BusinessMirror July 16, 2023

Maynilad steps up work for water recycling facilities for Valenzuela, Muntinlupa, Pasay

‘EVERY DROP COUNTS’

By Jonathan L. Mayuga

M aynilad, the largest private water concessionaire of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) in terms of customer base, disclosed the plan, as the water level in Angat Dam compelled the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) on Sunday, July 8, 2023, to reduce water allocation for Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

Because of the drastic cut in water supply, Maynilad announced that daily water interruption would be implemented, affecting customers in the Camanava area, Manila and Quezon City.

L ast week, the newly created Water Resources Management Office (WRMO) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has intensified its drive to conserve water, appealing to government agencies to fix pipe leaks and faulty toilet facilities and extending calls to the public to do the same and even practice rainwater harvesting for non-essential water uses, to reduce dependence on water coming from Angat Dam.

N WRB Executive Director Sevillo David and DENR-WRMO chief Carlos Primo David said Maynilad’s New Water or recycled water is one of the strategies to diversify the source of water for Metro Manila.

The new water initiative, the officials told the BusinessMirror in separate interviews, is just one of several strategies to augment the supply from Angat Dam, the water level of which has fallen to 178 meters above sea level, which is below the 180 meters above sea level normal operating level.

Maynilad’s New Water is a welcome initiative,” the DENRWRMO chief said, adding it will augment the water supply for Metro Manila other than tapping from the Laguna de Bay. He said the initiative is a short-term solution that will avert another episode of water supply shortage, especially since the New Centennial Water Source—Kaliwa Dam Project, which is a long-term solution to the perennial water supply problem in Metro Manila—is expected to go online or operational in the next

three to five more years.

He said after a meeting with officials of Maynilad that the company is stepping up ongoing works to construct more facilities in other areas.

Recycling water like Maynilad’s New Water is just one of the strategies to augment our water supply. Even Singapore is using used water. They reprocess the used water to make it potable,” the DENR-WRMO chief said.

Angat-dependent population

CURRENTLY, Metro Manila’s estimated population of 12 million people, including nearby provinces, still primarily rely on Angat Dam for water supply. With the growing population’s increasing demand for water, plus the strain on existing sources due to pollution and climate-change effects, there is a need to consider using previously untapped sources—including treated used water—to augment available supplies for drinking, Jennifer Rufo, corporate communication head of Maynilad, explained to the BusinessMirror via email.

Since Maynilad’s sewage treatment plants regularly collect used water from households and subject it to treatment so that it meets the government’s effluent standards, it seemed like a waste of resource to just throw that treated used water to nearby creeks and rivers per usual practice. If this treated used water is made to pass through additional treatment processes, it can become potable again,” she explained.

According to Maynilad, if the

company is able to implement potable water reuse on a wider scale, it has another alternative supply source—one that is more reliable than traditional sources like the Angat Dam and Laguna Lake, which can be affected by droughts or typhoons that, in turn, affect the availability of water supply.

“ Tapping reused water will also reduce reliance on deep wells for alternative supply, which will ultimately help with the replenishment of groundwater systems, thus avoiding land subsidence and saltwater intrusion in underground aquifers,” Rufo, said, adding that recycling and reuse are central to a circular economy approach, which involves maximizing resources to address crises on climate, biodiversity and pollution.

Clean, safe drinking water

MAYNILAD guarantees the safety of New Water, noting that before it commenced with piped-in distribution, New Water was subjected to strict monitoring by all regulating bodies, particularly the Department of Health (DOH).

This is the country’s first-ever foray into potable water reuse, so rigorous monitoring is necessary to ensure that all drinking quality parameters are met and that no contaminants remain in the final product water released by our New Water Treatment Plant,” Rufo said.

Per Maynilad’s proposed Business Plan for 2023 to 2027, the private water concessionaire of MWSS’s West Zone said on top of expanding the capacity of its Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) in Parañaque, the company targets to

operate similar New Water facilities in Valenzuela, Muntinlupa and Pasay City.

Now in the final stages of construction is the one in Valenzuela, which we hope to start operating within the year, assuming we are able to secure the necessary permits from the DOH,” Rufo said.

She said all four New Water Treatment Plants should be “up and running” within the next five years.

We target to complete and start operating the one in Valenzuela within 2023. Once operational, these four New Water facilities will have a combined capacity of 89 million liters per day (MLD), which is enough to supply some 483,000 customers,” she said.

To recall, DOH granted a permanent operational permit to Maynilad’s New Water facility in Parañaque last month, which signaled the company’s expansion of its New Water project.

“ Following the successful pilot implementation of our potable water reuse project in Parañaque, Maynilad plans to eventually expand the production and distribution of New Water supply to more areas within its concession,” said Rufo.

However, she said Maynilad could only implement it in areas where the company’s sewage treatment plants have a high discharge volume “since it is this discharge that we collect and convert to drinking water.”

For its plans in other areas, similar to what it did in the Parañaque New Water Treatment Plant, the firm will only proceed with

piped-in distribution once these additional facilities pass stringent review from all relevant stakeholders, including the local health offices and the DOH, Rufo assured the public.

Cu rrently, the Paranaque New Water Treatment Plant serves around 2,472 service connections in Barangays San Dionisio and San Isidro in Parañaque City. The 2,474 service connections currently being served with New Water supply from its facility in Parañaque is only around 0.16 percent of Maynilad’s total customer base.

“ If we can fully realize our plans to build additional New Water facilities in the other cities mentioned above, we can expand the New Water beneficiaries to more than 483,000 people over the next five years,” she said.

Th e Metro Manila concessionaires of MWSS are supposed to be getting 46 cubic meters per second (CMS) from Angat Dam. That’s around 4,000 MLD. Of this 4,000 MLD, Maynilad’s share is 60 percent or 2,400 MLD because it has a bigger customer base than the other concessionaire.

A s long as Maynilad receives its rightful share of 2,400 MLD from Angat Dam, it says it can maintain 24/7 water services to its customers. However, the drastic cut in water allocation for Metro Manila has become a perennial problem, especially during El Niño or the long season of drought, as the water level at Angat falls way below the normal operating level.

NEW Water, Maynilad Water Services Inc.’s recycled water, will soon reach more customers in Parañaque and three other cities within its concession area to reduce customer dependence on the supply coming from the Angat Dam.

ANGAT Dam, situated in Barangay San Lorenzo (Hilltop), Norzagaray, Bulacan, is an important water source for Metro Manila. Located within the Angat Watershed Forest Reserve, it supplies potable water to the capital region and generates hydro-electric power. This reservoir meets around 90 percent of Metro Manila’s raw water needs, managed by the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System. Additionally, it supports irrigation for approximately 28,000 hectares of farmland in Bulacan and Pampanga provinces. BERNARD TESTA

‘HIGH TIMES’ IN THAILAND: New weed laws draw tourists from across Asia

By Yucheng Tang

The Associated Press

Only the slight spillage onto the smoking lounge’s table—and his cough as he lights up and inhales deeply—betray the fact that until two weeks ago, he’d never tried marijuana.

Most Asian nations have strict drug laws with harsh penalties, and Thailand’s de facto legalization of marijuana last year has brought a wave of tourists from the region like the visitor from Japan, intrigued by the lure of the forbidden leaf.

“I was curious about how I would feel after smoking,” said the 42-year-old tourist who spoke on condition that his name not be used, for fear his experimentation in Bangkok could lead to legal issues at home. “I wonder why Japan

bans it?” he pondered. “I wanted to try it.”

Asia’s outlier

EVEN as more countries around the world legalize marijuana, Thailand has been the outlier in Asia, where several countries still have the death penalty for some cannabis offenses. Singapore has already executed two people this year for trafficking marijuana and its Central Narcotics Bureau has announced plans to randomly test people returning from Thailand.

Japan does not have the death penalty for drug offenses, but has warned that its laws on cannabis use may apply to its nationals even when they are abroad.

C hina’s embassy in Thailand

has warned that if Chinese tourists consume marijuana abroad and are “detected upon returning to China, it is considered equivalent to using drugs domestically. As a result, you will be subject to corresponding legal penalties.” It issues similar warnings for travel to other countries where marijuana is readily available, such as the United States, Canada and the Netherlands.

‘Accidental’ ingestion

ON a recent flight from the Chinese city of Shanghai, passengers were cautioned not to “accidentally” try marijuana in Bangkok, with an announcement that in Thailand “some food and drink can include cannabis, so please pay attention to the leaf logo on the package of food.”

Neither Chinese nor Singaporean authorities would detail how frequently they test citizens returning from countries where marijuana has been decriminalized, responding to queries from the AP simply by reiterating their previously announced policies.

It’s no wonder that weed dispensaries in Bangkok say that customers from Singapore and China are among the most cautious, asking questions about how long traces of the drug remain in the system and whether there are detox products.

Remarkable industry growth

BUT many remain undeterred, and Thailand’s cannabis industry has grown at lightning speed, with weed dispensaries now almost as common as the ubiquitous convenience stores in some parts of the capital.

Through February, nearly 6,000 licenses for cannabis-related businesses have been approved, including more than 1,600 in Bangkok alone, according to official figures.

There are no government figures on how many tourists come specifically to smoke marijuana, but Kueakarun Thongwilai, the manager of a weed shop in central Bangkok, estimates at least 70 percent to 80 percent of his customers are foreigners, primarily from Asian countries like Japan, Malaysia, China and the Philippines, and some from Europe.

Boosting cannabis sales

MOST cannabis shops, including his, now only hire employees who speak English, the lingua franca of the industry.

“ You don’t need to speak perfect English, but you need to communicate with foreigners,” Thong-

wilai said.

A bout half of his customers are first-time weed users and most of them are Asians, he said.

Some want to try edible cannabis products, but Thongwilai said he tries to steer them toward smoking.

Edibles take more time to take effect, and during that time people may eat more and more, leading to an excessive experience for beginners,” he said.

Not all are new to the drug, said Thongwilai, remembering a Malaysian customer who snuck away from a meal with his wife and daughter at a nearby restaurant. The man said he smoked marijuana secretly at home, but had heard the Thai product was better quality and wanted to try it.

“He bought the cheapest weed in our shop and tried it in a mall, and then he came back and bought more,” Thongwilai recalled.

Not far from Thongwilai’s shop at Dutch Passion, a newly opened retail branch of a Netherlands seed distributor that has been in business for more than three decades, about half the customers are also first-time users, said Theo Geene, a Dutch shareholder in the business.

No ‘bong’ for beginners

CANNABIS has been available in coffee shops in the Netherlands since the 1970s, and Geene said he has used his experience to train his staff how to serve those unfamiliar with the drug. “For beginners, it’s

not good to use a bong,” he said. “It’s too much for them. We don’t want anyone to pass out here.”

Most customers refused to talk about their experiences, with the Japanese tourist in Geene’s shop the only one who agreed to— and only on the condition his name not be used.

Most of the shop’s Asian customers are similarly discreet, choosing to smoke their purchases inside rather than on the streets like many Westerners do, which is common but a violation of Thai regulations, Geene said. They are more cautious and afraid,” he said. “They don’t want to be seen when they smoke weed.”

Before he embarked on his trip to Thailand, the 42-year-old Japanese tourist said he researched extensively online and determined that while customs might randomly check bags and luggage for marijuana being smuggled into Japan, there was no testing going on in line with government policy.

Since his first puff two weeks ago, he said he’s been smoking every day, visiting different shops, comparing prices and trying different strains.

Dispensary staffers taught him how to grind buds and roll a joint and he’s been having fun perfecting the technique.

I practice it every day,” he said, looking down at the joint he was rolling and repeating the word “practice” twice before bursting into laughter.

BANGKOK—A Japanese tourist reaches into a baggie of cannabis he’s just bought in a central Bangkok weed shop, pulling out a gram of buds to chop down in a small black grinder, before rolling them neatly into a joint.

A FLOWER bud of marijuana is prepared for customers at a Dutch passion shop in Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, June 27, 2023. Most Asian nations have strict drug laws with harsh penalties, and Thailand’s de facto legalization of marijuana last year has brought a wave of tourists from the region like the visitor from Japan, intrigued by the lure of the forbidden leaf. AP

A JAPANESE tourist smokes cannabis at a Dutch Passion shop in Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, June 27, 2023. Thailand’s de facto legalization of marijuana last year has brought a wave of tourists from the region intrigued by the lure of the forbidden leaf. AP/SAKCHAI LALIT

Top general’s dismissal reveals new crack in Russian military leadership

“monstrous terror attack against the army’s morale.”

In a sign that many in Russian officialdom share Popov’s criticism of the military leadership, Andrei Turchak, the first deputy speaker of the upper house of parliament and head of the main Kremlin party United Russia, strongly backed the general, saying that “the Motherland can be proud of such commanders.”

cism for his conduct of the fighting in Ukraine.

Pro-Kremlin political analyst Sergei Markov noted that Popov’s statement echoed criticism of the top brass by Prigozhin. However, he added that the general’s statement wasn’t a rebellion, but instead a call for intervention by President Vladimir Putin.

“Such public disputes at the top of the Russian army isn’t a show of force,” he said.

firmed Prigozhin and 34 of his top officers met with Putin on June 29, a startling announcement that raised new questions about the terms of the deal with Wagner. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wagner’s commanders pledged loyalty to Putin and said they were ready “to continue to fight for the Motherland.”

Maj. Gen. Ivan Popov, the commander of the 58th army in the Zaporizhzhia region, which is a focal point in Ukraine’s counteroffensive, said in an audio statement to his troops released Wednesday night that he was dismissed after a meeting with the military brass in what he described as a “treacherous” stab in the back to Russian forces in Ukraine.

Popov said the military leadership was angered by his frank talk about challenges faced by his forces, particularly the shortage of radars tracking enemy artillery, which resulted in massive Russian casualties.

“The top officers apparently saw me as a source of threat and rapidly issued an order to get rid of me, which was signed by the defense minister in just one day,” he said. “The Ukrainian military has failed to break through our army’s

By Travis Loller The Associated Press

MULBERRY, Tenn.—For decades, the whiskey and bourbon makers of Tennessee and Kentucky have been beloved in their communities. The distilleries where the liquor is manufactured and barrelhouses where it is aged have complemented the rural character of their neighborhoods, while providing jobs and the pride of a successful homegrown industry.

Now, the growing popularity of the industry around the world is fueling conflicts at home.

In Kentucky, where 95% of the world’s bourbon is manufactured, counties are revolting after the legislature voted to phase out a barrel tax they have depended on to fund schools, roads and utilities. Local officials who donated land and spent millions on infrastructure to help bourbon makers now say those investments may never be recouped.

Neighbors in both states have been fighting industry expansion, even suing distillers. Complaints include a destructive black “whiskey fungus,” the loss of prime farmland and liquor-themed tourist developments that are more Disneyland than distillery tour.

The love affair, it seems, is over.

“We’ve been their biggest advocates and they threw us under the bus,” said Jerry Summers, a former executive with Jim Beam and the judge-executive for Bullitt County, essentially the county mayor.

Bullitt County has long depended on an annual barrel tax on aging whiskey, which brought in $3.8 million in 2021, Summers said. The majority goes to schools but the money also is

defenses, but the top commander hit us in the rear, treacherously and cowardly beheading the army at this most difficult moment.”

Popov, who uses the call name “Spartacus,” addressed his troops as “my gladiators” in the audio message released by retired Gen. Andrei Gurulev, who commanded the 58th army in the past and currently serves as a lawmaker. The 58th army consists of several divisions and smaller units.

The 48-year-old Popov, who has risen from platoon commander to lead a large group of forces, has encouraged his soldiers to come directly to him with any problems—an easygoing approach that contrasted sharply with the stiff formal style of command common in the Russian military.

Russian military bloggers say he’s widely known for avoiding unnecessary losses—unlike many other

used for services that support the county’s Jim Beam and Four Roses plants, including a fulltime fire department.

Many of the new barrelhouses are being built with industrial revenue bonds exempting them from property taxes for years or decades. The counties supported the property tax breaks because they expected to continue collecting the barrel tax. When the state legislature voted to phase it out earlier this year, after intense lobbying by the Kentucky Distillers’ Association, county officials felt betrayed.

“Our industry was always a handshake agreement,” Summers said. Now, those agreements are being broken.

Once the barrel tax sunsets in 2043, the distillers will pay no taxes at all to Bullitt on some warehouses. The county will still have to provide them with services, protect them and protect the surrounding community from them if anything goes wrong, Summers said.

“Where you have an alcoholbased plant that produces a hazardous material, you need emergency management, EMS, a sheriff’s department,” he said.

Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, who signed the bill after passage by Kentucky’s Republican-controlled legislature, said several industry compromises were vital to his support, while the bill will encourage investment.

“I know it was tough. You had an industry that supports so many jobs and calls Kentucky home. At the same time, you’ve got communities that have helped build that industry. I know there are, right now, probably some difficult feelings,” Beshear said in a news

commanders who were eager to sacrifice their soldiers to report successes.

“I faced a difficult situation with the top leadership when I had to either keep silent and act like a coward, saying what they wanted to hear, or call things by their names,” Popov said. “I didn’t have the right to lie for the sake of you and our fallen comrades.”

Many military bloggers argued that Popov’s dismissal eroded troop morale at a time of relentless Ukrainian attacks. One blogger, Vladislav Shurygin, said it has dealt a “terrible blow to the entire army,” while another, Roman Saponkov, described it as a

Andrei Kartapolov, a retired general who heads the defense affairs committee in the lower house, also said the Defense Ministry should deal with the issues raised by Popov.

News of Popov’s dismissal added to the blow that Russian troops received when another senior officer, Lt. Gen. Oleg Tsokov, was killed Tuesday by a Ukrainian missile strike.

Popov’s remarks about the need to rotate his exhausted troops that have been fighting the Ukrainian counteroffensive since early June, reportedly angered General Staff chief Gen. Valery Gerasimov, who shrugged them off as panicky and promptly ordered his dismissal.

Gerasimov was shown meeting with military officers Monday in a video released by the Defense Ministry, the first time he was seen since last month’s abortive rebellion by Prigozhin, who had demanded his ouster. The uproar fueled by Popov’s dismissal could further erode the position of Gerasimov, who has faced broad criti -

During the June 24 revolt that lasted less than 24 hours, mercenaries from Prigozhin’s Wagner Group quickly swept through the southern Russian city of Rostovon-Don and captured the military headquarters there without firing a shot before driving to within about 200 kilometers (125 miles) of Moscow.

Prigozhin called his mercenaries back to their camps after striking a deal to end the rebellion in exchange for an amnesty for him and his mercenaries and permission to move to Belarus.

The rebellion represented the biggest threat to Putin in his more than two decades in power and badly dented his authority, even though Prigozhin said the uprising wasn’t aimed against the president but intended to force the ouster of Gerasimov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. The Wagner chief was harshly critical of their conduct of how they have conducted the action in Ukraine.

On Monday, the Kremlin con -

Putin has said Wagner troops had to choose whether to sign contracts with the Defense Ministry, move to Belarus or retire from service. While details of the deal remain murky, uncertainty also has surrounded the fate of Gen. Sergei Surovikin, the deputy commander of the Russian group of forces fighting in Ukraine who reportedly had been detained for questioning about his ties to Prigozhin.

Speaking in Helsinki on Thursday after a NATO summit, US President Joe Biden said he is not certain about what fate awaits Prigozhin.

“I’m not even sure where he is,” Biden said. “If I were he, I’d be careful what I ate, I’d be keeping an eye on my menu. But all kidding aside ... I don’t know. I don’t think any of us know for certain what the future of Prigozhin is in Russia.”

The Defense Ministry said Wednesday that mercenaries of the Wagner Group were completing the handover of their weapons to the Russian military, part of the Kremlin’s efforts to defuse the threat it posed. AP

over taxes and emissions

In Tennessee’s Lincoln County, Jack Daniel’s recently was slapped with a stop-work order after neighbors sued over a huge unpermitted expansion. Since 2018, the company has built six 86,000-squarefoot (7,989-square-meter) warehouses holding 66,000 barrels each on a 120-acre (48-hectare) property, according to the lawsuit.

Jack Daniel’s has since retroactively received the proper approvals, but neighbors say their biggest complaint has not been addressed: A black fungus that feeds on the ethanol emitted as whiskey ages.

spokesman Svend Jansen provided a statement saying it “will continue to work hard to be a good partner to all members of our community.”

“We recognize that there have been, at times, a small number of people who do not appreciate or value the growth of Tennessee Whiskey production in the areas where we operate,” the statement said.

Back in Kentucky, famed author and agriculturalist Wendell Berry has another concern: local food security and the destruction of prime agricultural land.

conference.

Kentucky Distillers’ Association President Eric Gregory noted the compromise bill creates a new excise tax to help fund school districts. Another tax helps fire and emergency management services, though it does not apply in all counties.

“Even with this relief, distilling remains Kentucky’s highest taxed industry, paying $286 million in taxes each year,” Gregory said in an e-mail.

While the tax changes take place, whiskey is booming.

As a former Beam executive, Summers remembers a time when whiskey was a cheap, “bottom shelf” drink. With small batch products, the liquor slowly became cool. American whiskey revenues since 2003 have nearly quadrupled, reaching $5.1 billion last year, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. During the same period, the super premium segment rose more than 20-fold to $1.3 billion. Now many of the most recognized brands are part of interna -

tional beverage conglomerates. Jim Beam is owned by Japanbased Beam Suntory. Britain’s Diageo owns Bulleit. Italy’s Campari Group owns Wild Turkey.

In lobbying for the end of the tax, the distillers’ group suggested the industry could leave Kentucky. Officials like Summers are calling that a bluff. He said Bullitt County does not want any new barrelhouses unless things change, and he is not alone.

Nelson County, home to Heaven Hill, Log Still and other Kentucky communities involved with the industry, recently approved a moratorium on new bourbon warehouse construction while the county updates zoning and permitting rules. Soon, any new projects will be required to seek citizen input and zoning board approval, Judge Executive Timothy Hutchins said.

“That got their attention, let’s put it that way,” Hutchins said. “Now, we’re trying to kiss and make up.”

The county gets about $8.6 million a year from the barrel tax, he said.

The “whiskey fungus” has been a nuisance around liquor facilities for centuries, but the size and scope of the new barrelhouse complexes means much more ethanol is being released in a concentrated area. The fungus covers nearby homes and cars in a sooty black film, choking trees and shrubs.

When Pam Butler moved to Lincoln County 30 years ago, there were only two barrelhouses nearby, and she had “no issues.”

“I had a white car and it stayed white. I had a white horse trailer and it stayed white. Then about five years ago, everything started looking grungy,” Butler said.

Butler owns a small farm where she keeps horses adjacent to the Jack Daniel’s property. She said her pastureland is not thriving as it should, many of her trees are dying and she has developed asthma. She doesn’t know whether her illness is related to the fungus, but said she only started having symptoms in the past few years.

Butler and several other neighbors want Jack Daniel’s to capture its ethanol emissions instead of releasing them into the neighborhood. The company would not comment on the fungus but

“I’ve been working, going on 30 years, to develop a regional food economy for Louisville,” Berry said.

“Cities like Louisville and Nashville are surrounded by fertile land that is well watered,” but they are importing much of their food from California’s Central Valley, he said.

“I’ve spent my life arguing that this land is going to be needed by people who want something to eat.”

Berry recently lost a fight with distiller Angel’s Envy in Louisville over the development of a 1,200acre (485-hectare) property adjacent to the farm where he grew up. Henry County approved the company’s plans for a bourbon tourism complex there, complete with cabins, an amphitheater and a helipad.

Angel’s Envy declined to comment.

Fred Minnick, who has written books on bourbon and judges world whiskey competitions, said it is an interesting time for the industry because bourbon has never been this popular.

“Bourbon was the good guy. Bourbon was loved by the state,” he said of Kentucky. “It will be fascinating to see if bourbon remains a hero.”

MOSCOW—A Russian general in charge of forces fighting in southern Ukraine has been relieved of his duties after speaking out about problems faced by his troops, a move that reflected new fissures in the military command following a brief rebellion by mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin.

IN this photo released by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on June 8, 2023, Maj. Gen. Ivan Popov, the commander of the 58th Army, is seen in a photo at an undisclosed location. Popov said in a statement to his troops that he was dismissed after speaking out about the problems faced by his troops on the battlefield in Ukraine, a sign of new fissures in the Russian military command following a brief rebellion by mercenary chief Yevgney Prigozhin.

As whiskey and bourbon business booms, beloved distillers face pushback

VISITORS walk away from the Jack Daniels Distillery visitor center carrying boxes of whiskey on June 14, 2023, in Lynchburg, Tenn. A destructive and unsightly black fungus that feeds on ethanol emitted by whiskey barrels has been found growing on property near the distillery’s barrelhouses. AP/JOHN AMIS

Cuisine, culture and adventure in Ilocos Sur

Story & photos by Bernard L. Supetran

The provincial capital city of Vigan has been one of the country’s most soughtafter destinations because of its antiquarian village, delectable Ilocano and Spanish cuisine, weaving and pottery, and a host of other exciting activities.

Included in the elite Unesco World Heritage List and the New7Wonder Cities, every nook and structure in this postcardpretty hideaway will transport you back to the nostalgic 19th-century era.

An intriguing building is the Hotel Luna which was built by Don Jose Florentino built in 1882 the four-story property as a wedding gift for his daughter Doña, and named it the Doña Carmen Florentino House.

A few years back, it has been painstakingly restored and repurposed into the country’s first and only museum hotel. It is also adorned with paintings, sculptures, and other art pieces, which are trademarks of properties of the Artstream Hospitality Group which owns and runs the hotel. Its dining outlet, Comedor Restaurant, is not to be missed with its Spanish-Ilocano gastronomic experience. Literally

meaning “dining place” in Spanish, it has a Castillan-inspired interior, with their classic brick walls that complement the hotel’s turn-of-the-century theme.

Small wonder, hotel’s Old World charm has endeared it to guests who want to dine with history and culture, and is a preferred venue for pictorials and mid-sized special events.

But apart from this all-too-familiar place, the peripheral municipalities have their own nature and adventure allure, which complements Vigan’s character. T he town of Santiago is the top-ofmind choice for beach recreation because of its picturesque and serene cove. Along the shores of this long coastline proudly

DOT, Bohol province back AppleOne luxury hotel and resort project

The Department of Tourism and the provincial government of Bohol have thrown their support behind AppleOne Group Inc.’s plan to build a multi-billion-peso, five-star resort and spa that is expected to boost tourism and create hundreds of new jobs in this nature-charged destination in Central Visayas.

AppleOne recently signed a deal with Marriott International—the Cebu-based premier development group’s third partnership with the international hotel chain—to build the first five-star accommodation in this tropical Island that will be called JW Marriott Panglao Island Resort & Spa. JW Marriott is among the top luxury hospitality brands under the Marriott International group. This will also be the first JW Marriott in the country.

“In partnership with Marriott International, AppleOne is building another reason why tourists would love the Philippines; Bohol in particular,” said Ray Manigsaca, president and chief executive officer of AppleOne.

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco called the Bohol project of AppleOne and JW Marriott as clear evidence of investors’ confidence in the growth potential of the Philippines and the tourism industry.

“This first-ever 5-star hotel that will soon rise in Panglao, Bohol from a global brand evinces investor confidence in the Philippines under the Marcos Administration, and we thank as well AppleOne Group for its continued support and investments in hotels and resorts as these are helping build the transformation of the Philippines into a tourism powerhouse in Asia,” Secretary Frasco said in a statement.

Bohol Governor e r ico Aristotle Aumentado welcomed AppleOne and JW Marriott to his province and thanked the partners for bringing five-star luxury accommodation to these islands known for

their Chocolate Kisses-shaped hills, intriguing tarsiers, and white sand beaches in Panglao.

“This is a game changer,” said Aumentado on his official Facebook page, elated about the new tourism investment, the jobs and new businesses it would create, and the boost to the local economy.

Bohol is the second biggest tourist draw in Central Visayas after Cebu. Visitors to the province, both foreign and local, surged to 503,368 in 2022, nearly 60 percent of them staying in Panglao, as tourists return in droves following the easing travel restrictions imposed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The airport in Panglao handled nearly 1.2 million passengers in 2022, the most since 2019. Development is underway to extend the runaway and expand terminal facilities in anticipation of further growth in tourism to the tropical island. AppleOne’s Manigsaca said the Bohol project is the third partnership deal with Marriott International, following the Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort and the Fairfield by Marriott Cebu Mactan located within the premises of AppleOne’s upcoming mixed-use development, Mahi Center.

Manigsaca expects the large-scale development of JW Marriott Panglao to create hundreds of jobs for local residents just like the Sheraton Cebu, which was built and developed in nearby Mactan Island several years ago at a cost of around P5 billion.

“Job creation is also one of AppleOne’s major investment goals. With Sheraton development in Cebu, we have generated 300 direct jobs since its opening and spurred new businesses as well. We have employed around a thousand Cebuanos through Sheraton Mactan, Mahi Center and other developments. We expect to generate similar opportunities for the locals of Bohol with JW Marriott Panglao Island Resort & Spa,” said Manigsaca.

stands Vitalis Villas, arguably the “Santorini of the Philippines” because of its clusters of blue-and-white suites which are closest you can get to the famed Greek seaside city.

Named after a prominent Ilocano painter, the sprawling property on the cliff by the cove is Hellenic in almost every sense: the architecture, ambiance, terrain, high-ceiling interiors, arched and domed motifs, art adornments, verandas dotted with foliage, and infinity pools overlooking the sea which shut you out from the outside world.

Its dining outlet called Petra evokes a Grecian feel, and tickles your palate with well-loved local and international flavors.

Parthenon, named after the iconic temple ruins in Athens, is the hotel’s pavilion for special events and banquets.

As part of getting back into the prepandemic groove, it is in the process of revamping its menu to restore its Mediterranean cuisine and reopening the Snack Bar for a consummate Greek experience.

For an adrenaline rush, there’s a zipline which can glide you over the placid water.

On the other side of the cove is Vitalis White Sands which is situated near a fishing village which gives guests a sense of integration with the Santiago Cove community. Considered the little sister of Vitalis Villas, the boutique resort has a calm white sand beach where visitors can frolic,

or indulge in watersports facilities such as jetski, banana boat, kayaks, pedal boats and stand-up paddleboards.

For a food trip, families and small groups can sink their teeth on the hearty Boodle Feast comprised of Pinoy grilled meats, soup, vegetable sidings, java rice, native desserts, and iced tea.

With the tourism reboot in the province, both properties have designed irresistible tour packages for families and groups to lure them into this one-of-a-kind getaway.

Situated near the Ilocos Norte boundary, Cabugao is nondescript town along the national highway, you might just miss it if you blink. But beyond its laid-back look, its sleepy shores offer a front seat to mesmerizing golden sunsets. The best vantage point to the kaleidoscopic dusk is the coastal village of Sabang where you can gaze at Salomague Island at the wooden boardwalk.

Another panoramic sunset spot for dinner is Leonardo’s Hut, a native-themed restaurant on stilts by the sea which is a must-see and must-try because of its delectable Filipino grilled favorites and local specialties.

Literally a swimming distance away from the shore, the white sand island is Ilocos Sur’s surfing spot which is part of the national competition circuit. In addition to riding the waves, the under-the-radar idyllic isle is also ideal for roughing it out under the stars, boating, and the marine life makes it ideal for snorkeling, freediving, as well as scuba diving.

With the confluence of culture, cuisine and adventure in its different municipalities, Ilocos Sur has earned back its rightful place as a top road trip hideaway.

trAVeL SALe exPo 2023: An UnStoPPABLe GrowtH For trAVeL

WITH much optimism, the tourism industry is riding high with more than 2 million international visitor arrivals recorded from January 1 to May 12, 2023. This latest data is most welcomed by the Department of Tourism (DOT) as it aims to surpass this year’s foreign tourist arrivals target of 4.8 million visitors by the end of the year. Thus, this is the most exciting and opportune time to kick off a new travel sale expo that aggressively pursues the growing demands of the traveling public.

The Travel Sale Expo 2023 recently had it grand launch at the Marco Polo Hotel with no less than the former PTAA President Michelle Taylan at the helm as the Chairperson o f the Travel Sale Expo 2023. The launching of the OneKlik’s Travel Sale Expo 2023 with the theme “Travel Is On and It’s Unstoppable” is very timely as the travel market is g rowing and the demand for travel-related products and services is at an all-time high. “I organized the Travel Sale Expo 2023 because I wanted to help promote tourism in t he country by encouraging more people to travel. Now that the travel industry is picking up, I wanted to bring back the volume of t ourism business during the pre-pandemic levels and even go beyond that”, said Ms. Michelle Taylan.

On September 29, 2023, the Travel Sale Expo 2023, to be held at the Megatrade Halls in SM Megamall, in Ortigas, Mandaluyong City, will open its doors and present a wide array of travel-related products or services at huge discounts under one roof.

This upcoming travel expo promises to be distinct from the rest, in terms of offering more value by welcoming more and varied stakeholders such as travel agencies, ho -

tels, airlines, resorts, tour operators, travel i nsurance, and travel accessories retailers among others. Taylan shares, “We are doing the Travel Sale Expo a little different. We are open to anybody who wants to join our expo. You don’t have to affiliate yourself with a specific travel association to qualify to join. As l ong as you are a stakeholder in the tourism industry (and a legitimate one), you can join us. As a come on, we offer a hefty discount to possible exhibitors to make it easier for them to join.”

Among the new offerings of the Travel Sale Expo 2023 includes thematic tour packages involving honeymoon packages, sports t ourism, health and wellness themes, as well as travel tours in emerging local and international destinations. In addition, several a musement parks and museums will also be participating in the event.

On the expo day, guests can expect a venue jampacked with activities that can

enhance their experience like never before in a travel expo. There will be game shows, entertainment numbers like cultural shows from different local government units and presentations from participating schools. Also, business conferences will be organized featuring the best speakers in the country.

To add thrill and excitement for the public, a boatload of cash prizes and trips to local a nd international destinations are to be given away to lucky guests. On-the-spot gifts, gift checks, raffle prizes, and freebies will also be allotted to lucky visitors. And the most exciting part are the various travel fares and tour packages on sale that they can avail of during the three day expo event.

The Travel Sale Expo 2023 with a theme “Travel is On and It’s Unstoppable” is organized by OneKlik Events and Co-presented b y Unionbank in partnership with Tourism Congress of the Philippines and Global Tourism Business Association.

Mention ilocos Sur and immediately its checkered history and culture instantly come into mind, and for good reason. this 205-year old “Heritage Province” takes pride in some of the best colonial-era preserved ancestral homes, churches, town plazas, watchtowers and other vestiges of a glorious past.

D Ir eC to r Hyung Joon Kim (Korea tourism organization), Des Carandang ( rajah travel), Francis Caberoy (Union Bank), romy Go (Guam Visitors Bureau), Michelle taylan (travel Sale expo 2023 Chairperson), H.e. Ahmed ShehaBeldin (egypt embassy), Jagmohan tamber (BLS), Atty. eugene Yap ( Hr AP President), Bob Zozobrado (tCP President), and ernesto Victorino (Chief of Staff of Mandaluyong Mayor).

Boo D Le Feast of Vitalis white Sand in Santiago

tH e author with a historical impression of Gen Antonio Luna at Hotel Luna's Comedor restaurant

S ALo M AGU e Island viewed from Sabang Boardwalk in Cabugao

V I tALIS Villas in Santiago

DAY B eD at a Vitalis Villas suite

AI-powered ‘Baybayin’ translator being developed by UP mathematicians

FILIPINO mathematicians have invented a computerized method for converting entire paragraphs and even full documents written in the ancient Filipino “Baybayin” writing system into text that even nonnative readers can easily understand. And they’re now hard at work developing a full two-way translator.

By combining mathematics and technology, scientists from the University of the Philippines DilimanCollege of Science Institute of Mathematics (UPD-CS IM) have made what is likely the world’s first paragraphlevel optical character recognition (OCR) system that can distinguish between entire blocks of Baybayin and Latin characters in a text image.

Thousands of images, months of hard work

IN their paper titled “Block-level Optical Character Recognition System for Automatic Transliterations of Baybayin Texts Using Support Vector Machine,” masters student Rodney Pino and associate professors

Dr. Renier Mendoza and Dr. Rachelle

Sambayan developed an algorithm to convert a photograph of a set of text into binary data.

It is then run through a support vector machine (SVM) character classifier to automatically determine whether the characters are Baybayin or Latin.

“SVM is a machine-learning algorithm used to solve regression or classification problems,” Pino explained.

“We have a dataset for Baybayin characters—let’s say character A and then character BA. SVM uses techniques or mathematical methods that can separate the two datasets to determine characters BA and A,” he added.

It took the group more than three months to collect over a thousand images for each Baybayin character, gathering a total of 110 paragraphs from different web sites that have either hand- or typewritten Baybayin, Latin, or Baybayin and Latin writing.

“Adding more character images improves the recognition rate of SVM,” Pino explained.

Developing a smart, two-way translator

CURRENTLY, the OCR system can spell out the Latin equivalent of the Baybayin characters on a page, thus, producing a transliterated version of the text.

But the researchers are looking to enable it to do so much more.

The mathematicians also plan to make the OCR system more aware of the context of Baybayin words and phrases, possibly paving the way for a full-fledged translator.

They are also trying to make the system work both ways, with the ability to convert Latin words with foreign sounds into Baybayin.

“We’re trying to refine the software we developed to make it easier for future users to navigate it. We also dream of creating a mobile application that automatically and accurately translates Baybayin characters just by hovering over the phone,” Mendoza said.

However, there are some kinks to smoothen out: Mendoza said that it was challenging to get the OCR system to translate Baybayin words and sentences accurately.

“For now the system can’t distinguish between some Baybayin characters that are similar in writing, such as E and I, and O and U. We also have a lot of words that have different Latin equivalents,” he expounded. “The algorithm we used shows all possible translations of the Baybayin words.”

Preserving Filipino writing systems

ALTHOUGH still scant, interest in and research on Baybayin is slowly increasing, making the mathematicians hopeful that more Filipinos will become interested in protecting Baybayin through research.

The team published their data to encourage more researchers to conduct

studies on Baybayin and OCR.

“We cleaned the data in such a way that researchers could use it in analyzing Baybayin through other algorithms,” Mendoza shared. “We made the data readily available for use, so researchers wouldn’t go through the difficulty we experienced in gathering data.”

Philippine traditional writing systems, such as Baybayin, are representations of Filipino tradition and national identity.

As such, the country’s government officials proposed the enactment of the Philippine Indigenous and Traditional Writing Systems Act, which seeks to promote, protect, and preserve Baybayin and other traditional writing systems.

The bill urges using Baybayin as a tool for cultural development and safeguarding, therefore, encouraging organizations and institutions to spearhead activities and projects that promote awareness of traditional writing systems.

According to the scientists, Baybayin is living proof that we Filipinos have our own technically-sophisticated traditions.

While they aren’t putting forward making Baybayin the Philippines’ primary writing system, the group believes that conducting more research on Baybayin will help preserve this heritage.

“This can be forgotten,” Sambayan said. “It’s important to have a record of each Baybayin character—even having digitized ones.”

Sambayan expressed concern that

NAST PHL announces new Academicians, awards outstanding PHL scientists

THE National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines (NAST PHL), the highest recognition body on science and technology (S&T), recognized outstanding Filipino scientists for their significant scientific contributions to the country.

The awarding ceremony for the 2023 NAST Awardees was held on July 13 as the culminating activity of the 45th NAST Annual Scientific Meeting on July 12 and 13 in Manila.

The ceremony also introduced the new members of the Academy, the 2023 Outstanding Young Scientists and the researchers who won this year’s set of awards.

New NAST Academicians, Corresponding member MEMBERSHIP to the Academy is given to Filipino resident scientists who have made exemplary contributions to S&T in the Philippines.

The four new Academicians are:

n Elmer P. Dadios, Ph.D. (Manufacturing Engineering), De La Salle University (DLSU)

n Maria Corazon A. de Ungria, Ph.D. (Microbiology), University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD)

n Gil S. Jacinto, Ph.D. (Chemical Oceanography), UPD

n Roel R. Suralta, Ph.D. (Agricultural Sciences), Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice)

The NAST PHL Corresponding membership is conferred on nonresident Filipino scientists who have made exemplary contributions to the advancement of science and technology and must have continuing connections and contributions to Philippine science.

The new Corresponding Member is:

n Leodevico l. Ilag, Ph.D.

(Microbiology and Immunology)

Outstanding Young Scientist

Award

THE Outstanding Young Scientist (OYS) Award is given to young

Filipino scientists below the age of 40 years, who have made significant contributions to S&T.

Each awardee is given a NAST trophy and a cash prize of P150,000. Each awardee is also entitled to a research grant of P1 million from DOST for an approved research proposa l.

The nine OYS awardees are:

n Nonawin L. Agustin, Ph.D. (Agricultural Science), PhilRice

n John Jamir Benzon R. Aruta, Ph.D. (Counseling Psychology), DLSU

n Fulgent P. Coritico, Ph.D. (Biology), Central Mindanao University

n Ronnie S. Concepcion II, Ph.D. (Electronics and Communications Engineering), DLSU

n Jillian Aira S. Gabo-Ratio, D.Eng. (Earth Resources Engineering), UPD

n Reinabelle C. Reyes, Ph.D. (Astrophysics), UPD

n Albert Remus R. Rosana, Ph.D. (Microbiology and Biotechnology), UP Los Baños

n Moises Neil V. Seriño, Dr.rer.pol. (Economics), Visayas State University

n Ourlad Alzeus G. Tantengco, M.D., Ph.D. (Molecular Medicine), UP Manila Outstanding Book/ Monograph Award

Monograph (OBM) Award is given annually for books and/ or monographs published by Filipino publishers based in the Philippines within five years preceding the award with the majority of the authors of publication being Filipinos. Each of the awardees will receive a plaque of recognition and a cash prize of P25,000.

This year’s OBM awardees are:

n “The Philippines’ Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Learning from the Experience and Emerging Stronger to Future Shocks”

(Celia M. Reyes, ed., Michael Ralph M. Abrigo, Jose Ramon G. Albert, Arkin A. Arboneda, Ronina D. Asis, Roehlano M. Briones, Carlos C. Cabaero, Maria Margarita DebuqueGonzales, Charlotte Justine Diokno-Sicat, Kris A. Francisco, Nel Jason L. Haw, Adoracion M. Navarro, Aniceto C. Orbeta Jr., Ma. Kristina P. Ortiz, Francis Mark A. Quimba, Sheila V. Siar, Aubrey D. Tabuga, Valerie Gilbert T. Ulep, Jhanna Uy, Anna Rita P. Vargas, and Jana Flor V. Vizmanos). Philippine Institute for Development Studies, 2022.

n “Transfiguring Mindanao: A Mindanao Reader”

(Jose Jowel P. Canuday and

Joselito T. Sescon, eds.) Ateneo de Manila University Press, 2022.

Outstanding Scientific Paper Award

THE Outstanding Scientific Paper (OSP) Award is given annually for papers published in Thompson Reuters or SCOPUS-listed journals in the Philippines within five years preceding the award. Each awardee will receive a plaque of recognition and a cash prize of P15,000.

This year’s OSP awardees are:

n “Vulnerability to Climate Change of ‘Giant Squid” (Thysanoteuthis rhombus) Fishery in Marinduque, Philippines” (Paloma D. De Chavez, Gilda Joannah A. Calderon, Sherwin B. Santos, Emmanuel M. Vera Cruz, and Mudjekeewis D. Santos). “The Philippine Journal of Fisheries,” 28 (2), 171-180, 2021.

n “Social support, well-being, and involvement of fathers with transnational families in the Philippines” (Melissa R. Garabiles). “Asian and Pacific Migration Journal,” 4 (29), 492-510, 2020.

NAST Talent Search for Young Scientists

THE NAST Talent Search for Young Scientists (NTSYS) is a

the number of Filipinos who can read and write Baybayin is decreasing, adding to the importance of identifying and translating Baybayin characters into Latin.

“We’re hoping that through this OCR system, we could preserve and pass on the knowledge of understanding Baybayin to future Filipino generations,” she said. Baybayin and other traditional writing systems are a part of the Philippines’ rich history. Several old Filipino documents are in Baybayin—documents that can uncover more information about Filipino culture.

The scientists are encouraging more Filipinos to join them in cultivating the body of knowledge the country has on Baybayin.

“Kapag walang gagawa nito, sino’ng gagawa? Even though its implication already has a bit of a niche, I think this is still a vital research venture,” Mendoza said. Eunice Jean Patron/UPD-CS SciComm

Davao City’s tribal district gets projects from DOST

DAVAO CITY—The northern district of this city got multiple projects from the Department of Science and Technology Region XI (DOST XI), from a cacao-processing facility, solar-powered street lamps to a potable water pump to improve access to safe drinking water.

project of NAST to encourage the youth to pursue a career in science.

The winners will receive plaques of recognition and a cash prize of P45,000 for the first prize; P30,000 for the second prize; and P20,000 for the third prize.

The first prize winner will also be receiving a research grant worth P500,000 for an approved proposal.

The special citation winners will each receive P10,000 cash prize.

After the finalists’ paper presentation on April 21, the winners of NTSYS are:

n First Prize: Jayson G. Cosme, Ph.D. (Physics), UPD

n Second Prize: Michael T. Castro, M.S. (Chemical Engineering), UPD

n Third Prize: Ann Franchesca B. Laguna, Ph.D. (Computer Science and Engineering), DLSU

Special Citations:

n Neil Jerome A. Egarguin, Ph.D. (Mathematics), UPLB

n Ivan Henderson V. Gue, Ph.D. (Mechanical Engineering), DLSU

n John Paul Matthew D. Guzman, M.S. (Microbiology), DOST-Industrial Technology Development Institute

n Charlon A. Ligson, M.S. (Marine Science), UPD

NAST Environmental Science Award

THE NAST Environmental Science Award (NESA) recognizes outstanding S&T research work that contributes to environmental protection and conservation. The winner of the award will receive a plaque of recognition, P150,000 cash incentive, and P2 million research grant.

This year’s NESA winner is:

n Dranreb Earl O. Juanico, Ph.D. (Physics), Technological Institute of the Philippines, “Does mangrove restoration imply coastal protection? A prospective simulation study”

Two weeks ago, the DOST-assisted Lumiad Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative (Lufampco) acquired a desheller and winnowing machine, cacao roaster, grinder, bean cracker, chocolate melanger, tempering machine and a hydraulic oil press machine to start its chocolate processing project.

The facility was assisted jointly by the DOST and Barangay Lumiad.

The facility is expected to produce cacao nibs, cocoa butter, chocolate spread, bars and customized chocolate molds.

City Science and Technology Director Arnel Rodriguez said Lufampco renovated its facility to meet the standards of the plant layout.

The facility is set to operate after a training on chocolate processing later this year for the members of the cooperative. With them would be the staff of MS3 Agri-Ventures Corp., a Davao City-based award-winning Halal chocolate producer and a livelihood partner of Lufampco, the DOST said.

Lufampco President Celso A. Bughao Jr. disclosed that they almost gave up on the project because of the high standards required for Good Manufacturing Practices and Halal certification.

“We were close to withdrawing but Sir Rodriguez highly motivated me. He came here and encouraged us to keep going,” Bughao said.

DOST XI would provide the packaging and branding interventions following the opening of the production facility. The final stage, marketing, would be assisted by MS3 Agri-Ventures Corp., the DOST added.

Also last month, DOST XI installed 165 solar-powered street lights in Paquibato and Marilog Districts, distributed in Barangays Lumiad, Paquibato Proper and Salaysay. The DOST said the street poles were funded by the barangays.

Each 100-watt solar-powered street light has a built-in motion sensor, which makes the lights dim when no movement is detected, thus, saving power.

Another important project installed was the ram pump water system in Lumiad as part of the city’s Community Empowerment through Science and Technology (CEST). The project would benefit 1,500 Paquibato residents.

John Villarma, the city project technical assistant, said the pump “carries water from a spring source 3 kilometers away and it has lift estimated at 120 to 210 meters from the source.”

Initially, they expected the ram pump to collect 7,500 liters per day. Upon testing, it was found that the pump is capable of an output of 43,200 liters per day.

A faucet was also installed as an outlet for the water inside the Lumiad Elementary School, Lumiad National High School and in front of the barangay hall.

The 2023 Outstanding Young Scientists were recognized during the 45th NAST Annual Scientific Meeting on July 12 and 13. With the awardees are NAST PHL President Dr. Jaime Montoya (right), Academician Mudjekeewis Santos (left), Academician Windell L. Rivera (second from left), president of Outstanding Young Scientists Inc., and Dr Marla Redillas (second from right). Seven of the OYS awardees attended the event onsite, while two were online. Gerry Palad, DOST-STII

Devotees observe Solemnity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

TODAY is the Solemnity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel which is observed on July 16 of every year.

In the Philippines, novena Masses were held from July 7 to 15. A Mass for the feast will be held today at the Minor Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in New Manila, Quezon City, at 5:30 p.m.

This special day for Our Lady is equally significant for the Philippines because the centenary of Carmelite presence in the country is celebrated this year.

On November 9, the Carmelites in the Philippines will celebrate the event in Jaro, Iloilo City, where French Carmelite nuns founded the first Carmel in the country in 1923.

The Carmelite fathers followed in 1947, focusing their missionary work in a part of Quezon province.

A group of Irish Carmelite friars were sent to the Philippines in the early 1950s and built a monastery and church on Broadway Avenue, where the minor basilica currently stands.

The Mount Carmel Church opened in 1964 after a decade of construction.

It was declared a parish church in 1975 and a national shrine in 2015. In 2019, it was declared a minor basilica, making it the 15th minor basilica in the country.

Mary and Jesus

THE venerated image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel depicts Mary with the Child Jesus on her left arm and a scepter on her right hand.

Both the Madonna and the Child wear golden crowns, with the Madonna wearing the colors of the Carmelite order: brown, pale caramel, and white. A golden ring with stars serves as the halo of the Madonna.

On February 20, 2017, the image had its episcopal coronation.

On May 13, 2020, the feast day of Our Lady of Fátima, Pope Francis approved the petition for its canonical coronation, and had the image canonically crowned on August 15, coinciding with the Feast of the Assumption of Mary,

From Mount Carmel in Israel CARMELITES came into existence toward the end of the 12th century from an indefinite, not well-known group of lay people, pilgrims and crusaders who, tired of war or desirous of waiting for the final coming of the Lord which, according to the apocalyptic mentality of the time, was to occur in Jerusalem.

According to the Discalced

Carmelites website, the Carmelites withdrew to the mountain of Carmel in Israel, where they embraced the hermit lifestyle, in opposition to and reform of the monastic movement.

The first Carmelites devoted themselves to prayer and meditation on the Word of God.

The initial Carmelites were free, independent hermits, who looked for perfection through solitude, in which they attempted to fight against the devil.

From 1220, the lack of security in the Holy Land caused the Carmelites to begin their migration to Europe, and established themselves in Cyprus, Sicily, France and England.

Adapting to the new demands

of religious life by Pope Innocent IV in 1247, was the point of departure in adapting the Carmelite Order from its hermit origins to a mendicant lifestyle. This allowed the Carmelites to found their monasteries in cities and devote themselves to preaching and confessing like the other mendicants.

However, it was not until the Second Council of Lyons that they were officially considered as mendicants, together with the Dominicans, Franciscans, and the Hermits of Saint Augustine.

Established in Europe, and looking for signs of identity by which people could recognize them, they developed devotion to the prophet Elijah, presenting

Pope Francis names 21 new cardinals

VATICAN CITY—Pope Francis recently announced he has chosen 21 new cardinals, including prelates from Jerusalem and Hong Kong—places where Catholics are a small minority—as he continues to leave his mark on the body of churchmen who will select his successor.

The pope announced his picks during his customary weekly appearance to the public in St. Peter’s Square, saying the ceremony to install the churchmen as cardinals will be held on September 30.

Among those tapped are several prelates holding or about to assume major Vatican posts, including Argentinian Archbishop Victor Manuel Fernández, 59, whom the pope just named to lead the Holy See’s powerful office for ensuring doctrinal orthodoxy and overseeing processing of allegations of sexual abuse against clergy worldwide.

The new cardinals also include Hong Kong Bishop Stephen Sauyan Chow, 64, and the Vatican’s top official in the Middle East, Msgr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, 58, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem.

Those two churchmen guide flocks in geopolitical areas of keen concern to the Vatican.

Pope Francis expressed hope that Israeli and Palestinian authorities would take up “direct dialogue” to end the “spiral of violence”—a reference to recent deadly clashes.

Francis repeatedly has cited the hardships of the Christian minority in the Middle East in recent decades.

In an interview in April with The Associated Press, Pizzaballa, an Italian prelate who is the top Catholic churchman in the Holy Land, said that the region’s 2,000-year-old Christian community has come under increasing attack, with the most right-wing government in Israel’s

history emboldening extremists who have harassed clergy and vandalized religious property at a quickening pace.

Earlier this year, the Hong Kong bishop, who, like Francis, is a Jesuit, made the first visit to mainland China in nearly 30 years by a prelate in that post.

Chow told reporters on Monday that it was somewhat unbelievable to learn about the news.

“It is a new mission—a mission that God assigned [to me] through the pope,” he said.

Francis said the appointment of cardinals from across the globe “expresses the universality of the Church that continues to announce the merciful love of God to all men of the Earth.”

Cardinals serve as advisers to the pontiff on matters of teaching and administration, including the Vatican’s scandal-plagued finances.

But their most crucial duty is gathering in a secret conclave to elect the next pontiff.

Francis has now named nine batches of new cardinals in his 10-year papacy. He had already appointed the large majority of those eligible to elect the next pontiff— those aged under 80.

With the latest appointments, the number of cardinals who meet that condition stands at 137. That means, the men who will

vote for whoever succeeds Francis, in the event of his resignation or death, are churchmen supportive of his values, priorities and perspectives and who share his vision for the future of the Catholic Church.

Three of the churchmen chosen to receive the cardinal red work in Africa, a continent where the Church has experience growth in recent decades.

They are Msgr. Stephen Brislin, 66, archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa; Msgr. Protase Rugambwa, 63, co-adjutor archbishop of Tabora, Tanzania; and Msgr. Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla, 59, archbishop of Juba, South Sudan, which the pope visited earlier this year.

The office that Francis appointed Fernández to is traditionally headed by a cardinal. But the speed with which the La Plata archbishop was tapped publicly as a cardinal—eight days after the appointment—was notable and highlights the attention the pontiff gives to that office.

A US-based group that tracks how the Catholic hierarchy deals with allegations of sexual abuse by clergy says Francis made a “troubling” choice in picking the Argentine archbishop, who, in 2019, refused to believe victims who accused a priest in that archdiocese of sexually abusing boys.

him in his double aspect, as a prototype of the hermit dedicated entirely to contemplation and, on the other hand, as a model of mixed life bringing together action and contemplation.

At the same time, they developed devotion to Mary, which identified them as the Order of the Virgin from the time they were established in Europe, when the title by which the Order is officially known became widespread—The Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel.

From late medieval times, the Carmelites who wished to live in allegiance to Jesus Christ were characterized by: contemplation, the foundation of Carmelite life

and apostolate; prayer and together with it meditation, recollection and silence; asceticism, which implies sobriety of life; poverty, which implies dependence on others and a humble life; the apostolate, both in their churches and outside them.

Saint Teresa of Avila and the Discalced Carmelite

THE Order of Discalced Carmelites (OCD) acknowledges Saint Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) as its mother and foundress. It is the only Order which has a woman as its foundress, the Discalced Carmelites web site said.

Saint Teresa led the Order’s growth, which ranged from her desire to be reformed in herself or reforming the Order, which motivated the foundation of Saint Joseph’s convent in Avila in 1562, to an ecclesial preoccupation: unity in the Church, the old Christianity and, finally, an apostolic preoccupation to discover their mission, the new areas opening for the Church in America, the New World.

The result of this whole process was the development of the idea of foundation that occupies and fills the rest of her life, 1567-1582, and the birth of the discalced friars, which happened through St. John of the Cross and Fr. Antonio of Jesus in Duruelo in 1568.

This event carried on not only her style of life, but also her passion or concern for the Church and for the salvation of souls, her apostolic and missionary ideal.

Lyn Resurreccion

Two others holding important offices at the Vatican were also among the pope’s picks. They are the Chicago-born Msgr. Robert Francis Prevost, 67, who heads the Dicastery for Bishops; and Msgr. Claudio Gugerotti, 67, an Italian in charge of the Dicastery for Eastern Churches.

Also on the list are: Msgr. Americo Manuel Alves Aguiar, an auxiliary bishop from Lisbon, Portugal, which the pope will visit next month for a Catholic youth jamboree. At 49, he is exceptionally young for a cardinal.

Msgr. Sebastian Francis, 71, bishop of Penang, Malaysia, who heads the bishops conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei; Msgr. Francois-Xavier Bustillo, 54, a Franciscan and native Spaniard, a bishop of Ajaccio, on the French island of Corsica; Msgr. Luis Jose Rueda Aparicio, 71, archbishop of Bogota, Colombia; and Msgr. Grzegorz Rys, 59, archbishop of Lodz, Poland.

Msgr. Emil Paul Tscherrig, 76, a Swiss and the first non-Italian to serve as papal ambassador to Italy and San Marino; and Msgr. Christopher Louis Yves Pierre, 77, a Frenchman who was postings in Washington, D.C.

Msgr. Angel Sixto Rossi, 64, a Jesuit archbishop of his native Cordoba, Argentina; Msgr. Jose Cobo Cano, 57, who was just appointed last month to be archbishop of Madrid; and the Rev. Angel Fernández Artime, 62, a Spanish rector major of the Salesians, a congregation of priests present in 133 countries.

Three of the 21 new cardinals are 80 or older and, thus, not eligible to vote in a conclave.

They are Italian prelate, Agostino Marchetto, 82; Msgr. Diego Rafael Padron Sanchez, 84, archbishop emeritus of Cumana, Venezuela; and a Franciscan priest, Luis Pascual Dri, 96. Frances D’emilio/ Associated

Quiapo Church elevated to national shrine

KALIBO, Aklan—The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has approved the elevation of the Archdiocesan Shrine of the Black Nazarene, more popularly known as Quiapo Church, to national shrine status.

During their 126th plenary assembly in Kalibo town, Aklan province, the bishops recently approved a petition to declare the church, located in the heart of Manila, as the country’s 29th national shrine.

In granting the petition of Cardinal Jose Advincula of Manila, the CBCP bestowed upon Quiapo Church the title of “National Shrine of the Black Nazarene.”

For many years, the home of the centuries-old and revered image of the Black Nazarene has served as a prominent landmark for pilgrims from all corners of the country.

Since the “traslacion,” or the transfer of the image from Intramuros to Quiapo in 1787, Quiapo Church has emerged as a center of devotion for Filipinos, particularly the poor and the suffering.

What was once a parochial feast held every January 9 has also now extended its reach and is celebrated by devotees in various parts of the country and even abroad.

It was only on May 10 that Cardinal Advincula elevated the church to the status of an archdiocesan shrine.

Back in 1987, St. John Paul II elevated the church to the status of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene due to its significant role in fostering a profound popular devotion to Jesus Christ and its cultural impact on the religious practices of Filipinos.

THE image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel at the Minor Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in New Manila, Quezon City. LYN RESURRECCION

POPE Francis prays in front of new Cardinals during consistory inside St. Peter’s Basilica, at the Vatican, on August 27, 2022. AP/ANDREW MEDICHINI

THE Archdiocesan Shrine of the Black Nazarene, or Quiapo Church, in Manila. GIAN ROWELLE ERENIA

Asean Champions of Biodiversity

Media Category 2014

Biodiversity Sunday

Editor: Lyn Resurreccion

Mount Inayawan, in Asean Heritage Park, is Maranao’s sacred mountain

By Jonathan L. Mayuga

MOUNT Inayawan is at the heart of Mount Inayawan Range Natural Park (MIRNP), the 53rd Asean Heritage Park (AHP) and the country’s 11th protected area to have earned such distinction

Being an AHP, MIRNP is expected to experience a rigid management regime, with its protectors undergoing capacity-building seminars and training that will further boost its protection and conservation.

‘Last forest bastion’

CONSIDERED as “last forest bastion” and critical watershed area in Lanao del Norte province, MIRNP is the only primary remaining and largest rainforest dominated by dipterocarp species.

It contains a high diversity of flora and fauna in the province, according to the Asean Centre for Biodiversity (ACB).

Home to diverse fauna—including species like Philippine eagle and Philippine deer, and rare species like the Mindanao flying squirrel, scope owl, white collar kingfisher, Rostan hornbill and Mindanao warty pig— MIRNP is one of the Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) in the region.

It is also regarded as one of 117 Important Bird Areas in the Philippines.

Promising ecotourism destination

ACCORDING to ACB, MIRNP is a promising ecotourism destination not just owing to its dense forests but because of its several lakes and waterfalls.

“MIRNP is a primary source of water supply not just for the immediate communities surrounding it but also for irrigation and potable water to Kapatagan Valley, the rice granary of Lanao del Norte,” said ACB Executive Director Theresa Mundita S. Lim.

It has lakes and hidden waterfalls surrounded by lush forest vegetation, a perfect setting for camping, nature tripping, bathing and mountain trekking—ideal sites for ecotourism.

AHP process

IN 2021, ACB, which serves as the Secretariat of the AHP Programme, received the nomination of MIRNP from the DENR Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB).

Following modifications in field evaluation in light of the pandemic and travel restrictions, ACB held the evaluation with two local biodiversity experts from the Philippines. In close coordination with the BMB, field

evaluations were held from December 12 to 15, 2021.

Lim said the MIRNP was declared an AHP on November 1, 2022, during the Seventh AHP Conference hosted by the government of Indonesia. The launching in the Philippines was held only in June owing to pandemic restrictions.

What is an AHP?

AHPS are “protected areas of high conservation importance, preserving in total complete spectrum of representative ecosystems of the Asean region.”

“They are established with the aim of generating greater awareness, pride, appreciation, enjoyment and conservation of Asean’s rich natural heritage, through a regional network of representative protected areas, and to foster greater collaboration among AMS [Asean member states] in preserving their shared natural heritage,” Lim said.

First conceived in 1978, the AHP Programme was created through the Asean Declaration on Heritage Parks and Reserves on November 29, 1984, with 11 protected areas listed as original AHPs.

Additional AHPs were added in December 2003 and the network has since grown to a total of 55 as of January 2023.

MIRNP became a protected area by virtue of Proclamation 1344, s. 2007, that was signed on July 30, 2007. It became a legislated protected area with the signing of Republic Act 11038, or the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (E-Nipas) Act on July 24, 2017. The natural park covers a total of 4,236.19 hectares.

Rigid management regime

THE management of the AHPs involves various activities from capacity building to promotional activities for enhanced protected area management and strengthened regional network of protected areas, Lim said.

With the declaration of the MIRNP as an AHP, research and development, whether biological, socio-cultural, or ethnological, will be part of the management plan for MIRNP.

The studies will be sources of information that will help in the effective management and conservation of the AHP.

“ACB, as the AHP Secretariat, will provide the necessary support for the park’s conservation efforts and in ensuring the effective and efficient management of this new addition to the AHP network,” Lim explained.

ACB will likewise promote the environmental and cultural significance of the park in its various communication, education and public awareness actively, she added.

“More importantly, ACB will be strengthening the cooperation of the AHP network to align its goals with the new global biodiversity targets of the Convention on Biological Diversity [CBD], or the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. which will be the roadmap for present and future actions in the AHPs,” she pointed out.

Capacity development

THE ACB, together with its development partners, has been facilitating the conduct of capacity development activities for AHP managers and staff, Lim said.

ACB organizes conferences, holds promotional activities and facilitates coordination among AHP managers to strengthen the parks as a regional network of protected areas.

“The ACB also conducts programmatic training courses for enhancing the management and conservation skills of protected area workers,” Lim said.

Economic opportunities, management plan

THE ACB recognizes the significance of the area as an opportunity to contribute to the economic growth of the

municipality of Nunungan and the province of Lanao del Norte.

Given that economic activities need to be anchored on the concept of nature-based solutions, the ecosystem services provided by intact biodiversity and habitats will be sustained by protection and conservation efforts of government authorities and the local people.

Lim said the DENR and the Department of Tourism play significant roles in strengthening the MIRNP management plan by formulating a comprehensive information and education campaign with an ecotourism plan in the park.

“Its management needs to be specific in the direction it is planning to take in terms of the type of tourism development it is going to pursue. This will help ensure proper management and higher quality tourism products and services,” she said.

She said there is also a need for permanent park staff as well as to reinforce the technical knowledge and information of the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) for better implementation of local policies and regulations.

Also critical is harmonizing local development plans vis-a-vis the objectives of the park management through the help of the PAMB.

‘Highly promoted’

LIM said some AHPs have been highly promoted in all of the ACB’s communication channels and knowledge products.

“The AHPs received technical training, participation in AHP conferences and related meetings, learning visits to other AHPs, even livelihood enhancement programs,” Lim said.

She added that there are active partnerships with academic and research institutions for joint research and field visits, revision of their respective management plans facilitated by the AHP Committee and the AHP Secretariat.

“The action plans contain specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-based action plans for more effective implementation of conservation measures in the AHP sites,” she said.

The ACB, as the node for regional implementation among AMS, ensures that the park management plans are aligned with the new global biodiversity target under the CBD, called the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, for enhanced transboundary conservation management and governance, she pointed out.

Cultural significance

THE natural park plays an important role in the cultural and historical development of Lanao del Norte, as it displays a strong association among the Islamic Maranao communities, the lake and its surrounding forests, Lim said.

MIRNP Protected Area Superintendent Ismail Ambola said it is more than a natural park for the Maranao people.

“Mount Inayawan is a sacred mountain and the center of belief of the Nunungan Maranao people,” told the BusinessMirror via email on July 12.

Being the symbol of the Nunungan Maranao people, the MIRNP became their life because of its provision. This thinking made the Maranao communities living adjacent to the MIRNP support the protection of the area.

Utmost protection and conservation

ACCORDING to Ambola, the declaration of the MIRNP as an AHP became the tool to ensure the utmost protection and conservation of the protected area.

“It helps the various stakeholders of MIRNP through a collaboration of other stakeholders, not just from local but also from national and international [agencies],” he said.

Also, there are programs under AHPs that will elevate the economic conditions of local communities living within and adjacent to the protected area.

“Through these programs, the protected area will not be pressured by humans that depend on it for basic needs,” he said

National, LGU support

ACCORDING to Ambola, the national government and the concerned local government units are already supportive in terms of sustaining the protection and conservation of the MIRNP.

“We are expecting that this support will continue,” he added.

Currently, there are only 15 forest guards, or Bantay Gubat, protecting MIRNP.

Ambola said the number is enough to protect the area against destructive human activities because of the collaboration of the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines and barangay officials in the area.

This, he said, is the reason why hunting and illegal logging are not a problem in the MIRNP.

Currently, MIRNP has an annual budget of P5 million, which needs to increase if the level of protection and conservation are to be enhanced.

He proudly said that unlike other protected areas the MIRNP has no occupants or “household within the legislated protected area.”

The buffer zones, meanwhile, are occupied by Maranao communities.

Currently, he said the Protected Area Management Office is conducting prof iling and appraisal of eligible people’s organization for the development of a Biodiversity-Friendly Enterprise.

“This program will improve the socio-economic condition of the communities through implementing economic activities that are ecologically, socially, and culturally responsible,” Ambola said.

Survey confirms fast-disappearing population of critically-endangered Irrawaddy dolphins in Bicol

NO sooner has their existence been confirmed that the rare Irrawaddy dolphins (Orcaella brevirostris) of San Miguel Bay in Bicol are already at risk of disappearing from the region, said the University of the Philippines Diliman-College of Science Science Communications (UPD-CS Sci-Comm).

Irrawaddy dolphins are characterized by gray or dark-blue backs and pale bellies, with a high tolerance to various levels of salinity that enables them to live in areas where salty seawater and freshwater meet—such as in the mouths of rivers and bays.

They are among the world’s most endangered dolphin species, indicated as critically endangered on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). They are also considered critically endangered by the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

A mission to find live Irrawaddy dolphins in San Miguel Bay in Bicol led scientists from the UPD-CS Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology (UPD-CS IESM) to validate the existence in the area of this criticallyendangered species during a recent dolphin survey conducted from July 6 to 9, 2023, UPD-CS Sci-Comm said.

Efforts to locate Irrawaddy dolphins THE team, led by IESM Prof. Dr. Lemnuel Aragones, who is also the head of Marine Mammal Research and Conservation Laboratory (MMRCL), sighted two Irrawaddy dolphins—one near Apuao Island and another near Canimog Island, both in the waters of Mercedes, Camarines Norte.

“These dolphins prefer brackish waters, making the San Miguel Bay area an ideal place for the Irrawaddy dolphins to thrive,

its shallow depth, a wide range of salinities, and presence of nearby offshore islands,” Aragones explained.

The IESM researchers and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Regional Office 5 (BFAR5) were motivated to organize the

dolphin survey after conducting key informant interviews in October 2022 about a stranded Irrawaddy dolphin reported as a bycatch in August of the same year, UPD-CS Sci-Comm said.

The team covered a total area of about 680 square kilometers. In terms of travel distance, they covered a total of 335 km in 23 hours, spread over four days, with transects traversing the shorelines of towns in Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur.

Seeking refuge in San Miguel Bay

ACCORDING to Aragones, not only do these rare sightings of Irrawaddy dolphins confirm their existence in San Miguel Bay. They also indicate that only a few of these dolphins are left.

“It is most likely that the Irrawaddy dolphins are using the offshore islands in the San Miguel Bay as a refuge area, and that there is now probably much less food for them there since it is one of the most over-exploited fishing

grounds in the country,” Aragones explained.

He also urged the creation of an action plan with BFAR5 on the protection and conservation of the critically-endangered dolphins.

“I already talked with BFAR5 Regional Director Ariel Pioquinto about enhancing San Miguel Bay again to ensure the Irrawaddy dolphins’ habitat,” he said. “We hope to harmonize local ordinances with existing national laws regarding protected species.”

The dolphin survey team was composed of spotters from IESM; the BFAR5-Fisheries Protection and Law Enforcement Group; the BFAR-Fisheries Resources Management Section, and the Ateneo de Naga University Institute for Environmental Conservation and Research, UPD-CS SciComm said.

Other populations of Irrawaddy dolphins in the Philippines can be found in Malampaya Sound in Palawan and the Iloilo-GuimarasNegros Occidental area.

TARSIER , one of the unique species found in MIRNP MIRNP-PAMO

LANAO del Norte Gov. Imelda Quibranza-Dimaporo (center) and Municipality of Nunungan Mayor Marcos Mamay (second from left) receive certificates of recognition from the AHP Programme Secretariat represented by Dr. Arvin C. Diesmos (right), ACB director of Biodiversity Knowledge Management Department. ACB PHOTO

with

THE dolphin survey team was composed of spotters from IESM; the BFAR5-Fisheries Protection and Law Enforcement Group; the BFAR-Fisheries Resources Management Section; and the Ateneo de Naga University Institute for Environmental Conservation and Research. MMRCL PHOTO

Kobe’s legacy lives on as two new players bear his name

LAS VEGAS—There’s Kobe, wearing the uniform of a team from Los Angeles. There’s Kobe, the last one on the court at practice and getting yelled at because the buses are waiting for him.

How fitting. Just like old times.

T here will never be another Kobe Bryant, of course. And make no mistake—Kobe Brown and Kobe Bufkin would be the first two players at the National Basketball Association (NBA) Summer League to insist that there will never be another Bryant.

They would never pretend otherwise. But for the first time since the Hall of Famer retired in 2016, the NBA is about to have fans watching guys named Kobe again.

B rown is in Summer League with the Los Angeles Clippers. Bufkin is entering his rookie year with the Atlanta Hawks. Both were named for Bryant, who—for now—is the only player named Kobe to make it to the NBA.

I n a couple of months, that seems likely to change.

“ It means a lot,” Brown said.

“There’s definitely a target on my back, I feel like. A lot of guys, when they hear the name Kobe, they think of Kobe Bryant. Obviously, I’m not him, by any means. But I try to keep that edge and play as hard as I can, just like he did.”

It’s impossible to know exactly how many people are named Kobe. It remains relatively unusual.

A ccording to the Social Security Administration, there was a sixyear stretch—1998 through 2003, coinciding with Bryant’s early years in the NBA and first three championship seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers—when the trend of giving babies that name peaked; the most was in 2001, when 1,552 baby boys had Social Security card applications filed for them with that name.

The name still had a small following, maybe a few hundred babies each year, until 2020, the year that Bryant, daughter Gianna and seven others died in a helicopter crash on a foggy Sunday in Southern California.

A nother 1,500 boys were given that name that year, surely many in tributes to Bryant’s life and career; the most popular name that year for newborn boys, according to the government data, was Liam, which was used about 20,000 times. (There were also variations, such as Kobee and Kobey, and a few dozen American newborn girls were given the name as well in 2020.) AP

ROME—Record prize money of nearly $1 million at this week’s tournament in Rome. Recent investment from the company that owns the New York Yankees.

A successful debut at the European Games with matches played before enthusiastic crowds in Krakow’s central square last month.

Padel, the fastest-growing racket sport in the world among amateurs, is also making big strides at the professional level.

“ In Italy—and the world—this sport has no limits,” said Angelo Binaghi, who oversees the sport as president of the Italian tennis and padel federation in a country where it is growing the fastest.

T he nine medals handed out at the European Games in Poland represented the first time the sport was contested at an event organized under the Olympics umbrella. Teams from Spain—the worldwide leader in padel—won gold in men’s and mixed doubles, while Italy won in women’s doubles.

It was a big step for our sport,” International Padel Federation (IPF) president Luigi Carraro said. “We showed that we have all of the necessary characteristics to become an Olympic sport.”

A s the son of Franco Carraro, a former International Olympic Committee (IOC) member and still an honorary member, Luigi Carraro has plenty of insight into how the IOC works.

I think the IOC is analyzing us very closely. They follow all of our big events,” Carraro said in an interview with The Associated Press.

A lready with 71 national federations to bolster its international reputation, the IPF could aim for Olympic inclusion as an add-on sport proposed by a future games’ local organizing committee. The 2032 Olympics in Brisbane is the earliest possibility. But padel might struggle on one key area that the IOC prizes lately: its appeal to youths.

R ecent add-on sports like breaking, skateboarding, surfing and sport climbing appear to check the youth box better than

padel, which has found success in converting tennis players and in a social setting for adults.

The similarity to tennis could also be a drawback.

Played in doubles inside a cage that is smaller than a tennis court, padel is a cross between tennis and squash with players allowed to hit the ball off the glass and metallic mesh walls that surround the court.

L ast year, International Tennis Federation (ITF) president David Haggerty was voted down in his attempt for the ITF to take over the IPF.

A nother issue for padel is that so far only two countries excel at the highest level of the sport: The top 10 players in the World Padel Tour rankings for both men and women are all either Spanish or Argentine.

Padel is very strong in countries like Spain, Argentina and Italy. But not everywhere,” top-ranked Arturo Coello said. “So it still needs development in other countries and that’s why we need the Olympics.”

B ut padel’s growth rate is impressive.

There are currently 25 million people playing padel in 110 countries compared to 16 million two years ago. The entire padel industry is valued at €2 billion (more than $2 billion) and is forecast to surpass 4 billion euros by 2026, according to a recent report from Deloitte.

“ The numbers go beyond what we could have even imagined a few years ago,” Carraro said. “Once you try padel you fall in love with it and you never stop playing.”

Plus, the sport is only now

arriving in the United States and India—the two big markets that the IPF has targeted for its next phase of development.

I n the US, padel will compete with pickleball , another rapidly growing tennis spinoff.

“One discipline doesn’t exclude the other,” Carraro said. “Pickleball can grow, squash and badminton can grow and padel can definitely grow.”

The Italian Tennis Federation added padel to its name last year. And it’s easy to see why.

There are currently 1.2 million padel players in Italy and 3.1 million tennis players. But the number of padel players grew by 30 percent last year compared to 3 percent for tennis. If growth continues at that rate, padel will surpass tennis as the country’s most widely played racket sport

Homeless World Cup scores victories beyond field in US debut

ACRAMENTO, California—

Lisa Wrightsman was a former college soccer player whose life was derailed by drug addiction before she eventually made her way back to the sport through a tournament for players from around the globe who have experienced homelessness.

Wrightsman qualified for the Homeless World Cup in Brazil. It was a competition that would forever change her life. When she returned to Sacramento, friends at the sober living facility where Wrightsman lived told her they wanted “to feel the way you look right now.”

“I actually started to feel value,” she said. “The whole tournament kind of instills you with that.”

Wrightsman is now a coach for the US women’s team in the Homeless World Cup. The tournament made its US debut July 8 in the capital

of California, a state home to the largest homeless population in the country. It ran through Saturday.

The tournament is being held after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, when homeless populations surged in many US cities.

In Sacramento alone, it increased 68 percent between 2020 and 2022.

Th irty countries are competing in the games with teams that include people who have lived on the streets to refugees to foster children. They include Yuli Pineda, who

moved to California from Honduras and was living with a foster family when she joined. Pineda said she’s found a sense of community playing for the US team.

Every single player comes from different backgrounds,” Pineda, 18, said. “It’s amazing that in a short amount of time we have connected that fast.”

O ne of the special parts about soccer is that it is so popular across the globe, said Lawrence Cann, founder of Street Soccer USA, which organizes the US men’s and women’s teams.

“ Imagine if you’re isolated, you feel some level of shame with everything that comes along with being homeless,” Cann said. “This gives you a natural way to connect to the largest community in the world, which is the soccer community.”

Mel Young, who co-founded the organization running the tournament, said the aim is to build players’ confidence to achieve their goals beyond the games. Some of

around the end of the decade.

The padel boom in Italy was helped by the coronavirus pandemic when many sports clubs converted their fields for futsal (the sport known in Italy as “calcetto”) to padel courts when play in bigger team sports was suspended.

“ It makes no difference to padel’s growth whether it gets into the Olympics or not,” Binaghi said.

“The Olympics are overvalued and padel shows that. Look at what a phenomenon it’s become without going to the Olympics. That’s why I’ve told Carraro that he should focus on other issues, not the Olympics. We hardly noticed when tennis wasn’t in the Olympics. It’s irrelevant.”

O ne issue that Carraro is spending a lot of time on lately is how to resolve having two rival tours for pro padel players: the more established World Padel Tour and Premier Padel, which the international federation created together with Paris SaintGermain soccer club president Nasser al-Khelaifi and Qatar Sports Investments last year—backed by Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Qatar’s ruling emir and a big fan of the sport.

Top players compete on both circuits.

There’s also the smaller A1 padel circuit, which recently received investment from Yankee Global Enterprises, the company that runs the baseball team.

For us it’s important that there’s only one tour,” Carraro said. “Whatever tour it is, it’s key that players are able to choose when and where they play.”

B esides other stops, Premier Padel features four “majors” in Qatar, Rome, Paris and Mexico—where the sport was created in 1969.

The Rome tournament is being held at the same Foro Italico venue that hosts the Italian Open tennis tournament and the Paris event is held at Roland Garros.

Total prize money in Rome is €875,000 ($960,000). That’s €525,000 ($575,000) for men and 350,000 euros ($385,000) for women—who are making their Premier Padel debut. AP

the athletes have gone on to play professionally, but that’s not the point, Young said. “ The events are fantastic. I urge anyone to come and watch,” Young said. “But it’s about moving on. It’s about impact. It’s about people changing their lives.”

Young said he has witnessed the transformation. Years ago, Young said he got on a bus in his native Scotland and was surprised to find out the driver was a former player who competed in the tournament. He told Young he got his bus driving license after the games, was living in an apartment and engaged to be married.

Wrightsman grew up in a Sacramento suburb and was a striker for California State University, Sacramento, also known as Sac State. She struggled with drug addiction and ended up in a sober living facility, which made her eligible to qualify for the Homeless World Cup. At the tournament in 2010, she remembered how much she loved playing, and it built her confidence knowing she could share her knowledge with players who were less experienced. AP

KOBE BROWN, selected 30th overall by the Los Angeles Clippers, speaks at a news conference in Los Angeles while Kobe Bufkin, the 15th overall pick, looks at his jersey before speaking to the media at the Atlanta Hawks’ training facility in Atlanta. AP

SPAIN’S Paula Josemaria returns the ball to compatriots Alejandra Alonso De Villa and Andrea Ustero Prieto during their match at the Italy Major Premier Padel tournament in Rome Wednesday as Arturo Coello and Argentina’s Agustin Tapia return the ball during their match in the men’s contest. AP

MEMBERS of Mexico’s women’s team dance together while waiting to take the field against Denmark at the Homeless World Cup Tuesday in Sacramento, California. AP

Y2K fashion has taKen over. and Gen Z is lovinG it

STILL PAINTING THE TOWN RED Color It Red on the secret to their longevity

By Jill Tan Radovan

COLOR It Red (CIR), the OPM band whose longest running hit, “Paglisan,” continues to be the most awaited crowd favorite in every single CIR gig to this day, is about to celebrate its 34th anniversary this September. We’ve seen them perform on numerous occasions in different venues—Club Dredd, the 70’s Bistro, Mayric’s, and other gig joints. There was even a time the band had a regular stint at Tiendesitas and the Minokaua. We’ve seen Color It Red perform in noontime shows, hotel gigs, school fairs, and other events. In different reincarnations and wardrobe changes—from the time the female members were basically just girls donned in dresses and boots to the time Cooky wore little black dresses most of the time.

Sure, there have been lineup changes, but some things stay the same: the bravado and

energy and soul they put into every performance, whether it’s at an intimate gathering or a large venue, and the timelessness of their music. And Cooky? Sultry as ever.

Off the stage, however, the bravado disappears and in its place is genuine congeniality and humility you wouldn’t normally expect from artists as seasoned as Color It Red. The band performed at last month’s One Stop Record Artworks and Collectibles Fair in Greenhills, a gathering that allowed audiophiles to enjoy live music and dig crates upon crates of records fro addd more to their collections. BM Soundstrip was lucky enough to steal a few minutes with CIR for a quick interview.

Color It Red has been around for decades and it seems it’ll be sticking around for longer. The band’s presence in the scene may have fluctuated over the years, but its staying power is dependent on several factors, the simplest—yet arguably the most important—of all, articulated succinctly by founding member and rhythm guitarist Barb Cristi.

“Kasi may music pa kaming nagagawa.” True enough, the band is in the process of cooking up new material for a single, which they intend to release soon on digital platforms.

Vocalist Cooky Chua was quick to add that aside from the music that continues to glue them together, Color It Red is family. “Hindi namin alam kung paano tumigil, eh. Masyado nang connected.”

“Passion namin yung music and nag-enjoy pa rin kami, so tinutuloy pa rin namin,” said bassist and songwriter Bopip Paraguya, at which point Chua asks, “Ows? Music o inuman?” Everyone laughs.

On a serious note, lead guitarist Kwachi Vergara points out how the addition of violinist Jerome Nuñez opens creative avenues for the band to compose new music that may have a slightly different flavor from CIR’s timeless hits. “Nakakaexcite yung possibilities ng bagong sound,” “Ng fresh sound!” interjects Paraguya.

As the newest and presumably youngest member of the band, Jerome still finds it challenging to add another layer of strings to Color It Red’s songs, a bunch of which he started listening to when he was much younger.

Barbi says that despite being together for xx number of years, there’s still a few things they learn about and from each other. They continue to grow as individuals and their relationship is not static; rather, a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs they’ve shared over the years.

“Siguro that’s part of growing together. We grew up together, and now we’re growing…. more mature together,” she added. “Nasa phase na kami ng buhay namin na parang wala ka nang dapat i-waste na single moment. Grateful for everything and yet still excited for new things. I mean, 34 years, di ba? Some marriages don’t even last that long. Malaking-malaking part na yun ng buhay namin. Almost all our lives na yun."

Cooky chimes in, and talks about her relationship with the band. “Sometime sobrang passionate, minsan lukewarm, tapos passionate… Sa akin, natututuhan ko, narere -discover ko, parang marriage, na-e-excite ka uli Natutuhan ko

rin talagang maging more understanding, more accepting. Grabe yung friendship namin, yung pamilya namin.”

Drummer Jayvee Torres takes pleasure in learning from one another as musicians. For example, how he and Bopip feed off each other in a symbiotic relationship to lay the foundation for the rhythm section. Kwachi, on the other hand, was originally mainly a blues guitar player, but found the opportunity to explore a different genre, musical styles, and dynamics by being part of CIR.

“It’s more of understanding the strengths and limitations of each other talaga, to grow as a band, as a family, and as friends.” said Bopip.

Milestones, old and new

IT took five years for Color It Red to score a recording deal and in 1994, “Hand-Painted Sky,” the band’s debut album, was released. It included the hits “Paglisan,” “Na Naman,” and “I Need You Here,” along with the the opening track “It’s Called Love” and title track “Hand-Painted Sky.” The band’s altpop-rock sound appealed to a wide audience, rock enthusiasts and mainstream radio listeners alike. Needless to say, Color It Red’s popularity soared to the heavens with the “Hand-Painted Sky.”

CIR’s sophomore release “Fool’s Circle,” came out in 1997, followed by Pop Fiction, arguably one of the underrated OPM albums released at the turn of the millennium. Pop Fiction, although still acoustic-oriented like the band’s previous alt-rock releases, had an unmistakable jazz flavor to it— with sax solos to boot. Hidden gems in the album that you must listen to, if and when you get the chance, are “Halika,” “Reverie,” “Lullaby” and the heartbreaking “Una’t Huli.” Warning, most of the songs are delicate in nature, and not at all angstfilled and edgy like the music released by other acts at the time.

Cooky counts “Silver,” the band’s 25th anniversary album, as one of their later yet more significant milestones. The band was able to crowdsource enough funds to produce the 10-track album and a music video and produce everything within their creative control and without the support of a major record label.

“Napaka- important sa akin na nabigyan kami ng chance na ma- record yung bagong material , na terms namin, para sa fans namin. In essence, sila malaga yung parang nag- produce ng album.”

Aside from songs written by Bopip. Cooky and Ariel Policarpio, who also played guitar for the band, “Silver” also included songs written by by OPM greats Gary Granada and Gary Perez.

“Napakaganda nung mga kanta dun,” added Barbi. “Kaya frustration namin na hindi siya masyadong narinig ng mga tao.”

But it’s never too late to discover the songs if you haven’t yet. Give ‘Silver” a listen. You can stream the entire album online. “Maggie,” “Kwento ”and “Where Does The Love Go” might just be instant favorites.

Although considered veterans in the OPM rock scene, Color It Red is keeping with the new rhythm, never skipping a beat. As earlier mentioned, the band continuously looks forward to making new music, and new releases for the benefit of their fans, when the timing is right.

COOKY Chua of Color It Red (Photo by Jill Tan Radovan/BM)

YOU OUGHTA KNOW

Top 5 essential Alanis Morissette songs

By Reine Juvierre S. Alberto

EVERYTHING is just fine, fine, fine for singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette since the 1990s.

Since the phenomenal success of her now classic breakout album, Jagged Little Pill which sold millions of copies worldwide, Alanis went on to win the Best Female Rock Vocal Performance and Album of the Year at the 38th Annual Grammy Awards in 1996.

Anchored on the collective strength of her compelling songs from Jagged Little Pill alone—most of which individually made their mark on the pop singles charts for months, the Canadian superstar who started her career as a teen pop singer in the mold of Tiffany and Debbie Gibson, was ultimately dubbed as the “Queen of Alt-Rock Angst.”

Twenty-eight years later, Alanis Morissette’s songs remain more relevant than ever, with an uncanny timeless quality that continues to resonate with today’s generation of music fans. Delivered with a riveting sense of urgency, these songs are also a big reason why Alanis has become a frequent visitor to the Philippines and why her latest Manila stop in celebration of Jagged Little Pill’s 28th anniversary, has been extended for a second night.

While Alanis fans have their own personal favorites, SoundStrip recommends these five particular tracks, all from Jagged Little Pill, of course, as essential in every Alanis playlist.

5. “You Learn”

IN life, we all make decisions: good or bad, wise or not. But at the end of the day, it’s a learning experience to gain valuable lessons. So when Morissette eloquently articulated the experiences we found frustrating and difficult through this silver lining of a song, she also reminded us to look into the bright side of it—we’ll learn.

You live, you learn

You love, you learn

You cry, you learn You lose, you learn

You bleed, you learn

You scream, you learn

4. “Hand in My Pocket”

IN her 20s, Morissette recorded “Hand in My Pocket” baring what her life is like, and she’s just like all of us.

I’m broke, but I’m happy

I’m poor, but I’m kind

I’m short, but I’m healthy, yeah

I’m high, but I’m grounded

I’m sane, but I’m overwhelmed

I’m lost, but I’m hopeful, baby We all come to a point in our lives when we or others ask, “What’s next?” It’s a tough question to answer, but Morissette has a simple reply: no one’s really got it figured out just yet. It’s a laid-back song similar to its theme. It’s casual and chill; an anthem for the people who just go with the flow. She’s got one hand in her pocket, and the other one is hailing a taxi cab.

3. “Mary Jane”

“MARY Jane” is both a song and a hug. It’s easy to get lost in a world so big. Through Morissette’s comforting words and vocals, it feels like coming home and being wrapped in a warm and tight embrace after days of sleeplessness, burnout, not eating enough, and unhappiness.

Morissette said her Spotify series “The Real Story of Jagged Little Pill,” this song was her empathy for the feminine, the vulnerable, and the self-care. When she was on tour, she would often listen to this song and pretend that that “woman” was singing to her, she added.

So take this moment, Mary Jane

And be selfish

Worry not about the cars that go by ‘Cause all that matters, Mary Jane, is your freedom

So, keep warm, my dear, keep dry

2. “You Oughta Know”

A “breakup song” like no other, Morissette reminds her ex-lover it’s not fair to deny her of the cross she bore that he gave to her. As the first verse builds up, she seems happy for them and wishes the best for the both, but tensions rise through the chorus, and Morissette just breaks into full-blown anger. He oughta know how she felt when the love they made wasn’t able to make it enough for him to be open wide.

This song is for someone who seemed very well and peaceful but has to be reminded of the mess he made when he went away.

And every time you speak her name

Does she know how you told me

You’d hold me until you died? ‘Til you died

But you’re still alive

1. “Ironic”

THE song starts with Morissette’s soft and melodic “yeah” and follows with her strong vocals listing down ironies we can all identify with.

A traffic jam when you’re already late

A “no smoking” sign on your cigarette break

A good advice that you just didn’t take

Life is ironic, and Morissette perfectly encapsulates in this song the frustration we feel when we think everything’s okay and everything’s going right, but it’s not. Life has a funny way of sneaking up on us but also has a funny way of helping us out.

Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little

Pill concert in Manila is promoted

by Ovation Productions with TAPGO. TV as the official media partner. Day 2 concert tickets are still available at smtickets.com. Tickets are priced at 14,700 (SVIP), 13, 750 (VIP), 11, 750 (Patron), 9,750 (Lower Box A), 8, 750 (Lower Box B), 5,750 (Upper Box), and 2,750 (Gen Ad).

Y2K Fashion has TaKen over. and Gen Z is LovinG iT

By Haleluya Hadero and Anne D’innocenzio

The Associated Press

If there’s one thing retailers can agree on, it’s that Gen Z is hot for the early 2000’s fashion trends now booming in popularity.

College interns and young workers are donning wide-legged slacks at the office. The claw clip, a retro hair staple, is back; as are mesh tops, miniskirts and a host of colorful apparel that can make consumers look like they stepped out of a Disney Channel show from 2004.

Fueled by social media platforms including TikTok, the so-called Y2K trend resurfaced as consumers began attending parties and going out after pandemic lockdowns. What began with hair accessories like butterfly clips and the comeback of straight-leg jeans has expanded to all-denim garments, cargo and flare pants and everything shiny, among other looks.

Trend diggers

CaseY LeW Is, a New York trend analyst, noted so many micro trends—often tagged with the suffix “core”—cranked up in the past few years that she created a newsletter about them.

Think “Barbiecore” and “mermaidcore,” which highlight the hot pink reminiscent of Mattel Inc.’s Barbie doll or sheer materials with ocean-like hues and sequins. There’s also “coastal granddaughter,” the youthful update that evolved from the “coastal grandmother” trend featuring oversized cardigans and linen sets.

“Gen Z is not even close to being done revisiting these old trends,” said Lewis, whose After School newsletter documents youth consumer behavior. “They are going to dig into every weird trend from way back when and bring it back.”

Retailers from high-end Nordstrom to discounters and fast fashion outlets are pushing the styles in campaigns and on shelves. a nd consumers seem to be eating it up.

sa les of women’s cargo pants jumped 81 percent from January to May, the latest month of available data, according to Circana, which tracks retail purchases.

Low-cost fashion chains H&M and Zara say they’re seeing success with biker jackets, denim garments and crop tops. a nd Chinese fast-fashion retailer shein, which markets to young women, said its baby tee

sales have tripled this year, making them by far the hottest t-shirt style of 2023.

The company also is seeing a big jump in sales of flared pants, corset tops, metalliccolored clothing and women’s track suits, which are often made from bright velour fabric reminiscent of some wardrobe choices by socialite Paris Hilton at the height of her popularity.

Part of the ‘McBling era’ sTYLe watchers classify it as part of the McBling era, which overlaps with Y2K but emphasizes flashier items personified by brands like Juicy Couture and Baby Phat, the iconic streetwear line by TV personality and designer Kimora Lee simmons, which relaunched in 2019.

a s always, trends are fueled by celebrities like model Bella Hadid, whose outfit choices are analyzed by fashion magazines and other on-lookers. st yle also bubbles up directly from consumers via social media, challenging retailers accustomed to runway shows setting the tone.

“There’s not a year advanced notice that these trends are going to trickle down,” said Kristen Classi-Zummo, an analyst who covers fashion apparel for Circana.

Retailers, including Macy’s and Walmart, said they are paying closer attention to what pops up on social sites and analyzing topics searched by users. But it

can be challenging to recognize the difference between trends that just generate attention versus those shoppers will actually buy, said Jake Bjorseth, who runs trndsttrs, an agency helping companies reach young consumers.

Fashionable and sustainable DesPIT e retailers catering to young consumers, many aren’t really buying. Instead, they are wearing items from each others’ closets, helping fuel a resale market that has tripled since 2020, according to research by Boston Consulting Group and Vestiare Collective, a French luxury resale site. a ffordability was the primary driver, but shoppers also bought used items to be more planet-friendly.

Yasmeen Bekhit, a 22-year-old graduate student in Manheim, Pennsylvania, said she frequents a local thrift shop almost every week and shops at resale sites like Depop, which offers Y2K-heavy options such as baguette bags and baggy jeans.

Bekhit typically gravitates toward looser, flowy pants, flare-legged jeans and tighter shirts like mesh tops, which help her stay cooler in the summer while wearing a hijab. s he’s inspired by the way former Disney Channel stars like Gomez and Hilary Duff used to style themselves, she said.

Popular TikTok influencer a l iyah Bah, who amassed more than 2.5 million followers showcasing her Y2K-inspired look known as “a l iyahcore,” also inspires Bekhit. The look is a bit more alternative, often featuring miniskirts or shorts matched with crop tops, fishnet stockings and furry knee-high boots.

“I really love her way of styling outfits,” Bekhit said.

But for everyday, Bekhit said she typically looks up outfit ideas on social media and puts her own twist on them.

Retro hair also is making a splash. Tahlya Loveday, a master stylist at the The Drawing Room New York s a lon, said

a l ison Hilzer, Walmart editorial director for fashion apparel, said she’s also seeing a lot of micro trends. some have more longevity than others, making it challenging to figure out when to jump on them.

The discounter, which is marketing Y2K inspired cargo pants and Barbiecore, has been speeding up development to get trends to market faster, though the company declined to offer more specific details. Walmart also is following key influencers such as a l ix e a rle, who has collaborated with a - listers including s e lena Gomez.

she has seen a lot more ‘90s and Y2K trends, like spiky updos and space buns, bouncy blow-dried looks and block coloring, where sections of hair are colored in contrasting colors. Gen Z clients embrace those looks more than millennials, she said.

“For Gen Z, this is all new to them,” Circana’s Classi-Zummo said. “They’re really not reliving it. so while we might see it as something that’s cyclical and coming back, they’re kind of getting it for the first time.”

NEW YORK— First came the supposed death of skinny jeans. Then, the resurgence of cargo pants, halter tops and baby tees.

Cover photo by OG Productionz/pexels.com

“Gen Z is not even close to being done revisiting these old trends,” said Casey Lewis, whose After School newsletter documents youth consumer behavior. “They are going to dig into every weird trend from way back when and bring it back.”

Yasmeen Bekhit, a 22-year-old graduate student, poses for a photograph in her Y2k-inspired outfit near her home in manheim, Pa., tuesday, June 27, 2023. if there’s one thing retailers will tell you, it’s that Gen Z hasn’t let up on early 2000s trends that are booming in popularity two decades later. AP