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BARMM reports huge strides in governance in the year that was in Mindanao
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By Manuel T. Cayon
INFO633933 | DREAMSTIME.COM
HE transition of the autonomous region in Mindanao, though still an experiment in progress, has reported significant strides in the areas of peace and economy, marking a notable breakthrough in its once challenging journey from the pursuit of independence to achieving self-rule.
The huge strides were reported as the current regional autonomous government is on its second transitioning threeyear period to demonstrate how Filipino Muslims are as capable as Malacañang is of bringing reliable and dependable governance to the rest of the country. Bannering its yearend report of leaps and bounds, the Bangsa moro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) said its governance “champions inclusive, transformative developments in 2023.”
Planning
ONCE an area that grouped the country’s poorest municipalities and provinces, the region has finished a medium-term development plan—a departure from a place known for local government units ruling more by instincts and tradition of corruption than by regular planning, which nailed many of its 4.4 million residents in abject poverty for decades. On Tuesday, the BARMM
said in its yearend report that the Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority (BPDA) officially launched the Bangsamoro Development Plan 2023-2028, “a six-year plan that aims to have an empowered, cohesive and progressive Bangsamoro.” The regional government said its plan outlined a comprehensive planning methodology to address BARMM’s important challenges. “Indeed, with our collaborative efforts, we were able to craft a plan that will aid in transforming the Bangsamoro region by identifying durable solutions towards a smooth transition to normalization, sustaining peace, and attaining socioeconomic development in our region,” Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim underscored. Ebrahim assumed the nom de guerre Murad Ebrahim within the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which was granted the autonomy to guide the region from unrest and poverty towards a promising sphere of development for its residents.
AERIAL view of Marawi City and Lake Lanao. MARY GRACE VARELA | DREAMSTIME.COM
“The peace process sends the positive message that we are on the mend; that we are on [our way] towards stability that will allow investments to be sustained.”—Ishak Mastura, chairman and managing head of the Regional Board of Investments
The BARMM was once a smaller experiment of regional autonomy with Central Mindanao and Western Mindanao as its territory in the 1970s, expanding to more areas when it transitioned into the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in 1988 to accommodate the Moro National Liberation Front until it entered into a final peace settlement in 1996.
“With our collaborative efforts, we were able to craft a plan that will aid in transforming the Bangsamoro region by identifying durable solutions towards a smooth transition to normalization, sustaining peace, and attaining socioeconomic development in our region.”—Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim
The ARMM was later repackaged as the BARMM after the government forged a final peace pact with the MILF in 2014. Government planners convening at a national gathering in Davao City in the 1990s attributed the challenges to the absence
of comprehensive planning, with most local governments lacking both annual and long-term plans. Since the BARMM agreed to a phased transition, it has reported strides in the economy. The Bangsamoro Board of Investments (BBOI) said it attracted P3.1 billion in investments in the third quarter last year alone, generating 1,927 job opportunities. The Ministry of Trade, Investments and Tourism (MTIT) also recorded a total of P3,448,510 in investments that opened doors for 19,030 jobs as of September 2023. Economic activities, such as the Ramadhan Trade Fair 2023, also achieved P16.9 million in sales, which helped boost micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that participated during the monthlong business endeavor, showcasing local products and providing services. During the third quarter, MTIT also welcomed 558,795 domestic and 1,394 foreign tourists, totaling 560,189, which increased tourism and boosted the local economy.
Compared to 2022’s record of P16.8 million in revenue, the Polloc Freeport and Ecozone (PFEZ) had a total revenue collection of P20.6 million, showing that more port users and investors made PFEZ their port of call. The BARMM demonstrated its ability to address significant economic challenges, such as inflation, by reducing it to 6.35 percent at the start of the fiscal year, compared to the national rate of 7.8 percent. Additionally, the region recorded some of the lowest regional inflation rates from January to November of the same year.
Prior strides
DESPITE images of corruption and war, the autonomous region demonstrated the potential for economic deliverance when conditions of peace were met. Early improvements were already observed during the short caretakership period in the term of thenPresident Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III. Continued on A2
PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 55.6190 n JAPAN 0.3846 n UK 70.5416 n HK 7.1232 n CHINA 7.7659 n SINGAPORE 41.8502 n AUSTRALIA 37.2925 n EU 60.8861 n KOREA 0.0424 n SAUDI ARABIA 14.8309 Source: BSP (January 5, 2024)
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Down South, hopes heading for North
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Down South, hopes heading for North Continued from A1
In 2015, Ishak Mastura, chairman and managing head of the Regional Board of Investments (RBOI)-ARMM, reported that the then ARMM had already breached the P1-billion mark in investments twice since 2011. Investments reached P1.6 billion in 2011, and in 2013 investors poured in P1.4 billion, including the P700 million for nickel exploration in Tawi-Tawi, P365 million real estate in Bumbaran, Lanao del Sur, and expansion of a banana plantation and an oil depot. Once only a dream for the perennial poorest region, Mastura said the attraction of the region “came easily, and could go higher, due to the favorable outcome of the peace process between government and the MILF.” Investments were poured into the construction of a new oil depot, mining, biomass power generation, and agriculture-related ventures, such as banana, oil palm products and buckwheat plantations. “The peace process sends the positive message that we are on the mend; that we are on [our way] towards stability that will allow investments to be sustained,” he said.
The peace issue
ON November 3 last year, the foreign-led Third-Party Monitoring Team (TMPT) came out with the 8th Public Report Release on the government-MILF peace process, “primarily highlighting the political and normalization tracks of the
Bangsamoro peace process, covering the period from February 2022 to October 2023.” The TMPT said the peace accords’ political track “has reached midway through implementation process, at 50 percent of its implementation process.” All factions of the MNLF are now represented in the Parliament, resulting in meaningful self-governance in the Bangsa moro region. The TMPT has also suggested that Malacañang clarify its position on the grant of amnesty as part of the normalization track. Before the year ended, though, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. issued Proclamation Nos. 405 and 406 granting amnesty and socioeconomic support to Moro combatants as part of the normalization track of the GPH-MILF peace agreement. Former MILG Minister Atty. Naguib Sinarimbo said the President’s move would “finally free our former combatants and MILF and MNLF command leaders from the shackles of the past that prevent them from genuinely and fully reaping the benefits of the peace dividends.” According to the Independent Decommissioning Body (IDB), the decommissioning of the MILF combatants in its third phase was already complete. As of October 2023, the total number of decommissioned combatants stood at 26,132, while the firearms in the IDB stand at 4,625. Based on the TPMT’s report,
the MILF was yet to provide the list for the fourth and final phase, which was necessary to reach the targeted number of 40,000 decommissioned combatants and 7,000 weapons. Either as a consequence or part of the normalization process, the memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the Bangsamoro government and the National Police Commission (Napolcom), out of 11,075 applicants last year, 7,145 successfully passed. In the current year, 400 slots were announced as a recruitment quota for MILF and MNLF. As of August, 102 recruits (52 from the MILF and 50 from the MNLF) took their oath as officers of the PNP-Regional Office in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR). The Ministry of Public Order and Safety (MPOS) reported that their efforts in settling family feuds resulted in a total of 309 settled cases, with more 607 rido cases profiled. Families and clans commonly resort to rido, or tribal or clan war, to avenge the killing of a member. In protecting the human rights of the Bangsamoro, the BHRC provided 6,163 legal aid and counseling services.
MILITARY checkpoints have been vastly reduced in many former conflict areas in central Mindanao after the MILF signed a peace settlement with government in 2014. MANUEL T. CAYON
Other bright moments
THE Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) announced an increase of 17 percent in enrollment for the opening of the school year 2023-2024 compared to last year. This translated
BANANA plantations have sprouted in many BARMM areas, including this former countryside battleground in the town of Matanog, where the MILF has its largest camp, the Camp Abubakar Assidique. MANUEL T. CAYON
to a total 1,258,253 pupils and students enrolled in various public schools, including government-run Madaris (Islamic schools) and community learning centers. “Our mission is clear—we will continue enrolling children until every classroom is filled with eager learners,” said MBHTE Minister Mohagher Iqbal. In addition, the ministry also employed 968 teaching and nonteaching personnel: 284 elementary and secondary teachers assigned to Lanao del Sur (LDS) I; 177 elementary and secondary teachers alongside eight PARA teachers for LDS II; 409 elementary and secondary teachers; 71 school principals designated for Sulu; and an additional 19 regional personnel. The MBHTE-Technical Education Skills Development (TESD) also recorded a total of 13,205 scholars as of November “to address the specific skills needs of the communities and the Bangsamoro region as a whole.” The program “also promotes employment through entrepreneurial, self-employment and service-oriented activities mostly for the disadvantaged sectors, such as MILF decommissioned combatants and their communities.
Public infrastructure
POOR infrastructure was also addressed, to bring more untapped production areas to the market. Between 2020 and 2023, some 1,806.53 kilometers of roads, 103 bridges, 212 flood-control projects, 281 Level II water systems, 125 slope protection projects, 86 fishports, and 17,283 housing units were constructed. The Ministry of Human Settlements and Development (MHSD) completed 557 housing units in the BARMM: 157 units in Maguindanao; 250 in Basilan; 100 in Sulu; and 50 in the Special Geographic Area (SGA). A total of 2,036 housing units were still being constructed as of November 2023.
Also constructed were 14 seawater desalination plants, two solar-powered and electric water systems. On the Marawi City Rehabilitation Program (MRP), crafted in the aftermath of the five-month siege of the city in 2017, the BARMM reported that it has given support and assistance to “a cumulative total of 29,884,360 internally displaced persons/beneficiaries from the 24 barangays of the most affected areas.” The Islamic City of Marawi is the capital of Lanao del Sur, which has a population of 1,195,518. Marawi City has a population of 207,010. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) also has full control of the six BARMM airports, which are situated in Cotabato City, Wao and Malabang in Lanao del Sur, Jolo in Sulu, SangaSanga and Mapun in Tawi-Tawi.
Health
AS of November, the Ayudang Medical mula sa Bangsamoro Government (AMBaG) extended medical support and financial aid to a total of 111,790 patients since December 2019 amounting to P624,886,577. This was an increase from last year’s 38,237 assisted patients. “It is worth emphasizing that 76 percent, or 85,063 families, went home with zero-bill status for availing medical help from the AMBaG,” the BARMM said. The Ministry of Health (MOH) has rehired and deployed 619 nurses, 114 midwives, 11 dentists, three nutritionist-dietitians, and three physical therapists across the region.
Opportunities
ACCORDING to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the BARMM’s labor force participation rate (LFPR) was 74 percent in October last year, “which implies
that there are more socioeconomic opportunities available in the region,” the BARMM added. Opportunities may be further enhanced with the BARMM installing more of the legal and political structures needed to consolidate its political and economic gains. With the enactment of the two codes last year—Bangsamoro Electoral Code (BEC) and the Bangsamoro Local Governance Code (BLGC)—only the Bangsamoro Revenue Code has remained to complete the basic and priority codes of laws that the BARMM had set out to complete during the first transition period ending 2022. But the Intergovernmental Relations Body (IGRB) also activated in November seven mechanisms “that shall serve as the basis for all laws and policies enacted by the BTA Parliament in pursuit of moving the peace process forward.” The mechanisms include the Philippine Congress-Bangsamoro Parliament Forum (PCBFF), Intergovernmental Fiscal Policy Board (IFPB), Joint Body for the Zones of Joint Cooperation (JBZJC), Intergovernmental Infrastructure Development Board (IFPB), Intergovernmental Energy Board (IEB), Bangsamoro Sustainable Development Board (BSDB), and the Council of Leaders (COL). And recently, the BTA approved BARMM’s 2024 budget of P98.4 billion, an increase of 15.36 percent from this year’s P85.3-billion budget. Like last year, the 2024 budget mainly caters to prioritizing the social services, healthcare, infrastructure and education sectors. “As a result of the BARMM government’s unwavering commitment to sustaining the gains of the region, the transitional government accomplished in 2023 significant programs and projects and rendered relevant services and assistance to Bangsamoro people,” it said.
TheWorld
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Sunday, January 7, 2024
A3
Late-night e-mail to Tim Cook that set the Apple watch saga in motion
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By Mark Gurman
T about 1 a.m. California time in 2013, a scientist e-mailed Apple Inc. Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook with an irresistible pitch. “I strongly believe that we can develop the new wave of technology that will make Apple the No. 1 brand in the medical, fitness and wellness market,” he wrote in the e-mail, which was later included in legal documents. Some 10 hours after the message was sent, an Apple recruiter was in touch. And just weeks after that, the engineer was working at the tech company on a smartwatch with health sensors. A f lurr y of activity began. Within a few months at Apple, the employee asked the company to file about a dozen patents related to sensors and algorithms for determining a person’s blood-oxygen level from a wearable device. But this wasn’t just any engineer. He had been the chief technical officer of Cercacor Laboratories Inc., the sister company of Masimo Corp., which went on to get the US to ban the Apple Watch. Apple’s decision to hire this technical whiz—a Stanford engineering Ph.D. named Marcelo Lamego — is seen as the spark that sent Masimo’s lawyers after Apple. While the iPhone maker denies it did anything wrong, Masimo cited the poaching of employees as part of claims that the iPhone maker infringed its patents. The dispute culminated this month in Apple having to pull its latest watches from the company’s US stores, hobbling a business that generates roughly $17 billion in annual sales. A US appellate court Wednesday temporarily halted the ban on sales of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2. The company responded by putting the products back on shelves in some of its US retail stores Wednesday, with online sales to resume Thursday. Masimo, a relatively obscure maker of medical devices based in Irvine, California, argues that Lamego seized its prized asset— the ability to non-invasively and accurately capture the level of oxygen in a person’s blood—and took it to Apple. The feature ultimately helped turn the watch into more of a health device, solidifying its status as the wearable industry’s best-selling product.
THE blood-oxygen app on the Apple Watch Series 6. DANIEL ACKER/BLOOMBERG
JOE KIANI, Masimo’s CEO, said he’d be willing to settle with Apple. MICHAEL NAGLE/BLOOMBERG
Lamego joined Masimo in 2003 as a research scientist before becoming Cercacor’s tech chief around 2006. Cercacor was a spinoff of Masimo, and both companies are run by CEO Joe Kiani, who helped invent much of their core technology. Lawyers for Masimo say that Lamego lacked prior knowledge about how to develop the bloodoxygen feature (his previous studies were about neural interfaces rather than health sensors). He learned how to build the technology at Kiani’s companies and delivered it to Apple, they say. Lamego then resigned from Apple in July 2014, just months after joining. Masimo argues that he left after Apple got what it needed. The reality, according to longtime Apple executive Steve Hotelling, is that Lamego didn’t fit in at the company. He clashed with managers, demanded multimillion-dollar budgets and wanted the ability to hire his own engineers without approval, Hotelling said in a deposition that was part of a court fight between the companies. After weeks of discussions, Lamego left Apple. The first Apple Watch was announced three months later, in September 2014. It didn’t have the blood-oxygen sensor and instead relied on more basic technologies, such as a pulse reader. Apple first approached Lamego to join about a year before his email to Cook. The overture happened around the time executives from Apple and Masimo met in
A further mark of success for Kiani would be a settlement, which would bring a payday but also vindication. Masimo’s website touts all the companies that license its technology and adding Apple to that list would be a triumph. It also would give Masimo marketing muscle for promoting its own products. Apple says it has held mediation talks with Masimo and that it expects to hold more.
2013, a moment that has become another focal point in the dispute between the two companies. Lamego declined to join Apple at the time, but his tune changed after Kiani refused to make him the CTO of Masimo as well, lawyers for the medical company argue. When Apple met with Masimo, it was seeking technology and talent that could bolster its work on the watch. At the time, Masimo believed Apple was interested in doing a deal. The company alleged in a 2020 lawsuit that Apple used the meeting to instead learn about its technology and lay the groundwork for hiring its people. In addition to enlisting Lamego, Apple hired Masimo’s former chief medical officer and about 20 other staffers, the medical device company said. Masimo failed to convince a jury of its claims this year. While the Lamego e-mail was a key piece of evidence for Masimo’s lawyers, the effort didn’t make much headway with the judge after a senior Apple engineer testified that development of the blood-oxygen feature started in late 2014—after Lamego had already left. Further, the judge threw out parts of the case relating to Apple’s practice of hiring Masimo employees, saying that “recruiting or hiring employees from another company, including from a competitor, does not on its own constitute improper means.” The judge also dismissed the idea that Apple stole trade secrets, and a jury sided with Apple 6-to-1. A f te r h i s st i nt at A p ple, Lamego ended up starting his own company, True Wearables. In 2016, he released a device called the Oxxiom, which he called the world’s first continuous and disposable blood-oxygen sensor. Masimo sued the startup and won a court order blocking it from selling the product. Lamego didn’t respond to requests for comment. When Masimo filed its initial lawsuit, Apple hadn’t yet brought a blood-oxygen sensor to market. But eight months later, the Apple Watch Series 6 was introduced with the feature—known in the industry as pulse oximetry—as its key new addition. That led Masimo to file a separate complaint with the US International Trade Commission in 2021 alleging that the feature infringed its patents. The ITC concurred in October and ordered Apple to remove infringing models from the US, including the current Series 9 and Ultra 2. That prohibition took effect this week after the White House declined to intervene. Apple said it strongly disagrees with the ITC decision and is “taking all measures to return Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 to customers in the US as soon
as possible.” A representative for Masimo declined to comment. Wednesday’s ruling by an appeals court in Washington paused the ITC’s ban while Apple seeks a longer stay. Blood oxygen is frequently called the fifth vital sign. A proper level of oxygen saturation—the percentage of oxygen f loating in one’s bloodstream compared with the maximum it could be—is a requirement for functions like breathing, moving and thinking. It has long been one of the first
diagnostics when a patient arrives at a hospital or doctor’s office. And the measurement became key at the height of the Covid pandemic, when doctors said that a reading under 95 percent could suggest a person is struggling to breathe due to the virus. Apple argues that Masimo sued it to clear the field for its own consumer-focused wearables. Masimo recently released the W1, a square smartwatch with an array of health sensors. And it’s planning to soon release the Freedom watch, which has more health capabilities and a round, more modern looking design. In an attempt to reach more consumers, it acquired Sound United, owner of speaker maker Bowers & Wilkins, for more than $1 billion last year. Apple countersued Masimo in 2022, saying that the W1 took the design of the Apple Watch. “Masimo copied from Apple Watch and is freeriding on Apple’s hard work,” the company said. In a Bloomberg interview earlier this month, Kiani said that Apple should have done things differently. “They didn’t have to steal our
people—we could have worked with them,” he said. “These guys have been caught with their hands in the cookie jar, and — instead of being embarrassed and doing the right thing — they’re blaming everybody and fighting everybody.” Kiani said that Apple executives once called him the “Steve Jobs of health care.” “Maybe it’s time they think different,” he said. Masimo is a fixture in hospitals. Its equipment for tracking blood oxygen, blood management and other measures is used on more than 200 million patients a year, the company says. But part of its revenue over the past two decades has stemmed from lawsuits against medical device competitors, including Royal Philips NV, that turned into settlements or licensing agreements. Kiani immigrated from Iran when he was 9 and started Masimo in 1989, five years after the original Mac went on sale. While his company now has thousands of workers globally, a market valuation of $6 billion and annual revenue of about Continued on A4
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Sunday, January 7, 2024
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California restaurant’s comeback shows how false Asian stereotype of dog-eating persists By Terry Tang
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The Associated Press
Young voters in Bangladesh dream of future free from political chaos as the nation votes
RESNO, California—David Rasavong’s cultural pride is evident all throughout his restaurant. It’s on the wall of family portraits and where a stunning mural depicts his family’s journey from Laos to California. It’s on the menu filled with Lao and Thai dishes like the crispy coconut rice salad of Nam Khao and the stir-fried rice noodles of Pad See Ew. And it’s in the fact that Love & Thai in Fresno, California, restaurant is open at all. A baseless accusation grounded in a racist stereotype about Asian food using dog meat brought a six-month barrage of harassment so heated that Rasavong, 41, closed down its previous location over fears for his family’s safety. His earlier restaurant had itself only been open for seven months when a so-called animal welfare crusader in May implied on social media that a pitbull tied up at an unconnected home next door was going to be served on the menu. A day after the initial commentary, vitriolic statements, voicemails and calls rained down. Rasavong’s body still tenses up when recounting, in particular, a call from an elderly woman. “She was so disgusted by me and yelling and screaming, and the only thing I can remember hearing her say at the end was ‘Go back to the country you came from you dog-eating mother-effer,’” Rasavong recently told The Associated Press. Within days, he closed that restaurant because it no longer felt safe between the harassment and people loitering in the parking lot outside of business hours. The false accusation tapped into a longstanding slur against Asian cuisines and cultures that has persisted in the US for over 150 years, dating back to the xenophobia that grew in the US after Chinese immigrants started arriving in more visible numbers in the 1800s and other Asian communities followed. It’s also one that Asian American communities are fighting against. It may be astonishing to some that a claim rooted in a racist stereotype took down a family’s restaurant
three years after “Stop Asian Hate” became a rallying cry. But for many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, it’s something they’ve heard before as an insult or under the guise of a “joke,” along with other negative reactions to the actual foods of their cultures. In December, a comedian received some backlash for dressing like a UPS delivery driver and walking into an Asian restaurant with caged puppies for a social media video. There is hope though that more people will learn to tell truth from trope. Since the pandemic first fueled anti-Asian hostilities, AAPI communities themselves have tried to take control of the narrative that Asian food is “dirty,” “weird” yet “exotic.” Furthermore, the appetite to learn about food from the Asian diaspora has only grown across traditional and new media. Still, there were moments where Rasavong felt like nobody, even media, was on his side. He said a few reporters approached him assuming the claims were true. But he soon received tons of communit y suppor t, and the closure ended up being a new beginning. A shopping center property manager offered him the chance to take over a suite vacated by another restaurant. Nkundwe P. van Wort-Kasyanju, a graphic designer in the Netherlands, and Los Angeles-based interior designer Danny Gonzales proffered their services for free. Hana Luna Her, a local artist, painted the mural. By the November 3 grand opening of the new space, Love & Thai definitely felt the love. The place was bustling all day, Rasavong said, and the city presented a proclamation. Rasavong is holding onto the belief that he went through this whole saga for a reason. “There’s a journey that we’re supposed to go on,” said Rasavong, who declined to say if he’ll pursue legal action. “Don’t get me wrong. People need to realize this business is not easy...But you know, we believe in what we’re doing and so
By Julhas Alam & Al-Emrun Garjon The Associated Press
DAVID RASAVONG serves customers during the lunch hour rush in his restaurant “Love & Thai” in Fresno, California on Wednesday, December 20, 2023. Rasavong is back in operation after being wrongfully accused of abusing a dog to turn it into meat. It may be astonishing to some that a claim rooted in a racist stereotype took down the restaurant three years after “Stop Asian Hate” became a rallying cry. AP/RICHARD VOGEL
far so good.” In actuality, consuming dog meat is something that has happened in various parts of the world for centuries, where they weren’t seen as domesticated family pets, said Robert Ku, author of “Dubious Gastronomy: The Cultural Politics of Eating Asian in the USA.” Greeks and Romans referenced it. The French also ate dog meat during World War II. But when Chinese immigrants came to the US, it was linked to them as part of “the myths that the Chinese were these bizarre people who had bizarre diets,” Ku said. “It was one of the attractions of actually going to Chinese restaurants back in the day because it came with ‘danger.’” A s other A sian immig rant g roups came, t he stereot y pe spread to include them. “This is a real just blurring of the Asian identity where it doesn’t matter if you’re Thai or Korean or Vietnamese or Cambodian. You’re all the same,” Ku said. Along with the false allegation of eating dog meat, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders over the generations have often faced disgust and worse from others when they’ve brought their cultures’ foods from home to public spaces like school or work. They’re taking steps to fight back, like in 2021, when San Francisco-Bay Area-based writers Diann Leo-Omineto, Anthony Shu and Shirley Huey self-published “Lunchbox Moments,” a compilation of over two dozen personal essays and illustrations that raised $6,000 for charity. The project became “a powerful thing for all of us,” Leo-Omineto said. “We tried to show it’s not always about being in relation to being American or being white or assimilated,” she said. “You can have
moments of joy, too...I hope that it opened people’s minds a little bit more—or made them want to try new foods.” It’s actually been a big year in publishing and food media for Asian cuisine. Publishers Weekly dedicated a feature in August entirely to Chinese and Taiwanese food after observing nine new cookbooks on the subjects were coming out this year. Several of the authors grew up outside of Asia. The titles range from “Vegan Chinese Food,” to “Kung Food” and “A Very Chinese Cookbook” from America’s Test Kitchen. Also, children’s book author Grace Lin released “Chinese Menu,” which relays folklore behind favorite Chinese American dishes. They all share personal anecdotes and readers often seem drawn to “personality-driven” cookbooks, said Carolyn Juris, features editor. “It’s not just about the recipes. It’s about the stories behind them and I think people respond to that,” Juris said. Like any other culture, Asian cultures encompass many different regional cuisines and nuances. With the growing Asian diaspora, it’s not strange that so many cookbooks can be mined and “publishers are savvy enough to know that there is a market for these books,” Juris added. Back at Love & Thai, Rasavong is busy filling online orders for a waiting third-party delivery driver. He is optimistic about keeping up business now that the initial hoopla around his restaurant renaissance has calmed down. Rasavong also hopes his situation will remind others to think before they speak. “People say these jokes and they think it’s just fun and just lighthearted,” he said. “There are certain things that you shouldn’t say that really do cross a line.”
Late-night e-mail to Tim Cook that set the Apple watch saga in motion Continued from A3
$2 billion, Kiani says Masimo started as an underdog just like Apple. He says he took out a second mortgage in his 20s to fund development of the startup in his garage. Though there was already medical gear to monitor blood oxygen, Kiani’s breakthrough was tracking it during movement or on people with weak pulses—key features for mass-market wearable devices. He’s also friends with President Joe Biden, one person who could have stopped the Apple Watc h sa les ba n. T he W hite House has the ability to veto import bans to the US, a power it has rarely used. One case came in 2013 when President Barack Obama overturned an iPhone ban spurred by a patent dispute with
Samsung Electronics Co. But that was an easier move politically: It involved picking a homegrown American company over a South Korean competitor. The headquarters of Apple and Masimo are both in California. Masimo’s goal, people close to the matter say, was for the ITC to impose its ban in the summer. That would have probably led Apple to delay the release of its new models, which are typically unveiled in September, and wiped out the holiday season. Instead, the ban only affected about a week of sales in Apple’s December quarter. It also only applied to Apple’s own stores; outside retailers like Best Buy Co. could still sell the watches—at least until their inventory ran out. And Apple believes it’s well on its way to a fix apart from its appeal of the ITC ruling. The company had
engineers race to change the software algorithms and presentation of its blood-oxygen app to sidestep Kiani’s claims. It’s now up to the US customs agency to determine if those tweaks are sufficient to allow the smartwatches back on the market. A decision is expected on January 12. For his part, Kiani doesn’t believe a software fix will resolve a dispute that involves hardware patents. “I don’t think that could work,” he said. In any case, Kiani and Masimo have gone further than anyone before them. Many companies have made arguments that Apple has stolen their technology and poached staff, putting them out of business or sending them into bankruptcy. But they’ve rarely gotten much traction. A further mark of success for
Kiani would be a settlement, which would bring a payday but also vindication. Masimo’s website touts all the companies that license its technology and adding Apple to that list would be a triumph. It also would give Masimo marketing muscle for promoting its own products. Apple says it has held mediation talks with Masimo and that it expects to hold more. In its earlier suit, which ended with a deadlocked jury, Masimo wanted Apple to pay more than $3 billion in damages. Kiani isn’t saying how much money it would take to reach a licensing agreement now. But he does plan to insist on one concession: “There needs to be an apology.” If that doesn’t happen, the two companies are scheduled to return to court—again over patents in late October. Bloomberg News
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HAKA, Bangladesh—At a technology center in Bangladesh’s capital, young women huddle around a computer, discussing a coding issue. Many of them make the daily trip to Dhaka on the shining new metro rail while scouring their smartphones for the latest on social media. For decades, political battles in Bangladesh have been fought on the streets, often with violence, by parties led by two powerful women. But there are signs of a generational change as the country of 169 million heads into another general election Sunday. While an opposition boycott and acrimony tarnish the polls, millions of young voters are seeking a different narrative. A burgeoning technology industry, lively e-commerce and a growing public digital infrastructure are helping one of South Asia’s fastest growing economies capitalize on a tech-savvy workforce that is demanding change from politicians. Ahead of the election, boycotted by the main opposition led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is trying to woo first-time voters with her government’s “Digital Bangladesh” project, promising a “smart Bangladesh” by 2041 and 15 million new jobs for young people by 2030. In an address at a large election rally outside Dhaka on Saturday, Hasina asked young voters for their support “so that the advancement of Bangladesh continues.” Some are listening. Shahrima Tanjin Arni, 26, who teaches law at Dhaka University, called Hasina a bold leader with a vision for a digital future. “She holds the values of the past, but at the same time, she has a progressive thinking in her progressive heart, which is not very common in Bangladeshi societies,” Arni said. The previous two general elections were marred by allegations of vote-rigging and intimidation, which authorities denied. Hasina, seeking a fourth consecutive term, pledges a free and fair election. But her critics allege she is undermining the process for an inclusive election and suppressing the opposition, which Hasina blames for violence. Younger voters say they want a break from the highly polarized political culture and concerns over democratic rights. “My desire is that...people of Bangladesh will freely exercise their voting right, their freedom of speech will be ensured and the justice system will work independently,” said Abdur Rahim Rony, a student at Dhaka University. “I also wish that no political party or the government will interfere with the constitutional institutions.” One-fourth of the country’s population is in the 15-29 age group, according to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. Almost one-third of the country’s 119.1 million registered voters are between 18 and 30. An October survey by the Bangladesh Citizen’s Platform for SDGs, or sustainable development goals, conducted online and involving 5,075 people aged 18-35, found that 69 percent of young people in Bangladesh considered corruption and nepotism as the main obstacles to development as the country sheds its least-developed economic status and grows into a middle-income developing country. “We don’t want any chaos on streets or violence. When I will finish my study, I
wish to do a job or start my own business peacefully,” said 20-year-old Raul Tamjid Rahman, a first-time voter and computer science student at Brac University in Dhaka. “It’s a call from our generation to our politicians and policymakers.” The telecom boom in Bangladesh began in 1997 when Hasina issued free licenses to three operators to run the mobile phone sector. It was a key chance for global companies to invest in one of the world’s most densely populated countries. “The expansion of digital economy is a miracle that is bringing changes to the economic landscape, with young people at the helm,” said Abu Saeed Khan, a senior policy fellow at the Sri Lanka-based think tank LIRNEasia. According to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, the country now has close to 127 million Internet users, with about 114 million mobile Internet subscribers. The government has spent millions of dollars to turn a network of 8,500 rural post offices into e-centers for local communities. New startups include some funded by Silicon Valley investors, and mobile money transfers have become common. Most of Bangladesh’s 4 million garment workers, a majority of them women, use SMS-based money transfer apps to help their families in rural areas. But inflation and dwindling foreign currency reserves still challenge Bangladesh’s economy. The country sought a $4.5 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund in 2022 to safeguard its finances. The government is optimistic, however, that the economy, which grew from $8.75 billion in 1971 to $460 billion in 2022, will soon be worth half a trillion dollars. “Mobile voice and mobile video both have become the oxygen of (the) economy, as simple as that,” analyst Khan said. The expansion of digital infrastructure has come with concerns over a contentious 2018 Digital Security Act and its recent replacement, the Cyber Security Act. The government says they are needed to fight misinformation, hacking and attempts to undermine people’s rights. Critics and rights activists said the previous law was misused by the government to suppress dissent and freedom of speech. Critics say the new cyber security law will not bring many differences. In March, a journalist for a leading newspaper was arrested under the law on charges of spreading false news. T.I.M. Nurul Kabir, executive director of the Foreign Investors’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that despite challenges, Bangladesh’s digital development is attracting young people. “This is the new generation who are coming ahead with innovations,” he said. “For a developed Bangladesh, these young people, these digital dreamers, are the backbone. Women are also increasingly joining that future journey.” Tech entrepreneur Achia Nila is one of them. “Technology is super important in my daily life. It fits into everything I do,” Nila said, adding that it helps to connect with clients and the international market. Ahead of Sunday’s election, Nila called on political parties not to fight and instead focus on working together to further develop Bangladesh. Many young people feel frustrated with corruption and bureaucracy, she said, and warned that they may prefer to migrate to other countries because of better opportunities.
Science Sunday
www.businessmirror.com.ph • Editor: Lyn Resurreccion
BusinessMirror
Sunday, January 7, 2024
A5
DOST AND NCMF SIGN MOA TO REINFORCE HALAL PRODUCTS’ INTEGRITY
‘Halal products are for everyone’ Story & photos by Reine Juvierre S. Alberto
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LMOST all the products certified as halal are contaminated. That’s our problem,” revealed Secretary Guiling Mamondiong of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF).
Mamondiong made the statement during the signing of the memorandum of agreement between the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and NCMF on January 4 in order to reinforce the halal integrity of food and non-food products produced in the Philippines. In the country, Islam is the second largest religion practiced by Muslims, who observe dietary laws, such as halal or foods and beverages that are law f u l or permitted, and haram or not permitted. Halal are food and non-food products that contain meat and poultry where the slaughter of animals abide by Islamic dietary laws. It can be considered halal if the animals were slaughtered while reciting the “Bismillah” (an Arabic phrase meaning “in the name of God”) and “Takbir” (Arabic term for “Allahu Akbar” meaning “Allah is the greatest”). If not, the meat is considered haram. Other foods considered haram are pork, blood, birds of prey,
carnivorous animals, alcoholic beverages and other intoxicants. To uphold the halal integrity of food and non-food products, the cooperation and collaboration between the two government agencies were established through the Halal Verification Laboratories (HVLs), which will determine if the products have forbidden contents, under the DOST’s Regional Standards and Testing Laboratory. The NCMF, meanwhile, will recommend and propose policies on market surveillance and the inclusion of halal testing as a requirement for halal certification and re-certification.
On verifying halal products
THERE are currently four HVLs e s t a bl i she d i n t he cou nt r y. Two International Organization for Standardization (ISO)certified and Philippine Accreditation Bureau (PAB)-accredited HVLs are in DOST Calabarzon and DOST Region 11 or Davao Region, which offer porcine DNA detection and ethanol, methanol
DOST and NCMF officials, led by Science Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. and NCMF Secretary Guiling Mamondiong, respectively, pose for a photo after the signing of the memorandum of agreement to reinforce the halal integrity of local products through Halal Verification Laboratories.
and isopropanol detection. The other two HVLs are undergoing ISO certification and PAB accreditation. They are in DOST Region 12 (porcine DNA detection) and in the Ministry of Science and Technology in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (for porcine DNA detection and free fatty acids profiling). DOST Region 11 Regional Director Dr. Anthony Sales said during the event that through their HVLs they will make sure that the halal-certified products sold in the market do not contain haram components and have been produced using halal procedures. “We will ensure compliance to laboratory standards and requirements for worldwide acceptance of Philippine-made halal products and services,” Sales said. Explaining how the verification process works inside the laboratory, Regional Director of DOSTCalabarzon Esmelita Bagsit said that they look into the molecular level of the porcine DNA detected
NCMF Secretary Guiling Mamondiong (second from left) receives the Halal training modules, developed by DOST Region 11 Halal Training Needs Assessment team, from Science Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. (third from left). With them are DOST Halal S&T Program Leader and DOST-11 Regional Director Anthony Sales (right) and Undersecretary for Regional Operations Sancho Mabborang (left).
through RT-PCR to trace if there are presence of pork in products. As for the alcohol content, they perform gas chromatography to separate and detect the chemical components of a product to determine if there is any presence of ethanol, methanol, and isopropanol.
Mamondiong emphasized that halal means “healthy” because of the absence of pork and alcohol in food products. “It doesn’t mean that if the product is halal it’s for Muslims only. The use is not exclusively for Muslim but for everyone,” he explained.
‘Halal is for everyone’
‘Halal products are still limited’
SCIENCE Secretary Dr. Renato Solidum Jr. pointed out the importance of halal testing to ensure its authenticity which goes beyond religious practices. “Halal should not be seen only as part of a religious observation. We should view it as a way of life, a life that touches upon the inclusivity of purity, wholesomeness, and sincerity in how our Muslim brothers and sisters manage the greater Islamic economy which spans the various industry sectors,” Solidum said. Although Muslims follow the Islamic dietary laws, non-Muslims also choose halal for different reasons, such as purity and higher quality because of its certification.
VARIOUS disasters have struck Mindanao, such as floods and earthquakes among others, which affected thousands of Muslims. Although help poured in during those times, Mamondiong said they had to reject the food packs given to them because they were not halal which defeated the purpose of extending assistance. “We have to attend to everybody’s needs in terms of emergency,” he said. The DOST-Industrial Technology Development Institute Packaging Division has developed ready-to-eat (RTE) food technologies for emergencies. Some of them can be tweaked to become halal,
Sales said. The RTE food technologies, however, “seeks for adaptation by a private company that will adapt the technology and commercialize it to become available for emergency situations,” Sales pointed out. Sales said that currently there are no halal emergency foods available in the buffer stock of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. He hoped for funding in their proposal to develop halal emergency foods to cater to the needs of Muslim brothers and sisters. Solidum quipped that it is one of the challenges that they always have in DOST: scaling up the production of the technologies they have developed. Mamondiong, meanwhile, sees production as another problem. He urged for investment in the production of halal food and nonfood products to address food insufficiency and for the country to become the “halal basket of Southeast Asia.”
9 receive 2023 Filipino Faces of Biotechnology awards
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INE individuals—including a former Cabinet secretary, scientists, biotech experts, a regulator, a policy expert and a farmer—were added to the roster of awardees of the esteemed Filipino Faces of Biotechnology (FFOB) in 2023 for their excellence in and contributions to the technology, the Department of Agriculture (DA) Biotech Program Office announced. The FFOB’s eighth awarding ceremonies was held at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City on December 15. Recognized were Ma. Lorelie Agbagala, Dr. Antonio Alfonso, Adriel Alvarez, Amparo Ampil. Dr. Evangeline Castil lo, Dr. Lourdes Cruz, Dr. William Dar, Dr. Carmencita Padilla and Dr. Eufemio Rasco. The annual event led by the Department of Agriculture has awarded a total of 59 individuals since it started in 2016. The FFOB, inspired by the renowned Humans of New York, recognize Filipinos who have demonstrated exemplary work and have contributed significantly to the advancement of biotechnology in the Philippines, thus, help in the development of their respective sectors, and the country, in general. The awards also aim to celebrate the country’s journey in the advancement of public acceptance of and support for the use of biotech in various fields. At the same time, they invite others to be inspired to develop and promote biotech in different sectors.
The awardees
n Ma. Lorelie U. Agbagala:
THE awardees of the 2023 Filipino Faces of Biotechnology are (from second from left) Dr. William Dar, Dr. Lourdes Cruz, Adriel Alvarez, Dr. Evangeline Castillo, Ma. Lorelie Agbagala, Amparo Ampil, Dr. Patrick Jose Padilla (for Dr. Carmencita Padilla) and Dr. Antonio Alfonso. With them are Agriculture Undersecretary Mercedita Sombilla (left), and DA Biotechnology Program Director Claro Mingala (right). Not in photo is awardee Dr. Eufemio Rasco. DA BIOTECHNOLOGY PROGRAM PHOTO
She has played a crucial role in ensuring that policies align with scientific advancements, creating a conducive environment for progress. Her efforts have resulted in the implementation of robust regulatory frameworks while ensuring public safety. n Dr. Antonio A. Alfonso: With his visionary approach, his contributions have led to the development of community-driven initiatives that promote environmental stewardship and sustainable agricultural practices. n Adriel Dave Alvarez: As biotech farmer-leader, he has pioneered in sustainable farming practices that not only increase crop yield but also promote environmental conservation. n Charo Ampil: Steering policies on agricultural biotechnology, she has led in the formulation of policies that support research and development in biotechnology, fostering a culture of innovation in the agricultural sector.
n Dr. Evangeline Castillo: A trailblazer in bio-fertilizers, her research on the capability of mycorrhizal fungi has paved the way to boost productivity in adverse upland areas, providing a lifeline for farmers in challenging terrains. n Dr. Lourdes J. Cruz: With significant research on toxins from marine animals, she has contributed in the fields of biochemistry and toxicology. Her studies have led to the development of toxin-based therapies and have contributed to the understanding of marine ecosystems, influencing conservation efforts. n Dr. William D. Dar: As former secretary of the Department of Agriculture and head of research institutions in the country and abroad, he championed science, technology and innovation for agricultural development. His efforts have inspired a new era of sustainable
and technology-driven farming practices. n Dr. Carmencita Padilla: A pioneer in genetics and health, her groundbreaking research on the importance of newborn screening led to the passage of the law mandating all newborns to undergo screening, revolutionizing early disease detection and intervention. n Dr. Eufemio T. Rasco: A stalwart in research and advocacy, he has championed agricultural biotechnology, contributing to the development of resilient and sustainable farming practices. His research initiatives have led to the identification of crop varieties that are resistant to pests and diseases, ensuring stable agricultural production.
‘Overcoming challenges,obstacles’
CONFERRED by the Department of Agriculture (DA), the awarding ceremonies was led by Agriculture Undersecretary Mercedita Sombilla, and DA Biotechnology Program Director Claro N. Mingala. “The FFOB awards are not just about accolades; they represent a journey of embracing challenges, overcoming obstacles, and contributing to the advancement of biotechnology in the country,” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. in a message that was read by Sombilla. “The awardees’ experiences, the hardships they have embraced, and the genuine contributions they have made in biotech in agriculture, health, environment, information, education and policy are truly inspiring and motivational,” Laurel said.
THESE PET scan images provided by the New England Journal of Medicine in January 2024 show a reduction in amyloid-beta levels in an Alzheimer’s patient after focused ultrasound treatment to open the blood-brain barrier after 26 weeks. Red is associated with higher levels of amyloid-beta levels. NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE VIA AP
Study: Alzheimer’s drugs might get into the brain faster with new ultrasound tool
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ASHINGTON—Scientists have found a way to help Alzheimer’s drugs seep inside the brain faster—by temporarily breaching its protective shield. The novel experiment was a first attempt in just three patients. But in spots in the brain where the new technology took aim, it enhanced removal of Alzheimer’s trademark brain-clogging plaque, researchers reported Wednesday. “Our goal is to give patients a head start,” by boosting some new Alzheimer’s treatments that take a long time to work, said Dr. Ali Rezai of West Virginia University’s Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, who led the study. At issue is what’s called the blood-brain barrier, a protective lining in blood vessels that prevents germs and other damaging substances from leaching into brain from the bloodstream. But it also can block drugs for Alzheimer’s, tumors and other neurologic diseases, requiring higher doses for longer periods for enough to reach their target inside the brain. Now scientists are using a technology called focused ultrasound to jiggle temporary openings in that shield. They injec t microscopic bubbles into the bloodstream. Next, they beam sound waves through a
helmetlike device to a precise brain area. The pulses of energy vibrate the microbubbles, which loosen gaps in the barrier enough for medications to slip in. Prior small studies have found the technology can safely poke tiny holes that seal up in 48 hours. Now Rezai’s team has gone a step further—administering an Alzheimer’s drug at the same time. Some new Alzheimer’s drugs, on the market or in the pipeline, promise to modestly slow worsening of the mindrobbing disease. They’re designed to clear away a sticky protein called beta-amyloid that builds up in certain brain regions. But they require IV infusions every few weeks for at least 18 months. “Why not try to clear the plaques within a few months?” Rezai said, his rationale for the proof-of-concept study. His team gave three patients with mild Alzheimer’s monthly doses of one such drug, Aduhelm, for six months. Right after each IV, researchers aimed the focused ultrasound on a specific amyloidclogged part of each patient’s brain, opening the blood brain-barrier so more of that day’s dose might enter that spot. Lauran Neergaard, Ap Medical Writer
A6 Sunday, January 7, 2024
Faith
Sunday Editor: Lyn Resurreccion • www.businessmirror.com.ph
Cardinal Advincula to faithful: Embark on ‘pilgrimages of prayer’ T
HE head of Manila’s Roman Catholic Church is bringing in the new year with a call for what he called “pilgrimages of prayer.” Cardinal Jose Advincula encouraged the faithful of his archdiocese to return to the core importance of prayer. “I invite you to embark on ‘Pilgrimages of Prayer’ this year,” Advincula said. “Let every ecclesial community go back to the centrality of prayer in our life as missionary disciples of Jesus,” he said. Pope Francis has earlier announced that 2024 w il l be a
“ Year of Prayer” in preparation for the Jubilee 2025. The 71-year-old Manila archbishop also urged the continuation of the ‘synodal process of walking together in communion, mission, and participation’ that the archdiocese has initiated. “Let this new year be an occasion for us to review our initiatives in gradually forming ourselves into a synodal Church…,” the cardinal added. “There will be challenges along the way. But we are always assured that He walks with us. And so, we begin our journey, with courage and faith,” he also said. CBCP News
CARDINAL Jose Advincula, Archbishop Of Manila. ERIC PAUL GUANLAO, MANILA CATHEDRAL
How religion, politics will mix in US 2024 polls
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ELIGION is likely to play a big role in voters’ choices in the 2024 US presidential election—much as it did in previous years. Despite an overall shift away from participation in organized religion in the US populace, religious rhetoric in the political arena has intensified. In the 2016 race, evangelical voters contributed, in part, to Republican nominee Donald Trump’s victory. Those Americans who identified as “weekly churchgoers” not only showed up at the polls in large numbers, but more than 55 percent of them supported Trump. His capture of 66 percent of the white evangelical vote also tipped the scales in his favor against his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton. Evangelical support for Trump continued to be strong in the 2020 presidential election. However, Joe Biden drew fellow Catholics to his camp and convinced some evangelicals, as well, to vote in his favor. Biden received public endorsement from 1,600 Catholic, mainline Protestant and evangelical faith leaders. I’m a historian and a religious studies scholar who recent ly published a book exploring the role of religion in political movements, such as anti-abortion campaigns. Historical evidence can help identify trends that will likely influence the mix of religion and politics in the year ahead. From my perspective, three key trends are likely to show up in 2024. In particular, the runup to the elections seems poised to feature intensified end-times rhetoric, more claims of divine support and relative silence from the evangelical community on the rise in Christian nationalism.
1. End-times rhetoric
END-TIMES rhetoric has long played a prominent role in American politics. In 2016, as presidential candidate Clinton told The New York Times, “As I’ve told people, I’m the the last thing standing between you and the apocalypse.” Three years before, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz had warned, “We have a couple of years to turn the country around or we go off the cliff to oblivion.” Indeed, American leaders have rallied adherents through apocalyptic rhetoric since the inception of the country. Ever since Puritan John Winthrop first called America a “city on the hill”—meaning a shining example for the world to follow— the threat of losing that divinely
IN this combination of photos, President Joe Biden (left) speaks on August 10, 2023, in Salt Lake City, left, and former President Donald Trump speaks on July 8, 2023, in Las Vegas.‘ AP
appointed status has consistently been employed by presidential candidates. John F. Kennedy employed that exact image of the “city on the hill” in a 1961 speech on the cusp of his inauguration, claiming that—with “God’s help”—valor, integrity, dedication and wisdom would define his administration. Part of Ronald Reagan’s rise to fame included “A Time for Choosing,” a speech in which he nominated Republican presidential candidate Barry Goldwater. Reagan warned: “We will preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we will sentence them to take the first step into a thousand years of darkness.” In his farewell address 25 years later, Reagan also revived the city on the hill image while lauding US freedoms. In a late 2022 announcement of his presidential election bid, Trump asserted “the blood-soaked streets of our once great cities are cesspools of violent crimes,” drawing on apocalyptic imagery, in reference to drug-smuggling and illegal immigration. By March 2023, at the annual gathering of the Conservative Political Action Conference, he predicted that “if they [Democrats] win, we no longer have a country.” Biden has likewise drawn on the image of final battles. In a speech at Philadelphia’s Independence Hall on September 1, 2022, he said that he and his supporters are in “a battle for the soul of this nation.”
2. Divine mandate
SINCE the establishment of the republic, many US political leaders have claimed a divine mandate. God, they asserted, guided the founding of the country’s democratic institutions, ranging from popular elections to the Constitution’s balance of powers. George Washington, for example, claimed in a June 1788 letter to his secretary of war, Benjamin Lin-
coln, that “the finger of Providence has so manifestly pointed” to the founding of the United States. The previous year, Benjamin Franklin gave a speech to the Constitutional Convention in which he noted: “God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an Empire can rise without his aid?” By 1954, in the middle of the Cold War, President Dwight Eisenhower signed a bill adding “under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance, a reassertion of Washington’s earlier claim. Scholars have long documented how those in power employ claims of divine authority to legitimize their role in a host of different countries. Recently, some US politicians and public commentators have shifted to claiming divine authority for anti-democratic actions. Doug Mastriano, a Pennsylvania state senator at the time, prayed right before the January 6, 2021, insurrection that those seeking to “seize the power” would do so “providentially.” The claim by conservative radio celebrity Eric Metaxas that the insurrection was “God’s battle even more than our battle” defined the event as divinely inspired. This kind of assertion by such influential voices intensifies the commitments of those seeking to undermine democratic electoral processes. Regardless of the outcome of the 2024 election, the switch from historical claims of divine authority for democracy to divine authority to challenge democracy is already obvious and apparent.
3. White supremacy and Christian nationalism
IN the US. religious and racial identities have been intertwined from the country’s inception. Although also expressed in more subtle and systemic forms, during the late 20th and early
21st centuries, white supremacists made the most explicit claims of divine favor on the part of white people in general and people of Nordic descent in particular. They promoted Nazi ideology and developed new organizations that repackaged similar philosophies while drawing on religious claims. The overtly white supremacist and virulently antisemitic Christian Identity movement, a North American new religious movement that gained popularity in the 1980s among organized white supremacist groups, claimed that people of color, who they deemed “mud races,” were created by God as inferior. They also asserted that the religious covenant—between God and people—spelled out in the Bible applied only to people of European descent. Likew ise, the unapologetically white supremacist “alt-right movement” that coalesced in 2010 around the philosophies of biological racism and the belief in the superiority of white peoples around the world have likewise mixed overt white supremacy with religious doctrines. This close connection between religious claims and white supremacy among overtly racist organizations has shown up in mainline political arenas as well. In this case, the trend is one of omission. Evangelical leaders have consistently failed to condemn or disassociate themselves from leaders with overt white supremacy connections. When given an opportunity to condemn white supremacists during the first 2020 presidential debate, Trump instead addressed the Proud Boys, a violent white supremacist group, by saying, “Stand back and stand ready.” His dec ision to h ire st a f f like white nationalist Steve Bannon during his first presidential campaign and to dine with white supremacist Nic k Fuentes in November 2022 continued that pattern. Appeals to white supremacy have also surfaced in the current Congress. In spring of 2023, 26 members of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee refused to sign a letter denouncing white supremacy. It remains to be seen whether these trends will continue in their current forms, transition to new ones or be displaced by rhetorical strategies as yet unimagined. What is most certain is that religion and politics will continue to interact. Tobin Miller Shearer, University of Montana/The Convcersation (CC) via AP
POPE Benedict XVI’s former private secretary, Archbishop Georg Ganswein (back to the camera), prays at the late pope’s tomb in the grotto of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on December 31, 2023. VATICAN MEDIA
Pope Benedict XVI’s ‘last testament’
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ATICAN—A brilliant thinker and prolific writer, Pope Benedict XVI wrote 66 books in his lifetime. His final work, “What Is Christianity? The Last Writings,” was published in Italian on January 20, just weeks after his death at age 95 on December 31, 2022. Ignatius Press published the English translation of the book on July 17, 2023. While the texts were originally written in German, Elio Guerriero, the Italian director of the theological journal Communio , translated them into Italian, which Benedict wanted to be the reference language. Guerriero had previously collaborated with Pope Benedict on other works. In this last book, the pope addressed a number of important issues he had not touched on before. He also clarified and expanded his thoughts about various social and theological questions. Pope Benedict XVI deliberately reserved the book’s publication for after his death, a decision that has drawn a lot of attention. He explained his reasoning in a letter quoted in the foreword of the book, writing: “For my part, I want to publish nothing more during my lifetime. The fury of the circles in Germany that are opposed to me is so strong that if anything I say appears in print, it immediately provokes a horrible uproar on their part. I want to spare myself this and to spare Christianity, too,” he said. Regarding the timing of its publication, Father Joseph Fessio, SJ, editor of Ignatius Press, told Catholic News Agency (CNA) that “Pope Benedict was very conscious that his resignation was unusual and could cause confusion. He did not want to appear to be setting up some sort of parallel magisterium. He was very discreet.” The book is reportedly a sort of “last message to the world.” “‘What Is Christianity?’ concludes the life and writings of one of the great churchmen of all time,” Fessio said. “It’s his last testament.” The book’s foreword was written by Guerriero, who explained the purpose behind the publication. “The present volume is not just a collection of previously published texts with a few new ones added but rather a kind of spiritual testament written in a spirit of wisdom by a fatherly heart that was always attentive to the expectations and hopes of the faithful and of all mankind,” Guerriero said. With just six chapters, it is an accessible introduction to his work. Topics covered include “World Religions and the Christian Faith,” “Christian-Islamic Dialogue,” “Jews and Christians in Dialogue,” “The Catholic Priesthood,” and “The Meaning of Communion.” It also includes reflections honoring the lives of St. John Paul II and Jesuit Father Alfred Delp, a resistance fighter against Nazism. “It’s not too deeply scholarly. Every article would be accessible to any educated person,” Fessio said. “Much of it is meant for the world, for everybody.” Were there any surprises in this “last testament” of a great Church leader? Yes, Fessio said, but no more so than with Benedict’s other works. “I learn new things whenever I read him, but I expected that,” he said. “It’s a very eclectic book, with many enlightening contemporary insights. He shared what he thought was important to say.” Among the many kernels of wisdom in the book are the following:
1. St. Joseph’s silent wisdom
BENEDICT XVI held great affection for Christ’s foster father, for whom he was named, and tried very much to follow his example. In particular, he found that St. Joseph’s silence was a guide to wisdom for him. He writes in the book: “[He] was given to me by my parents as a patron saint for life. The older I get, the clearer the figure of my patron becomes to me. Not one word of his has been handed down to us, but rather his ability to listen and to act. I understand more and more that his silence is precisely what speaks to us and, beyond scientific knowledge, wishes to guide me to wisdom.” Later, the pope describes how St. Joseph is known through his decisive actions, since no word of his appears in Scripture. Repeatedly, God reveals a certain course of action to St. Joseph, and every time St. Joseph pursues that course immediately upon realizing it is God’s will. His life was a constant “yes” to God, his actions speaking louder than words ever could. As Pope Benedict XVI put it: “His silence is at the same time his message.”
2. Love and joy at the origin of missionary work
POPE Benedict XVI reflects in the book on what role missionary work has in today’s world, when interreligious dialogue often takes its place. He wrote: “Joy needs to be communicated. Love needs to be communicated. Truth needs to be communicated. Someone who has received a great joy cannot simply keep it for himself; he has to hand it on.” The same is true for the gift of love and for the gift of recognizing the truth that is manifested, he says. “Let us proclaim Jesus Christ, not in order to gain as many members as possible for our community, much less for the sake of power,” Benedict points out. “Let us speak about him because we feel that we must hand on this joy that was given to us. We will be credible announcers of Jesus Christ when we have truly encountered him in the depths of our being, when, through the encounter with him, we have received the gift of the great experience of truth, love, and joy,” he adds.
3. The message of God’s mercy is greatly needed today
IN a lengthy passage in the chapter called “Faith is not an idea, but a life,” the pope explains that modern man craves assurance of God’s mercy, something he calls a “sign of the times.” Referring to the parable of the Good Samaritan, he writes about how important it is “that men deep in their hearts expect that the Samaritan will come to their aid; that he will bend down to them, anoint their wounds, care for them, and carry them to safety.” He writes that St. John Paul II and Pope Francis both made mercy central to their message as popes. “Mankind is waiting for mercy...In the final analysis, they know that they need God’s mercy and his tenderness. In the hardness of a technological world where feelings no longer count for anything, nevertheless, there is a growing expectation of a saving love that is freely given,” he points out.
4. Reflections on Fr. Alfred Delp
POPE Benedict XVI has a personal connection to Jesuit Fr. Alfred Delp, who was martyred in Nazi Germany, and urges the faithful to “revive the memory of this great witness to Jesus Christ in dark times,” explaining Delp’s legacy in these words: “Father Delp certainly could be killed in the body by the executioners of the time, just as his hands could be chained, but the word of God is not chained and speaks to us again and again precisely through the bloody testimony of the martyrs. May the Lord help us, in our time and in the way that we ask, to be witnesses to Jesus Christ once again.” Isabel Barry/Catholic News Agency via CBCP News
Biodiversity Sunday BusinessMirror
Asean Champions of Biodiversity Media Category 2014
Sunday, January 7, 2024 A7
Editor: Lyn Resurreccion
THIS image released by the US Fish and Wildlife Service shows a flower from a shrub known as marrón bacora on March 21, 2021. The flowering shrub, found in dry forests on St. John’s, Virgin Islands, is threatened by predation, invasive species, urban sprawl, and climate change. USFWS VIA AP
A STEPHENS’ kangaroo rat is seen on a person’s knee as it’s held by the tail on October 16, 2017. They have fur-lined external cheek pouches used to transport seeds and large hind legs used for jumping. Large sums of government money directed toward a handful of species means others, such as the kangaroo rat, have gone neglected for decades after they were given federal protections. JOANNA GILKESON/USFWS VIA AP
THIS undated image of a small lobster-shaped Panama City crayfish sits on an open hand. Panama City crayfish are found only in Bay County, Florida. They are among dozens of species that federal officials are giving more attention to in an effort to address imperiled plants and animals that have been historically underfunded. USFWS VIA AP
Most funds for endangered species go to few species, leaving others in limbo B
ILLINGS, Montana— Since the passage of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) 50 years ago, more than 1,700 plants, mammals, fish, insects and other species in the US have been listed as threatened or endangered with extinction. Yet federal government data reveals striking disparities in how much money is allocated to save various biological kingdoms. Of the roughly $1.2 billion a year spent on endangered and threatened species, about half goes toward recovery of just two types of fish— salmon and steelhead trout along the West Coast. Tens of millions of dollars go to other widely known animals— including manatees, right whales, grizzly bears and spotted owls. But the large sums directed toward a handful of species means others have gone neglected, in some cases for decades, as they teeter on potential extinction. At the bottom of the spending list is the tiny Virginia fringed mountain snail, which had $100 spent on its behalf in 2020, according to the most recent data available. T he underground-dwelling snail has been seen only once in the past 35 years, according to government records, yet it remains a step ahead of more than 200 imperiled plants, animals, fish and other creatures that had nothing spent on
their behalf. With climate change increasing threats to organisms around the planet and adding to the number that qualify for protection under the ESA, government officials are struggling in many cases to execute recovery actions required under the law. Some scientists even arg ue for spend i ng less on cost ly ef for t s that may not work and putting the money toward species with less expensive recover y plans that have lang uished. “For a tiny fraction of the budget going to spotted owls, we could save whole species of cacti that are less charismatic but have an order of magnitude smaller budget,” said Leah Gerber, a professor of conservation science at Arizona State University. An Associated Press analysis of 2020 data found fish got 67 percent of the spending, the majority for several dozen salmon and steelhead populations in California, Oregon and Washington. Mammals were a distant second with 7 percent of spending and birds had about 5 percent. Insects received just 0.5 percent of the money and plants about 2 percent. Not included in those percentages is money divided among multiple species. Species drawing no spending at all included stoneflies threatened by climate change in Montana’s Glacier Na-
tional Park, the stocky California tiger salamander that has lost ground to development and flowering plants—such as the scrub lupine around Orlando, Florida, where native habitat has been converted for theme parks. Such spending inequities are longstanding and reflect a combination of biological realities and political pressures. Restoring salmon and steelhead populations is expensive because they are widespread and hemmed in by massive hydroelectric dams. They also have a broad political constituency with Native American tribes and commercial fishing interests that want fisheries restored. Congress over decades has sent massive sums of money to agencies, such as the Bonneville Power Administration that operate dams along rivers the fish once traveled up to spawn. The money pays for fish ladders around dams, habitat restoration projects, monitoring by scientists and other needs. More than half the species protected under the ESA are plants, but the entire plant kingdom was almost excluded from the landmark conservation law when it was adopted in 1973, according to the Congressional Record and to Faith Campbell, who interviewed people involved in the bill’s passage for a 1988 study published in the Pace Environmental Law Review. Plants initially were left out when
the measure passed the Senate, with opposition led by influential Republican Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska. They were added back at the 11th hour following a push by botanists from the Smithsonian Institution and Lee Talbot, a senior scientist at the White House Council on Environmental Quality, according to Campbell. Botanists at the time proposed more than 2,500 plants as threatened with future extinction. However, most failed to get protections because federal officials failed to act prior to a Congressional deadline. Today more than 900 trees, ferns, flowers and other flora are protected. Combined, they received about $26 million in 2020. “In terms of numbers they’re catching up, but as far as money and attention they’re still not getting their share,” said Campbell, a longtime environmental advocate who now works at the Center for Invasive Species Prevention. “The threats are serious, they’re the same as the threats to animals. Yet they don’t have the political clout of, say, a couple dozen of the big animal species that attract favorable attention or get in people’s way.” Most plants receive less money than recommended under their recovery plans, according to Gerber and others. Researchers say that has direct
consequences: species tend to decline when allocated less funding than needed, while they have a higher chance of recovery when receiving enough money. Gerber has suggested redirecting some money from species getting more than their recovery plans seek—the bull trout, the gopher tortoise and the Northern spotted owl among them—to those receiving little or none. Her ideas have stirred pushback from some conservationists. Former US Fish and Wildlife Service Director Jamie Rappaport Clark said debating how to allocate scarce resources for rescuing endangered species is a distraction. “The issue is not where the money is spent,” said Clark, now president of Defenders of Wildlife. “The issue is that there isn’t nearly enough of it.” Gerber said she doesn’t want to let anything go extinct but that a strategic approach is needed with the shortage of resources. “Unfortunately, the clock is ticking,” she added. “We need to take action.” Wildlife officials say they are trying to do just that with money for endangered species in the climate law signed last year by President Joe Biden. It included $62.5 million that officials said will allow them to hire biologists to craft recovery plans to guide
future conservation work, initially for 32 species and for as many as 300 over coming years. Among them are a colorful fish known as the “candy darter” that lives in rivers in the southeastern US, a flowering shrub from the Virgin Islands called marron bacora, the Panama City crayfish of Florida and the pocket-sized Stephens’ kangaroo rat in southern California. The extra money is intended to provide some relief after the agency’s environmental review staff fell 20 percent over the past two decades, even while new species were listed, according to officials. Increased funding is especially important because more than half the agency’s existing recovery plans are more than two decades old, according to Lindsay Rosa, vice president for conservation research at Defenders of Wildlife. Also in the law was $5.1 million for recovery projects that could benefit hundreds of species from four groups that officials said have historically been underfunded: Hawaii and Pacific island plants, butterflies and moths, freshwater mussels and desert fish in the southwestern US. “Each of these species are part of this larger web of life,” Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams said in an interview. “They’re all important.” Matthew Brown And John
Flesher/Associated Press
How to dispose of Christmas holiday trash–to prevent pollution T
HE holidays are a special time of joy and giving—and a special time for generating trash. In the US alone, the amount of waste generated between Thanksgiving Day and New Year’s Day is 25 percent to 43 percent higher than average. All that trash pollutes the planet by piling up in landfills, and also contributes directly to climate change. Decaying waste generates methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide in the near term, and waste-management facilities emit nitrous oxide, another noxious greenhouse gas. “When you’re giving a gift at Christmastime or receiving one, think about what happens next to that product,” says Joe Iles, lead of the Circular Design Programme at the nonprofit Ellen Macarthur Foundation. “In our current model, a lot of the stuff ends up in the same place, which is in the trash,” Iles said. It doesn’t have to be this way—or at least it doesn’t always have to be this way. Between recycling, upcycling, re-gifting and reducing consumption, there are plenty of sustainable ways to reduce the environmental impact of your holiday favorites.
Holiday lights
HOLIDAY lights should not be placed in recycling bins, as they can get tangled in the sorting machinery at recycling centers. If you’re getting rid of lights that still work, you might be able to deliver
them to retail hardware stores like Home Depot, Lowe’s, or Ace Hardware for recycling. (Make sure to check the recycling programs of your local store to see what you can drop off.) If your lights are broken, some lighting companies—including Holiday LEDs—will take them in exchange for a discount on your next order. Either option is better than tossing them out. Depending on where you live, you can also contact your local recycling service to see if they offer days to collect donations or if they can direct you to another place to ditch your old bulbs.
Christmas tree
NOTHING says “the holiday season is over” like the perennial obligation to take down the Christmas tree. If you have a real tree, many communities offer curbside-pick up that will let you ditch it along with the rest of your trash. You may also be able to drop off your tree at your local recycling center; many of them have accommodations for Christmas trees come January. Another option is to give your tree to a local tree-recycling and mulching program, where it can be chipped and shredded for compost. In New York City, for example, the Department of Sanitation provides a place to drop off Christmas trees every January to turn into compost for parks and community
gardens. Contact your local facilities to see what options are available. Recycling artificial trees is a bit less straightforward and depends on where you live and what your tree is made of. Most faux trees contain hard plastics that are difficult for recycling facilities to process. But if your local recycling center accepts all rigid plastics, you can most likely recycle the base of the trunk of the tree. Another option is to ship your artificial tree to Polygroup’s Christmas Recycling Program, a company that takes artificial Christmas trees and upcycles them into bubble wrap and plastic bags. And if all else fails, you can donate your fake tree. Contact local schools, hospitals, charities and thrift stores to see if they can give your plastic evergreen a new home.
Tinsel
UNFORTUNATELY, tinsel cannot be recycled. If you have to get rid of it, the best option is to put it in the trash. To make the decoration a bit more sustainable, however, you can simply reuse your glitter floss year after year. (You might also consider decorating with more recycling-friendly materials, like paper chains.) Whatever you do with your tinsel, make sure you remove it from the Christmas tree before disposing of the tree. When Christmas trees are tossed with tinsel still on them, it can get washed into storm drains, leading to water pollution
and harming wildlife that ingest it.
Holiday leftovers
FOOD waste is a major environmental challenge, and one that’s getting worse. Since most food waste happens at home, a good place to start addressing it is in planning how to effectively use your leftovers. Many holiday classics can be repurposed or reimagined creatively in other dishes like a ham and cheese quiche, turkey noodle casserole or mashed potato cakes. If you’re looking to spread the wealth, check with neighbors, friends, family and your own holiday guests to see if they would like to take leftovers home. Some local soup kitchens and homeless shelters also accept cooked food. Finally, if your leftovers won’t stay another day: Consider composting what you can. You can compost at home or drop food waste off at composting locations in many municipalities.
Gift-wrapping materials
EVERY year, Americans throw away an estimated 2.3 million pounds of wrapping paper, much of which ends up in landfills. Here, the best solution is also an easy one: Pick paper that’s recyclable. Regular and glossy wrapping paper can be recycled unless it has added embellishments like metallic flakes, colored shapes, glitter or plastic. Of course, any gift wrap can be reused if it’s carefully removed and set aside the
first time around. Pretty much any gift bag can be stored and reused for subsequent holidays, though gift bags’ actual recyclability depends on the material they’re made out of. Paper gift bags can be recycled, while plastic or fabric gift bags generally can’t. Reusing is also the best option for gift bows and ribbons. Neither of these festive decorations can be recycled, but they do tend to fare well for future use.
Candles
NO holiday is complete with a kitchen that smells of warm vanilla, balsam and cedar or sugared plums. But spent candles are often tossed in the trash, even though the jars they come in can be reused or recycled if the remaining wax is properly removed. Getting the wax out is easier than it seems: Simply freeze the candle, which will cause the wax to harden and shrink, then pop it out of the jar. You can also pour boiling water into the jar, which will melt the wax until it floats to the top. The excess wax should be thrown in the garbage and not down the sink. Once wax-free, a candle jar can be used as a plant pot, a vase, or desk or bathroom storage. You can also just toss it in with the rest of your glass recycling.
Ornaments
THE delicate green, gold and red balls
that adorn wreaths and Christmas trees are unfortunately not recyclable. If glass and clay ornaments break, they should be placed in the trash. If they’re intact, though, you can often donate used ornaments to thrift stores or charities. Another idea: Give old ornaments a new life by repainting them, which doubles as a fun holiday activity.
Unwanted gifts
IT happens to all of us: You receive a gift that doesn’t quite suit you. Whether it’s a shirt you’d never wear or a device you’ll never use, there’s no need to stick unwanted presents in the back of a closet. Instead, pass that gift along to someone who might actually appreciate it. Depending on the item, you can also donate many gifts to hospitals, charities or thrift stores.
Old clothing and shoes
AN influx of new stuff often means a purge of old stuff, but getting a new pair of sneakers doesn’t mean the old pair has to go to the trash. After receiving holiday gifts, make sure to assess what you still need in your closet and what can go. Old shoes, clothing, bags, and more can often be donated to local thrift stores or charities. Sana Pashankar/Bloomberg News
Sports
Rubio ends NBA career, steps away from Cavs to work on mental health
BusinessMirror
A8 | S
C
LEVELAND—With uncommon vision on the basketball court, Ricky Rubio could make a basic pass look extraordinary. A true playmaker, he made everyone around him better. Rubio was the same off the floor, a positive force for teammates, coaches and fans, who will certainly miss his presence. After stepping away from his playing career—and the Cleveland Cavaliers—this season to address mental health issues that he’s still working on, Rubio said Thursday that his National Basketball Association (NBA) career is over after 12 seasons. The 33-year-old Rubio, who has also had a distinguished international career playing with Spain, alluded to his recent struggles while adding that he’s “doing much better and getting better every day.” Rubio’s announcement on X, formerly known as Twitter, came after he and the Cavs came to an agreement on a contract buyout. The team will get some financial relief from his $6.1 million this year and his $6.4 million deal for 2024-25. “Ricky Rubio embodied everything a franchise would want from such an accomplished player, who helped instill a confidence and leadership quality that still resonates within our team,” said Koby Altman, the team’s president of basketball operations. “When you measure his impact, particularly during the 202122 season, Ricky was instrumental in our 22-win improvement that year. “His willingness to mentor our younger players speaks to the gravity of his tenure in Cleveland and the success we are having with this current Cavaliers group. We wish Ricky nothing but the best and remain supportive of his decision to continue focusing on his mental health.” Rubio has spent the past two seasons recovering from a torn knee ligament, an injury that was not only a personal blow but a major setback for a Cleveland team he had helped get turned around following consecutive 19-win seasons. Rubio was limited to just 33 games last season, and had lost any explosiveness following his second ACL injury. He didn’t report to training camp this season, and Rubio posted on social media that “July 30th was one of the toughest nights of my life.” “My mind went to a dark place. I kind of knew I was going on that direction, but I’ve never thought I wasn’t under control of the situation. The next day, I decided to stop my professional career.” Rubio said he hopes to share his experiences going forward “so I can help support others going through similar situations. Until then, I would like to keep it private out of respect for my family and myself, as I’m still working on my mental health.” Rubio had a major impact in his first season with Cleveland
as his veteran presence helped many of the team’s young players, and he was able to reunite with good friend and former teammate Kevin Love, himself a mental health advocate. Rubio has been on the international basketball stage since he was a teenager, first catching the eye of scouts and fans as a 14-year-old hoops prodigy. He won an Olympic silver medal in 2008, a bronze in 2012 and was named FIBA World Cup MVP in 2019. He was drafted in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2009 and spent seven seasons with the team before going to Utah. Rubio thanked all his teams, especially Cleveland, led by Altman and coach JB Bickerstaff. “My last home,” Rubio wrote. “I know the way things ended have been tough. I could never have imagined the year would develop this way, but you have an amazing organization, with Koby and JB, who have been extremely respectful and understanding of my situation and caring for me as a person.” AP
unday, January 7, 2024 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao
Victory for women sports T It was a moment generations in the making after previous leagues failed because of funding, vision and infrastructure issues.
A TRUE playmaker, Ricky Rubio makes everyone around him better and is a positive force for teammates, coaches and fans, who will certainly miss his presence. AP
ORONTO—An hour before one of the most significant faceoffs in the history of women’s hockey, New York players were roused by a commotion at the entrance of their dressing room. Enter Billie Jean King. “I just wanted to say, hi,” the former tennis star and gender equality champion said, before apologizing for interrupting. Wearing a purple blazer, the color adopted by the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) which King helped launch, she proceeded to congratulate players for achieving their dream, and reflected on similar pivotal moments in women’s sports. “Today, I think, is really the birth of women’s hockey. This is the moment,” King said. “It’s special. Thank you for playing. Thank you so much.” King made a similar stop in the Toronto room, where she announced the team’s starting lineup ahead of the sixteam PWHL’s opening game Monday. It was a moment generations in the making after previous leagues failed because of funding, vision and infrastructure issues. This solution began coming together six months earlier, when Los Angeles Dodgers owner Mark Walter—King is also a Dodgers minority owner—committed hundreds of millions of dollars to establish a league featuring an eightyear business plan. Toronto captain Blayre Turnbull couldn’t picture anyone better than King addressing her team. “I think it was the moment where we all kind of said, ‘Wow. It’s happening. We’re here,’” Turnbull said. For New York’s Abby Roque, the first Native American female hockey player to represent the US at the Olympics, it was hard not to interrupt King. “She was thanking us,” Roque said. “And I was like, ‘No, thank you for everything,’ because she has done so much for women’s sports, women’s hockey and this league.” The PWHL—a player-driven vision sparked in 2019 after the Canadian Women’s Hockey League collapsed—has brought together the majority of the world’s top players for a 72-game schedule and playoffs running through May. The concept was brought to life after a partnership with King and Walter, who eliminated the
competition in June by buying out the Premier Hockey Federation, previously known as the National Women’s Hockey League. The NWHL was established in 2015 and was North America’s first women’s hockey league to pay players a salary, but the league had trouble meeting what some players deemed to be professional standards. Three hours before faceoff Monday, Professional Women’s Hockey Players’ Association executive director Brian Burke reflected on the significance of the game being played at the renovated site of Maple Leaf Gardens, once home of the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Maple Leafs and CWHL’s Furies. The former NHL executive recalled attending a Furies game where 86 tickets were sold at a time when the arena seated around 16,000. Now, Toronto has already sold out all 12 of its home games at the retrofitted 2,500-seat Mattamy Athletic Centre. Teresa Talotta paid a scalper $200 for a ticket valued at $85. One reason to be there was her daughter playing a youth scrimmage during the intermission, and the PWHL
NEW YORK players get ready for the inaugural Professional Women’s Hockey League game in Toronto as Tilly Theiner, 12, Hazel Pregitzer, 12, Lauren Gauthier, 12, and Emily Harrison, 11, hold their sign before the Montreal-Ottawa match in Ontario. AP
USTA reviews safeguard policies, procedures
N
EW YORK—The US Tennis Association (USTA) has enlisted two lawyers at a Washington-based firm to look into its safeguarding policies and procedures to protect players from sexual misconduct and other abuse. Lew Sherr, the CEO and executive director of the organization that runs the US Open and oversees the sport in the United States, wrote about the review in an email sent Thursday to the USTA Board of Directors, various staff and volunteers and obtained by The Associated Press. As part of efforts “to prevent harm to athletes and respond to reports of inappropriate conduct... the USTA has retained David O’Neil and Mary Beth Hogan of Debevoise & Plimpton LLP to review our policies and procedures for preventing, reporting, and responding to reports of abuse,
including sexual misconduct,” Sherr wrote. The subject line of the email is “Reviewing Policies to Ensure Safety.” The announcement of the review
limiting one ticket per parent. Another reason was supporting women’s hockey. “It’s history. I’ve been waiting for it,” Talotta said. Fans lined Carlton Street when the doors opened. And many missed portions of the game waiting in long lines to buy merchandise. The demand was so high, league executive Royce Cohen said, Toronto nearly sold out its entire stock, which was projected to be a month’s supply. Royce spoke from Ottawa on Tuesday, where the PWHL’s second game attracted 8,318, an attendance record for a women’s pro hockey game. Minnesota is expected to sell out the lower bowl for its opener at the NHL Wild’s home arena. Montreal has nearly sold out each game at its 4,000-plus-seat facility. New York, which is playing out of Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Boston, playing in Lowell, Massachusetts, are two teams lagging in ticket sales. Toronto’s home rink might already be too small, but cost is an issue. The city’s next larger hockey venue—Coca Cola Coliseum, home to an AHL team—rents out at $130,000 (Canadian) per event. “I hope there are a raft of stories all season talking about our league needing bigger buildings,”
comes nearly two years after a tennis player sued the USTA in federal court in Florida alleging that the governing body failed to protect her from a coach who she says sexually
abused her at one of its training centers when she was 19. Kylie McKenzie accused coach Anibal Aranda of touching her inappropriately. The AP generally doesn’t name alleged sexual assault victims, but McKenzie agreed to let her identity be known in news coverage about her lawsuit. The lawsuit, filed in March 2022, alleges that Aranda, who was employed by the USTA for about seven years and later fired, used his position as a USTA coach to get access to vulnerable female athletes and commit sexual battery against them. “To be clear, this is a review of USTA policies, not an investigation of any specific allegations of sexual misconduct,” Sherr wrote. Sherr said the review will focus on how the USTA keeps athletes safe from abuse and how it responds to reports of misconduct. His email said the Debevoise lawyers will be given “full access to employees involved in any way with these aspects of our organization.” AP
PWHL board member Stan Kasten said. “We do have markets that are weaker, that’ll take a little longer. But the product is what is going to make this a success.” The PHWL is counting on its stars—Americans Hilary Knight and Kendall Coyne Schofield, and Canadians Marie-Philip Poulin and Sarah Nurse—to drive attention as they’ve done every four years at the Winter Games. And there’s hope for new stars to emerge. On Monday, former PHF goalie Corinne Schroeder stole the show with 29 saves in New York’s 4-0 win. Schroeder, who failed in three invites to make the Canadian national team, outdueled Canadian Olympian Kristen Campbell, who stopped 24 shots. The outcome was secondary to Rachel Dobson and her 7-year-old daughter, Charlotte. Despite living more than hour drive from Toronto, Dobson bought two season tickets after Charlotte once wondered why she couldn’t watch women play hockey on TV. “I wanted to show her she can reach for the stars,” Dobson said. “She can do anything.” Hockey Hall of Famer and PWHL executive Jayna Hefford recalled growing up idolizing Wayne Gretzky, and getting a chance to see him play in a Canada Cup game at Maple Leaf Gardens. “The special part to this is to be able to do it in this building, and the history that exists here,” Hefford said. “And we get to make our own now.” Hours after the win, New York general manager Pascal Daoust tried to put the dizzying day into perspective. Daoust was excited with winning, unhappy with how New York was dominated in the second period and giddy over being in the presence of King. Referring to a text he received congratulating him for being the PWHL’s first GM to win a game, he called the outcome as being bigger than one person. “All of women’s sports won,” Daoust said. AP
Brazil Supreme Court ruling returns soccer body head to office
R
IO DE JANEIRO—A justice of Brazil’s Supreme Court ruled before the weekend that the country’s ousted soccer confederation president should be returned to office. Justice Gilmar Mendes annulled a Rio de Janeiro court ruling dated December 7 that removed Ednaldo Rodrigues and all his executives from their jobs at the confederation, known as the CBF, because of irregularities in the 2022 election process. The move comes four days before FIFA and South American soccer body CONMEBOL executives visit to discuss an allegedly undue third-party interference at the top of the CBF. Soccer’s governing body was threatening to suspend Brazil from international competitions because of it. The Brazilian justice said there was “evident risk of damage” if Brazil was blocked from competing in Paris Olympic qualifiers this month because of the interference. Squads must submitted to soccer’s governing body by Friday, and the CBF has yet to send its list. The 10 other justices of Brazil’s top court will analyze Mendes’s preliminary decision for a final ruling on a date to be determined. Earlier on Thursday, Brazil’s Attorney-General Paulo Gonet and the country’s Solicitor-General’s Office publicly called for Rodrigues to be put back in office. Thursday’s ruling ends a period in which the CBF was led by a courtappointed overseer, José Perdiz, who was responsible for organizing new elections. The process was already in motion with two candidates bidding for support of local federations and clubs to replace Rodrigues. Spokespeople for Perdiz and Rodrigues did not reply a request for comment from The Associated Press. Rodrigues first took the job as interim president in 2021 after predecessor Rogério Caboclo was suspended for an alleged sexual assault against a CBF staffer. During his time out of office, Rodrigues saw his biggest political gamble fail. He repeatedly said he had a deal with Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti to take over Brazil in July, but the Italian announced on December 29 he had extended his contract with Madrid until 2026. The contract of Brazil’s interim coach Fernando Diniz ends days before this year’s Copa America, which will be played in the United States. Diniz currently splits his national team job with being coach of Copa Libertadores winner Fluminense. AP
BusinessMirror
January 7, 2024
Why some people don’t trust science– and how to change their minds
2
BusinessMirror JANUARY 7, 2024
BIG TRANSITIONS |
YOUR MUSI
Keiko Necesario excited to be back in the indie circuit
By Reine Juvierre S. Alberto
2
023 is a year of big transitions for me.” This, as said by Filipina singer-songwriter Keiko Necesario, known for her songs “Di Bale Na,”“Right Next To You,”and“While We Are Young” among others, which she performed at the One Stop Record Fair last December 17. Keiko’s signature folk music enveloped the whole venue. With only an acoustic guitar as an accompaniment, Keiko’s every pluck and strum brought out the rawness and simplicity of her music coupled with her strong and distinct vocals and honest songwriting. Despite her edgy appearance on stage, hearing Keiko’s music is like being hugged—it’s warm, moving, and hopeful. That night, she took up space and made the stage her own, and so does the trajectory of her life as a musician now. In an interview with SoundStrip, Keiko said she had parted ways with her former record label,Warner Music Philippines, and went back to being an independent artist after her four-year contract ended. “I also realized that I wanted to try being independent again because I think the culture of us laying alone kind of gives me that [fulfillment as an artist],” she added.
Harana Jam
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Keiko wrote an electronic book (e-book) called “A Little Book About Songwriting.” In her Instagram post, Keiko wrote that she started writing songs when she was still in grade school and she stilldidn’tknowhowtoplaytheguitarthenandshewould just randomly hum melodies and write down words. Not until she reached high school that she discovered her love for playing the guitar and writing music. The e-book, available online at P100, contains what Keiko learned through the years as an artist and what fuels her creative process. “I started “A Little Book About Songwriting” because I just wanted to build a community and I also want to help aspiring artists and my co-artists in the industry,” she told SoundStrip. “If they’re having artist’s block, it’s like a hit of refresh button in their creative process and even with me also,” she added. Sharinghersongwritingprocess,Keikosaidit’salways different because sometimes, when a word would cross hermind,shewilljustwriteaboutthatcertainword.Same with a melody when she’s just playing the guitar. “It’s really different every time and that’s why I think I love songwriting so much because it is so different--it’s about creativity talaga. There are a lot of different ways that I can come up with a song,” she said.
KEIKO NECESARIO
PHOTOS BY BERT ARICHETA/ONE STOP RECORD FAIR
As an indie artist again, Keiko reflected on how the year 2023 transpired for her and what are the things she looks forward to this year.
Winning Awit Awards 2023
KEIKO’S song “Obra” from her all-Tagalog album of the same name, won the 36th Awit Awards’ “Best Inspirational Recording.” “Obra” was written with the help of OPM artist Quest and produced by Chasing Fantasia, a UK-based cinematic/electronic production duo. Speaking on her collaboration with Quest, Keiko said, “I love how we were able to write it. It was so much fun to just hear [that we won].” Keiko added that she was surprised when she won because she wasn’t expecting anything considering her fellow nominees. When they called up her name, she thought they were calling the nominees, but it was the announcement that she won the award. “It’s an honor to get that recognition [because] ‘Obra’ is really special to me,” she quipped.
Songwriting
KNOWN for her meticulous songwriting process, with some songs taking her more than a year to finish,
SIMILAR to writing a book about songwriting, Keiko started “HARANA,” a simple gathering of a community with one common thing: music, to create a community based on that. The last HARANA jam was in 2019 and Keiko brought it back last December as a year-ender special to catch up with her fans at Kalikasan Garden in Bonifacio Global City. “I really love just spending time with people. I think it’s great that we can be together in one simple gathering because most of the time, I’ll see them in shows like this and there’s little to no interaction,” she said. The concept of HARANA, Keiko explained, is that all of them can be in conversations, eat together, jam to live music, and make friends. When she asked the people present at HARANA if they know each other, they would say no and after HARANA, they’ll become friends. “It’s an amazing thing to witness because I love building friendships with people,” she said. On seeing her fans after four years, Keiko said it was great to finally see them again. “It’s really great to communicate and connect with them in that way.”
Future plans
INDIE singer-songwriter Keiko Necesario performs at the One Stop Record Fair held at Ayala Malls 30th in Pasig City on December 17, 2023.
REFLECTING on how her 2023 went, Keiko said, “I would say that there were a lot of ups and downs but I was able to enjoy all the seasons this year, and I’m excited for all the other seasons that are gonna come for me.” This year, Keiko will be releasing more music as she’s already recording for her next album. For two years, Keiko wasn’t able to release any music but this year, her fans can anticipate more music from her because she revealed that she will be releasing an album containing 15 tracks. She said that she’s been recording music since last year. “What I’m most excited about is it’s another kind but not so different from my sound. As an artist, I love exploring. I want to always make a record that belong to one, that its sound can be distinguish, that it sounds like this is from an era,” she said.
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soundstrip.businessmirror@gmail.com | JANUARY 7, 2024
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BUSINESS
REVIEW: ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Live in Concert’ swings into Manila diversity through its multicultural influence. The inclusion of various musical styles, including hiphop, Latin rhythms, and electronic beats, mirrors the diverse backgrounds of the Spider-People. “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Live in Concert” also transcends the traditional concert experience, in which it delivers a breathtaking fusion of visual and auditory brilliance. The orchestral arrangement, conducted with precision, enhances the emotional depth of the film’s soundtrack, and it even gives a new level of excitement when you actually witness how the soundtrack of the movie is being made and performed. Upon observing the narrative progression and the orchestra’s live production of the soundtrack, Pemberton’s score in a live setting showcases the versatility of the orchestra. It smoothly shifts between genres to one soundtrack to another, effectively capturing the film’s diverse characters and multiverse setting. Experiencing both an orchestra performance and a film simultaneously poses a unique challenge for audiences, though this dual immersion creates an unforgettable sonic experience, and the depth of appreciation depends on whether one focuses solely on the orchestra or the unfolding story. However, the heart of the concert actually lies in its orchestral arrangement, bringing to life Pemberton’s original score. Pemberton’s innovative approach actually introduces a novel experience that allows audiences to witness two masterpieces in a single event and balancing attention between the live orchestra and the film storyline becomes a personal choice that influences the profound appreciation for both elements.
Text and photos by John Eiron R. Francisco
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YPICALLY, when we watch movies in cinemas, everything shown is polished—edited stories, controlled lighting, orchestrated sound effects, and curated soundtracks that allow us to just absorb the story line. However, have you ever wondered what it’s like to experience a movie accompanied by a live orchestra, turntables, and a DJ scratcher? Yes, you got it right—a film that features a full orchestra that elevates the excitement, pulling your attention not only to the on-screen animation movie but also to the dynamic live performance of musicians. Recently, the award-winning animated film “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” was brought to life on stage through a live concert tour that highlighted the original score by Daniel Pemberton. In Manila, the live concert of “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” showcased the amazing animation on a large HD screen at Samsung Hall in SM Aura Premier, Taguig City, on December 30, 2023. Initially, excitement swept over me and who wouldn’t be thrilled, right? But, alongside that excitement, a multitude of questions flooded my thoughts. I found myself curious about the duration the orchestra dedicated to capture the essence of the show’s title, and wondering what course of action would be taken in case of technical glitches during the live performance—would they restart from the beginning or navigate through the mishap as it unfolds? I quickly found the answer by closely observing everyone on the stage, from the conductor to DJ, the drummer and various instrumentalists, including bowed string instruments, woodwinds, brass instruments, and percussion instruments, they perfectly and performed the music and soundtracks with professionalism, even if there’s a present minor technical problem, but everything flows professionally. What truly fills me with pride is that Filipino musicians orchestrated the two-hour film of this award-winning international movie, conducted by Michael Jacinto. Though I may not be a die-hard Spider-Man fan, but I’ve been watching these movies since my childhood and Spider-Man is a character everyone has grown up knowing. The concert tour, which started in New York in March 2023, has received rave reviews from critics and fans alike. The concert is praised for its innovative and creative fusion of symphonic and urban music, as well as its faithful and respectful adaptation of the film’s story and characters. The concert not only pays homage to the film but also celebrates the cultural impact of Spider-Man, its ability to resonate across generations and its concept of diversity and inclusivity. It’s amazing because the audience is treated to a nostalgic journey through various Spider-People’s adventures, from different dimensions, cultures, and backgrounds. The live concert continues this theme of
Visual style
SPIDER-MAN cosplayer spotted at the live concert for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse on December 30, 2023, held at Samsung Hall in SM Aura Taguig.
FILIPINO musicians, under the direction of Michael Jacinto, arranged and performed a live concert for SpiderMan: Into the Spider-Verse in Manila.
ASIDE from the musical arrangement, one of the concert’s highlight is the incorporation of the film’s signature “comic book” visual style into the live performance; the vibrant colors and dynamic animations create a new perspective that blends the worlds of comic art and live music in a unique way. With scenes from the animated masterpiece displayed on a large screen and the synchronization of every beat and note aligns perfectly with the on-screen action. This coordination enhances the overall immersion that transports the audience into the multiverse, and makes them feel like they are swinging through the streets of Brooklyn alongside Miles Morales. The exploration of character themes and motifs, in which each Spider-Person is given a musical identity that reflects their personality and journey. Whether it’s the jazzy undertones of Miles Morales or the electronic beats of SpiderNoir, the concert weaves these themes into a cohesive and engaging musical narrative. Beyond the music and visuals, the live concert excels in audience engagement, interactive elements such as the cosplayer of Spiderman, where fans of all ages interact with him and take photos and videos as a souvenir of the show and makes the event enjoyable for both newcomers and longtime Spider-Man enthusiasts.
Why some people don’t trust science–and how to change their minds By Laurence D. Hurst
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University of Bath
uring the pandemic, a third of people in the UK reported that their trust in science had increased, while 7 percent said that it had decreased. Why is there such a variety of responses? For many years, it was thought that the main reason some people reject science was a simple deficit of knowledge and a mooted fear of the unknown. Consistent with this, many surveys reported that attitudes to science are more positive among those people who know more of the textbook science. But if that were indeed the core problem, the remedy would be simple: inform people about the facts. This strategy, which dominated science communication through much of the later part of the 20th century, has, however, failed at multiple levels. In controlled experiments, giving people scientific information was found not to change attitudes. And in the UK, scientific messaging over genetically modified technologies has even backfired. The failure of the information-led strategy may be down to people discounting or avoiding information if it contradicts their beliefs, also known as confirmation bias. However, a second problem is that some trust neither the message nor the messenger. This means that a distrust in science isn’t necessarily just down to a deficit of knowledge, but a deficit of trust. With this in mind, many research teams including ours decided to find out why some people do and some people don’t
“The whole point of science is to examine and test theories that can be proven wrong—theories scientists call falsifiable.” Photo by Faik on Pexels.com trust science. One strong predictor for people distrusting science during the pandemic stood out: being distrusting of science in the first place.
Understanding distrust Recent evidence has revealed that people who reject or distrust science are not especially well informed about it, but more importantly, they typically believe that they do understand the science. This result has, over the past five years, been found over and over in studies investigating attitudes to a plethora of scientific issues, including vaccines and GM foods. It also holds even when no specific technology is asked about. However, they may not apply to certain politicized sciences, such as climate change. Recent work also found that overconfident people who dislike science tend to have a misguided belief that theirs is the common viewpoint and hence that many others agree with them. Other evidence suggests that some of those who reject science also gain psychological satisfaction by framing their alternative explanations in a manner that can’t be disproven. Such is often the nature of conspiracy theories—be it microchips in vaccines or Covid being caused by 5G radiation. But the whole point of science is to examine and test theories that can be proven
wrong—theories scientists call falsifiable. Conspiracy theorists, on the other hand, often reject information that doesn’t align with their preferred explanation by, as a last resort, questioning instead the motives of the messenger. When a person who trusts the scientific method debates with someone who doesn’t, they are essentially playing by different rules of engagement. This means it is hard to convince skeptics that they might be wrong.
Finding solutions So what can we do with this new understanding of attitudes to science? The messenger is every bit as important as the message. Our work confirms many prior surveys showing that politicians, for example, aren’t trusted to communicate science, whereas university professors are. This should be kept in mind. The fact that some people hold negative attitudes reinforced by a misguided belief that many others agree with them suggests a further potential strategy: tell people what the consensus position is. The advertising industry got there first. Statements such as “eight out ten cat owners say their pet prefers this brand of cat food” are popular. A recent meta-analysis of 43 studies investigating this strategy (these were “randomized control trials”—the gold standard
in scientific testing) found support for this approach to alter belief in scientific facts. In specifying the consensus position, it implicitly clarifies what is misinformation or unsupported ideas, meaning it would also address the problem that half of people don't know what is true owing to circulation of conflicting evidence. A complementary approach is to prepare people for the possibility of misinformation. Misinformation spreads fast and, unfortunately, each attempt to debunk it acts to bring the misinformation more into view. Scientists call this the “continued influence effect.” Genies never get put back into bottles. Better is to anticipate objections, or inoculate people against the strategies used to promote misinformation. This is called “prebunking,” as opposed to debunking. Different strategies may be needed in different contexts, though. Whether the science in question is established with a consensus among experts, such as climate change, or cutting edge new research into the unknown, such as for a completely new virus, matters. For the latter, explaining what we know, what we don’t know and what we are doing— and emphasizing that results are provisional—is a good way to go. By emphasizing uncertainty in fast changing fields we can prebunk the objection that a sender of a message cannot be trusted as they said one thing one day and something else later. But no strategy is likely to be 100 percent effective. We found that even with widely debated PCR tests for Covid, 30 percent of the public said they hadn’t heard of PCR. A common quandary for much science communication may in fact be that it appeals to those already engaged with science. Which may be why you read this. That said, the new science of communication suggests it is certainly worth trying to reach out to those who are disengaged. The Conversation Cover photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
Space missions to look forward to in 2024
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t’s going to be a bumper time for space missions in 2024—especially to the Moon, our nearest neighbor. Here are some interesting space missions to watch out for this year.
CLPS missions Nasa’s series of Commercial Lunar Payload Service (CLPS) missions, many of which will launch in 2024, are set to bring a variety of instruments to the Moon. These missions are built and launched by different private companies under contract from Nasa. The CLPS program is part of Nasa’s Artemis initiative to continue human exploration of the Moon. One of the main aims of the programme is to investigate the possibilities of using lunar resources as fuel—hence, some of the instruments on CLPS-1, aka Peregrine, are designed to assess the amount of hydrogen on the lunar surface.
CLPS-2 is timetabled to launch in early January 2024, and there are four other CLPS missions planned for launch throughout the year. That is the good thing about the Moon—it’s so close that there aren’t many worries about launch windows (no complicated orbits to compute) or distance to travel. Indeed, it is hoped that human exploration of the Moon will take a small step forward, possibly as early as November 2024, when Artemis II orbits the Moon for several days. One of the astronauts on-board will be female—definitely a giant leap in what has, until now, been a solely masculine exploration of our nearest neighbor.
Chang'e 6 The launch of Chang’e 6, the latest Chinese mission to the Moon, is planned for May 2024 and is intended to bring material back to Earth. This
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is particularly significant because the spacecraft will collect material from the lunar farsid –the South Pole Aitkin Basin. This is a region where it is believed there is abundant frozen water. We do not have any samples of material from this part of the Moon— and although any ice will be long gone by the time the samples are back on Earth, it is anticipated we will learn a lot about this unexplored region and its potential as a source of water for human visitors.
Europa Clipper Launching almost at the same time as Hera is a Nasa flagship mission: the Europa Clipper to Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa. This mission has been long-awaited, ever since the Galileo mission first showed us views of Europa’s icy surface in the late 1990s. Since then, we have learnt about the ocean that lurks beneath
January 7, 2024
the icy shell. Excitingly, Europa may host life in the form of a substantial fauna analogous to the animals that live on the deep ocean floor around hydrothermal vents. Europa Clipper will fly past Europa between 40 and 50 times, taking detailed images of the surface, monitoring the satellite for icy plumes—and, most importantly, looking to see whether this moon has the conditions suitable to support life. The mission will also investigate whether Europa’s ocean is salty, and whether the essential building blocks of life (carbon, nitrogen and sulphur) are present. Sadly though, it is not until 2030 that any of these observations will be transmitted back to us, so we will have to wait patiently until then. The investigation will be complemented by observations from Esa’s Juice mission, which is currently on its way to Jupiter. The Conversation