.

Former Labor Undersecretary and dean of the University of the Philippines School of Labor and Industrial Relations Dr. Rene E. Ofreneo said the entry of imported cheap rice in the country might force rice farmers to shift to planting other crops.

“The effect would not be immediate, but, the way I see it, there will be continuing labor erosion.

You can imagine the displacement in the farming population. There

would be a need for adjustment,” Ofreneo told the BusinessMirror at the sidelines of a recent forum on QR on rice.

Shift

Ofreneo said even if rice farmers decide to shift to planting high-value crops (HVCs), such an alternative wouldn’t be an assurance that they would stay in the agriculture sector, as they could face problems in terms of planting technicalities.

“The shift from rice farming to HVC is not that easy. It will take time. How do you shift overnight, especially if your areas and systems are meant for planting rice [and not for other crops]?”

Ofreneo said.

“You have a lot to consider as a farmer: First, the water infrastructure; second, do you own the land; third, do you have the know-how [in farming HVCs] and use of related planting technolo-

gies; fourth, do you have the capital?” Ofreneo added.

He said the government should have a comprehensive program that would help farmers in the post-QR regime should there really be an influx of imported rice in the country.

‘Slow-motion crisis’

“The agriculture [sector] has been sacrificed all along. The sector now Continued on A2

Study cites high business confidence, digital adoption among local SMEs

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‘T

By Roderick L. Abad | Contributor

In the recent Future of Business survey, wherein the SME page owners on Facebook (FB) were asked about the current situation and their six-month outlook, the calculated score of their businessconfidence level rose from 64 to 66 between the periods of November

and December 2016.

Of the total 1,334 respondents—918 and 416 in two respective months—20 percent of them are involved in international trade, or 3 percent higher than the global average of 17 percent.

Continued on A2

PESO exchange rates n US 49.8880

Sentavio | Dreamstime.com

OMEGROWN small and medium enterprises (SMEs) engaged in international trade are more confident of their businesses than nontraders, and adoptive of today’s digital transformation, according to a recent study.

his is a time to connect more, not less. And the more connected small businesses are to their own economy and to the international economy, the more success and growth they can enjoy.

The more we can understand those connections and how they can fuel economic growth, the better.”

—Clair Deevy, head of economic growth initiatives for Asia Pacific at Facebook

n japan 0.4406 n UK 62.3849 n HK 6.4304 n CHINA 7.2643 n singapore 35.1374 n australia 38.0496 n EU 53.2006 n SAUDI arabia 13.3063

Source: BSP (10 February 2017 )

NewsSunday BusinessMirror

A2 Sunday, February 12, 2017

www.businessmirror.com.ph

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Uncertainties in transition

Continued from A1

is less than 10 percent of the gross domestic product. The intensification of displacement will be slowly felt during the post-QR regime,” he warned.

“The farmers would lose income by the time they harvest due to cheap rice. It’s a slow-motion crisis, if you look at the past 15 years, the contribution of agriculture in the economy has greatly shrunk,” Ofreneo pointed out.

The labor expert recommended that the government lay down programs that would promote and boost research and development in the farm sector, particularly cultivating good plant varieties. Ofreneo added that the government should also look at the agricultural credit woes that hurdle farmers to borrow capital from banks.

“What will happen here during the post-QR, there would be a widespread contract growing in the country, especially in Mindanao,” he said.

“What’s important here is to build up your community and have a new production culture,” he said.

Repeat of 2008 crisis

For his part, UP Los Baños Crop Science professor Dr. Teodoro Mendoza of the Integrated Rural Development Foundation, a nongovernmental organization, said there is a possible repeat of the 2008 rice crisis, when rice price in the global market shot up to more than $1,000 per metric ton (MT), could happen again after the removal of QR on rice.

“It’s a very big possibility because of the decrease in our rice production and the increased volume of our imports. In 2008, when we imported so much rice amounting to more than 2 million MT, it caused an imbalance in the global price. From the usual $500 per MT, it became $1,100 per MT,” Mendoza said.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) earlier warned that the lifting of the QR on rice would discourage farmers from planting the staple and widen the country’s rice-supply shortfall in 2018.

Tight supply

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol said the Philippines would also be hard-pressed

to beef up its stocks by importing rice in 2018 due to the projected tightness in global rice supply. Manila imports an average of 1 MMT of rice annually to boost its stocks, especially during the lean months.

The government has abandoned plans to ask the World Trade Organization (WTO) to extend the QR on rice due to lack of time, Piñol said a recent news briefing in Malacañang.

Piñol added this was the result of the discussions in the recent Committee on Tariff and Related Matters (CTRM) meeting. The CTRM is cochaired by the secretaries of trade and socioeconomic planning.

“In the last meeting of the CTRM, the consensus was against [DA’s position]. The QR will expire and the government cannot do anything about it,” he said.

‘Saving grace’

The DA chief noted that the country’s application for the QR extension was processed over a period of two years. To date, the Philippines is the only country in the world that continues to implement riceimport caps.

‘T

he agriculture [sector] has been sacrificed all along.

The sector now is less than 10 percent of the GDP. The intensification of displacement will be slowly felt during the post-QR regime. The farmers would lose income by the time they harvest due to cheap rice. It’s a slow-motion crisis, if you look at the past 15 years, the contribution of agriculture in the economy has greatly shrunk.”—Former Labor Undersecretary

and dean of the University of the Philippines School of Labor and Industrial Relations Dr. Rene E. Ofreneo

Piñol said the “saving grace” for the Philippines would be Republic Act (RA) 8178, or the Agricultural Tariffication Act of 1996, which has not yet been amended

by Congress. RA 8178 needs to be amended to allow the Philippines to replace the QR—a nontariff barrier—with a specific duty.

According to the WTO General Council Ruling in 2014, the Philippines should subject rice imports to ordinary customs duties right after the waiver for special treatment for rice, which allowed the country to continue its QR on rice,

expires on June 30 this year.

Earlier, the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said it is no longer possible to amend RA 8178 before June 30. Neda Assistant Secretary Mercedita A. Sombilla said the agency has already prepared a draft bill, but it has yet to be subjected to consultations.

Earlier, an official of the Neda told the BusinessMirror that the agency would recommend to the President a tariff ranging from 40 percent to 50 percent once the country converts the rice-import

quota into tariffs.

The QR, a nontariff barrier, has allowed Manila to limit the volume of imported rice that will enter the Philippine market. Under the QR scheme, rice imports within the minimum access volume (MAV) of 805,200 MT per year are slapped with a lower tariff of 40 percent, while imports in excess of the MAV are slapped a higher tariff of 50 percent.

The Neda and some economists have pushed for the removal of the rice QR to make the staple more affordable to the poor.

Study cites high business confidence, digital adoption among local SMEs Continued from A1

The majority of them are newly operating from one to three years (39 percent) or merely a year (28 percent).

They outnumbered the more established ones: 10 years, 17 percent; four to five years, 8 percent; and six years to a decade, 8 percent.

Corresponding to their ages, the study showed that start-ups really provide more job opportunities as they progress, as 39 percent hire only two to four workers; 27 percent, one personnel (either by the owner or anyone); 14 percent, five to nine staff members; 12 percent, 10 to 49 laborers; and 8 percent, over 50 employees.

Overall, 64 percent of the respondents are positive of the current state of their ventures and 81 percent expressed optimism on their business performance for the first half of this year.

Small-scale businesses playing in the global business field (71 percent) are more likely to increase jobs in the next six months than nontraders (64 percent).

The number of employees in the SME sector rose by 32 percent in the second half of last year, and is expected to double to 64 percent

in the first half of 2017.

Shifting to digital era

SUCESSS—as in any kind and size of business—is not overnight.

Even big enterprises and multinationals underwent a painstaking phase of expansion, so SMEs must be risk-takers enough to withstand any downfall.

Based on the results, the top 5 most commonly reported challenges for small businesses engaged in international trade are attracting customers (69 percent), maintaining profitability (60 percent), increasing revenue (53 percent), developing new products or innovation (46 percent) and securing financing for expansion (37 percent).

It is for these setbacks that small-time businesses leverage on technological advancements— more specifically, shifting to digitization—to help improve their operations.

The survey participants use online tools to show their products or services (79 percent), advertise to potential new customers (75 percent), communicate with clients or suppliers (75 percent), sell products or services (74 percent), provide information (66 percent) and manage internal busi-

ness process (31 percent).

On the average, local SMEs use the web platforms for four out of six of these purposes, as per the research.

Women on top

IF before the world of business was dominated by men and women were mostly left at home, today, the latter also go out their way to their backyard. Behind any successful enterprise is also a woman, according to the Future of Business survey.

Gender-wise, the top management of the company-respondents is comprised “mainly” of female (41 percent) as compared to their male counterparts (32 percent). It is noted that the term “mainly” indicates that at least 65 percent of the management are either men or women.

Twenty-seven percent of the participants said there is a balance of gender mix among their talent pool.

Businesses ran by women are as confident about the current and near-term outlooks and report facing the same challenges as those managed by men.

Women are 14 percentage points more likely to communicate with customers or suppliers

through online platforms and 12 percentage points more likely to tap the web channels to sell products and services.

Empowering SMEs

SMALL- and mid-sized enterprises represent over 90 percent of businesses in all economies and also constitute a majority of a country’s employment virtually worldwide.

More than 60 million of them use Facebook as a social-network platform to connect with their customers elsewhere in the world.

In the Philippines, wherein 99.6 percent of all registered companies are SMEs, mobile technology is their way to connect with people globally.

The high Internet penetration in the country makes it easy for them to link to the international market.

According to Facebook’s internal data in August 2016, more than 54 million people in the country are on FB, and 59 percent of them are connected to at least one business in a foreign nation.

Given these figures, Facebook, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the World Bank teamed up to create the Future of Business sur-

vey as an online monthly study of small businesses to understand their sentiment, activities and challenges.

Their alliance shows the value of private-public partnership in producing timely information about businesses provides a pulse on the current and future economic environments in which businesses operate, and gives insights on ways to support the growth of enterprises.

“To help businesses succeed in the new mobile economy, we need to understand the current and future economic environments in which businesses operate. Businesses can help you understand the challenges they face and the opportunities that exist to help them grow,” said Clair Deevy, head of economic growth initiatives for Asia-Pacific at Facebook.

“This is a time to connect more, not less. And the more connected small businesses are to their own economy and to the international economy, the more success and growth they can enjoy. The more we can understand those connections and how they can fuel economic growth, the better,” she said.

Founded in 2004, Facebook is a for-profit corporation and

online social-media and socialnetworking service based in California, whose mission is to provide the people with the power to share and make the world more open and connected.

The Mark Zuckerberg-led corporation is helping all businesses grow across borders and worldwide by introducing new resources and solutions.

One of the new solutions launched by Facebook for business owners is the Lookalike Audiences tool, whose feature enables them to reach customers in new markets abroad with similar profiles to their existing ones.

In addition, advertisers with portal conversion or mobile-app install objectives can utilize Facebook’s extended location-targeting capabilities by selecting a worldwide region or trade zone.

The social-networking service provider will then deliver ads to selected regions and then optimize delivery to the countries with the greatest return.

Webinars on global marketing with Facebook and a handbook on finding the right customers in new countries are part of new solutions to help enterprises maximize their international campaign strategy.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

The World BusinessMirror

Sunday, February 12, 2017

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Chance and challenge: Japan Inc. worried, but hopeful on Trump T OKYO—President Donald J. Trump’s salvos on trade and currency are rattling Japan Inc., but many here hope Prime Minister Shinzo Abe can sell him a “win-win” package of job creation and investment when they meet this week, averting a return of the Japan-bashing of the 1980s.

Abe moved early to build a personal rapport with Trump, meeting him in New York shortly after he was elected. With Japan’s largest export market at stake, its businesses need him to keep at it.

Japan’s status as the cornerstone US ally in the Pacific was reassuringly reaffirmed in a recent visit by US Defense Secretary Jim

Mattis. Tokyo has reiterated its commitment to spending more on its own security and buying more military aircraft and other equipment from the US. That won’t directly affect trade figures, however, which are measured by the private sector.

Japan logged the second-largest trade surplus with the US

last year, at $68.9 billion dollars.

That’s way below China’s, at $347 billion, and on a par with the surpluses run by Germany and Mexico. Still, there’s plenty to worry about.

TPP

A f t er ta k ing of f ice, Tr ump pulled the plug on US involvement in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), then a dozen, now 11-member trade pact the Obama administration promoted as a way to expand US exports and influence in the Pacific Rim and counter China’s growing economic sway.

Trump has criticized Toyota Motor Corp. for planning to build an assembly plant in Mexico, complained Japanese don’t buy enough US-made cars, and accused Japan of engineering its monetary policies to help Japanese exporters.

Abe won’t bring any business

leaders along on his trip, which begins on Thursday. But following the lead of Softbank tycoon Masayoshi Son, who met with Trump last November and promised 50,000 jobs and $50 billion in new investments, officials say they are hammering out a job-creation package of infrastructure investments to propose during Abe’s visit.

According to various versions of the proposal reported in Japanese newspapers, key areas of investment may include building high-speed trains, joint development of robotics, artificial intelligence and space technologies and ramping up imports of US natural gas in Japan and elsewhere in Asia by building more liquefied natural-gas facilities on this side of the Pacific.

R e s o u rc e - p o o r Ja p a n i m p or t s a l mo s t a l l it s e ne r g y needs since most of its nuclear reactors were shut dow n after

the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. But price and currency trends can blunt any impact on the trade ba lance: In 2016, Japa n’s impor ts of l iquef ied p e t role u m g a s f rom t he US jumped nearly 4 4 percent by volume, but the va lue of those impor ts fel l slight ly.

Japanese businesses have in general been supportive of socalled Abenomics, the prime minister’s attempts to keep Japan’s growth going. And they are applauding his effort to woo Trump.

Abe’s proactive approach makes sense, says William Saito, an entrepreneur, educator and adviser to the Japanese government.

If the US wants Japanese bullet-train technology, or if Japan wants to diversify its energy portfolio, “it’s a win-win,” Saito said.

“I see all change as an opportunity. You can definitely make the best of it,” he said. “If we have an

economic-centric plan here, this is in the interest of both leaders.”

Trump’s policies also could herald new opportunities for Japan to invest in the US, analysts say.

The US is already the top destination for Japan’s direct foreign investment, totaling $460 billion last year, more than in Europe at $398 billion, or all of Asia at $376 billion, according to Hiromichi Shirakawa, an analyst at Credit Suisse.

Having seen Japanese-made ve h ic le s s m a s he d i n e a rl ie r spells of Japan-bashing trade friction, Toyota and other manufacturers shifted much of their production to the US. Toyota President Akio Toyoda and other business leaders have stoutly defended their role in providing US jobs and investment. Toyota has invested $22 billion in the US in the last 60 years, and plans another $10 billion in investments in the next five years. AP

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Sunday, February 12, 2017

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‘Trumpstorm’ threatens emerging market growth optimism, IIF says

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nvestors returning to emerging markets this year amid an improving economic-growth outlook must brace themselves for political turbulence unleashed by President Donald J. Trump’s US election win, according to the Institute of International Finance (IIF).

T he Washing ton-based research institute cut its forecast for nonresident capital f lows to emerg ing markets by $90

billion in 2017 to $680 billion.

The reduction accounts for the potential for more protectionist trade measures from the world ’s

biggest economy since Trump’s election v ictor y last November. Fur t her headw ind s may come from upcoming elections in France, where a nationalist candidate is gaining popularity, the IIF said. “ Tr ump’s v ictor y has been a game changer for emerging markets,” analysts at the institute said in an e-mailed note.

“If harsher trade measures are introduced—especially if aimed at the major economies—the disruption to the global economy could be severe.”

Following a brief pullback in the wake of Trump’s election,

investors are being lured back to emerging markets this year by higher-than-average yields and prospects for increased economic growth. T he IIF projects GDP in emerg ing markets to increase by 4.5 percent next year, up from 3.8 percent in 2016, prov ided t here are no major exter na l shocks.

Economic grow th is v u lnerable to “a number of channels through which changes in US polic y cou ld spil l over such as e x por ts, remittances and f inancia l f lows”. Eg y pt, A rgent i n a, C h i n a, C h i le, U k ra i ne, I n d o n e s i a mo s t e x p o s e d i n

2017 due to f ina nc ing need s, reser ves; asset va luations “st retc hed ” i n C h i le, Eg y pt , t he C z ec h R e publ ic , Ru ssi a , Colombia, t he Phi l ippines a nd Korea have adequ ate reser ves, low f ina nc ing need s, l it t le e xposu re to US ot her t ha n Korea “The global economic outlook remains very uncertain, with an almost binary outcome likely to be determined by the severity of the protectionist measures to be introduced by the new Trump administration and the outcome of the French presidential election,” IIF analysts said.

Bloomberg News

Free smartphones, toilets herald India’s hinterland spending spree

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s India’s most populous state heads to the polls, politicians are promisi ng e ver y t h i ng f rom sm a r tphones to pressure cookers in a free-for-all that could signal the start of a spending spree in the countr y’s hinterland.

In Uttar Pradesh, a state of 200 million people that begins voting in legislative elections on Saturday, parties including Prime Min-

ister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party are offering a range of freebies—which have a lso evolved to reflect a younger, more aspirational India.

The promises, combined with Modi ’s infrastructure-focused federal budget and a pledge to double farmer incomes by 2022, could spur spending in rural India as parties position to win current and future polls, including

the next general election of 2019.

A na lysts e x pect susta ined spending cou ld lift r ura l incomes and potentially benefit sectors, such as autos and consumer goods, after a period of depressed consumption following Modi ’s November ban on largerdenomination rupee notes.

“Parties are aware that their fate lies in the hands of this part of India,” said Shailesh Kumar, an

Asia analyst with Eurasia Group, a consultancy. “Politics in India will begin to pivot toward the rural economy, as parties seek to show that they are looking out for citizens living in villages.”

Laptops to pressure cookers

Modi’s party has promised a toilet for each household within five years and a laptop loaded with one year’s worth of free Internet. The BJP has also said it would waive loans for farmers and build 10 universities with free Wi-fi.

Modi’s rival in Uttar Pradesh, the incumbent Samajwadi Party, assured roughly 10 million people it would give them free smartphones should they get elected, the Times of India reported on December 7. In its manifesto, the party promised to provide poor women pressure cookers and discounted bus passes. Giveaways are not illegal and are common in Indian campaigning, even if they don’t always materialize. Political parties have also modified their tactics by promising a high-tech products to digital have-nots in the world’s sixth-largest economy.

N. Bhaskara Rao, founder and chairman of the New Delhi-based Centre for Media Studies, said giveaways are not new, but have begun to evolve from bicycles to laptops and phones.

“They are nothing new, it’s only now the package consists of hitech,” Rao said. “The new package consists of this type of gadgetryoriented goodies. The voters are a little more educated.”

‘Hoodwink’ voters

Not everyone is swayed.

“All these freebies don’t matter,” says Rahul Bhati, an unemployed 25-year-old in an Uttar Pradesh village outside New Delhi. “All of this is meaningless if we don’t have development.”

And some don’t believe the promises will even come true.

Mayawati, a former state chief minister who goes by one name and heads the popular Bahujan Samaj Party, said Modi was trying to “hoodwink” voters after failing to fulfill the promise of economic development that propelled him in to office after 2014 federal elections. During that campaign, Modi pledged to bring reliable power to all citizens. Though there has been some progress, the government reportedly counted one village as “electrified” when just 15 of 170 homes were connected to the grid.

Election declarations are not always empty, though: The Samajwadi Party said it has given out 1.5 million laptops since 2012.

Puja Bhati, a 21-year-old college student, received a laptop from the Samajwadi Party and signed up for a smartphone. Her family are party supporters.

“He’s fulfilled his promises,” she said of current chief minister

Akhilesh Yadav. “That’s why we will vote for the Samajwadi Party.”

Rural infrastructure

With elections from Himalayan Uttarakhand to tropical Goa, the competition for votes—along with the federal budget’s $59-billion target for roads, railways, airports and ports—could lead to infrastructure-building.

Parties are assuring voters of new schools, roads, hospitals and housing, and the trend could continue as state polls unfold ahead of 2019, when Modi will seek a second term. Sonal Varma, India chief economist with Nomura Holdings Inc., said she expects investment in roads and irrigation. “If the government has to meet its objective of doubling farm incomes, then a start has to be made now,” Varma said.

The BJP said it will create a $22-million agricultural fund and a $148-million start-up capital fund in the state, while using its federal budget to pledge a record $148 billion for loans to farmers across the country. The Samajwadi Party, which allotted more than $2 billion for road construction in its current state budget, said it would to build new expressways and a metro for several smaller cities in addition to Lucknow, where one is under construction.

Crucial poll

The elections in Uttar Pradesh, which conclude on March 11, are India’s most important subnational contest. The BJP swept the state in the 2014 general election, winning 71 of the state’s 80 lower house seats.

A BJP loss in the state vote would be interpreted as a referendum on Modi’s leadership. It would prevent him from improving the party’s position in the upper house of parliament, or Rajya Sabha—where some of Modi’s reform efforts have stalled. Uttar Pradesh sends about one-eighth of lawmakers to the upper house, and one-seventh to the lower house, more than any other state.

Opinion surveys have been divided. But after a recent alliance between Samajwadi and the Congress party, one poll predicted the pair would win between 187 and 197 seats in the 403-seat legislature, compared to around 128 seats for the BJP. Spokesmen for the BJP and the Samajwadi Party declined to comment.

Consumption

Priyanka Kishore of Oxford Economics Ltd. said Modi needs to spend in rural India to offset hardship caused by his November 8 cash ban, which hit spending, demand and manufacturing across India. T he purchasing managers’ index, or PMI, showed three consecutive months of contraction to February. Bloomberg News

Made in Mexico cars, trucks popular on US highways

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ETROIT—Some of America’s most popular cars and trucks are made in Mexico—for now. Many Americans have benefited from Mexico’s emergence as a production hub. Low-cost production helps keep sticker prices lower on vehicles, such as the Ford Fusion and the Nissan Sentra.

But Mexico’s growing share of the auto market is a sore spot for President Donald J. Trump, who has threatened to impose border taxes on Mexican imports to force companies to make cars in the US. Under the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta), Mexico’s share of North America’s vehicle production has risen to 20 percent, from 3 percent three decades ago. It’s expected to hit 26 percent by 2020, according to LMC Automotive, a forecasting firm.

The trade pact also contributed to a 30-percent decline in US auto-manufacturing jobs between 1994 and 2013, according to the nonpartisan Peterson Economic Institute, although factory automation played a role, as well. Most cars sold in the US are still made here. Of the 17.5 million new vehicles sold in the US last year, 9.8 million were made in the US and just under 2 million were made in Mexico, according to WardsAuto. Canada and Japan followed closely behind. Here are the most popular Mexican-made vehicles in the US and the total number sold in 2016 that were built in Mexico. In cases where vehicles were built in both the US and Mexico, WardsAuto estimated the amount of Mexican-built production. n FORD FUSION: 257,865

Ford Motor Co. has built the midsize Fusion sedan at its plant in Hermosillo, Mexico, since its introduction in 2005. In 2013 Ford added Fusion production to a plant in Flat Rock, Michigan. But car sales have been slipping as consumers gravitate toward SUVs, so Ford stopped making the Fusion in Michigan last year. The Fusion starts at $22,120. n RAM: 246,000

The Ram pickup is Fiat Chrysler’s best-selling vehicle. Fiat Chrysler makes some Rams at its 79-year-old truck plant in Warren, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. But it has also made them in Saltillo, Mexico, since 1995, the year after Nafta went into effect. The Ram 1500 pickup starts at $26,395. n CHEVROLET SILVERADO: 222,000

The Silverado pickup is General Motors Co.’s bestselling vehicle. Most Silverados are made at plants in Flint, Michigan, and Fort Wayne, Indiana. But four-door crew cab versions are made at GM’s assembly plant in Silao, Mexico, which opened in 1995. A Silverado crew cab starts at $36,840. n NISSAN SENTRA: 214,709

The Sentra small car was made in Smyrna, Tennessee, from 1985 to 2000, when it was moved to Aguascalientes, Mexico, so the Smyrna plant could make SUVs. Since then, Nissan Motor Co. has built a second plant in Aguascalientes to make Sentras for global export. Nissan is Mexico’s market leader and the biggest automotive manufacturer in the country, with total production of 848,086 vehicles in 2016. The Sentra starts at $16,990. n NISSAN VERSA: 132,214

The subcompact Nissan Versa went on sale in the US in 2006. It’s made at one of Nissan’s two plants in Aguascalientes, Mexico. The Versa starts at $11,990. n VOLKSWAGEN JETTA: 121,107

The Jetta small car is Volkswagen AG’s biggest seller in the US. It was made here briefly in the late 1980s before Volkswagen closed its plant in Pennsylvania. When Volkswagen built a new plant in Tennessee in 2011, it was intended for larger vehicles like the Passat sedan. Volkswagen has been making the Jetta in Puebla, Mexico, since 1993. In 2016 Volkswagen had the highest percentage of Mexican-made US sales among major automakers, at 32 percent. The Jetta starts at $17,895. n DODGE JOURNEY: 106,759

Since its introduction in 2009, the Dodge Journey midsize SUV has been made at a Fiat Chrysler plant in Toluca, Mexico. The Toluca plant, which opened in 1968, has made numerous other vehicles over the years, including the Chrysler PT Cruiser. The Journey starts at $21, 145. n GMC SIERRA: 99,000

Like its corporate twin, the Chevrolet Silverado, the GMC Sierra is also built in Flint, Michigan, and Fort Wayne, Indiana. Four-door crew cab versions are built in Silao, Mexico. The Sierra crew cab starts at $38,015.

TOYOTA TACOMA: 86,000

When Toyota Motor Corp. introduced the midsize Tacoma pickup in 1995, it was made at a joint General Motors and Toyota plant in Fremont, California. In 2003 Toyota built a new plant in Baja California, Mexico, to expand Tacoma production. Toyota still makes some Tacomas in the US, but it moved production to San Antonio, Texas, in 2010 after selling the California plant to Tesla. The Tacoma starts at $24,320. n FORD FIESTA: 48,807

Ford reintroduced the subcompact Fiesta to the US market in 2010. It’s built at a Ford plant in Cuautitlan, Mexico, that opened in 1964 and used to build pickup trucks for the Mexican market. The Fiesta starts at $13,660.

Science

www.businessmirror.com.ph • Editor: Lyn Resurreccion

$100K DNA laboratory to PSHS courtesy of Andales’s Breakthrough Challenge win

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ALO, Leyte—Eleventh Grader Hillary Diane Andales won for her school, the Philippine Science High SchoolEastern Visayas Campus (PSHS-EVC) in Palo, Leyte, a state-of-the-art DNA molecularbiology laboratory worth $100,000 from the Breakthrough Junior Challenge (BJC) in 2016.

As finalist, Andales, 17, emerged as a special awardee for the “Most Popular Vote” in the Popular Vote Challenge with 40,000 likes, shares and 300,000 views in Breakthrough Prize Facebook page in the BJC. Her video entry explaining an advanced physics concept, called “Feynman’s Path Integrals”, won for Andales the BJC award.

Reynaldo B. Garnace, director of the PSHSEVC, said the second year of BJC had 6,000 competitors from 146 countries. The awarding ceremony was held in the US in December 2016.

Garnace said the award to Andales entitled her school with a DNA molecular-biology laboratory, together with equipment and other apparatus. The BJC team will set up the $100,000 laboratory this first quarter of 2017 at the school’s newly constructed laboratory and technology building, named Breakthrough Junior Challenge Laboratory.

The BJC is part of Breakthrough Prize, which is founded by Sergey Brin, Anne Wojcicki, Yuri and Julia Milner, Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan, aim at recognizing the best scientific work in Physics, Life Sciences and Mathematics.

Garnace said the laboratory is very much welcome given the need of PSHS-EVC for a laboratory. It should be noted that Supertyphoon Yolanda (international code name Haiyan) on November 8, 2013, has totally destroyed the school’s laboratory and equipment. The laboratory building was refurbished in 2015 only. Garnace said, “Andales explored what she can do by joining the Breakthrough Junior Challenge. She was able to prove herself, and she did it well.”

He said, “The PSHS-EVC aims to produce

future leaders in science by providing them state-of-the-art laboratory, so they can give solutions to problems of the country and of the world, and present their papers that will be recognized in the country.”

Andales was among the more than 800 students who were conferred the Youth Excellence in Science Award by the Department of Science and Technology-Science Education Institution early this month.

In her entry to BJC on “Feynman’s Path Integrals”, Andales said it has a universal idea that could be related in science and sociopolitical structures. She related it in simpler concepts and in ordinary daily life in order to encourage understanding among the average person. She said disharmony exists in war-torn countries, which results in destruction, and only peaceful countries in the long term remain in harmony.

According to her, in the chaos that is currently being experienced, a path toward harmony and synergy like the atom exists, and the harmony in universe and sociopolitical structures, and evolution of things and galaxies.

She hopes to achieve her dream with the support of her parents Imelda and Roy Andales, who are science enthusiasts and chemist, to be part of a research team of a famous huge science laboratory abroad after she pursues a degree in Physics.

“A great passion in science for greater society is a great and noble contribution, upholding the fact and truth for the greater development of the country,” she said.

Andales, a junior student of PSHS-EVC, is one of the students who do a research on physics: a simulation of how celestial bodies move because of forces such as gravity.

She currently writes a program for a video on celestial gravity, considering the specific time interval, specific force that affects it, and how fast the celestial bodies are moving. Vanessa Puno

BusinessMirror

Sunday

Sunday, February 12, 2017 A5

Raising awareness for water security and sanitation Story by Stephanie Tumampos | Special to the BusinessMirror

O

ver 15 million people in the Philippines have no access to clean and safe water.

Beyond this, the water supply for Filipinos is seen to be lesser in the coming years, as climate change and overconsumption have greatly affected the country’s water resources.

“We feel like we have a lot of source of water, so we take it for granted,” Elisea G. Gozun, Climate Resiliency team leader of the USAID Be Secure Project, said in an interview with the BusinessMirror at the sidelines of the Media Forum on Water Security and Climate Change at a hotel in Makati City.

“Well, we don’t have a lot [of water],” said Gozun, a former environment secretary.

The Security for Resilient Economic Growth and Stability (Be Secure) Project is an initiative of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It works with various stakeholders at the national level and in six areas around the country to improve water security and resilience to climate change.

According to Gozun, in a study by the World Bank on the Philippine Environment Monitor in 2000, “the findings show that we [the Philippines] are second to the lowest on per-capita availability [of water]”.

The urgency to take on water security to the next level of awareness of the Filipino people is a fact, she said. “Until when will we have water?”

This led Gozun to tack le a more important issue concerning water secur it y—the effects of climate change. “We can’t have water security, unless we consider the climate hazards,” Gozun said. “You can’t plan on water, you can’t manage it effectively, unless you think about the climate impacts,” she added.

Bringing the case of the Philippines, Gozun said the country has different climates in each parts of the country. But “the good news is that Pag-asa [Philippine Atmospher ic, Geophysica l and A stronomical Services Administration]

has downscaled the international assessment of the International Protocol for Climate Change on weather and climate in the Philippines on the provincial level,” she said.

Water sec u r it y for G oz u n i s simple. “It’s not even rocket science!” she said. The problem with the Filipinos, she said, is that the people forgot the old ways of storing rainwater for other use, like using it for watering plants in the household. The new system has changed the Filipinos, she said, they forgot how to store and manage rainwater and save it for dry days.

“When we’re planning on water, we forget to include how we will deal with rainwater. It can actually be on our roof or on the runoff surface,” she said. “Instead of experiencing flood, you can have rainwater storage.”

Another issue the USAID Be Secure project is addressing is water sanitation. Ramon A likpala, senior technical adviser of Be Secure Project, said Filipinos have misconceptions on water sanitation. “ Ver y few com mu n it ies h ave septage treatment, and there are only a few communities that have access to proper sewerage in the country,” said Alikpala in an interview with the BusinessMirror at the sidelines of the media forum. He added that, in other cases, houses and establishments

have pipes but with no treatment plant. “That’s the biggest problem, and that’s one of the biggest pollution factors,” he said.

The Be Secure project also wants Filipinos to understand that in order to have a constant supply of safe water, one must also pay for the water he or she discharges.

“The [people’s] mind-set has to be changed,” Alikpala said. “People are willing to pay for water coming out of their pipes, but they don’t understand why they have to pay for water they’re throwing away.”

Without water and proper sanitation, the effects on health and even on food supply will be greatly affected, he said. Eighty-five percent of water is used by agriculture in the country, and the rest is used in industrial, commercial and households.

If there is water shortage, the agriculture sector, the farmers will suffer the most. “Our law requires providing and prioritizing consumption over anything else and that means, our farmers will have to suffer and our food security will be at stake,” Gozun said.

“We ask you to make people understand, [become] aware and learn what the solutions are,” she said.

“Water security and sanitation must be a way of life, as we cannot survive without of water,” she added.

Faith A6 Sunday, February 12, 2017

Sunday

www.businessmirror.com.ph • Editor: Lyn Resurreccion

Pastoral letter on drug war grounded in truth–bishop

I

t’s not a lie that innocent people were killed and many fear of becoming victims of extrajudicial killings, a Catholic bishop said.

Saint Valentine receiving a rosary from the Virgin, by David Teniers III. Wikimedia Commons

Saint Valentine: Bishop and Martyr

By Corazon Damo-Santiago

O

n the eve of February 13, a prisoner doomed for execution the following day wrote a farewell note to a friend.

He signed it: Your Valentine.

The friend is Julia, the blind daughter of Asterius, his jailer.

Valentine restored Julia’s miraculously. Julia, according to John Foxe in Voices of Martyrs, planted a pink-blossomed almond tree near Valentine’s grave.

“Today the tree remains a symbol of abiding love and friendship,” Foxe said.

Charismatic evangelizer

Vale n ti n e , w ho b e c a me a bishop of Interemma (modern Terni), was born in 176. He wore a purple amethyst ring customarily worn by Christian bishops. It has the image of Cupid, a symbol associated with love.

During Valentine’s lifetime, Christians were persecuted. Unafraid, he remained faithful to the Catholic Church.

Married soldiers were so attached to their wives and children, so Marcus Aurelius Valerius wanted his soldiers to remain single.

But t he sold iers prefer red married life, so when they recognized Valentine through his r ing, they requested that he perform their marriage rites. He did. He officiated clandestine Christian marriages. To remind them of their marriage vows, he gave them cutout of hearts from parchment. He gave the hearts to persecuted Christians, too.

Valentine was arrested and interrogated by Emperor Cladius.

Impressed by his personality, the emperor attempted to make Valentine denounce Christianity to save his life. But, Valentine, instead, tried to convince him to be a Christian, which enraged the emperor.

In jail, Valentine met the jailer, Aurelius, who vowed to do anything in return for a favor if the sight of her daughter is restored.

Valentine placed his hands on the eyes of Aurelius’ daughter, prayed to bring back her sight.

Overjoyed, Aurelius broke all the idols they adored at home, fasted for three days and was baptized together with 44 members of his household.

On the day of his execution, Valentine was dragged before the prefect of Rome. He was condemned to be beaten until death and beheaded on January 14 in Flamian Gate.

John Foxe, an English historian of the Order of Carmelites, wrote that Valentine was buried in the church of Praxedes in Rome, located near the Cemetery of Saint Hippolytus.

W hi le Churc h biog raphers agree that Valentine was born in 176, they did not agree on the year of his death. Three authors on the lives of saints, however, listed his death in 269. They are Robert Ellsberg in (All Saints); Fr. Paolo O Pirlo, SHMI, (My First Book of Saints and A Year with the Saints); and A.J.M. and J.K. Mausolfe (Saint Companions for Everyday).

Pope Julius I (337-352) had a church constructed in his memory near Ponte Mole Porta Valentini, now Porta del Popolo.

His relics were kept in the Catacombs of San Valentino in Rome, which was an important pilgrim site during the Middle Ages.

Po p e N i c h o l a s I V (1 2 8 8 1292) transferred his relics in Santa Prassede.

Februa, Feast of Lupercalia

The date of his death, as noted

by History.com, may have been intermingled with the Feast of Luperalia, a festival of love.

At a Fertility Rite, women who wish to conceive were stricken by a goatskin called luperci. Priestesses of the goddess Vesta offered cakes, too. During the feast, the names of women who desire to be married were placed on a box and drawn by men.

Internet information added that the Roman pastoral festival was performed to purify the city of evil spirits and release good spirits of health and fertility on Februa, the spring cleansing ritual Pope Gelasius I in 496 put an end to the feast and declared February 14 as Valentine’s Day. In 1969 the Catholic Church removed Saint Valentine from the General Roman Calendar but continued to recognize him as a saint honoring him on February 14 in the Roman Martyrology.

Relics

Many religious and administrators of religious sites claim possession of Saint Valentine’s relics.

The friars of Saint Francis Church attested that his remains, placed in a wooden casket, were deposited with them by a French collector of religious memorabilia in 1868.

Fr. John Spratt received a gift from Pope Gregory XVI in 1896.

History.com noted that the vessel contained the blood of Saint Valentine now under the safekeeping of religious in Whitefair Church in Dublin, Ireland.

His relics can also be found in Prague, Church of Saint Peter and Paul at Vysehrad, Saint Mary’s Assumption in Chelmo Poland, Balzan Malta Stephansdam, Viena, and Blessed John Dus Scotus Church in Gorbals, Glasglow, Scotland. Since 1835, the Carmelite W hitefriar Street Church in Dublin claimed to possess the saint’s relics.

Patron Saint of Love, Happy Marriages

Saint Valentine is not only the patron saint of lovers and happy marriages but also of bookkeepers and people who suffer epilepsy, which is sometimes called Saint Valentine Malady.

He has inspired artists to make Valentine keys and Valentine cards to express love. n Santiago is a former regional director of the Department of Education National Capital Region. She is currently a faculty member of Mater Redemptoris Collegium in Calauan, Laguna, and Mater Redemptoris College in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija.

Disputing Malacañang’s claim that bishops have lost touch with reality, Bishop Ruperto Santos of Balanga said their pastoral letter on drug war only relays the sentiments of many people, especially those in poor communities.

“They are not only afraid, they become restless and disturbed that there’s no peace. And that’s the reason it’s now ‘terror’ that they experience,” he said.

Malacañang said the bishops are not grounded in reality, after the release of a pastoral letter raising their concerns on President Duterte’s deadly “war on drugs” for creating a “reign of terror”.

Pa lace Spokesman Er nesto Abel la c la imed t he crac kdow n on narcotics has, instead, tur n the countr y “ into a safer place”.

Instead of being defensive, the bishop said it would help if the government would address the unexplained killings and other concerns raised by the Church.

“We all want to be safe and be peaceful, so let us get rid of these senseless killings. Let us get rid of the extrajudicial killings,” Santos said.

In December last year a Social Weather Stations survey reported that majority of Filipinos are worried of getting killed in the drug war that claimed more 7,000 lives in six months.

The poll found that 78 percent of Filipinos were afraid they would also fall victim to summary executions. Santos added this is even the reason the Church had to always come out and try to allay their fears.

“We, priests and bishops, are

with the people. We feel them.

We want to assure them. We want to pacify them that we are with them, and we want them to be peaceful,” he said.

Bishops warn vs being ‘silent accomplice’ to killings

The Catholic bishops called on the faithful to speak out against summary killings, saying silence makes them an “accomplice” in the rising death toll of the war on drugs.

The Church leaders found disturbing the lack of strong rejection by many Filipinos of the daily killings in the country. “ To consent and to keep silent in front of ev il is to be an accomplice to it,” the bishops said in a pastora l letter read in a l l Masses on Sunday. “Let us not a l low fear to reig n and keep us silent.”

It’s the same thing, they said, that if people neglect the drug pushers and users, “we have become part of the drug problem”.

“If we consent or allow the killing of suspected drug addicts, we shall also be responsible for their deaths,” they said.

Duterte has repeatedly denied his administration is behind the extrajudicial killings in the countr y. In several occasions, he also launched profanity-laced tirades against the bishops and human-rights groups for criticizing his bloody war on drugs.

Acknowledging their own shortcomings, the bishops said they would continue to speak “against evil” in a country “shrouded in the darkness of vice and death”.

“We will do this, even if it will

Bishop Ruperto Santos of Balanga Analyn Perucho/CBCPNews

bring persecution upon us, because we are all brothers and sisters responsible for each other,” they said.

The pastoral letter came barely a week after the bishops from across the country gathered in Manila for their biannual plenary assembly.

sin” as to push illegal drugs.

“We cannot correct a wrong by doing another wrong. A good purpose is not a justification for using evil means. It is good to remove the drug problem, but to kill in order to achieve this is also wrong,” they added.

‘Reign of terror’

Poverty, corruption

While they agree that the narcotics trade needs to be stopped, they reiterated that killing suspected drug pushers and users and not giving them due process is not the solution to the problem.

The prelates said they are concerned not only for those who have been killed but also about the situation of the v ictims’ families whose lives “have only become worse.”

“An additional cause of concern is the reign of terror in many places of the poor. Many are killed not because of drugs.

Those who kill them are not brought to account,” they said.

Except for self-defense, the prelates said killing is a “grave

The Church leaders also called on the government to get to the bottom of the drug problem and criminality—poverty and corruption. “ We must a lso g ive pr ior it y to refor ming rog ue policemen a nd cor r upt judges. T he e xcessively slow adjudication of cour t cases is one big reason for the spread of cr imina lit y,” according to them.

Without naming Durerte in their letter, the bishops urged “elected politicians to serve the common good of the people and not their own interests”.

“We must all work together to solve the drug problem and work for the rehabilitation of drug addicts,” they said. Roy Lagarde/CBCPNews

CBCP PASTORAL LETTER ON KILLINGS B

eloved People of God, we, your bishops, are deeply concerned due to many deaths and killings in the campaign against prohibited drugs. This traffic in illegal drugs needs to be stopped and overcome. But the solution does not lie in the killing of suspected drug users and pushers.

We are concerned not only for those who have been killed. The situation of the families of those killed is also cause for concern. Their lives have only become worse. An Additional cause of concern is the reign of terror in many places of the poor. Many are killed not because of drugs.

Those who kill them are not brought to account. An even greater cause of concern is the indifference of many to this kind of wrong. It is considered as normal and, even worse, something that (according to them) needs to be done.

We are one with many of our countrymen who want change. But change must be guided by truth and justice.

We stand for some basic teachings.

These teachings are rooted in our being human, our being Filipino and our being Christian.

The life of every person comes from God. It is He who gives it, and it is He alone who can take it back. Not even the government has a right to kill life, because it is only God’s steward and not the owner of life.

The opportunity to change is never lost in every person. This

is because God is merciful, as our Holy Father Pope Francis repeatedly teaches. We just finished celebrating the Jubilee Year of Mercy and the World Apostolic Congress on Mercy. These events deepened our awareness that the Lord Jesus Christ offered His own life for sinners, to redeem them and give them a new future.

To destroy one’s own life and the life of another is a grave sin and does evil to society. The use of drugs is a sign that a person no longer values his own life, and endangers the lives of others. We must all work together to solve the drug problem and work for the rehabilitation of drug addicts.

Every person has a right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. Society has ways and processes to catch, prove guilty and punish perpetrators of crimes. This process must be followed, especially by agents of the law.

Any action that harms another (seriously) is a grave sin. To push drugs is a grave sin, as is killing (except in self-defense). We cannot correct a wrong by doing another wrong. A good purpose is not a justification for using evil means. It is good to remove the drug problem, but to kill in order to achieve this is also wrong.

The deep root of the drug problem and criminality is the poverty of the majority, the destruction of the family and corruption in society.

The step we have to take is to overcome poverty, especially through the giving of permanent work and sufficient wages to workers.

Let us strengthen and carry forward the unity and love of the family members. Let us not allow any law that destroys the unity of families. We must also give priority to reforming rogue policemen and corrupt judges.

The excessively slow adjudication of court cases is one big reason for the spread of criminality. Often it is the poor who suffer from this system. We also call upon elected politicians to serve the common good of the people and not their own interests.

To consent and to keep silent in front of evil is to be an accomplice to it. If we neglect the drug addicts and pushers, we have become part of the drug problem. If we consent or allow the killing of suspected drug addicts, we shall also be responsible for their deaths.

We in the Church will continue to speak against evil, even as we acknowledge and repent of our own shortcomings. We will do this even if it will bring persecution upon us, because we are all brothers and sisters responsible for each other.

We will help drug addicts, so that they may be healed and start a new life. We will stand in solidarity and care for those left behind by those who have been killed and for the victims of drug addicts. Let us renew our efforts to strengthen families.

Those of us who are leaders in the Church should strive to push forward or continue programs that will uplift the poor, like livelihood, education and health programs. Above all we will live up to—we all will live up to—becoming a Church of the Poor.

Let us not allow fear to reign and keep us silent. Let us put into practice not only our native inner strength but the strength that comes from our Christian faith. Our Lord Jesus promised us: “You will have affliction in this world, but take courage, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

“W hat will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?

No, in all these things we conquer over whelmingly through him who loved us” (Romans 8:35,37). Yes, indeed, “For the Spirit that is in you is more powerful than the spirit in those who belong in the world ” (1 John 4:4).

As we commemorate the 100th year of the apparition of Our Lady of Fatima, let us respond to her call for prayer and repentance for the peace of our communities and of our country shrouded in the darkness of vice and death.

Mary, Mother of Perpetual Help, Pray for us.

For the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.

Abp. Socrates B. Villegas, DD., Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan, president, CBCP

Tourism& Entertainment BusinessMirror

Editor: Carla Mortel-Baricaua

Sunday, February 12, 2017

A7

Spain: A country of heritage

I

By Euden Valdez

n history, Filipinos know of Spain as the country that colonized and Christianized the Philippines for about 300 years.

But in tourism, Filipinos have a lot to discover about the country that influenced much of their culture.

As such, Turespaña, the Spanish Tourism Office, continues to “reintroduce” Spain as one of the best destinations in Europe to the Philippine market. As part of this effort, Singapore-based Turespaña, which is in charge of Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand market, held a dinner for Filipino tour operators on February 2 at Discover Primea in Makati City.

For 2017, the tourism office aims to highlight Spain as the country with the third greatest number of World Heritage sites and cities in the world.

“Spain is the only country in Europe with 15 World Heritage Cities,” Regional Market analyst Vien Cortes said in her presentation. “What does this mean? If you’ve been to Borobodur in Yogyakarta, you’ve seen a

world heritage monument. If you’ve been to Ankor Wat in Siem Reap, again, you’ve seen a world heritage monument. In Spain what’s the difference? These places have been declared as world heritage cities, meaning the whole place and not just a site.”

At www.spain.info, the World Heritage Cities are described as “jewels of immense cultural value for a variety of reasons”, as well as “dynamic cities [that are] full of life.”

According to the web site, many of the cities also contain the world’s most important monuments, like the City Walls of Avila. The Muslim Caliphate’s Great Mosque is found in Cordoba; while the cathedral holding the remains of the apostle Saint James is at Santiago de Compostela.

Toledo reflects Spain’s urban history of transformations and influences.

“It is the third most important Catholic site in the world after Jerusalem and Rome,” Cortes noted.

On the other hand, Alcalá de Henares is known as the birthplace of Don Quixote author Miguel de Cervantes, whose 16th-century Castilian home still stands. Ibiza, the Mediterranean island coveted for its nightlife, is also a World Heritage City, thanks to its famed architecture, as well biodiversity and culture.

The cities of Toledo and Salamanca “reflect Spain’s urban history, displaying the transformations and influences they have undergone over

Conference promotes sustainable tourism among young travelers

T

he wonders of traveling are figuratively a click away for today’s youth. It is more apparent that the millennials, with their spending capability and insatiable thirst for exploring and sharing their experiences, are in the position to redefine the face of tourism as we knew it.

Social media abounds with proof. Whether it is about scaling a mountain or diving under the sea, today’s travelers are more than willing to tell others about their memories. Many profiles show a glimpse of travel stories captured in breathtaking photos and cool travel videos.

But traveling is not just about adventure and pampering. Nowadays, the adventure of a lifetime comes with soul searching and giving back components. Putting meaning to their globetrotting, young explorers go for authentic experiences, which explain the surge of homestay, “voluntourism” or volunteering for tourism efforts, and interaction with locals.

Those at the helm of the tourism sector can feel the impact of the new travel practices. The preferences of the new breed of travelers are shaping the industry, and sustainable and responsible travel are gaining more traction.

These developments will be among the trends highlighted at the Global Youth Forum (GYF) 2017, a conference organized by the International School of Sustainable Tourism (ISST), headed by former Tourism Secretary Mina T. Gabor.

To be held on February 20 and 21, at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC), Subic Bay Freeport Zone, the forum will carry the theme “Youth on Sustainable Tourism”.

This pushes forward the United Nation World Tourism Organization’s (UNTWO) announcement that 2017 is the “International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development”. The event also celebrates the chairmanship of the Republic of the Philippines of the upcoming “ASEAN 2017: 50th Anniversary.”

Defining sustainable tourism

Sustainable travel is a buzzword and a lifestyle statement that encourages the adoption of a proactive and green stance on traveling.

The UNTWO defined it as the “development [that] meets the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing the opportunity for the future”.

Responsible tourism is closely linked to sustainable tourism as it is any form of tourism that impacts positively on the visited communities.

GYF 2017 program

The GYF 2017 sessions aim to create awareness and appreciation for sustainable tourism, expose the youth to leaders pioneering sustainable tourism from all over the world, and inspire the youth to practice responsible travel.

To deliver the opening remarks is Gabor, the president of the ISST, to be followed by Martin Diño, the chairman of Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (TBC), for the welcome greetings; and Alma Rita Jimenez, undersecretary of the Department of Tourism, for a special message.

Five sessions will be spread throughout the event. The opening workshop is “Heritage Tourism: Building a Strong Foundation Through Cultural Preservation.” The speakers for this session are Eric Zerrudo, director, UST Graduate School, Conservation of Cultural Property and Environment in the Tropics; Ivan Henares head of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts Committee on Monuments and Sites; Marika Constantino, executive director of Escolta 98B COLLABoratory; and Atty. Lucille Karen MalilongIsberto, vice president for institutional partnerships, Heritage Conservation Society.

The next session will be “Striking a Balance: Ecotourism for Environmental Conservation and Rural Development”. The speaker lineup consists of Jamie Ann Dichaves, sustainability officer and pollution control officer of Lio Tourism Estate; Jose Angelito Palma, CEO and president of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Philippines; Joselito Costas, provincial tourism officer from Cebu; and Ann Dumaliang, project officer from Masungi Georeserve Park.

On the second day, session three will commence. For “A Match Made in Heaven: Community Development and Tourism,” the speakers will include Juliette Kwee, founder of World Experience Philippines; Jun Tibi, cofounder, Kawil Tours; Sara Erasmo, cofounder of Reef Nomads Skin Diving Tours; Kelly Austria, cofounder of TRails to Empower Kids (TREK); and April Cuenca, founder and chief executive of Tripkada.

The penultimate session is entitled, “Doing Our Part: Responsible Traveling for the Millennial Traveler”. Participants will hear from Sarah Aquino, director of external affairs of Juan Portrait; Marie Grace Pascua, director, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples Socioeconomic Services and Special Concerns; Jen Horn, founder and CEO of Muni Cultural Creatives Inc.; Shernan Gamol, founder and chairman of Keep Home Alive; and Yay Ortega, president of the Mountaineering Federation of the Philippines.

The last session is “A Green Future: Career Opportunities in Sustainable Development in Tourism”. Attendees will glean insights from the presentations of Jie Cheng-wong, youth tourism ambassador of Pacific Asia Travel Association; Raf Dionisio, cofounder of Make A Difference (MAD) Travel; Bob Zozobrado, executive director of the Center for Career Services and Industry Relations of the Lyceum of the Philippines University; and Robert John Horrigan, vice president of the Hotel Division of Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines.

Strong influence on tourism

According to Gabor, since the youth has more interest and ability to travel than previous generations, they need to have a wider and deeper view of how their travel practices and experiences shape the future of tourism.

“It is, therefore, important to create awareness and provide inspiration to the youth that sustainable tourism is the future, and that they can make it happen,” she said.

the ages”, while Segovia and Cuenca “integrate its urban landscapes with natural surroundings, like rivers, mountains and gorges.”

Completing the list of Heritage Cities are Cáceres, with fortresses, Renaissance palaces and medieval town squares; Mérida and Tarragona, with preserved archaeological sites from the Roman Empire; San Cristóbal de la Laguna, the origins of Latin American urban architecture; and the twin cities of Úbeda and Baeza in Andalusia.

And the time has come for every traveler to discover these places of

cultural and architectural heritage. This is because many of the heritage cities are now accessible via Spain’s high-speed train system, which, according to Cortes, is currently the “most comprehensive in Europe today”.

This also means that connectivity to major cities of Madrid and Barcelona are now more efficient.

And by the way, Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia, one of the works of Antoni Gaudi, is also a World Heritage Site. It is currently undergoing a long restoration set to finish by 2022. “That’s not so far away,”

Cortes enthused.

The Turespana official is also bullish that Spain will welcome more Filipino tourists this year. She explained, “Our observation has been that since the low-cost carriers started to flourish in this market, Filipinos—even those living in the far-flung areas—as soon as they started to domestically, they then started to travel within the region, and now they are really interested and saving their money and resources to fly long haul.”

And without a doubt, Spain is now on their bucket list.

THE ADVENTURES OF ‘HE WHO WISHED TO TRAVEL’

By Excel V. Dyquiangco

S

ome travel to discover themselves, others travel to escape. For travel show host Milo Anzo, traveling can be a little bit of both and more.

Born to a poor family in Pandacan, Manila, Anzo had initially thought that traveling was only meant for the opulent. He said the farthest he had gone to was Baguio City and that was during a dance meet way back in high school. Despite the situation, his foremost wish was that of traveling to new places. “We didn’t have any money for travel, so I can’t go where I wanted to,” he said. “So, I focused on my studies first and worked for my dream.”

He took up a business course, but he got involved into acting, and once thought of taking up theater acting in college. Unfortunately, his mom couldn’t continue supporting his studies because she was retrenched from her job, forcing him to quit school. He needed to make a living, so when an opportunity to work in China came, he grabbed the chance.

“The first time I really traveled abroad was when I worked as a teacher in China for three years,” Anzo said. “Although I was in a different country, I admit that I adjusted easily. The people there, of course, didn’t know how to speak the English language, but I was able to cope.”

After saving some money, he decided to come home and complete his studies. Several months past graduation, he was offered an opportunity to host his first travel show, which brought him and his team to different places around the country, such as Surigao del Norte, Eastern Samar, Palawan and Cebu, among others.

When that show folded, he hosted another travel show and, finally, Lost Boy Adventures, which airs every Saturday at 10 a.m. on Studio 23 Sports and Action channel. It gave him an opportunity to visit popular destination, such as Boracay and Palawan. “At that time I couldn’t wait to visit them because I’ve heard so much about these places,” Anzo said. “Every time I

travel, I always felt like a kid opening presents.”

Interestingly for a travel show host, Anzo doesn’t really know how to swim and is afraid of heights. He admits that he is afraid of open waters or jumping off a cliff. “The show actually helped me face my fears because I have to do some stunts and stuff I normally wouldn’t dare to try on my own,” he laughs. “While on the job, somehow things worked out for me. Like this one time, in an episode shot in Boracay, I had to go parasailing. Since I can’t swim, I requested

from the production team to have a boat ready.

I was grateful because they were supportive and assisted me right away after I plunged into the sea. I was really scared, but the experience was exhilarating, too!”

While Lost Boy Adventures is, indeed, a travel show, it’s also a lifestyle magazine show that features success stories of ordinary people.

One of the most memorable experiences Anzo has had with his work is when he visited a community involved with mining activities.

As part of his advocacy, Anzo said, “I am actually against irresponsible mining. I learned that from the show. We really need to take care of our environment because it’s the only place that we live in.”

In the upcoming episodes, Anzo will feature more of Palawan and Pampanga. “These episodes are quite interesting and exciting, because, aside from the wonderful places we visited, you get to witness the fear in my eyes, especially when I am in the water or up in the sky,” he laughed. “The show is raw in some of its elements.”

“Forced” to travel because of his work assignments, Anzo said he also forced to look at familiar things with a different perspective.

He admits, though, he still enjoys travel for the fun of it.

“One time, I traveled by my lonesome without the cameras or crew following me. Palawan has always been my favorite because the waters are crystal clear and the places are so majestic.

Everything is so peaceful and calm. So, I came back, checked into a hotel, and explored the islands. I also revisited the restaurants we have featured on our show. I wanted to enjoy the destination at my own pace, making sure every minute counts.”

Where he ended up, it is clear that Anzo couldn’t complain. “I’m now a traveler who hosts by profession and travels for leisure wherever I want to. Life’s sweet and exciting at this point. I would like to take the audience with me on my journeys and share the experience.”

LAS PIñAS TO CELEBRATE THE BAMBOO ORGAN FESTIVAL

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n celebration of the rich musical and cultural tradition of Las Piñas City, the Bamboo Organ Foundation celebrates its annual Bamboo Organ Festival from February 16 to 22 at Saint Joseph Parish, Las Piñas.

Now on its 42 year, the festival showcases the musical festivities of local and foreign artists, as well as musical, ancient instruments that reappear in order to give the audience a more authentic version of the music played. One such instrument is the cornetto, a wind instrument that dates back to the medieval, Baroque and renaissance periods.

“The reason we have the festival is we want to expose the people to the sound of the bamboo organ,” Festival Director Leo Renier said. “The difference between this Bamboo Organ Festival from the festivals of

year past is that there are now more Filipino artists who are participating, plus we are going to use musical instruments that are unknown to the generation of today.”

The festival also features the exceptional skills as a performer and an accompanist of Prof. Armando Salarza who was once the choirmaster of the Las Piñas Boys Choir and dealt with their voices with the same precision as if dealing with the keyboard of the organ, capturing the first place in an international competition in Graz, Austria, in 2008.

Among its highlights include the Opening Concert on February 16, 17 and 19, which is dedicated to German and Spanish Baroque music, featuring two motets by relatives of Johann Sebastian Bach, a Ger-

man composer and musician of the Baroque period, and the music of the cornetto, which was played during the 17th and 18th centuries and later replaced by modern instruments and to be played by Lambert Colson from France.

The guest artists this year are the Las Piñas Boys Choir, Musika Sophia, Villancico Vocal Ensemble, organist Jennifer Chou from Australia and Luc Ponet from Belgium; soprano Stefanie Quintin and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, to name a few.

Conductress is Dr. Beverly ShangkuanCheng, presently an assistant professor of Music at the University of the Philippines, where she teaches conducting and music theory to both graduates and undergraduates. Excel V. Dyquiangco

Sports BusinessMirror

A8 Sunday, February 12, 2017 | Editor: Jun Lomibao

mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph

OLYMPICS gold medalist Yuna Kim graces a ticket-sales launch event for the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games at Gangneung Hockey Center in Gangneung, South Korea. AP

COUNTDOWN ON

FOR PYEONGCHANG

By Kim Tong-Hyung

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CAMEROON players celebrate their victory in the Africa Cup. AP

Cameroon ranked 33rd, Argentina remains No. 1 Z

URICH—African champion Cameroon has moved up to No. 33 in the Fifa rankings, rewarded with a 29-place jump for winning the continental title over the weekend.

Africa’s top-ranked team is No. 25 Egypt, which lost in the final. Previous leader Senegal climbed two to No. 31.

Argentina leads an unchanged top five following a month when no high-ranked teams played. Brazil is No. 2, followed

by World Cup champion Germany, Chile and Belgium. France climbed over Colombia to reach No. 6.

Mexico leads CONCACAF at No. 17, and Costa Rica fell two to No. 19. The United States dropped one to No. 29.

Iran leads Asian confederation teams at No. 32, while World Cup host Russia fell five to No. 61.

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin, meanwhile, said Europe will formally ask Fifa for at least 16 places in the expanded 48-team World Cup. Ceferin says “we think it’s realistic to ask for 16 slots plus another condition that each European is in a different group.”

Fifa decided last month to add 16 teams to the 2026

Ateneo gals vs Lady Tams

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TENEO and Far Eastern University go for their first victories in Season 79 when they take the floor at 4 p.m. today in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) women’s volleyball tournament at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan City.

National University, coming from a rousing victory over Ateneo, faces a young Adamson University side at 2 p.m.

The Lady Eagles are coming off a 17-25, 1325, 25-19, 27-29 loss to the Lady Bulldogs last Wednesday.

“It’s a long way to go, anything can happen, and even with this big win [against Ateneo], its not enough to predict the outcome,” said NU Head

Coach Roger Gorayeb, whose wards are eyeing the early lead with a 3-0 card. “But I know we’re on the right track. We’ll try to win as many games as possible.”

The Lady Eagles were shocked with that loss to NU, their first to the school in three seasons.

“We had a really slow start. NU played superb defense, unlike us who didn’t receive the ball well,” Lady Eagle Bea de Leon said. “ De Leon topscored for Ateneo with 14 points in the loss. Jho Maraguinot, who had 12 hits, agreed and hoped that her teammates Jia Morado, Michelle Morente, Maddie Madayag and Kat Tolentino would recover from the setback.

La Carlota tennis bets prevail in Bacolod

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A CARLOTA City’s Alexa Milliam won two titles in the recent third leg of the 2017 Cebuana Lhuillier Age Group Tennis Championship Series at the Panaad Park and Stadium in Bacolod City.

Milliam beat Jufe Ann Cocoy, also of La Carlota, in the finals of both the girls’ 12-under, 8-4, and 14-under, 8-2, of the event supported

by Dunlop.

Other La Carlota players also dominated their respective divisions: Kiana de Asis won the 18-under title, 8-5, over Shyren Salazar

of Pontevedra, while Kerwin de Asis was an 8-4 winner over another La Carlota player, Khenz Nber Justiniani, in the boys’ 12-under championship.

Giovani Dimate contributed to La Carlota’s domination by beating Jake Rodriguez, 4-1, 4-1, in the battle for the 10-under crown.

Dumaguete City’s Ibarra Ortega Jr. also won two titles. He beat Bacolod City’s Fernando Caesar Po, 8-2, for the boys’ 16-under crown and La Carlota’s Karl Baran, 8-3, for the 18-under plum.

tournament. Two teams will advance to the knockout round from each three-nation group.

Fifa should confirm continental entry quotas for 2026 at meetings in Bahrain in May. Ceferin announced planned reforms for UEFA five months after he was elected to succeed Michel Platini, who was banned by Fifa for a financial conflict of interest.

They include limiting UEFA’s president and executive committee members to a maximum of three four-year terms. AP

Bolt powers his all-stars to relay win in Melboune

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ELBOURNE—Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell helped the Bolt All-Stars win the 4x100-meter mixed relay event of the Nitro Athletics meet on Thursday.

A botched baton change in the mixed relay

by Australia cost it overall victory on the night.

The home team initially thought it had beaten the Bolt All-Stars but was penalized 50 points after Jack Hale failed to legally pass the baton to Fabrice Lapierre in the second changeover.

That penalty saw Australia slip to second with 895 points overall, 35 behind the Bolt AllStars, who also won the first meet last Saturday at Lakeside Stadium.

The six teams, including Japan, New Zealand, England and China, will conclude the meet on Saturday when Bolt is set to also contest the individual 150 meters, having only run a leg of the relays in each of the first two meets.

A commanding victory by Ryan Gregson in the penultimate event of the night—the men’s elimination mile—ensured Australia remained close to the Bolt All-Stars.

USAIN BOLT and Asafa Powell have a fun time at the finish. AP

Bolt’s team picked up double points in the mixed relay, but Australia’s strength was in the longer track events.

In addition to wins by Gregson and Heidi See in the two elimination miles—where the last-place finisher after each lap must leave the track, Luke Matthews and Linden Hall combined for first place in the mixed threeminute relay and Morgan Mitchell won the mixed 2x300-meter relay with Luke Stevens.

With Bolt revving up the crowd, Nina

Kennedy of Australia tied for first in the women’s pole vault with a best clearance of 4.10 meters.

“He is just the pinnacle of our sport and he’s out there clapping for me,” the 18-year-old Kennedy said.

Joseph Millar of New Zealand was a surprise winner of the men’s 100 in 10.30 seconds, with American sprinter Jarrion Lawson and Jack Hale of Australia trailing home to finish second-to-last and last, respectively. AP

The Associated Press

ANGNEUNG, South Korea—The oneyear countdown to the Pyeongchang Games began before the weekend with Yuna Kim revealing the Olympic torch and organizers opening online ticket reservations.

South Korean Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn and an International Olympic Committee (IOC) delegation led by Gunilla Lindberg, who heads the IOC’s coordination commission for the games, also attended the ceremony in Gangneung, which will host the ice sports events next year.

“I am convinced that the Pyeongchang Olympics will be a success,” Hwang said in a speech at the ceremony. “I believe in the great strength of our people who have successfully hosted international events like the 1988 Olympics and 2002 World Cup.” Kim, a figure skating gold medalist who is perhaps the country’s most popular sports personality even in retirement, carried the white-and-gold Olympic torch onto a stage built over ice as a group of pop singers sang “We Are the Champions,” highlighting an event that also included a video message from IOC President Thomas Bach.

“It is my great pleasure to invite the national Olympic committees of the world and their athletes to participate in the Olympic Winter Games Pyeongchang 2018,” Bach said in the message.

Hwang has served as the country’s acting head of state since December when President Park Geun-hye’s powers were suspended after lawmakers voted to impeach her over a corruption scandal. He told organizers in a meeting earlier in the day that government is ready to invest “every reliable resource” to build buzz for the games and ensure the safety of athletes and spectators.

With preparations entering the last phases, the participation of North Korea and Russia have emerged as major issues ahead of next year’s games.

Relations between the two Koreas have worsened since North Korea conducted two nuclear tests and a string of rocket launches last year as it continues to expand its nuclear weapons and missile programs.

Russian athletes have been caught up in a scandal following allegations of state-sponsored doping around the time of the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

Lee Hee-beom, Pyeongchang’s organizing head, expressed hopes to see athletes from both countries at the games.

“Every country and every athlete who loves peace has a right and obligation to participate in the Olympics,” Lee said. “North Korea is no exception. We are making preparations for the possibility that North Korea participates in the games.”

The Pyeongchang Games will mark the second time the Olympics have been staged in South Korea, which also hosted the 1988 Games in Seoul.

This time, organizers have had to overcome delays, local conflicts regarding venue constructions and difficulties attracting domestic sponsorships before putting preparations on track.

Construction workers are putting the finishing touches on the 12 competition venues in Pyeongchang and nearby Gangneung, including six new facilities that organizers say are about 96 percent complete on average.

The athletes and media villages, an international broadcasting center, and a pentagonal stadium that will host the opening and closing ceremonies are expected to be finished by September.

The political turmoil surrounding President Park has been a massive distraction that slowed organizers’ efforts to stoke lukewarm public interest, and also rattled the country’s ministry of culture and sports, which oversees the Olympic preparations.

Lee said that the recent political situation “to a degree” negatively affected preparations for the games, but said such impact could be overcome with more help from government organizations and the business community.