BusinessMirror July 23, 2023

France's Naval Group offers to train first batch of future Filipino submarine crews

AIMING FOR THE DOLPHINS BADGE

By Rex Anthony Naval

ANY warship, regardless of its hightech cutting-edge design and ultramodern weapons arming it, is just a floating piece of metal vulnerable to being sunk by its foes without a skilled crew manning it.

In this regard, training the future Filipino submariners on the nuances of submarine operations and warfare is as important as acquiring and building the highly capable and complex vessels touted as the “game-changer and force multiplier” in modern naval conflict.

With this in mind, French defense contractor Naval Group, should its proposal be selected by the Philippines, has expressed its willingness to facilitate the training of the Philippine Navy (PN) personnel who will be picked to man these modern diesel-electric submarines.

The company is the manufacturer of the “Scorpène” dieselelectric submarine, said to be high on the list of preferred submarine platforms of the country. It was evaluated by naval and defense officials in 2019.

Naval Group corporate sales director for the Philippines Loïc Beaurepaire, in a presentation on Thursday, July 13, said they are willing to “train the submarine squadron, to ensure that they have the know-how to plan and manage the missions.”

He added that this includes organizing the sustainment capabilities of the proposed submarine force so that it can “operate autonomously in the long run” immediately.

A nd since the PN is bereft of any experience in operating submarines, Beaurepaire said Naval Group is willing to start the training from scratch with the goal of producing fully trained crewmen capable of operating the Scorpène.

Once this is achieved, Beaurepaire said these personnel could become “trainers for future crews.”

He also proposed that “two

crews and a reserve team” be trained for four years in France using “French standards, both ashore, on simulators, and onboard submarines.”

The exact number of the crew was not defined but Naval Group’s Scorpène diesel-electric submarines are known to have a complement of 31 officers and enlisted naval personnel.

PHL training center

IN support of the proposed training in France, Beaurepaire said that a “Philippine Submarine Force Training Center” would be set up in the country, “to be installed in the Philippines for further training of the first crews and to train the new ones.”

Beaurepaire said the proposed training center will be equipped with “essential tools, including training simulators.”

Training will be conducted by the Filipino instructors trained in France, supported by Naval Group,” he added.

A nd with more than 400 years of expertise, Naval Group—with the help of the French government—declares itself very capable of delivering the extensive support required to create and train a submarine force from scratch.

A lso, the company is a partner to more than 50 navies around the world, bringing its “breadth of experience and unrivalled technical expertise in ships and submarines with combat systems and all critical equipment and services.”

The Scorpène being marketed to the PN is a 2,000-gross-ton diesel-electric submarine designed by Naval Group for all types of missions, such as anti-surface warfare,

anti-submarine warfare, longrange strikes, special operations or intelligence gathering.

It is capable of speeds up to 20 knots and is stealthy. It also has a level of operating automation that allows a limited number of crew, which reduces its operating costs significantly.

It is armed with six tubes capable of firing torpedoes and missiles and can carry 18 weapons on board.

It also has range of 6,500 nautical miles, equivalent to 12,000 kilometers.

The Scorpène units can also be easily adapted to specific requirements of customers.

A nd, the continuous improvement of the Scorpène ensures the seamless integration of the latest technology onboard.

Sub ops in Subic THE Naval Group said it is willing to help the PN develop Subic Bay in Zambales as a modern naval base

capable of handling submarine operations.

“Naval Group will support the PN in designing and retooling the location in Agila Subic to make it a modern naval base. Naval Group will also support the PN in the implementation of its national support system to ensure the country’s full autonomy of use and throughout the maintenance and life cycle of the submarine force,” Beaurepaire said.

The PN earlier announced that Subic Bay will be the location of its submarine base.

Th is includes proposals for docks capable of handling more than two submarines and surface ships needed to support the growth of the force, operation zones for the squadron’s command center, maintenance yards and logistics depots, and the Philippine Submarine Force Training Center that includes classrooms and simulators.

The company will also support

the “training of maintenance specialists” along with the development of partnerships with “local industry to transfer our know-how and technology for maintenance operations.” Naval Group, he added, will also work for the “qualification of a local supply chain.”

Part of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Program is a plan to acquire two to three submarines.

Defense experts earlier said that having submarines in its inventory would allow the AFP to achieve a credible defense posture aside from enhancing the PN’s maritime defense capabilities.

Acquiring submarines is part of the desired force mix of the PN, which consists of frigates, corvettes, offshore patrol vessels, landing docks, fast-attack interdiction craft-missiles or FAIC-Ms, along with multipurpose attack craft (MPACs) and amphibious assault vehicles.

Under this plan, the PN plans

to acquire six anti-air frigates, 12 anti-submarine corvettes, and three submarines along with other naval assets.

Th is force-mix will enable the AFP to achieve a “credible defense posture.”

The acquisition and development of submarine warfare capability is also seen to better equip the Navy to fulfill its primary mandate on territorial defense, security, and stability.

Submarines will enhance the country’s maritime defense capability, allowing the military to effectively carry out anti-access/ area denial, maritime surveillance, maritime interdiction, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

“

The submarine is the most effective ISR [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] platform and the best killing machine in the Navy inventory,” defense experts stressed.

THE Naval Group said it is willing to help the Philippine Navy develop Subic Bay in Zambales as a modern naval base capable of handling submarine operations. NAVAL GROUP

Cracks are emerging in Israel’s military: Reservists threaten not to serve if government plan passes

By Tia Goldenberg The Associated Press

A contentious government plan to overhaul the country’s judiciary has cleaved deep rifts within Israeli society. Those rifts have infiltrated the military, where reservists in key units have pledged not to show up for duty if the legislative changes are pushed through.

The letters, signed by thousands of reservists over the last seven months, have up to now mostly remained threats. But this week, 161 critical air force personnel announced they will stop their service, raising concerns about the military’s readiness in the face of similar refusals at a time of heightened violence and tensions on several fronts.

O n Wednesday, hundreds of reservists from various units

joined a rally in Tel Aviv, declaring they would not report for duty anymore.

WHY ARE RESERVISTS REFUSING TO SHOW UP?

ISRAEL’S military is compulsory for most Jewish men. After their three-year service is complete, many continue reserve duty well into their 40s or beyond.

Reservists make up a critical pool of soldiers who fill an important role in reinforcing the regular army. They cover a range of positions and forces, from air to land to sea to cyber.

A s soon as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government announced the overhaul in January, reservist-led protest groups become central to the grass-

roots movement demonstrating against the overhaul.

The protesters say they do not want to serve a country that they think is moving toward dictatorship if the overhaul moves ahead. They say the government is violating an unwritten social contract where soldiers risk their lives with the understanding that they are defending a democracy.

M any also believe that loos -

ening judicial oversight could expose Israeli forces to war crimes charges at international courts. One of Israel’s defenses against war crimes accusations is that it has an independent legal system capable of investigating any potential wrongdoing.

HOW IS THE MILITARY BEING AFFECTED?

THE refusals have largely remained threats, having no immediate impact on the army’s readiness. But the declaration from the 161 air force personnel “immediately” halting their service has sent a shock through the establishment.

Israel relies on its air force to strike enemy targets in neighboring Syria. It also is an essential element of battles against militants in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, operations that have become more frequent in recent years.

Unmanned aircraft have recently also been used in the West Bank. Israel also has threatened to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon—and a strike on Iran

would almost certainly require warplanes.

A ll of those fronts require Israel to maintain a highly trained roster of pilots who can be called at little notice to stage airstrikes. When a pilot refuses to show up for training for even just a couple of weeks, his readiness is affected. When ground personnel like those who signed this week’s letter, which include target identifiers or coordination experts, refuse to show up, the entire system is shaken.

“I need to maintain competency,” said Maj. S., one of the letter’s signatories, in an interview with Israeli Army Radio, saying that if he doesn’t stay abreast of system updates and operational plans, he can’t do his job. “There is no doubt that this harms the country.” He was not identified in line with military rules.

WHAT IS BEING DONE TO HALT THE REFUSALS?

FEARS about the potential effect of refusals to serve on the military’s readiness pushed the country’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant, to publicly criticize the overhaul in March. That prompted Netanyahu to fire him, setting off a burst of spontaneous protests and a labor strike that forced the Israeli leader to freeze the overhaul and reinstate Gallant.

But this time around, Gallant is silent and political leaders appear to be taking a harder line.

“Refusal to serve endangers the security of every citizen of Israel. The government will not accept refusal to serve,” Netanyahu told his Cabinet this week, promising unspecified action against the protest.

The military’s top brass have been caught in a balancing act over showing empathy to the concerns of their troops, protecting cohesion within the military despite the deepening societal divisions over the overhaul and ensuring the

political dispute doesn’t affect the military’s performance. But in what appears to be a response to growing pressure from political ranks, military leaders have stiffened their tone against those who refuse.

Israel’s military chief, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, visited an air base on Wednesday and met with his air force chief and other top commanders.

He urged for “the cohesion” of active and reserve forces, and called the reservists “an inseparable part” of the military. But, he warned that that “calls for not showing up to reserve service harm the military.”

WHAT’S THE LONG-TERM IMPACT?

IF the government moves ahead with the legislation, more refusals are expected. If these take root, and especially in the air force, the military’s performance will take a hit, said Idit Shafran Gittleman, a senior researcher at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies.

How big of a hit will depend on how widespread the refusals become and how the military responds to them, she added.

For the near term, if pilots don’t show up for training or service, strikes on Syria might be delayed, Shafran Gittleman said.

The military will also need to think hard about whether taking harsh punitive steps against pilots is the right move, considering the time and expense to train others to fill in.

Perhaps most significantly, the ethnic, economic and religious divisions being torn open by the overhaul in civilian life are being carried over in the military, testing cohesions in an institution that often serves as a melting pot as Israel faces multiple external threats.

“It’s setting off a vibe of tensions between crews that are meant to work together,” said Shafran Gittleman. “That’s a catastrophe for the military.”

AIMING FOR THE DOLPHINS BADGE

Continued from A1

A submarine capability will provide deterrence against aggressors, credibility to the PN, international consideration of the Philippines, and recognition of the AFP from other armed forces.

“ Submarines are undetectable and could be anywhere patrolling around the WPS [West Philippine Sea] to act firmly if necessary. Having an operational submarine at sea will be a gamechanger for the PN. Contenders will have to take into consideration the probability of facing a submarine at any time, anywhere, without any warning, hence will affect their entire assessment of the tactical situation and their behavior,” they added.

Once acquired, these submarines will be equipped with a large number of weapons.

A submarine “can infiltrate an enemy task force to hunt aircraft carriers and landing docks, and provide decisive superiority with a single lethal hit,” defense experts pointed out.

These same defense experts also opined that the Philippines could have awarded the winning bidders to the PN submarine acquisition program in 2021 if the Covid-19 pandemic did not break out in March 2020.

The timeline for the submarine contract signing would have been in the second quarter of 2021.

However, the pandemic forced the government to devote much of the funding to the Covid-19 pandemic response, forcing a postponement of the program.

The budget for the PN’s submarine acquisition program is estimat-

ed at P70 billion to P100 billion.

Th is includes two submarines and its integrated logistics support package, along with the initial basing requirements.

Still on the shopping list

EARLIER, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced that the plan to acquire submarines for the PN “is not off the table” during the service’s 126th anniversary on May 26.

There is a plan. But it’s still being developed, dahil ang commitment para mag -operate ng submarine is not a small commitment. It is a very large commitment because of the training that is involved, the equipment that is involved and the operational requirements that are involved are quite significant,” the Chief Executive added.

Marcos stressed that acquiring submarines for the PN is still part of the plan but at the moment, the military is still focusing on its anti-submarine warfare capabilities.

“So, it is still part of our plan. But right now, we are in the middle of developing mostly our antisubmarine capabilities. So, ’yun ang uunahin natin [we will do that first] and then hopefully when the time comes and the conditions are agreeable then we might be able to acquire those submarines,” the President stressed

Marcos said that some countries with submarine offers also come with proposals to build the submersibles here in the Philippines.

Some of the countries that have earlier expressed interest to participate in the PN submarine acquisition program are France,

South Korea, India and Turkey. He added that such a proposal is important as this would boost the country’s defensive capabilities and create additional job opportunities.

If they are built here and we can actually build submarines here and provide those submarines to other countries then that’s another source of jobs, and of income and increased capability for our Navy," the President said.

Earlier, the Department of National Defense (DND) said that acquiring submarines for the PN is not a priority at the moment as it is focusing on the implementation of modernization contracts signed by the previous administration.

These include the contracts for the two missile corvettes to be acquired from South Korea, the Brahmos missile system from India, 32 more S-70i “Black Hawk” combat utility helicopters from Poland, and another six offshore patrol vessels also from South Korea.

The funding for these contracts is already assured by the government.

Although submarines are on our wish list for Horizon 3, the department is prioritizing the implementation of contracts signed during the previous administration, cognizant of the limitations in the resources available to the government,” the DND added.

The DND also stressed that it is recalibrating its proposed projects under the AFP Modernization Program, which is divided into three Horizons.

Horizon 3 is slated from 2023 to 2028, while Horizon 1 started in 2013 to 2018, while Horizon 2 is from 2018 to 2022.

JERUSALEM—Cracks are emerging in Israel’s military. The Middle East’s best equipped and most powerful force is under one of the worst assaults it has encountered—a battle within its own ranks.

ISRAELI military reservists protest in front of the Defense Ministry against plans by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to overhaul the judicial system, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, July 19, 2023. Divisions over the contentious government plan have infiltrated the country’s military, where reservists in key units have pledged not to show up for duty if the legislative changes are approved. AP

Poisoned cough syrup killed kids; authorities cut investigation short

By Zachary Mider, Swati Gupta & Modou Joof

Staff at the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital in the tiny West African nation of Gambia recognized the symptoms at once. They weren’t surprised to learn that Sagnia had given his son a few doses of cough syrup, just as thousands of parents around the world do every day.

A doctor snatched the bottle from Sagnia. “All these children lying here, they all took the same medication,” he said. Sagnia looked around. There were four or five other children in the emergency pediatric ward, too ill to eat or sit up. Most of them, like Lamin, would be dead within a week.

The outbreak last summer would eventually kill more than 60 children in Gambia, most of them even younger than Lamin. Tests arranged by the World Health Organization confirmed the hospital staff’s suspicions: Four varieties of cheap, common, over-the-counter syrups meant to treat coughs, colds and nausea were loaded with toxic industrial solvents that can ravage internal organs. A few teaspoons, ladled into a kid’s mouth to help him sleep through the night, was a death sentence.

The syrups had been made in India by a company called Maiden Pharmaceuticals Ltd. In early October, after the WHO sent an urgent communiqué to India’s national drug agency, inspectors raided the company’s factory on the outskirts of Delhi and determined that it hadn’t been testing its raw materials for contamination as required.

That should have been the first step in a wide-ranging investigation.

Somewhere in the country’s chaotic chemical supply chain, someone had replaced a harmless compound used in making syrups with a cheaper, deadly one. There was no telling how many other drugmakers were using the same counterfeit supplies. In fact, by the time of the raid on the Maiden plant, a factory across town had been unwittingly making drugs laced with the same poison for more than a year. But instead of tracking down the rogue suppliers and rooting out contamination, Indian authorities cut the probe short.

They declared that the syrups

made in India had nothing to do with the deaths of Lamin Sagnia or any of the other children in Gambia. The factory across town would continue making poisonous drugs. And thousands of miles from Gambia, more frantic parents would soon start showing up at a hospital, carrying dying children in their arms.

India calls itself the “pharmacy of the world.” Over the past few decades, its cheap generic exports have undercut Western brands and made inroads in developing countries, ushering in a global era for pharmaceuticals. Today, about one-fifth of the generic drugs consumed in the world come from India. In Africa, it’s half. For Narendra Modi, the country’s nationalist prime minister, the booming $50 billion industry is a source of national pride and an economic muscle to flex on the international stage.

The global market promises better access to healthcare for the world’s poor—along with new risks.

From cough syrup to eyedrops to life-saving medications, quality lapses in one country can now endanger lives elsewhere as never before, even in developed countries.

The WHO, an arm of the United Nations, can advise and cajole, but it cannot force national governments to improve their standards. And local regulators are often ill-prepared or unwilling to deal with problems that cross national borders. Rarely have these risks been on display as starkly as they were last year when Indian authorities responded to the outbreak in Gambia.

Two days after getting word from the WHO linking the deaths in Africa to Maiden, inspectors from India’s national drug agency, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization, made their way through an aging industrial park north of Delhi. In rows of concrete buildings there, workers churn out shoes, grease, car parts and powdered milk. Cows pick through piles of trash on the roadside, and women wash dishes where an open tap pours onto the ground. Arriving at Plot 81, the inspectors passed a rusty blue gate and stepped inside.

Healthcare watchdog groups and some former regulators say India’s

drug regulatory system is set up to promote the industry rather than police it. They say coordination is often lacking between the national drug agency and more than 30 local ones, and that there aren’t enough inspectors for the country’s 3,000 drugmakers and 10,000 factories. Even when quality problems are found, they say, consequences are minimal.

That certainly was the case at Maiden, which repeatedly failed quality tests in the years leading up to the Gambia outbreak. One substandard-drugs case dragged through India’s sclerotic courts for nine years before being dismissed on a technicality. Another took 12 years and resulted in a fine of 1,000 rupees, or about $15 at the time. Maiden specializes in exporting to some of the smallest emerging markets, where prices are low and regulation is light. Despite the quality problems, customers in places like Afghanistan, Iraq and Venezuela kept buying.

Maiden’s founder, Naresh Goyal, worked his way up as a sales rep and a distributor before building a plant of his own, says his son Manish. “He did everything from scratch, by himself.”

Goyal wasn’t above cutting the occasional corner. Once, he tried to sell a pill called Mcalis, bearing an uncanny resemblance to the American-made erectile-dysfunction drug Cialis. It even had the same distinctive swirl engraved on each tablet. Ordering Maiden to stop, a New Delhi judge in 2009 said the

firm had been called a “habitual infringer” of brand names. Goyal and Maiden did not respond to calls, emails and personal visits requesting comment for this story.

By the time the inspectors showed up at Plot 81, Goyal was prospering. He had moved his extended family into a four-story home in one of Delhi’s toniest enclaves, where a shiny chrome sign on a wall outside reads “Goyal’s Mansion.” It was a different picture inside the factory. Inspectors found a paperwork mess. Key records were missing and others were contradictory, according to a regulatory notice seen by Bloomberg News. Among other things, there were wildly conflicting dates for when the Gambia drugs had been formulated.

This paper trail was critical because of the way liquid medication is made. Syrups consist of active ingredients, such as the cough suppressant dextromethorphan, suspended in a watery solution. By themselves, those ingredients would just settle to the bottom of the bottle. So manufacturers add a solvent. Often, that’s propylene glycol, a harmless, clear, slightly sweet liquid derived from petroleum.

That’s where the trouble starts. Two other widely available chemicals, ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol, look and taste like propylene glycol. They have the same solvent properties but are much less expensive. They are also toxic in small doses, especially to children whose low body weight makes them more vulnerable. The medicines sold in

Cough syrup suspected of killing 12 kids in Cameroon had toxic chemical–WHO

By Zachary R. Mider & Yinka Ibukun

THE World Health Organization said that a brand of children’s medicine sold in Cameroon had more than 200 times the acceptable amount of toxic diethylene glycol.

The Naturcold syrup named and pictured in a WHO product alert issued Wednesday had 28.6 percent of the contaminant. The acceptable

limit is no more than 0.1 percent, it said, without mentioning casualties.  This comes after Bloomberg reported on June 19 that Cameroonian officials suspected Naturcold of having caused the death of a dozen children.

The medicine, used to relieve common cold, flu and allergies, was first reported to the WHO in March, the organization said. The Naturcold samples, which were only made available for testing on

June 27, were analyzed in a WHOcontracted laboratory.

While the WHO notice names Fraken International as the drug manufacturer, the picture in the product alert identified the company as the marketer.

A director at Riemann Labs Pvt. Ltd., an Indian drugmaker, told Bloomberg last month that the medicine which appeared in a photo obtained from Cameroonian health officials “looked like” Riemann medicine.

He however stated that Riemann followed strict quality controls and that counterfeiting is common.

Riemann couldn’t immediately be reached Wednesday night in India. A Cameroonian health ministry spokesman didn’t respond to a call and message seeking comment.

This is the fourth outbreak of mass deaths associated with tainted medicine in a year. The others were in Gambia, Indonesia and Uzbekistan. Bloomberg News

Gambia contained both.

Mass deaths from syrup tainted the same way have occurred more than a dozen times in recent decades—in Haiti, Panama, Nigeria, India and elsewhere. But Gambia was the first time imported medicine was involved. In the earlier cases, the adulteration often happened when a chemical trader sold the toxic substances mislabeled as propylene glycol and a careless manufacturer failed to check for contaminants.

After reviewing the records, the inspectors concluded that Maiden had not been conducting these lab tests, the notice shows. They ordered the plant temporarily shut.

The next step, if Indian authori -

ties had followed the playbook used by regulators elsewhere, would have been to trace the bad chemicals to their source. Only then could they chart the full extent of the outbreak and identify any other drugs that might be poisoned. Four days after inspectors visited Maiden, the WHO made a public statement linking the deaths in Africa to Indian drugs. The news was picked up around the world, and TV cameras swarmed the plant. There were calls for reforms of the Indian drug control system. When asked for comment, the health ministry said the drugs hadn’t been authorized to

Continued on A4

EBRIMA SAGNIA was frantic as he carried his son through the doors of a hospital one evening last September. A few days earlier, Lamin had been a rambunctious 3-year-old, chasing a ball around the yard. Now he was listless and unable to speak.

THE Maiden Pharmaceuticals factory, center, in an industrial park north of Delhi. PRASHANTH VISHWANATHAN/BLOOMBERG

The World

Poisoned cough syrup killed kids; authorities cut investigation short

be sold in India, only abroad. And it pointed a finger back at Gambia. “It is a usual practice,” the ministry said, “that the importing country tests these imported products on quality parameters.”

Modi’s government is prickly about foreign criticism, particularly when it comes to the pharmaceutical industry. Officials there know how Western pharma giants sometimes use quality concerns as a pretext to fend off Indian rivals and preserve high prices. That happened most memorably in the early 2000s, when Indian companies sent the first cheap AIDS drugs to Africa, defying Western patents and saving millions of lives.

The Maiden investigation soon took some odd turns. Inspectors had seized drug samples from the plant, but months went by without any word of test results. A high-level committee appointed to look into the matter started second-guessing Gambian officials’ conclusions, demanding reams of medical records on each of the dead children.

The WHO, which tries to coordinate cross-border inquiries about bad drugs, pressed V.G. Somani, the Indian drug controller general, for updates on the source of the chemicals. Rutendo Kuwana, who heads the WHO team that tracks bad medicine around the world, says it’s crucial for regulators to share information rapidly. “If we follow the money, we follow the supply, we’ll be able to say which countries are directly impacted, and we stop it before it gets out of hand,” Kuwana says. But his team waited months for a meaningful response.

Finally, in December, Somani sent a defiant letter to the WHO that found its way to Indian newspapers. India, he wrote, had done its own testing of the Maiden drugs and found them to be free of contamination. Any link between the deaths and India, he said, was a “premature deduction” now disproven.

Somani, who declined to comment for this story, went on to complain of “a narrative being built internationally, targeting the quality of Indian pharmaceutical products.” He wrote that this “has adversely impacted the image of India’s pharmaceutical products across the globe and caused irreparable damage to the supply chain of pharmaceutical products.”

Among health officials outside India, there was little doubt about the cause of the outbreak. The Maiden drugs were shown to be tainted in separate tests by three independent laboratories, and kids stopped dying as soon as the products were taken off the market. It was particularly ironic that the denial was coming from Somani. He had served for three years as chairman of a WHO forum for international cooperation on substandard medicines. Now he was blocking the way.

Somani treated the test results as the final word on Maiden, but his inspectors didn’t test the same bottles the WHO did—those taken from the families of sick children in Gambia. Instead, they seized samples from the Maiden plant that were labeled as being from the same batches. And they delayed their visit for two days, creating a window of opportunity for anyone who wanted to switch the bottles.

In his letter, Somani dropped a clue about the origin of the chemicals used in the Gambia drugs. He said Maiden had gotten its propylene

glycol from a dealer in Delhi and that the material had been manufactured by SKC Co., a leading South Korean chemical maker.

Acting on that clue, the WHO passed the word to the Korean drug ministry, which visited SKC’s plant and conducted an audit looking back two years. The review found nothing amiss, according to Joe Guy Collier, an SKC spokesman, as well as a person outside the company with knowledge of the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity. The ministry declined to comment. It’s chemically impossible for the plant’s “catalyst-free” propylene glycol manufacturing process to generate the contaminants found in Gambia, Collier said in an e-mail.

In all likelihood, Collier said, someone put a fake product in an empty SKC barrel. But with the Indian government claiming there was nothing wrong with the chemicals in the first place, the prospect of tracking down the source of the contamination looked dim.

The idea that someone might slip a deadly poison into the global drug supply seems ghastly. Among people in India’s shambolic chemical marketplace, it’s greeted with a shrug.

“Chemical is one thing which cannot be sold on Amazon or Flipkart, right?” says Pankaj Mehra, a chemicals trader whose family has been in the business since 1951. He’s sitting behind a desk in a dimly lit basement office in North Delhi, explaining to a couple of visitors the convoluted path that propylene glycol takes to a small Indian drugmaker’s door. Every few minutes, Mehra’s mobile phone bleats and glows, and a rapid-fire negotiation ensues, hopscotching between Hindi and English, over how many drums for how many rupees.

Propylene glycol has an astonishing array of uses. You probably ate, inhaled, or touched some today. It gives lipstick its peculiar consistency, makes shampoo foam and strengthens pizza dough. It is used to make the hulls of fishing boats. It keeps cigars moist and paintbrushes wet. Farmers pour it down the throats of sick cows. It is used in vape cartridges, breweries and skating rinks.

Most of the propylene glycol in India comes from China, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. As Mehra explains, chemical makers and importers deal only with large orders, so it falls to a complex chain of middlemen—some licensed to handle pharmaceutical-grade products, some not—to break shipments into progressively smaller quantities. A chemical might pass through several dealers’ hands before reaching a buyer as small as Maiden.

With deadly diethylene glycol selling for about half the price of propylene glycol, Mehra says, the temptation to mislabel or dilute is always present. Adulteration is so commonplace, he says, that empty chemical drums with intact labels fetch a premium over bare ones because counterfeiters can re-use the labels. “Unfortunately, there are some creatures who just want to make money,” Mehra says, “and that too at the cost of somebody’s health.”

An example of how that happens came to light last year in Indonesia, after about 200 children died from swallowing poisoned medicine. The chief of the nation’s drug agency, Penny Lukito, convened a press conference in a muddy yard outside a warehouse stacked with rusty drums. She announced that the building’s owner, a small-time

chemical dealer, had been selling phony propylene glycol. The material went from there to other traders and into syrups made by at least four local drugmakers, even though the labels on the drums misspelled the name of the purported manufacturer as “Dow Chemmical.”

A shortage of propylene glycol may have played a role in the Indonesia case, giving an opening for the unlicensed supplier, Lukito told a local newspaper. But the market disruptions weren’t limited to Indonesia. They swept across the world in 2020 and 2021. In India, propylene glycol prices more than tripled in the first half of 2021, according to Karan Chechi, research director at ChemAnalyst, a global market intelligence firm based near Delhi. Covid-related plant shutdowns crimped Chinese supply, while a winter storm shuttered Texas refineries. “The market was so much in shortage that people were literally dying for it,” Chechi says. “They were ready to procure anything—whoever called it PG, they literally bought it.”

Mehra scoffs at the memory of that price spike, blaming it on greedy chemical makers and their “so-called MBA culture.” He says he can’t point to anyone specifically who dealt in phony products. But in the past few years, he says, word has circulated in the chemical market that something fishy was going on with drums labeled as coming from SKC—the same company whose barrels were thought to be used in the Gambia medicines. “There is a lot of material coming in as SKC which is not authentic at all,” Mehra says. “Say, 100 metric ton is coming in from abroad, and 120 metric ton is being sold. How is it possible?”

Someone, he suspects, is putting fake SKC drums on the street.

Late last year, at the same time India was declaring Maiden blameless in the Gambia poisonings, events unfolding in another part of the world put the episode in a different light. Physicians at a hospital in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, noticed a number of children developing severe kidney problems. The death toll would eventually climb to about 20. Uzbek authorities traced the problem to imported cough syrups made by another Delhi-area manufacturer, Marion Biotech Pvt. Ltd.

The news put Somani, the Indian drug controller general, in an awkward position. It would be difficult to deny responsibility for a second outbreak so soon after the first. This time, his investigators moved aggressively. They raided the Marion factory, confirmed the drugs were loaded with poison and canceled the company’s manufacturing license.

Marion told Bloomberg in January that it complied with drugmaking rules and was cooperating with authorities. It did not respond to subsequent requests for comment.

Scouring the Marion plant, investigators found a container labeled propylene glycol that turned out not to be propylene glycol at all—it consisted mostly of the highly toxic ethylene glycol. They determined that Marion had been making poisoned drugs for at least a year and a half, and that it had been getting most of its supply from a small trader called Maya Chemtech India Pvt. Ltd. Drugmakers aren’t supposed to buy from Maya, which doesn’t have a license to sell pharmaceutical supplies. But Maya’s website has openly solicited their business. One page showed a row of white steel drums labeled as pharmaceutical-grade propylene glycol, each bearing the distinctive butterfly logo of SKC.

In addition to supplying Marion, Maya was also, indirectly, supplying propylene glycol to Maiden, the maker of the Gambia syrups, according to two Indian drug officials who asked not to be identified because they weren’t authorized to discuss the matter. Maya had been selling to Goel Pharma Chem, a nearby Delhi trader that in turn sold to Maiden, these people say. If their account is correct, inspectors probing the Maiden case in early October may have missed a chance to identify Maya’s other customers, a step that could have led them to the tainted drugs in Uzbekistan before they proved deadly.

Goel’s proprietor, Sharad Goel, did not respond to inquiries from Bloomberg and has given conflicting accounts to others. He told Reuters in February that he got the chemicals from an importer in Mumbai he would not name. Months earlier, India’s Tribune newspaper reported that Goel’s firm told investigators the material came from “another Delhi trader.” SKC, the Korean manufacturer, says it never sold directly to any of the companies involved.

Perhaps the crucial clues that would unravel both cases lay in Maya’s warehouse on the ground floor of a two-story concrete building on a dusty side street in North Delhi. Was it possible that all the poison passed through its gates on its way to children’s bellies in Central Asia and Africa? Even if no one at Maya knowingly sold fake chemicals, the firm could be a key link in the chain leading back to the perpetrator.

But no evidence has emerged that Indian officials went any further in their investigation, identified anyone who faked chemicals or tracked down other drugmakers that might have bought from Maya. There was no press conference in a muddy courtyard. In March, the drug agency issued an alert telling pharmaceutical companies not to buy propylene glycol from Maya, s omething they were already not allowed to do.

One of the drug officials who

spoke on condition of anonymity says that the authorities’ hands were tied. Inspectors didn’t find any pharma-grade propylene glycol when they visited the warehouse, so Maya was allowed to remain in business. It is impossible, the official adds, to monitor the supply of chemicals in India.

Maya’s proprietor, Baljeet Verma, works out of an office nearby and operates chemical businesses under a number of different names. He did not reply to calls or e-mails. When reporters showed up in April to try to speak with him, he covered his face with a Covid mask and slipped out without answering questions.

At the Maya warehouse, black soot marks trail up the walls above a padlocked entrance. Neighbors say a fire tore through the place one evening in March, a couple of days after the agency’s alert, and that they didn’t know the cause. A glimpse through a shattered window shows the interior was trashed. White chemical powder lies in heaps where plastic sacks had burned away. The eye-stinging stench of ammonia greets anyone passing by.

After Uzbekistan, the bad news about Indian medicines piled up. Indian-made eyedrops laced with bacteria led to the deaths of four Americans. Officials in Cameroon said a cough syrup bearing the license number of an Indian manufacturer was suspected of killing a dozen children, and poisoned syrup from other Indian companies was found circulating in the Marshall Islands and Liberia, although no deaths were reported there. The WHO said it’s exploring whether pandemic-era gyrations in the propylene glycol market might explain the spate of cases.

In February, India’s health ministry replaced Somani, the drug controller general. His successor pushed through a rule requiring that all cough syrups be tested for contamination at a government lab before export, and he took action against dozens of manufacturers for quality lapses. The moves were calculated to reassure foreign customers that Indian drugs could be trusted.

Public-health watchdogs are skeptical. Depending on how officials interpret “cough syrup,” the new rule may not even cover all risky syrup exports, many of which treat other conditions, says Malini Aisola of the All India Drug Action Network. Nor would the rule help consumers in India, where 13 children died after a similar outbreak in 2020.

“This is just an eyewash to cover up the bad PR,” says Dinesh Thakur, a drug-industry whistleblower and co-author of a book about quality lapses. Instead of doing more testing, he says, the government should overhaul its antiquated drug law, boost enforcement of good manu -

facturing practices and reform the Balkanized system of local licensing.

“Rather than addressing systemic issues with our drug regulation and enforcement, all they do time and time again is to cover up their incompetence.”

Officials continue to insist that Maiden’s drugs were untainted. In February, a judge sentenced Goyal, the Maiden founder, to two and a half years in prison—not for the Gambia poisonings, but for a nineyear-old allegation involving antacid pills that didn’t meet specifications. He was allowed to post bail pending appeal. In a handful of comments to media organizations, Goyal has insisted his company did nothing wrong, at one point blaming the Gambian deaths on French imports or a bacterial infection. As recently as April, he was still trying to get permission to restart his plant.

The health ministry and the drug controller general’s office did not respond to detailed questions from Bloomberg. “We want to assure everyone that we are the ‘quality pharmacy of the world,’” Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya told India’s PTI news agency last month. “India will never do any bargain with the quality of medicines. We follow a zero-tolerance policy.”

Modi’s strident nationalism continues to loom over the scandal. His health minister, Mansukh Mandaviya, has spoken darkly of “an attempt to tarnish India’s image.” In interviews in Delhi, people in the drug trade take Maiden’s blamelessness as a given, although specific theories vary. Bal Kishan Gupta, a regional vice president at the Indian Drug Manufacturers Association, suggests his country has somehow been framed by a foreign power. “Indian people never do such things, but Chinese are capable of doing that,” he says. “Every possibility should be looked into.”

Even after the consensus had hardened in India, Maiden’s drugs weren’t done killing. On New Year’s Day, 4-year-old Isha Darboe died at the Edward Francis Small hospital in Gambia. She’d been dosed from a bottle of anti-nausea syrup that had somehow escaped the recall. Her father, Lamin Darboe, says he had heard about bad medicine circulating in the country, but a woman at the pharmacy had assured him this one was fine.

At his home in a fishing village on the Atlantic coast, Darboe lights a cigarette and scrolls through photos on his phone. There are dozens of Isha—showing off new dresses, posing with her younger brother, sticking her tongue out for the camera. She had been looking forward to starting school this year when she would have turned 5. He tears up when he recalls her final days in the hospital. Too weak to speak, she communicated with her father mostly by pinching him, he says. “She was dying in pain.”

He scrolls to another snapshot: a picture of the box of Maiden drugs that killed his daughter, an “M” logo indicating its maker. The liquid in the 100-milliliter bottle had completed an astonishing odyssey made possible by the pharmacy of the world, crossing seas and oceans to wind up in Isha Darboe’s mouth. National borders meant nothing— until it came time to determine what went wrong. With assistance from

Kendall Taggart, Heejin Kim, Nariman Gizitdinov, Chandra Asmara, Eko Listiyorini and Shruti Mahajan/Bloomberg.

A PHOTOGRAPH of Isha Darboe hangs at the family home in the village of Tanji. ANNIKA HAMMERSCLAG/BLOOMBERG

Twin launch: Skin care from ‘kadios,’ 3D bioprinting lab

Resurreccion

‘LET me introduce to you Skivios, a product of researchers from Iloilo, from Philippine natural resources, for Filipinos. We are filled with immense pride, the pride of being Ilonggos, and we celebrate this achievement and milestone.”

B alik Scientist Doralyn Dalisay, who developed Skivios from “kadios” (pegion pea), made this statement at the product launching on July 13.

A lso unveiled in Iloilo on July 13 was the 3D bioprinting laboratory of Pharma GalenX Innovations Inc. The lab is the first in Western Visayas.

Skivios from ‘kadios’ for skin care

KADIOS is the basic ingredient in the famous Iloilo dish called “KBL,” or “kadios, baboy, langka [pigeon pea, pork and jackfruit].”

It is also popular in the soupy Ilocano “inabraw” dish with fermented fish sauce or “dinengdeng” fried or grilled fish and vegetables.

Today, the nutritious kadios— with high levels of protein and amino acids—is not only used for food.

It is now an ingredient in skin care and beauty products.

With brand name Skivios—short for skin invigorating from kadios— it was launched at a hotel in Iloilo City on July 13.

Skivios facial toner and serum are products of R&D based on partnerships of the scientists, academe, industry, and the government.

Its research was led by Balik

Scientist Dr. Doralyn Dalisay of University based in San Agustin (USA), local pharmaceutical firms Maridan Industries Inc. and Pharma GalenX Innovations Inc., and with funding support from the Department of Science and Technology’s Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD).

Not random

DALISAY clarified that the selection of kadios for the skin care products was not random. It was based on scientific investigation in the laboratory by her thesis students in USA based on her idea and under her direction.

T hey screened 20 beans sourced from different parts of Panay Island for anti-oxidant and antibiotic properties and pytochemical analysis in 2017.

T he beans included green and yellow mongo, kadios, red beans, winged beans, cacao, string beans, and “patane” (lima or pop beans) from Aklan, Antique, Iloilo and Capiz.

O ut of the 20 beans tested, 10 showed anti-oxidant activities similar to asrcorbic acid, she said.

“ But only one type of bean showed antibacterial activity against bacteria-causing skin infections comparable to commercially available antibiotic tetracycline. That bean is kadios,” Dalisay pointed out.

T he scientist collaborated with GalenX to translate the scientific finding into an innovative product with grant from DOST-PCHRD for a

two-year project that started during the peak of the pandemic in 2020.

L aboratory tests were done at USA’s Center for Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, and Center for Natural Drug Discovery and Development, which Dalisay heads along with Balik Scientist Dr. Jonel Saludes. Both are alumni of the university.

G alenX did formulation and preformulation studies, compatibility, toxicity, and in-vitro drug release assay.

We want our product to be validated by science before it is released into the market,” Dalisay said.

I dentified from kadios were six antibiotic compounds that were found to have antibacterial properties against skin infectioncausing bacteria.

“

It was observed that the antibiotics disrupted the cell membrane of the multi-drug resistant Staphilococus aureus,” Dalisay pointed out.

T he antibiotics also did not demonstrate toxicity to the kidney, heart, and liver cells, she noted.

A t the same time, GalenX’s formulations of topical solutions and gels were found to be nonirritating, non-sensitizing, and have no acute systemic toxicity.

It exhibited fast skin absorption, making it an ideal choice for commercialization due to its effectiveness and safety,” Dalisay said.

A p aper on the research was published in an international journal in 2022, which was cited globally. A patent was also applied with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines.

T he Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved product “[showcases] the partnership between academia and industry transforming scientific research into products for the society,” Dalisay said.

Launching of 3D bioprinting laboratory

PHARMA GalenX Innovations Inc., established eight years ago, set another milestone on July 13, when it unveiled its groundbreaking 3D bioprinting laboratory for health services in Jaro, Iloilo City. The bioprinting laboratory, a

first in Western Visayas, has DOST support through a grant under the Business Innovation through S&T for Industry (BIST) Program, a sub-component of the Science for Change Program, which aims to help Filipino-owned companies to acquire technologies for their R&D activities.

GalenX’s research study is titled, “Three Dimensional Bioprinted Human Skin Equivalent for In Vitro Biocompatibility Studies of Topical Formulations.”

The laboratory is equipped with the latest advancements in 3D bioprinting technology, such as 3D bioprinter, ultra low temperature freezer, microplate reader, carbon dioxide incubators, inverted microscope, and compound microscope with fluorescence observation.

The bioprinting laboratory will enable the development of a human skin equivalent using 3D bioprinting technology for studies involving topical formulations.

Saving animals’ lives

PHARMA GalenX’s Zenith Villorente said the company’s vision is to be on a par with world-class pharmaceutical companies with the use local resources and talents.

S he said they want to produce products not only for the country but also for the world market.

We believe that healthy people are happy people; better products mean better health,” she said.

Si nce the company focuses on topical products, the challenge they face in product development is on safety requirements, especially with some tests not available locally and have to outsourced abroad.

A nother concern is that tests are made on animals.

V illorente said GalenX was inspired by the viral Internet campaign “Save Ralph,” to save animals from harm or death due to animal testing.

We realized that part of our product development process contributes to this cruel animal testing,” she said. “Just imagine the number of animals suffering due to these tests.”

B esides, the company spends at least P400,000 per product per test.

This brought GalenX to develop human skin equivalent,

which uses state-of-the art 3D bioprinter...that can be used in invitro biocompatibility assays as an alternative to cruel animal testing,” she said.

V illorente pointed out: “It is the start of the many possibilities that we can do by using this labgrown human skin.”

S he explained that the technology eliminates discrepancies in results caused by species variations, since the lab-grown human skin are made of human cells instead of animal cells.

Pharma GalenX President Jan Vincent Sollesta told the BusinessMirror at the sidelines of the event that the human cells the laboratory uses are “from skin discarded from medical procedures.”

Our bioink will act as a scaffold for three-dimensional structure. Furthermore, it will act as an additional medium for the proliferation of skin cells. It is made from materials that can be found in the extracellular matrix of skin tissue,” he said.

V illorente said the technology would allow to expedite the process and lower costs because tests can be done in-house.

T he technology “has a widerange of application, such as antiaging, skin whitening and wound healing to drug delivery systems to regenerative medicine,” Villorente explained.

GalenX looks forward to improved product development process where no animal is harmed,” she added.

Learning from erythromycin, Cambridge experiences SOLLESTA said Iloilo is not new in contributing to drug discovery.

I losone, the brand name of powerful antibiotic erythromycin, was developed in Iloilo by Dr. Abelardo Aguilar in 1949. However, he was not credited for it.

O ne of the reasons is lack of infrastructure to conduct in-depth follow-up study on initial results, he said.

“ Big US pharma has taken advantage of the opportunity that Iloilo missed,” Sollesta said, adding that Filipinos must have learned from it.

H e noted that Cambridge,

Massachusetts, has the highest concentration of pharmaceutical business in the world. Numerous jobs were created, making it the US state with the highest GDP per capita and has the most innovative per square mile on earth.

W hile Iloilo cannot be compared with Cambridge, “we can learn from what they did,” he said.

L ike Cambridge, universities and hospitals flourish in Iloilo and are close to one another.

O ne of the best initiatives for life science research in Iloilo City, he said, has been the national government’s direction to improve the countryside through the DOST.

“ We can continue to ask the government to support development policies that will promote develop the industry in our area. If Cambridge was able to do it, Filipinos, especially Ilonggos, can do it,” Sollesta said.

M eanwhile, Sollesta told the BusinessMirror that GalenX got its name from Galen, the Greek physician, writer, and philosopher who exercised a dominant influence on medical theory and practice in Europe from the Middle Ages until the mid-17th century. The letter “X” symbolizes generation X.

‘Do your job, I will pray’

U SA President Fr. Frederick C. Comendador, OSA, said for St. Agustine, one of the greatest evils in the world is poverty.

That is why the university is actively engaging in improving the lives of the people and the society. We are one with the vision of [DOST Secretary] Dr. Solidum in translating science and technology [S&T] into commercial products in order to uplift the lives of the Filipino people,” he said.

H e said the university is unique in the sense that “we are not only using our brains through S&T. We have priests who are praying.”

C omendador explained: “I told scientists Dr. Dalisay and Dr. Saludes to do their jobs and I will do mine by praying that you will be successful. We not only rely on human brains and efforts, but also on the providence of God.”

BIST program and R&D

J. Buendia said during the event:

“The BIST program strengthens the R&D capabilities of our local companies and spurs innovation, invention, and progress. R&D outputs drive profits and may be used as a tool in creating socially responsible initiatives, like in this case, creating ways to prevent animal testing.”

R&D is risky, which prevents most private industries from investing in it.

Buendia said: “The BIST Program was designed for the government to share the risk, by shouldering 70 percent of the cost of R&D equipment, with repayment at zero percent interest.”

“To unlock the full potential of R&D, it is crucial for both the government and private sector to collaborate and create an enabling environment,” she added.

Innovation spurs economic growth

SOLIDUM said the twin launching of Skivios and 3D bioprinting affirmed that “R&D drives innovation and innovation spurs economic growth.”

“In business, this would mean that growth is consistently facilitated by R&D through the continuous improvement of new or existing products and processes. R&D will not only fuel your competitive advantage, it would also contribute to longterm business productivity and profitability,” he said.

The R&D success stories of Pharma GalenX and Maridan in the advancements on 3D bioprinting of human skin e quivalent and skin care products from locally sourced kadios are testaments to the influence of research and innovation in advancing science and technology in the field of health services, not just in Region VI, but throughout the country, Solidum pointed out.

“As we witness the birth of the 3D Bioprinting Laboratory and Skivios products, let us remember that the breakthroughs we achieve here are not just scientific achievements; they are a testament to the resilience, the ingenuity, and the unwavering spirit of the Filipino people,” Solidum pointed out.

Story & photos by Lyn

BALIK Scientist Doralyn Dalisay, who developed the Skivios skin care products from “kadios,” during the product launching in Iloilo City on July 13.

SCIENCE Secretary Renato U. Solidum at the launching of Skivios skin care products in Iloilo City on July 13.

USA President Fr. Frederick Comendador, OSA, at the launching of Skivios skin care products.

JAN VINCENT N. SOLLESTA , president of Pharma GalenX Innovations Inc., at the launching of Skivios. GalenX's 3D bioprinting laboratory was inaugurated in Jaro, Iloilo, on July 13.

DOST Undersecretary for R&D Leah Buendia points to the 3D bioprinted skin inside the bottle during the launching of the laboratory on July 13. DOST PHOTO

SOME of the equipment at the 3D bioprinting laboratory of Pharma GalenX. DOST PHOTO

SKIVIOS skin care products from “kadios” (pigeon pea) developed by Balik Scientist Dr. Doralyn Dalisay at laboratories at the University of San Agustin in Iloilo City. The products are manufactured by Maridan Industries Inc. DOST PHOTO

The 3D bioprinted skin inside the bottle. DOST PHOTO

Filipino girl eyed for sainthood

Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit and with the Blessed Virgin Mary,” he said.

At the recent plenary assembly of the episcopal conference in the Diocese of Kalibo, Mayugba presented to the bishops a request to open the sainthood cause of Abad.

The process that lead to sainthood cannot usually start until five years after a person’s death.

year of high school to the College of the Holy Spirit in Quezon City in June 1993.

The tragic day came on August 16 of the same year when she had a heart attack at school. She was rushed to the hospital but passed away.

Niña Ruiz-Abad was just 13 years old when she lost her battle against hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, an incurable heart disease she was diagnosed with at the age of 10.

While her life was short-lived, she left a major impact on people whose lives were touched by her deep faith in God and acts of charity.

She had a strong devotion to the Eucharist and devoted her life to distributing rosaries, Bibles, prayer books, holy images and

other religious items.

She was also known for always wearing a rosary around her neck and white dresses.

Bishop Renato Mayugba of Laoag said that at a very young age, Abad showed behaviors and acts that were unusual for her age.

“During her time, it is unusual that a young girl had already done acts to evangelize others,” said Bishop Renato Mayugba of Laoag.

“Niña [had] a prayerful life full of reverence, worship, and intimate relationship with God,

With the bishops’ approval, it opened the door to the formal investigation of her life and witnessing, which may take years before a possible decision from Rome regarding her potential beatification and canonization.

The initial stages include gathering information about the candidate and interviewing witnesses who knew the person.

Abad was a daughter to a lawyer couple from Sarrat town in Ilocos Norte province. She was born and grew up in Quezon City, along with her only sibling, Mary Anne. Her father died when she was just three years old.

In April 1988, her family transferred to Sarrat, where her mother became the chief hearing officer of the Commission on the Settlement of Land Problems of the Department of Justice.

She graduated from elementary school at the top of her class and then proceeded to have her firstyear of high school at the Mariano Marcos State University Laboratory School.

However, due to a change in her mother’s work assignment, she was transferred during her second

Abad’s remains were brought to her hometown in Ilocos Norte. She was laid to rest at a public cemetery in Sarrat.

The sainthood process normally begins on a local level in the diocese where a candidate died. In the case of Abad, it is the Diocese of Novaliches.

However, Mayugba obtained the approval of Bishop Roberto Gaa for the transfer of the “forum of competence” to the Laoag diocese, which was also approved by the Vatican Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.

The bishop said the young girl could serve as “a good model of piety and fortitude” for the youth today.

“Knowing Niña’s character and traits and her strong faith in God will serve as a guide to the youth in handling their affairs toward a better Christian life,” Mayugba said.

More than three decades after her death, Abad is still remembered by those who were with her and knew her.

“If one asks, ‘Do you know Niña Ruiz Abad?’ The answer would be, ‘That’s the girl who always wore a rosary. The girl who loved to pray. The girl who loves God so much,’” Mayugba said. Roy Lagarde/CBCP News

Filipino priest among 2 new officials of Vatican’s missionary arm

POPE Francis recently appointed a Filipino priest among the two new officials of the Dicastery for Evangelization, the Vatican’s missionary arm.

Msgr. Erwin Jose Balagapo of the Archdiocese of Palo and Korean Msgr. Han Hyun-taek will serve their new roles in the dicastery for a period of five years. Both priests have been working in the dicastery before their promotion.

Their tasks involve leading the office under the Section for the First Evangelization and New Particular Churches, which is overseen by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle as pro-prefect.

Born in Tacloban City, Balagapo was ordained priest in 1996.

As a canon lawyer, the priest has been working at the dicastery since 2015 after completing his further studies in Rome.

As part of the Curia’s reform, the dicastery merges the former

Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization.

Under the leadership of Pope Francis, the dicastery consists of two sections: one that addresses fundamental questions of evangelization in the world, and another dedicated to first evangelization and the establishment of new particular Churches within its jurisdictional territories.

CBCP News

A look at the proposed 3 new PHL dioceses

THE Catholic bishops’ leadership has given its endorsement to the proposed division of the Archdiocese of Cebu and the Diocese of Butuan.

Gathered for their plenary assembly on July 9 in Kalibo, Aklan, the bishops voted in favor of creating at least three new dioceses in the Philippines.

In Cebu, the proposal seeks to create two new suffragan dioceses—Carcar in the south and Danao in the north.

Its archbishop, Jose Palma, said the move was a fruit of the recently concluded celebration of the 500th year of Christianity in the country.

The new dioceses, according to Palma, aim to enhance the pastoral and spiritual care of the faithful while keeping central Cebu as the seat of the archbishop.

Proposed Diocese of Danao

SPANNING a land area of 1,814.58 square kilometer (sq. km.), the proposed Danao diocese encompasses two cities and 19 municipalities, including Bantayan and Camotes islands, with a population density of 679.99 per sq km.

Recent government statistics showed a total Catholic population of 1.9 million in the proposed new diocese.

The north Cebu diocese currently consists of 51 parishes, one quasi-parish, and a chaplaincy. It requires at least 84 priests to serve in the parishes and the curia.

Proposed Diocese of Carcar

THE proposed Carcar diocese, meanwhile, covers three cities and 20 municipalities, spanning a total land area of 2,307.31 sq. km with a population density of 558.77 per sq. km.

With a population of about 1 million, it comprises 56 parishes, a diocesan shrine, and a chaplaincy. At least 84 priests are needed to serve in the parishes and the curia.

The central part of Cebu will serve as the seat of the archbishop and head of the Metropolitan Province of Cebu, encompassing four cities and five municipalities.

After the creation of the two new dioceses, it will comprise a total land area of 1,192.11 sq. km with a population density of 2,188.62 per sq km.

The remaining Catholic population is

2,609,079 individuals distributed across 60 parishes, one quasi-parish, a chaplaincy, a mission area, and a diocesan shrine under the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño. The archdiocese estimates a need of about 200 priests to serve in the parishes, the curia, and other institutions.

Currently, there are 375 diocesan priests and 278 religious, who are serving the archdiocese, “which is sufficient to meet the needs of the ecclesial territory.”

Proposed Diocese of Prosperidad

ON the other hand, the CBCP also voted in favor of the proposal of Bishop Cosme Damian Almedilla to split into two the Butuan diocese, which currently covers the provinces of Agusan del Sur and Agusan de Norte.

Based on the plan, a new Diocese of Prosperidad will cover the entire Agusan del Sur, while the Butuan diocese will mainly comprise Agusan del Norte. Agusan del Sur is considered a “missionary frontier.” Its far-flung communities are scattered all over the landlocked and mountainous parts of the province.

About one-third of the province’s population are Indigenous peoples (IPs).

“Environmental issues, peace and order concerns, and the plight of IPs dominate the social and pastoral landscape,” Almedilla said.

The bishop also said the diocese’s current jurisdiction covers a vast land area with a steadily growing population, presenting “many challenges” for the pastoral care of the local Church.

In some cases, he said parishioners and participants in diocesan gatherings would need to travel for four to five hours from Agusan del Sur to reach the cathedral, bishop’s residence and the diocesan curia in Butuan City.

Once approved by the Vatican, the bishop said the “strategic move” seeks to cultivate the spiritual growth of the faithful and improve administrative efficiency within the respective dioceses.

Currently, the Catholic Church in the Philippines comprises 86 ecclesiastical jurisdictions (archdioceses, dioceses, vicariates and prelatures), including the Military Ordinariate of the Philippines. Roy Lagarde/CBCP News

Rastafarians still grappling with their God’s death

THE week of July 23, thousands of Rastafarians, known for their dreadlocks and for treating cannabis as a sacrament, will gather in Jamaica to celebrate the birth of Haile Selassie I, emperor of Ethiopia.

Estimated to number between 700,000 and 1,000,000 globally, Rastafarian communities are located on almost every continent today. Their beliefs are spread through migration, reggae music, as well as print, visual and digital media.

The first Rastafarian communities emerged around 1931 in eastern Jamaica. The first two generations of Rastafarians were predominantly from African-descended people who belonged to working-class communities.

Many Christians believe that Jesus Christ was both human and divine, and will return to the Earth to reign over a righteous kingdom of his chosen people.

Similarly, Rastafarians are of the view that Emperor Selassie is God, or Jah, who manifested in human form, and that they are God’s chosen people.

They borrow generously from the King James Bible, braiding their theology around Black and African identity and culture.

Since the mid-1970s, however, Rastafarian views on the emperor’s divinity have varied, in part because Emperor Selassie had died but also because of an influx of new adherents of varied class, racial and national backgrounds.

Being a Rastafarian, and having researched and studied the faith community, I’ve seen how growing diversity among them has also brought varied views on the former emperor’s divinity.

God as monarch

THE Rastafari believe that the prophecy of the New Testament of the Bible was fulfilled when the Ethiopian nobleman King Ras Tafari Makonnen, born in the Ethiopian province of Harar in 1892, was crowned the 225th emperor of Ethiopia on November 2, 1930.

Rastafarians believe that the king traces his lineage to the Old Testament’s King David of the Tribe of Judah, and to David’s son, King Solomon.

The “Kebra Negast,” a 14thcentury Ethiopian literary epic, tells the story of how the Queen of Sheba visited Solomon, and together they had a son, Menelik I, during ancient times. Menelik I was Ethiopia’s first emperor.

King Ras Tafari assumed the name Emperor Haile Selassie I, or Might of the Holy Trinity, along with commanding titles, such as the King of Kings and the Conquering Lion of Judah.

Rastafarians view the king’s coronation in 1930, his titles, and his lineage as fulfilling a prophecy in the Book of Revelation.

According to Chapter 5, a book of “seven seals” reveals events of the apocalypse many Christians believe will begin once Christ returns—but only the “Root of David,” the “Conquering Lion,” can open it, each revealing events between Christ’s crucifixion and return.

The Rastafari, named for their god—King Ras Tafari—grew from a tiny community to number in the tens of thousands in Jamaica by the 1990s, as I explain in my 2022 book “Rastafari: The Evolution of a People and Their Identity.”

Travails of worshiping a Black god MANY Jamaicans, especially the elites, ridiculed the Rastafari for anointing an African monarch as a deity. They sought at every turn to prove the Rastafari ludicrous.

From the 1930s into the 1970s, the Rastafari were scorned by their fellow Jamaicans, subjected to discrimination and violence. Many Rastafari were imprisoned, beaten, and many men forcibly shaven for their beliefs.

Things started to change in 1966 when Emperor Selassie visited Jamaica and hundreds of Rastafari swarmed the Norman Manley Airport in Kingston to greet the emperor.

He caused a greater stir by inviting the Rastafari to join him during official state ceremonies.

The emperor’s visit conferred respect on the Rastafari, attracting new converts, such as Rita Marley, a reggae music singer and wife of reggae superstar Bob Marley.

The Rastafari became paragons of Black identity, culture, and history.

In 1975, press announcements that Emperor Selassie was dead sparked an existential crisis for

the Rastafari. In a coup led by the Ethiopian politician and soldier Mengistu Haile Mariam, the emperor was imprisoned and allegedly murdered.

Some critics asserted that the Rastafari finally had been proved foolish and that their God was dead.

Bob Marley rebuffed the critics in his acclaimed song, “Jah Live” (meaning God lives).

What happens if God dies?

THE Rastafari responded to the announcement in several ways. Some denied Emperor Selassie was dead, insisting that God cannot die, and no body was found to confirm the death.

Years later, bones said to be those of Emperor Selassie were recovered from a pit beneath Menelik Palace in Ethiopia, but never confirmed to be the emperor’s.

Others said only time would reveal the meaning of the emperor’s disappearance, since God’s ways are beyond the ken of mortals.

Another view was that the emperor’s disappearance signaled the beginning of a new era on

Earth, much like Christ rising from death.

In the new dispensation, the followers believed, the Rastafari must act as the emperor’s anointed and must continue the traditions, knowledge, and communities they have birthed.

Some others believed that the emperor was worthy of veneration but not as God. This had a lot to do with the increasing diversity of the Rastafarians in Jamaica and internationally.

In Jamaica, middle-class Rastafarians known as the Twelve Tribes of Israel are more likely to subscribe to this view, as are many Africans who identify as Rastafarians.

However, the doctrine of the Emperor as God remains predominant.

There are also those who continue to wonder why so many Rastafari reject the idea that the emperor is dead. As I argue in my book, claiming that the emperor still lives, without conclusive evidence, requires faith—just as it does for Christians—who believe that Jesus Christ is immortal.

ANORTHERN Philippine diocese is embarking on a tedious process to make a teenage girl one of the youngest saints in history.

FILE photo of Niña Ruiz-Abad. DIOCESE OF LAOAG

MSGR . Erwin Balagapo. ARCHDIOCESE OF PALO

Editor: Lyn Resurreccion

‘Save the Irrawaddy dolphins, their habitats’

By Jonathan L. Mayuga

RECENT news reports said that while the existence of Irrawaddy dolphins was discovered in San Miguel Bay in the Bicol Region, researchers said only a few of the critically-endangered species are left, expressing their risk of disappearing from the area.

A team of University of the Philippines Diliman-College of Science Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology, led by Professor Dr. Lemnuel Aragones, also the head of Marine Mammal Research and Conservation Laboratory, led the dolphin survey in the area from July 6 to 9.

The researchers sighted two Irrawaddy dolphins in the waters of Mercedes in Camarines Norte.

To protect and conserve the dolphins, Aragones urged the creation of an action plan on the protection and conservation of the critically-endangered dolphins, and to harmonize local ordinances with existing national laws regarding protected species.

More studies needed; habitat destruction AA Yaptinchay, executive director of the Marine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines and project leader at Save Our Seas Foundation, said that more studies should be conducted to determine the trend of decline of a given population.

“One qualitative survey will not provide this information,” he said. It should be done through regular surveys over several years.

Nevertheless, Yaptinchay said that like some marine wildlife, Irrawaddy dolphins are indeed endangered species.

Some of the threats to their populations are the degradation of their coastal habitats caused by pollution, reclamation or infrastructure development, fish populations decline, coastal development and boat traffic, as bycatch in coastal fishing, such as the use of gill nets.

The Irrawaddy dolphins’ habitat preference is shallow, sheltered, coastal habitats that are close to shore, usually near river inputs, such as deltas, estuaries and mangrove channels with

typically muddy bottoms, Yaptinchay told the BusinessMirror through Messenger on July 14 that.

“They feed on fish, crustaceans and cephalopods,” he said. As such, he said, the destruction of these areas would naturally affect the Irrawaddy dolphins’ population.

He cited the population of the species in the Visayas, which is threatened by the building of the PanayGuimaras-Negros Island Bridge that will destroy its habitat.

For her part, Atty. Rose-Liza Eisma-Osorio|, acting vice president of Oceana, said one of the existing threats to the Irrawaddy dolphin population is stranding, leading to a high mortality rate above the 1 percent to 2 percent threshold.

The death of one dolphin each year indicates that the population decline is unsustainable, Osorio said via email on July 18.

“Other threats are net entanglement leading to incidental mortality in small-scale fisheries, especially gill nets [bycatch], fixed filter bagnets, fish pens and fish corrals,” she said.

Osorio agreed that one of the biggest threats to the Irrawaddy dolphin population is the planned PanayGuimaras-Negros Bridge, where the Irrawaddy dolphin subpopulation in the Iloilo-Guimaras area is already small and declining.

“The proposed bridge is seen to increase noise pollution, heavier boat traffic, increased sedimentation and will change the water flow that will affect prey dynamics,” she explained.

Populations of Irrawaddy dolphins in the Philippines can also be

Solons urge public, private collab to build sustainable communities

By Roderick L. Abad Contributor

TO ensure that communities in the country are not only livable but sustainable today and in the years to come, Sen. Francis Tolentino called for an amendment to the Local Government Code that would pave the way for the creation of an Office of Sustainable Development (OSD) for every municipality or city nationwide.

Since sustainability has always been a buzzword, the lawmaker said that an OSD is highly needed.

It will have a sustainability officer for every local government unit (LGU) in the country who will be tasked to plan and implement solutions or programs in order to meet and secure the needs of present and future generations.

”Meeting sustainability standards would require a concerted effort from all stakeholders. And to institutionalize this, perhaps, would mean that we are all committed not just today, but in the days ahead,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the Nation Builders and Mosliv Awards (NBMA) 2023 held recently at a hotel in Manila. Knowing that it will take time for legislative bodies to act on this matter, he rallied immediate support from the smallest government authority in the country, the barangay, to promote sustainable development for the betterment of local communities.

“We will have the barangay elections a few months from now. May sustainable

found in Malampaya Sound in Palawan and in Iloilo-Guimaras-Negros Occidental area.

Habitat protection

YAPTINCHAY said since Irrawaddy dolphins are limited in preferred habitats, the main focus should be the protection of these areas by declaring them as marine protected areas or critical habitats.

To which Osorio agreed. “This can also trigger the development of a management plan for the protection of Irrawaddy dolphins,” she said.

“This would ensure that activities and development in these areas are controlled and regulated,” he said.

However, Yaptinchay said that even in protected areas, if there is no proper recovery program for the species and strict implementation of conservation measures, population decline will continue.

“This has been observed on the Irrawaddy dolphins population in the Malampaya Sound Protected Landscape and Seascape in Palawan,” he said.

Other measures that can help protect the species include declaring zones as closed areas, fishing gear regulations for gears that may catch dolphins as bycatch, declaring “no boat/slow boat zones,” reducing pollution and strict law enforcement.

According to Yaptinchay, the dolphin species may exist in other areas in the country.

“If the habitats fit that description, yes. There could be more areas in the Philippines, aside from the confirmed habitats of Malampaya Sound, Palawan; Guimaras Strait; Quezon province, Palawan; and San Miguel Bay,

As a public servant, he said he commits himself to the pursuit of affordable and clean energy for all as contained in SDG 7.

Camarines Sur…but probably they were extirpated in other sites,” he said.

Like other species, Irrawaddy dolphins play a significant role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem.

“The Irrawaddy dolphins, which are considered as top predators in their estuarine ecosystem, is highly productive in terms of fisheries, which they help keep robust,” Yaptinchay said.

For her part, Osorio said the dolphins are important in fishery regulation—by feeding on various species, they control the population of fish.

Irrawaddy dolphins have added attraction—by providing eco-tourism a boost.

Dolphin shows, illegal wildlife trade

SHARING his experience in monitoring the illegal wildlife trade of large marine mammals and other marine wildlife, Yaptinchay said “victims” of illegal activities are usually those traded internationally for dolphin shows, which exploit animals that were caught from the wild.

“The Philippines was even identified as a transshipment point for dolphins from the Pacific for export to China. Somehow, the trader found a way to get ‘legal’ papers despite not providing a proper stock assessment of the wild population. It is a highly unsustainable trade,” he said.

Oceana advocates for the protection of CITES-listed species as prohibited and/or regulated under the Amended Fisheries Code. Irrawaddy dolphins are listed under the CITES. Dolphin stranding explained EXPLAINING the phenomenon of

whales, sharks, or dolphin beaching or stranding, Yaptinchay said it happens when they are found near shore or ashore, alive or dead, caused by various factors, such as disease, injury and old age.

Stranding also occurs due to errors in swimming and navigation, or accompanying sick and dying members of a pod, owing to their tight bonds.

But Yaptinchay said it is usually difficult to determine the cause unless proper assessments are made.

“Stranding is a common occurrence in the Philippines,” he noted.

Osorio, meanwhile, said stranding may also be due to disorientation because of changes in the environment, hunting, and predation.

Human activities like vessel strikes, entanglement in nets and pollution may also cause stranding.

Irrawaddy dolphins in Asean

ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity Executive Director Theresa Mundita S. Lim said that besides the Philippines, the Irrawaddy dolphins are also found in other countries in the Asean region.

“Irrawaddy dolphins have been reported in the coastal waters of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam,” she told the BusinessMirror via Messenger on July 18.

She said Irrawaddy dolphins are considered migratory, as they are known to move across political and geographic boundaries.

Thus, to protect them, she said concerted efforts among the Asean member states are required.

“For instance, there is a need for

cooperation between Thailand and Cambodia for populations whose habitat range is within the Gulf of Thailand, while for Irrawaddy dolphins that cross the Sarawak-West Kalimantan and Sabah-East Kalimantan borders, joint efforts by Malaysia and Indonesia in protecting these species are imperative,” Lim said.

Outside Asean, there is a known movement of Irrawaddy dolphins from India and Bangladesh to Myanmar. For this reason, the Convention on Migratory Species in February 2020 adopted a “Concerted Action for the Irrawaddy Dolphin” among countries where the species are found, Lim said.

In the Philippines, it is not confirmed whether the dolphin populations move across deep-sea areas, as they are known to live and stay nearer shore, in brackish areas, and can even adapt to freshwater areas, such as those in the Mekong River.

“This means that the subpopulations found in the Philippines may be confined only within the marine waters surrounding the islands where they have been sighted,” she said. According ot Lim, threats to coastal and wetland areas that they inhabit also put this species at risk.

“During my time as the head of the DENR-BMB [Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Biodiversity Management Bureau], the only areas where they were reported were in Palawan and Guimaras, so it is welcome news that there is another Irrawaddy dolphin subpopulation found in Camarines Norte,” she said.

“This should warrant further studies on where else in the Philippines they could be found, how healthy their populations/subpopulations are, how they are related to other subpopulations, and what the main threats to these species are in their locality,” Lim explained.

By doing this, “we can gain a deeper understanding of their genetics, distribution and ecology, which will enable us to chart a sciencebased plan to save the remaining Irrawaddy dolphin populations and their habitat, while also safeguarding our health and socioeconomic well-being,” she said.

‘Shell Lube Recycle’ program promoting plastic waste reduction

development be part of the discussion or debate in every barangay [during the campaign period]. I am sure all of us will work, cooperate and devote our synergy to guarantee our success in a shared vision for this country,” Tolentino said.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian echoed the call for sustainable communities. He reiterated that this is not merely a passing trend,” but an “urgent necessity.”

“Our world is changing and so must we. Climate change threatens our ecosystems and extreme weather events ravage our communities,” he said.

He was referring to Supertyphoon Yolanda (international code name Haiyan) that destroyed nearly 1.5 million homes and killed more than 6,000 people, and Supertyphoon Odette (international code name Rai) that impacted 11 million people and resulted in over 400 deaths.

Gachalian encouraged the private sector to adopt sustainable practices to reduce operational costs, increase efficiency and unlock new markets for green” products and services.

“Sustainability is not just an ethical responsibility. It is not just about saving the planet. It is also an economic opportunity. So you must understand that sustainability is not a cost but an investment in the resilience and longevity of your companies,” he noted.

Gatchalian emphasized that the Philippines must acknowledge its commitments to the international community like upholding the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

For the current 19th Congress, the legislator has refiled Senate Bill 157, the proposed Energy Transition Act, for the creation of an Energy Transition Plan that will enable the country to veer away from fossil fuels and move towards clean energy sources.

Previously, he championed the Republic Act 11697, or the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act, which not only reduces the country’s dependence on imported fuel for transportation, but also ensures energy security and independence.

To help fulfill SDG 4 that seeks to provide inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for every Filipino, the incumbent chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education has pushed for crucial education reforms, such as Excellence in the Teacher Education Act, the Alternative Learning System Act, and the landmark Free Higher Education Act, which has already benefited more than 6 million youths.

Both senators were feted with the “Public Servants of the Year–Excellence in Government” award at the NBMA 2023, together with leaders from both the public and private sectors, youth groups, philanthropists and sustainability organizations who have pitched in to nation-building through their programs, advocacies and prospects.

“The [NBMA] celebrates the people and groups who accomplish great things in the name of sustainability. And as we recognize what they have done. This is also a reminder that we are all stewards of the planet and it is our responsibility to ensure that we leave it in better condition that we found it,” said NBMA President and Chief Executive Officer Kenneth Rocete.

IN an effort to reduce plastic waste and promote circular solutions, Shell Lubricants launched “Shell Lube Recycle,” a collaborative sustainability project that enables customers and partners to participate in responsible plastic waste management and recycling.

The project will initially roll out with Green Antz as one of the many partners in the pipeline and will be piloted in Mega Manila. As part of the project, customers are encouraged to drop off their used lubricant bottles and pails as well as other plastics into designated bins located in strategic collection sites with partner auto workshops and car dealers—such as Autocasa and Car Doctor in Quezon City; Foton Motor Philippines Inc. in Pampanga (Clark), Valenzuela City, Laguna (Sta. Rosa), Pasig City, and Cavite (Bacoor); and Chery Auto Philippines in Pasig City and Cavite (Bacoor).

Shell Lubricants Philippines is actively seeking to forge more partnerships as the project continues to expand.

The plastic waste collected will be recycled into other useful materials, such as eco-bricks, which are sturdy and durable bricks made from compressed plastic waste. They can be used for both residential and commercial construction, like the commercial building of the Shell Mobility station in Plaridel, Bulacan, that was launched last 2021.

During the memorandum of agreement signing ceremony held recently in Taguig City, Jackie Famorca, vice president of Shell Lubricants Philippines, highlighted the initiative’s alignment with Shell’s

commitment to promoting waste management.

“We recognize the need for a fundamental shift in our approach to waste production and management, which inspired our Shell Lube Recycle program that we are launching with Green Antz as the first of the many partnerships in store for this initiative. Let’s help create a more sustainable future for the next generations to come by converting plastic waste into something more meaningful and useful,” Famorca said.

Moreover, the initiative was in support of government policies that promote the increase of recycling rates, including measures focused on the collection and sortation of waste as well as the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Act.

Mansi Tripathy, vice president of Shell Lubricants Asia-Pacific, shared the company’s aspiration to deliver highperformance products, with lower carbon footprint through waste reduction and more circular solutions. Tripathy said the company is committed

to increasing the amount of recycled content in its products’ packaging to 30 percent and ensuring that all packaging is reusable or recyclable by design by 2030.

In line with these goals, Shell Lubricants Philippines entered a partnership with Green Antz, a social enterprise dedicated to reducing plastic waste and promoting sustainability in the Philippines. Since its inception in 2013, the company has actively engaged in plastic waste collection, upcycling, and the advocacy of sustainable practices within local communities.

“Green Antz has maintained a longstanding partnership with Shell Pilipinas Corp. [SPC], sharing a common vision for sustainability,” said Engr. Rommel Benig, founder and CEO of Green Antz Builders.

“We are more excited than ever to embark on this significant undertaking, strengthening our ties with SPC through its Shell Lubricants Business. We look forward to taking another step towards furthering our shared goals in the sustainability realm in the country,” Benig added.

RARE photos of the critically-endangered Irrawaddy dolphins taken in the Iloilo-Guimaras Strait. PHOTO COURTESY OF OCEANA, TAKEN BY KAILA LEDESMA-TREBOL

SHELL Lubricants unveils the “Shell Lube Recycle” bins. Shown (from left) are Jensen Garcia, Business Development manager for Shell Lubricants Philippines; Mansi Tripathy, vice president of Shell Lubricants Asia-Pacific; Jackie Famorca, vice president of Shell Lubricants Philippines; and Engr. Rommel Benig, founder and CEO of Green Antz Builders.

By Ralph Russo

The Associated Press

NORTHWESTERN

University is facing multiple lawsuits after allegations that  the football program had a hazing problem  for years, including “forced participation, nudity and sexualized acts of a degrading nature.”

The scandal at the Big Ten school, which led to the firing of longtime coach Pat Fitzgerald, centers on a problem that extends far beyond sports, even if it is sports that often gets the headlines.

S tudies have found that 48 percent high school students report being subjected to some form of hazing.

A n Alfred University study from 1999 also found that 79 percent of NCAA athletes reported being hazed in high school and their recruiting trips were not always about a positive experience: “One in five was subjected to unacceptable and potentially illegal hazing. They were kidnapped, beaten or tied up and abandoned. They were also forced to commit crimes—destroying property, making prank phone calls or harassing others,” the study found. E xperts say more, updated research is also needed.

WHY HAZING?

EXPERTS say hazing is about an individual or group exerting power and control over others.

If you understand hazing as a form of an abuse of power, then you can see how in those environments or group situations where people are jockeying for power or trying to enforce some kind of hierarchies, hazing is an easy way to kind of make clear who’s got the power,” said Elizabeth Allan, a professor at the University of Main who has studied hazing.

SEXUAL ABUSE

ACTS of hazing are frequently sexualized or can be classified as sexual assault. Allan said in a hypermasculine situation that sexualized

HAZING: RITUALISTIC TRADITIONAL

Soul Cap approved for biggest meets, but impact expected at grassroots level

INDIANAPOLIS—The Soul Cap has gotten the green light from swimming’s top governing body, which figures to be a huge step toward bringing more diversity to a largely white sport.

You’ll have to look beyond the Olympics and world championships to spot its biggest impact.

T he oversized, silicone cap, which is designed especially for Black swimmers with voluminous natural hair, already is making the pool deck feel more welcoming at the grassroots level.

T he hope is that will lead to more swimmers of color reaching the sport’s highest echelons in the generations to come.

can get,” Jones said. “That can make all the difference in a race that’s decided by thousandths of a second.”

At the lower levels, though, the Soul Cap can be a powerful conduit to reaching more swimmers of color. The large caps, the Soul Caps, are already making a massive difference in grassroots and recreational swimming,” Jones said. “It’s also making a difference for age-group swimmers. They get to dabble and experiment with serious training in a competitive environment. But the more serious a swimmer gets, you’ll probably see them resort back to the more traditional swim cap that exists now.”

HEAVYWEIGHT boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk will play for a top-tier Ukrainian team for one season after impressing in training. AP

Boxer Usyk bringing act to football pitch

ZHYTOMYR, Ukraine— Ukrainian soccer club Polissya Zhytomyr’s latest signing packs a real punch.

Polissya says unbeaten heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk will play for the top-tier team for one season after impressing in training.

The 36-year-old Usyk’s “attitude to training is a great example for the Polissya team,” club president Gennadiy Butkevich said Thursday on the club web site, adding that it was the boxer’s love of soccer that made their collaboration possible.

His childhood goal, to play senior football, will come true,” Butkevich said, though it is not clear how much the Ukrainian fighter will play.

Polissya initially announced the agreement on Wednesday, when it said Usyk will wear the No. 17.

Usyk, a formidable boxer with a 20-0 record (13 knockouts), holds the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing organization and International Boxing Federation belts after beating Anthony Joshua in 2021 and then defending them against the British fighter in their rematch in Saudi Arabia in August last year.

Usyk is set to defend the belts against Daniel Dubois on August 26 at Tarczynski Arena in Wroclaw, Poland. British fighter Dubois is the WBA mandatory challenger.

Usyk had hoped to fight Tyson Fury but negotiations broke down AP

acts are often the most powerful ways for an individual or group to dominate others.

Susan Lipkins, a psychologist and researcher who studies hazing, said of sexualized hazing that it is “the quickest way to humiliate someone and to make them powerless.”

L ipkins said that while more research would be beneficial, she believes hazing incidents are becoming more frequent, severe and sexualized.

IT

IS CYCLICAL

HAZING newcomers to a team or group can became so ritualistic and traditional that it seems normal to those in the group.

Some of the former Northwestern players who spoke out this week talked about the hazing they were subjected to early in their careers, and thinking that maybe this was just part of playing big-time college football.

“[T]he culture was so strong that we felt we had to go with it,” former player Lloyd Yates said. “There was a code of silence that felt insurmountable to break.”

The abusive culture was especially devastating for many players of color,” Yates added. Many of them were the first in their family

PIONEER Insurance announced that it will double the coverage of national athletes who won medals at tha Cambodia 32nd Southeast Asian Games until January 2024.

The announcement was made during a victory party for the medalists and Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) officials at the Pioneer Insurance Makati City headquarters early this week.

Twenty-five represented the more than 400 Filipino medalists— including those in team sports—in the celebration graced by PSC

Commissioners Walter Torres, Olivia “Bong” Coo and Fritz Gaston and Pioneer Insurance Group Head

to attend college and football was their “ticket to a better life.”

“ They had so much at stake and no voice or power to stop the abuse,” he said.

Those who have been hazed often want to carry on the tradition and do the hazing when they are in a position of power. As Allan put it: “This happened to me, therefore, that’s what we’re supposed to do and we’re not thinking beyond it.”

Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea said he doesn’t directly address hazing, but tries to create an environment where players trust coaches enough to come to them if they are having issues with the behavior of teammates.

There’s no brotherhood that I know that starts with a level of abuse in the locker room,” Lea said.

WHAT

IS HAZING?

EVEN in professional sports there is a tradition of putting the rookies in their place. A younger player might carry the equipment of an older player or be forced to pick up a big tab at dinner. Baseball has a tradition of rookies being forced to wear silly costumes on road trips late in the season.

A lone, these acts seem harmless because usually no one gets hurt and rarely is physical or psychological

intimidation involved. Experts warn they still set a bad precedent.

“ They send a message and create a dynamic where there are these expectations that some people have to do the grunt work, so to speak,” Allan said.

CAN HAZING BE PREVENTED?

COUNTLESS attempts have been made to stop hazing, from specific rules in schools and prep athletics to laws in 44 states that carry different forms of punishment. The NCAA provides specific guidance to stop hazing, though it leaves antihazing rules and punishments to its member schools and the federal Clery Act does not require colleges to report hazing incidents.

Former college football coach Gerry DiNardo, who led Vanderbilt, LSU and Indiana from the mid1990s to early 2000s, said he actively discouraged hazing. DiNardo said he went so far as to make a team rule against joining fraternities that hazed their pledges.

E xperts say that would be the most effective approach. Don’t avoid specific discussins about hazing. We need to have visible messaging around expectations for behavior, and that includes what we do not tolerate,” Allan said.

Insurance company doubles coverage for SEAG medalists

Lorenzo Chan and Group President and CEO Atty. Betty Medialdea.

Pioneer Insurance has been actively supporting sports since the historic “Thrilla in Manila” between Muhamad Ali and Joe Frazier in 1975.

C han said that Pioneer Insurance has been a staunch sports supporter of athletes—win or lose—and further encouraged the national athletes to appreciate both situations.

Without defeat, one cannot fully appreciate winning,” he said. Medialdea said that being in the company of true champions that day reminded f them what an indomitable spirit and determination can achieve.

She vowed to explore future collaborations between PSC and Pioneer Insurance, aiming to develop more projects that will benefit the country’s national athletes.

Coo delivered a short speech on behalf of PSC Chairman Richard Bachmann. She expressed excitement over Pioneer Insurance especially on “financial education to our athletes and explore possibilities of wider coverage for our champions.”

The incentive is on top of the monetary incentives medalists receive under the Expanded Incentives Act or Republic Act 10699.

Seren Jones, co-founder of the British-based Black Swimming Association, is seeing signs of progress in her role as an instructor.

I teach water safety to nonswimmers and beginners,” she said in a phone interview. “It’s absolutely incredible to see so many, really the majority of women across London, using the Soul Cap. I’m talking about women from the 20s to their 70s. It’s phenomenal. They feel empowered to learn and be safe in the water without worrying about their hair, which previously was a major issue.”

The Soul Cap initially was banned from competition by FINA, now known as World Aquatics, leading to harsh criticism during the Tokyo Olympics from supporters of more inclusive policies.

Most notably, open water competitor Alice Dearing—the first Black female swimmer to make the British team—thought FINA was out of touch for barring the Soul Cap on the grounds that it didn’t follow “the natural form of the head.”

Dearing had wanted to try the larger cap to cover her Afro.

R eversing course last September, the governing body added the Soul Cap to the list of approved equipment, with executive director Brent Nowicki saying “diversity and inclusivity is at the heart of FINA’s work.”

A shley Oakey, head of brand for Soul Cap, said the company’s product has filled a huge void in the sport by “appealing to individuals with thick, curly, or voluminous hair.”

Traditional swimming caps often do not accommodate these hair types, hindering participation,” she said in an email Wednesday. “By providing a product specifically designed for such hair types, Soul Cap reduces this barrier, allowing more people to engage with the sport comfortably and competitively. This can help gradually diversify the swimmers’ demographic at all levels, from beginners to professionals.”

The world championships in Fukuoka, Japan, are the first major international meet since that ruling, but smaller caps that fit more snugly to the head remain the norm at the highest echelons of the sport. Top swimmers are focused on doing whatever they can to reduce drag, which leads to faster times.

We have high hopes for the future,” Oakley said. “We anticipate that with growing recognition and acceptance, our caps will soon be a common sight at these prestigious events, thus promoting greater inclusivity in the sport of swimming.”

For now, Jones concedes, worldclass athletes are not the Soul Cap’s target group.

We all know that in swimming you want to be as streamlined as you

F lorida coach Anthony Nesty, who works with some of the biggest names in US swimming, wasn’t even aware the Soul Cap had been approved for the world championships.

Yet, as the first Black man to win an Olympic swimming gold medal when he competed for Suriname at the 1988 Seoul Games, Nesty is eager to see a more diverse group of athletes on deck.

“Anything that can help the sport have more athletes of color is one less thing to worry about,” he said. “That will always be a plus.”

Cullen Jones, the groundbreaking Black American swimmer whose four Olympic medals include a pair of golds, is a big fan of the Soul Cap.

One of the beautiful things about the Soul Cap model is the inclusivity for people with longer hair,” he said. “Men, women, people with longer hair can enjoy the water. I know that for a lot of the companies, many of the caps are made for hydrodynamics. The Soul Cap is more about being inclusive.”

Jones is still puzzled by FINA’s initial resistance to letting swimmers use the cap in competition.

“ It’s not giving you any kind of edge,” he said. “But it’s giving people who might not have thought to do swimming the ability to feel comfortable around the water.”

Th at aligns with one of his passions: teaching more Black people how to swim. Coming from a family where many of his relatives have long hair, Jones said it’s important to have a cap “that makes them feel comfortable and not having to worry about hair, which is a big cultural thing—especially in the Black community, myself included.”

For Jones, this issue is especially poignant. He was diagnosed with alopecia near the end of his swimming career, causing him to lose all his hair.

“ I had to go to a therapist to deal with a certain lack of identity because I didn’t have my hair,” he said. “I understand very much how important it is. So that barrier to entry is lifted with something like a cap that fits comfortably around your head.”

B ob Bowman, the Arizona State coach best known for his partnership with 23-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps, does not know of any elite swimmers using the Soul Cap.

Even so, he believes it can a huge impact on the sport. He compared the Soul Cap to jammer swimsuits, which extend to just above the knee and made it far more appealing for young males to hit the pool a generation ago.

“ I think that encouraged a lot of boys to swim since they didn’t have to wear a small Speedo,” Bowman said.

“It’s the same kind of thing as that. It will encourage some people who might not have swum to try it.”

Seren Jones said the Soul Cap’s full impact will take years to realize. AP

THE US’s Simone Manuel swims in a women’s 50-meter freestyle heat at the 2020 Summer Olympics on July 30, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. AP

WHY is hazing such a widespread problem? Abuse is prevalent despite efforts to stop it. AP

COMMISSIONERS Walter Torres, Olivia “Bong” Coo and Fritz Gaston pose with Pioneer Insurance Group Head Lorenzo Chan and Group President and CEO Atty. Betty Medialdea and medalist national athletes at the Cambodia Southeast Asian Games.

‘BarBie’ movie: Bold step or clever ploy?

PUSHING BOUNDARIES

Agaw

Agimat ignites

By Joel Jabelosa

I n true Agaw Agimat tradition, the riveting new song, along with its accompanying music video, is part of the band’s upcoming fifth album. Eagerly awaited by fans and music enthusiasts alike, “Mamamatay Ka Sa Inggit” is touted to be another unforgettable audio and visual experience that is expected to leave a lasting impact.

F ounded by drummer Renmin Nadela in December 26, 1993, Agaw Agimat with its revolutionary brand of alternative Pinoy rock, was one of the most active bands in the 90’s, having toured almost all the key cities in the Philippines.

introspection with new single

founder and drummer, Renmin Nadela with the help of a talented crew from Bulacan, the music video represents the band’s artistic vision and compelling storytelling. Through the music video, Agaw Agimat aims to provide a visually stunning depiction of the song’s theme while amplifying its impact and providing a multi-sensory experience.

The Single

AGAW Agimat’s “Mamamatay Ka Sa Inggit” embodies the band’s distinct musical style that combines elements of punk rock and sprinkled with pop sensibilities. The song explores the universal theme of envy and how it can negatively affect individuals and society as a whole. With raw and powerful lyrics, the song aims to inspire listeners to rise above envy and foster a culture of support and camaraderie.

“ Mamamatay Ka Sa Inggit” is also a showcase of the band’s prowess in crafting melodies that resonate deeply with audiences. Agaw Agimat’s signature blend of strong guitar riffs, energetic drumming, and passionate vocals sum up a captivating musical experience.

The new single promises to be an anthemic,

Expectations and Anticipation

AS Agaw Agimat gears up for the launch of “Mamamatay Ka Sa Inggit,” the band intends to further push boundaries with their music, which the band has consistently used as a platform to address relevant social issues while maintaining a distinct sound that resonates with listeners of all ages. The upcoming single and music video are expected to showcase Agaw Agimat’s evolution as musicians even as they remained true to their roots. No surprise then that fans eagerly await the band to again showcase their signature energy and passion in live performances promoting the new music.

Conclusion

AGAW Agimat’s single launch and music video release for “Mamamatay Ka Sa Inggit” marks a significant moment in the band’s illustrious career as they celebrate their 30th anniversary with the upcoming release of a new album. The band’s solid and loyal fanbase is the result of their unique blend of musical genres and socially-conscious lyrics. Their latest offering only further solidifies their position as one of the country’s most influential rock bands.

Wi th their upcoming album, Agaw Agimat continues to take their craft to the next level, as they remain committed to using their music to raise awareness and spark meaningful conversations. “Mamamatay Ka Sa Inggit” serves as a reminder to embrace unity, empathy, and support in a world often plagued by envy and negativity.

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AGAW Agimat, a band known for its unique sound and thought-provoking lyrics, is all set to thrill fans anew with the launch of a new and highly-anticipated single, “Mamamatay Ka Sa Inggit.”

SoundSampler

by Tony M. Maghirang

NEW SINGLES FOCUS LOIR,

Dan Martel, Noah Alejandre, Sandiwa

and more

DAN MARTEL - “Lumulutang”

In his debut release, singer/songwriter Dan Martel showcases the enticing essence of soul vocals, the calming serenity of lo-fi, and the modern allure of contemporary R&B. It’s an open invitation to embark on an ethereal voyage through a psychedelic wonderland.

“Lumulutang” effortlessly takes listeners to a place where time stands still and the everyday slips away with its seductive melodies and otherworldly atmospherics. You’ll find yourself completely submerged in a musical sanctuary that defies reality but soothes the senses.

MANILA BOMBSQUAD  - “Amigo”

Arguably the first EDM band in the Philippines, Manila Bombsquad unleashes “Amigo,” an anthemic rocker with powerful rock and dubstep influences. The original instrumental produced by John Sedano and Katsy Lee flaunts inspiration from the likes of Pendulum, Knife Party, & Justice with sharp accents of lazers, explosions, and a postapocalyptic vocal sample of GRETA.

The new collaboration is geared towards a fresh outlook on the convergence of rock and dance music featuring live guitars from Alwyn with Marx on drums, following  pseudo-punk vocal lines coming full circle with a uniquely Bombsquad rap hook by MC Chunk. It’s expected to elevate any music festival experience unlike any other.

NOAH ALEJANDRE - “Ginanun Lang”

Rising independent artist Noah Alejandre has crafted a poignant song in “Ginanun Lang” on the aftermath of a sudden departure by a loved one, leaving the person left behind grappling with the question, “Paano na ako?” The heartfelt composition masterfully combines the elegance of a waltz with the raw energy of rock, creating a unique musical framework while the lyrics paint a vivid picture of the emotional turmoil and confusion experienced after being left behind without warning. The infusion of rock elements adds an edgy intensity, symbolizing the person’s frustration and anger as he navigates through the aftershock of a sudden loss.

SANDIWA - “Dahan-Dahan”

This 2023, pop-rock band Sandiwa unveils a new song called “DahanDahan” as a grand opening salvo to a fresh lease in their recording adventure. “Dahan-Dahan” is a contemporary mainstream soundtrack to rekindling a relationship before it’s too late. You can hear the pleading tones of the lyrics where the troubled lovers just want to take things slow and find their way back to the way it used to be. It’s Sandiwa’s way of saying that relationships always go through cycles of highs and lows, but sometimes as the relationship deteriorates, the lows just never rise up again to the point that you need to take it slow to make better sense of the situation.

COOL CAT ASH - “Let You Go”

About her latest single, OPM artist Cool Cat Ash says it is about letting go. In a statement, she elaborates, “Let You Go” is a song I wrote that revolves around the concept of right person, wrong time. It talks about the dilemma of deciding whether you should hold onto your hopes of ending up with the one that got away or just let go of them and move on.”

“The new track will be part of a compilation of songs I fully wrote and produced about the crazy journey of understanding and seeking love platonically and romantically,” she said. “My previous singles were leaning towards the genres of novelty and rock and this time, I delved into the world of pop music,” she added. Cool Cat Ash released her first album at the age of five.

LOIR - Chapters EP

After dropping ethereal tunes that capture the struggles of youth in the most genuinely honest way, Filipino recording artist LOIR now opens up old wounds to deliver an unsparing narration of her teenage life in her debut EP, Chapters The 7-track EP exhibits a knack for confessional songwriting and tender, spacey production, reflecting an emotional maturity beyond her years. The release of LOIR’s new EP is accompanied by the focus track “Takas,” featuring hip-hop icon Gloc-9. Buoyed by dramatic strings and intricately powerful arrangements, the otherworldly track is LOIR’s way of finding escape in a world troubled by uncertainty and not knowing what lies ahead. “From the beat to the melody, pure devastation is felt at every part, desperately clinging to the hope that might change the heart,” she describes the new song.

‘Barbie’ movie: A bold step to fix past wrongs or a clever ploy to tap a new market?

class is tough!”, or the compulsory heterosexuality that Barbie has long advanced.

The latest step in Barbie’s transformation

From a Malibu Barbie dreamhouse listed on AirBnB, an AI tool that transforms selfies into Barbie movie posters and multiple Barbie-themed brand collaborations ranging from nail polish to roller skates, Barbie is everywhere. She has even gone viral as a fashion trend known as Barbiecore, exploding across social media with people embracing vibrant pink hues and hyper feminine aesthetics. A Barbie world is upon us.

Although some have criticized this saturation strategy, it is a very deliberate marketing ploy to revitalize and redefine a brand with a contested position and history. As well as attracting adults who grew up with Barbie and are curious to see what’s changed, the reinvention is drawing in those younger fans swept up by the tsunami of marketing and merchandise.

Despite being one of the most trusted brands with a value of approximately $US700 million, Barbie has long attracted feminist criticism for fueling outdated and problematic “plastic fantastic” sexist stereotypes and expectations.

The Barbie backlash

Only a few years back, Barbie was a brand in crisis. Sales plummeted across 2011 to 2015 against the cultural backdrop of a rise in body positivity and backlash against a doll that represented narrow ideals and an impossible beauty standard.

After all, at life-size Barbie represents a body shape held by less than 1 in 100,000 real people. In fact, she is so anatomically impossible that, if she were real, she would be unable to lift her head, store a full liver or intestines, or menstruate.

The backlash has also been in response to growing concerns about how she influ-

ences child development, particularly how and what children learn about gender. Barbie has been identified as a risk factor for thin-ideal internalization and body dissatisfaction for young girls, encouraging motivation for a thinner shape that damages body image and self-esteem.

And despite the multiple careers Barbie has held over the decades, research highlights that girls who play with Barbie believe they have fewer career options than boys. This speaks to the power of toys to reinforce gender stereotypes, roles and expectations, and how Barbie has imported narrow ideals of femininity, girlhood and womanhood into young girls’ lives.

Reinventing a long-established icon

In response to this backlash, Mattel launched a new range of Barbies in 2016 that were promoted as diverse, representing different body shapes, sizes, hair types and skin tones. This was not without criticism, with “curvy” Barbie still considered thin and dolls named in ways that drew at-

tention foremost to their bodies.

From a white, well-dressed, middleclass, girl-next-door with friends of a similar ilk, Barbie has since been marketed as a symbol of diversity and inclusion. To signify the extent of the transformation, Mattel’s executives gave this project the code name “Project Dawn.”

Mattel—like many other brands joining the “inclusivity revolution”—knew that diversity sells, and they needed to make their brand relevant for contemporary consumers. Diversity initiatives included a line of female role model dolls, promoted as “introducing girls to remarkable women’s stories to show them you can be anything.”

Barbie was also given a voice in the form of Barbie Vlogs, where she expressed her views on issues including depression and the sorry reflex. A gender neutral collection called “creatable world” was added in 2019 to open up gender expression possibilities when playing with Barbies.

Such efforts were crucial to undoing missteps of the past, such as a “Teen Talk Barbie” that was programmed to say “Math

Bar Bie the film is simply the next step in an evolution to make brand Barbie inclusive. And with a rumored film budget of $100 million, the supporting marketing machine provides a critical opportunity to reset the Barbie narrative.

With Greta Gerwig, acclaimed director of female-led stories such as Little Women and Lady Bird at the helm, and a diverse cast of Barbies of different races, body types, gender identities and sexual preferences, the film and its creators have sought to assure audiences of the film’s feminist leanings.

Addressing the complicated history of Barbie is crucial for audiences who grew up and played with the doll and are grappling with introducing her to the next generation of doll consumers.

yet, Robbie Brenner, executive producer of Mattel Films, has explicitly stated that Gerwig’s Barbie is “not a feminist movie.” Indeed, the main character still represents a narrow beauty standard—tall, thin, blonde, white—with diverse characters in place to support her narrative.

Which begs the question: are these inclusion initiatives simply emblematic of diversity washing, where the language and symbolism of social justice are hijacked for corporate profit? Or do they represent a genuine effort to redress the chequered history of a brand that promotes poor body image, unrealistic ideals and rampant materialism?

What is clear is that in today’s climate where brands are increasingly rewarded for taking a stand on sociopolitical issues, brand Barbie’s attempts to reposition as inclusive have paid off: sales are now booming.

Seemingly, Barbie’s famous tagline that “anything is possible” has shown itself to be true. The Conversation

The marketing tricks that have kept Barbie’s brand alive for over 60 years

RejecTeD by the toy industry at first, Barbie is now one of America’s most trusted brands. “She”—the 11.5 inch blonde doll, but also her brand persona— generated worldwide sales of around US$1.5 billion (£1.3 billion) in 2022, and has a brand value of US$590 million.

Barbie debuted on March 9, 1959 at the new york International Toy Fair as Barbie Teenage Fashion Model. Sixty-four years later, the doll continues to be the subject of cultural, sociological and psychological interest. By creating an iconic brand with special meaning for fans of all ages (Barbie is marketed to children aged three and older), toy company Mattel has successfully extended the lifecycle of the Barbie brand

for well over half a century.

Research shows there are many ways to build and sustain brand characters, but Mattel has used a “multiply” strategy for Barbie. This has involved introducing other characters that play supporting roles in Barbie’s “world.”

Over the years, these supporting acts were introduced to portray Barbie’s relationship with friends and family. First there was Ken (1961), Barbie’s boyfriend, then her younger sister Skipper (1964), followed by friends including Midge (1963) and christie (1968), the first black Barbie character.

The storylines and individual characteristics of these additional characters

connect to Barbie’s persona and increase brand visibility. Mattel has also used storytelling tactics such as announcing that Barbie and Ken had officially broken up on Valentine’s Day in 2004 (they got back together in 2011). Such stories resonate with fans’ emotions, sustaining interest in the brand.

These tactics typically work for a while, but how has Mattel sustained true brand longevity for this long? There are many strategies designed to revitalize mature brands. Mattel successfully extended Barbie’s brand to capture new audiences, drive growth and expand into new types of products beyond dolls.

Alongside ongoing efforts to appeal to

young girls, Mattel also deliberately targets older consumers. Specific objects— not just toys but clothes, food such as sweets, or even items like vinyl records— can give a physical form to a set of attitudes, relationships and circumstances for people. This evokes a powerful sense of the past.

This kind of nostalgia generates trust and positive attitudes towards a brand, influencing consumer preferences when it comes to choosing between toys. The longevity and iconic status of the Barbie doll is a tribute to Mattel’s astute marketing and reinvention efforts. These have helped the brand remain relevant even now, 64 years after it was launched.

After a monthslong marketing blitz, the muchhyped Barbie movie is now in theaters.

Cover photo by Jaap Buitendijk

Released by Warner Bros. Pictures, Barbie, starring Margot Robbie, hit Philippine cinemas on July 19, two days earlier than its Us release date. Photo from facebook.com/barbie themovie