‘RICE-ING’ UP FOR FOOD SECURITY
SEEDWORKS Philippines personnel pose in front of their headquarters in Bay, Laguna.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said the in creased budget will go to providing more fertilizer support for farm ers, push for the use of more mod ern machines or automated devices in farming, plus funding for more agriculture R&D efforts and on post-harvest facilities.
of the DA to fully support rice suf ficiency, we believe that the areas planted with hybrid rice is expect ed to increase to help boost rice productivity,” he said.
But the 64-million-dollar question remains: Is hybrid rice considered or near-GMO type?
Saplala said they would also continue to invest on qualified and trained personnel to conduct field demonstrations and show the po tential of hybrid rice, and assist or train farmers who are eager to adopt the technology. “We will also make efforts to ensure that our farmers earn a respectable income from their produce by linking them to our partner-traders who are willing to buy quality paddy rice, especially SeedWorks hybrid rice, at a higher than prevailing price.”
The Observatory of Economic Complexity or OEC (https://oec. world ), an online data visualization and distribution platform that is focused on the geography and dy namics of economic activities, said that the country imported $1.21 billion worth of rice in 2020, which pushed the Philippines to become the fourth largest rice importer in the world. Primary sources of rice imports were countries like Viet nam, Burma, China, Thailand and India, according to the OEC.
Finally, he said, they have a variety called “Quadro Alas” (NSIC Rc260H), an early maturing hy brid that can also give high yield to farmers, with good eating quality and milling recovery, and can be grown in different agro-climatic conditions of the country.
Saplala said no since hybrid rice is bred through conventional breed ing methods.Hesaid SeedWorks will re main an active partner of the gov ernment in its effort to improve rice production and attain self-suf ficiency, and will continue to invest significantly on R&D related to breeding and product development to provide varieties with superior, high-yielding qualities that are adaptable to local conditions.
By Rory Visco
CARLOS SAPLALA, president of SeedWorks Philippines: “Compared to traditional or ‘inbred’ rice varieties, hybrids are usually superior in terms of yield, resistance to diseases, excellent grain quality, among others.”
planting, which fits with the DA’s thrust towards mechanization.
The increased budget was seen to help increase the productivity of Filipino farmers in line with the new administration’s eight-point socioeconomic agenda, which in cluded food security.
Getting high on hybrid rice
How the hybrid variety can boost PHL rice sufficiency goal
PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 57.0730 n JAPAN 0.3978 n UK 65.4570 n HK 7.2720 n CHINA 8.1566 n SINGAPORE 40.5319 n AUSTRALIA 38.2218 n EU 57.0673 n KOREA 0.0408 n SAUDI ARABIA 15.1931 Source: BSP (September 16, 2022) DREAMSTIME.COMKHOROSHUNOVAOLGA A broader look at today’s business EJAP JOURNALISM AWARDS BUSINESS NEWS SOURCE OF THE YEAR (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 2018 BANTOG MEDIA AWARDS ROTARY CLUB OF MANILA JOURNALISM AWARDS 2006 National Newspaper of the Year 2011 National Newspaper of the Year 2013 Business Newspaper of the Year 2017 Business Newspaper of the Year 2019 Business Newspaper of the Year 2021 Pro Patria Award PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY 2018 Data Champion
The promise of hybrid SAPLALA was quick to offer Seed Works Philippines’ hybrid rice va rieties, such as the TH82 (NSIC Rc350H), which, he said, is a good sample of hybrid rice that can help boost rice productivity for farmers. He said it is easy to grow and does not require special practices, can give higher yield with relatively lower ni trogen fertilizer and can be grown using various farming practices like direct seeding, transplanting, dry seeding and upland rice farming.
Plus, Saplala said they employ what he calls a “dry-direct” seed ing method, a type of rice plant ing where rice reeds are sown on a well-prepared dry rice field, which is different to the usual practice of transplanting. This, he said, is done to fully maximize use of available rice fields, particularly those that lack irrigation and relies only on rainfall. “In contrast to wet direct seeding, dry direct seeding uses seeds that are not pre-germinated when sown to the dry field.”
rieties available in the market are developed either by private or public institutions. The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), he said, also develops hybrid rice varieties, but the hybrid rice varieties from SeedWorks have been developed by the company’s own breeders.
At present, he said, 117 hybrid rice varieties are registered with the National Seed Industry Coun cil (NSIC), the government agency responsible for the registration of cropThvarieties.eideaof embracing the con cept of using hybrid rice, according to Saplala, was a no-no in the Phil ippines about 20 years ago. How ever, through the years, the recep tion of hybrid rice as a rice variety has gained good momentum and awareness among rice farmers. “But the biggest stumbling block to its full momentum is the pur chasing capacity of ordinary rice farmers to buy hybrid rice seeds. However, with the current thrust
To a country that used to be a rice exporter, importing rice at this stage is seen by others as a slap in the face. What happened?
Big budget boost
JUST recently, the National Rice Program of the Department of Agriculture (DA) got a big boost through an increased budget of P30.5 billion for 2023, close to double from its P15.8-billion fi nancial allotment this year.
RICE. Just how important is it to Filipinos? Despite the availability of bread and noodles as food options, rice remains to be the favorite staple on every dining table in the Philippines in whatever time of day—breakfast, lunch, dinner, even during snack time. Rich or poor, Filipinos eat rice. www.businessmirror.com.ph n Sunday, September 18, 2022 Vol. 17 No. 345 P25.00 nationwide | 2 sections 12 pages | 7 DAYS A WEEK
On the other hand, their US88 (NSIC Rc236H) is a high-yielding variety with premium grain qual ity. Saplala said US88 gives very high yield not only for transplant ed and direct-seeded culture but also when using mechanical trans
The country is dubbed the world’s sixth-largest consumer of rice on a per capita basis, according to the US Department of Agricul ture. And why not? To many Filipi nos, rice is a priority food, with or without ulam, an accompanying dish that’s either meat or vegetables.
BEING hybrid, in basic biology, means the offspring of two plants or animals of different species or varieties. According to Carlos Sap lala, president of SeedWorks Phil ippines, hybrid rice is the product of crossbreeding between two dif ferent parent varieties with supe rior characteristics.Theoffspringis called “F1,” or first filial generation, that was bred to get the desirable characteristics of the parents. “Compared to tradi tional or ‘inbred’ rice varieties, hy brids are usually superior in terms of yield, resistance to diseases, excel lent grain quality, among others.” Today, Saplala said hybrid va
C hina’s ambitious space pro gram, meanwhile, is a generation behind that of the United States. But its secretive, military-linked program is developing fast and creating distinctive missions that could put Beijing on the leading edge of space flight.
A lready, China has that rover on Mars, joining US ones already there. China carved out a first with its land ing on the far side of the moon.
There’s no shortage of such warnings as the Artemis program moves toward lift-off. “Beijing is working to match or exceed US capa bilities in space to gain the military, economic, and prestige benefits that Washington has accrued from space leadership,” the US intelligence com munity warned this year in its an nual threat assessment.
I don’t think it’s at all by coin cidence or happenstance that it is now in this period of what people are claiming is renewed greatpower competition that the United States is actually investing the re sources to go back,” said Bateman, the scholar on space and national security. “Time will tell if this turns into a sustained program.”
by a Chinese rover that had just plunked down on Mars. “The Chi nese government...they’re going to be landing humans on the moon” soon, he said. “That should tell us something about our need to get off our duff.”
NASA intends that a woman and a person of color will be on the first US crew touching foot on the moon again.
NewsSunday BusinessMirror www.businessmirror.com.phSunday, September 18, 2022A2
C hinese astronauts are over head now, putting the finishing touches on a permanent orbiting space station.
Mighty Artemis 1 FLYING on the mightiest rocket ever built by NASA, Artemis 1 aims for a five-week demo flight
The moon programs signal that “space is going to be an arena of competition on the prestige front, demonstrating advanced techni cal expertise and know-how, and then also on the military front as well,” said Aaron Bateman, a pro fessor of history and internation al affairs at George Washington University and a member of the Space Policy Institute.
By Ellen Knickmeyer The Associated Press
establishputbiggereffortprogramwithaWASHINGTON—It’snotjustrocketfuelpropellingAmerica’sfirstmoonshotafterhalf-centurylull.StrategicrivalryChina’sambitiousspaceishelpingdriveNASA’stogetbackintospaceinaway,asbothnationspushtopeoplebackonthemoonandthefirstlunarbases.
IN this photo released by China’s Xinhua News Agency, the return capsule of the Shenzhou-13 manned space mission is seen after landing at the Dongfeng landing site in northern China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, April 16, 2022. Three Chinese astronauts returned to Earth on Saturday after six months aboard China’s newest space station in the longest crewed mission to date for its ambitious space program. It’s not just rocket fuel propelling America’s first moonshot after a half-century lull. Rivalry with China’s space program is helping drive NASA’s effort to get back into space in a big way. That's as both nations push to put people back on the moon and establish the first lunar bases. PENG YUAN/XINHUA VIA AP
that would put test dummies into lunar orbit.
If all goes well with that, US astronauts could fly around the moon in 2024 and land on it in 2025, culminating a program that will have cost $93 billion over more than a decade of work.
“ People who are supportive of Artemis and people who see it as a tool of competition, they want the United States to be at the table in shaping the future of exploration on other celestial bodies,” Bateman said.
Beyond the gains in technol ogy, science and jobs that accom pany space programs, Artemis promoters point to the potential of mining minerals and frozen water on the moon, or using the moon as a base to go prospecting on aster oids—the Trump administration in particular emphasized the min ing prospects. There’s also poten tial in tourism and other commer cial efforts.Andfor space more broadly, Americans alone have tens of thousands of satellites overhead in what the Space Force says is a halftrillion-dollar global space econo my. Satellites guide GPS, process credit-card purchases, help keep TV, radio and cell-phone feeds go ing, and predict weather. They en sure the military and intelligence
NASA, the US civilian space agency, is awaiting a new launch date this month or in October for its Artemis 1 uncrewed test moon shot. Technical problems scrubbed the first two launch attempts in re cent
It’s sparked occasional heated words between Chinese and US of ficials.China’s space program was guided by peaceable principles, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said in July. “Some US offi cials are constantly smearing Chi na’s normal and reasonable outer space undertakings,” Zhao said.
the space race. The US is wary of China taking the lead in space ex ploration and commercial exploi tation, and pioneering the tech nological and scientific advances that would put China ahead in power in space and in prestige down on Earth.
A merican intelligence, mili tary and political leaders make clear they see a host of strategic challenges to the US in China’s space program, in an echo of the US-Soviet rivalry that prompted the 1960s’ race to the moon. That’s as China is quickly matching US civil and military space accom plishments and notching new ones of itsOown.nthe military side, the US and China trade accusations of weaponizing space. Senior US de fense officials warn that China and Russia are building capabilities to take out the satellite systems that underpin US intelligence, military communications and early warn ing networks.There’salso a civilian side to
A new space race? China adds urgency to US return to moon
But I don’t think that’s neces sarily a competition that leads to conflict. I think it can be a compe tition—like the Olympics—that simply means that each team and each side is going to push higher and faster. And as a result, human ity is likely to benefit,” he said.
Russia has aligned with Chi na’s moon program, while 21 na tions have joined a US-initiated ef fort meant to bring guidelines and order to the civil exploration and development of space.
community’s ability to keep track of perceived threats.
Cweeks.hina likewise aims to send astronauts to the moon this de cade, as well as establish a robotic research station there. Both the US and China intend to establish bases for intermittent crews on the moon’s south pole after that.
Some space policy experts bat down talk of a new space race, see ing big differences from John F. Kennedy’s Cold War drive to outdo the Soviet Union’s Sputnik and be the first to get people on the moon. This time, both the US and China see moon programs as a stepping stone in phased programs toward exploring, settling and potentially exploiting the resources and other untapped economic and strategic opportunities offered by the moon, Mars and space at large.
AND in a world where China and Russia are collaborating to try to surpass the US in space, and where some point to private space efforts led by US billionaires as render ing costly NASA rocket launches unnecessary, the US would regret leaving the glory and strategic advantages from developing the moon and space solely to the likes of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Tesla magnate Elon Musk, Ar temis proponents say.
L essons learned in getting back to the moon will aid in the next step in crewed flights, to Mars, the space agency says.
Contenders
A Pentagon-commissioned study group contended last month that “China appears to be on track to surpass the US as the dominant space power by 2045.” It called that part of a Chinese plan to promote authoritarianism and communism down here on Earth.
The ‘new’ rivalry “IN a decade, the United States has gone from the unquestioned leader in space to merely one of two peers in a competition,” Senator Jim In hofe, an Oklahoma Republican, de clared this week at a Senate Armed Services hearing. “Everything our military does relies on space.”
At another hearing last year, NASA administrator Bill Nelson brandished an image transmitted
The parallel efforts come 50 years after US astronauts last pulled shut the doors on an Apollo module and blasted away from the moon, in December 1972.
Law and competition
A 1967 UN space treaty meant to start shaping the guardrails for space exploration bans anyone from claiming sovereignty over a celestial body, putting a military base on it, or putting weapons of mass destruction into space.
Competition isn’t necessarily a bad thing, said Sen. Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat and member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.Doesrivalry with the Chinese “ensure greater sustained interest in our space program? Sure,” Coons said.
In Mexico, the proportion was 83 percent. Yet the government has managed to convince voters that it’s the best option they’ve got.
Today, a 23-liter can of gasoline can be bought for about $14 on the Colombian side and re-sold for $37 in Venezuela, according to one fuel trafficker who spoke near the en trance to a smuggling track in the Guajira desert a few hundred meters from the border. Here, young men on motorbikes throw up clouds of dust as they tear along the routes to cash in on price differences for everything from Coca Cola to ice boxes filled with fresh fish.
Senior ministry officials say the subsidies introduced by the past government benefit the guerrillas and family clans who control the smuggling and will have to go if Petro is to be able to meet campaign pledges to raise welfare payments. But he knows that’s a huge risk just weeks after Ecuador, Panama and Peru—all neighbors—exploded in anti-government unrest: The same rage at inflation that helped Petro win the presidency could easily be turned on him.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador gained a reputation for
“You need to be a millionaire to eat eggs these days,” said Angie Mozo, 23, a shopper in the market.
Voters in Peru, Chile and Colom bia have all opted for radical change in the past 18 months, as the pan demic focused anger over longstand ing inequalities. Rampant inflation as supply-chain disruptions collide with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is compounding those grievances.
Back in 2017, people in Mexico State blockaded highways and raid ed supermarkets in response to a spike in gasoline prices. There’s no such outrage today, but that doesn’t mean people aren’t struggling.
Sworn in as his country’s firstever leftist leader in August, Petro has plenty of problems on his plate, but few are more intractable than the inflation-fueled gasoline crisis.
“We’re hoping for a change for the better, that everything gets better,” said Daniel Lorgia, 21, a Petro voter who sells fruit along the beachfront. A box of bananas that cost around 25,000 pesos ($6) wholesale at the start of the year now costs 40,000; the cost of melons has doubled, he said.
By Maria Eloisa Capurro, Matthew Bristow & Maya Averbuch
The effects of such increases are disproportionately felt among the poor, who spend almost a third of their monthly budget on food and beverages. For the richest, it’s 13 percent. Hunger now affects 33 mil lion people in Brazil, the most since at least That’s2004.political dynamite in an election year: Lula is leading in all polls going into the October 2 first round.Inflation may have peaked, af ter slowing to single digits in midAugust for the first time in a year. Bolsonaro is betting that as his mea sures take effect, he’ll close the gap on Lula, who called on Brazilians to “take the extra money, buy things to eat and vote for me.” Still, women, above all Black women, are among the hardest hit by inequality, and Bolsonaro is struggling to appeal to that Coutodemographic.saysshehopes things will improve when she gets a monthly paycheck from Auxilio Brasil, an aid program for the poorest created under Lula and topped up by 200 reais under Bolsonaro in an effort to improve his chances of reelec tion. The check will help, she says, but not enough to secure her vote. In any case, she’s still waiting to see if she is Jeffersoneligible.Nascimento, econom ics coordinator at Oxfam Brazil, uses a soccer analogy to describe the campaign dynamics. “The gov ernment tries to prove they are an swering those demands when it’s been 45 minutes of the second half of the game,” he said. “It’s just not enough
“La Guajira has always lived from smuggling,” said the man, who asked not to be named due to the nature of his activities. “No one ever tries to stop you, they just ask for some money.”Annual inflation accelerated to 10.8 percent in the month Petro took office, the fastest in more than two decades. For the poorest it’s higher
Maria Ofelia Cobos García, 63, sighs while looking over salted sea food at a market in Toluca, the state capital. The price of shrimp import ed from the north has risen to $19 a kilo, and the silver swimmers the size of a finger have gone up by 75 percent. After months in the red, her boss cut her salary.
“We don’t sell anything, and the products are all left over,” she said. “But I don’t think prices are going up because of that señor.”
“If the majority of people are not happy, they’re going to look for a change,” she said. Bloomberg News
MARIA
López Obrador has assured vot ers daily that his predecessor would have done way worse in the current economic climate. Máximo Jaramil lo-Molina of the Institute of Stud ies on Inequality points out that for all his perceived largesse, the president hasn’t spent more, but in stead spread aid around more widely, meaning the poorest have ended up getting less.
OVERNMENTS globally are coming under immense pressure to cushion the blow of surging food and fuel prices. In Latin America, the response risks igniting a tinderbox.
Surging prices are dominating the election in Brazil, where Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the leftist for mer president, is attempting to un seat the incumbent, Jair Bolsonaro.
“Latin American leaders are struggling to soothe the popula tion’s anguish about prices with the tools they have at hand,” she said.
BusinessMirror Sunday, September 18, 2022 The World www.businessmirror.com.ph • Editor: Angel R. Calso A3
Bolsonaro, whose first term was overshadowed by his handling of the pandemic that left more than 650,000 Brazilians dead, has belatedly woken up to the reality that people are suf fering, and with them his chances of re-election. In August, he pushed through an $8 billion package of ex panded cash payouts to the poor and tax cuts on goods including gasoline. It may come too late to sway Jessica Couto, Unemployed,32.she relies on in formal cleaning jobs that in a good month can earn her 500 reais ($97). That allows her to pay for cooking gas, rice, beans and oil. Occasion ally she buys eggs and sausages. Out
Timetime.”isaluxury also denied to Colombia’s newly installed presi dent, Gustavo Petro.
His approval rating has stayed above 50 percent, and his Morena party is vying to win over one of the last opposition-held areas: Mexico State. A stronghold of the Institu tional Revolutionary Party, if Morena wins next year’s gubernatorial elec tion here, it would be a signal to many
In parts of Mexico State, includ ing more middle-class and affluent industry areas wedged next to Mex ico City, some of his enchantment has worn off. In Naucalpan, where residents voted at the local level for Morena in 2018, they returned to the opposition in 2021.
Inflation isn’t just battering Lat in America. In Europe, which hasn’t experienced price increases like these since the 1970s, protests de manding government intervention have been held from London to Prague. A global poll conducted for the Open Society Foundations in July and August found 80 percent of respondents in Brazil, Colombia and Mexico agreed they “often wor ry” about their family going hungry, followed by 77 percent in subSaharan Africa and 56 percent in India. Even in the US, 39 percent said they worry about hunger to some extent.
“The majority of people here voted for Petro to see if prices come down,” said Nelson Delgado, a stall holder who sells fruit and vegetables in the market. He didn’t say what would happen if they don’t.
still, at 12.7 percent—and it may be about to get worse, as the govern ment looks to cull gasoline subsidies that the Finance Ministry says are costing the equivalent of about 3 percentage points of gross domestic product per year.
the opposition is dead.
Fuel prices are baked into the cost of just about every other physi cal good, while the groups most affected—taxi drivers and truck ers—are precisely the people with the most power to paralyze high ways and cities. The expectations on Petro to act are high.
Yet throwing money at the prob lem could backfire, weighing on currencies and further driving up food prices, according to Adriana Dupita, Latin America economist with Bloomberg Economics.
From Mexico to Brazil, persis tent high inflation is widening the gap between rich and poor in what is already the world’s most unequal region. It’s stoking political upheav al that could be a foretaste of what lies ahead as policy makers the world over struggle to meet demands to increase social spending.
High inflation upending politics in most unequal region on Earth
In Riohacha, a city on Colombia’s Caribbean coast near the Venezue lan border, the cost of living crisis is already hitting people hard. In the Old Market, where freshly slaugh tered goats dangle from hooks, shop pers complain about the soaring cost of staples such as cooking oil, tomatoes, plantains and rice. Coffee is sold in 50 gram bags and oil in 220 milliliter bottles, for customers who can’t afford to buy more.
austerity since his landslide vic tory in 2018, spending a fraction of peers during the pandemic. But he’s splashed out to combat the ex plosion in consumer costs, budget ing close to $22 billion for gasoline subsidies this year and redirecting social spending.
For decades, smuggling allowed Colombians in the northeastern bor der region to enjoy cheap fuel from Venezuela, where it sold at a fraction of one US cent per gallon, the lowest price on earth. When then-US Presi dent Donald Trump tightened sanc tions on Venezuela in 2019, refiner ies ground to a halt for want of spare parts, and the smuggled gas started to flow in the opposite direction.
of that consumption basket, only beans and rice are cheaper than last year, and barely enough to make up for the 18 percent rise in cooking gas.
Bertha Bennetts, 56, who runs an Argentine eatery in Naucal pan, stopped giving out limes unless people requested them, and asked her meat and wine sellers to let her pay late in the absence of loans or government assistance. Other people whose businesses were pum meled grew disillusioned with elect ed officials, but she wouldn’t go so far as to predict the outcome of next year’s vote. She hoped any govern ment would be empathetic and help people respond to inflation.
G
Evidence that the impact is weighing most heavily on the poor est is already bubbling over into social unrest.
SHOPPERS in Brazil have seen a 52 percent increase in milk prices, 60 percent increase in coffee and 85 percent increase in fruits. MAGDALENA ARRELLAGA/BLOOMBERG
“This round of inflation is even more harmful for poverty levels and income distribution,” said Ernesto Revilla, head economist for the re gion at Citigroup. “It’s clear there’s higher probabilities of unrest now.”
Across Latin America, a burgeon ing middle-class is seeing its pros pects eroded. For society’s poorest, the latest wave of consumer price increases will be a full percentage point higher than for the richest, estimates by the Economic Com mission for Latin America and the Caribbean (Eclac) show. One third of the entire region is poised to meet the criteria for poverty, defined as those living on $1.90 a day.
In Panama, protestors blocking highways and ports prompted a freeze in the prices of 72 essential goods in July. Strikes in Peru the same month forced a pledge of more state help for the poor. Ecuador’s government is in talks with indigenous organizations after rioting broke out over the soar ing cost of living. A common refrain is that only the rich can now afford even basic Interestfoodstuffs.raterises of 250 basis points or more this year in at least seven of the region’s nations have yet to make much of a difference, leav ing governments to deploy tax cuts and social programs at the expense of fragile public finances.
For a bit of diversity, you can pierce through the low chambers of Diamond Cave, which was so called because of the stoned which glitter like the precious gem.
and stunning stalactites attesting to the rich biodiversity of the wa tershed and forrestal land. Eight chambers have been mapped, and are ideal even for neophytes be cause of its moderate difficulty.
Story by Marky Ramone Go
For a consummate adventure, cavers can sleep under the stars at the campsite which has a gazebo, comfort rooms and cooking area.
M
Together with her fellow instruc tors from different freediving schools from Batangas and Panglao, Bohol, the team identified a few promising dive sites—one of which served as location for us newbies’ introduction to freediving.Thenextday, we traveled to Dip aculao beach, where we began with an hour-long lesson on the fundamentals of freediving. It was followed by actual pool practice, where I clocked 1 min ute, and 48 seconds of breath hold on my second attempt. It was an excellent time for a beginner, according to my assigned instructor.
Yoga and meditation
that helped Baler become a surfer’s ha ven are also responsible for the prom ise of other diving locations. “Strong waves generate underwater treasures including sea caves, tunnels, and fis sures that serve as a marine refuge and a shelter for divers alike.”
The River Park is a superb site for live band concerts, pageants and motor camping, where outdoor lov ers can wake up at an astounding natural backdrop.
The next couple of days saw us at tending different yo ga classes cover ing Vinyasa, Hatha and even Beer yo ga with yo ga teachers Lorelee Sicat and Camille Ramos.
To the far end of Quirino is Nagtipunan town whose claim to fame is the twin attraction of the Landingan Viewpoint and Siitan River Park. The latter is similar to Governor’s Rapids, where tourists can cruise aboard a dugout canoe and marvel at the geological won ders. A picturesque rock formation is the “Bimmapor” which got its name from “bapor” because of its resemblance to a ship’s steel hull.
At the gateway town of Diffun is Ganano Falls which boasts of a voluminous 100-foot drop and passes through the three minor cascades of Sabangaran, Nantugao and Sinipit, which have wide and deepSituatedbasins.at Diffun Eco Park, it is arguably the most Instagrammable waterfalls within the province. The tour commences at Baguio Village where visitors pass through Bagnes Nature Park, where the guests can get a taste of authentic Kankanaey tribal specialties such as tinumbo (rice cooked in bamboo) and kini ing (smoked meat).
Ganano Falls in diffun Teacher Sound Bath as we call her, Kara sounds off her healing sound instruments she bought in nepal Baler’S nature gifts allows Yogis to practice against gorgeous scenery for added Zen Sea S o ned Freediver and influencer Pia cortez weaves her way underwater Yo G a and Freediving actually goes hand in hand since practicing stretches all your body parts which helps avoid cramping underwater aGliPaY caves KaYaK in G lagoon at the Provincial capitol hill SaG udaY fossilized flower products Sii Tan nature Park in nagtipunan
ment of former President Elpidio Quirino.Atthe enclave’s upper portion is the Quirino Watersports Com plex, north Luzon’s only full course world-class and tournament-grade wakepark, and comes along with cozy accommodations and pavil ion overlooking an enticing infin ity Naturepool. lovers and “plantitos” can lose themselves in the vast
To entice non-cavers to visit the area, the provincial government de veloped the Quirino Safari multipurpose hall and visitors center where small meetings and special events can be held.
So when Quirino Province re cently reopened its tourism indus try, it offered nothing short of a basketful of natural wonders which will make visits to this charming locale brimming with happy expe riences and fond memories.
Basket of Happiness
and whitewater for an adrenaline pumping two-hour canoe cruise at a Cagayan River tributary which has been named several times as among the region’s cleanest inland bodies of water.
AN y decades after the pains taking filming of “Apoca lypse Now” gave rise to the country’s perhaps first surfing desti nation when the film crew left their surf boards behind, the name Baler has become associated with surfing. While Colonel Kilgore in the film re ferred to the Viet Congs as “Charlie[s] [who] don’t surf,” in real-life Baler, everybody surfs.
Tappingcuriosities.onthisexpanding allure of Baler to travelers, the Department of Tourism Region 3, organized a “Travel, Breathe and Dive” event to showcase a couple of activities that fit ideally in the town’s setting: yoga and Freediving. sessions
W H EN I s igned up as a media partici
Valerie Bautista at an event campaign ing against the spread of fake news in 2017, I’ve wanted to give it a go. Val erie, the founder of Azul Freediving, encouraged me to join a freediving lesson a few times but couldn’t fit my schedule with her teaching sessions. Fortunately, Azul Freediving was part of the collaboration with DOT Region 3 to map out freediving spots in Baler.
We proceeded to the dive location after the pool session to finally at tempt the techniques of entering the water from above. From there, we are to apply a normal swimming motion underwater for as long as we could hold our breath. Despite failing to stay underwater for more than 30-seconds owing to my inability to properly kick myself under the water, I got a taste
Thanks to DOT Region 3 in collabo ration with the Provincial Government of Aurora and LGU units Baler and Dipaculao, a new campaign is put to motion showcasing Aurora Province’s untapped potential as an underwater and wellness attractions.
“The #TravelBreatheDive program of DOT Region III envisions the unique combination of dive and wellness to create a holistic, sustainable, and in clusive tourism product offering for Central Luzon.” said Chriselle May ya mbao, Supervising Tourism Officer at DOT Region III.
While the DOT Region 3 and the Baler LGU are currently ironing out the freediving locations in hopes of making them available to general visi tors soon, the wellness tourism is now set to take Echoingoff.the town’s new tourism campaign, one can easily travel wide, breathe good vibes and dive into a won derful community in Baler.
More than just a Surfing Paradise H O WEVER , a s a surfing culture formed in the ensuing years, Baler increasingly became a destination of choice for individuals seeking a brief escape from the major metropolis. Surfers and other nature and adven ture enthusiasts were subsequently joined by travelers who came with a variety of interests ranging from local cuisine, meditation, self-care, spiri tuality, and to some, a digital nomad stop. Soon after, the once exclusively surfing paradise was converted into a holistic utopia serving as melting pot of diverse
Its iconic features are the ma jestic jagged limestone formations and a 30-foot rock platform for diving. Inside one of the crevices is a chest-deep natural pool which serves as a pit stop in the river tour. A supplementary recreation is whitewater tubing which is as exciting as the boat ride.
I realized I was wrong to dismiss the wellness part of the program. I was completely dazzled by the entire experience that lasted more than an hour. We concluded the practice with a breathing exercise and a tea meditation attracting positive energies.
The capital town of Cabarroguis is the seat of the provincial gov ernment and boasts of a sprawl
ya mbao’s colleague Christian Ray Lingat also pointed out that the waves
attainofundoubtedlydestinationstoandhumanHappinessisamongthetoppursuits,journeyingstunningisonethemeanstothislifegoal.
Governor’s Rapids in Maddela town is the province’s poster image because of its amazing rockscape
Of late, kayaking has been added as an aquasport for those who want to navigate the manually waterway with brute force, instead of the usual motorized boat.
Editor: Tet AndolongBusinessMirror Journey»life on the go Sunday, September 18, 2022A4
expanse of greeneries at the Or chidarium, Tree for Legacy Park, Bamboo Eco-Park, plant nurseries, and the tree-lined lake for boating nirvana.Aglipay town takes pride in its 2 contributions to the happiness basket—the sought-after Aglipay Caves and the Department of Ag riculture’s Quirino Experiment Station (QES), which produces and sells great-tasting organic farm food items, most notably its drag on fruit home-made ice cream and dairySpelunkingproducts.is a must-do at the 101-hectare Aglipay Caves and Campsite, which has hollow and fragile draws, amazing drapers
With these goodies and more in your basket, your journey will always be a happy ending.
pant for the event, I was most excited about the freediving classes since I had always wanted to experience this underwater sport. The other components of the program, which included various yoga practices, were just secondary highlights for yme.et, after only a few minutes of our first meditation practice, the ac tivity we’re performing immediately aroused my attention. I immediately felt a connection to the environment around me as we laid on our yoga mats stretched out on the lawn grounds of Baler Beach Club, overlooking the Pacific Ocean and beneath a canopy of trees and the blue afternoon sky.
My introduction to freediving I’ V E been wanting to try freediving for the longest time. Since meeting
of what it’s like to overcome my fear of the wide Creditingocean.this new experience, I now see myself making plans to go on freediving trips soon.
Story & photos by Bernard L. Supetran
ing 110-hectare Capitol Complex, which is among the cleanest and greenest in the archipelago. For a glimpse of local history, walk into the Provincial Museum and Library, or fill your basket with souvenirs and native snacks at the adjacent One Town, One Product (OTOP) Center. Better yet, swing by the main dome-shaped Capitol Building where sunlight pierces through the bust relief monu
Travel, breathe and dive MOR E yoga sessions are sandwiched between our freediving activities. This includes one session of gentle flow at Baler Fish Port where we were surrounded by the gleaming glitter of the turquoise seas against the bright sunlight. The whole four days were filled with yoga, meditation, sound baths, food trips, coffee hunting, free diving, and, of course, a little surfing.
Under the guidance of our session teacher Kara Basamayor, we were asked to soak in sound waves created by various therapeutic sound instru ments such as Tibetan singing bowls, chimes, gongs, percussion, spinning forks, and even Kara’s soothing and harmonic voice.
Considered as the frontier of the Cagayan Valley Region, this quaint province isn’t the typi cal tourist haunt and it takes a unique breed of travelers to find happiness in this diamond in the rough. With the help of the De partment of Tourism–Cagayan Valley Region, it has put together its so-called Basket of Happiness Circuit which is comprised of destinations which are ready to receive guests once more.
Travel, BreaThe and dive in Baler
“ We have taken over the Philip pines, we can go to Asia and even the US,” Lazarte said during the open forum during the NRDC.
BusinessMirror A5Sunday, September 18, 2022 Science Sunday www.businessmirror.com.ph • Editor: Lyn Resurreccion
The Breakthrough Junior Chal lenge, founded by Yuri and Julia Mil ner, aims to develop and demonstrate young people’s knowledge of science and scientific principles; generate excitement in these fields; support science, technology, engineering and mathematics career choices; and en gage the imagination and interest of the public-at-large in key concepts of fundamental science. among semifinalists in Breakthrough Junior Challenge
physics and mathematics.
WO Filipino students are among the 30 semifinalists from across the globe in the eighth annual Breakthrough Junior Challenge competition, the Break through Prize Foundation announced. They are Kyle Cloma, 16, from Man daluyong City, and Jaz Villanueva, 18, from Las Piñas City. This is the first time for two Filipinos to qualify as semifinalists in the competition.
Asia, US markets targeted for lagundi
Founded in 2015, the Break through Junior Challenge is a global science video contest that encour ages students to create engaging and imaginative videos that demonstrate
THESE were among the various re searches that were presented at the
finalist to encourage the youth in his community. Meanwhile, Villanueva’s video fo cuses on Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity. It is a continuation of the idea that theories will keep develop ing with us, she said.
She said some of their licensees want to bring lagundi to Asean nations.
TWO Filipino students—Kyle Cloma (left photo) from Mandaluyong City, and Jaz Villanueva from Las Piñas City—are among the 30 semifinalists in the eighth annual international Breakthrough Junior Challenge. The public is invited to vote for their videos on Breakthrough YouTube and Facebook pages until September 20. The top-scorer in the Popular Vote will enter into the finalist round. SCREENSHOTS FROM VIDEOS
“ The outputs of R&D go beyond newer inventions. Innovation proj ects fill gaps in technology and pri oritizes the use of locally available resources,” Buendia added.
enza viruses” because the difference between the two are too close that it is already “difficult to decide if it [the virus] is Covid-19 or flu,” Destura ex plained during the conference.
Starting to learn the principles of quantum physics in Grade 7, Villanu ena believes that whether or not she wins the Breakthrough Junior Chal lenge, she has already won by being able to learn about science.
T he researches that were presented during the conference were those on health; disaster risk resilience and cli mate change adaptation; information, communication and education; indus try, energy, and emerging technology; and on agriculture, aquaculture, and natural resources.
The theorem was a major result of differential geometry, proved by Carl Friedrich Gauss in 1827, that concerns the curvature of surfaces.
AGUNDI , the Philippine-devel oped supplement for mild Cov id-19, and the locally developed test kit for flurona, or influenza and Covid co-infections, are bound for foreign markets.
Lagundi, PHL-developed test kits for flurona target foreign ties, market
Cloma’s video focuses on the math ematical “Theorema Egregium,” Latin for “Remarkable theorem,” which he explained by using a piece of pizza.
R&D for generating wealth “R&D drives progress and wealth,” said DOST Assistant Secretary for Interna tional Cooperation Leah J. Buendia, the concurrent OIC of the Office of the Undersecretary for R&D.
SEVENTH NATIONAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE HELD
DR . Cecilia Maramba Lazarte, the di rector of Institute of Herbal Medicine at the National Institutes of Health at the University of the Philippines Ma nila, said lagundi, which was proven effective against mild Covid-19, may soon be exported to Asia and even to the US.
be named a Regional Champion.
difficult scientific concepts and theo ries in the physical or life sciences. Breakthrough Prize Foundation announced that this year’s 30 semi finalists hail from across the globe, including the United States, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, India, Iraq, New Zealand, Philippines, Trinidad and To bago, South Africa, South Korea and the United Kingdom.
ForFoundation. theeighthyear, students ages 13-18 were invited to create original videos that illustrated a concept or theory in the life sciences, physics or mathematics. The submissions were evaluated on the students’ ability to communicate complex scientific ideas in the most engaging, illuminating and imaginative ways.
2 Filipinos
Other researches
The general public are invited to vote for their entries—through posi tive reactions “like,” “love,” “haha,” or “wow” and shares—for a People’s Choice winner in the “Popular Vote” Challenge until September 20 at 11:59 p.m. Philippine time. The semifinal ists’ videos are on Breakthrough You Tube and Facebook.
demand for the supplement against Covid-19, its sales in tablet and syrup forms have Lagundiincreased.hassetthe pace for the herbal industry. It has dominated the local market,” commented Executive Director Dr. Jaime Montoya of the DOST-Philippine Council for Health Research and Development.
On September 21, the 15 finalists and the top scorer in the Popular Vote regional categories will be revealed. The top-scorer in the overall Popular Vote will automatically qualify into the finalist round, the Breakthrough Prize Foundation said.
Agenda for 2022 to 2028.”
The semifinalist videos represent the top submissions following a re view by the Evaluation Panel. They include two top-scoring submissions from each of seven geographical re gions—North America (US/Canada), Central/South America, Europe, Asia, Middle East/Africa, India, and Australia/New Zealand—as well as remaining top-scoring videos from the panel’s review.
T his seventh NRDC “underscores innovation’s role in furthering our country’s economic goals in generat ing wealth, achieving prosperity and ensuring the security of the Filipino people and the whole country,” he said.
D estura said they partnered with the biotech industry in Malaysia “to transform our diagnostic platforms into printable chips that will cost us at least P30 a test.”
D estura said that since the number of Covid-19 cases has been decreasing, the situation might transition to en demic from the previous epidemic.
He noted that last year’s theme was for “Road to Recovery through R&D” that was a framework on the key aspects that needed to be considered in neutral izing the effects of the pandemic.
L agundi has been registered as a herbal medicine for cough and colds in the Philippines in 1994.
Science Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. delivers his keynote address at the opening of Seventh National Research and Development Conference on September 15. HENRY A. DE LEON/DOST-STII
opening of NRDC at the two-day event.
The theorem is that Gaussian cur vature of a surface does not change even if one bends the surface without stretching it.
jobs.Giving meat to the battlecry of his administration at the agency—”DOST is for the people; we are One DOST for you”—he said the STI narrative has to be unified to be able to “promote R&D investments that shall deliver socioeconomic impact.”
S he said because of the growing
DR . Raul V. Destura of Manila Health Tek Inc. that developed the dengue diagnostic kit and the GenAmplify Covid-19 RT-PCR Detection Kit, said the laboratory has developed diag nostic kits for flurona and has a joint venture with a Malaysian company.
R&D agenda for 2022 to 2028
Not limiting to R&D conducted by government agencies and the academe, he said “we shall endeavor to increase the R&D participation of the industry and the communities.”
L
Covid-19 is shifting to flurona, which combines Covid-19 and influ
B esides these kits, Destura said Ma nila Health Tek, the first health biotech company in the country, has developed 50 other diagnostic kits, including those for leptospirosis, schistosomiasi, African swine fever, and currently has 16 patent applications.
I n his keynote message, Science Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. said the NRDC promotes coordination and collaboration among stakeholders of research and development (R&D) and innovation.Ithighlights ongoing and completed
We will ensure that our R&D in terventions will fill that gap that ad dresses the needs of our people. It is our task in hand to bring science closer to the hearts of the Filipinos,” Solidum pointed out.
Cloma aspires to combine his in terests of math, science and comput ers by becoming a computer scientist in the future, and is motivated to use his voice as a Breakthrough Jr. semi-
Since its launch, the Breakthrough Junior Challenge has reached 202 countries with more than 80,000 registrants. The 2022 installment of the global competition attracted more than 2,400 applicants.
Tie-up with Malaysia for flurona diagnostic kits
The winner of the Breakthrough Junior Challenge will be awarded a $250,000 college scholarship. The science teacher who inspired the winning student will win a $50,000 prize. The winner’s school will also receive a state-of-the-art science lab valued at $100,000, the Breakthrough Prize
Each of the seven geographic re gions will have a top-scorer who will
PCHRD Executive Director Dr. Jaime C. Montoya (left) is with the researchers and experts who presented their researches at the seventh National Research and Development Conference. They are (from second from left): Dr. Raul V. Destura of Manila Health Tek Inc.; Dr. Doralyn S. Dalisay, University of San Agustin; Joseph Mari B. Querequincia, San Pedro College, Davao; Dr. Marian P. de Leon-UPLB; Dr. Beatrice J. Tiangco, UP-Manila; Dr. Dennis B. Batangan, Ateneo de Manila University; Dr. Portia Grace H. Fernandez-Marcelo, UP Manila Telehealth Center; Dr. Josephine R. Bundoc, Physicians for Peace Inc.; Hazel Tolentino Lat, DOST-FNRI; Dr. Ron Leonard V. Dy, UP Diliman; Julius Aaron P. Mejia, Manila Health Tek Inc.; Dr. Cecilia C. Maramba, UP Manila. Those who participated online are Dr. Michael Velarde, UP Diliman; Dr. Raymond Francis R. Sarmiento, UP Manila and Dr. Shirley C. Agrupis, president Mariano Marcos State University. HENRY A. DE LEON/DOST-STII
W ith the new situation, their labo ratory is developing a single multiplex diagnostic platform that has finished one for influenza A, and is completing the influenza B panel.
TO show full commitment in achiev ing prosperity and wealth creation through R&D, Solidum said the DOST “shall build up on what the 2017-2022 HNRDA has achieved,” and “have pre pared the Harmonized National R&D
We could say with confidence that our country has a positive momentum in terms of R&D,” he added.
Cloma and Villanueva, who created their original individual science vid eos, are now in the running to receive $400,000 worth of prizes, including a college scholarship and a new science lab for his school.
T hese were announced at the open ing of the two-day seventh National Research and Development Confer ence (NRDC) of the Department of Science and Technology’ (DOST) on September 15.
In addition to creating and produc ing their own video entries, Challeng ers must also participate in a round of peer-to-peer assessment, in which they score some of their fellow com petitors’ submissions.
S he added there is a clamor for la gundi “from our kababayan [FilipinoAmericans] in US.”
The paper work is underway. And [it may be exported] to the US,” she said.
T
W ith the theme, “Sustaining the R&D Momentum through prosperity and wealth creation,” the event was held at the at the Philippine Inter national Convention Center (PICC) through a hybrid onsite and online platform.
He said the agenda “is tailored to fit the eight-point economic priorities of the Marcos administration,” with focus on the areas of food security, health, nutrition and lifestyle improvement, sustainable transport, development of clean energy resources, digital in frastructure, and creation of quality
The students created 90-second videos on wide-ranging topics, from quantum entanglement to time trav el to adaptive immunity and T-Cell therapies.Thecontest is designed to inspire fresh, creative explanations of funda mental concepts in the life sciences,
We just signed a joint venture agreement a few days ago,” he said.
30
A s for further plans for lagundi, besides its current cure for cough, asthma, colds and mild Covid-19, Laz arte said the institute is looking into whether it is also effective against other illnesses like chronic obstruc tive pulmonary disease because the herbal medicine has many compounds that might be beneficial against them.
L azarte said lagundi is “very safe” and helps in decreasing the symptoms of Covid-19, such as inflammation, pain and cough, opens lung air pas sages, lower body temp from fever. It relieves lack of smell and taste, cough and body weakness.
R&D projects and programs that are aligned to the priority areas of the Harmonized National Research and Development Agenda (HNRDA) that will be for the use, benefit of society and to economic development, he said.
“Deeply saddened to learn of the death of Her Majesty Queen Eliza beth II, I offer heartfelt condolenc es to Your Majesty, the members of the royal family, the people of the United Kingdom and the Com monwealth,” the pope wrote in the September 8 telegram to Britain’s new monarch, King Charles III.
Galbines said the new church is a “landmark,” especially to the diocese.“The massive structure, every thing that is put in there, reminds
In matters of personal faith, the queen was said to have been deeply religious.
Kum, a worldwide network of religious nuns against human trafficking.Theorganization announced recently the appointment of Sr. Au rea “Abby” Avelino of the Maryk noll Sisters of St. Dominic as its new international coordinator.
The construction of the church started in 2013 when Buzon was still bishop of Kabankalan.
“People see the [archeological] ruins next to them, but no one knows the diverse history,” said Angeliki Ziaka, a professor of re ligion at Thessaloniki’s Aristotle University. “Now is the time to re build this knowledge, to find the intermarriage of cultures.”
Until the beginning of the 20th century, most Muslims lived in the Ano Poli, a quiet warren of walled gardens, houses with overhanging upper floors detailed in wood, and steeply inclined streets climbing to a hilltop fortress.
During centuries of Muslim Ottoman domination—a legacy perhaps most immediately visible in today’s profusion of buzzing coffee shops—Thessaloniki was the refuge of a thriving Jewish community.Itshistory, told by the Jewish Museum, will be further spotlight ed in a Holocaust museum and edu cation center that’s in the works.
But more than a millennium before the Ottoman conquest, it was here that St. Paul first brought Christianity to the Thessalo nians—to whom he later wrote some of Christendom’s most wide ly read
She worked as a mechanical and systems engineer for six years before entering consecrated life.
Alminaza said.
THE new St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in Kabankalan City NEGROS OCC. LGU VIA FACEBOOK Church-labor group pays tribute to victims ahead of ML anniversary
In 2010, she welcomed then Pope Benedict XVI to the UK, the first state visit of a pope to the country.St.John Paul II had visited the UK and met with the queen in 1982, but his was a pastoral rath er than a state visit. Jonah McKeown/ Catholic News Agency via CBCP News
SR . Aurea “Abby” Avelino of the Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic. PHOTO FROM TALITHA KUM
In such situations, he said that church people are challenged “to live out our prophetic vocation of defending the weak and standing up for the powerless and those who are silenced.”
T
VISITORS admire the Byzantine mosaics adorning the gigantic dome of the Rotunda in Thessaloniki, Greece, on June 25. The circular building was built as a Roman temple or mausoleum in the 300s, shortly after it became a Christian church, later on a mosque—and is now a museum, though liturgy is still celebrated a few times a year. AP/GIOVANNA DELL’ORTO
As queen, Elizabeth served as de facto head of the Anglican Church. Her title “Defender of the Faith and Supreme Governor of the Church of England” dates to the reign of
“May we learn and be inspired by their heroic sacrifices as we face similar dark and uncertain times under President Bongbong Marcos Jr.,” he said.
“Indeed, religious groups have a proud track record of helping those in the greatest need, including the sick, the elderly, the lonely, and the disadvantaged. They remind us of the responsibilities we have beyond ourselves,” she said.
As a missionary, she was as signed in Japan’s capital of Tokyo, where she lived for 16 years as a pastoral worker.
CWS Chairman Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of the San Carlos dio cese said the military rule led to the crackdown on activists, illegal arrests, detentions and torture.
HE central Philippine di ocese of Kabankalan re cently inaugurated its new cathedral.TheSt. Francis Xavier Cathe dral opened its doors on Septem ber 8, the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to mark its Hundredsconsecration.ofpeople, including government leaders, attended the Mass officiated by Bishop Louie Galbines of Kabankalan, along with Bishops Patricio Buzon of Bacolod and Julito Cortes of Dumaguete.
Churchesletters.dating from across the centuries when Thessaloniki was a center of the Byzantine Em pire still dot the labyrinthine land scape. Giovanna Dell’orto/Associated Press
That’s Thessaloniki in a snap shot—a seaside trove of early Christian art and architecture, with echoes of the sacred all around the city, from the mythi cal mountain home of the ancient Greek gods to the contemporary Orthodox Christian monasticism of Mount PervasiveAthos.ifmore hidden traces of Islam and Judaism also persist, even though many monuments were destroyed in a 1917 fire.
ATICAN—Pope Francis in a telegram late Thursday offered his condolences and prayers upon the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and the head of the Church of England. She was 96.
HESSALONIKI, Greece—
martial law, imposing a military dictatorship that would last for more than a Human-rightsdecade. groups
The meeting between Eliza beth and Francis marked the 100th anniversary of the re-es tablishment of diplomatic rela tions between the United King dom and the Holy See.
Faith Sunday A6 Sunday, September 18, 2022 Editor: Lyn Resurreccion • www.businessmirror.com.ph
In 2021, she joined the Talitha Kum international co ordination committee as the regional representative of Asia. Now in Rome, her role as global coordinator includes empowering and nurturing the growth of the networks and strengthening collaborations with Vatican organizations and other key Establishedpartners.bythe Interna tional Union of Superiors Gen eral in 2009, the Talitha Kum is a network of more than 2,000 Catholic nuns across 77 coun tries working on the front lines to end human trafficking. CBCP News
CBCP News
“I willingly join all who mourn her loss in praying for the late queen’s eternal rest, and in pay ing tribute to her life of unstint ing service to the good of the nation and the Commonwealth, her example of devotion to duty, her steadfast witness of faith in Jesus Christ and her firm hope in his Ascendingpromises.”to the throne in 1952, Queen Elizabeth II met five different popes during her lifetime.When she met with Pope Fran cis at the Vatican in April 2014, she gave the pope a food hamper filled with local delicacies and a bottle of Balmoral whiskey—from the same region in Scotland where she died on Thursday.
Each of the last six years, I’ve spent at least a few days in and around Greece’s second-largest metropolis, which bubbles with the energy of a city historically at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, about halfway between Athens and Istanbul.
With the death of thousands of human-rights defenders, la bor leaders, peasants and stu dents, the bishop described Marcos Sr.’s government as a
Queen Elizabeth greets Pope Francis at the Vatican in 2014. VATICAN MEDIA
She replaced Comboni Mis sionary Sr. Gabriella Bottani, who served the post since 2014.
“The construction of this ca thedral is a big miracle for us brother priests. It’s not easy but we know it is possible,” the prelate added.
T
claimed that the 14-year mili tary rule was marked by around 3,000 known extrajudicial kill ings, 35,000 documented tor tures, 77 “disappeared,” and 70,000 incarcerations.
“brutal and murderous regime.”
us that as long as we are attached to the Lord and to one another we can always build big, dream big and accomplish big in our life,” he Locatedsaid.in the city’s Talubang village, the new edifice took about eight years to build.
BISHOP Gerardo Alminaza, chairman of
A
The diocese was erected in 1987. Galbines replaced Buzon, who was appointed the bishop of Bacolod in 2016.
King Henry VIII (1509 until his death in 1547).
As such, she appointed arch bishops, bishops and deans of the Church of England and presided over the opening of their General Synods.Shewas a vocal proponent of the practice of religion, whether it was Anglican or not. She used her Christmas Day message to call for interfaith harmony.
HEAD of the 50th anni versary of the martial law declaration on September 21, an alliance of church people and labor groups is remembering those who dedicated their lives against the dictatorship of the father of current president, Fer dinand Marcos Jr.
I find Thessaloniki eminently walkable even in the summer heat, thanks to an inexhaustible sup ply of the iced coffee drink called frappé and the sea breezes off the ThermaicOverlookingGulf. its waters are the iconic White Tower and a beloved,
Fifty years ago, on September 21, 1972, Marcos Sr. declared
She became involved with the Talitha Kum Japan in 2016, fo cusing on the pastoral accom paniment of migrant workers, particularly Filipino women, and victims and survivors of human trafficking.
On the occasion of the Dia mond Jubilee marking the 60th year of her reign in 2012, she and the Duke of Edinburgh, her husband Prince Philip, attended a multi-faith reception at Lambeth Palace hosted by the archbishop of Canterbury.“Faithplays a key role in the identity of millions of people, pro viding not only a system of belief but also a sense of belonging. It can act as a spur for social action,” the queen said at the time.
Church People-Workers Solidarity DIOCESE OF SAN CARLOS
Kabankalan new cathedral
The Washington Post reported that, according to Oxford Uni versity Theology Professor Stan Rosenberg, the queen had “a deep vibrancy of faith,” and “read Scrip ture daily, attended church weekly, and regularly prayed.”
The Church People-Workers Solidarity (CWS), in a recent statement, said it joins the mil lions of Filipinos in remember ing “one of the darkest periods” in the country’s history.
Splendid Byzantine churches head Thessaloniki’s holy sites
V
But until today, the bishop said that many workers and church peo ple continue to face red-tagging and political repression in their cause for social justice.
Pope praises Queen Elizabeth’s ‘steadfast witness of faith’ in Jesus
“They are continuously be ing harassed, intimidated and illegally arrested and detained,” Alminaza said.
Pope Francis concluded his tele gram to the new king by praying for the queen’s “Commendingsoul.her noble soul to the merciful goodness of our Heav enly Father, I assure Your Majesty of my prayers that Almighty God will sustain you with His unfailing grace as you now take up your high responsibilities as King. Upon you and all who cherish the memory of your late mother, I invoke an abundance of divine blessings as a pledge of comfort and strength in the Lord,” the pontiff wrote.
Simple meandering leads to monuments woven into today’s urban fabric: Going to buy roses at the flower market, I discovered next to it a 500-year-old bathhouse (hammam) built by the Ottomans in the multi-domed style of Byz antine architecture and named Yahudi Hammam, after the Sep hardic Jews who settled here.
A leadershipnunFILIPINO-AMERICANhasassumedtheofTalitha
Avelino was born in Batangas province’s Tanauan town, but later immigrated to the US and settled in California with her family.
miles-long promenade.
The hammams and the stillfunctioning markets were for centuries the mingling places for the city’s Jews, Muslims and Christians, who lived in separate neighborhoods, Ziaka said.
Fil-Am nun is new global leader of anti-human trafficking network
Under fluttering strings of Greek and Byzantine flags, three men raised a party tent on the terrace of the 5th century Osios David church one recent Saturday, hoping it would shelter festival goers from the heat that already shrouded the view of Mount Olym pus across the gulf.
diocese inaugurates
In June, Pope Francis sent a congratulatory message to the Queen as the UK marked the 70th anniversary of her reign.
“As we celebrate this signifi cant event, we remember and pay our highest tribute to thousands of men and women who defi antly faced the late dictator and offered their lives to the cause of peace, freedom and justice,”
n Deliver and deploy regionwide climate-change mitigation and adaptation solutions;
“The recent launch of our edotco Sustainability Blueprint underscores our unwavering commitment to the sustainability agenda,” said edotco Group CEO Adlan Tajudin.
Malaysia (Perhilitan) and similar organizations on relevant bird con servation programmes.
Some have even learned to bring nature’s pharmacy in their own backyard, planting them in pots or plots, along with fruit-bearing trees and easy-to-grow vegetables.
She noted that of Department of Health’s (DOH) 10 herbal medi cines, only three—”lagundi, tsaa ng gubat” and “niyog-niyogan”— are native to the Philippines, while the rest are introduced plants.
Forest: Treasure-trove of food, medicine
The initiative aims to enable the region to reduce its carbon footprint and empower its people to proactively assess and manage its climate risks, Minda said in a news release.
Indigenous knowledge ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) Executive Director Theresa Mundita S. Lim said much of the medicines from nature that we know today are associated with traditional knowledge, applied by Indigenous peoples (IPs) and passed on from one generation to the“Itnext.isalso this knowledge that provide the means to extract or use the parts and derivatives of native species of plants and animals with out having to over-extract them to extinction,” she lamented.
In 2010, he also spearheaded the institute’s flagship program, Climate Smart Philippines, of which Climate Smart Mindanao 2050 is a constitu entTheprogram.initiative brings scientific experts and stakeholders together to address disasters and prevent losses from climate change and other hazards.
UALA LUMPUR, Malaysia— edotco Group, a leading inte grated telecommunications infrastructure services company in Asia, including the Philippines, has pledged to protect endangered birds residing in their telecommunication infrastructures as part of their mis sion to connect the world equitably andThesustainably.BirdWatch Pledge, which was signed with the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) at the launch event of edotco’s Sustainability Blueprint, reflects the company’s commitment toward the conservation of Malaysia’s wildlife habitats, edotco said.
It was also the first telecommu nications infrastructure company in Malaysia to be appointed as a Signa tory Member of the UN Global Com pact Network Malaysia and Brunei.
The new and enhanced Climate Smart Mindanao 2050 actively strives to:
As such, she said that policies must be issued and effectively implemented that will provide incentives for local companies to invest in research and develop ment in producing health and well ness products sustainably derived fromMeanwhile,nature. Lim said gov ernment support is vital to encouraging the private sector to venture into nature-based pharmaceuticals.“Thesesupport could be through tax breaks, subsidies, or deregulation, for as long as safe guards are in place to ensure that the utilization and production is sustainable, and benefits accrue to those responsible for protect ing the resource,” she said.
WE casual trekkers often see simple walls of green when pass ing through forests. But our firstnations people, the Indigenous communities, who call our for ests home, can see a treasuretrove of food and medicine. Their knowledge of indigenous plants is unparalleled,” said explorer Gregg Yan.
K
Tapping into nature’s pharmacy
“Our JEST camp teachers also showed us many practical uses for the plants and trees we commonly encounter in the forest,” he said.
Biodiversity Sunday
That same year, it was awarded Company of the Year for Excellence in Environmental and Community Welfare Initiative at the Sustainabil ity and CSR Malaysia Awards 2021.
Banaguas is the president and founder of the Environmental and Climate Change Research Institute.
Sought for comment, native-tree advocate Arceli M. Tungol told the BusinessMirror that there is so much to learn about not just narra, but other Philippine native trees.
edotco said it will also work with MNS and Perhilitan to conduct wild life monitoring at selected towers in key biodiversity areas and run raptor conservation awareness programmes to educate edotco employees.
edotco Group operates and manag es a regional portfolio of over 54,000 towers across Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, the Philippines, Myanmar andALaos.transaction with PLDT that was announced in April makes edotco the leading Tower Company in the Philippines. It was also granted the commitment to build and develop 750 build-to-suit sites for leasing to PLDT.According to MNS, telecommu nications towers have become a pre ferred breeding site for wild birds of prey due to their stability, height andHowever,location. their nests are often disturbed or destroyed, contributing to a dwindling habitat and reduced population numbers.
HE Mindanao Development Authority (Minda) tapped internationally acclaimed Filipino climate expert and science diplomat, Glenn Banaguas, to spear head climate change and disaster mitigation efforts across the region under the aegis of Climate Smart Mindanao 2050.
“The region’s socioeconomic growth hinges on our capacity to confront, mitigate and hopefully even avoid the looming dangers of global warming,” Acosta said during the event that was graced by a full comple ment of Mindanao’s decision-makers and“Itstakeholders.isanabsolute honor to work with Minda on the furtherance of Mindanao’s climate action goals. In terms of biodiversity and natural re serves alone, the region is one of the most resource-rich places in the world. Mindanao deserves nothing less than our undivided support and protection, as it is a source of economic, cultural, historical, and national pride,” Bana guasClimatesaid.
IT is good that research on na tive trees, such as narra, is now being pursued by the DLS Medi cal and Health Sciences Insti tute. There is very slow progress in the research on the potential health benefits and application of medicinal potential of our na tive trees in a commercial scale,” added Tungol, who created the Facebook Group Philippine Na tive Tree Enthusiasts.
She said one of the successful research is the cure for cough using the native tree “lagundi” ( Vitex negundo).
According to Lim, an interna tional biodiversity expert, the appreciation and recognition of the close relationship and inter connection between the tradi tional lifestyle and practices of the indigenous peoples, and the continuing medicinal benefits that can be derived from the natural ecosystems, is the “first step toward incentivizing protec tion and retention of indigenous knowledge.”TheACB has been support ing the protection and conserva tion of Protected Areas in Asean through the Asean Heritage Parks Programme. Someofthe AHPs, like those in the Philippines, are known to host plant species like “tsaang gubat,” or the Philippine tea tree, “sam bong,” and “pansit-pansitan” that can also be found in other Asean countries, where they are known to provide traditional cures for various illnesses.
Recognizing IP rights LIM noted that the Philippines has been one of the successful coun tries in Asean for recognizing the rights of IPs, because of the Indig enous Peoples Rights Act of 1997, where Free and Prior Informed Consent is already embedded as
Minda taps UN-awarded scientist for Climate Smart Mindanao 2050
“Science is just recently proving the presence of medicinal value in narra and other native plants. [Narra’s] healing properties have been known to our grandparents and their grandparents before them way before this decade. It’s sap used to be recommended by village albularyo [herbal doctors] to treat mouth sores in children,” she Itsaid. should be noted that the De partment of Science and Technol ogy, through its Philippine Council on Health Research and Develop ment, has been developing medi cines and supplements from local
Its employees will also be able to volunteer for MNS’s annual Pesta Sayap (Festival of Wings), which aims to raise awareness of and collect data on birds in the forest and wetlands habitats.In2021, edotco planted more than 40,000 trees across its regional foot print, innovated new green designs, improved energy efficiency and in vested in renewable technologies among other milestones.
A7Editor: Lyn Resurreccion Sunday, September 18, 2022
Lagundi is a well-known cough remedy. The Taw’buid people of Mindoro use a plant called bun garngar (Chromolaena odorata ) to relieve stomach aches,” Yan told the BusinessMirror via e-mail on September 12.
A
He noted that gugo [ Entada phaseoloides] often grows near wa ter. Its bark can be soaked and used as a shampoo to clean the hair.
THE cover of the book Alay: Philippine Native Trees
It also aims to collaborate closely with MNS, BirdLife International, Jabatan Perlindungan Hidupan Liar dan Taman Negara Semenanjung
n Develop the region’s capability to address climate issues by way of broader discourses and cooperation on interrelated food, water, and energy issues;
written by Pastor L. Malabrigo Jr. and Arthur Glenn A. Umali.
Most of the trees in the book are considered endemic, or can only be found in the Philippines but are critically endangered, or considered at high risk of getting extinct.“Most of the trees are unknown to the public due to lack of aware ness and dissemination. The gov ernment and the private sector should do an in-depth study of these native trees to maximize their potential use. The more we study and get to know their uses, there is a greater chance of finding the right cure for diseases, while at the same time helping preserve these endangered species from ex tinction,” Tungol said.
“Did you know that kupang [Parkia javanica], a fairly common tree with distinctive seed pods, can be used as an alternative to coffee? The beans are taken from the seed pods and dried. The dried seeds are roasted and ground be fore being mixed with hot water. It actually did taste pretty good— like smoky coffee!”
“Managing environment impact is part of the environmental sus tainability pillar in our sustainabil ity strategy, and we recognize our responsibility to drive sustainable development to preserve the future of our majestic wild birds. With the Bird Watch Pledge, we aim to work hand-in-hand with local nature orga nizations to strike a balance between technological advancement and wildlife preservation,” Adlan said.
As early as 2002, narra, which is popular among furniture en thusiasts, has been found to have medicinal value and was used as the main ingredient of a dietary supplement to improve the qual ity of life of those with diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, bladder stones and infectious diseases.
STUDY on the bark and branch wood of narra tree, a critically endangered species, confirmed its anti-oxidant properties and potential to improve the lives of millions of Filipinos, the De La Salle (DLS) Dasmarinas College of Pharmacy recently bared.
Smart Mindanao 2050 is an enhanced version of the original Climate Smart Mindanao program, which was supported and implement ed by the late Minda secretary, Datu Abul Khayr Alonto, Undersecretary Janet Lopoz and Assistant Secretary Romeo Montenegro for the welfare of Mindanawons.“ThroughClimate Smart Mindan ao, Alonto led the way for sustainable
n Work towards net zero emissions through greenhouse-gas accounting under the Mindanao Decarbonization Roadmap.
Threatened resources TUNGOL lamented that the coun try’s native trees are unfortunately being pushed to a decline due to massive deforestation to give way to human Tungolsettlements.ispartof a group that recently launched the book Alay: Philippine Native Trees
Research is key
“We have over 3,600 native tree species. Our indigenous people depended highly on these in the past for the cure of their ailments. There were no doctors or hospi tals nor available pharmacy in the barrios or forest where they live. These native trees gave them the necessary medicines,” she said.
Yan, who frequents the moun tains of Mindoro said: “Our forests harbor so many useful plants. A 1984 study by Garan and Quintana identified 128 medicinal plant species used by various Mangyan tribes in Mindoro alone.”
edotco Group pledges to protect endangered birds nesting on towers
Established in 2012, edotco Group is the first regional and integrated telecommunications infrastructure services company in Asia, providing end-to-end solutions in the tower services sector from tower leasing, colocations, build-to-suit, energy, transmission and operations and maintenance.
part of the required processes pri or to the utilization of resources within IPs’ lands.
“Climate-change response is a fun damental pillar of Minda’s long-range plans for Mindanao,” Secretary Maria Belen Acosta said during the memo randum of collaboration signing in Makati City on September 14.
“Besides addressing climate change and disaster risks, it is also the goal of Climate Smart Mindanao 2050 to continue promoting peace and de-escalate tensions by bring ing parties in conflict together to address environmental and social issues,” Banaguas explained.
Traditional medicine BESIDES food, clothing and shel ter, Filipino ancestors have been using traditional medicines from a concoction of leaves, barks and roots of plants.
Even today, many Filipinos use medicinal plants to cure cough and cold, fight diarrhea by drinking “miracle tea,” or applying them to heal wounds or skin rashes.
BusinessMirror Asean Champions of Biodiversity Media Category 2014
Yan graduated from Subic Bay’s Jungle Environment Survival Training (JEST) Camp in 2014, where he learned how Aeta survive in the “Thejungle.Aeta or Agta people of Zambales, for instance, boil the leaves of guava, mango, pandan or banaba as calming tea. Their leaves can also be crushed to a paste to disinfect open wounds.
T
Launched at the Victor O. Ra mos Arboretum in Natividad, Pan gasinan, the book, which contains over 300 species of native trees, is “dedicated to the next generation of environmental warriors who can learn from the long histories of these trees and how they can adapt, survive and thrive in our rapidly changing planet.”
For his pioneering work, Banaguas received the prestigious UN Sasakawa Award for Disaster Risk Reduction in 2022, besting over 200 nominations from around the world to become the first individual Filipino recipient in the award’s 35-year history.
By Jonathan L. Mayuga
A NARRA tree that was planted by then-President Benigno C. Aquino III on May 13, 2011, during the first National Greening Program at the Ninoy Aquino Park and Wildlife Rescue Center, is now a fully grown tree. COURTESY OF GAUDENCIO AUDIE L. DE LA CRUZ/DENR
plants and other sources, together with private companies. Besides lagundi, they have de veloped tawa-tawa as supplement against dengue, virgin coconut oil for Covid-19, and are more are be ing developed.
With over a fifth of Malaysia’s 822 bird species classified as Threatened or Near Threatened as of 2020, new conservation strategies are crucial to preserve the ecological balance, edotcoCreatedsaid. in accordance with the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010, edotco’s Bird Watch Pledge aims to implement new policies and processes to minimize destruction to bird nests on its towers, create awareness about the importance of raptor conservation among employees.
climate action in the region. There is no higher tribute to his memory than to further his work,” Banaguas added.
The study, commissioned by Ecarma Health Options, a Filipino health and wellness firm, has once again proven that the forest, na ture’s pharmacy, is indeed the key to human survival.
n Provide training, capacity building, and consultation workshops on climate and sustainability financing; and
“We now have an approved cough syrup using the extract from lagundi tree,” she said via Messen ger on September 8.
THIS combination of images shows “The Books of Jacob” by Olga Tokarczuk, translated by Jennifer Croft, left, and “Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice.” AP
OK, the world will keep going. But tennis will not be the same.
The National Book Foundation, which presents the awards, released lists of 10 in the categories of young people’s literature and literature in translation. Later in the week, the foundation will announce long lists for poetry, nonfiction and fiction.
“He was the epitome of a champi on; class, grace, humility, beloved by everyone,” Hall of Famer Chris Evert wrote on Twitter.
As of last Thursday’s kickoff to the National Football League season, 31 states plus Washington DC offered legal sports betting, and several others will do so soon.
A record 46.6 million Americans say they plan to bet on the current NFL season, up 3 percent from last year, according to the American Gaming Association, the gambling industry’s national trade group.
In terms of whether sports betting is good or bad for society, 57 percent said it is neither. Just over a third—34 percent—said it is bad, and 8 percent said it is good.
we took tennis to new levels.”
It is a loss for tennis, to be sure, and a loss for the sports world. The news arrives less than two weeks after Ser ena Williams, who owns 23 Grand Slam singles titles, played what she indicated would be the last match of her own illustrious career shortly be fore she turns 41.
ed at the just-concluded US Open. And not without Federer, whose last tour nament came last year at Wimbledon, and whose final appearance on court will be next week in London at the La ver Cup, a team event his management groupTennisfounded.willmiss Federer, the player. And Federer, the statesman and am bassador who spoke several languages. And Federer, the instantly recognizable global pitchman who brought his sport to places all over the world that didn’t even have tournaments through exhi bitions to raise money for his charitable foundation.Onceatantrum-throwing kid— on the court and off, where he would overturn a chess table when losing to his father—who grew up admiring bas ketball stars such as Michael Jordan and soccer players more than tennis players, Federer became a symbol of his sport and someone known as much for the way he carried himself as the hardware he accumulated.
“Every time people write me off, or try to write me off, I’m able to bounce back,” Federer once said in an interview with The Associated Press. On Thurs day, at a little more than a month past his 41st birthday and after a series of knee operations, he announced that there would be no more comebacks.
said Tony Godsick, Federer’s agent since 2005. “There will be people who will win more tournaments or will have more Grand Slams. There will always be a new No. 1. There will always be someone holding a trophy up. But no one has had such a big impact and will continue to have such a big impact.”
A
N
He would end up with those men’srecord eight at Wimbledon, plus six at the Australian Open, five at the US Open and one at the French Open. He is one of eight men with a career Grand Slam, holds the records for most con secutive weeks at No. 1 in the Associa tion of Tennis Professionals comput erized rankings and for oldest to get there, and set a mark for most total weeks that Djokovic eclipsed.
The most common way they did so was by placing bets with friends or family, such as a private betting pool, fantasy league or a casual bet; 15 percent of respondents said they bet in this manner.
“There was pressure from all sides; also from myself. I wanted to do bet ter in Slams,” Federer said that day.
Griner, Whelan families to meet Biden amid US-Russia talks
22 percent had bet on sports compared to 17 percent over 50.
The meetings are being done separately so as to ensure that each family has private time with the president. But the fact that they are happening on the same day shows the extent to which the two cases have become intertwined since the only deal that is presumably palatable to the US is one that gets both Americans—a famous WNBA player and a Michigan man who until recently was little known to the public—home together at the same time,
The center surveyed 6,034 adults from July 5 to 17. Its margin of error is plus or minus 2 percentage points.
“He wanted to let them know that they remain front of mind and that his team is working on this every day, on making sure that Brittney and Paul return home safely,” White House press secretary Karine JeanPierre said at Thursday’s press briefing at the White House.
More male respondents than female—24 percent versus 15 percent—said they had bet on sports in some form in the past year. And of respondents under 50 years of age,
The survey also found no significant difference by party affiliation: 21 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents said they have bet on sports in some way in the last 12 months, as have 19 percent of Republicans and Republicanleaning independents.
The survey’s results indicate that the nascent US legal sports betting industry, while growing rapidly, has plenty of room for expansion; more than 80 percent of all legal sports bets in the US are made online.
Not without Williams, who was fet
on condition of anonymity in advance of Thursday’s formal announcement.
W
Olympics medalist Smith up for National Book Award
R
requested in-person meetings. On Friday, Biden plans to speak at the White House with Cherelle Griner and with the player’s agent in one meeting and with Elizabeth Whelan in the other, according to the official.
The way he wielded a racket helped him to win, yes, and win a lot, to the tune of 20 Grand Slam championships—a half-dozen more than any man before him—across a 15-year stretch, and 103 tournament titles in all, plus a Davis Cup trophy and Olympic medals for Switzer land, and spend week after week at No. 1 in the rankings. It also helped him man age to avoid serious injuries for so long and achieve the consistent excellence over decades he prized.
By Howard Fendrich The Associated Press
Sports A8Sunday, September 18, 2022BusinessMirrormirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph | Editor: Jun Lomibao
“While I would love to say that the purpose of this meeting is to inform the families that the Russians have accepted our offer and we
Remix”; Sonora Reyes’s “The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School” and Kelly Barnhill’s “The Ogress and the Orphans.” The long lists in five competitive categories will be narrowed to five finalists on October 4, with winners announced November 16. AP
ROGER FEDERER holds up the winners trophy after he defeated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in their final tennis at the Association of Tennis Professionals World Tour Finals at the O2 arena in London, on November 27, 2011. AP
ASHINGTON—President Joe Biden plans to meet at the White House on Friday with family members of Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) star Brittney Griner and Michigan corporate security executive Paul Whelan, both of whom remain jailed in Russia, the White House announced Thursday.
In the past several months, representatives of both families have expressed frustration over what they perceived as a lack of aggressive action and coordination from the administration.CherelleGriner, for instance, told The Associated Press in an interview in June that she was dismayed after the failure of a phone call from her wife that was supposed to have been patched through by the American Embassy in Moscow left the couple unable to connect on their fourth anniversary. AP
EW YORK—A picture story coauthored by Olympic gold medalist Tommie Smith and a novel by Nobel laureate Olga Tokarczuk were among the nominees Wednesday on long lists for the National Book Awards.
“There won’t be anybody like him,”
Predicted to be a star from the time he won the Wimbledon junior title as a teenager—a sentiment that only built when he stunned Sampras in the fourth round there in 2001—it took Federer a little time to get pointed in the right direction: He did not win a quarterfi nal match in his first 16 Grand Slam appearances.Therewere six first-round exits in that span, including at the 2003 French Open. So then came this concern: Might Federer not quite be as good as he, and others, thought?
“Some depart, others come and the world keeps going,” one of Federer’s great rivals, Rafael Nadal, said recently. “It’s a natural cycle.”
A CUSTOMER makes a sports bet at the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey. AP
The negotiations, already strained because of tense relations between Washington and Moscow over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, have also been complicated by Russia’s apparent resistance to the proposal the Americans put on theThetable.Russians, who have indicated that they are open to negotiations but have chided the Americans to conduct them in private, have come back with suggestions that are not within the administration’s ability to deliver, said the administration official, declining to elaborate.
Asked whether betting on sports is good for sports itself, 49 percent were neutral, 33 percent saw it as bad and 16 percent said it is good.Asof May, the fourth anniversary of a US Supreme Court decision clearing the way for all 50 US states to offer legal sports betting should they choose to do so, Americans had wagered over $125 billion on sports. AP
TLANTIC CITY, New Jersey—Nearly one in five US adults bet money on sports over the past year, according to a survey released
It found no significant differences in sports betting by educational attainment or household income level: 18 percent of college graduates said they bet on sports in the past year, and 20 percent of those without a college degree said they had doneMeanwhile,so. 22 percent of adults in the upper-income wage bracket, 19 percent of middle-income and 19 percent of lowerincome households reported making sports bets in the past year.
In young people’s literature, “Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice,” a collaboration among Smith, Derrick Barnes and Dawud Anyabwile, was among the nominees. The book recalls Smith’s gold medal in the men’s 200 meter race at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City and his raising his fist in what he called a “human rights” salute during the medals ceremony. He and teammate John Carlos, who also raised his fist, were banished from the games, although allowed to keep theirSabaamedals.Tahir, best known for her “An Ember in the Ashes” fantasy series, was on the long list for “All My Rage,” along with “Swim Team,” by bestselling graphic novelist Johnnie Christmas; Traci Chee’s “A Thousand Steps into Night”: Anna-Marie McLemore’s ”Self-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby
“I’ve always believed, but then in the end, when it happens, you don’t think that it is possible. It’s an absolute dream for me. I was always joking around when I was a boy: “I’m going to win this.’”
It all came together at Wimbledon that year, where Federer claimed his first Grand Slam title at the tourna ment that always meant the most to him. And off he went.
He became friends with Vogue editor Anna Wintour and showed up at the Met Gala. He had a special jacket with a gold “15” on it to don right there on Centre Court after winning Wimbledon in 2009 to break Pete Sampras’ men’s mark of 14 career major trophies. He kept playing, and winning, well past an age that is cus tomary for that sort of thing in tennis, to the point that his two sets of twins—now ages 13 and 8—eventually were able to be present in courtside guest boxes. He returned after left knee surgery in 2016, the first significant absence of his career, and used a larger racket head and a rebuilt backhand to collect his last three Slams.
The Pew Center said 27 percent of Black respondents and 24 percent of the Hispanic respondents reported having bet on sports, while 18 percent of white adults and 10 percent of Asian-Americans said they had.
The separate meetings are to be the first in-person encounter between Biden and the families and are taking place amid sustained but so far unsuccessful efforts by the administration to secure the Americans’ release. The administration said in July that it had made a “substantial proposal” to get them home, but despite plans for the White House meetings, there is no sign a breakthrough is imminent.
His contests against Nadal, now 36, and Djokovic, 35, were happen ings, tantalizing matchups against a backdrop of differing ways of play and contrasting personalities.
“I was lucky enough to play so many epic matches that I will never forget,” Federer wrote in the section of his goodbye post addressed to his competitors. “We battled fairly, with passion and intensity, and I always tried my best to respect the history of the game. I feel extremely grateful. We pushed each other, and together
TENNIS WON’T BE SAME AGAIN
are bringing their loved ones home—that is not what we’re seeing in these negotiations at this time,” Jean-Pierre said. She added: “The Russians should accept our offer. The Russians should accept our offerGrinertoday.”has been held in Russia since February on drug-related charges. She was sentenced last month to nine years in prison after pleading guilty and has appealed the punishment. Whelan is serving a 16-year sentence on espionage-related charges that he and his family say are false. The US government regards both as wrongfully detained, placing their cases with the office of its top hostage negotiator.Secretary of State Antony Blinken took the unusual step of announcing two months ago that the administration had made a substantial proposal to Russia. Since then, US officials have continued to press that offer in hopes of getting serious negotiations underway, and have been following up through the same channel that produced an April prisoner swap that brought Marine veteran Trevor Reed home from Russia, said a senior administration official who spoke to The Associated Press
OGER FEDERER never let ’em see him sweat.
If anyone worried that Federer is gone for good, one of those athletes who wants to disappear after the play ing days are done, he concluded his farewell note with these words: “To the game of tennis: I love you and will never leave you.”
He played tennis with a style that only rarely betrayed the effort behind the masterful serving, the rare-in-its-day attacking and the flawless footwork. He was not one to grunt loudly on shots or celebrate wildly after them.
The administration has not provided specifics about its proposal, but a person familiar with the matter previously confirmed it had offered to release Viktor Bout, a convicted Russian arms dealer who is imprisoned in the US and who has long been sought by Moscow. It is also possible that, in the interests of symmetry, Russia might insist on having two of its citizens released fromBidenprison.spoke by phone in July with Griner’s wife, Cherelle, and with Whelan’s sister, Elizabeth, but both families have also
When it came to defining suc cess, Federer cared about longevity as much as anything. He was proud of facing—and defeating—stars from an earlier generation (Sampras and Andre Agassi), from his own genera tion (Andy Roddick, Lleyton Hewitt, Marat Safin), from the next generation (Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka) and from the current crop (Daniil Medvedev, Stefa nosHeTsitsipas).chased the first group, domi nated the second, dueled with the third—Nadal, with 22, and Djokovic with 21, eventually surpassed Federer’s Grand Slam total—and set an example for the Asidefourth.from those major trophies won from 2003 to 2018, Federer put together unprecedented stretches of elite play, appearing in 10 consecutive Grand Slam finals (and 18 of 19), along with 23 semifinals and 36 quarterfi nals in a row.
1-IN-5 U.S. ADULTS BET MONEY ON SPORTS IN 2022
Only 8 percent said they had made sports bets in person at a casino, racetrack or kiosk, and 6 percent reported having done so online. The survey did not ask if the online sites were regulated by a government agency, or were unregulated offshore sites.
The report fromWednesday.the Pew Research Center shows that 19 percent of adults surveyed said they had wagered on sports.
Tokarczuk’s “The Books of Jacob,” translated from the Polish by Jenny Croft, was cited for literature in translation, which also included a previous National Book Award winner, Yoko Tawada, whose “Scattered All Over the Earth” was translated from the Japanese by Margaret Mitsutani. Nominees also included Mohammed Hasan Alwan’s “Ibn Arabi’s Small Death,” translated from the Arabic by William M. Hutchins; Shahriar Mandanipour’s ”Seasons of Purgatory,” translated from the Persian by Sara Khalili; Mónica Ojeda’s “Jawbone,” translated from the Spanish by Sarah Booker, and Olga Ravn’s “The Employees,” translated from the Danish by Martin Aitken.
BusinessMirror September 18, 2022 Choosing university or College Courses? 5 questions for students to Consider
“We’veartists.gone through a really hard training for the tour, especially kasi it’s not just gonna be in the Philippines—it’s gonna be held all over the world and syempre sabi nila, ‘If you make it in New York, you can make it all over the world,’’ Josh said.
Ken added that singing while dancing is tiring. However, he was thankful for the training by their vocal coach and dance trainor as it gave them endurance for future performances.Headmitted that their past performances were not perfect, and with the training they had gone through, they were motivated by the thought of becoming better
Josh added, “ Sisiguraduhin namin na madadala namin ang Filipino music sa globalSub-vocalistscale.”
Josh assured that despite the two years of not performing live on-stage, they will come back better versions of themselves as performers.Thegrouphad gone through a rigorous preparation for the world tour. Main dancer Ken shares that their training was tough and there were times when he felt like collapsing.
N
By Patrick V. Miguel
“Ang haba ng pahinga namin since nagka-pandemic,” lead-rapper and subvocalist Josh said. “To be honest, medyo nagkaroon kami ng frustrations during those times kasi maraming limitations and hindi kami makapag events masyado. Hindi kami makapag-release ng sunod-sunod kasi parang nagiging complicated ang lahat.”
Meanwhile, Ken imagines performing on a world stage in the future and aspiring artists looking up to them.
BusinessMirror YOUR MUSIC SEPTEMBER 18, 2022 | soundstrip.businessmirror@gmail.com2
Justin shares that they are very excited to get along with their fans “A’TIN,” and he added, “Not only the local A’TINs but the international A’TINs because we are planning to visit them and we are very excited to show them and to perform for them live.”
Since their debut in 2018, SB19 has been able to perform in front of live audiences multiple times. However, the COVID-19 pandemic placed a halt on the stage and they were forced to perform in the virtual spaces.
Justin echoed his bandmate’s remarks, adding, “For sure, there will be more opportunities for us, and those opportunities will drive us to be better and to work hard.”
Now, with their return to performing live, the boys of SB19 intend to take things
But before leaving the Philippines, SB19 will first revisit their Filipino fans with a sold-out concert at Araneta Coliseum on September 17. They will also perform in Cebu (October 1), Clark (October 8), and Davao (October 15).
SB19 leader Pablo said, “Three years from now, di-ne-declare ko na talagang established na ‘yung OPM industry all over the world—or P-Pop—kasi makakatulong ‘yon sa economy ng Philippines, lalo na kapag maraming foreigners ang dumadayo rito para panoorin ang mga shows natin.”
to the next level as they will go on a world tour featuring their recent release “WYAT” (Where You At). They will fly to Dubai, New York, Los Angeles, and Singapore in October and November this year.
P-Pop band SB19 looks forward to world tour
DESPITE their local success and rising international success, SB19 still believes that their musical odyssey still has a long way to Theygo.are the first Filipino and Southeast Asian act to be nominated in Billboard Music Awards for the Top Social Artist category. Adding up is that they are also the first Southeast Asians to enter the top 10 of Billboard Social 50 weekly and year-endThreecharts.years from now, Josh is envisioning SB19 to win a Billboard Award.
Overall, SB19 only hopes that in the future, OPM (Original Pilipino Music) is established all over the world especially P-Pop as they believe that it could boost Philippine tourism through concerts.
OT long ago, the term “P-Pop” was unfamiliar to the ears of many Filipinos. P-Pop was just claiming its place in late 2010s popular culture when its proponents started to stylistically adapt the sensational musical genre K-Pop. The five-member boy band SB19 was one of the trailblazers who echoed K-Pop, and not long after that, they had garnered popularity among Filipino listeners.
‘GLOBAL DOMINATION’
More to offer
SB19 (Photo by Patrick V. Miguel/BM)
SB19 will kick off their WYAT [Where You At] Tour on September 17 at Araneta Coliseum.
“Maraming preparation and grabe yung training namin. Umaabot sa point na parang i feel like collapsing during training,” he said.
“Next Week” is proof that one can find inspiration for a song from anywhere. It was inspired by a video of “Gandang Gabi Vice” segment where Vice Ganda and Bella Padilla talked about heartbreaks and how they bargained with their lovers to hold off breaking up with them for one more week because they could not handle the sudden absence. Written by Herbert Hernandez, the new track will be the first single off the band’s upcoming album titled Lourdes 2088.
M
love: It’s not always synchronized, even with complications, but that’s the beauty of it. The release of “Palibot-libot” comes after the prolific musician staged a successful solo concert at the Araneta Coliseum last September 11, 2022.
new propulsion from Zoe delos Santos of the grunge-rock band Slumberparty. The revitalized song resonates with a powerful message about Filipino women as it proudly proclaims their heroism even as it takes a swipe at men’s backward patriarchal thinking that women always need rescuing.
SLUMBERPARTY
Tinik Sa Lalamunan
SIN SANTOS
“Forever, The Night” EP
DEBUT single “Just A Stranger” from newcomer Evanuell is a grandiose re-introduction to the musician’s continuing voyage to exorcise personal demons and hopefully, save a few souls along the way. Evanuell says, “Musically, I was introduced to music at a young age by our family driver, so it was into a lot of pop, including stuff like the Backstreet Boys, and whatever was on the radio,” “Of course, as I got older, I gravitated towards friends who ultimately became my bandmates, I was became heavily into groups like Dream Theater, Muse, Queen… and the sound we were going for naturally became a mesh of all theseBeinggroups.”the chief lyricist and architect of the song, Evanuell came up with the main idea, guitar riffs and arrangement, yet credits the band for the recording of the new single. He shares, “The goal with ‘Just A Stranger’ is to share the story, and I want to be able to use music as an opportunity to reflect what everybody is going through but this is basically just the tip of the iceberg.”
ORIGINALLY released for the acoustic collection titled “Sulat, Puso, Diwa.” “Tinik Sa Lalamunan” gets a
RICO BLANCO “Palibot-libot”
SoundSampler by
PHILIPPINE bornAustralia based Sin Santos returns with a sixtrack project titled “Forever, The Night,” with Sin opting to tread through dark themes of being misunderstood, finding means of surviving, and seeking validation from the world. With moody production and an A-class feature from Melbourne local FFXRK, the focus single, “intothenight,” displays the expected hunger and drive that have been showcased on previous releases from Santos, only this time he exudes more confidence and bravado. Not shying away from depicting Sin’s dreams and ambitions, this release is sure to keep his doubters and the competition in check as the artist conquers new heights.
Tony M. Maghirang MOONSTAR88 “Next Week”
soundstrip.businessmirror@gmail.com | SEPTEMBER 18, 2022 3 BUSINESSMUSIC T. Anthony C. Cabangon Lourdes M. Fernandez Aldwin M. Tolosa Jt EdwinNisayP. Sallan Eduardo A. Davad Niggel NonieBernardAnnieLosorataKayePatrickLeonyRickTonyAnabelleFigueroaO.FloresM.Maghirang,Olivares,Garcia,MiguelVillagomez-S.AlejoP.TestaReyes Y2Z & SOUNDSTRIP are published and distributed free every Sunday by the Philippine Business Daily Mirror Publishing Inc. as a project of the The Philippine Business Mirror Publishing, Inc., with offices on the 3rd Floor of Dominga Building III 2113 Chino Roces Avenue corner Dela Rosa Street, Makati City, Philippines. Tel. Nos. (Editorial) 817-9467; 813-0725. Fax line: 813-7025 Advertising Sales: 8893-2019;17-1351,817-2807. Circulation: 893-1662; 814-0134 to 36. www.businessmirror.com.ph Publisher : ConceptEditor-In-Chief : Y2Z Editor : SoundStrip Editor : Group Creative Director : Graphic Designers : Contributing Writers : Columnists : Photographers :
Araw ng mga Bayani Selection: Songs for and about Heroes MUSIKA Publiko pays tribute to the heroes of the country via a Spotify playlist that aims to motivate love of country, love for our kababayan, and the Filipino people’s continuing aspiration for better conditions and good governance. Following are two tracks from the selection:
A mesh of new singles for rainy afternoons
TALAHIBMUSICPEOPLE’SDAM
IN his new single “Palibot-libot,” Rico Blanco reflects on the uncertainty that thrives between friendship and relationship. The stirring synth-pop track comes from a place of earnestness rather than merely hopping trendy themes.Originally intended to be recorded with a simple acoustic guitar arrangement, “Palibotlibot” explores a more synthpop direction that unfolds with a soaring chorus and minimal ambient touches. With its storytelling “anchored precariously on someone’s steadfast devotion,” albeit a one-sided one, the song minces no words about the reality of
INTERNATIONALLY renowned Filipino World Music rock band Talahib People’s Music welcomed Miss Universe Catriona Gray during her homecoming with a performance marked by the use of indigenous instruments. Now comes DAM – a song that is both a tribute to the katutubo - Indigenous people in the Philippines, and how developmental aggression continues to destroy their homes, communities, livelihoods, culture, and way of life. It’s the group’s first official release in a decade.
“JustEVANUELLaStranger”
OONSTAR88, band known for Pinoy love anthems, releases another hugot song titled “Next Week” about one’s procrastination to keep heartbreak at bay. The song is a plea to one’s significant other to postpone a breakup hoping that next week he will be more ready and it will be less painful.
It’s also easy to spend more time than anticipated replaying recorded lectures.
“When I was working as a producer, I was burned out, so I was always looking for something else to do. Pottery, to me, was a break. Instead of a huge pile of lists I had to do in my head, it was a form of forced meditation. Because in those few minutes, all that matters is you and that piece of clay right in front of you,” she
by pauline Joy m. Gutierrez
pottery, everything is handmade, and with ceramics, even though it’s not that perfect, that just makes it all the more beautiful and raw, so you see the human touch,” Javier, 32, said of the art practice during a
While some professors reverted to old ways after returning to campus, others sought new approaches. The result is a mixture of different types of courses available to university and college students.
How much time does the course require?
Choosing university or college courses? 5 questions for students to consider
It’s no longer just a question of whether a course fits a student’s program and schedule. Students need to ask additional questions. Yet, times are changing rapidly and information can quickly become out of date.
2
The online pivot encouraged some professors to either add or drop course material. The result is that the amount of time students spend on a course may vary greatly from one professor to another. This may especially be an issue for students who have heavy course loads while balancing other professional and personal responsibilities.Asidefrompracticums and field classes, most universities and colleges have few standards on how much time students should spend outside the classroom.
by terence Day, Simon Fraser University and paul N. mcDaniel, Kennesaw State University the sudden shift from facultyuniversity2020moteteachingon-campustore-learninginmarchchangedthewaysandcollegetaughtcourses.
Ask, how much reading is required? Are there heavy writing requirements in papers and online discussions? A course with weekly assignments is easier to manage than a course with just one major assignment due at the end. Course advisors may have copies of syllabi or an instructor’s course syllabus may be available online.
Do I need to attend classes? Can I work remotely?
3Is the professor approachable and flexible?
connections, under-powered devices and equitableOperatingaccess.systems may be an issue when installing specialist software (such as ArcGISPro GIS software used in our field of geography). Campus computer labs are commonly set up for specific software, but it’s worth investigating how responsive IT support is for students using their own devices.
“We’re always striving for perfection and that creates certain expectations. Letting go can be very liberating, it’s knowing you gave something the best you can do and being at peace with it,” she said.
“Through our brand campaign, we want people to know that they can shape their life journey as they desire.”
building workshops and painting sessions. e x pansion plans are also underway, beginning from the transfer to a bigger space to accommodate more clients.
5Does the grading scheme show off my capabilities?
Whether or not learning outcomes depend on peer collaboration, many students find it motivating to be surrounded by their peers. At the same time, the creation of learning communities can also take place in online environments.
Javiersaid.credits the resurgence of pottery not just in the country but around the world to the renewed interest of the younger generation in olden and traditional crafts. This, in part, is attributed to their yearning to slow down amid a fast-paced
Au JAv Ier leans forward, her hands delicately tracing the sinuous curves of the clay, ever so mindful of the rhythmic whirring of the potter’s wheel. Slowly, the mold takes shape—the mud finds a new lease of Javier’slife.space is a potter’s playground in SanTheJuan.quintessential studio is called Wabi Sabi, from an ancient Japanese philosophy centered on accepting transience and imperfection. Inside, it houses five throwing wheels lined neatly one after another, while a variety of trimming and carving tools clutter a modest working table in the corner. In contrast, a mix of vibrant and eclectic hand-painted ceramic mugs and trinkets from artists Jill Arteche and eg g Fiasco adorn the center storage “Withshelf.
“Pau’s experience is a good example of why we’re encouraging every Filipino to ‘press play’ on their passions and dreams,” says roche va ndenberghe, chief marketing officer of FWD Life Insurance in the Philippines.
BusinessMirror September 18, 20224
Some professors offer the opportunity for students to resubmit. Open book exams became more common duringFindCovid-19.out:How many quizzes and exams are included in a course? What type of questions are on a test? How are tests administered and graded? What are the assignments? Do grading rubrics clearly show how the professor will grade assignments?Andaskyourself why you’re taking the course? Do the assignments help you learn, or do they simply allow you to prove you already know something? What matters most to you for this particular course?
P
Students should also ensure they will be able to access textbooks. Anecdotally, we have seen situations where copyright constraints affect how international students can access digital textbooks, or deliveries are delayed or held up by customs.
While students should not take only “easy” courses, it is important to appropriately manage workloads. Stress is a contributor to students’ mental health challenges. It’s good to be challenged, but don’t take on too much.
Javier’s is a recognized name in the field of production, with projects including “resureksyon,” “Kuwaresma” and “Baka Siguro Yata.”
work environment. Javier noted that there’s also been a better appreciation for practice fueled by social networks that make the process of hand-making ceramics veryJavierappealing.hascome a long way since discovering her love of pottery. What was initially a passion project for her turned into a profitable business that now offers crash and full courses on wheel throwing, hand
Will I need special equipment and materials?
In 2020, when the pandemic took away the industry’s biggest platform—cinema, independent filmmakers like herself found themselves with no projects to work on. She knew a career shift was necessary then, but how it would change her life is still being made clear to her now.
Many students are now combining online and face-to-face courses into their programs.Thedifference between online and faceto-face courses has blurred. Many face-toface classes now have significant online components. If instructors record lectures, provide comprehensive lecture materials and allow assignments or tests to be submitted online, the class grading structure may make it possible to take a face-to-face course and rarely show up for classes.
It became clear during the pandemic that some students struggled with internet
Javier’s grounding, however, remains the same. She wants to maintain the purpose of creating with the intent of not being ordinary using a medium that’s very forgiving.
This may benefit students juggling family or professional commitments with college or university.
Such is the focus of the “press play” campaign by FWD Life Insurance, which features the stories of Pau Javier and five others across Asia who dared to pursue their personal goals and seek their purpose in life.
4
Meet Pau Javier, a creative who invites you to play with clay
“Press Play” hands-on workshop organized by insurance brand FWD.
Some professors became more understanding and sympathetic to student needs during Covid-19 chaos. Others less so. Faculty are typically required to describe how students can reach them, including preferred communication method and email or online message system response time in the syllabi. This will also describe any flexibility built into their Studentscourse.often share their experiences with different courses and instructors with one another, and this can be helpful. Bear in mind, however, that such experiences may have changed through theAnotherpandemic.way to gain information is to ask the professor directly. Their reply (or lack thereof) may be useful. Just respect the work-life boundaries most professors have established concerning digital communication outside regular work hours as they are also juggling commitments amid increasing workloads, all while attempting to mitigate burnout during the pandemic.
But be aware of how missing lectures could affect your grades, experience and learning. Teachers work hard in the classroom to engage and inspire. Lectures can be entertaining, interesting and can open new possibilities for learning. Professors’ body language communicates additional information. They may edit out parts of a recorded lecture they feel are too spontaneous to be preserved.
FWD tapped real people for its “Press Play” campaign film to inspire others to push forth plans that were put on hold. In photo are (from left): Roche Vandenberghe, FWD Life Insurance Chief Marketing Officer; Pau Javier, Founder of Wabi Sabi Studio; and Sonia Pascual, FWD Life Insurance Director of Corporate Communications and Product Marketing.
1
Many professors had to rethink traditional grading. Some are now more flexible with respect to deadlines and formats.
Different professors teach differently. If you’re a student with choices in a program, it makes sense to find out what you’re getting. The Conversation